HIV Epidemiology Unit

The HIV Epidemiology Unit is authorized under  Georgia Surveillance Law (O.C.G.A. §31-12-2)   (PDF, 17.24 KB) to conduct notifiable disease surveillance of HIV. Public health surveillance activities are permitted under the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

Georgia has a dual reporting system that legally requires HIV reporting by both healthcare providers and laboratories  (O.C.G.A. §31-12-2(b))  (PDF, 17.24 KB) . All reports should be made within seven (7) days.  Healthcare providers who diagnose an individual with HIV or assume the care of a patient with HIV must submit a case report form to the GA DPH HIV Epidemiology Unit. Laboratories are required to report all tests indicative of HIV infection to the GA DPH HIV Epidemiology Unit.

How to report a case: For more information on how to report a case and what types of labs to report, see the Case Reporting page.

All information collected by the HIV Epidemiology Unit is held strictly confidential. The Unit is physically located in an access-controlled building, and all paper reports are stored in locked cabinets that can only be accessed by authorized State HIV Epidemiology Unit staff. Electronic data are stored on a virtual privacy network that requires double key encryption for access. HIV Epidemiology Unit staff abide by strict federal guidelines that prohibit intentional disclosure of HIV data and limit risk of accidental disclosure of confidential data. Furthermore, Georgia law prohibits disclosure of identifiable information. All employees sign a confidentiality statement, and any unauthorized disclosures or breaches can result in criminal prosecution charges.

Common HIV prevention strategies include using PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) medication taken before potential exposure to help prevent HIV infection or PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) medication taken after a potential exposure. Additional strategies include using condoms correctly every time you have sex and accessing harm reduction services to reduce risks associated with drug use. For people living with HIV, taking HIV treatment as prescribed to achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load also prevents transmission to others.

The only way to know your HIV status is to get tested. For more information on HIV testing options in Georgia, see Georgia HIV Care & Prevention | Georgia Department of Public Health. Additional information about HIV testing--including why and when to get tested, types of tests, understanding results, and available resources can be found on the CDC’s website: Getting Tested for HIV | HIV | CDC.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a medication to treat HIV, which reduces the amount of HIV in the blood (viral load) to a level so low, tests cannot detect it (undetectable). Taking medicine as prescribed allows people with HIV to live long and healthy lives and prevents forward transmission when the person has an undetectable viral load. Treatment should begin as soon as possible after an individual is diagnosed with HIV.

HIV attacks the body's immune system. Specifically, it affects the white blood cells of the immune system, called CD4 cells, or T cells. White blood cells protect the body by attacking foreign pathogens in the blood. Over time, HIV can destroy so many of these cells that the body can’t fight off infections and disease. When this happens, the body's defenses are weakened, leading to opportunistic infections (OIs) and AIDS-related cancers. OIs are infections that a healthy immune system can fight off, but they cause serious illness in people with HIV.

For more information on how HIV spreads, symptoms, preventing HIV transmission, HIV testing, treatment, and stages, see  About HIV | CDC and HIV Basics | HIV.gov. 

A timeline of HIV and AIDS in the United States from 1981 – present is available here: A Timeline of HIV and AIDS | HIV.gov.