HIV Infection Rate for Young Black Men 'Alarming:' CDC
Prevention efforts must be targeted to racial and ethnic groups, agency says
In August, the CDC released new estimates of the number of HIV new cases in 2006, in the United States, which now total 56,300 and are significantly higher than the previous estimate of 40,000. "We learned that the HIV epidemic was worse than previously known," Fenton said.
These findings should renew our sense of urgency about HIV prevention, Fenton said. "To be able to end the HIV epidemic in the United States, it is absolutely essential that we reverse the years of increases of HIV incidence among gay and bisexual men," he said.
A study by the CDC found that 80 percent of gay and bisexual men have not been reached with intensive HIV prevention methods that are most effective, Fenton said.
"Today's analysis serves as a powerful reminder that the U.S. epidemic of HIV is far from over," Fenton said. "The US epidemic will end only when all of us realize that ending AIDS is possible. We need to reduce the stigmatism, racism and homophobia that impede our ability to fight HIV."
More information
For more information on HIV/AIDS, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
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