- 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection and 1 in 5 are unaware of their infection.
- MSM, particularly young, black MSM, are most severely affected by HIV.
- By race, African Americans face the most severe HIV burden.
CDC estimates 1.2 million people in the United States (US) are living with HIV infection. One in five (20%) of those people are unaware of their infection. Despite increases in the total number of people in the US living with HIV infection in recent years, the annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable. However, new infections continue at far too high of a level, with approximately 50,000 Americans becoming infected with HIV each year.
In 2009, an estimated 42,011 people were diagnosed with HIV infection in the 40 states with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting since at least January 2006. In that same year, an estimated 34,247 people throughout the US (50 states and the District of Columbia) were diagnosed with AIDS. Since the epidemic began, an estimated 1,108,611 people in the US have been diagnosed with AIDS.
More than 16,000 people with AIDS were estimated to have died in 2008, and nearly 594,500 people with AIDS in the US have died since the epidemic began.
By Risk Group
Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)1 of all races and ethnicities remain the population most severely affected by HIV.
- CDC estimates that MSM account for just 2% of the US population, but accounted for 61% of all new HIV infections in 2009. MSM accounted for 49% of people living with HIV infection in 2008 (the most recent year prevalence data are available).
- In 2009, white MSM accounted for the largest number of new HIV infections of any group in the US, followed closely by black MSM.
- Young, black MSM were the only risk group in the US to experience statistically significant increases in new HIV infections from 20062009.
Estimates of New HIV Infections in the United States, 2009, for the Most-Affected Subpopulations
Subpopulations representing 2% or less of the overall US epidemic are not reflected in this chart.
Heterosexuals and Injection Drug Users also continue to be affected by HIV.
- Heterosexuals accounted for 27% of estimated new HIV infections in 2009 and 28% of people living with HIV infection in 2008.
- Injection drug users represented 9% of new HIV infections in 2009 and 17% of those living with HIV in 2008.
- HIV infections among women are primarily attributed to heterosexual contact or injection drug use. Women accounted for 23% of estimated new HIV infections in 2009 and 25% of those living with HIV infection in 2008.
Blacks continue to experience the most severe burden of HIV.
- Blacks represent approximately 14% of the US population, but accounted for an estimated 44% of new HIV infections in 2009.
- At some point in their life, approximately 1 in 16 black men will be diagnosed with HIV infection, as will 1 in 32 black women.
- In 2009, the estimated rate of new HIV infections among black men was six and a half times as high as that of white men, and more than two and a half times as high as that of Latino men and of black women. In the same year, the estimated rate of new HIV infections among black women was 15 times that of white women and over three times that of Latina women.
Estimated Rate of New HIV Infections, 2009, by Gender and Race/Ethnicity
Latinos are also disproportionately affected by HIV.
- Latinos represented 16% of the population but accounted for 20% of new HIV infections in 2009.
- In 2009, the estimated rate of new HIV infections among Latino men was two and a half times that of white men. That same year, the rate of new HIV infections among Latina women was four and a half times that of white women.
- The term men who have sex with men (MSM) is used in CDC surveillance systems. It indicates the behaviors that transmit HIV infection, not how individuals self-identify in terms of their sexuality.