HIV Cases Climb Among Gay, Bisexual Men in U.S.

Reuters ^ | Mon, Jul 28, 2003 | Paul Simao

[presidio9]

The number of gay and bisexual men diagnosed with HIV (news - web sites), the virus that causes AIDS (news - web sites), climbed for the third consecutive year in the United States in 2002, fueling fears that the disease might be poised for a major comeback in this high-risk group.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites), which reported the finding on Monday at the 2003 National HIV Prevention Conference in Atlanta, also revealed that AIDS diagnoses overall had risen 2.2 percent to 42,136 last year.

"The AIDS epidemic in the United States is far from over," said Dr. Harold Jaffe, director of the CDC's National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention.

An estimated 850,000 to 950,000 Americans have the AIDS virus. AIDS killed 16,371 people across the nation last year, about 6 percent fewer than in 2001, according to the CDC.

Although U.S. health officials have been preaching HIV prevention to all Americans, they have become particularly concerned in recent years by an apparent resurgence of infections among gay and bisexual males.

HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men surged 7.1 percent last year, according to data collected by the CDC from 25 states that have long-standing HIV reporting. New diagnoses in this high-risk group have increased 17.7 percent since 1999, while remaining stable in other vulnerable communities.

Jaffe cautioned, however, that the jump in HIV diagnoses could have been caused by increases in the number of gay and bisexual males being tested for the virus and was not proof that this group was being infected at a faster rate.

STANDARD TESTS

Standard HIV tests cannot tell when a person was infected with the virus, leaving open the possibility that HIV was contracted many years before being detected.

That could change in the coming months as the CDC implements a new HIV tracking system, which is based on a blood test that it says can determine whether a person had been infected with HIV in the previous six months.

CDC officials said the new surveillance strategy, was prompted by a need for more precise data on HIV infections and trends. About 40,000 new HIV infections are reported in the nation each year.

Since the AIDS virus first surfaced in 1981, estimates of new HIV cases have been based on the predictable length of time -- usually 10 years -- that elapsed between an initial infection and the onset of AIDS symptoms.

But the development of antiretroviral drugs has slowed the progression of AIDS and made it more difficult to predict when a person contracted HIV.

"It will provide us timely information on HIV transmission that is occurring now," said Dr. Robert Janssen, who directs HIV prevention programs at the Atlanta-based agency.

"What it will do is allow us to target our prevention programs to those areas and populations among whom HIV is being currently transmitted," Janssen added.

The CDC plans to have the system in place in 35 areas that account for 93 percent of annual HIV infections by 2004. The agency has allocated $13 million in supplemental funding to state health departments for the program in fiscal 2004.

[Rodney King]

It's not so much the gays that pisses me off, it's the bisexuals. I couldn't care less what the gays do. Come to think of it, we should make a deal allowing homos to marry under the condition that they must sign a form, punishable with death, that they never have sexual contact with a woman again.

[NYFriend]

"The CDC plans to have the system in place in 35 areas that account for 93 percent of annual HIV infections by 2004. The agency has allocated $13 million in supplemental funding to state health departments for the program in fiscal 2004."

I'd like the list. I suspect that these are places I wouldn't want to live, for reasons other than strickly HIV infection rates".

[VRWCmember]

Wow, there's a real surprise. HIV increasing among people that engage in the highest risk behaviors for contracting the disease. I'm shocked.

[areafiftyone]

With all the information out there on how to prevent HIV/AIDS for so many years now, you would think the numbers would be going down. Apparently people are not listening!!! What idiots!

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Gays and bisexuals? Why not just use the single, accurate term that applies to both: homosexuals.

[Guillermo]

HIV is not a disease, it's a civil rights status.

[Guillermo]

The best way, by far, to prevent catching HIV is to not engage in anal sex with other men...but to make this suggestion brings immediate charges of homophobia, bigotry, intolerant and anti-diversity.

[stevio]

It's also Reagan's fault.

[lady lawyer]

By the time this disease runs its course, the world will be a better place. A little less color coordinated perhaps, but a better place.

[netmilsmom]

>>I couldn't care less what the gays do.<<

I would agree with you but I have a gay sister and two young daughters. Those who cannot procreate, recruit.

[areafiftyone]

I know that. In a perfect world, but you will never convince these people about that. I mean we all know how you get it - even from heterosexual sex you can get it. We all know how NOT to get it. If cases go up in this country its because people think "They are not going to get it and that it is just OTHER people that get HIV/AIDS". That is a stupid way of thinking. AID/HIV information has been out for a long time. If people (anyone - heterosexuals and homosexuals) are still getting it - it's because of stupidity and nothing else.

[AppyPappy]

Gays don't really want marriage. If you have gay marriage, you have gay divorce and I doubt gays want anything to do with alimony and courts when they decide to bust up. They just want to say they have marriage to make them "valued" (rolls eyes)

[WestPacSailor]

I'd like the list. I suspect that these are places I wouldn't want to live, for reasons other than strickly HIV infection rates".

[Guillermo]

All we've heard since this disease started spreading is "Anyone can get AIDS," "No one is safe from HIV" etc.

The plain truth is that in the vast majority of AIDS cases, it was caught because of a conscious behavioral choice that was made.

[WestPacSailor]

I'd like the list. I suspect that these are places I wouldn't want to live, for reasons other than strickly HIV infection rates".

[WestPacSailor]

Oops, rookie mistake. Here's the link
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats.htm#areas

[Tax-chick]

One hesitates to say "too stupid to live," but ...

[Just another Joe]

HIV Cases Climb Among Gay, Bisexual Men in U.S.

Just, "Duhhhh!"
You engage in risky behaviour, you take the chance.
The more chances you take the better your chances of paying.

[WestPacSailor]

The plain truth is that in the vast majority of AIDS cases, it was caught because of a conscious behavioral choice that was made.

Sooo, you're saying it's as simple as Don't have sex with men, don't share drug needles, and practice safe sex?

Can't possibly be MY responsibility. I want the government to take care of me, or I'll sue SOMEBODY!