HIV testing: rationale for changing recommendations.

HIV testing is an important and effective strategy for preventing HIV infection. Infected individuals who know their HIV serostatus are less likely to engage in high-risk sexual behavior, and it is estimated that knowledge of HIV serostatus in unaware persons could reduce new infections by more than 30%. The availability of rapid testing for HIV expands testing opportunities. Expanded routine, voluntary, and opt-out screening in health care settings is needed to reduce the number of persons who are unaware of their HIV-infected status, get newly diagnosed patients into care, and reduce transmission of HIV infection. This article summarizes a presentation on revisions to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV screening recommendations made by Robert S. Janssen, MD, at the 9th Annual Ryan White CARE Act Clinical Update in Washington, DC, in August 2006. The original presentation is available as a Webcast at www.iasusa.org.