National HIV Testing Day (NHTD), June 27, is an annual observance to promote HIV Testing. The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) founded the day and continues to be the lead for this observance. This year marks the 18th year of the dedicated day organized annually by the NAPWA with support from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and AIDS.gov.

NAPWA and other NHTD organizers reach out to communities at increased risk of HIV infection, especially gay and bisexual men of all races, African Americans, and Latinos. Evidence that effective, early antiviral treatment is not only good for patients but also makes their infection less contagious underscores that finding persons with HIV infection as soon as possible is good both for people living with HIV infection and for public health. Testing identifies infected persons, who can then seek medical care that can improve the quality and length of their lives and reduce risk for HIV transmission.

National HIV Testing Day promotes testing as an important strategy to prevent and treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Persons who learn that they have HIV can receive appropriate treatment, monitoring, and health care, and in doing so, delay disease progression, extend their lives, and reduce the chance that they will transmit the virus to others.

To increase HIV testing, improve awareness of HIV status, and enable earlier diagnosis of HIV infection, the CDC recommends that all persons aged 13 to 64 years be screened for HIV in health-care settings with prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection. The CDC also recommends that persons with increased risk for HIV be retested at least annually.

At the end of 2008, approximately 20% of the estimated 1.2 million persons living with HIV were undiagnosed and unaware of their infection. In 2008, an estimated 33% of all HIV diagnoses were late diagnoses, often made after persons had already developed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Also, a recent study of men who have sex with men found a 6.9% prevalence of new infections among those who had tested negative during the preceding year. These findings indicate the continuing importance of getting tested for HIV, and for persons at higher risk for HIV, getting retested at least annually.

More than one million Americans are living with HIV infection, and approximately one in five don’t know it. Testing is an essential first step to link persons with HIV infection to medical care and ongoing support to improve their health and help them maintain safer behaviors.CDC also recommends that pregnant women get tested early in their pregnancy so steps can be taken that will prevent transmission of HIV to their babies.

At least 1 in 3 persons in the United States who test positive for HIV is tested too late to get the full advantage of treatment. Early HIV testing reduces the spread of disease, extends life expectancy, and reduces costs of care. Every new HIV infection prevented saves approximately $367,000 in lifetime medical costs. Early testing and diagnosis is key to prevention; treatment and prevention have the most impact when HIV is identified early. Although the importance of HIV testing is undeniable, about 55% of American adults, aged 18 to 64 have never been tested for HIV.

Even among persons at higher risk for HIV infection, 28% have never been tested.

Sources: AIDS.gov and The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Written by Sy Kraft