20% of Those With HIV in US Don't Know It

CDC also says 3 in 4 aren't getting appropriate treatment

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 29, 2011 6:14 PM CST
Updated Dec 3, 2011 11:30 AM CST

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20% of Those With HIV in US Don't Know It — Nearly 3 out of 4 people with HIV aren't getting the appropriate treatment, says the CDC. (Shutterstock)

The CDC has a new study out on HIV treatment across the nation with some disturbing numbers, reports the Wall Street Journal:

Unaware: About 20% of the 1.2 million people in the US with HIV don't know they're infected. That's 240,000 people.
Treatment: All told, about three-quarters of those infected are not getting adequate treatment to keep the virus in check, thus raising the risk that it gets passed along.
New infections: About 50,000 are newly diagnosed with HIV each year, and the lifetime cost of care is currently pegged at $367,000.

“The HIV crisis in America is far from over,” says the director of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the CDC, as quoted by WebMD. “Closing the gaps in testing, care, and treatment will all be essential to slowing or reversing the US AIDS epidemic." (More HIV stories.)

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