Dr. Helene Gayle: Early HIV diagnosis important

Dr. Helene Gayle

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says many people with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, are missing out on some important treatments because they are not being diagnosed early enough. Dr. Helene Gayle is director of the CDC's National Center HIV, STD and TB Prevention. CNN's Daryn Kagan spoke with Dr. Gayle Thursday about the importance of early diagnosis of HIV.

KAGAN: This report says that some people are getting diagnosed as late as 10 years after they're actually infected. Why the gap, do you think?

GAYLE: Well, I think because many people still think about HIV as a death sentence and don't know all of the benefits that they can get as a result of being diagnosed early -- getting into treatment and also getting into support for prevention services as well. So we want to get the word out there, that it is important today, more than ever, because of all of the new therapies, all that we know about prevention -- that it really is important for a person to get tested and take advantage of those benefits.

KAGAN: No one wants to get the word that they're HIV positive, so if they just avoid the test they think they're avoiding that kind of bad news. But what are the ramifications, in terms of trying to save your life, of that delayed diagnosis?

GAYLE: Well, there are several ramifications, because people who get into care early have much better quality of life, as well as it probably lengthens their life as well. And that's care -- not only the antiretroviral therapies, but the whole range of services -- that can be provided for somebody with HIV. But it's also important from a prevention standpoint.

KAGAN: That's true.

GAYLE: We know that people who are tested are more likely to reduce behaviors that would continue that transmission. And so from that standpoint, too, we have people who for 10 years may very well continue to engage in behaviors that will continue the transmission. So from the standpoint of prevention, but also from the standpoint of that individual and their care needs, it is so important that people do get tested. We also know that stigma keeps some people away.

KAGAN: Sure.

GAYLE: We are still not dealing with this issue in a straightforward way. So many people avoid it because of their sense of the disease, but also because of what they think people will think about them once they are diagnosed with HIV.

KAGAN: So is HIV testing something that all of us should make a part of our regular checkup?

GAYLE: Well, we really are recommending that HIV testing become much more a routine part of medical care. There are so many missed opportunities. And so we think that people should, and doctors and health care providers should, look at this as a much more routine part of clinical care.

KAGAN: Be a little bit more aggressive, doctors should, perhaps, about suggesting the testing?

GAYLE: Yes, definitely. Definitely. And particularly for patients who have other STDs, for instance, that ...

KAGAN: Are the red flags?

GAYLE: Right. Exactly.