HIV testing day Tuesday: Where, when to get tested

June 26--Tuesday is National HIV Testing Day, and health officials are encouraging everyone to know the risk factors and get tested for the disease.

Oklahoma State Depart­ment of Health (OSDH) recommends everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 be tested at least once in their life as part of their routine health care. People with certain risk factors should get tested more often.

Behaviors which place people at risk for acquiring HIV include injecting drugs and sharing needles, men having sex with men, and having sex with someone whose sexual history is unknown, according to an OSDH press release.

There are more than 1.2 million people in the United States living with HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"Due to effective treatments, people are living long and healthy lives with HIV," stated the OSDH press release. "However, it is important to start treatment as soon as a person finds out they are HIV-positive."

Since 1982, Oklahoma has had more than 10,000 HIV/AIDS cases and there are currently about 6,000 people living with HIV throughout the state, according to OSDH figures.

The CDC estimates there are 50,000 new cases of HIV each year in the United States.

But, many people who contract the disease are unaware until much later -- a trend health officials hope to reverse with increased testing.

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