HIV Research Reagents

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in the United States continue to be a major public health concern. There are an estimated 1.2 million American people living with HIV (PLWH), and 1 out of 8 people with HIV do not know they have it. HIV also remains one of the world’s most serious health and development challenges.

The UNAIDS 2019 Report stated that there were 37.9 million PLWH globally with 1.7 million new HIV diagnoses and 770,000 deaths associated with AIDS-related illness during that year. Major global efforts have been mounted to address the HIV epidemic in the last 20 years and significant progress has been made. The number of people newly infected with HIV, and the number of deaths associated with AIDS-related illness have declined over the years, and the number of PLWH receiving treatment increased to 25.4 million in 2019.

HIV attacks the body’s immune system and if not treated, can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). HIV and tuberculosis (TB) are the world’s two most deadly infectious diseases. Tragically, these two epidemics are interconnected, as TB is the leading cause of death for those living with HIV. The SARS-coronavirus-2 pandemic has focused research away from these other pathogens (Funding Opportunity Announcement Number: NOT-AI-21-057 – When pandemics collide).