Despite the 2006 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for HIV testing, clinicians treating men who have sex with men (MSM) have begun offering more frequent HIV testing at 3- or 6-month intervals, according to research published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. This approach is also contrary to a 2013 US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement, which suggested annual screening after insufficient evidence to provide a specific screening interval.

A CDC work group aimed to "assess the benefits and harms associated with more frequent screening of MSM," according to the current article. A systematic literature review examined studies published between 2005 and 2014: 111 were reviewed in full, and 13 met the inclusion criteria for evidence evaluation.

"[The] CDC concludes that the evidence, programmatic experience, and expert opinions are insufficient to warrant changing the current recommendation (annual screening for MSM) to more frequent screening (every 3 or 6 months)," concluded Elizabeth A. DiNenno, PhD, from the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention and the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention at the CDC. "Therefore, the CDC's 2006 recommendation for HIV screening of MSM is unchanged." Read more via Infectious Disease Advisor