Definitions

HIV Prevalence Estimate

HIV Incidence Estimate

Diagnoses of HIV Infection

Diagnoses of HIV Infection, by Age
Diagnoses of HIV Infection, by Race/Ethnicity
Diagnoses of HIV Infection, by Transmission Category
Persons Living with a Diagnosis of HIV Infection
Deaths of Persons with a Diagnosis of HIV Infection

AIDS Diagnoses

AIDS Diagnoses, by Age
AIDS Diagnoses, by Race/Ethnicity
AIDS Diagnoses, by Transmission Category
AIDS Diagnoses, by Top 10 States/Dependent Areas
Persons Living with an AIDS Diagnoses
Deaths of Persons with an AIDS Diagnoses

State-by-State HIV Infection and AIDS Data

International Statistics

Definitions

• Diagnosis of HIV infection: The term refers to persons diagnosed with HIV infection, regardless of the stage of disease at diagnosis (i.e., HIV infection Stage 1, 2, 3 [AIDS], or unknown), from 51 areas (46 states and 5 U.S. dependent areas) that have had confidential name-based HIV infection reporting implemented long enough (i.e., implemented in area since at least January 2007 and reported to CDC since at least June 2007) to allow for stabilization of data collection and for adjustment of the data in order to monitor trends. According to the cumulative estimated number of AIDS diagnoses through 2010, the 46 states represent approximately 92% of AIDS diagnoses in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.


• 46 states and 5 U.S. dependent areas with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington (state), West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more about HIV infection reporting.


• AIDS diagnosis: The term refers to persons diagnosed with Stage 3 HIV infection (AIDS), based on CDC’s 2008 surveillance case definitions for adults, adolescents, and children.


• 6 U.S. dependent areas included in AIDS data: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Republic of Palau, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.


• Transmission category: The term for summarizing the multiple risk factors that a person may have had by selecting the one most likely to have resulted in HIV transmission. For surveillance purposes, persons with more than one reported risk factor for HIV infection are classified in the transmission category listed first in a hierarchy of transmission categories, and therefore counted only once. The exception is men who report sexual contact with other men and injection drug use; this group makes up a separate transmission category.


• HIV incidence: The estimated number of persons newly infected with HIV during a specified time period (e.g., a year).


• HIV prevalence: The number of persons living with HIV at a given time regardless of the time of infection, whether the person has received a diagnosis (aware of infection), or the stage of HIV disease.

For more definitions and details about how HIV infection and AIDS data are tabulated, read the "Technical Notes" from the HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection and AIDS in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2010.

For additional details on HIV disease surveillance, view the Kaiser Family Foundation tutorial: Understanding HIV/AIDS Surveillance Data in the United States.

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HIV Prevalence Estimate

Prevalence is the number of people living with HIV infection at a given time, such as at the end of a given year.

At the end of 2009, an estimated 1,148,200 persons aged 13 and older were living with HIV infection in the United States, including 207,600 (18.1%) persons whose infections had not been diagnosed.¹

¹ CDC. Monitoring selected national HIV prevention and care objectives by using HIV surveillance data—United States and 6 U.S. dependent areas—2010. HIV Surveillance Supplemental Report 2012;17(No. 3, part A). Published June 2012.

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HIV Incidence Estimate

Incidence is the number of new HIV infections that occur during a given year. CDC estimates that approximately 50,000 people are newly infected with HIV each year in the United States. In 2009 (the most recent year that data are available), there were an estimated 48,100 new HIV infections.² Most (61%) of these new infections occurred in gay and bisexual men. Black/African American men and women were also strongly affected and were estimated to have an HIV incidence rate that was almost 8 times as high as the incidence rate among whites. Visit the HIV incidence page for more details.

² Prejean J, Song R, Hernandez A, et al. Estimated HIV incidence in the United States, 2006–2009. PLoS ONE 2011;6(8):e17502.

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Diagnoses of HIV Infection

In 2010, the estimated number of diagnoses of HIV infection in the 46 states and 5 U.S. dependent areas with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting was 48,298. Of these, 47,129 were in the 46 states and 1,169 were in the 5 dependent areas. In the 46 states, diagnoses of HIV infection among adults and adolescents totaled 46,912 with 37,045 diagnoses in males and 9,868 diagnoses in females. Among children aged less than 13 years at diagnosis, there were an estimated 217 diagnoses of HIV infection in 2010.

Estimated numbers resulted from statistical adjustment that accounted for delays in reporting to the health department (but not for incomplete reporting) and missing risk factor information, where appropriate.

Because totals for the estimated numbers were calculated independently of the values for the subpopulations, the subpopulation values may not equal these totals.

Diagnoses of HIV Infection, by Age

In 2010, the estimated number of diagnoses of HIV infection in the 46 states with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting, by age at diagnosis, was as follows:

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Diagnoses of HIV Infection, by Race/Ethnicity

CDC tracks diagnoses of HIV infection information on seven racial and ethnic groups: American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander, white, and multiple races.

In 2010, the estimated number of diagnoses of HIV infection in the 46 states with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting, by race or ethnicity, was as follows:

For more details on HIV infection and race/ethnicity, see CDC's Populations and Surveillance fact sheets.

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Diagnoses of HIV Infection, by Transmission Category

Six common transmission categories are male-to-male sexual contact, injection drug use, male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, heterosexual contact, mother-to-child (perinatal) transmission, and other (includes blood transfusions and unknown cause).

The distribution of the estimated number of diagnoses of HIV infection among adults and adolescents in the 46 states with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting, by transmission category, follows. A breakdown by sex is provided where appropriate.

The distribution of the estimated number of diagnoses of HIV infection among children aged less than 13 years at the time of diagnosis in the 46 states with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting, by transmission category, follows:

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Persons Living with a Diagnosis of HIV Infection

At the end of 2009, the estimated number of persons living with a diagnosis of HIV infection in the 46 states and 5 U.S. dependent areas with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting was 803,771. In the 46 states only, this included 781,756 adults and adolescents, and 2,945 children aged less than 13 years at the end of the year.

Data include persons with a diagnosis of HIV infection regardless of the stage of disease at diagnosis. Estimated numbers resulted from statistical adjustment that accounted for delays in reporting to the health department (but not for incomplete reporting) and missing risk factor information, where appropriate.

Because of delays in reporting of deaths, data are only available through the end of 2009. The exclusion of data from the most recent year allows at least 18 months for deaths to be reported and for these persons to be removed from calculations of persons living with a diagnosis of HIV infection.

Totals include persons of unknown race/ethnicity. Because totals for the estimated numbers were calculated independently of the values for the subpopulations, the subpopulation values may not equal these totals.

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Deaths of Persons with a Diagnosis of HIV Infection

In 2009, the estimated number of deaths of persons with a diagnosis of HIV infection in the 46 states and 5 U.S. dependent areas with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting was 21,601. In the 46 states only, this included 21,007 adults and adolescents, and 8 children aged less than 13 years at death.

Deaths of persons with a diagnosis of HIV infection may be due to any cause.

Data include persons with a diagnosis of HIV infection regardless of the stage of disease at diagnosis. Estimated numbers resulted from statistical adjustment that accounted for delays in reporting to the health department (but not for incomplete reporting) and missing risk factor information, where appropriate. Because of delays in reporting of deaths, data are only available through the end of 2009. The exclusion of data from the most recent year allows at least 18 months for deaths of persons with a diagnosis of HIV infection to be reported.

Totals include persons of unknown race/ethnicity. Because totals for the estimated numbers were calculated independently of the values for the subpopulations, the subpopulation values may not equal these totals.

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AIDS Diagnoses

In 2010, the estimated number of persons diagnosed with AIDS in the United States and 6 U.S. dependent areas was 33,630. Of these, 33,015 were diagnosed in the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 616 were diagnosed in the dependent areas. In the 50 states and the District of Columbia, 24,749 AIDS diagnoses were among adult and adolescent males, 8,242 were among adult and adolescent females, and 23 diagnoses were among children aged less than 13 years.

The cumulative estimated number of AIDS diagnoses through 2010 in the United States and 6 U.S. dependent areas was 1,163,575. Of these, 1,129,127 were diagnosed in the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 34,448 were diagnosed in the dependent areas. In the 50 states and the District of Columbia, 893,058 cumulative AIDS diagnoses were among adult and adolescent males, 226,593 were among adult and adolescent females, and 9,475 were among children aged less 13 years at the time of diagnosis.

Estimated numbers resulted from statistical adjustment that accounted for delays in reporting to the health department (but not for incomplete reporting) and missing risk factor information, where appropriate.

Cumulative totals include persons of unknown race/ethnicity. Because totals for the estimated numbers were calculated independently of the values for the subpopulations, the subpopulation values may not equal these totals.

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AIDS Diagnoses, by Age

In 2010, the estimated number of AIDS diagnoses in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, by distribution of ages at time of diagnosis, was as follows:

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AIDS Diagnoses, by Race/Ethnicity

CDC tracks AIDS information on seven racial and ethnic groups: American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander, white, and multiple races.

In 2010, the estimated number of AIDS diagnoses in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, by race or ethnicity was as follows:

For more details on AIDS and race/ethnicity, see CDC's fact sheets.

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AIDS Diagnoses, by Transmission Category

Six common transmission categories are male-to-male sexual contact, injection drug use, male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, heterosexual contact, mother-to-child (perinatal) transmission, and other (includes blood transfusions and unknown cause).

The distribution of the estimated number of AIDS diagnoses among adults and adolescents in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, by transmission category, follows. A breakdown by sex is provided where appropriate.