June 19, 2014 – Still Transmitting

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ANCHOR LEAD: WHO REMAINS AT RISK FOR HIV INFECTION? ELIZABETH TRACEY REPORTS

HIV is on the run in many populations around the world, with public health efforts bearing fruit in keeping infection at bay in many at risk populations.  Yet there are groups that continue to become infected in spite of our best efforts.  Joseph Cofrancesco Jr, an HIV expert at Johns Hopkins, identifies who’s at risk.

COFRANCESCO: People who are being infected tend to be younger, men who have sex with men, who may not appreciate or even perhaps care about the risk of HIV.  Women who are involved with men may not know they have risk and therefore don’t take the precautions necessary.  And as a society we’re not particularly open about  sex or drugs or other things that we need to talk about so that people feel comfortable getting tested, getting treated if necessary, and staying negative if they’re not infected.  :31

Cofrancesco reiterates that even while we have effective therapies for HIV, it’s still better not to become infected. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.