There has been "reasonable progress" in the United States toward testing the majority of adults and adolescents for HIV, a goal set in 2006, said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The information released today [Nov.30] is good news. It shows that progress is possible and is being made ... but it also shows how much more progress is needed, particularly in the health care setting," Dr. Frieden said during a teleconference. The number of adults who reported having been tested for HIV reached a record high in 2009, he said.
About 1.1 million Americans have HIV; however, for every 5 Americans, 1 does not know he or she is infected. In 2009, 82.9 million Americans aged 18-64 reported being tested for HIV – 11.4 million more than reported in 2006, according to the just-released CDC Vital Signs report. About 45% of adults reported having been tested for HIV at least once in their lives in 2009; that number had held steady at about 40% from 2001 to 2006, according to the CDC. Women were more likely than were men to have been tested (MMWR 2010;59:1-6).
The CDC recommended in 2006 that health care providers offer HIV testing as a routine part of medical care for adult and adolescent patients and suggested that those at high risk of HIV be tested at least annually.
While the new data show that some progress has been made, the fact that 55% of adults – including 28% of adults who are at high risk for HIV – have not been tested means that health care providers need to continue ramping up efforts to encourage patients to get tested.
"Because more people were tested, fewer people were diagnosed late with HIV," Dr. Frieden said. "People who know they're [HIV] positive can get treatment ... and also can prevent the development of AIDS." Furthermore, "virtually all AIDS cases are preventable either by preventing HIV infection or by preventing progression of HIV to AIDS," he said.
The CDC encourages HIV testing both inside and outside of the health care system and works with health departments and community organizations to offer testing.
Widespread HIV testing is a worthwhile effort because for each infection that is prevented, more than $300,000 in lifetime medical costs is thwarted, Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDC's HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, said during the teleconference.
The ultimate goal is to see HIV testing become routine. "We would like to see HIV testing as commonplace as cholesterol testing," Dr. Mermin said.