The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the 2017 HIV Surveillance Report, which presents data on numbers and rates of diagnoses of HIV infection that occurred through December 31, 2017. All data were reported to CDC through June 2018. This year’s report has been expanded to include four additional tables that provide six years of data on diagnoses and Stage 3 (AIDS) classifications among adults and adolescents, by sex and selected characteristics.
In summary, annual diagnosis rates continue to be highest among Blacks/African Americans compared to other racial/ethnic groups and higher in the South compared to other regions. Annual diagnoses among MSM remain stable overall, and are continuing to decline among women. Key findings that require ongoing attention include populations with increasing rates, such as persons aged 25-34 years overall, as well as American Indians/Alaska Natives and Asians, for whom there continue to be increases. Annual diagnoses also continue to increase among MSM, specifically persons aged 25-34 years and among Hispanics/Latinos, and white persons who inject drugs.
This report shows HIV is still a threat to Americans’ health. Despite ongoing prevention efforts, the data show limited progress among at-risk populations and communities. The national goal of “no new infections” cannot be reached until these disparities are addressed.
