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Almost half of HIV-infected adolescents and young adults are unaware of their infection. Failure to identify these youth contributes to the ongoing spread of the epidemic and denies them the opportunity for early treatment. While almost half of pediatricians recommend that all sexually active youth be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), only 28% recommend HIV testing. To promote routine HIV testing of adolescents, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated its 2001 policy statement. Key recommendations include the following:
Routine HIV screening should be offered to all adolescents in communities where HIV prevalence is at least 0.1%.at least once by age 16 to 18 years
In settings with lower prevalence, testing should be…