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The nationwide annual incidence of HIV infection has always been an elusive number, yet it is of paramount importance for assessing the efficacy of prevention efforts and the adequacy of funding plans. The CDC now has used new methods, which suggest that the incidence in recent years has been underestimated and that rates are not declining as much as had been hoped.
HIV was diagnosed in 39,400 people in 22 states during 2006; serum from 6864 was tested with a new technique that, by quantitating IgG levels, distinguishes recent infection (on average, 156 days postseroconversion) from long-standing infections; 2133, or 31%, of the cases were classified as recent infections. That result, in conjunction with clinical and other epidemiologic data…