AIDS at 30 Holds Special Peril for Under-30s

By Corinna Barnard

WeNews editor

Saturday, June 4, 2011

AIDS will cross a 30-year mark in the United States tomorrow with the CDC warning against any false sense of safety. Its director says most infections are among those under 30, "who may not fully understand the health threat."

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Medication Extends Life

Currently, more than 1.1 million people in the United States live with HIV. That large number is a tribute to medication that allows those with HIV to live longer, but Frieden warns that as this number increases, so does the risk of HIV transmission.

"Far too many Americans underestimate their risk of infection or believe HIV is no longer a serious health threat, but they must understand that HIV remains an incurable infection. We must increase our resolve to end this epidemic," he said in the statement.

The CDC says it is ramping up prevention efforts. In conjunction with other government agencies it is implementing 12 demonstration projects in hard-hit areas across the country.

"More people know their HIV status and protect others from infection," Frieden said.

A pill containing drugs to treat HIV is being actively researched as a means of prevention for high-risk groups, and in November 2010 the CDC said the findings of a large study raised hope of the pill's effectiveness in men.

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Corinna Barnard is editor of Women's eNews.