MSMs should be regularly tested for HIV

The number of men diagnosed with HIV/AIDS infection has risen significantly during the 2001-2006 period, according to a study published recently by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The rate of increase was highest among males in the young age group, 13-24.

The CDC report is the result of a study that monitored reports of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 33 states during the period. A total 214,379 diagnoses were documented and nearly half of them — 46 percent — involved men who have sex with men or MSM. [The term “men who have sex with men” is used by epidemiologists because the individuals involved do not always identify themselves as being homosexual or gay.]

The MSM group was the only high-risk category to register increased numbers in HIV/AIDS diagnoses during the period. All other groups — heterosexuals who engage in high-risk sex, users of injection drugs (IDUs), and MSMs who are also IDUs — actually reflected decreases.

Perhaps the most alarming finding in the study was that HIV/AIDS diagnoses rose 12 percent annually among young men aged 13-24 — the greatest annual increase among all groups. Within this age category, African-American MSMs had the highest increase (at 15 percent annually) than white MSMs (9 percent) and Hispanics (8 percent).

Diagnosis is different from infection rate. The CDC study tracks only those who are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS but is not able to specify when the individuals concerned actually became infected. A person (and there are many of them) might have been infected for many years before being diagnosed of HIV infection.

The increase in diagnoses, particularly in the 13-24 age group, may be an indication of rising rate of infection in young MSMs. Since their sexually active period has not lasted very long, the diagnoses of HIV/AIDS are likely to come from recent infections.

There may be at least two factors for this, says the CDC.

* It may partly be due to “sero-sorting,” a practice where the MSM prefers a monogamous relationship, believing he and the preferred partner have the same HIV status. They no longer use condoms to reduce risk. Although sero-sorting can work, there are some persons who are HIV positive but are not aware of it.

* Young men no longer fear HIV infections as much as before. They are too young to remember the impact of the first AIDS epidemic in the 1980s-1990s. The effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy has also reduced the fear.

This alarming rate of increase in HIV/AIDS diagnoses may indicate there is a second wave in the AIDS epidemic affecting gay America.

Safety Tip:

* Have an HIV test at least once a year. Sexually active MSMs should be regularly tested for HIV. MSMs who engage in high-risk sexual practices (e.g. abuse alcohol, methamphetamine, and other drugs) need more frequent testing.