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HIV infections decrease overall, remain high among minority MSM

The incidence of HIV has declined overall and for all risk groups except for men who have sex with men especially those who are Hispanic/Latino, according to research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

“HIV infection is a persistent health concern in the United States, and men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be the most affected population,” Sonia Singh, PhD, from the CDC, and colleagues wrote.

Singh and colleagues analyzed data from the National HIV Surveillance System to determine the incidence and prevalence of HIV, as well as the proportion of HIV infections that are undiagnosed overall and among MSM. The researchers measured these outcomes using the first CD4 value after diagnosis for individuals aged 13 years and older with HIV from 2008 to 2015.

Overall, the incidence of HIV declined by 14.8% from 2008 to 2015. HIV incidence decreased among all transmission groups aside from MSM.

There was a 3.1% annual increase in HIV incidence among Hispanic/Latino MSM and a 2.7% annual decrease among white MSM. The incidence of HIV remained the same during the study period among black MSM, at approximately 10,000 infections per year.

Each year, HIV incidence declined 3% among MSM aged 13 to 24 years and 4.7% among MSM aged 35 to 44 years. Conversely, there was a 5.7% annual increase in HIV incidence among MSM aged 25 to 34 years.

There were more undiagnosed HIV infections among black and Hispanic/Latino MSM than white MSM and younger MSM than older MSM.

“Although these results are promising, the lack of progress in reducing the incidence among MSM, especially black/African American and Hispanic/Latino MSM, must be urgently addressed,” Singh and colleagues concluded.

“Routine HIV screening in health care settings, targeted testing and linkage to care should occur so that persons with HIV can access treatment early and achieve viral suppression,” they added. “Health care providers should collaborate with health departments to identify persons who have not been linked to care or have fallen out of care and to help them access treatment.” – by Alaina Tedesco

Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.