Renewing HIV Prevention: Solutions for Today’s Challenges

American Medical Association
Physicians dedicated to the health of America
Special Embargo for Release: 7 a.m., July 7, 2002
Media Advisory: To contact Ronald Valdiserri, M.D., M.P.H., call the Office of Communications for the National
Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at
404/639-8895.
Number of U.S. AIDS Cases Remain Stable After Recent Declines
New data suggest increases in HIV infection in select populations
BARCELONA-U.S. AIDS cases and HIV infections appear roughly stable overall; however, the overall
stability may be masking increases in HIV infections among some populations of heterosexuals as well as gay and
bisexual men, according to Dr. Ronald Valdiserri, Deputy Director of the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB
Prevention with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Valdiserri released the latest U.S. data on diagnosed AIDS cases through June 2001 and HIV diagnoses in 25
states from 1994 to 2000 at today's American Medical Association media briefing in Barcelona, Spain.
The most recent CDC data confirm a trend of continued stabilization in AIDS cases that began in mid-1998.
Between June 1998 and June 2001, roughly 10,000 AIDS cases have been diagnosed each quarter. Prior to 1998,
AIDS cases had declined dramatically with the availability of highly active anti-retroviral treatment.
According to Dr. Valdiserri, the lack of additional progress is likely due to several factors, including the
substantial number of infected individuals who are either unaware of their HIV infection or not receiving medical
care (an estimated 400,000-500,000 Americans), treatment failure, and difficulty adhering with complex regimens
that often cause severe side effects.
The recent data demonstrate that HIV diagnoses in the 25 states also stabilized, at roughly 16,600 annually
between 1998 and 2000. (HIV trends were only examined in the 25 states with longstanding HIV reporting.) Dr.
Valdiserri cautions that the 25 state data are not representative of all states. For example, Latinos account for a
low proportion of cases in these states, but they are disproportionately impacted on a national level.
Closer examination of the 25 state data, however, demonstrates a "deceptive stability" in HIV diagnoses
according to Dr. Valdiserri. During the seven-year period examined, the majority of HIV diagnoses occurred
among gay and bisexual men (43 percent), followed by individuals infected heterosexually (27 percent) and
injecting drug users (23 percent).