CDC Fact Sheet: Estimates of New HIV Infections in the United States, 2006–2009

Abstract

In August 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new estimates of the annual number of new HIV infections (HIV incidence) in the United States. The estimates, for 2006 through 2009, are the first multi-year estimates using CDC’s national HIV incidence surveillance methodology, which is based on direct measurement of new HIV infections using a laboratory test (the BED HIV-1 Capture Enzyme Immunoassay) that can classify new diagnoses as either recent or long-standing HIV infections. The estimates were published online in the scientific journal PLoS ONE (http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0017502). The new estimates suggest that overall HIV incidence in the United States has been relatively stable at approximately 50,000 annual infections between 2006 and 2009. Each year, the largest number of new HIV infections was among white men who have sex with men (MSM)* followed closely by black MSM. Hispanic MSM and black women were also heavily affected. Over the four year period, new HIV infections appear to be relatively stable among all populations except young MSM. The overall increase among young MSM was driven by a 48 percent increase in HIV infections among young black MSM during the four-year time period.