State HIV infection rate climbs to total not seen since mid-'90s

Star Tribune

Last update: April 15, 2008 - 3:02 PM

The number of new cases of HIV infection in Minnesota last year is the highest annual total since the mid-1990s, marking the third straight yearly increase, the state Health Department is reporting today.

Health officials noted that one of the largest increases seen over the past six years has been among males ages 13 to 24, where cases have more than doubled since 2001. There were 18 new cases reported in 2001 in this male age group compared with 38 in 2007.

The report also found a 50 percent one-year increase among black males (54 in 2007 vs. 36 in 2006).

Reported new HIV cases overall reached 325 in 2007 compared to 318 in 2006 and 304 in 2005.

Since the department began tracking AIDS in 1982 and HIV in 1985, a total of 8,504 cases have been reported, including 2,912 people who have died.

There are nearly 6,000 people aware of their HIV status living in Minnesota. On average, MDH received a new reported HIV case every 27 hours in 2007 The Health Department's Peter Carr said, "Our annual number of reported cases declined in the late '90s until 2001, when we began to see a slight but steady increase in the yearly number of cases."

Other findings about the new HIV cases in 2007:

• 249 were male; 76 were female.

• Men who have sex with men represented 56 percent of the new HIV infections among males.

• Nearly three out of four new cases among women are people of color.

For the complete report, visit www.startribune.com/a4272.

PAUL WALSH

Recent Local + Metro stories

With contract talks stalled, Chaska schools, union turn to mediator - April 15, 2008

With contract talks stalled, Chaska schools, union turn to mediator - Both sides met all day with their state-appointed mediator without reaching a resolution. A second session is planned Jan. 5. More