HIV & AIDS in the United States Update: HIV Testing Day letter

June 26, 2017
　
Dear Colleagues,

Tomorrow, June 27, is National HIV Testing Day (NHTD), a day to join together to make sure everyone knows the importance of HIV testing and early diagnosis and gets tested! This year’s theme, Test Your Way. Do It Today., highlights that there are more ways than ever to get an HIV test and encourages everyone to get tested.

The estimated number of annual HIV infections in the United States did decline 18% between 2008 and 2014 (from 45,700 to 37,600). However, about 1.1 million people are living with HIV, and 1 in 7 do not know they are infected. More than 90% new HIV infections are transmitted by persons who do not know they are infected or are not receiving treatment. This underscores the importance of early diagnosis and linkage to care to reduce further the number of new HIV infections.

More than half of the young people aged 13 to 24 who are living with HIV do not know it. A recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) analyzes data from CDC-funded HIV tests provided to young people in 2015. The report shows that more HIV testing is needed among young gay and bisexual men. These men accounted for 83% of recent HIV diagnoses among youth in non-healthcare facilities but only 28% of HIV tests among youth in those settings. The report also identifies gaps in linking young people to care after they receive an HIV diagnosis. Making testing available in locations where youth might interact with the health care system, and ensuring services are welcoming for all youth, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, may help to increase testing among young people.

CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested at least once as part of routine health care. Some people are more at risk of getting HIV than others and should be tested at least once a year. Sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (e.g., every 3 to 6 months). CDC’s HIV testing guidelines for clinical and nonclinical settings provide comprehensive information on who needs HIV testing and how often they need it. Other CDC initiatives to improve testing outcomes include:

• Providing funds to state and local health departments to develop and implement comprehensive HIV prevention programs that include HIV testing, implementation of CDC’s screening recommendations, and linkage to care for those diagnosed with HIV.
• Funding community-based organizations to provide HIV testing and linkage to care for those at greatest risk.
• Conducting research and evaluation regarding the most up-to-date laboratory diagnostic techniques for HIV and issuing recommendations for testing.
• Ensuring access to testing resources, such as CDC’s Get Tested website, and training opportunities for providers through CDC’s HIV Screening. Standard Care. campaign.
• Providing free materials to help promote NHTD, and the Doing It consumer-focused campaign designed to motivate all adults to get tested for HIV and know their status.

On June 27, HIV testing events will occur across the country in clinical and nonclinical settings. We hope you are planning to participate.  Thank you for your part in making this day a success. We look forward to continuing our strong collaboration in our work to stop HIV.

Sincerely,

/Eugene McCray/
Eugene McCray, MD
Director
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/hiv　

/Jonathan Mermin/
Jonathan H. Mermin, MD, MPH
RADM and Assistant Surgeon General, USPHSDirector
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/nchhstp