Trends in Indicators of Injection Drug Use, Indian Health Service, 2010-2014 : A Study of Health Care Encounter Data.

OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV transmission in the United States may increase as a result of increasing rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) and associated injection drug use (IDU). Epidemiologic trends among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons are not well known. METHODS: We analyzed 2010-2014 Indian Health Service data on health care encounters to assess regional and temporal trends in IDU indicators among adults aged ≥18 years. IDU indicators included acute or chronic HCV infection (only among adults aged 18-35 years), arm cellulitis and abscess, OUD, and opioid-related overdose. We calculated rates per 10 000 AI/AN adults for each IDU indicator overall and stratified by sex, age group, and region and evaluated rate ratios and trends by using Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Rates of HCV infection among adults aged 18-35 increased 9.4% per year, and rates of OUD among all adults increased 13.3% per year from 2010 to 2014. The rate of HCV infection among young women was approximately 1.3 times that among young men. Rates of opioid-related overdose among adults aged <50 years were approximately 1.4 times the rates among adults aged ≥50 years. Among young adults with HCV infection, 25.6% had concurrent OUD. Among all adults with arm cellulitis and abscess, 5.6% had concurrent OUD. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of HCV infection and OUD increased significantly in the AI/AN population. Strengthened public health efforts could ensure that AI/AN communities can address increasing needs for culturally appropriate interventions, including comprehensive syringe services programs, medication-assisted treatment, and opioid-related overdose prevention and can meet the growing need for treatment of HCV infection.

Age-Associated Trends in Diagnosis and Prevalence of Infection with HIV Among Men Who Have Sex with Men - United States, 2008-2016.

In 2016, two thirds of diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in the United States were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact (1). The risk for sexual acquisition and transmission of HIV changes through the lifespan (2); to better guide prevention efforts for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM*), CDC analyzed National HIV Surveillance System† (NHSS) data for MSM aged ≥13 years by age group (13-29, 30-49, and ≥50 years) in 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC). During 2008-2016, the annual number of diagnoses of HIV infection increased 3% per year among MSM aged 13-29 years, decreased 4% per year among those aged 30-49 years and was stable for MSM aged ≥50 years. The number of HIV diagnoses among MSM aged 13-29 years was four times that of MSM aged ≥50 years. During 2008-2015, the number of MSM aged ≥50 years living with diagnosed HIV infection (prevalence of HIV infection) increased an average of 11% per year and at year-end 2015 was three times that of MSM aged 13-29 years. Racial/ethnic disparities in HIV infection persisted, particularly among younger black/African American MSM who accounted for 49% of all diagnoses among MSM aged 13-29 years during 2008-2016. To avert the most infections and improve health outcomes (3), sexually active MSM at risk for HIV infection should be tested at least once a year, and, if positive, linked to and retained in HIV medical care to achieve viral suppression (4). Those testing negative should be provided HIV prevention services, including preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) (5).

HIV Care Outcomes Among Men Who Have Sex With Men With Diagnosed HIV Infection - United States, 2015.

Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (collectively referred to as MSM) represent approximately 2% of the U.S. population (1), yet in 2015, MSM accounted for 70% of all diagnoses of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, including 3% who also were persons who inject drugs (2). During 2008-2014, incidence of HIV infection decreased for groups in all transmission categories except MSM (3). Testing, linkage to and retention in care, and viral suppression are important in reducing HIV transmission. National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS)* data are used to monitor progress toward reaching national goals.† To better guide prevention measures, CDC analyzed data from NHSS for MSM aged ≥13 years (excluding MSM who inject drugs) to determine stage at diagnosis of HIV infection and care outcomes. Among the 19,170 MSM with HIV infection diagnosed in 2015 in 38 jurisdictions with complete laboratory reporting, 3,666 (19.1%) had infection classified as stage 3 (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [AIDS]) at diagnosis and 74.7% and 84.0% were linked to care within 1 month and 3 months, respectively. Among MSM living with diagnosed HIV infection at year-end 2014, 74.1% received any HIV care, 57.7% were retained in continuous care, and 61.2% had achieved viral suppression. Younger MSM and black or African American (black) MSM had the least favorable HIV care outcomes. Strengthening interventions that increase care and viral suppression among MSM, particularly those aged <25 years and black MSM with public and private partners is important.

HIV care and treatment of American Indians/Alaska natives with diagnosed HIV infection - 27 states and the District of Columbia, 2012.

The objective of this study was to measure linkage to care, retention in care, and suppressed viral load (VL) among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AIs/ANs) aged ≥13 years with diagnosed HIV infection. We used national HIV case surveillance data to measure linkage to care, defined as ≥1 CD4 or VL test ≤1 month after HIV diagnosis during 2013; retention in care, defined as ≥2 CD4 or VL tests ≥3 months apart during 2012; and suppressed VL, defined as <200 copies/mL at the most recent VL test during 2012. In 2013, 74.1% of AIs/ANs were linked to care. At year-end 2012, 46.9% of AIs/ANs were retained in care and 45.1% were virally suppressed. A lower percentage of females (41.3%), compared with males (46.5), were virally suppressed. By age group, the lowest percentage of virally suppressed AIs/ANs (37.5%) were aged 13-34 years. To improve individual health and to prevent HIV among AIs/ANs, outcomes must improve - particularly for female AIs/ANs and for AIs/ANs aged 13-34 years. Screening for HIV infection in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's testing recommendations can lead to improvements along the continuum of HIV care.

Trends in HIV Infection Among Persons Who Inject Drugs: United States and Puerto Rico, 2008-2013.

OBJECTIVES: To describe trends in HIV diagnoses and prevalence among persons who inject drugs (PWID), and trend variations by jurisdiction. METHODS: We used National HIV Surveillance System data to estimate the number of HIV diagnoses made during 2008 through 2013, and measured trends by estimated annual percent change; and persons living with diagnosed HIV infection at year-end 2008 to 2012, and measured trends in prevalence by the 2012-2008 arithmetic difference. RESULTS: During 2008 through 2013, the number of HIV diagnoses was stable among all persons (< 2% per year), and decreased among PWID (> 10% per year) overall and in 10 jurisdictions. The Black-to-White PWID diagnosis ratio was 2 to 1. During 2008 through 2012, the number of persons living with diagnosed HIV infection increased overall, was stable among PWID, and decreased in 14 jurisdictions. CONCLUSIONS: Had the rate of decrease in diagnoses of HIV infection among PWID equaled that of all persons, an additional 1500 diagnoses would have occurred between 2008 and 2013. Prevalence was stable among PWID, and increased overall among all persons living with HIV infection. Pronounced racial inequities persist, particularly for Blacks, and appear to be diminishing.

Estimating the number of persons who inject drugs in the united states by meta-analysis to calculate national rates of HIV and hepatitis C virus infections.

BACKGROUND: Injection drug use provides an efficient mechanism for transmitting bloodborne viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Effective targeting of resources for prevention of HIV and HCV infection among persons who inject drugs (PWID) is based on knowledge of the population size and disparity in disease burden among PWID. This study estimated the number of PWID in the United States to calculate rates of HIV and HCV infection. METHODS: We conducted meta-analysis using data from 4 national probability surveys that measured lifetime (3 surveys) or past-year (3 surveys) injection drug use to estimate the proportion of the United States population that has injected drugs. We then applied these proportions to census data to produce population size estimates. To estimate the disease burden among PWID by calculating rates of disease we used lifetime population size estimates of PWID as denominators and estimates of HIV and HCV infection from national HIV surveillance and survey data, respectively, as numerators. We calculated rates of HIV among PWID by gender-, age-, and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Lifetime PWID comprised 2.6% (95% confidence interval: 1.8%-3.3%) of the U.S. population aged 13 years or older, representing approximately 6,612,488 PWID (range: 4,583,188-8,641,788) in 2011. The population estimate of past-year PWID was 0.30% (95% confidence interval: 0.19 %-0.41%) or 774,434 PWID (range: 494,605-1,054,263). Among lifetime PWID, the 2011 HIV diagnosis rate was 55 per 100,000 PWID; the rate of persons living with a diagnosis of HIV infection in 2010 was 2,147 per 100,000 PWID; and the 2011 HCV infection rate was 43,126 per 100,000 PWID. CONCLUSION: Estimates of the number of PWID and disease rates among PWID are important for program planning and addressing health inequities.

Revised surveillance case definitions for HIV infection among adults, adolescents, and children aged <18 months and for HIV infection and AIDS among children aged 18 months to <13 years--United States, 2008.

For adults and adolescents (i.e., persons aged >/=13 years), the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection classification system and the surveillance case definitions for HIV infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have been revised and combined into a single case definition for HIV infection. In addition, the HIV infection case definition for children aged <13 years and the AIDS case definition for children aged 18 months to <13 years have been revised. No changes have been made to the HIV infection classification system, the 24 AIDS-defining conditions for children aged <13 years, or the AIDS case definition for children aged <18 months. These case definitions are intended for public health surveillance only and not as a guide for clinical diagnosis. Public health surveillance data are used primarily for monitoring the HIV epidemic and for planning on a population level, not for making clinical decisions for individual patients. CDC and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists recommend that all states and territories conduct case surveillance of HIV infection and AIDS using the 2008 surveillance case definitions, effective immediately.