Dec 18, 1987 (Vol. 36, No. 49).—THE FOLLOWING REPORT summarizes the review of current knowledge on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the United States that was presented to the Domestic Policy Council. The review was conducted during the period September-November 1987, by CDC in conjunction with the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration and the National Institutes of Health. Although the various studies reviewed differ in design and cannot be precisely compared, the review yielded a description of the approximate patterns and trends of HIV infection in this country.
Background
Over 46,000 cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is a result of HIV infection, have been reported to CDC since 1981. The mean interval between infection with HIV and the onset of AIDS exceeds 7 years. Thus, information on the number of currently infected individuals (prevalence) and the rate