Great Lakes Wire

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is urging all Michiganders to get tested for HIV in observance of National HIV Testing Day on Tuesday, June 27. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately one in seven people with HIV in the U.S. are unaware of their status and require testing, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. In Michigan, one in four individuals diagnosed since 2021 were found to have late-stage diagnoses, indicating they had been living with HIV for years without knowing.

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive at MDHHS, emphasized the importance of testing: “There are many ways to test for HIV that can be a quick and easy addition to routine health care. Taking an HIV test is the only way to know if you have the virus, as symptoms may not develop for years. Testing allows you to keep yourself and your partners safe, and if you test positive, it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible."

She further recommended discussing risk factors with healthcare providers and considering options like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which can reduce the chance of contracting HIV. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is also available for those who believe they may have recently been exposed to the virus.

Proper treatment enables individuals living with HIV to achieve an undetectable status, meaning the virus cannot be detected in their blood—a concept known as Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U=U). In Michigan in 2023, 81% of those diagnosed with HIV received care, and 72% achieved viral suppression.

The CDC recommends that everyone aged 13 and older should be tested for HIV at least once as part of routine healthcare. Those engaging in condomless sex or injection drug use should undergo more frequent testing. Sexually active individuals who test negative are encouraged to discuss PrEP with their healthcare provider.

For more information about HIV testing, treatment options, and efforts to end stigma associated with the virus, visit CDC.gov/HIV. Free or reduced-cost testing and treatment resources are available across Michigan; details can be found at Michigan.gov/HIVSTI.

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