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National HIV Testing Day --- June 27, 2005
National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is June 27. NHTD is sponsored by the National Association of People with AIDS
to encourage persons at risk to receive voluntary counseling and testing for human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV). This year's theme, "Take the Test. Take
Control," highlights the need for testing and counseling persons at risk to maintain their
health and protect their partners. In addition, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the first commercially available HIV test (1), and NHTD offers an opportunity to recognize how much progress has been made in diagnosing, counseling,
treatment, and care since 1985.
Approximately 1 million persons in the United States are HIV positive, and nearly one quarter of those infected are
not aware of their infections (2). HIV testing has
become easier, more accessible, and less invasive than ever before
(3). Persons who know they are infected can
benefit from advances in medical care to prolong their lives and can take action to
prevent transmission of HIV to others (4).
Additional information about where to get tested for HIV and local events being held to encourage testing among
populations at greatest risk (e.g., non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, and men who have sex with men) is available at
http://www.hivtest.org.
References
R Aragón, J Kates. The AIDS epidemic at 20 years: selected milestones. Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation; 2001. Available at
http://www.kff.org/docs/AIDSat20.
Glynn M, Rhodes P. Estimated HIV prevalence in the United States at the end of 2003 [Abstract T1-B1101]. Presented at the National
HIV Prevention Conference, Atlanta, GA; June 2005.
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Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content
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