HIV Screening Recommendations for High-Risk Individuals

Rationale for Annual Screening

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual HIV screening for individuals at high risk, including those with recent STI diagnoses, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia 1, 2, 3, 4
The CDC defines high-risk individuals as those who have had more than one sex partner since their most recent HIV test, which applies to this patient due to her recent STI acquisition 1, 2, 3, 4
The American Academy of Family Physicians supports annual HIV screening for sexually active adolescents, given the high HIV prevalence and risk in this population 5, 6

The American College of Physicians recommends individualized repeat screening decisions, with annual screening being cost-effective in populations with HIV incidence of 1% or greater 9
Annual screening is the minimum appropriate interval for this patient, given her recent STI diagnoses and high-risk status 1, 2, 9

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recognizes that individuals may not be aware of their sex partners' risk factors for HIV infection, highlighting the importance of routine screening 5, 6
Most HIV transmission occurs during acute infection when viral loads are highest but patients are asymptomatic, emphasizing the need for regular screening rather than relying on symptoms 8