AAP calls for more teens to be tested for HIV

HIV is a dangerous and potentially deadly sexually transmitted disease (STD), for which there is no cure. While anyone who is not practicing safer sex can contract this infection, it is significantly more prevalent in some areas of the country than in others. Recently, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that all teens between 16 and 18 who live in a town where more than 0.1 percent of the population has HIV should get tested for the infection. 

CNN reports that up to 70 percent of new HIV infections are spread by people who do not even know that they have the STD, which suggests that more people need to get tested.

"I can't think of a downside [to testing]," said Jaime Martinez, M.D., an adolescent medicine specialist, quoted by the news source. "We find that youth who test and become aware of whether they're affected... become more conscious about engaging in safer sex practices."

Medscape also published an article on this subject, and stated that among the official AAP recommendations is a call for physicians to create a comfortable and tolerant environment where teens can talk frankly about their sexual activity.