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New HIV Study Shows Disease Accelerating

CDC finds 40% more cases than thought; blacks' rate alarming

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 12, 2008 7:58 AM CDT

(Newser) – A new CDC study of Americans with HIV conducted with new technology shows that the virus is spreading faster than previously thought, reports the New York Times. In 2006, more than 56,000 were newly infected with the virus that causes AIDS—40% more than anticipated. The study also showed that whites and blacks tend to contract the virus at different times in their lives.

Among gay and bisexual men, who were the most likely to contract the virus, whites tend to contract the disease in their 30s and 40s, while blacks are more likely to be infected in their teens and 20s. But the study also found that black men are no more likely to engage in drug use or unsafe sex than whites. Researchers speculate that the disparity results from higher infection rates among blacks, as well as more frequent sex between generations among African Americans.

Hazel Smith, of Prevention Works, a needle exchange program that focuses on preventing the spread of HIV, works with supplies aboard the program's vehicle in Washington on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)

An Afghan woman pin a ribbon to show her support for the victims of HIV/AIDS as she watches a performance in Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007. Afghan artists staged a show in an attempt to... (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

Bangladeshi sex worker Hena, who uses one name, holds AIDS ribbons before the start of an anti-AIDS campaign in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 25, 2007. Grameen Phone, the country's leading mobile phone... (AP Photo/Pavel Rahman)

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New HIV Study Shows Disease Accelerating

CDC finds 40% more cases than thought; blacks' rate alarming

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Contraceptive Shot May Double HIV Risk

Study findings could present a 'major health crisis'

Scientists Find Trick to 'Disarm' HIV

Without its cholesterol, virus can't harm immune system

AIDS Drugs Slash Risk of Getting HIV in First Place

Pair of studies show minimum 60% drop in infection rate

Scientists Find HIV's Achilles Heel

Vaccines should target one area, not the entire virus, new research suggests

Since 2001, New HIV Infections Plummeted 25%

Still, some 2.6M were infected in 2009

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New HIV Study Shows Disease Accelerating

CDC finds 40% more cases than thought; blacks' rate alarming

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

AIDS • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • HIV • public health • infection • STD • HIV/AIDS • African-Americans • white people

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Contraceptive Shot May Double HIV Risk

Study findings could present a 'major health crisis'

Scientists Find Trick to 'Disarm' HIV

Without its cholesterol, virus can't harm immune system

AIDS Drugs Slash Risk of Getting HIV in First Place

Pair of studies show minimum 60% drop in infection rate

Scientists Find HIV's Achilles Heel

Vaccines should target one area, not the entire virus, new research suggests

Since 2001, New HIV Infections Plummeted 25%

Still, some 2.6M were infected in 2009

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

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More News

What is Newser?