A large number of people close their eyes when it comes to getting tested for HIV, even though two years ago the federal government recommended that everyone of age 13 to 64 be routinely tested for HIV.

These findings of several large-scale studies were presented this week at a conference in Arlington.

In spite of the new testing guidelines and improved testing methods, people disregard the advice of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention concerning regular testing for HIV, which could save lives.

"It's fast, it's cheap, it's easy, it's almost perfect in terms of positive or negative results, and it detects a lethal disease that can now be treated," said Dr. John Bartlett, professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's division of infectious diseases. It is very cost-efficient and “it deals effectively with a major public health problem. This is a slam dunk."

The results revealed that about 5 percent of people with evidence of serious illness are being routinely tested in hospital emergency rooms for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, according to Veronica Miller, PhD., director of the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, which works to advance clinical research and translate results into patient care.

Just 100 of the 5,000 emergency rooms in the United States routinely test for the virus in patients who are not severely ill, Dr. Bartlett said.

An estimated 1.1 million Americans have contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, the CDC said. Worldwide, about 33 million people have the AIDS virus and 25 million have died of it.