Aids Definition

HIV Infection

Diagnosis of HIV infection: This refers to persons diagnosed with HIV infection, regardless of the stage of disease at diagnosis (e.g., if they have progressed to AIDS) from the 42 areas (37 states and 5 U.S. dependent areas) that have had confidential name-based HIV infection reporting long enough (i.e., since at least January 2005) allow for stabilization of data collection and for adjustment of the data in order to monitor trends. According to the number of AIDS diagnoses reported to CDC through 2008, these 37 states represent approximately 68% of AIDS diagnoses in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

AIDS Diagnosis: This refers to persons diagnosed with Stage 3 HIV infection (AIDS), based on the 2008

Dependent Areas: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

37 States and 5 U.S. Dependent Areas with Confidential Name-Based HIV Infection Reporting: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Transmission Category: The classification of a case that indicates the risk factor most likely to have been responsible for transmission. Cases are counted only once in a hierarchy of transmission categories. Persons with more than 1 reported risk factor for HIV infection are classified in the transmission category listed first in the hierarchy. The exception is men who report sexual contact with other men and injection drug use; this group makes up a separate transmission category.

HIV Incidence: The number of new HIV infections in a specific population during a specific period of time.

HIV Prevalence: The number of people living with HIV infection in a given year.