MMWR – Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

1. Thirty Years of HIV — 1981–2011 (Box)

National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
News Media Team
(404) 639-8895

No summary available

2. HIV Surveillance — United States, 1981–2008

National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
News Media Team
(404) 639-8895

New CDC data estimates that the number of people living with HIV continues to increase, mainly due to highly effective antiretroviral therapy that allows those with HIV to live longer, healthier lives. By 2008, 1,178,350 people in the U.S. were living with HIV. The data also shows that of the more than 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States, roughly 20 percent are unaware of their infection. Thirty years ago this June, an article reporting the first known cases of what is now called AIDS was published in CDC's MMWR. Since then, the authors note, many successes in HIV prevention and treatment have occurred, yet key challenges remain. Although methods for preventing HIV transmission are widely known, CDC estimates that approximately 50,000 persons still become infected each year in the U.S.; more than half of those newly infected are MSM, and nearly half are African American.. According to the authors, several critical efforts must continue in order to achieve the goals of the recently announced National HIV/AIDS strategy. Among them: HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs must continue their efforts to reduce new infections, increase access to care, improve health outcomes among persons living with HIV, and reduce HIV-related health disparities.

3. HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men — 21 Cities, United States, 2008

National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
News Media Team
(404) 639-8895

CDC analysis indicates men who have sex with men (MSM) may benefit from more frequent testing than previously thought. A CDC analysis of data collected as part of the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System—among MSM in 21 major U.S. cities who had not been previously diagnosed with HIV—found that 7 percent of MSM who stated that they had been tested within the last 12 months had positive HIV test results when tested as part of the study. The authors note that the findings suggest adherence to annual HIV testing recommendations for MSM is low and that even among MSM who reported being tested during the past 12 months, a substantial proportion were newly infected. The greatest proportion with new infections in this analysis was among black MSM, followed by Hispanic MSM and white MSM (14.5 percent, 6.7 percent, and 3 percent respectively). MSM remain a key population for expanded HIV testing efforts. MSM with less education and income were less likely to have been tested, suggesting that efforts to expand access to and utilization of HIV testing among MSM should concentrate on these populations.

4. Vaccination Coverage Among Children in Kindergarten — United States, 2009–10 School Year

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
(404) 639-3286

This report summarizes data from school assessment surveys submitted to CDC by 47 states and the District of Columbia (DC) for the 2009–10 school year to describe vaccination coverage and exemption rates among children enrolled in kindergarten. The majority of states reported vaccination coverage levels greater than 90 percent with 17 states reporting vaccination coverage levels greater than 95 percent for four vaccines (polio, DTaP, MMR, and hepatitis B). Total exemption rates ranged from less than 1 percent to 6.2 percent with 15 states reporting exemption rates less than 1 percent. CDC will continue to monitor vaccination coverage and exemption levels over time and assist states in identification of local areas with low vaccination coverage or high exemption rates for further evaluation or intervention.

5. Update: Influenza Activity and Composition of the 2011–12 Influenza Vaccine — United States, 2010–11 Season

CDC Division of News and Electronic Media
(404) 639-3286

Influenza activity first began to increase in the southeastern United States, and peaked nationally in early February during the 2010-11 influenza season. Influenza A (H3N2) was the predominant virus, but high levels of 2009 influenza A (H1N1) and influenza B also co-circulated. Because of the widespread co-circulation of different influenza viruses there was a significant health effect in all ages. Compared with the 2009 pandemic lower rates of hospitalization were seen in persons under 65 years of age while higher rates of hospitalization occurred in persons 65 years and older than during the pandemic. It is important for health care providers to remain vigilant and consider influenza as a potential cause of summer respiratory illness, even though influenza activity is currently low.

 

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES