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Introduction Syphilis and HIV screening is highly recommended for pregnant women and those at risk for infection. We used conjoint analysis to identify factors associated with testing preferences for HIV and syphilis infection. Methods We recruited 298 men and women 18 years and over seeking testing or care at GHESKIO (Haitian Study Group for Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections) clinics. We created eight hypothetical dual HIV-syphilis test profiles varying across six dichotomous attributes. Participants were asked to rate each profile using Likert preference scales. An impact score was generated for each attribute by taking the difference between the preference scores for the preferred and non-preferred level of each attribute. Two-sided one-sample t-test was used to generate p values. Results Of 298 study participants, 61 (20.5%) were male. Of 237 females, 49 (20.7%) were pregnant. Cost (free vs. US$4; p

BackgroundDual rapid tests for HIV and syphilis infections allow for detection of HIV infection and syphilis at the point-of-care. Those tests have been evaluated in laboratory settings and show excellent performance but have not been evaluated in the field. We evaluated the field performance of the SD BIOLINE HIV/Syphilis Duo test in Port-au-Prince, Haiti using whole blood fingerprick specimens.MethodsGHESKIO (Haitian Study Group for Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections) clinic attendees 18 years of age or older were invited to participate. Venipuncture blood specimens were used for reference testing with standard commercially available tests for HIV and syphilis in Haiti. The sensitivity and specificity of the Duo test compared to the reference standard were calculated. The exact binomial method was used to determine 95 % confidence intervals (CI).ResultsOf 298 study participants, 237 (79.5 %) were female, of which 49 (20.7 %) were pregnant. For the HIV test component, the sensitivity and specificity were 99.2 % (95 % CI: 95.8 %, 100 %) and 97.0 % (95 % CI: 93.2 %, 99.0 %), respectively; and for the syphilis component were 96.5 % (95 % CI: 91.2 %, 99.0 %) and 90.8 % (95 % CI: 85.7 %, 94.6 %), respectively. In pregnant women, the sensitivity and specificity of the HIV test component were 93.3 % (95 % CI: 68.0 %, 99.8 %) and 94.1 % (95 % CI: 80.3 %, 99.3 %), respectively; and for the syphilis component were 100 % (95 % CI:81.5 %, 100 %) and 96.8 % (95 % CI:83.3 %, 99.9 %), respectively.ConclusionThe Standard Diagnostics BIOLINE HIV/Syphilis Duo dual test performed well in a field setting in Haiti and should be considered for wider use.

Background The World Health Organization recommends initiating same-day antiretroviral therapy (ART) while tuberculosis (TB) testing is under way for patients with non-meningitic symptoms at HIV diagnosis, though safety data are limited. C-reactive protein (CRP) testing may improve TB risk stratification in this population. Methods In this baseline analysis of 498 adults (>18 years) with TB symptoms at HIV diagnosis who were enrolled in a trial of rapid ART initiation in Haiti, we describe test characteristics of varying CRP thresholds in the diagnosis of TB. We also assessed predictors of high CRP as a continuous variable using generalized linear models. Results Eighty-seven (17.5%) participants were diagnosed with baseline TB. The median CRP was 33.0 mg/L (interquartile range: 5.1, 85.5) in those with TB, and 2.6 mg/L (interquartile range: 0.8, 11.7) in those without TB. As the CRP threshold increased from ≥1 mg/L to ≥10 mg/L, the positive predictive value for TB increased from 22.4% to 35.4% and negative predictive value decreased from 96.9% to 92.3%. With CRP thresholds varying from <1 to <10 mg/L, a range from 25.5% to 64.9% of the cohort would have been eligible for same-day ART and 0.8% to 5.0% would have untreated TB at ART initiation. Conclusions CRP concentrations can be used to improve TB risk stratification, facilitating same-day decisions about ART initiation. Depending on the CRP threshold, one-quarter to two-thirds of patients could be eligible for same-day ART, with a reduction of 3- to 20-fold in the proportion with untreated TB, compared with a strategy of same-day ART while awaiting TB test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death, with greater burdens of both HIV and CVD in lower-middle income countries. Treating prehypertension in PLWH may reduce progression to hypertension, CVD risk and potentially mortality. However, no trial has evaluated earlier blood pressure treatment for PLWH. We propose a randomized controlled trial to assess the feasibility, benefits, and risks of initiating antihypertensive treatment among PLWH with prehypertension, comparing prehypertension treatment to standard of care following current WHO guidelines. Methods: A total of 250 adults 18–65 years and living with HIV (PLWH) with viral suppression in the past 12 months, who have prehypertension will be randomized to prehypertension treatment versus standard of care. Prehypertension is defined as having a systolic blood pressure (SBP) 120–139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 80–89 mmHg. In the prehypertension treatment arm, participants will initiate amlodipine 5 mg daily immediately. In the standard of care arm, participants will initiate amlodipine only if they develop hypertension defined as SBP ≥ 140 mmHg or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg. The primary outcome is the difference in mean change of SBP from enrollment to 12 months. Secondary outcomes include feasibility, acceptability, adverse effects, HIV viral suppression, and medication adherence. Qualitative in-depth interviews with providers and participants will explore attitudes about initiating amlodipine, satisfaction, perceived CVD risk, and implementation challenges. Discussion: PLWH have a higher CVD risk and may benefit from a lower BP threshold for initiation of antihypertensive treatment. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov registration number NCT04692467, registration date December 15, 2020, protocol ID 20–03021735. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To present the epidemiology, social and cultural factors driving the HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Caribbean region and to highlight the regional and national responses, and what remains to be addressed to close the gaps in order to ending AIDS by 2030. Methods. A literature review was performed in the following databases: PubMed and Scopus. Articles published in the past 10 years were selected. The outcomes of interest were sociocultural risk factors, description of regional and national efforts and potential challenges and barriers to effective control of the epidemic among MSM. This report concentrates exclusively on publications related to MSM living in the Caribbean countries. Results. 11 peer-reviewed studies, 9 grey literature reports and programme frameworks were thematically analysed. The prevalence of HIV among MSM is high and the rates also do vary among Caribbean countries. Several factors influence the epidemic among MSM in the Caribbean but stigma and discrimination underlie the social vulnerability and play a central role in driving the HIV epidemic. Conclusions. To end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, MSM can no longer be kept unchecked in the era of the Sustainable Development Goals with the motto 'Leave no one behind'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While stigma associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) is well recognized, there remains relatively limited intervention data on effective stigma reduction strategies. This systematic review was conducted to highlight the mechanisms through which sexual and HIV stigma is reduced in relation to HIV prevention and care engagement. Search of PubMed and Scopus resulted in 11 tested interventions to include in our preliminary model constructed from programme frameworks and recommendations. We refined the preliminary programme theory to identify whether, why, or how mitigation strategies produce observed outcomes. Our review showed that the interventions produced stigma reduction through three groups of mechanisms: (1) Self-acceptance, leadership, and motivational activation for behaviour change from intrapersonal strategies, such as education and mobile health strategies, which intervene on internalized and anticipated stigma; (2) socialization, knowledge sharing, and social empowerment from interpersonal strategies, such as peer support and training for care providers; and (3) community introspection, self-reflection, and humanistic activation from structural strategies such as community leaders' sensitization, which intervene on both anticipated and enacted stigma. Interventions mechanisms act complementarily and can be activated in different contexts in which MSM exposed to and infected with HIV are living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the attitudes that medical students in Haiti harbour toward Men who have Sex with Men living with HIV in order to better understand how stigma and other factors may impair healthcare, and to explore suggestions of opportunities in line with the values of social accountability. Methods: This study employed a qualitative design by using a grounded theory approach regarding the context of Haiti. We used purposive sampling to select the 22 research participants. In-depth interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using an inductive content analysis approach. Results: Although stigmatizing attitudes emerged through the findings, medical students expressed willingness to provide Men who have Sex with Men with adequate health services in relation to HIV care. Their expressions were based on the Men who have Sex with Men's comprehensive right to receive equitable care, the moral responsibility of healthcare professionals, their perception of health disparities and the HIV global risk reduction. Participants pointed out that the medical education curriculum did not consider sexual health and specificities of sexual minorities and suggested a more inclusive and socially accountable training based on equity and quality. Conclusions: The students expressed favourable attitudes regarding health services to Men who have Sex with Men even though some layered stigmatizing attitudes emerged through the discussions. They all lacked skills on how to handle health specificities of sexual minorities. These findings recommend a revision of the medical education curriculum in regard to social accountability principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses that more than 23 million persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) are now on treatment. It mentions that global reductions in new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and AIDS-related deaths. It also mentions the usual care group had substantial delays in initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Abstract: Worldwide, mothers with young children receive many messages about infant feeding. Some messages are generated by health providers and others by the households, communities, and social contexts in which women live. We aimed to determine the scope of infant feeding messages in urban Haiti and to examine intracultural differences in salience of these messages and their alignment with international guidelines. We applied the method of free listing with 13 health workers and 15 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐infected and 15 HIV‐uninfected mothers with infants 0–6 months old at Groupe Haïtien d'Etude du Sarcome de Kaposi et des Infections Opportunistes in Port‐au‐Prince, Haiti. Participants listed all messages women receive about infant feeding and specifically about HIV and infant feeding. Message salience was determined by frequency of mention and recall order; messages were coded for key themes. For all groups, the World Health Organization infant feeding recommendations were salient, especially those related to exclusive breastfeeding. Messages across all groups focused on infant health outcomes, with less emphasis on maternal outcomes. Cultural beliefs were also elicited and showed higher salience for mothers than health workers, particularly for consequences of poor maternal nutrition. Health workers' free lists were poorly correlated to those of mothers, whereas those of mothers were highly correlated, regardless of HIV status. Inasmuch as many salient messages were culturally generated, and differences existed between mothers and health workers, we conclude that it is important for health workers to acknowledge the broader infant feeding message environment, and discrepancies within that environment, to address successes and failures in the messages reaching mothers, given potential consequences for mothers' breastfeeding behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral mucosal lesions that are associated with HIV infection can play an important role in guiding the decision to initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART). The incidence of these lesions relative to the timing of ART initiation has not been well characterized. A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted at the GHESKIO Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti between 2004 and 2009. 816 HIV-infected ART-naïve participants with CD4 T cell counts between 200 and 350 cells/mm3 were randomized to either immediate ART initiation (early group; N = 408), or initiation when CD4 T cell count was less than or equal 200 cells/mm3 or with the development of an AIDS-defining condition (delayed group; N = 408). Every 3 months, all participants underwent an oral examination. The incidence of oral lesions was 4.10 in the early group and 17.85 in the delayed group (p-value <0.01). In comparison to the early group, there was a significantly higher incidence of candidiasis, hairy leukoplakia, herpes labialis, and recurrent herpes simplex in the delayed group. The incidence of oral warts in delayed group was 0.97 before therapy and 4.27 post-ART initiation (p-value <0.01). In the delayed group the incidence of oral warts post-ART initiation was significantly higher than that seen in the early group (4.27 versus 1.09; p-value <0.01). The incidence of oral warts increased after ART was initiated, and relative to the early group there was a four-fold increase in oral warts if ART was initiated following an AIDS diagnosis. Based upon our findings, candidiasis, hairy leukoplakia, herpes labialis, and recurrent herpes simplex indicate immune suppression and the need to start ART. In contrast, oral warts are a sign of immune reconstitution following ART initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pilot study is underway to assess safety and acceptability of an intervention to disclose their HIV infection status to status-naïve pediatric antiretroviral therapy patients in Hispaniola [the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic (DR)]. Of 22 Haiti and 47 DR caregivers recruited to date, 68.2% Haiti and 34.0% DR caregivers had clinically significant depressive symptomatology at the time of enrollment (p = 0.008). Depressive symptom prevalence was higher in Haiti caregivers who were female (81.3% vs. 0 in males; p = 0.02) and in DR caregivers who were patients’ mothers (50.0%) or grandmothers (66.7%; 56.0% combined) than others (9.1%), (p < 0.001). Internalized stigma was more commonly reported by Haiti (85.7%) than DR (53.2%; p = 0.01) caregivers; 56.4% of Haiti and DR caregivers reporting internalized stigma vs. 26.1% of caregivers denying it had depressive symptoms (p = 0.02). Depression is common in Hispaniola caregivers possibly affecting disclosure timing. Study participation presents opportunities for addressing caregiver depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Long-term survival of HIV patients after initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART) has not been sufficiently described in Latin America and the Caribbean, as compared to other regions. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of mortality, loss to follow-up (LTFU) and associated risk factors for patients enrolled in the Caribbean, Central and South America Network (CCASAnet). Methods: We assessed time from ART initiation (baseline) to death or LTFU between 2000 and 2014 among ART-naïve adults (≥18 years) from sites in seven countries included in CCASAnet: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico and Peru. Kaplan-Meier techniques were used to estimate the probability of mortality over time. Risk factors for death were assessed using Cox regression models stratified by site and adjusted for sex, baseline age, nadir pre-ART CD4 count, calendar year of ART initiation, clinical AIDS at baseline and type of ART regimen. Results: A total of 16,996 ART initiators were followed for a median of 3.5 years (interquartile range (IQR): 1.6-6.2). The median age at ART initiation was 36 years (IQR: 30-44), subjects were predominantly male (63%), median CD4 count was 156 cells/μL (IQR: 60-251) and 26% of subjects had clinical AIDS prior to starting ART. Initial ART regimens were predominantly nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor based (86%). The cumulative incidence of LTFU five years after ART initiation was 18.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 17.5-18.8%). A total of 1582 (9.3%) subjects died; the estimated probability of death one, three and five years after ART initiation was 5.4, 8.3 and 10.3%, respectively. The estimated five-year mortality probability varied substantially across sites, from 3.5 to 14.0%. Risk factors for death were clinical AIDS at baseline (adjusted hazard ratio (HR)-1.65 (95% CI 1.47-1.87); pB0.001), lower baseline CD4 (HR-1.95 (95% CI 1.63-2.32) for 50 vs. 350 cells/μL; p<0.001) and older age (HR-1.47 (95% CI 1.29-1.69) for 50 vs. 30 years at ART initiation; p<0.001). Conclusions: In this large, long-term study of mortality among HIV-positive adults initiating ART in Latin America and the Caribbean, overall estimates of mortality were heterogeneous, generally falling between those reported in high-income countries and sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Efavirenz is widely prescribed for HIV-1 infection. Three polymorphisms in CYP2B6 define plasma efavirenz trough concentration strata that vary across an ∼10-fold range. We characterized associations between human genetic polymorphisms and virologic response among participants who received efavirenz-containing regimens in a prospective clinical trial. Methods We genotyped 76 polymorphisms in CYP2B6 (including those that define efavirenz concentration strata), CYP2A6, CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and ABCB1 and week 48 virologic responses in 360 Haitians who initiated efavirenz-containing regimens in protocol HT 001. Associations were characterized by logistic regression analysis and Fisher's exact test. Results Proportions with HIV-1 RNA <50 or <200 copies/mL did not differ across 10 CYP2B6 metabolizer strata. In analyses that combined strata into three metabolizer levels (extensive, intermediate and slow), the respective proportions were 0.79, 0.79 and 0.81 (<50 copies/mL cut-off) and 0.84, 0.86 and 0.87 (<200 copies/mL cut-off). Genetic associations were not identified after controlling for baseline variables or with other polymorphisms after adjusting for multiple comparisons. Conclusions Virologic failures in HT 001 were not explained by genetic polymorphisms known to define the lowest plasma efavirenz concentration stratum. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Determines the prevalence and clinical manifestations of cyclospora in Haitians infected with HIV. Cause of acute self-limited diarrheal illness in the immunocompetent host; Importance cause of chronic and intermittent diarrhea; Reasons for not recognizing cyclospora as an important opportunistic infection in patients with AIDS in the U.S.

We report rates and risk factors for attrition in the first cohort of patients followed through all stages from HIV testing to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation.Cohort study of all patients diagnosed with HIV between January and June 2009.We calculated the proportion of patients who completed CD4 cell counts and initiated ART or remained in pre-ART care during 2 years of follow-up and assessed predictors of attrition.Of 1427 patients newly diagnosed with HIV, 680 (48%) either initiated ART or were retained in pre-ART care for the subsequent 2 years. One thousand eighty-three patients (76%) received a CD4 cell count, and 973 (90%) returned for result; 297 (31%) had CD4 cell count <200 cells per microliter, and of these, 256 (86%) initiated ART. Among 429 patients with CD4 >350 cells per microliter, 215 (50%) started ART or were retained in pre-ART care. Active tuberculosis was associated with not only lower odds of attrition before CD4 cell count [odds ratio (OR): 0.08; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.03 to 0.25] but also higher odds of attrition before ART initiation (OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.29 to 4.71). Lower annual income (US $125) was associated with higher odds of attrition before CD4 cell count (OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.25 to 2.19) and before ART initiation among those with CD4 cell count >350 cells per microliter (OR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.20 to 2.52). After tracking patients through a national database, the retention rate increased to only 57%.Fewer than half of patients newly diagnosed with HIV initiate ART or remain in pre-ART care for 2 years in a clinic providing comprehensive services. Additional efforts to improve retention in pre-ART are critically needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a critical need to deliver empirically validated interventions to underserved populations. Haiti, the country most heavily affected by the AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean, accounts for approximately 50% of all cases in the region. Poverty, disparities in access to healthcare, and socio-political instability are among the reasons why the country has been ravaged by the disease. Ongoing projects in Haiti have shown that integrated prevention and care in resource poor settings are feasible and can be successful, as evidenced by a 50% drop in incidence among pregnant women since 1993. The AIDS prevention program has embarked on a comprehensive effort to culturally adapt a cognitive-behavioral stress management program for Haitian HIV+ individuals. The purpose of the program is to improve adherence to antiretroviral medication, reduce transmission to uninfected partners, and improve coping. This comprehensive approach is necessary to ensure the validity of the cross-cultural adaptation of this intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few practical guidelines exist on how to ensure that research participants in less-developed countries understand the consent form before enrolment. In a study of HIV-1 transmission in Haiti, participants were required to pass an oral examination on the contents of the consent form with a passing score of 12/15 (80%) before enrolment. 15 individuals were given information during a single meeting with a physician, and three (20%) passed. 30 subsequent volunteers were given information by a counsellor during three meetings, and 24 (80%) passed. Formal assessment of research participants' comprehension of the consent form should be considered as a routine step in the informed consent process in less-developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]