An epidemiologic summary of the AIDS/HIV epidemic in Minnesota

A cumulative total of 3,202 AIDS cases and 2,355 non-AIDS cases of HIV infection have been diagnosed in Minnesota and reported to the Minnesota Department of Health since 1982. The number of AIDS cases and HIV infection cases diagnosed annually peaked five to 10 years ago. New treatments for HIV infection have led to a marked reduction in mortality. The number of deaths due to AIDS/HIV in 1997 (76) was the lowest number in Minnesota since 1986. Several trends continue to evolve in reported AIDS/HIV cases. First, the proportion of female cases has increased over time. Second, male-to-male sex remains the most common exposure category, but the proportion has declined over time. In contrast, the proportion of cases related to injecting drug use and heterosexual contact has increased over time. Third, an increasing proportion of AIDS/HIV patients are black. Although progress has been made in reducing AIDS/HIV incidence, more Minnesotans are living with AIDS/HIV than ever before.