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Objective: Adoption of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection has been slow. The purpose of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and referral practices for PrEP among non-prescribing providers, who may play key role. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey on PrEP knowledge, attitudes, and referral practices among 66 non-prescribing HIV prevention providers (1st August to 31st December, 2016), in Philadelphia, followed by qualitative interviews with 12 of them (5th April to 10th May, 2017). Results: Participants had a mean age of 36 years, with 62% females. Majority were HIV case managers and rapid testers. For half of the respondents, PrEP eligibility screening was part of rapid HIV testing at their organization, 40% never had PrEP training and only 27% indicated personally screening clients for eligibility. Qualitative data revealed that participants held positive attitudes about PrEP and perceived organizational support, but had concerns about potential negative impacts and barriers to routine HIV screening. Conclusion: Results highlight the importance of training non-prescribing HIV prevention providers about PrEP, addressing their concerns, and incorporating PrEP screening and referral into routine HIV testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to assess the HIV/syphilis epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) aged <50 years and ≥50 years in Shenzhen, and explore the associated factors of HIV/syphilis co-infections among MSM in Shenzhen, in order to help prevention and intervention programs determine their target sub-group. A serial cross-sectional study was conducted on MSM in Shenzhen city, China from 2009 to 2017. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic characteristics, history of HIV testing, history of blood donation and sexual behaviors. 5 ml of venous blood were collected for syphilis and HIV tests. The overall prevalence of HIV, syphilis, HIV/syphilis co-infection was 9.40%, 18.97%, and 4.91%, respectively. The prevalence of HIV (15.26%), syphilis (27.71%), HIV/syphilis co-infection (9.24%) in aged ≥50 years MSM was significantly higher than aged <50 years MSM (9.15%, 18.59% and 4.72%, respectively). The following factors were found to be significantly associated with HIV/syphilis co-infections (P<0.05): age≥50 years (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.10–2.87), high school or lower (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.10–2.01), monthly income ≤436.2 USD (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.25–2.42), monthly income 436.4–727.2 USD (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.05–2.03), ≥2 anal sex partners in the past 6 months (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.02–2.49), ≥2 oral sex partners in the past 6 months (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.08–2.36), inconsistent condom use during anal sex in the past 6 months (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.11–2.03). We found that aged <50 years and ≥50 years MSM in Shenzhen had a high prevalence of HIV/syphilis infection in a period from 2009 to 2017. Age-specific sexually transmitted diseases education, prevention, and intervention programs for aged ≥50 years MSM should be implemented urgently and integrated interventions of both HIV and syphilis infections on MSM are needed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Developing guidelines to inform the use of antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention in resource-limited settings must necessarily be informed by considering the resources and infrastructure needed for PrEP delivery. We describe an approach that identifies subpopulations of cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) to prioritize for the rollout of PrEP in resource-limited settings. Methods: We use data from the iPrEx study, a multi-national phase III study of PrEP for HIV prevention in MSM/TGW, to build statistical models that identify subpopulations at high risk of HIV acquisition without PrEP, and with high expected PrEP benefit. We then evaluate empirically the population impact of policies recommending PrEP to these subpopulations, and contrast these with existing policies. Results: A policy recommending PrEP to a high risk subpopulation of MSM/TGW reporting condomless receptive anal intercourse over the last 3 months (estimated 3.3% 1-year HIV incidence) yields an estimated 1.95% absolute reduction in 1-year HIV incidence at the population level, and 3.83% reduction over 2 years. Importantly, such a policy requires rolling PrEP out to just 59.7% of MSM/TGW in the iPrEx population. We find that this policy is identical to that which prioritizes MSM/TGW with high expected PrEP benefit. It is estimated to achieve nearly the same reduction in HIV incidence as the PrEP guideline put forth by the US Centers for Disease Control, which relies on the measurement of more behavioral risk factors and which would recommend PrEP to a larger subset of the MSM/TGW population (86% vs. 60%). Conclusions: These findings may be used to focus future mathematical modelling studies of PrEP in resource-limited settings on prioritizing PrEP for high-risk subpopulations of MSM/TGW. The statistical approach we took could be employed to develop PrEP policies for other at-risk populations and resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mozambique continues to have a significant burden of HIV. Developing strategies to control the HIV epidemic remains a key priority for the Mozambican public health community. The primary aim of this study was to determine HIV prevalence and risk behavior among males and females screened for a HIV vaccine preparedness study in Maputo, Mozambique. Methods: Male and female participants between 18–35 years old were recruited from the general community and from female sex worker (FSW) and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) associations in Maputo. All participants were screened for HIV and a questionnaire was administered to each participant to assess HIV risk behavior. Results: A total of 1125 adults were screened for HIV infection, among whom 506 (45%) were male. Among men, 5.7% reported having had sex with men (MSM) and 12% of female participants reported having exchanged sex for money, goods or favors in the past 3 months. The overall HIV prevalence was 10.4%; 10.7% of women, and 10.1% of men were HIV infected; 41.4% of MSM were seropositive. HIV infection was associated with older age (25–35 years old) (OR: 6.13, 95% CI: 3.01, 12.5), MSM (OR: 9.07, 95% CI: 3.85, 21.4), self-perception of being at high-risk for HIV (OR: 3.99, 95% CI: 1.27, 12.5) and self-report of a history of a diagnosis of sexually transmitted infection (OR: 3.75, 95% CI: 1.57, 8.98). Conclusion: In our cohort, HIV prevalence was much higher among MSM compared to the overall prevalence. Behavioral factors were found to be more associated with HIV prevalence than demographic factors. The study findings demonstrate the critical importance of directing services to minority communities, such as MSM, when prevention strategies are being devised for the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Peru, there is an ongoing high-incidence HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW). Sexual concurrency, or having sex with a partner in between two acts of sex with another partner, may be a key factor in onward HIV transmission. In this study, we quantify concurrency, evaluate factors associated with concurrency, and assess condom use with concurrent partners among MSM and TW in Peru. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the 2011 Peruvian Biobehavioral Survey. Pearson’s Chi-squared test was used to identify individual-level characteristics associated with concurrency. We estimated the association between participant characteristics, concurrent partnerships, partnership type (stable vs. non-stable), and CLAI within the context of concurrent partnerships using multivariate and repeated-measure Poisson regression. Results: 3-month cumulative prevalence of concurrency was higher among TW compared to MSM (30.7% vs 25.2%, p = 0.014). Among those with concurrent stable and non-stable partners, 45% used condoms with both partners (95% CI: 40%-50%) and 30% preferentially had CLAI with the stable partner only (95%CI: 26%-35%). Factors associated with CLAI within the context of concurrent partnerships varied between MSM and TW. Conclusions: Although concurrency is common among TW and MSM in Peru, patterns of concurrency and differential condom use may vary between TW and MSM. Future research may explore differential condom use with stable and non-stable partners to better understand behavioral factors that may alter vulnerability to HIV in TW compared to MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to describe the most frequently prescribed initial antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens in recent years in HIV-positive persons in the Cohort of the Spanish HIV/AIDS Research Network (CoRIS) and to investigate factors associated with the choice of each regimen. Methods: We analyzed initial ART regimens prescribed in adults participating in CoRIS from 2014 to 2017. Only regimens prescribed in >5% of patients were considered. We used multivariable multinomial regression to estimate Relative Risk Ratios (RRRs) for the association between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and the choice of the initial regimen. Results: Among 2874 participants, abacavir(ABC)/lamivudine(3TC)/dolutegavir(DTG) was the most frequently prescribed regimen (32.1%), followed by tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC)/elvitegravir(EVG)/cobicistat(COBI) (14.9%), TDF/FTC/rilpivirine (RPV) (14.0%), tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)/FTC/EVG/COBI (13.7%), TDF/FTC+DTG (10.0%), TDF/FTC+darunavir/ritonavir or darunavir/cobicistat (bDRV) (9.8%) and TDF/FTC+raltegravir (RAL) (5.6%). Compared with ABC/3TC/DTG, starting TDF/FTC/RPV was less likely in patients with CD4<200 cells/μL and HIV-RNA>100.000 copies/mL. TDF/FTC+DTG was more frequent in those with CD4<200 cells/μL and HIV-RNA>100.000 copies/mL. TDF/FTC+RAL and TDF/FTC+bDRV were also more frequent among patients with CD4<200 cells//μL and with transmission categories other than men who have sex with men. Compared with ABC/3TC/DTG, the prescription of other initial ART regimens decreased from 2014–2015 to 2016–2017 with the exception of TDF/FTC+DTG. Differences in the choice of the initial ART regimen were observed by hospitals’ location. Conclusions: The choice of initial ART regimens is consistent with Spanish guidelines’ recommendations, but is also clearly influenced by physician’s perception based on patient’s clinical and sociodemographic variables and by the prescribing hospital location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the slow uptake of PrEP among cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) in high-income countries, efforts to roll-out PrEP in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) should address barriers to PrEP use to facilitate its more rapid uptake. To inform PrEP programs in LMIC, we examined patterns of perceived barriers to PrEP use among HIV-negative MSM in Tijuana, Mexico. Methods: From 03/2016-09/2017, 364 MSM completed interviewer-administered surveys assessing perceived barriers to PrEP use across 4 domains: PrEP attribute, individual, interpersonal, and structural. Latent class analysis was performed to identify distinct classes with respect to perceived barriers to PrEP use. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with class membership. Results: We identified three classes characterized by (1) high levels of perceived barriers across domains (12%), (2) low levels of perceived barriers across domains (43%), and (3) perceived PrEP attribute barriers (i.e., side-effects and cost) (45%). Membership in the high level of perceived barriers class (vs. the low level of perceived barriers class) was positively associated with having a history of incarceration (AOR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.04, 5.73) and negatively associated with more social support (AOR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.00). Membership in the perceived PrEP attribute barriers class was positively associated with having seen a healthcare provider in the past year (AOR: 2.78; 95% CI: 1.41, 5.45) and negatively associated with having any HIV-positive or status unknown partners (AOR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.31, 1.01). Conclusions: Since most participants were in either the low level of perceived barriers class or the perceived PrEP attribute barriers class, future PrEP uptake may be high among MSM in Tijuana. However, these findings suggest that achieving sufficient PrEP uptake and adherence among MSM in Tijuana may require a range of comprehensive HIV prevention interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Efficacy of daily emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF) for PrEP is strongly dependent on the adherence. We examined the concordance between indirect adherence measures and protective drug levels among participants retained through 48 weeks in the PrEP Brasil Study. Methods: PrEP Brasil was a prospective, multicenter, open-label demonstration project evaluating PrEP provision for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) at higher risk for HIV infection within the setting of Brazilian Public Health System. Three indirect adherence measures were obtained at week 48: medication possession ratio (MPR), pill count and self-report (30-days recall). Tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) concentration in Dried Blood Spot (DBS) was measured at week 48. Areas under (AUC) the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve were used to evaluate the concordance between achieving protective drug levels (TFV-DP≥700fmol/punch) and the indirect adherence measures. Youden's index and distance to corner were used to determine the optimal cutoff points for each indirect adherence measure. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, negative (NPV) and positive (PPV) predictive values for the found cutoff points. Finally, Delong test was used to compare AUCs. Results and discussion: From April, 2014 to July, 2016, 450 participants initiated PrEP, 375(83.3%) were retained through 48 weeks. Of these, 74% (277/375) had TFV-DP ≥700fmol/punch. All adherence measures discriminated between participants with and without protective drug levels (AUC>0.5). High indirect adherence measure was predictive of protective drug levels (PPV>0.8) while low indirect adherence measure was not predictive of lack of protective drug levels (NPV<0.5). No significant differences were found between the adherence methods (p = 0.44). Conclusions: Low-burden measurements such as MPR and self-report can be used to predict PrEP adherence in a public health context in Brazil for MSM and TGW retained through 48 weeks. Clinical Trial Number: . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indonesia has one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in Asia, which mainly concentrates within risk groups. Several strategies are available to combat this epidemic, like outreach to Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and transgender, Harm Reduction Community Meetings (HRCMs) for Injecting Drug Users (IDUs), and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) programs at Maternal & Child Health Posts (MCHPs). Reliable cost data are currently not present, hampering HIV/AIDS priority setting. The aim of this study thus is to assess the societal costs of outreach programs to MSM and transgender, HRCMs for IDUs and IEC at MCHPs in Bandung, Indonesia in 2016. Methods: The societal costs were collected in Bandung from April until May 2017. Health care costs were collected by interviewing stakeholders, using a micro-costing approach. Non-health care costs were determined by conducting surveys within the target groups of the interventions. Results: The societal costs of the outreach program were US$ 347,199.03 in 2016 and US$ 73.72 per reached individual. Moreover, the cost of HRCM for IDUs were US$ 48,618.31 in 2016 and US$ 365.55 per community meeting. For the IEC program at MCHPs, US$ 337.13 was paid in 2016 and the cost per visitor were US$ 0.51. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights in the costs of outreach to MSM and transgender, HRCMs for IDUs and IEC at MCHPs. Policy makers can use these results in setting priorities within Indonesia. Data on effectiveness of interventions is necessary to make conclusive statements regarding cost-effectiveness and priority of interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infection using regimens that include integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) is associated with a faster decline in HIV-1 RNA than what is observed with regimens that are anchored by other ART drug classes. We compared the impact of ART regimens that include dolutegravir (DTG), raltegravir (RAL), efavirenz (EFV), or darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r), in treatment naïve men who have sex with men (MSM) on the probability of HIV-1 sexual transmission events (HIV-TE). Setting: Mathematical model. Methods: We used discrete event simulation modeling to estimate HIV-TE during the first 8 weeks after initiation of ART. HIV-1 RNA decay in men was modeled from the databases of three clinical trials: Single (DTG vs. EFV), Spring-2 (DTG vs. RAL) and Flamingo (DTG vs. DRV/r). Results: All regimens substantially reduced the number of HIV-TE compared to no treatment. DTG led to fewer HIV-TE than its comparator in each of the three trials: 22.72% fewer transmissions than EFV; 0.52% fewer transmissions than RAL; and 38.67% fewer transmissions than DRV/r. The number of patients needed to treat with DTG to prevent one transmission event instead of comparator was 48 vs EFV, 2,194 vs RAL, and 31 vs DRV/r. Conclusion: Unsurprisingly, this mathematical model showed that all regimens reduced HIV-TE compared to no treatment. The results also suggest that that initial use of INSTIs, by virtue of their superior viral decay kinetics, have the potential to reduce HIV-1 horizontal transmission following initiation of ART in naïve MSM. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: HIV/AIDS has become the leading cause of death by infectious disease in China since 2009. However, the trend of gender disparities in HIV/AIDS has not been reported in China since 1990. Our study aimed to explore the secular trend of HIV/AIDS mortality in China from 1990 to 2016 and to identify its gender disparities over the past 27 years. Method: The mortality data of HIV/AIDS were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 (GBD 2016). Logistic regression was used to estimate the prevalence odds ratio (POR) of gender for HIV/AIDS mortality in different surveys. Results: The standardized mortality of HIV/AIDS in China rose dramatically from 0.33 per 100,000 people in 1990 to 2.50 per 100,000 people in 2016. The rate of HIV/AIDS mortality increased more quickly in men than in women, and the sex gap of mortality of HIV/AIDS widened. By 2016, the HIV/AIDS mortality in men was 3 times that in women and was 5.74 times that in women within the 75- to 79-year-old age group. Conclusions: The mortality of HIV/AIDS in China is increasing, with a widening gender disparity. It is critical for policymakers to develop policies to eliminate these disparities and to ensure that everyone can live a long life in full health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global trend in HIV incidence overall is declining; however, there is a plateau in new HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) despite extensive investment in HIV prevention targeting these populations. Many studies usually conflate these two groups together, which may overlook many disparate characteristics unique to each population, impeding the efficacy of HIV interventions. To better understand the vulnerable diversity that may put these individuals at risk of HIV infection, we conducted qualitative analysis among Thai MSM and TGW, aiming to identify sexual pattern themes of MSM and TGW in Bangkok in order to better understand their distinctive sexual life context. Convenient and purposive samplings were used to recruit Thai MSM and TGW aged ≥ 18 years old and living in Bangkok, Thailand, for focused group discussions and one-on-one in-depth interviews, respectively. Total of 12 MSM and 13 TGW participated in focused group discussions, which were conducted separately for MSM and TGW. Additionally, 5 MSM and 5 TGW were involved in one-on-one in-depth interviews. Thematic analyses were performed separately for MSM and TGW. The results show that MSM and TGW have distinct and diverse sexual patterns, and within the identified themes: partnering, partner finding, protection, and enhancing sexual pleasure (only for MSM). Participants reported having varying sexual experiences. Recognizing the difference and diversity in partnering and sexual practice of MSM and TGW is crucial in order to develop tailored interventions that suit the vulnerability of the key populations in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the prevalence and patterns of drug use among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Spain. We conducted an observational cross-sectional study including 1401 PLHIV. Data were collected through 33 sites across Spain using an online computer-assisted self-administered interview. The survey measured use of illicit drugs and other substances, treatment adherence and health-related variables. To analyse patterns of drug use we performed cluster analysis in two stages. The most frequently consumed substances were: alcohol (86.7%), tobacco (55.0%), illicit drugs (49.5%), other substances (27.1%). The most prevalent illicit drugs used were cannabis (73.8%), cocaine powder (53.9%), and poppers (45.4%). Results found four clusters of PLHIV who used drugs. Two of them were composed mainly of heterosexuals (HTX): Cluster 1 (n = 172) presented the lowest polydrug use and they were mainly users of cannabis, and Cluster 2 (n = 84) grouped mostly men who used mainly heroin and cocaine; which had the highest percentage of people who inject drugs and presented the lowest level of treatment adherence (79.8±14.2; p < .0001). The other two clusters were composed mainly of men who have sex with men (MSM), who were mostly users of recreational drugs. Cluster 3 (n = 285) reported moderate consumption, both regarding frequency and diversity of drugs used, while Cluster 4 (n = 153) was characterized by the highest drug polyconsumption (7.4±2.2; p < .0001), and 4 grouped MSM who injected recreational drugs, and who reported the highest frequency of use of drugs in a sexual context (2.6±0.8; p < .0001) and rates of sexually transmitted infections (1.8±1.1; p < .01). This is the largest multi-centre cross-sectional study assessing the current prevalence and patterns of drug use among PLHIV in Spain. The highest prevalence of drug use was found among MSM, although HTX who used heroin and cocaine (Cluster 2) had the most problems with adherence to HIV treatment and the worst health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population-level phylogenetic patterns reflect both transmission dynamics and genetic changes, which accumulate because of selection or drift. In this study, we determined whether a longitudinally sampled dataset derived from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected individuals over a 14-year period (1999–2012) could shed light on the transmission processes involved in the initiation of the HIV-1 epidemic in Korea. In total, 927 sequences were acquired from 1999 to 2012; each sequence was acquired from an individual patient who had not received treatment. Sequences were used for drug resistance and phylogenetic analyses. Phylogenetic and other analyses were conducted using MEGA version 6.06 based on the GTR G+I parameter model and SAS. Of the 927 samples, 863 (93.1%) were classified as subtype B and 64 were classified as other subtypes. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that 104 of 927 patient samples (11.2%) were grouped into 37 clusters. Being part of a transmission cluster was significantly associated with subtype-B viruses, infection via sexual contact, and the infection of young males. Of all clusters, three (~8.1%) that comprised 10 individual samples (22.2% of 45 individuals) included at least one member with total transmitted drug resistance (TDR). In summary, HIV transmission cluster analyses can integrate laboratory data with behavioral data to enable the identification of key transmission patterns to develop tailored interventions aimed at interrupting transmission chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the world, men who have sex with men (MSM) are at increased risk for HIV infection compared to heterosexual men. Little is known about awareness of HIV infection and other gaps in the HIV care continuum for MSM, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This information is urgently needed to address the HIV epidemic in this population. This study assessed gaps in the HIV care continuum among persons screened for participation in a multi-country prospective study that evaluated the feasibility of recruiting and retaining MSM for HIV prevention studies in SSA (HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 075, conducted in four cities in Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa). Participants were recruited using site-specific strategies, that included outreach and informal networks. Transgender women (TW) were eligible to participate. During screening, 601 MSM and TW were tested for HIV infection and asked about prior HIV testing, HIV status, engagement in care, and HIV treatment. Viral load testing and retrospective antiretroviral (ARV) drug testing were performed for HIV-infected participants. Most participants (92.2%) had a prior HIV test; 42.1% were last tested >6 months earlier. HIV prevalence was 30.4%. HIV infection was associated with older age and identifying as female or transgender; 43.7% of the HIV-infected participants were newly diagnosed, especially younger persons and persons with a less recent HIV test. Almost a third of previously-diagnosed participants were not linked to care. Most participants (88.7%) in care were on ARV treatment (ART). Only about one-quarter of all HIV-infected participants were virally suppressed. These findings demonstrate substantial prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection and sub-optimal HIV care engagement among MSM and TW in SSA. Increased HIV testing frequency and better linkage to care represent critical steps in preventing further HIV transmission in this population. Once in care, gaps in the HIV care continuum appear less critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dynamic HIV transmission models can provide evidence-based guidance on optimal combination implementation strategies to treat and prevent HIV/AIDS. However, these models can be extremely data intensive, and the availability of good-quality data characterizing regional microepidemics varies substantially within and across countries. We aim to provide a comprehensive and transparent description of an evidence synthesis process and reporting framework employed to populate and calibrate a dynamic, compartmental HIV transmission model for six US cities. Methods: We executed a mixed-method evidence synthesis strategy to populate model parameters in six categories: (i) initial HIV-negative and HIV-infected populations; (ii) parameters used to calculate the probability of HIV transmission; (iii) screening, diagnosis, treatment and HIV disease progression; (iv) HIV prevention programs; (v) the costs of medical care; and (vi) health utility weights for each stage of HIV disease progression. We identified parameters that required city-specific data and stratification by gender, risk group and race/ethnicity a priori and sought out databases for primary analysis to augment our evidence synthesis. We ranked the quality of each parameter using context- and domain-specific criteria and verified sources and assumptions with our scientific advisory committee. Findings: To inform the 1,667 parameters needed to populate our model, we synthesized evidence from 59 peer-reviewed publications and 24 public health and surveillance reports and executed primary analyses using 11 data sets. Of these 1,667 parameters, 1,517 (91%) were city-specific and 150 (9%) were common for all cities. Notably, 1,074 (64%), 201 (12%) and 312 (19%) parameters corresponded to categories (i), (ii) and (iii), respectively. Parameters ranked as best- to moderate-quality evidence comprised 39% of the common parameters and ranged from 56%-60% across cities for the city-specific parameters. We identified variation in parameter values across cities as well as within cities across risk and race/ethnic groups. Conclusions: Better integration of modelling in decision making can be achieved by systematically reporting on the evidence synthesis process that is used to populate models, and by explicitly assessing the quality of data entered into the model. The effective communication of this process can help prioritize data collection of the most informative components of local HIV prevention and care services in order to reduce decision uncertainty and strengthen model conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In western countries, men who have sex with men (MSM) are most affected by HIV and increasingly likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour. MSM who experience a potential sexual exposure to HIV (PEPSE) and receive a preventative regimen of anti-HIV treatment are at particularly high risk of acquiring HIV and could potentially benefit from targeted risk reduction behavioural interventions such as motivational interviewing (MI). Purpose: The aim of this trial was to examine the impact of augmented MI (MI plus information provision and behavioural skills building), over and above routine care, on reducing risky sexual behaviour in MSM prescribed PEPSE. Secondary aims of the research were to examine whether the intervention reduced sexually transmitted infections (STI) and further requests for PEP. Methods: A parallel-group pragmatic randomised controlled trial was conducted with 175 MSM recruited from five sexual health (SH) clinics in the south east of England. The intervention was two fixed-duration sessions of telephone administered augmented MI. A manual guided the selection of individualised persuasive communication strategies based on underlying change mechanisms specified by the Information, Motivation and Behavioural Skills (IMB) model. Primary outcomes were the number of receptive and active anal intercourse (AI) partners, the use of condoms every time during receptive and active AI and the use of condoms sometimes during receptive and active AI. Results: There were no significant impacts on sexual risk behaviour or any of the psychological measures, and no discernible reduction in requests for repeat PEP or rates of STIs within a year. Conclusion: Our behavioural intervention of augmented MI did not affect risky sexual behaviour, rates of further PEP and STIs, and psychological factors, in MSM prescribed PEPSE. Trial registration numbers: UKCRN ID:11436; . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective and safe intervention approved for use to prevent HIV transmission. PrEP scale-up strategies and clinical practice are currently being informed by modeling studies, which have estimated the impact of PrEP in adult and adolescent MSM populations separately. This partitioning may miss important effects or yield biased estimates by excluding dependencies between populations. Methods: We combined two published models of HIV transmission among adults and adolescent MSM. We simulated an HIV epidemic among MSM aged 13–39 without PrEP, with PrEP for adult MSM ages (19–39) and with the addition of PrEP for adolescents ages (16–18), comparing percent of incident infections averted (impact), the number of person-years on PrEP per infection averted (efficiency), and changes in prevalence. Results: PrEP use among eligible 19–39 year old MSM averted 29.0% of infections and reduced HIV prevalence from 23.2% to 17.0% over ten years in the population as a whole. Despite being ineligible for PrEP in this scenario, prevalence among sexually active 18 year-olds declined from 6.0% to 4.3% due to reduced transmissions across age cohorts. The addition of PrEP for adolescents ages 16–18 had a small impact on the overall epidemic, further reducing overall prevalence from 17.0% to 16.8%; however prevalence among the sexually active 18 year-olds further declined from 4.3% to 3.8%. Conclusions: PrEP use among adults may significantly reduce HIV prevalence among MSM and may also have significant downstream effects on HIV incidence among adolescents; PrEP targeting adolescents remains an important intervention for HIV prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We examined the association between anogenital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and sexual networks in men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: A total of 253 MSM, 20 years of age and older, were recruited from the community in Southern Taiwan in 2015–2016. At baseline and at each follow-up visit, MSM were screened for HPV to identify 37 HPV genotypes. At the six-month follow-up, MSM were asked to fill out an egocentric network assessment and to report the last five persons with whom they had sex regarding the characteristics of sexual behavior with each network member. Results: A total of 182 participants (71.9%) returned for the follow-up and one third had at least one HPV type detected. A higher level of bridging network position calculated by the level of constraints in the network was significantly less likely to have HPV detection at the anal site. A high level of concurrency was associated with penile HPV detection (AOR = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.01–9.86). Conclusions: Identifying network-related characteristics can advance our understanding of high-risk populations and for prioritizing HPV vaccine recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on male clients of male sex workers (MCMSW) has been neglected for a long time globally. We aimed to characterize MCMSW and to identify factors associated with their sexual practices using data from the prospective cohort study CohMSM conducted in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Togo. Our study focused on HIV-negative men who have sex with other men (MSM), recruited between 06/2015 and 01/2018 by a team of trained peer educators. Scheduled study visits at 6, 12 and 18 months included medical examinations, HIV screening, risk-reduction counselling and face-to-face interviews to collect information on their sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behaviours, and HIV risk-reduction strategies (HIV-RRS). Three stigmatization sub-scores were constructed (experienced, perceived and internalized). Mixed-effects logistic regression was used for data analysis. Of the 280 participants recruited at baseline, 238, 211 and 118, respectively, had a follow-up visit at 6, 12 and 18 months. Over a total of 847 visits, 47 transactional sex (TS) encounters were reported by 38 MCMSW (13.6%). Of the latter, only one participant reported systematic TS (2.6%), 18 (47.4%) stopped reporting TS after baseline, while 6 (15.8%) reported TS after baseline. Thirteen participants (34.2%) reported occasional TS. After adjusting for country of study and age, the following self-reported factors were associated with a greater likelihood of being MCMSW: protected anal sex, exclusively insertive anal sex with male sexual partners, avoidance of sex after consuming psychoactive products and experiencing stigmatization (all during the previous 6 months). The majority of MCMSW in this study practiced HIV-RRS with male sexual partners, including engaging in protected anal sex, avoidance of sex when consuming psychoactive products, and practising exclusively insertive anal sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the UK, approximately 4,200 men who have sex with men (MSM) are living with HIV but remain undiagnosed. Maximising the number of high-risk people testing for HIV is key to ensuring prompt treatment and preventing onward infection. This study assessed how different HIV test characteristics affect the choice of testing option, including remote testing (HIV self-testing or HIV self-sampling), in the UK, a country with universal access to healthcare.Methods and Findings: Between 3 April and 11 May 2017, a cross-sectional online-questionnaire-based discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted in which respondents who expressed an interest in online material used by MSM were asked to imagine that they were at risk of HIV infection and to choose between different hypothetical HIV testing options, including the option not to test. A variety of different testing options with different defining characteristics were described so that the independent preference for each characteristic could be valued. The characteristics included where each test is taken, the sampling method, how the test is obtained, whether infections other than HIV are tested for, test accuracy, the cost of the test, the infection window period, and how long it takes to receive the test result. Participants were recruited and completed the instrument online, in order to include those not currently engaged with healthcare services. The main analysis was conducted using a latent class model (LCM), with results displayed as odds ratios (ORs) and probabilities. The ORs indicate the strength of preference for one characteristic relative to another (base) characteristic. In total, 620 respondents answered the DCE questions. Most respondents reported that they were white (93%) and were either gay or bisexual (99%). The LCM showed that there were 2 classes within the respondent sample that appeared to have different preferences for the testing options. The first group, which was likely to contain 86% of respondents, had a strong preference for face-to-face tests by healthcare professionals (HCPs) compared to remote testing (OR 6.4; 95% CI 5.6, 7.4) and viewed not testing as less preferable than remote testing (OR 0.10; 95% CI 0.09, 0.11). In the second group, which was likely to include 14% of participants, not testing was viewed as less desirable than remote testing (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.53, 0.59) as were tests by HCPs compared to remote testing (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.15, 0.36). In both classes, free remote tests instead of each test costing £30 was the test characteristic with the largest impact on the choice of testing option. Participants in the second group were more likely to have never previously tested and to be non-white than participants in the first group. The main study limitations were that the sample was recruited solely via social media, the study advert was viewed only by people expressing an interest in online material used by MSM, and the choices in the experiment were hypothetical rather than observed in the real world.Conclusions: Our results suggest that preferences in the context we examined are broadly dichotomous. One group, containing the majority of MSM, appears comfortable testing for HIV but prefers face-to-face testing by HCPs rather than remote testing. The other group is much smaller, but contains MSM who are more likely to be at high infection risk. For these people, the availability of remote testing has the potential to significantly increase net testing rates, particularly if provided for free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In order to determine the impact of HIV prevention and care programs, it is essential to look at both HIV incidence and prevalence estimates and trends over time. We estimated the HIV incidence and prevalence and assessed the trend using data from three cross-sectional surveys of men who have sex with men (MSM) in two cities in Georgia. Methods: Using respondent-driven sampling strategy, a total of 796 eligible MSM (18 years or older men with self-reported oral or anal sex with another man in past 12 months) were recruited in Tbilisi in 2010, 2012 and 2015 and 115 in Batumi 2015 into behavioral surveys and HIV testing. To estimate the HIV incidence, we divided the number MSM tested positive for HIV to the time at risk. We calculated the time at risk as years since age at first anal intercourse to the age at last HIV-negative test or the age at first HIV-positive test, accounted for the interval censorship. We calculated the respondent-driven sampling adjusted estimates for HIV prevalence and assessed the trend in Tbilisi by Chi2 test for trend. For HIV incidence rate, we used Kaplan Meier method to estimate the rates and assessed the subgroup differences by log-rank test. Results: The HIV prevalence was 14.9% in Batumi in 2015; it significantly increased in Tbilisi from 6.2% in 2010 to 14.1% in 2012, and to 19.6% in 2015 (p-value for trend < 0.001). Likewise, the HIV incidence rate in Tbilisi significantly increased form 0.45 per 100 person-years (PY) in 2010 to 0.98 per 100 PY in 2012 (p-value 0.01), and to 1.63 per 100 PY in 2015 (p-value < 0.001). HIV incidence rate was 1.37 per 100 PY in Batumi in 2015. In 2015, young MSM (Tbilisi: 3.71, Batumi: 3.92 per 100 PY, p-value< 0.008), single MSM (Tbilisi: 1.99, per 100 PY, p-value 0.03) and less educated MSM (Batumi: 1.86 per 100 PY, p-value 0.03) had higher HIV incidence than other MSM. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the continuous transmission of HIV among MSM in Tbilisi and a high prevalence of HIV among MSM in Batumi and the critical need for scaling up the coverage and accessibility of combination prevention packages including rapid HIV diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have sex with men (MSM) have differences in immune activation and gut microbiome composition compared with men who have sex with women (MSW), even in the absence of HIV infection. Gut microbiome differences associated with HIV itself when controlling for MSM, as assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing, are relatively subtle. Understanding whether gut microbiome composition impacts immune activation in HIV-negative and HIV-positive MSM has important implications since immune activation has been associated with HIV acquisition risk and disease progression. To investigate the effects of MSM and HIV-associated gut microbiota on immune activation, we transplanted feces from HIV-negative MSW, HIV-negative MSM, and HIV-positive untreated MSM to gnotobiotic mice. Following transplant, 16S rRNA gene sequencing determined that the microbiomes of MSM and MSW maintained distinct compositions in mice and that specific microbial differences between MSM and MSW were replicated. Immunologically, HIV-negative MSM donors had higher frequencies of blood CD38+ HLADR+ and CD103+ T cells and their fecal recipients had higher frequencies of gut CD69+ and CD103+ T cells, compared with HIV-negative MSW donors and recipients, respectively. Significant microbiome differences were not detected between HIV-negative and HIV-positive MSM in this small donor cohort, and immune differences between their recipients were trending but not statistically significant. A larger donor cohort may therefore be needed to detect immune-modulating microbes associated with HIV. To investigate whether our findings in mice could have implications for HIV replication, we infected primary human lamina propria cells stimulated with isolated fecal microbiota, and found that microbiota from MSM stimulated higher frequencies of HIV-infected cells than microbiota from MSW. Finally, we identified several microbes that correlated with immune readouts in both fecal recipients and donors, and with in vitro HIV infection, which suggests a role for gut microbiota in immune activation and potentially HIV acquisition in MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Understanding HIV incidence and risk behaviour among populations being considered for HIV vaccine studies is necessary for the appropriate design of trials. Methods: Between May 2012 and June 2015, we recruited men aged 18–49 years from urban and peri-urban areas of Rustenburg, a mining town in the North West Province, South Africa. Men who reported HIV-risk behaviour were followed for nine to 12 months to determine HIV incidence and factors associated with condom use. Results: A total of 400 HIV uninfected men were enrolled; 366 (91.5%) had at least one follow-up visit and were included in the analysis; 47.6% were under 25 years of age. HIV incidence was 1.9 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 0.79–4.56). Among heterosexual men (N = 339), 80.8% reported having vaginal intercourse with multiple partners in the past three months, among whom 74.1% reported inconsistent condom use. Sixty-eight percent reported vaginal intercourse with new female partners, of whom 40.6% reported inconsistent condom use. Over half (55.6%) of men who had sex with men (N = 27) reported anal intercourse with multiple male partners in the past three months, of whom 68.2% reported using condoms inconsistently. Men who had more than two female partners in the last three months (n = 121) were more likely to use condoms inconsistently (aOR 4.31, 95% CI: 1.34–13.8); in contrast, those with more than one new female sex partner (aOR 0.13, 94% CI 0.04–0.44), and whose sexual debut was after 19 years of age (aOR 0.39, 95% CI: 0.15–1.01) were less likely to use condoms inconsistently. Conclusion: HIV incidence was low and similar to other studies of heterosexual men in South Africa. To identify men at high risk for HIV for enrolment in prevention trials, future researchers may need to focus on those who report early sexual debut and who report having multiple sexual partners. Men in newer relationships appear to use condoms more frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding new HIV-positive cases remains a priority to achieve the UNAIDS goals. An enhanced peer outreach approach (EPOA) was implemented to expand the delivery of HIV services to female sex workers (FSWs) and men who have sex with men (MSM) in three countries in West and Central Africa. The aim of EPOA is to identify new HIV-positive cases. EPOA was implemented in Burundi among FSWs, and in Cote d’Ivoire and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) among both FSWs and MSM. Implementation ranged from five to nine weeks and was nested within a three-month reporting period. Standard outreach was suspended for the duration of EPOA implementation but was resumed thereafter. Summary service statistics were used to compare HIV seropositivity during standard outreach and EPOA. Trends were analyzed during the quarter in which EPOA was implemented, and these were compared with the two preceding quarters. Differences in proportions of HIV seropositivity were tested using Pearson’s chi-square test; p-values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Overall, EPOA resulted in a higher proportion of new HIV-positive cases being found, both within and between quarters. In Burundi, HIV seropositivity among FSWs was significantly higher during EPOA than during standard outreach (10.8% vs. 4.1%, p<0.001). In Cote d’Ivoire, HIV seropositivity was significantly higher during EPOA among both populations (FSWs: 5.6% vs. 1.81%, p<0.01; MSM: 15.4% vs. 5.9%; p<0.01). In DRC, HIV seropositivity was significantly higher during EPOA among MSM (6.9% vs. 1.6%; p<0.001), but not among FSWs (5.2% vs. 4.3%; p = 0.08). Trends in HIV seropositivity during routine outreach for both populations were constant during three successive quarters but increased with the introduction of EPOA. EPOA is a public health approach with great potential for reaching new populations and ensuring that they are aware of their HIV status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Single-tablet combination emtricitabine/tenofovir is highly effective as HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Scale-up efforts have targeted men who have sex with men (MSM), but patterns of racial disparities in PrEP use have begun to emerge. African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities in Canada and USA are also disproportionately affected by HIV, and there is lack of guidance regarding PrEP implementation in this priority population. Methods: ACB men from Toronto, Canada were recruited in community settings by peers. Participants completed a detailed socio-behavioural questionnaire. Biological samples were collected and tested for sexually transmitted infections. Willingness to accept PrEP was assessed in relation to actual and self-perceived risk of acquiring HIV, as well as demographic and behavioural variables. Results: 424 ACB men were included in the analysis. ACB MSM were more likely to accept PrEP than ACB men only reporting sex with women (MSW; 50.0% vs. 23.6%). The most common reasons for PrEP non-acceptance were concerns regarding side-effects and low self-perceived risk. PrEP acceptance was lowest among younger men (12.5%) and those born in Canada (15.2%). Men with a high self-perceived HIV risk were more likely to accept PrEP (41.3% vs. 22.7% of men with a low self-perceived risk), but only 25.4% of men who were defined as being at high-risk, self-identified themselves as such. Conclusions: Most ACB MSW were unlikely to accept PrEP, largely due to low self-perceived HIV risk, but PrEP acceptance among ACB MSM was similar to other contemporaneous Toronto MSM communities. PrEP acceptance was particularly low among younger ACB men and those born in Canada. Tailored strategies will be needed to effectively implement PrEP in Toronto ACB communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (eiART) can improve clinical outcomes for persons with HIV and reduce onward transmission risk. Baseline drug resistance testing (bDRT) can inform regimen selection upon subsequent treatment initiation. We examined the uptake of eiART and bDRT within 3 months and 30 days of HIV diagnosis. Methods: We analyzed a population-based sample from the San Francisco Department of Public Health HIV/AIDS Case Registry of newly-diagnosed HIV/non-AIDS individuals between 2001 and 2015 who received care at publicly-funded facilities (N = 3,124). Results: Uptake of eiART within 3 months of diagnosis increased significantly from 2001 to 2015 (p<0.001), peaking at 74% in 2015. bDRT uptake also increased significantly (p<0.001), peaking at 55% in 2012. eiART uptake was observed to be significantly associated with gender, age, race/ethnicity and transmission risk. There were no significant differences observed in demographic and risk characteristics of persons receiving bDRT in the more recent years. Of 990 persons diagnosed between 2010 and 2015, eiART uptake within 30 days of diagnosis increased from 13% to 38% (p<0.001); bDRT uptake increased from 35% to 39% but the change was not significant (p = 0.141). Conclusions: Observed increases in eiART and bDRT uptake from 2010 to 2015 may reflect the adoption of treatment as prevention and a local public health policy statement in 2010 recommending treatment initiation at time of diagnosis irrespective of CD4 count. Concerns about stigma may underlie disparities in eiART, however such concerns would not bear as directly on a provider-initiated laboratory test like bDRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phylogenetics has been used to investigate HIV transmission among men who have sex with men. This study compares several methodologies to elucidate the role of transmission chains in the dynamics of HIV spread in Quebec, Canada. Methods: The Quebec Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) genotyping program database now includes viral sequences from close to 4,000 HIV-positive individuals classified as Men who have Sex with Men (MSMs), collected between 1996 and early 2016. Assessment of chain expansion may depend on the partitioning scheme used, and so, we produce estimates from several methods: the conventional Bayesian and maximum likelihood-bootstrap methods, in combination with a variety of schemes for applying a maximum distance criterion, and two other algorithms, DM-PhyClus, a Bayesian algorithm that produces a measure of uncertainty for proposed partitions, and the Gap Procedure, a fast non-phylogenetic approach. Sequences obtained from individuals in the Primary HIV Infection (PHI) stage serve to identify incident cases. We focus on the period ranging from January 1st 2012 to February 1st 2016. Results and conclusion: The analyses reveal considerable overlap between chain estimates obtained from conventional methods, thus leading to similar estimates of recent temporal expansion. The Gap Procedure and DM-PhyClus suggest however moderately different chains. Nevertheless, all estimates stress that longer older chains are responsible for a sizeable proportion of the sampled incident cases among MSMs. Curbing the HIV epidemic will require strategies aimed specifically at preventing such growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association between X4 virus and an increased risk of non-AIDS-events has been reported. Morbidity/mortality due to non-AIDS events, which are properly predicted by the CD4/CD8 ratio and VACS index, have become particularly remarkable in HIV-infected patients receiving effective combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Methods: We verified the validity of the syllogism: as HIV-tropism (CRT) contributes to the onset of non-AIDS events which are successfully predicted by the CD4/CD8 ratio and VACS index, then CRT correlates with these two variables. The CD4/CD8 ratio and VACS index at baseline and overtime were analyzed according to CRT tested before the first successful cART regimen in newly-diagnosed patients. Results: Patients with R5 variants had a significantly lower baseline VACS percentage risk [mean (95%CI):18.2%(16.1–20.3) vs 24.3%(18.2–22.5), p = 0.002] and higher baseline CD4/CD8 ratio [mean (95%CI):0.43 (0.38–0.47) vs 0.28 (0.19–0.36), p = 0.002] than non-R5 patients. After an initial drop, VACS increased again in R5 and non-R5 patients and the two trend curves almost overlapped. The CD4/CD8 ratio had an increasing trend in both R5 and non-R5 patients; however, even though non-R5 patients had a greater gain of CD4+, they maintained a lower CD4/CD8 ratio at any time point. Conclusion: Our study confirms an association between pre-therapy CRT, CD4/CD8 ratio and VACS. A successful cART regimen positively affects the CD4/CD8 ratio; however, the disadvantage conferred by a non-R5 CRT is maintained overtime. The restoration of VACS in all patients could be directly due to variables included in the VACS calculation and to factors that adversely influence these variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repeat HIV testing is important in high HIV burden communities to enable sustainability of prevention initiatives; however, an understanding of repeat testing practices is limited. Additional HIV testing approaches may be required to increase testing. HIV self-testing is an additional testing approach, but knowledge on its potential for repeat testing is limited. This study explored repeat HIV testing practices and uptake of HIV self-testing among repeat testers, following exposure to HIV self-testing. HIV testing practices were explored at two time points. During Phase 1, eighty in-depth interviews were conducted among 40 consenting adults, and 30 telephonic contacts were completed during Phase 2. Framework analysis was used to analyse the transcripts from the in-depth interviews. The practice of repeat HIV testing is primarily influenced by HIV status awareness and risk exposure. Thirteen regular testers and one HIV naïve tester at baseline had undergone repeat testing through the use of a traditional testing approach such as HIV counselling and testing as reported in Phase 2. HIV self-testing has a role among repeat testers, but affordability and access are barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We assessed the capacity of HIV self-testing to promote testing among untested men who have sex with men (MSM) and determined the most benefited subpopulations. Methods: An online questionnaire was disseminated on several gay websites in Spain from September 2012 to April 2013. We used Poisson regression to estimate factors associated with the intention to use self-testing if already available. Among those who reported intention of use, we assessed several aspects related to the testing and linkage to care process by type of barrier reported: low perceived risk (LR), structural barriers (SB) and fear of testing positive (FTP). Results: Of 2589 never-tested MSM, 83% would have used self-testing if already available. Intention of use was associated with age ≥30 (adj.PR, 95%CI: 1.05, 1.01–1.10), having had protected (adj.PR, 95%CI: 1.15, 1.02–1.30) or unprotected (adj.PR, 95%CI: 1.21, 1.07–1.37) anal intercourse and reporting FTP (adj.PR, 95%CI: 1.12, 1.05–1.20) or SB to access HIV testing (adj.PR, 95%CI: 1.23, 1.19–1.28). Among those who reported intention of using a self-testi, 78.3% declared it their preferred option (83.8% in the SB group; p<0.001), and 56.8% would always use this testing option (60.9% among the SB group; p = 0.001). In the case of obtaining a positive self-test, 69.3% would seek confirmatory testing, 15.3% would self-test again before taking any decision and 13.0% reported not being sure of what they would do. Conclusion: HIV self-testing in Spain has the potential of becoming a highly used testing methodology for untested MSM and could represent the gateway to testing especially among older, at risk MSM who report SB or FTP as main barriers to testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately burdened by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), accounting for 78% of all Japanese male HIV cases in 2016. Over 30% of newly identified HIV infections in Japan are diagnosed as AIDS annually, suggesting a large proportion of people living with HIV were unaware of their own infection status. An estimated two-thirds of Japanese men who have sex with men (MSM) are not attached to the gay community, and previous studies have largely sampled gay venues, thus, previous studies have likely failed to reach many men in this population. This study therefore examined HIV testing prevalence and correlates among MSM in Greater Tokyo who use gay mobile geo-social networking applications (gay mobile apps), which have been found to increase access to MSM not traditionally accessible through venue-based surveys. Among a sample of 1657 MSM recruited through advertisements on gay mobile apps, the prevalence of lifetime and six-monthly HIV testing was 72.8% and 29.7% respectively. In multiple regression analysis, higher lifetime HIV testing was associated with older age, education, HIV knowledge, anal intercourse with regular and casual male partners, and gay venue attendance. Testing was negatively associated with regular male partner condom use, marriage, residing outside central Tokyo and having both male and female partners. These results indicated that MSM who use gay mobile apps in Greater Tokyo do not meet the CDC yearly testing recommendations for high risk populations. Considering limited HIV prevention funding in Japan for MSM, moderate lifetime and recent testing, and the large number of gay mobile app users, utilization of popular gay mobile apps to promote nearby HIV testing facilities may be an effective prevention policy to target non-community attached MSM, particularly at-risk youth and individuals at risk of sudden-onset AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS resulting from risky sexual behaviors. Social and contextual factors are known to mediate risk behaviors, but there is limited information about the prevalence of risky sexual practices of Rwandan MSM and the concomitant socio-contextual determinants making it difficult to assess implications for preventing HIV/STI transmission in this key population. Methods: Using exploratory qualitative design, we obtained socio-contextual information regarding prevalence of risky sexual behavior and assessed implications for HIV/ STIs transmission and preventive measures taken by MSM to improve sexual health and wellbeing. Thirty MSM were recruited to participate in in-depth interviews using respondent-driven sampling from LGBT associations in Kigali. Data were analyzed using standard qualitative data analysis procedures. Results: Respondents’ were between 18–40 years old; all completed primary education and are mostly low-socioeconomic status. Risky sexual practices were common, but differed by peculiar individual and contextual factors. Older MSM often reported occasional sexual relations with women to avoid suspicion and social stigma. Younger MSM’s risky sexual practices are mostly transactional and mediated by the need for social acceptance and support. Knowledge of STIs was poor, but prevalence, especially of HPV was high. The options for improving sexual wellbeing are limited and mostly clandestine. Conclusion: Risky sexual behavior of Rwandan MSM has major implications for HIV/STI transmission. An environment of intense social stigma and social isolation makes it difficult to obtain information or services to improve sexual health. Effective interventions that address individual and contextual determinants of risk and access to health services are urgently needed to limit the consequence of MSM as a bridge for HIV transmission to the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The HIV cascade is an important framework for assessing systems of care, but population-based assessment is lacking for most jurisdictions worldwide. We measured cascade indicators over time in a population-based cohort of diagnosed people living with HIV (PLWH) in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We created a retrospective cohort of diagnosed PLWH using a centralized laboratory database with HIV diagnostic and viral load (VL) test records linked at the individual-level. Individuals enter the cohort with record of a nominal HIV-positive diagnostic test or VL test, and remain unless administratively lost to follow-up (LTFU, >2 consecutive years with no VL test and no VL test in later years). We calculated the annual percent of diagnosed PLWH (cohort individuals not LTFU) between 2000 and 2015 who were in care (≥1 VL test), on ART (as documented on VL test requisition) or virally suppressed (<200 copies/ml). We also calculated time from diagnosis to linkage to care and viral suppression among individuals newly diagnosed with HIV. Analyses were stratified by sex and age. Upper/lower bounds were calculated using alternative indicator definitions. Results: The number of diagnosed PLWH increased from 8,859 (8,859–11,389) in 2000 to 16,110 (16,110–17,423) in 2015. Over this 16-year period, the percent of diagnosed PLWH who were: in care increased from 81% (63–81%) to 87% (81–87%), on ART increased from 55% (34–60%) to 81% (70–82%) and virally suppressed increased from 41% (23–46%) to 80% (67–81%). Between 2000 and 2014, the percent of newly diagnosed individuals who linked to care within three months of diagnosis or achieved viral suppression within six months of diagnosis increased from 67% to 82% and from 22% to 42%, respectively. Estimates were generally lower for females and younger individuals. Discussion: HIV cascade indicators among diagnosed PLWH in Ontario improved between 2000 and 2015, but gaps still remain—particularly for younger individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Vietnam, reaching the remaining one-third of undiagnosed people living with HIV and facilitating their antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrollment requires breakthrough approaches. We piloted lay provider HIV testing as an innovative approach to reach at-risk populations that never or infrequently HIV test at facility-based services. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey and analysis of routine program data in two urban provinces (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) and two rural mountainous provinces (Nghe An and Dien Bien) from October 2015 through September 2017. Acceptability of lay provider testing was defined as the proportion of first-time HIV testers utilizing the service, and effectiveness was measured by HIV positivity and ART initiation rates. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine lay provider testing preference and factors associated with that preference. Results: Among 1,230 individuals recruited for face-to-face interviews, 74% belonged to key populations: people who inject drugs accounted for 31.4%; men who have sex with men, 60.4%; and female sex workers, 8.2%. Most clients (67%) reported being first-time HIV testers, and the majority (85.8%) preferred lay provider testing to facility-based testing. Multivariate analysis found that clients in urban areas (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30–4.90) and those who had a university or higher education (aOR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.05–3.20) were more likely to prefer lay provider testing. Lay provider testing yielded a higher HIV positivity rate (4.1%), particularly among first-time testers (6.8%), compared to facility-based testing (nationally estimated at 1.6% in 2016) and had a high ART initiation rate (91%). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that lay provider HIV testing is an effective approach to reach previously unreached at-risk populations, and, therefore, a critical addition to accelerating Vietnam’s attainment of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 90-90-90 goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective in preventing HIV infections among men who have sex with men (MSM). PrEP uptake and adherence remain low and product preferences are unknown, especially among young African American MSM who are most at-risk. We conducted 26 qualitative interviews from 2014–2016 among young adult HIV-negative African American MSM regarding PrEP product preferences in Missouri. While the pill and injectable were most liked of all modalities, about a quarter preferred rectal products or patches. Most participants preferred a long-acting injectable (LAI) to daily oral pills due to better medication adherence and a dislike for taking pills. Many participants preferred daily oral pills to on-demand oral PrEP due to the inability to predict sex and the perception that insufficient time or medication would not achieve HIV protection with on-demand. A fear of needles and the perception that there would not be therapeutic levels for a long duration were concerns with injectable PrEP. Study findings highlight the need for a range of prevention options for African American MSM and can inform PrEP product development as well as dissemination and implementation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates in the South, especially among young black men who have sex with men (YB MSM), make STI testing imperative for public health. Purpose: To identify STI testing preferences in this population to improve testing delivery and utilization. Methods: YB MSM ages 16–35 in Birmingham, Alabama participated in focus groups (FG). A trained qualitative researcher coded transcripts after each FG and added questions to explore emerging themes. Results: Between September 2017 and January 2018, 36 YB MSM participated in 5 focus groups. Median age was 25.5 (Interquartile range 22–30). Participants preferred STI testing at doctors’ offices conducted by physicians but they also preferred having options related to testing locations, frequency, and timing to address diverse needs. Participants did not prefer testing by non-physician staff or home self-testing. Conclusion: A variety of options, including varied locations, personnel, and methods (self-collected and provider collected) are needed to make patient-preferred STI testing a reality among YB MSM in the Deep South. Further, the desire to be tested by a trusted physician highlights the need for access to primary care providers. Results suggest that newer home-based tests and self-collected tests are less preferable to YB MSM in the South, which deserves further study as these tests are rapidly integrated into clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-consensual removal of condoms, colloquially referred to as ‘stealthing’, is the removal of a condom during sex by a sexual partner when consent has been given for sex with a condom only. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey to determine how commonly women and men who have sex with men (MSM) attending Melbourne Sexual Health Centre had experienced stealthing, and analysed situational factors associated with the event. Responses were linked to demographic information extracted from patient files. Results: 1189 of 2883 women (41.2%), and 1063 of 3439 MSM (30.9%) attending the clinic during the study period completed the survey. Thirty-two percent of women (95% CI: 29%,35%) and 19% of MSM (95% CI: 17%,22%) reported having ever experienced stealthing. Women who had been stealthed were more likely to be a current sex worker (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 2.87, 95% CI: 2.01,4.11, p <0.001). MSM who had experienced stealthing were more likely to report anxiety or depression (AOR 2.13, 95% CI: 1.25,3.60, p = 0.005). Both female and male participants who had experienced stealthing were three times less likely to consider it to be sexual assault than participants who had not experienced it (OR 0.29, 95% CI: 0.22,0.4 and OR 0.31, 95% CI: 0.21,0.45 respectively). Conclusions: A high proportion of women and MSM attending a sexual health service reported having experienced stealthing. While further investigation is needed into the prevalence of stealthing in the general community, clinicians should be aware of this practice and consider integrating this question into their sexual health consultation. Understanding situational factors would assist in the development of preventive strategies, particularly female sex workers and MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite a call for differentiated care, there are limited data from sub-Saharan Africa on comprehensive community-based HIV care for key populations (KP), including commercial sex workers (CSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), and people who inject drugs (PWID). In Nigeria, a programme was implemented that liaised with community-based organizations and offered HIV testing, same-day ART initiation, and ART follow-up to KP. Here we characterize KP and their partners enrolled on ART. Our objective is to assess the early treatment outcomes and to estimate predictors of attrition among KP. Method: This is a retrospective cohort study of routinely collected data in a community-based HIV program for KP in Nasarawa state, Nigeria from August 2016 to November 2017. Variables of interest were socio-demographic, KP types, treatment outcomes, ART adherence, WHO stage, TB status and viral load. Summary statistics, logistic and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to describe the characteristics of KP and estimate predictors of attrition (patients either lost to follow-up (LTFU) or dead). Result: Seven hundred and ten (710) KP and their partners were enrolled into this study, 77.3% (549) of study participants were female and the median age was 30 years (IQR: 24–35). Respectively, 74.2%, 4.5%, 1.1% and 20% were FSW, MSM, PWID and their partners. Of 710 KP who started ART, 13.9% (99/710) discontinued after the first visit. After a median follow-up time of 7 months on ART 73.2% of patients were retained, 23.4% were LTFU, and 3.4% were dead. Lack of formal education (aHR 1.8; 95% CI 1.3–2.6) and unemployment (aHR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2–2.6) were significantly associated with attrition. Conclusion: Comprehensive community-based HIV care, including HIV testing and same-day ART is feasible. However, ART initiation on the same day of confirmatory HIV testing resulted in a high uptake of ART, but possibly inflated early attrition on ART. To mitigate early attrition among KP after same-day ART initiation, the psychosocial readiness of clients should be assessed better. We strongly recommend further studies to understand factors contributing to high attrition among the KP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HIV-1 molecular epidemiology amongst men who have sex with men (MSM) in sub-Saharan Africa remains not well characterized. We aimed to determine HIV-1 subtype distribution, transmission clusters and transmitted drug resistance (TDR) in acute and early infected MSM from Coastal Kenya. Methods: Analysis of HIV-1 partial pol sequences from MSM recruited 2005–2017 and sampled within six months of the estimated date of infection. Volunteers were classified as men who have sex with men exclusively (MSME) or with both men and women (MSMW). HIV-1 subtype and transmission clusters were determined by maximum-likelihood phylogenetics. TDR mutations were determined using the Stanford HIV drug resistance database. Results: Of the 97 volunteers, majority (69%) were MSMW; 74%, 16%, 9% and 1% had HIV-1 subtypes A1, D, C or G, respectively. Overall, 65% formed transmission clusters, with substantial mixing between MSME and MSMW. Majority of volunteer sequences were either not linked to any reference sequence (56%) or clustered exclusively with sequences of Kenyan origin (19%). Eight (8% [95% CI: 4–16]) had at least one TDR mutation against nucleoside (n = 2 [2%]) and/or non-nucleoside (n = 7 [7%]) reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The most prevalent TDR mutation was K103N (n = 5), with sequences forming transmission clusters of two and three taxa each. There were no significant differences in HIV-1 subtype distribution and TDR between MSME and MSMW. Conclusions: This HIV-1 MSM epidemic was predominantly sub-subtype A1, of Kenyan origin, with many transmission clusters and having intermediate level of TDR. Targeted HIV-1 prevention, early identification and care interventions are warranted to break the transmission cycle amongst MSM from Coastal Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The epidemiology of hepatitis E virus (HEV) is not fully understood. In this study, we assessed putative risk factors for HEV seropositivity in various study populations in the Netherlands. Methods: Data and samples from five different study populations were analysed: (A) blood donors (n = 5,239), (B) adults reporting a vegetarian life style since the age of 12 years (n = 231), (C) residents of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with different ethnic backgrounds (n = 1,198), (D) men who have sex with men (MSM) (HIV positive and HIV negative) (n = 197), and (E) persons who use drugs (PWUD) (HIV positive and HIV negative) (n = 200). Anti-HEV immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) testing was performed using ELISA test (Wantai). Results: HEV IgM seroprevalence was low across all study populations (<1% to 8%). The age and gender-adjusted HEV IgG seroprevalence was 24% among blood donors (reference group) and 9% among the vegetarian group (adjusted Relative Risk [aRR]:0.36, 95%CI:0.23–0.57). Among participants of different ethnic backgrounds, the adjusted HEV IgG seroprevalence was 16% among participants with a Dutch origin (aRR:0.64, 95%CI:0.40–1.02), 2% among South-Asian Surinamese (aRR:0.07, 95%CI:0.02–0.29), 3% among African Surinamese (aRR:0.11, 95%CI:0.04–0.34), 34% among Ghanaian (aRR:1.53, 95%CI:1.15–2.03), 19% among Moroccan (aRR:0.75, 95%CI:0.49–1.14), and 5% among Turkish (aRR:0.18, 95%CI:0.08–0.44) origin participants. First generation Moroccans had a higher risk for being IgG HEV seropositive compared to second generation Moroccan migrants. The statistical power to perform these analyses in the other ethnic groups was too low. In the MSM group the IgG HEV seroprevalence was 24% (aRR:0.99, 95%CI:0.76–1.29), and among PWUD it was 28% (aRR:1.19, 95%CI:0.90–1.58). The number of sexual partners in the preceding six months was not significantly associated with IgG HEV seropositivity in MSM. The association between HIV status and HEV seropositivity was significant in PWUD, yet absent in MSM. HIV viral load and CD4 cell count were not associated with HEV seropositivity in HIV positive MSM and PWUD. Conclusions: Vegetarians were significantly less often HEV seropositive. Ethnic origin influenced the risk for being IgG HEV seropositive. MSM and PWUD were not at higher risk for being IgG HEV seropositive than blood donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While HIV incidence among men who have sex with men (MSM) is increasing in Hong Kong, unprotected sex apparently remains prevalent among those infected but virally non-suppressed. Little is known about how sexual behaviours and sexual connections may change among MSM along their HIV care continuum. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, HIV-positive MSM attending the largest HIV specialist clinic in Hong Kong between October and December 2014 were invited to complete a self-administrated structured questionnaire. Their behavioural profile and partner sourcing patterns during the one-year period respectively (a) before HIV diagnosis, (b) after HIV diagnosis, (c) after initiation of antiretroviral treatment and (d) preceding the survey were examined. Results: Of 345 recruited MSM, 304 (88.1%) had treatment initiated and 272 (78.8%) had viral load suppressed. In the first year after HIV diagnosis, the proportion reporting inconsistent condom use dropped from 47.0% to 17.5% (p<0.05) and from 49.6% to 17.8% (p<0.01) for anal sex with main and casual partners respectively. Except for mobile applications, usage of most sex-networking venues decreased significantly after diagnosis. Inconsistent condom usage rate remained at around 20% after treatment initiation and viral load suppression, but the frequency of use of sex-networking venues further varied among virally suppressed MSM. Conclusions: Most HIV-positive MSM had persistently low level of sexual risk behaviours along their care continuum and achieved viral load suppression, conferring a general reduction of secondary transmission risk in Hong Kong. To increase the effectiveness of Treatment as Prevention strategy, uptake of HIV testing for undiagnosed HIV-positive MSM shall be emphasised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Criminal justice (CJ) settings disproportionately include populations at high risk for acquiring HIV, and CJ-involved individuals are often at the intersection of multiple overlapping risk factors. However, few studies have examined attitudes about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among incarcerated men who have sex with men (MSM). This study explored interest in, knowledge of, and barriers to PrEP uptake among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. Using semi-structured interviews, 26 MSM were interviewed about PrEP knowledge, interest, timing preferences for provision (e.g. before or after release), and barriers to uptake and adherence during community re-entry. Interviews were coded and analyzed using a general inductive approach. Participants demonstrated low initial knowledge of PrEP but high interest after being told more about it. Participants self-identified risk factors for HIV acquisition, including condomless sex and substance use. In addition, participants preferred provision of PrEP prior to release. Post-release barriers to PrEP uptake and adherence included 1) concerns about costs of PrEP medications; 2) anticipated partner or family disapproval; 3) lack of access to transportation; 4) unstable housing; 5) compounding impacts of multiple hardships leading to a de-prioritization of PrEP and 6) fears of future re-incarceration. These results point to the need for future PrEP interventions among incarcerated populations that address incarceration and PrEP related barriers during community re-entry via wraparound services that address PrEP and incarceration-related barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have sex with men (MSM) is the major risk population of HIV-1 infection in Taiwan, and its surveillance has become critical in HIV-1 prevention. We recruited MSM subjects from 17 high-risk venues and 4 community centers in northern and southern Taiwan for anonymous HIV-1 screening during 2013–2015. Blood samples were obtained for genotyping and phylogenetic analysis, and a questionnaire survey covering demographic variables and social behavior was conducted. In total, 4,675 subjects were enrolled, yielding a HIV-1 prevalence rate of 4.3% (201/4675). Eight risk factors including subjects who did not always use condoms (OR = 1.509, p = 0.0123), those who used oil-based lubricants (OR = 1.413, p = 0.0409), and those who used recreational drugs (OR = 2.182, p = < .0001) had a higher risk of HIV-1 infection. The annual prevalence and incidence of HIV-1 showed a downward trend from 2013 to 2015 (6.56%, 5.97 per 100 person-years in 2013; 4.53%, 3.97 per 100 person-years in 2014; 1.84%, 2.08 per 100 person-years in 2015). Factors such as always using condoms, water-based lubricant use, correct knowledge of lubricating substitutes, and recreational drug use were significantly associated with the trend of incidence. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the cross-regional and international interaction of the local MSM population may have facilitated transmission of HIV. This survey of high-risk venues showed decreased prevalence and incidence of HIV-1 infection in Taiwan from 2013 to 2015, and this may be related to changes in behavioral patterns. Moreover, cross-regional interaction and recreational drug use need to be considered in future surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Philippines is experiencing one of the fastest growing epidemics globally. Evidence-based public health policies are needed. To describe the public health literature on HIV risk groups and prevention approaches in the Philippines, we reviewed published empirical studies with HIV-related outcomes. Methods: Based on an a priori systematic review protocol, we searched PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases for quantitative studies conducted in the Philippines that reported on HIV risk groups factors and interventions to prevent HIV. The search included studies published as of April 2018. Results: We identified 755 records, screened 699 unique titles and abstracts, and conducted full text review of 122 full reports of which 51 articles met inclusion criteria. The majority were cross-sectional studies describing HIV and STI prevalence and risk factors in samples recruited from the Philippines. Four HIV prevention programs conducted in the Philippines were identified, all of which reported improvements on HIV knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Overall, female sex workers (FSWs) constituted the primary study population, and few studies reported data from men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWIDs), and youth. No studies reported on transgender populations. Most studies were focused on examining condom use-related outcomes and STI history, few had biomarkers for HIV, and none addressed biomedical HIV prevention strategies. Conclusion: This review identifies an agenda for future HIV research that is needed to address the growing and shifting nature of the HIV epidemic in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aiming to eliminate HIV infection, UNAIDS has set a global “90-90-90” target by 2020. We sought to construct a 6-stages HIV Cascade of Care (CoC) in Greece, overall and by risk group, to assess risk-group and stage-specific progress in achieving the UNAIDS target. Patients and methods: Combining data from the HIV/AIDS surveillance system and a population-based HIV cohort study, the CoC included: i) number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) by end of 2013; ii) proportion of PLHIV ever diagnosed; iii) proportion of diagnosed linked-to-care iv) proportion of linked-to-care ever initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART); v) proportion of treated who retained-in-care vi) proportion of those retained-in-care who were virally suppressed (≤200 copies/mL) at their last visit (01/07/2012-31/12/2013). Results: In 2013, 14147 PLHIV were in Greece. Overall, proportions of each stage in the cascade were: 78.4% diagnosed; 86% linked-to-care; 78.5% initiated ART; 86.4% retained-in-care, and 87.1% virally suppressed. Totally, 42.6% of all PLHIV were virally suppressed. The percentage diagnosed was lower among heterosexual men and women (heterosexuals) than in MSM (men who have sex with men) or PWID (people who inject drugs). Most MSM were linked to care (97.2% of diagnosed) while a substantial proportion of PWID were not (80.8% of diagnosed). Once treated, PWID remained in care in similar proportions to MSM. Unlike PWID, a high proportion of the retained in care MSM and heterosexuals achieved viral suppression. Conclusions: At the end of 2013, we identified gaps in the HIV CoC in Greece, which differed across risk groups. Targeted interventions are critical in optimizing early diagnosis and timely linkage. A 6-stage CoC, stratified by risk group, can inform strategic public health planning in improving HIV treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the high HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW), there are limited data on progress on their respective HIV antiretroviral treatment (ART) cascades to identify progress and gaps in meeting UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. We conducted a respondent-driven sampling survey of MSM and TGW in Bamako, Mali from October 2014 to February 2015. We describe the HIV treatment cascade for MSM and TGW, identify correlates of being unaware of HIV-infected status and having unsuppressed viral load levels, and estimate proportion of recent infections. We enrolled 387 MSM and 165 TGW. HIV prevalence was 13.7%. Of those living with HIV, 10.4% were aware of their serostatus, 61.2% of them self-reported being on treatment, and of them, 100% were virally suppressed. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with being unaware of HIV infection included not using free condoms in the last six months (aOR: 5.7, 95% CI: 1.1–29.5) and not having comprehensive knowledge of HIV (aOR: 6.5, 95% CI: 1.4–29.9). Having unsuppressed viral load was associated with identifying as a transgender woman (aOR: 4.8, 95% CI: 1.1–20.7) and not having comprehensive knowledge of HIV (aOR: 6.5, 95% CI: 1.0–40.9). Of the 79 HIV-positive participants, 5.1% had recent infections. While the proportion aware of their HIV status was low despite adjusting for viral load biomarkers, all MSM and TGW on treatment were virally suppressed. Improved testing strategies are urgently needed to achieve the first 90 of the HIV cascade among MSM and TGW in Bamako. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Molecular surveillance of newly diagnosed HIV-infections is important for tracking trends in circulating HIV-variants, including those with transmitted drug resistances (TDR) to sustain ART efficacy. Methods: Dried serum spots (DSS) are received together with the statutory notification of a new diagnosis. 'Recent infections' (<155 days) classified by a 'recent infection test algorithm' (BED-CEIA and clinical data) are genotyped in HIV-protease (PR), reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (INT) to determine the HIV-1 subtype, to calculate prevalence and trends of TDR, to predict baseline susceptibility and to identify potential transmission clusters for resistant variants. Results: Between January 2013 and December 2016, 1,885 recent infections were analysed regarding the PR/RT genomic region, with 43.5% of these also being subjected to the analysis of INT. The proportion of HIV-1 non-B viruses (31.3%; 591/1,885) increased from 21.6% to 36.0%, particularly the subtypes A (5.0% to 8.3%) and C (3.2% to 7.7%; all ptrends < 0.01). The subtype A increment is mainly due to transmissions within men who have sex with men (MSM) while subtype C transmissions are associated with heterosexuals and people who inject drugs. The prevalence of TDR was stable at 11.0% (208/1,885) over the study period. Resistances to nucleotide RT inhibitors (NRTI) and PR inhibitors (PI) were 4.5% and 3.2%, respectively, without identifiable trends. In contrast, resistances to non-NRTIs (NNRTI, 4.7%) doubled between 2014 and 2016 from 3.2% to 6.4% (ptrend = 0.02) mainly due to the K103N mutation (from 1.7% to 4.1%; ptrend = 0.03) predominantly detected in recently infected German MSM not linked to transmission clusters. Transmitted INSTI mutations were present in only one case (T66I) and resistance to dolutegravir was not identified at all. Reduced susceptibility to recommended first-line therapies was low with 1.0% for PIs, 1.3% for NRTIs and 0.7% for INSTIs, but high for the NNRTIs efavirence (4.9%) and rilpivirine (6.0%) due to the K103N mutation and the polymorphic mutation E138A. These trends in therapy-naïve individuals impact current first-line regimens and require awareness and vigilant surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HIV self-testing (HIVST) may increase HIV testing uptake, facilitating earlier treatment for key populations like MSM who experience barriers accessing clinic-based HIV testing. HIVST usability among African MSM has not been explored. Methods: We assessed usability of oral fluid (OF) and fingerstick (FS; blood) HIVST kits during three phases among MSM with differing degrees of HIVST familiarity in Mpumalanga, South Africa. In 2015, 24 HIVST-naïve MSM conducted counselor-observed OF and FS HIVST after brief demonstration. In 2016 and 2017, 45 and 64 MSM with experience using HIVST in a pilot study chose one HIVST to conduct with a counselor-observer present. In addition to written, the latter group had access to video instructions. We assessed frequency of user errors and reported test use ease, changes in error frequency by phase, and covariates associated with correct usage using log-Poisson and Gaussian generalized estimating equations. Results: Among OF users (n = 57), 15–30% committed errors in each phase; however, observers consistently rated participants as able to test alone. Among FS users (n = 100), observers noted frequent errors, most commonly related to blood collection and delivery. We found suggestive evidence (not reaching statistical significance) that user errors decreased, with 37.5%, to 28.1%, and 18.2% committing errors in phases I, II, and III, respectively (p-value:0.08), however observer concerns remained constant. Ease and confidence using HIVST increased with HIV testing experience. Participants using three HIVST were more likely (RR:1.92, 95% CI:1.32, 2.80) to report ease compared to those without prior HIVST experience. Never testers (RR:0.66, 95% CI:0.44–0.99) reported less ease performing HIVST compared to participants testing in the past six months. Conclusions: MSM were able to perform the OF test. Fingerstick test performance was less consistent; however preference for fingerstick was strong and performance may improve with exposure and instructional resources. Continued efforts to provide accessible instructions are paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer education with micro-planning has been integral to scaling up key population (KP) HIV/STI programmes in Kenya since 2013. Micro-planning reinforces community cohesion within peer networks and standardizes programme inputs, processes and targets for outreach, including peer educator (PE) workloads. We assessed programme performance for outreach–in relation to the mean number of KPs for which one PE is responsible (KP:PE ratio)–and effects on HIV/STI service utilisation. Quarterly programmatic monitoring data were analysed from October 2013 to September 2016 from implementing partners working with female sex workers (FSWs) and men who have sex with men (MSM) across the country. All implementing partners are expected to follow national guidelines and receive micro-planning training for PEs with support from a Technical Support Unit for KP programmes. We examined correlations between KP:PE ratios and regular outreach contacts, condom distribution, risk reduction counselling, STI screening, HIV testing and violence reporting by KPs. Kenya conducted population size estimates (PSEs) of KPs in 2012. From 2013 to 2016, KP programmes were scaled up to reach 85% of FSWs (PSE 133,675) and 90% of MSM (PSE 18,460). Overall, mean KP:PE ratios decreased from 147 to 91 for FSWs, and from 79 to 58 for MSM. Lower KP:PE ratios, up to 90:1 for FSW and 60:1 for MSM, were significantly associated with more regular outreach contacts (p<0.001), as well as more frequent risk reduction counselling (p<0.001), STI screening (p<0.001) and HIV testing (p<0.001). Condom distribution and reporting of violence by KPs did not differ significantly between the two groups over all time periods. Micro-planning with adequate KP:PE ratios is an effective approach to scaling up HIV prevention programmes among KPs, resulting in high levels of programme uptake and service utilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]