A detailed study of people newly infected with HIV in the United States, released September 12 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has confirmed that the majority of new cases occur among gay and bisexual men and that blacks are most at risk.

Last month, the CDC reported that new HIV/AIDS infections were higher than previously thought. This latest report further examines the distribution of new infections among certain racial/ethnic populations, age groups and transmission categories.

Among the new findings:

• Twenty-five years after the first case was reported, HIV/AIDS continues to affect the gay male population more than any other in the United States.
• Most new infections of white gay and bisexual men occur when the men are in their 30s and 40s, while black gay and bisexual men are more likely to be infected in their teens and 20s.
• Black Americans make up about 12% of the U.S. population but account for more than 45% of new infections.
• Women account for 27% of new infections. Black women are nearly 15 times as likely, and Hispanic women are 4 times as likely, to be infected with HIV as white women.
• Among women, the predominant HIV transmission category was high-risk heterosexual contact, which accounted for 80% of new infections.
  

Read More:
Full CDC Report: Subpopulation Estimates from the HIV Incidence Surveillance System - U.S., 2006
New York Times report