J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr

ObjectiveTo describe demographic and behavioral characteristics of persons with acute HIV infection (AHI) over time.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective assessment of AHI identified through the STAT (Screening and Tracing Active Transmission) Program from 2003 through 2012 in North Carolina (NC). AHI was identified using pooled nucleic acid amplification for antibody negative samples and individual HIV-1 RNA for antibody indeterminate samples. The STAT program provides rapid notification and evaluation. We compared STAT collected demographic and risk characteristics to all persons requesting tests and all non-AHI diagnoses from the NC State Laboratory of Public Health.ResultsThe STAT Program identified 236 AHI cases representing 3.4% (95% CI 3.0\u20133.9%) of all HIV diagnoses. AHI cases were similar to those diagnosed during established HIV. On pre-test risk-assessments, AHI cases were predominately Black (69.1%), male (80.1%), young (46.8% < 25 years), and men who have sex with men (MSM) (51.7%). Per post-diagnosis interviews, the median age decreased from 35 (IQR 25\u201342) to 27 (IQR 22\u201337) years, and the proportion <25 years increased from 23.8% to 45.2% (trend p=0.04) between 2003 and 2012. AHI men were more likely to report MSM risk post-diagnosis than on pre-test risk-assessments (64% to 82.9%; p