Abstract

In June 1981, the first cases of what was later called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the United States were reported in MMWR. Since 1981, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has continued to expand in the United States; at the end of 2003, approximately 1,039,000-1,185,000 persons in the United States were living with HIV/AIDS, an estimated 24%-27% of whom were unaware of their infection. This report highlights several major epidemiologic features of the U.S. HIV epidemic, including the decrease in overall AIDS incidence, the substantial increase in survival after AIDS diagnosis (especially since highly active antiretroviral therapy [HAART] became the standard of care in 1996), and the continued disparities among racial/ethnic minority populations. These findings emphasize the need for a comprehensive national surveillance system, expanding the use of new HIV-testing technologies, promoting knowledge of HIV serostatus, and improving access to care and prevention interventions.