(photo by Ronnie Veliz)
HIV IN THE UNITED STATES*
FAST FACTS
- More than one million people are living with HIV in the U.S.
- One in five living with HIV is unaware of their infection.
- MSM, particularly young, black MSM, are the most severely affected by HIV.
- By race, African Americans face the most severe HIV burden.
The first cases of what would later become known as AIDS were reported in the United States in June of 1981. Since then, 1.7 million people in the U.S. are estimated to have been infected with HIV, including over 619,000 who have already died and approximately 1.2 million (1,178,350) adults and adolescents who were living with HIV infection at the end of 2008, the most recent year for which national prevalence estimates are available. The impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic spans the nation with HIV diagnoses having been reported in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. dependencies, possessions, and associated nations.
CDC estimates that more than one million people are living with HIV in the U.S.. One in five (20%) of those people living with HIV is unaware of their infection.
Despite increases in the total number of people living with HIV in the U.S. in recent years, the annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable. However, new infections continue at far too high a level, with approximately 50,000 Americans becoming infected with HIV each year.
More than 17,000 people with AIDS in the U.S. died in 2009 and more than 619,000 people with AIDS in the U.S. have died since the epidemic began. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM)1 are strongly affected and represent the majority of persons who have died.
BY RISK GROUP
GAY, BISEXUAL, AND OTHER MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM):
By risk group, gay, bisexual, and other MSM of all races remain the population most severely affected by HIV.
- MSM accounted for 61% of all new HIV infections in the U.S. in 2009, as well as nearly half (49%) of people living with HIV in 2008 (the most recent year national prevalence data is available).
- CDC estimates that MSM account for just 2% of the U.S. male population aged 13 and older, but accounted for more than 50% of all new HIV infections annually from 2006 to 2009. In 2010, MSM accounted for 61% of HIV diagnoses.
- In 2009, white MSM accounted for the largest number of annual new HIV infections of any group in the U.S. (11,400), followed closely by black MSM (10,800).
- Young, black MSM were the only risk group in the U.S. to experience statistically significant increases in new HIV infections from 2006–2009—from 4,400 new HIV infections in 2006 to 6,500 infections in 2009.
HETEROSEXUALS AND INJECTION DRUG USERS:
Heterosexuals and injection drug users also continue to be affected by HIV.
- Individuals infected through heterosexual contact accounted for 27% of estimated new HIV infections in 2009 and 28% of people living with HIV in 2008.
- As a group, women accounted for 23% of estimated new HIV infections in 2009 and 25% of those living with HIV in 2008.
- Injection drug users represented 9% of annual new HIV infections in 2009 and 17% of those living with HIV in 2008.
ESTIMATES OF NEW HIV INFECTIONS IN THE U.S., 2009, BY TRANSMISSION CATEGORY
Prejean J, Song R, Hernandez A, Ziebell R, Green T, et al. (2011) Estimated HIV Incidence in the United States, 2006-2009. PLoS ONE 6(8): e17502. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017502.
BY RACE/ETHNICITY
AFRICAN AMERICANS:
Among racial/ethnic groups, African Americans face the most severe burden of HIV in the U.S.
- While blacks represent approximately 14% of the U.S. population, they accounted for almost half (46%) of people living with HIV in the U.S. in 2008, as well as an estimated 44% of new infections in 2009. HIV infections among blacks overall have been roughly stable since the early 1990s.
HISPANICS/LATINOS:
Hispanics/Latinos are also disproportionately impacted.
- Hispanics/Latinos represent 16% of the population but accounted for an estimated 17% of people living with HIV in 2008 and 20% of new infections in 2009. HIV infections among Hispanics/Latinos overall have been roughly stable since the early 1990s.
- In 2009, the rate of new HIV infections among Hispanic/Latino men was two and a half times that of white men and the rate among Hispanic/Latino women was four and a half times that of white women.
ESTIMATED RATE OF NEW HIV INFECTIONS, 2009, BY GENDER AND RACE/ETHNICITY
Prejean J, Song R, Hernandez A, Ziebell R, Green T, et al. (2011) Estimated HIV Incidence in the United States, 2006-2009. PLoS ONE 6(8): e17502. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017502.
* This overview highlights key information about those most affected by HIV/AIDS in the United States and reflects the most current data available from CDC as of March 2012. Creating an overview of the HIV epidemic in the U.S. requires combining different indicators of the epidemic, such as prevalence, incidence, transmission rates, and deaths. Therefore, multiple measures are used to provide a comprehensive picture of HIV in this country. The most current indicators reflect different years because of the time it takes to collect, compile, analyze and summarize HIV/AIDS data from all the states. For more information on the incidence and prevalence of HIV and AIDS, including definitions of terms and how trends are tracked, visit the CDC’s HIV/AIDS Statistics and Surveillance. For information about HIV and other risk populations, including women, youth, older Americans and other racial/ethnic minority populations as well as data by state or region and about AIDS diagnoses, visit www.cdc.gov/hiv or check out the fact sheets listed below.
1The term men who have sex with men (MSM) is used in CDC surveillance systems. It indicates the behaviors that transmit HIV infection, rather than how individuals self-identify in terms of their sexuality. Such individuals may or may not self-identify as gay or bisexual men.
