HIV in the United States

New HIV Diagnoses in the US for the Most-Affected Subpopulations, 2017

Subpopulations representing 2% or less of all people who received an HIV diagnosis in 2017 are not represented in this chart.
Source: CDC. Diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States and dependent areas, 2017. HIV Surveillance Report 2018;29.

New HIV Diagnoses in the US by Age, 2017

Source: CDC. Diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States and dependent areas, 2017. HIV Surveillance Report 2018;29.

Gay and Bisexual Men

Gay and bisexual men^c are the population most affected by HIV. In 2017, gay and bisexual men accounted for 66% (25,748) of all HIV diagnoses and 82% of diagnoses among males.^d

• Black/African American^e gay and bisexual men accounted for the largest number of HIV diagnoses (9,807), followed by Hispanics/Latinos^f (7,436) and whites (6,982).

From 2012 to 2016, HIV diagnoses among all gay and bisexual men remained stable, but trends varied by race/ethnicity.^d

• Whites: Decreased 14%.
• African Americans: Remained stable.
• Hispanics/Latinos: Increased 12%.

Gay and Bisexual Men Who Inject Drugs

In 2017, gay and bisexual men who inject drugs^g made up 3% (1,252) of all HIV diagnoses and 4% of diagnoses among males.

• Among gay and bisexual men who inject drugs, whites accounted for the largest number of HIV diagnoses (625), followed by Hispanics/Latinos (286) and African Americans (263).

From 2012 to 2016, HIV diagnoses decreased 12% among all gay and bisexual men who inject drugs, but trends varied by race/ethnicity.^g

• Hispanics/Latinos: Decreased 22%.
• Whites: Decreased 6%.
• African Americans: Decreased 6%.

Heterosexuals

Heterosexuals continue to be affected by HIV. In 2017, heterosexuals accounted for 24% of HIV diagnoses.^h

• Heterosexual men accounted for 7% (2,829) of HIV diagnoses.
• Heterosexual women accounted for 16% (6,341) of HIV diagnoses.

From 2012 to 2016, HIV diagnoses decreased 8% among heterosexuals.^h

• Heterosexual women: Decreased 8%.
• Heterosexual men: Decreased 9%.

People Who Inject Drugs

In 2017, people who inject drugs accounted for 6% of HIV diagnoses.^d

• Men who inject drugs accounted for 4% (1,373) of HIV diagnoses.
• Women who inject drugs accounted for 3% (1,016) of HIV diagnoses.

From 2012 to 2016, HIV diagnoses decreased 17% among people who inject drugs.^d

• Men who inject drugs: Decreased 17%.
• Women who inject drugs: Decreased 18%.

Racial/Ethnic Groups

By race/ethnicity, African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos are disproportionately affected by HIV. In 2017:

• African Americans accounted for 43% (16,694) of HIV diagnoses and 13% of the population.ⁱ
• Hispanics/Latinos accounted for 26% (9,908) of HIV diagnoses and 18% of the population.ⁱ

From 2012 to 2016, HIV diagnoses among

• Whites: Decreased 8%.
• African Americans: Decreased 5%.
• Hispanics/Latinos: Remained stable.

By Region

HIV diagnoses are not evenly distributed regionally in the US. In 2017, the population rates (per 100,000 people) of people who received an HIV diagnosis were highest in the South (16.1), followed by the US 6 dependent areas (12.3), the Northeast (10.6), the West (9.4), and the Midwest (7.4).^j

Living With HIV

All HIV Infections (Diagnosed and Undiagnosed)

In the 50 states and the District of Columbia:

• An estimated 1,122,900 adults and adolescents were living with HIV at the end of 2015. Of those, 162,500 (15%) had not received a diagnosis.
• Young people were the most likely to be unaware of their infection. Among people aged 13-24 with HIV, an estimated 51% didn’t know.
• In 2015, among all adults and adolescents with HIV,^k
  • 63% received some HIV medical care,
  • 49% were retained in continuous HIV care, and
  • 51% had achieved viral suppression (having a very low level of the virus).^l A person with HIV who takes HIV medicine as prescribed and gets and stays virally suppressed can stay healthy and has effectively no risk of sexually transmitting HIV to HIV-negative partners.

Diagnosed HIV Infections

In the United States, 1,008,929 people were living with diagnosed HIV infection in 2016.

In 39 states and the District of Columbia:^m

• 76% of people who received an HIV diagnosis in 2016 were linked to HIV medical care within 1 month.
• In 2015, among all adults and adolescents with diagnosed HIV,
  • 73% received some HIV medical care,
  • 57% were retained in continuous HIV care, and
  • 60% had achieved viral suppression.

Deaths

In 2016, there were 15,807 deaths among people with diagnosed HIV in the United States. These deaths may be due to any cause.

^a HIV diagnoses refers to the number of people who received a diagnosis of HIV during a given time period, not when the people were infected.
^b Unless otherwise noted, the term United States (US) includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the 6 dependent areas of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Republic of Palau, and the US Virgin Islands.
^c The term male-to-male sexual contact is used in CDC surveillance systems. It indicates a behavior that transmits HIV infection, not how individuals self-identify in terms of their sexuality. This fact sheet uses the term gay and bisexual men.
^d Does not include gay and bisexual men who reported injection drug use. CDC’s HIV surveillance fact sheet provides more information about how CDC classifies the transmission category for HIV cases.
^e Referred to as African American in this fact sheet.
^f Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
^g Men who reported both HIV risk factors.
^h Does not include heterosexuals who reported injection drug use.
ⁱ The US Census Bureau’s population estimates include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
^j Regions defined by the US Census Bureau and used in CDC’s National HIV Surveillance System:
Northeast: CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT
Midwest: IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI
South: AL, AR, DE, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
West: AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY
^k Includes diagnosed and undiagnosed HIV infections.
^l People are considered retained in care if they get two viral load or CD4 tests at least 3 months apart in a year. (CD4 cells are the cells in the body’s immune system that are destroyed by HIV.) Viral suppression (having less than 200 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood) is based on the most recent viral load test.
^m These jurisdictions are included because they had complete reporting of CD4 and viral load results to CDC.