HIV in adolescents

Although the number of adolescents with diagnosed AIDS in the United States remains less than 1000, many more have HIV infection that has not yet manifested as clinical illness. In addition, most adolescents are involved in risk behaviors that potentially expose them to the virus. Medical providers should be prepared to identify those at highest risk and be familiar with the legal and ethical issues surrounding the evaluation and testing for HIV infection in this population of teenagers. HIV prevention and the presence of infection during pregnancy are particularly challenging to the provider in light of the special developmental and social issues that are inherent to the process of adolescence.