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Statistics Overview

HIV Surveillance Report

HIV Surveillance reports disseminate data about HIV and AIDS, for example, the number and population rates of HIV diagnoses, the number of people living with HIV, and the number of people who are receiving HIV medical care.

Unless otherwise noted, the following data are from CDC’s HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2015; vol. 27.

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 0,1, 2, 3 [AIDS], or unknown), from 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 6 U.S. dependent areas.
  • HIV infection, stage 3 (AIDS): The term refers specifically to persons with diagnosed HIV whose infection was classified as stage 3 (AIDS) during a given year (for diagnoses) or whose infection has ever been classified as stage 3 (AIDS) (for prevalence and deaths).
  • 6 U.S. dependent areas included in the 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 had sexual contact with other men and injected drugs; this group makes up a separate transmission category.
  • 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.
  • HIV incidence: The estimated number of persons newly infected with HIV during a specified time period (for example, a year).

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 in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2015.

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

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 2014, an estimated 1.1 million persons aged 13 and older were living with HIV infection in the United States, including an estimated 166,000 (15%) persons whose infections had not been diagnosed.a

aCDC. Singh S, Song R, Johnson AS, McCray E, Hall HI. HIV incidence, prevalence, and undiagnosed infections in men who have sex with men. Presented at Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections; February 14, 2017; Seattle, WA.

HIV Incidence Estimate

Incidence is the number of new HIV infections that occur during a given time period. In 2014, the estimated number of new HIV infections in the United States was 37,600. Estimated annual HIV infections in the United States declined 18% from 2008 to 2014.

Diagnoses of HIV Infection

In 2015, the number of new HIV diagnoses in the United States was 39,513. There were 31,991 diagnoses among adult and adolescent males (13 years or older), 7,402 among adult and adolescent females, and 120 among children younger than 13 years.

Diagnoses of HIV Infection, by Age

In 2015, the number of diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States, by age at diagnosis, was as follows:

Age (Years) Number of Diagnoses
of HIV Infection, 2015
Under 13 120
13-14 25
15-19 1,628
20-24 7,084
25-29 7,510
30-34 5,437
35-39 4,194
40-44 3,418
45-49 3,302
50-54 3,010
55-59 1,860
60-64 996
65 or older 859

Diagnoses of HIV Infection, by Race/Ethnicity

CDC tracks diagnoses of HIV infection among 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 2015, the number of diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States was as follows:

Race or Ethnicity Number of Diagnoses
of HIV Infection, 2015
American Indian/Alaska Native 209
Asian 955
Black/African American 17,670
Hispanic/Latinoa 9,290
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 79
White 10,509
Multiple Races 801

aHispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

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

Diagnoses of HIV Infection, by Transmission Category

CDC classifies HIV diagnoses into six transmission categories to which transmission may be attributed: 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).

Following is the distribution of the number of diagnoses of HIV infection in 2015 among adults and adolescents in the United States, by transmission category. A breakdown by sex is provided, where appropriate.

Number of Diagnoses of HIV Infection, 2015
Transmission Category Adult and Adolescent Males Adult and Adolescent Females Total
Male-to-male sexual contact 26,375 NA 26,375
Injection drug use 1,412 980 2,392
Male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use 1,202 NA 1,202
Heterosexual contacta 2,948 6,391 9,339
Otherb 53 31 84

aHeterosexual contact with a person known to have, or to be at high risk for, HIV infection.
bIncludes hemophilia, blood transfusion, perinatal exposure, and risk factor not reported or not identified.

Following is the distribution of the number of diagnoses of HIV infection in 2015 among children younger than 13 years at the time of diagnosis in the United States, by transmission category.

Transmission Category Number of Diagnoses of HIV Infection, 2015
Perinatal 86
Othera 34

aIncludes hemophilia, blood transfusion, and risk factor not reported or not identified.

New HIV Infections, by Transmission Category

Following is the distribution of the estimated number of new HIV infections in 2014 among adults and adolescents in the United States, by transmission category.

Estimated Number of New HIV Infections, 2014
Transmission Category Estimated Number of New Infections
Male-to-male sexual contact 26,200
Injection drug use 1,700
Male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use 1,100
Heterosexual contacta 8,600

a Heterosexual contact with a person known to have, or to be at high risk for, HIV infection

HIV Diagnoses, by Top 10 States/Dependent Areas

These are the 10 states or dependent areas reporting the highest number of HIV diagnoses in 2015:

State/Dependent Area Number of Diagnoses of HIV Infection, 2015
Florida 4,864
California 4,728
Texas 4,491
New York 3,128
Georgia 2,386
Illinois 1,476
Maryland 1,348
North Carolina 1,344
New Jersey 1,193
Pennsylvania 1,175

Persons Living With a Diagnosed HIV Infection

At the end of 2014, there were 955,081 persons living with diagnosed HIV infection in the United States.

Data include persons with a diagnosis of HIV infection regardless of the stage of disease at diagnosis. 

Because of delays in reporting of deaths, death and prevalence data are only available through the end of 2014. The exclusion of data from the most recent year allows at least 18 months for deaths to be reported and for these deaths to be factored into calculations of prevalence. Data have been statistically adjusted to account for missing transmission category.

Stage 3 (AIDS)

The number of persons in the United States whose diagnosed HIV infection was classified as stage 3 (AIDS) in 2015 was 18,303. Of these, 13,815 stage 3 (AIDS) classifications were among adult and adolescent males, 4,459 were among adult and adolescent females, and 29 were among children younger than 13.

The cumulative number of persons in the United States with diagnosed HIV infection ever classified as stage 3 (AIDS) at year-end 2015 was 1,216,917.

Stage 3 (AIDS), by Age

In 2015, the number of stage 3 (AIDS) classifications in the United States, by age at time of classification, was as follows:

Age (Years) Number of Persons with Diagnosed HIV Whose Infection Was Classified as Stage 3 (AIDS) during 2015
Under 13 29
Ages 13-14 9
Ages 15-19 191
Ages 20-24 1,289
Ages 25-29 2,368
Ages 30-34 2,394
Ages 35-39 2,209
Ages 40-44 2,187
Ages 45-49 2,388
Ages 50-54 2,235
Ages 55-59 1,462
Ages 60-64 830
Ages 65 or older 712

Stage 3 (AIDS), 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 2015, the number of persons in the United States with diagnosed HIV infection classified as stage 3 (AIDS), by race/ethnicity, was as follows:

Race or Ethnicity Number of Persons with Diagnosed HIV Whose Infection Was Classified as Stage 3 (AIDS) during 2015 Cumulative Number of Persons with Diagnosed HIV Infection Ever Classified as Stage 3 (AIDS), Through 2015a
American Indian/Alaska Native 96 3,543
Asianb 325 9,932
Black/African American 8,702 506,163
Hispanic/Latinoc 3,870 222,227
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 22 845
White 4,668 439,207
Multiple Races 620 35,000

aFrom the beginning of the epidemic through 2015.
bIncludes Asian/Pacific Islander legacy cases.
cHispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

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

Stage 3 (AIDS), by Transmission Category

CDC classifies HIV and stage 3 (AIDS) data into six transmission categories, to which infection may be attributed: 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).

Following is the distribution of the number of persons in the United States with diagnosed HIV whose infection was classified as stage 3 (AIDS) in 2015, by transmission category. A breakdown by sex is provided where appropriate.

Transmission Category Number of Persons with Diagnosed HIV Whose Infection Was Classified as Stage 3 (AIDS) in 2015
Adult and Adolescent Males Adult and Adolescent Females Total
Male-to-male sexual contact 10,047 NA 10,047
Injection drug use 1,018 786 1,804
Male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use 761 NA 761
Heterosexual contacta 1,892 3,592 5,484
Otherb 97 82 179

aHeterosexual contact with a person known to have, or to be at high risk for, HIV infection.
bIncludes hemophilia, blood transfusion, perinatal exposure, and risk factor not reported or not identified.

Transmission Category Cumulative Number of Persons with Diagnosed HIV Infection Ever Classified as Stage 3 (AIDS), Through 2015a
Adult and Adolescent Males Adult and Adolescent Females Total
Male-to-male sexual contact 589,764 NA 589,764
Injection drug use 186,426 90,722 277,148
Male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use 86,331 NA 86,331
Heterosexual contactb 85,011 151,561 236,572
Otherc 11,649 5,987 17,636

aFrom the beginning of the epidemic through 2015.
bHeterosexual contact with a person known to have, or to be at high risk for, HIV infection.
cIncludes hemophilia, blood transfusion, perinatal exposure, and risk factor not reported or not identified.

Persons Living With Diagnosed HIV Infection Ever Classified as Stage 3 (AIDS)

At the end of 2014, 521,002 persons in the United States were living with diagnosed HIV infection ever classified as stage 3 (AIDS). 

Because of delays in reporting of deaths, prevalence data are only available through the end of 2014. The exclusion of data from the most recent year allows at least 18 months for deaths to be reported. Data have been statistically adjusted to account for missing transmission category.

Deaths of Persons With Diagnosed HIV Infection Ever Classified as Stage 3 (AIDS)

In 2014, the number of deaths of persons with diagnosed HIV infection ever classified as stage 3 (AIDS) in the United States was 12,333.

The cumulative estimated number of deaths of persons with diagnosed HIV infection ever classified as stage 3 (AIDS) in the United States, through 2014, was 678,509.

Deaths of persons with diagnosed HIV infection ever classified as stage 3 (AIDS) may be due to any cause.

Because of delays in reporting of deaths, data are only available through the end of 2014. The exclusion of data from the most recent year allows at least 18 months for deaths of persons with an AIDS diagnosis to be reported. Data have been statistically adjusted to account for missing transmission category.

State-by-State HIV Infection and AIDS Data

  • NCHHSTP AtlasPlus
  • NCHHSTP State Profiles
  • Statehealthfacts.org Provides state-by-state information about new and cumulative AIDS diagnoses, AIDS diagnosis rates, persons living with an AIDS diagnosis, AIDS deaths, diagnoses of HIV infections, HIV testing statistics and policies, additional AIDS-related state policies, Ryan White funding and other funding for HIV prevention, and AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, including budget, client, and expenditure data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

International Statistics

HIV disease continues to be a serious health issue for parts of the world. Worldwide, there were about 1.8 million new cases of HIV in 2016. About 36.7 million people are living with HIV around the world. An estimated 1 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2016. An estimated 35 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic. Sub-Saharan Africa, which bears the heaviest burden of HIV and AIDS worldwide, accounts for 64% of all new HIV infections. Other regions significantly affected by HIV and AIDS include Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. CDC’s Global HIV website explains what CDC is doing in countries where HIV and AIDS have had great impact.

Other resources for international HIV and AIDS statistics:

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