Medical News Incidence and Diagnoses of HIV Infection -- Puerto Rico, 2006June 10, 2009 The current study examines Puerto Rico's high HIV rate and how the territory's epidemic differs from that of the United States as a whole. "The HIV epidemic in Puerto Rico is notably different from the epidemic in the United States overall and among Hispanics in the United States," the authors concluded. "CDC supports prevention efforts that target populations at greatest risk in Puerto Rico, including injection-drug users, women who have high-risk heterosexual contact, men who engage in male-to-male sexual contact, and youths." "To address transmission of HIV infection among injection-drug users, the Puerto Rico Department of Health provides syringe exchange programs and rapid HIV testing, has implemented policies to allow pharmacies to sell syringes without medical prescription, and provides drug rehabilitation services throughout the country," the authors wrote in conclusion. "The findings in this report help describe the HIV epidemic in Puerto Rico and can help guide future allocation of resources and planning, implementation, and evaluation of HIV prevention programs and services." Morbidity and Mortalilty Weekly Report 06.05.2009; Vol. 58; No. 21: P. 589-591; S. Miranda, M.P.H.; B. Lopez, M.S.; E.J. García-Rivera, M.D.; M. Rangel, M.D., Ph.D.; A.L. Herdandez, M.D.; L. Espinoza, D.D.S.; Q. An, M.S.; R. Song, Ph.D.; R. Zhang, M.S.; Z. Myles, M.P.H. This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
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