United States HIV/AIDS Epidemic

Why is the Ebola scare such a media focus?   Ebola represents a potential epidemic threat.  HIV/AIDS is here now.  It seems to be the forgotten epidemic.  Not popular to talk about any more.

1 million people are currently infected with HIV/AIDS in the US.  The government estimates 50,000 new cases in the US annually, more than all the total number of Ebola infections worldwide in history

 Mr. Obama joins the scare about a potential Ebola epidemic.

"It is a marathon, but you have to run it like a sprint," Obama said. "How quickly we can contain it is within our control. If we move fast, even imperfectly, that could mean the difference between 10,000, 20,000, 30,000 deaths versus hundreds of thousands or even a million deaths."

This is unsubstantiated hyperbole.  According to WHO statistics, Ebola infection has resulted in less than 1,000 fatalities worldwide in all history.

From the US Government AIDS information page:

U.S. Statistics HIV/AIDS

           

HIV in the United States: At A Glance

Fast Facts

• More than 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection, and almost 1 in 6 (15.8%) are unaware of their infection.
• Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM^a), particularly young black/African American MSM, are most seriously affected by HIV.
• By race, blacks/African Americans face the most severe burden of HIV.

CDC estimates that 1,144,500 persons aged 13 years and older are living with HIV infection, including 180,900 (15.8%) who are unaware of their infection¹. Over the past decade, the number of people living with HIV has increased, while the annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable. Still, the pace of new infections continues at far too high a level— particularly among certain groups.
HIV Incidence (new infections): The estimated incidence of HIV has remained stable overall in recent years, at about 50,000 new HIV infections per year². Within the overall estimates, however, some groups are affected more than others. MSM continue to bear the greatest burden of HIV infection, and among races/ethnicities, African Americans continue to be disproportionately affected.
HIV Diagnoses (new diagnoses, regardless of when infection occurred): In 2011, an estimated 49,273 people were diagnosed with HIV infection in the United States. In that same year, an estimated 32,052 people were diagnosed with AIDS. Overall, an estimated 1,155,792 people in the United States have been diagnosed with AIDS³.
Deaths: An estimated 15,529 people with an AIDS diagnosis died in 2010, and approximately 636,000 people in the United States with an AIDS diagnosis have overall³. The deaths of persons with an AIDS diagnosis can be due to any cause—that is, the death may or may not be related to AIDS.

Figure1: Estimated New HIV Infections in the United States, 2010, for the Most Affected Subpopulations

By Risk Group

Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) of all races and ethnicities remain the population most profoundly affected by HIV.
In 2010, the estimated number of new HIV infections among MSM was 29,800, a significant 12% increase from the 26,700 new infections among MSM in 2008².
Although MSM represent about 4% of the male population in the United States⁴, in 2010, MSM accounted for 78% of new HIV infections among males and 63% of all new infections². MSM accounted for 52% of all people living with HIV infection in 2009, the most recent year these data are available¹.
In 2010, white MSM continued to account for the largest number of new HIV infections (11,200), by transmission category, followed closely by black MSM (10,600)².
The estimated number of new HIV infections was greatest among MSM in the youngest age group. In 2010, the greatest number of new HIV infections (4,800) among MSM occurred in young black/African American MSM aged 13–24. Young black MSM accounted for 45% of new HIV infections among black MSM and 55% of new HIV infections among young MSM overall².
Since the epidemic began, an estimated 302,148 MSM with an AIDS diagnosis have died, including an estimated 5,909 in 2010³.
Heterosexuals and injection drug users also continue to be affected by HIV.
Since the epidemic began, almost 85,000 persons with an AIDS diagnosis, infected through heterosexual sex, have died, included an estimated 4,003 in 2010³.
New HIV infections among women are primarily attributed to heterosexual contact (84% in 2010) or injection drug use (16% in 2010). Women accounted for 20% of estimated new HIV infections in 2010 and 24% of those living with HIV infection in 2009^{1, 2}. The 9,500 new infections among women in 2010 reflect a significant 21% decrease from the 12,000 new infections that occurred among this group in 2008².
Injection drug users represented 8% of new HIV infections in 2010 and 16% of those living with HIV in 2009^{1, 2}.
Since the epidemic began, nearly 182,000 injection drug users with an AIDS diagnosis have died, including an estimated 4,218 in 2010³.

Followup on comment from Maggie Danhakl, Assistant Marketing Manager at "www.healthline.com".  Their web site offers good current information regarding HIV/AIDS.