This report provides additional information about the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS at the national level to complement the information contained in the 2002 HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report. This report presents the number of AIDS and HIV infection (not AIDS) cases reported in 2002 and cumulatively through 2002. The accompanying tables also present cases of HIV infection (not AIDS) and AIDS, by sex, for adults and adolescents cross-tabulated by race/ethnicity, and exposure category. These tables are updates of previous tables published in the 2001 HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report.

HIV infection (not AIDS) data presented in this report are from 39 areas (includes 35 states and four U.S. dependencies/possessions/associated nations) which have implemented confidential name-based HIV infection reporting using the same systems for data collection as for AIDS case reporting. When areas begin to implement HIV reporting, it takes about four to five years to collect and verify data on the large number of cases of HIV that have not been previously reported. Data on trends cannot be included from these areas until this process is completed. Therefore, other tables displaying trend data are from only 30 areas that have implemented HIV infection (not AIDS) reporting for more than four years. Tables displaying reported data should be interpreted with caution as 20%-50% of the cases are initially reported without risk information. This is due to the limited exposure information that is available in the medical records and an increasing number of cases that need to be investigated [1].

Areas included in tabulations of reported cases of HIV infection (not AIDS) are based on the date of implementation of name-based HIV infection reporting. Tables 2 and 4 are based on reports of cases of HIV infection (not AIDS) through 2002 from the 39 areas that had implemented confidential name-based HIV infection reporting. Readers should note that not all cases of HIV infection (not AIDS) or AIDS reported in 2002 reflected new diagnoses; rather, the reported cases include cases diagnosed during earlier years. Therefore trends in case counts from areas that have recently implemented HIV reporting should not be interpreted as reflecting trends in diagnoses or new infections. HIV surveillance reports may not be representative of all persons infected with HIV because not all infected persons have been tested.

The racial/ethnic distribution of reported cases of HIV infection (not AIDS) reflects the racial/ethnic distribution of the 39 areas for which we have reliable data and should not be assumed to be representative of all persons with HIV infection (not AIDS) in the United States.

References

• Lee LM, McKenna MT, Janssen RS. Classification of Transmission Risk in the National HIV/AIDS Surveillance System. Public Health Reports. 2003;118:400-407.