Researchers aim to develop tool to identify high HIV-incidence populations

Many studies have been done on the efficacy of different HIV prevention techniques. Some methods involve spreading awareness through safe sex education or encouraging regular testing among high-risk individuals.

However, prevention efforts may fall on deaf ears if they are implemented in communities that are not disproportionately affected by the disease.

Therefore, a group of international experts has established the Incidence Assay Critical Path Working Group to chart the activities, milestones, and decisions that will go into developing new HIV-incidence assays that will help enhance prevention efforts.

The researchers, who published their plan in the journal Public Library of Science Medicine, said that properly targeted prevention activities should be devised using a simple, quick and accurate method of estimating incidence in populations.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 1.1 million Americans living with HIV and an estimated 21 percent of these individuals have not been diagnosed. This means that people who do not know that they are infected may spread the disease to others unintentionally.