HIV counseling, testing, and referral.
Over the past decade, the annual number of new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has been relatively stable but remains unacceptably high (an estimated 40,000 new cases per year). Furthermore, the demographics for HIV infection are changing. Rates of new infections are declining in newborns, older men who have sex with men, and whites. However, rates of new infections are rising in young persons, women, Hispanics, and blacks. In 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued revised guidelines for HIV counseling, testing, and referral. The guidelines focus on the reduction of barriers to testing, voluntary routine testing of high-risk populations and persons with risk factors, case management and partner tracing for infected persons, and universal testing of pregnant women. Effective strategies for reducing HIV infection include behavioral interventions, comprehensive school-based HIV and sex education, access to sterile drug equipment, screening of the blood supply, and postexposure prophylaxis for health care workers.
Garey Lambert Research Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA. jgallant@jhmi.edu
Joel E
JE
Gallant
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D003376:Counseling; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology