HIV
HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system — specifically CD4 cells — and, if left untreated, can progress to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), leaving the body vulnerable to life-threatening infections and cancers. Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. are currently living with HIV, and about 1 in 8 do not know it. In 2023, over 39,000 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in the U.S., with Black and Hispanic individuals each accounting for more than a third of diagnoses, and the South representing 51% of all new cases. There is encouraging progress — annual new infections declined 12% from 2018 to 2022, driven largely by a 30% drop among young people aged 13–24, with increases in PrEP use, HIV testing, and viral suppression as key contributors. While there is no cure, antiretroviral therapy (ART) can suppress the virus to undetectable levels, preventing transmission and allowing people with HIV to live long, healthy lives. Prevention tools including PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and regular testing remain central to the national goal of ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S.
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