spacer

CDC HomeHIV/AIDS > Fact Sheets

  Topics
space
arrow African Americans
space
arrow Basic Information
space
arrow Campaigns
space
arrow Funding
space
arrow Latinos
space
arrow Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)
space
arrow Statistics & Surveillance
space
arrow Testing
space
arrow Women
space
arrow More Topics...
space
  Resources by Format
space
arrow Questions & Answers
space
arrow Fact Sheets
space
arrow Brochures
space
arrow Slide Sets
space
arrow Podcasts
space
arrow Software
space
arrow Journal Articles
space
arrow Newsletters
space
arrow Reports
space
arrow Recommendations & Guidelines
space
arrow Other Documents
space
LEGEND:
PDF Icon   Link to a PDF document
Non-CDC Web Link   Link to non-governmental site and does not necessarily represent the views of the CDC
Adobe Acrobat™ Reader needs to be installed on your computer in order to read documents in PDF format. Download the Reader.
spacer spacer
spacer
Skip Nav
spacer
HIV in the United States: At A Glance
spacer
spacer

View PDF 

Fast Facts

  • 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, blacks/African Americans face the most severe burden of HIV.

CDC estimates 1.2 million people in the United States (U.S.) 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 U.S. living with HIV infection in recent years (due to better testing and treatment options), 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 2010, an estimated 47,129 people were diagnosed with HIV infection in the 46 states with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting since at least January 2007. In that same year, an estimated 33,015 people throughout the U.S. were diagnosed with AIDS. Since the epidemic began, an estimated 1,129,127 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with AIDS.

An estimated 17,774 people with AIDS died in 2009, and nearly 619,400 people with AIDS in the U.S. have died since the epidemic began.

Estimates of New HIV Infections in the United States, 2009,
for the Most-Affected Subpopulations[2]

Shown here is a vertical bar chart entitled, Estimates of New HIV Infections in the United States, 2009, for the Most-Affected Subpopulations. 
White MSM = 11,400
Black MSM = 10, 800
Women = 6,000
Hispanic/Latino MSM = 5,400
Black Heterosexual Men =2,400
White Heterosexual Women = 1,700
Black Male IDUs = 1,700
Hispanic/Latina Heterosexual Women = 1,200
Black Female IDUs =940
Subpopulations representing 2% or less of the overall US epidemic are not reflected in this chart.

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 U.S. 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 national prevalence data are available).
  • In 2009, white MSM continued to account for the largest number of new HIV infections of any group in the U.S. (11,400), followed closely by black MSM (10,800).
  • Young, black MSM were the only risk group in the U.S. to experience statistically significant increases in new HIV infections from 2006–2009—from 4,400 new HIV infections in 2006 to 6,500 infections in 2009.
  • Since the epidemic began, almost 300,000 MSM with AIDS have died, including an estimated 6,863 in 2009.

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.
  • Since the epidemic began, more than 80,000 persons with AIDS, infected through heterosexual sex, have died, including an estimated 4,434 in 2009.
  • 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.
  • Injection drug users represented 9% of new HIV infections in 2009 and 17% of those living with HIV in 2008.
  • Since the epidemic began, more than 175,000 injection drug users with AIDS have died including an estimated 4,759 in 2009.

By Race/Ethnicity

  • Blacks continue to experience the most severe burden of HIV, compared to other races and ethnicities. Blacks represent approximately 14% of the U.S. population, but accounted for an estimated 44% of new HIV infections in 2009. Blacks accounted for 46% of people living with HIV infection in 2008.
  • Since the epidemic began, more than 250,000 blacks with AIDS have died , including 8,782 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 Hispanic/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 Hispanic/ Latina women.

Hispanics/Latinos are also disproportionately affected by HIV.

  • Hispanics/Latinos represented 16% of the population but accounted for 20% of new HIV infections in 2009. Hispanics/Latinos accounted for 17% of people living with HIV infection in 2008.
  • Since the epidemic began, an estimated more than 95,000 Hispanics/Latinos with AIDS have died, including 2,853 in 2009.

Estimated Rate of New HIV Infections, 2009,
by Gender and Race/Ethnicity
[2]
Shown here is a horizontal bar chart entitled, Estimated Rate of New HIV Infections, 2009, by Gender and Race/Ethnicity.
By Male:
Black = 103.9/100,000
Hispanic/Latino= 39.9/100,000
White = 15.9/100,000
By Female:
Black = 39.7/100,000
Hispanic/Latina = 11.8/100,000
White = 2.6/100,000

References

  1. The term men who 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.
  2. Prejean J, Song R, Hernandez A, Ziebell R, Green T, et al. (2011) Estimated HIV Incidence in the United States, 2006-2009. PLoS ONE 6(8): e17502. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0017502.

spacer
Last Modified: March 14, 2012
Last Reviewed: March 14, 2012
Content Source:
Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
horizontal dividing line
Contact Us
Please click here to view contact information.
divider
spacer
spacer
spacer
Home | Policies and Regulations | Disclaimer | e-Government | FOIA | Contact Us
spacer
spacer
spacer Safer, Healthier People
spacer
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348, 8A-8P (EST) M-F. Closed weekends and major federal holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov
spacer USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDHHS Department of Health
and Human Services