World AIDS Day — December 1, 2015
Authors: Andrew Auld, Ray Shiraishi, Francisco Mbofana, Aleny Couto, Ernest Fetogang, Shenaaz El-Halabi, Refeletswe Lebelonyane, ; Pilatwe, Tlhagiso Pilatwe, Ndapewa Hamunime, ; Velephi Okello, ; Tsitsi Mutasa-Apollo, Owen Mugurungi, Joseph Murungu, Janet Dzangare, Gideon Kwesigabo, Fred Wabwire-Mangen, Modest Mulenga, Sebastian Hachizovu, Virginie Ettiegne-Traore, Fayama Mohamed, Adebobola Bashorun, ; Do, Thi Nhan, ; Nguyen, Huu Hai, ; Tran, Huu Quang, Joelle Deas, Van Onacker, Kesner Francois, Ermane Robin, Gracia Desforges, Mansour Farahani, Harrison Kamiru, Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Peter Ehrenkranz, Julie Denison, Olivier Koole, Sharon Tsui, ; Kwasi Torpey, ; Ya, Diul Mukadi, Eric Van Praag, Joris Menten, Timothy Mastro, Carol Dukes, ; Oseni, Omomo Abiri, Mark Griswold, ; Pierre, Carla Xavier, Charity Alfredo, ; Kebba Jobarteh, Mpho Letebele, Simon Agolory, Andrew Baughman, Gram Mutandi, Peter Preko, Caroline Ryan, Trong Ao, Elizabeth Gonese, Amy Herman-Roloff, Kunomboa Ekra, Thomas Frieden, Harold Jaffe, Joanne Cono, Chesley Richards, Michael Iademarco, Sonja Rasmussen, Charlotte Kent, Jacqueline Gindler, Teresa Rutledge, Douglas Weatherwax, Soumya Dunworth, Teresa Hood, Martha Boyd, Maureen Leahy, Julia Martinroe, Stephen Spriggs, Moua Yang, Quang Doan, Phyllis King, Teresa Moreland, Terraye Starr, Timothy Jones, Matthew Boulton, Virginia Caine, Katherine Daniel, Jonathan Fielding, David Fleming, William Halperin, King Holmes, Robin Ikeda, Rima Khabbaz, Phyllis Meadows, Jewel Mullen, Jeff Niederdeppe, Patricia Quinlisk, Patrick Remington, Carlos Roig, William Roper, William Schaffner, Joseph Kouakou, Solomon Odafe, Dennis Onotu, Ibrahim Dalhatu, ; Henry, H Debem, ; Duc, B Nguyen, ; Le, Ngoc Yen, ; Abu, S Abdul-Quader, Valerie Pelletier, Seymour Williams, Stephanie Behel, George Bicego, Mahesh Swaminathan, ; Dokubo, Georgette Adjorlolo-Johnson, Richard Marlink, David Lowrance, Thomas Spira, Robert Colebunders, David Bangsberg, Aaron Zee, Jonathan Kaplan, Tedd Ellerbrock, Dawn Smith, Michelle Van Handel, Richard Wolitski, Jo Stryker, ; Hall, Joseph Prejean, Linda Koenig, Linda Valleroy, Franklin Laufer, Daniel O'connell, Ira Feldman, Howard Zucker
Journal: MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2015)

World AIDS Day, observed on December 1, draws attention to the current status of the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic worldwide.This year's theme is World AIDS 2015: The Time to Act is Now.The first cases of AIDS were reported more than 30 years ago, in the June 5, 1981 issue of MMWR.At the end of 2014, approximately 36.9 million persons worldwide were living with HIV infection (1).Although AIDS-related deaths have decreased by 42% since 2004, an estimated 1.2 million persons died from AIDS in 2014 (1).Global efforts, including the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (in which CDC is a principal agency), have resulted in approximately 13.5 million persons in low-and middle-income countries receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infection in 2014 (2).Globally, approximately 15 million persons are on ART (1).An estimated 1.2 million persons in the United States and Puerto Rico are living with HIV infection (3) and approximately 50,000 persons become infected with HIV each year (4).