February 6, 2024 |
Photo – Needle used for recreational drugs – Courtesy Adobe Stock
HIV cases are on the rise in Wyoming, especially among the gay community, according to new numbers from the Wyoming Department of Health.
Reginald McClinton, Communicable Disease Unit (CDU) Surveillance Program manager, said 22 cases were reported in 2023, an increase from 13 in 2022 and higher than Wyoming’s typical annual range of 12 to 15. McLinton said the increase is a noteworthy increase and cause for concern.
Among reported cases, 82 percent were among men and 18 percent were female. Another interesting statistic is that 36 percent identified as heterosexual while 64 percent identified as LGBTQ+.
Ages ranged from 24 to 77.
According to the Department of Health, common risk factors among the infected were engaging in sex without a condom, multiple and/or anonymous sex partners, and meeting sexual partners via dating and hook-up apps.
Leslie Fowler, Communicable Disease Prevention Program manager with WDH said, “Unfortunately there has been a pervasive myth in Wyoming that HIV only infects men who identify as gay.”
This has led to a lack of HIV testing, which results in poor patient outcomes and ongoing HIV transmission in the general population.
HIV is a virus that attacks and weakens the body’s immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. HIV infections advance in stages, getting worse over time without treatment. HIV can ultimately cause what is commonly known as AIDS.
Katelyn Hoff, epidemiologist and disease intervention specialist with WDH, said, “Almost half of Wyoming individuals diagnosed in 2023 had already reached later stages of infection.” Hoff noted that the sooner the treatment is started, the better the patient outcome. “While there is no cure for HIV, it can be managed with HIV treatment,” she said.
In addition to sexual contact, HIV can be spread by sharing needles or other tools when injecting or snorting drugs.
