Gay teens make up 92 percent of HIV cases in their age group

More than 9 in 10 new HIV cases among young men and boys ages 13 to 24 in the U.S. occur among homosexuals and bisexuals, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The April 25 CDC report, “HIV Among Gay and Bisexual Men,” offers stark evidence of the extreme health risks associated with male homosexual sex, in particular receptive anal sex. Below are some of its findings:

— Gay and bisexual men aged 13 to 24 accounted for an estimated 92 percent of new HIV diagnoses among all men in their age group and 27 percent of new diagnoses among all gay and bisexual men;

— Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men made up an estimated 2 percent of the population, but 55 percent of people living with HIV in the United States in 2013;

— From 2005 to 2014, HIV diagnoses decreased in the United States by 19 percent overall but increased 6 percent among all gay and bisexual men;

— 1 in 6 gay and bisexual men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime, including 1 in 2 black gay and bisexual men, 1 in 4 Hispanic gay and bisexual men, and 1 in 11 white gay and bisexual men;

— Nearly 1 in 7 gay and bisexual men living with HIV are unaware they have it;

— Anal sex is the riskiest type of sex for getting or transmitting HIV. Receptive anal sex is 13 times as risky for acquiring HIV as insertive anal sex.