AHI: Acute HIV Infection: Current Definition (PDF) Acute HIV Infection: Definition prior to October 23, 2009 (PDF) AIDS: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1: HIV-1 is the retrovirus that is responsible for the majority of cases in the world AIDS pandemic. HIV-2: HIV-2 is a closely related but distinct virus that is found primarily in West Africa and countries with large West African immigrant populations. More in-depth information regarding HIV Type 2 IDU: Injection drug use or injecting drug user MSM: Men who have sex with men PWHA: Persons with HIV or AIDS PLWHA: Persons living with HIV or AIDS. For these tables, PLWHA refers to persons diagnosed and reported in New York City and presumed to be living with HIV/AIDS. UHF neighborhood: United Hospital Fund neighborhood Definitions Age: Age is calculated as age at diagnosis for HIV and AIDS diagnoses; age as of the end of the calendar year for PLWHA; and age at death for deaths. AIDS diagnosis: Persons are classified as having AIDS if they are HIV-infected and either have one or more AIDS-defining opportunistic illnesses (based on the 1993 CDC case definition) or a laboratory test indicating suppressed CD4+ cell counts (<200 cells/µL). Clinical status: Clinical status is determined as of the end of the calendar year or at date of death. Concurrent HIV/AIDS: An AIDS diagnosis within 31 days of an HIV diagnosis. Persons concurrently diagnosed with HIV and AIDS are included in the totals of both HIV diagnoses and AIDS diagnoses. HIV diagnosis: A diagnosis of HIV infection is generally based on a positive Western blot test in adults and a positive PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test in infants less than 18 months. Since June 1, 2000, laboratories and health care providers in New York State have been required to report HIV infection even in persons without AIDS. Race: Technical Notes on Race Transmission risk: HIV surveillance captures information about risk factors associated with HIV transmission. The primary risk factors are men who have sex with men, injection drug use, heterosexual sex and perinatal transmission. Men who have sex with men includes males with reported sexual contact with another male, and males with no definitive risk and with history of a rectal STD or proctitis. The injection drug use category includes persons who took nonprescribed drugs by injection, intravenously, intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The heterosexual category includes persons who had heterosexual sex with an HIV-infected person, an injection drug user, or a person who has received blood products; and for females only, women with a history of heterosexual prostitution, multiple sex partners of the opposite sex, sexually transmitted disease, crack/cocaine use, heterosexual sex with a bisexual male, or unspecified probable heterosexual transmission. Perinatal transmission is a risk factor for infants who were infected during gestation, birth or postpartum through breastfeeding to an HIV-infected mother. Other transmission risks include hemophilia, receipt of transfusions or transplants, and non-perinatal risk in pediatric cases (<13 years). Persons with a risk that is unknown have no risk information reported by the provider or an expanded investigation has not been completed for them. UHF neighborhood: This corresponds to a geographic area within New York City that is an aggregate of between 1 and 9 ZIP codes but that is smaller than a borough. UHF neighborhoods reflect catchment areas for certain healthcare facilities. (Table and map of UHF neighborhoods and corresponding ZIP codes, PDF)

ntiretroviral Therapy The Health Department now recommends offering antiretroviral treatment (ART) to any person living with HIV, regardless of the person’s CD4 cell count. The recommendation is based on evidence that ART can improve the health of people living with HIV and that ART can prevent transmission of HIV from an HIV-infected person to an uninfected sexual partner.

edications now enable people with HIV to live longer and healthier lives. But not all New Yorkers living with HIV are fully benefiting from antiretroviral treatment and supportive care. Each year, nearly 1,000 people in NYC don't find out they are HIV positive until they are already sick with AIDS.