FACT Individuals who are infected with STDs are at least two to five times more likely than uninfected individuals to acquire HIV infection if they are exposed to the virus through sexual contact. In addition, if an HIV-infected individual is also infected with another STD, that person is more likely to transmit HIV through sexual contact than other HIV-infected persons.
			Women Between 120,000 to 160,000 women in the United States are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Nearly one out of four of these women don’t know they have HIV. This puts them at high risk of passing the virus to their babies.
		IDU’s Co-infection with HIV and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant problem, especially among injection drug users (IDU’s). Care for individuals living with both diseases is complex.
			Sexual Risk Factors Sexual risk factors account for most HIV infections. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at greater risk . Other risks include unprotected sex and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
		African Americans Even though blacks (including African Americans) account for about 13% of the US population, they account for about half (49%) of the people who get HIV and AIDS. Blacks with AIDS often don’t live as long as people of other races and ethnic groups with AIDS. For African Americans and other blacks, HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of death.
			Hispanic/Latino In 2005, HIV/AIDS was the fourth leading cause of death among Hispanic/Latino men and women aged 35 to 44. Hispanics/Latinos comprise 15% of the US population, but accounted for 17% of all new HIV infections occurring in the United States in 2006.