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Background:The scale of the 2022 global mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreak has been unprecedented. In less than 6 months, non-endemic countries have reported more than 67 000 cases of a disease that had previously been rare outside of Africa. Mortality has been reported as rare but hospital admission has been relatively common. We aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes of individuals admitted to hospital with mpox and associated complications, including tecovirimat recipients. Methods:In this cohort study, we undertook retrospective review of electronic clinical records and pathology data for all individuals admitted between May 6, and Aug 3, 2022, to 16 hospitals from the Specialist and High Consequence Infectious Diseases Network for Monkeypox. The hospitals were located in ten cities in England and Northern Ireland. Inclusion criteria were clinical signs consistent with mpox and MPXV DNA detected from at least one clinical sample by PCR testing. Patients admitted solely for isolation purposes were excluded from the study. Key outcomes included admission indication, complications (including pain, secondary infection, and mortality) and use of antibiotic and anti-viral treatments. Routine biochemistry, haematology, microbiology, and virology data were also collected. Outcomes were assessed in all patients with available data. Findings:156 individuals were admitted to hospital with complicated mpox during the study period. 153 (98%) were male and three (2%) were female, with a median age of 35 years (IQR 30–44). Gender data were collected from electronic patient records, which encompassed full formal review of clincian notes. The prespecified options for data collection for gender were male, female, trans, non-binary, or unknown. 105 (71%) of 148 participants with available ethnicity data were of White ethnicity and 47 (30%) of 155 were living with HIV with a median CD4 count of 510 cells per mm3(IQR 349–828). Rectal or perianal pain (including proctitis) was the most common indication for hospital admission (44 [28%] of 156). Severe pain was reported in 89 (57%) of 156, and secondary bacterial infection in 82 (58%) of 142 individuals with available data. Median admission duration was 5 days (IQR 2–9). Ten individuals required surgery and two cases of encephalitis were reported. 38 (24%) of the 156 individuals received tecovirimat with early cessation in four cases (two owing to hepatic transaminitis, one to rapid treatment response, and one to patient choice). No deaths occurred during the study period. Interpretation:Although life-threatening mpox appears rare in hospitalised populations during the current outbreak, severe mpox and associated complications can occur in immunocompetent individuals. Analgesia and management of superimposed bacterial infection are priorities for patients admitted to hospital.

Background There is currently little evidence exploring menopausal status, age at last menstrual period (LMP) and management of menopause among women living with HIV aged 45-60 years in England. Methods Socio-demographic, lifestyle and clinical data were collected through a self-completed cross-sectional survey. Longitudinal CD4 count and viral load data were available from linkage to clinical records, if consent was provided. Women were categorised as pre-, peri- or post-menopausal. Factors associated with menopausal stage were examined using ordinal logistic regression adjusting for age. Age at LMP was estimated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results The 847 women had a median age of 49 [interquartile range (IQR): 47-52] years. Most were of black ethnicity (81.3%), were born outside the UK (85.0%) and had completed secondary education (88.7%); 177 (20.4%), 373 (43.0%) and 297 (34.2%) were pre-, peri- or post-menopausal, respectively. After adjusting for age, associations of menopausal status with non-cohabiting relationship [adjusted odds ratio = 0.63 (95% confidence interval: 0.43-0.91)], baseline viral load ≥ 100 000 copies/mL [2.67 (1.20-5.94)] and unemployment [1.34 (0.97-1.84)] remained significant. Median (IQR) age at LMP was 54 (51-55) years in the group. In total, 27.9% (233/836) of women reported severe menopausal symptoms; 45.6% of those with somatic symptoms had heard of hormone replacement therapy and 8.7% had used it. Only 5.6% of women with urogenital symptoms had used topical oestrogen. Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of educating both women and their healthcare providers about menopausal symptoms and management options.

Objectives We examined follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in women living with HIV aged > 45 reporting ≥ 12 months' amenorrhoea, and investigated correlation with menopausal symptoms. Methods A cross-sectional substudy of 85 women from the Positive Transitions through the Menopause (PRIME) Study who reported irregular periods at entry into the PRIME Study and ≥ 12 months' amenorrhoea at recruitment into this substudy. Serum FSH was supplemented with clinical data and menopausal symptom assessment. Serum FSH > 30 mIU/mL was defined as consistent with postmenopausal status. Associations between FSH and menopausal symptom severity were assessed using Pearson's correlation and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results Median age was 53 years [interquartile range (IQR): 51-55]; all were on antiretroviral therapy, three-quarters (n = 65) had a CD4 T-cell count > 500 cells/μL and 91.8% (n = 78) had an HIV viral load (VL) 30 mIU/mL (40.8 vs. 30.5 kg/m2 ). Over a quarter (28.2%) reported severe menopausal symptoms, with no correlation between FSH and severity of menopausal symptoms (p = 0.21), or hot flushes (p = 0.37). Conclusions Four women in this small substudy had low FSH despite being amenorrhoeic; all had BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 . We found that 95% of women with HIV aged > 45 years reporting ≥ 12 months' amenorrhoea had elevated FSH, suggesting that menopausal status can be ascertained from menstrual history alone in this group.

We report a case of HIV-1 superinfection in a patient with established HIV-2 infection. The patient was not taking antiretroviral therapy, in line with criteria in national guidelines, and reported no risk for infection with HIV-1. This case serves as a reminder that patients infected with HIV-2 remain susceptible to HIV-1 infection. The protective effect of antiretroviral treatment against HIV-1 infection should be a consideration in treatment decisions for individuals with HIV-2 infection.

Objectives Persistent CD4:CD8 ratio inversion (< 1) is associated with mortality in older people. We investigated the interaction of the effects of baseline CD8 count and age at HIV diagnosis on CD4:CD8 ratio recovery with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods An observational study (1 January 2007 to 31 December 2016) was carried out using routinely collected data from the HIV outpatient services at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK. CD4 and CD8 counts, prior to and during ART, treatment during primary HIV infection (PHI) and HIV‐1 viral load were included in univariate and multivariate analyses using Cox proportional hazard regression. Results Data were included for 876 patients starting ART, where HIV suppression was achieved. Of these patients, 741 of 876 (84.6%) were male and 507 of 876 (57.9%) were Caucasian. The median time on ART was 38 [interquartile range (IQR) 17–66] months. CD8 count change on ART was bidirectional; low CD8 counts (≤ 600 cells/μL) increased and high CD8 counts (> 900 cells/μL) decreased. The median pre‐ART CD4:CD8 ratio was 0.41 (IQR 0.24–0.63), and recovery (≥ 1) occurred in 274 of 876 patients (31.3%). Pre‐ and post‐ART CD4:CD8 ratios were lower in those aged > 50 years compared with young adults aged 18–30 years (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). After adjustment, younger age at HIV diagnosis (P < 0.001) and treatment during PHI (P < 0.001) were favourable for CD4:CD8 ratio normalization. Conclusions Older age (> 50 years) at HIV diagnosis was associated with persistent CD4:CD8 ratio inversion, whereas treatment of PHI was protective. These findings confirm the need for testing and early treatment of people aged > 50 years, and could be used in a risk management algorithm for enhanced surveillance.

Following changes in national antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines removing the CD4 threshold for initiation of ART, we evaluated the time to ART initiation and reasons for delayed or non-initiation. A retrospective notes review of 292 newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals attending two London clinics between August 2015 and December 2016 was performed. Two hundred and fifty-four of 292 (87%) individuals started ART. Median time to ART initiation was 29 days (range: 0–514). Thirty of 292 (13%) did not start ART. Rates of virological suppression at six months were similar regardless of time to ART initiation. People who inject drugs (16.7% vs. 3.6%) (p = 0.009), having a higher median baseline CD4 cell count (500 vs. 388 cells/mm3, p = 0.001), and having gastrointestinal/liver co-morbidities (23% vs. 9%, p = 0.001) were associated with delayed ART initiation. The cohort not on ART had a higher median baseline CD4 cell count (500 vs. 388 cells/mm3, p

Contact tracing is central to the public health response to COVID-19, but the approach taken has received criticism for failing to make enough of an impact on disease transmission. We discuss what can be learned from contact tracing in other infections, and how the natural history of COVID-19 should shape the strategies used.

OBJECTIVES: As people with HIV (PWH) age, the prevalence of frailty increases. Rapid screening tests to identify frailty within HIV outpatient settings are required to identify at-risk individuals. We undertook a service evaluation to assess three short frailty assessments in PWH. METHODS: We assessed two objective [gait speed (GS), timed-up-and-go test (TUGT)] and one subjective [the self-reported health questionnaire (SRH)] frailty screening tools in PWH aged > 40 years attending a single HIV outpatient department. Factors associated with positive frailty screening tests (defined as GS

To understand the pathogenesis of low level viraemia (LLV) in HIV-infected patients on boosted protease inhibitors (PI/b), we enrolled 34 subjects with a median HIV-RNA 79 copies/mL and followed them for 15 months. Samples for next generation sequencing were collected at three time-points. Two showed resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) in the protease gene, while 95-100% had RAMs in the gag gene, which evolved in approximately a quarter of subjects, suggesting a potential clinical role of these kind of mutations.

BackgroundTo analyse the effect of drug resistance mutations (DRM) on CD4+T-cell (CD4) trends in HIV-positive people maintained on virologically failing anti-retroviral therapy (ART).MethodsIndividuals from two large cohorts experiencing virological failure (VF) while maintained on ART with ≥1 CD4 count and ≥1 resistance test were included. CD4 slopes were estimated using linear mixed models. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the effect of clusters of mutations, defined using extracted component based scores from the PCA, on CD4 decline.Results5,357 individuals contributing 7,661 VF episodes were included: any DRM were detected in 88.8% of episodes. After adjustment, CD4 counts declined less steeply during episodes where DRM were detected compared to episodes with no DRM (difference =28 cells/mm3/year, 95% CI =18, 39; PConclusionsDetection of resistance and of certain DRM during VF of ART has a small but significant favourable effect on CD4 decline.

Background and Objective Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) have become the preferred first-line antiretroviral therapy in adults. There is paucity of published data on their use in children outside of clinical trials, particularly long-term safety and tolerability. This study aimed to describe INSTI use including the number of, and reasons for INSTI discontinuation. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis by database and electronic record review of children aged under 18 years with perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus who started INSTI-based antiretroviral therapy between May 2009 and March 2018, in a single tertiary centre. Results Fifty-six INSTI-based regimens were prescribed in 54 children, 64.9% from 2015 onwards. Twenty-one of 56 (37.5%) regimens commenced with raltegravir, 29 (51.8%) with dolutegravir and six (10.7%) with elvitegravir. The median age at the start of treatment was 15 years (interquartile range 13.5–16.4) with a median duration of INSTI-antiretroviral therapy of 1.65 years (range 0.01–8.8). Twenty-four children had a detectable viral load at the start INSTI therapy; 20 (83%) achieving viral suppression in a median of 26 days (interquartile range 19.5–34.5). There were 26 discontinuations of INSTI-based antiretroviral therapy after a median of 183 days; 9/26 because of adverse events. Four of nine adverse events were attributed to INSTI use, all in patients taking dolutegravir and the adverse events were neuropsychiatric and gastrointestinal in nature. Conclusions INSTI-based regimens were generally efficacious and well tolerated in this paediatric cohort, with 4/26 discontinuations due to INSTI-attributed adverse events. Further post-marketing surveillance of INSTI use in children is warranted.

Objectives Retrospective analysis of evolution of HIV tropism and association with disease progression in perinatal HIV-1 infection (PaHIV). Methodology Eligible patients with PaHIV were grouped as slow, rapid or long-term non-progressors (LTNP). The V3 region of gp120 was sequenced from stored plasma samples and tropism determined by geno2pheno algorithm (FPR 5.75%). Logistic regression with generalised estimating equations assessed factors associated with R5 virus. Time to tropism change was assessed using standard survival methods. Results At baseline (n=48) median age was 12 years (IQR 9.3–14.8), 52% were female, 79% were Black African, 96% were non-B subtypes and 81% (39/48) had R5-using virus. Median follow-up was 7.7 years (308.6 person-years), with a median of five (range 1–14) samples per subject (total 252). Analysing all samples, R5 virus was associated with higher current CD4 cell count (median 520 cells/mm3 R5 vs 202 for X4, P=0.0005), LTNP (35% vs 11%, P=0.05), non-Black ethnicity (74% vs 89%, P=0.05) and female gender (55% vs 28%, P=0.005). Twelve of 38 (31%) with R5 virus at baseline switched to X4/dual-using virus, with an estimated 5-year risk of switch of 24.4% (95% CI 9.7–39.2%) predicted by lower current CD4 cell count (unadjusted HR 0.62/50 cells higher, 95% CI 0.47–0.81, P=0.0006). Eleven of 19 (58%) with X4/dual-using virus subsequently had R5 virus at one or more time points. Conclusion Maraviroc was a treatment option for 81% at 12 years, falling to 56% at 18 years, with lower CD4 cell count predictive of co-receptor switching. Paediatric studies of CCR5 antagonists should be expedited to ensure they are an early treatment option before tropism switching occurs.

To analyse the effect of drug resistance mutations (DRM) on CD4Individuals from two large cohorts experiencing virological failure (VF) while maintained on ART with ≥1 CD4 count and ≥1 resistance test were included. CD4 slopes were estimated using linear mixed models. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the effect of clusters of mutations, defined using extracted component based scores from the PCA, on CD4 decline.5,357 individuals contributing 7,661 VF episodes were included: any DRM were detected in 88.8% of episodes. After adjustment, CD4 counts declined less steeply during episodes where DRM were detected compared to episodes with no DRM (difference =28 cells/mmDetection of resistance and of certain DRM during VF of ART has a small but significant favourable effect on CD4 decline.

End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is a major complication of HIV infection. We observed a 3.8-fold increase in ESKD prevalence among black patients in the UK CHIC cohort during the 12-year study period. As of 2005, 107 patients had an ESKD diagnosis, 69 of whom (64%) were considered suitable for kidney transplantation (KT) and 34 (32%) had received a KT. Survival was similar for KT recipients and those awaiting KT (85% and 89% at 5 years, respectively; P = 0.53). Our results endorse the use of KT to manage ESKD in HIV-positive patients.

Pharmacokinetic parameters following modifications to antiretroviral therapy and sanctuary site exposure are often unknown for recently licensed antiretrovirals. We assessed plasma, CSF and seminal plasma (SP) exposure of rilpivirine after switching from nevirapine.HIV-infected male subjects receiving tenofovir/emtricitabine/nevirapine (245/200/400 mg) once daily switched to tenofovir/emtricitabine/rilpivirine (245/200/25 mg) once daily for 60 days when CSF and semen samples were collected. Mean and individual plasma concentrations of nevirapine and rilpivirine were compared with the proposed plasma target concentration for nevirapine (3000 ng/mL) and the protein binding-adjusted EC90 for rilpivirine (12.1 ng/mL). Mean rilpivirine CSF and SP concentrations were calculated and individual values compared with the EC50 and EC90 for wild-type virus (0.27 and 0.66 ng/mL, respectively).Of 13 subjects completing study procedures including CSF examination, 8 provided seminal samples. By day 3, the mean plasma rilpivirine trough concentration was 29.7 ng/mL (95% CI: 23.8-37). No patient presented rilpivirine plasma concentrations under the proposed threshold. The mean rilpivirine concentration in CSF was 0.8 ng/mL (95% CI: 0.7-1.0), representing a CSF : plasma ratio of 1.4%, with concentrations above the EC90 in 85% (11/13) of patients. In SP, the mean rilpivirine concentration was 4.9 ng/mL (95% CI: 3.3-7.2), representing an SP : plasma ratio of 9.5%, with all concentrations above the EC90.Switching from nevirapine- to rilpivirine-containing antiretroviral therapy was safe and well tolerated, with plasma rilpivirine concentrations above the protein binding-adjusted EC90 in all subjects. Rilpivirine concentrations were always above the EC50 in the CSF and the EC90 in SP.

We report the first published case of integrase inhibitor resistance in the central nervous system compartment in the absence of evidence of integrase inhibitor resistance in the plasma of a patient without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-encephalitis in the context of other HIV-associated central nervous system infections.

Background Darunavir is considered to have a high genetic barrier to resistance. Most darunavir-associated drug resistance mutations (DRMs) have been identified through correlation of baseline genotype with virological response in clinical trials. However, there is little information on DRMs that are directly selected by darunavir in clinical settings. Objectives We examined darunavir DRMs emerging in clinical practice in the UK. Patients and methods Baseline and post-exposure protease genotypes were compared for individuals in the UK Collaborative HIV Cohort Study who had received darunavir; analyses were stratified for PI history. A selection analysis was used to compare the evolution of subtype B proteases in darunavir recipients and matched PI-naive controls. Results Of 6918 people who had received darunavir, 386 had resistance tests pre- and post-exposure. Overall, 2.8% (11/386) of these participants developed emergent darunavir DRMs. The prevalence of baseline DRMs was 1.0% (2/198) among PI-naive participants and 13.8% (26/188) among PI-experienced participants. Emergent DRMs developed in 2.0% of the PI-naive group (4 mutations) and 3.7% of the PI-experienced group (12 mutations). Codon 77 was positively selected in the PI-naive darunavir cases, but not in the control group. Conclusions Our findings suggest that although emergent darunavir resistance is rare, it may be more common among PI-experienced patients than those who are PI-naive. Further investigation is required to explore whether codon 77 is a novel site involved in darunavir susceptibility.

Table of Contents 1. Levels of evidence 1.1 Reference 2. Introduction 3. Auditable targets 4. Table summaries 4.1 Initial diagnosis 4.2 Assessment of ART-naive individuals 4.3 ART initiation 4.4 Initial assessment following commencement of ART 4.5 Routine monitoring on ART 4.6 References 5. Newly diagnosed and transferring HIV-positive individuals 5.1 Initial HIV-1 diagnosis 5.2 Tests to determine whether acquisition of HIV infection is recent 5.3 Individuals transferring care from a different HIV healthcare setting 5.4 Communication with general practitioners and shared care 5.5 Recommendations 5.6 References 6. Patient history 6.1 Initial HIV-1 diagnosis 6.2 Monitoring of ART-naive patients 6.3 Pre-ART initiation assessment 6.4 Monitoring individuals established on ART 6.5 Assessment of adherence 6.6 Recommendations 6.7 References 7. Examination 7.1 Recommendations 8. Identifying the need for psychological support 8.1 References 9. Assessment of immune status 9.1 CD4 T cell counts 9.2 CD4 T cell percentage 9.3 References 10. HIV viral load 10.1 Initial diagnosis/ART naive 10.2 Post ART initiation 10.3 Individuals established on ART 10.4 Recommendations 10.5 References 11. Technical aspects of viral load testing 11.1 References 12. Viral load kinetics during ART and viral load ‘blips’ 12.1 References 13. Proviral DNA load 13.1 References 14. Resistance testing 14.1 Initial HIV-1 diagnosis 14.2 ART-naive 14.3 Post treatment initiation 14.4 ART-experienced 14.5 References 15. Subtype determination 15.1 Disease progression 15.2 Transmission 15.3 Performance of molecular diagnostic assays 15.4 Response to therapy 15.5 Development of drug resistance 15.6 References 16. Other tests to guide use of specific antiretroviral agents 16.1 Tropism testing 16.2 HLA B*5701 testing 16.3 References 17. Therapeutic drug monitoring 17.1 Recommendations 17.2 References 18. Biochemistry testing 18.1 Introduction 18.2 Liver function 18.3 Renal function 18.4 Dyslipidaemia in HIV-infected individuals 18.5 Other biomarkers 18.6 Bone disease in HIV-infected patients 18.7 References 19. Haematology 19.1 Haematological assessment and monitoring 19.2 Recommendations 19.3 References 20. Serology 20.1 Overview 20.2 Hepatitis viruses 20.3 Herpes viruses 20.4 Measles and rubella 20.5 Cytomegalovirus (CMV) 20.6 References 21. Other microbiological screening 21.1 Tuberculosis screening 21.2 Toxoplasma serology 21.3 Tropical screening 21.4 References 22. Sexual health screening including anal and cervical cytology 22.1 Sexual history taking, counselling and sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening 22.2 Cervical and anal cytology 22.3 Recommendations 22.4 References 23. Routine monitoring recommended for specific patient groups 23.1 Women 23.2 Older age 23.3 Injecting drug users 23.4 Individuals coinfected with HBV and HCV 23.5 Late presenters 23.6 References Appendix

We investigate changes made to therapy after a resistance test result and identify factors associated with switching regimen.Patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) who had a resistance test performed during 1998-2007 were included in the analysis. A switch was defined as starting at least two drugs/starting a drug from a class not previously experienced within 4 months of the resistance test result. Logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with switching regimen.Of the 5123 test results included in the analyses, 1874 (36.6%) were followed by a switch within 4 months of the test result. Independent factors associated with switching included genotypic sensitivity score (GSS) of the current regimen [odds ratio (OR) 4.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.95, 5.97 for GSS less than 1 compared to GSS of at least 3] and a higher number of previous failures [1.12 (1.06, 1.18) per additional failed regimen]. Patients with fewer drug options were less likely to switch [0.36 (0.27, 0.48) comparing 0-3 drug options with ≥10 drug options].Only 37% of patients switched regimen within 4 months of the resistance test result. Whilst toxicity concerns of available drugs may somewhat explain this finding, it is also likely that there is a lack of treatment options available for patients who did not switch.

Background. Robust long-term estimates of the risk of development of drug resistance are needed for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) regimens currently used in routine clinical practice.Methods. We followed a large cohort of patients seen in 1 of 11 HIV clinics in the United Kingdom after starting cART with nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors and either a nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) or a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI/r). Survival analysis was employed to estimate the incidence of virological failure and of detected drug resistance.Results. Seven thousand eight hundred ninety-one patients were included; 6448 (82%) started cART with an NNRTI and 1423 (17%) with a PI/r. The cumulative risk of virological failure by 8 years was 28%. The cumulative probabilities of detecting any mutation, >= 1 major nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor International AIDS Society-United States of America (IAS-USA) mutation, >= 1 major NNRTI IAS-USA mutation (in those starting an NNRTI), and >= 1 major PI IAS-USA mutation (in those starting a PI) were 17%, 14%, 15%, and 7%, respectively, by 8 years. The probability of detecting PI mutations in people who started PI/r-based regimens was lower than that of detecting NNRTI mutations in those starting NNRTI-based regimens (adjusted relative hazard, 0.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.50; P < .001). The risk of detecting nucleoside resistance did not vary according to whether an NNRTI or a PI/r was used in the regimen (adjusted relative hazard, 1.00; 95% confidence interval, 0.80-1.26; P = .98).Conclusions. In patients who started modern cART in clinical practice in the United Kingdom, virological failure by 8 years was relatively common and was paralleled by an appreciable risk of resistance detection, although the detection rate of class-specific resistance was lower for those who started a PI/r-based regimen.

A Fakoya, H Lamba, N Mackie, R Nandwani, A Brown, EJ Bernard, C Gilling-Smith, C Lacey, L Sherr, P Claydon, S Wallage and B Gazzard British HIV Association (BHIVA), BHIVA Secretariat, Mediscript Ltd, 1 Mountview Court, 310 Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 OLD, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole Street, London W1G OAE and Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FSRH), 27 Sussex Place, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RG, UK

BACKGROUND The pathogenesis and natural history of HIV-associated immune complex kidney disease (HIVICK) is not well understood. Key questions remain unanswered, including the role of HIV infection and replication in disease development and the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the prevention and treatment of disease. METHODS In this multicentre study, we describe the renal pathology of HIVICK and compare the clinical characteristics of patients with HIVICK with those with IgA nephropathy and HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN). Poisson regression models were used to identify risk factors for each of these pathologies. RESULTS Between 1998 and 2012, 65 patients were diagnosed with HIVICK, 27 with IgA nephropathy and 70 with HIVAN. Black ethnicity and HIV RNA were associated with HIVICK, receipt of ART with IgA nephropathy and black ethnicity and CD4 cell count with HIVAN. HIVICK was associated with lower rates of progression to end-stage kidney disease compared with HIVAN and IgA nephropathy (P < 0.0001). Patients with HIVICK who initiated ART and achieved suppression of HIV RNA experienced improvements in estimated glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest a pathogenic role for HIV replication in the development of HIVICK and that ART may improve kidney function in patients who have detectable HIV RNA at the time of HIVICK diagnosis. Our data also suggest that IgA nephropathy should be viewed as a separate entity and not included in the HIVICK spectrum.

Our objective was to determine the relationship between highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), serum total oestradiol and sexual dysfunction in HIV-infected men. Sexual difficulties were recorded prospectively in a cohort of HIV-negative (or unknown status) gay/bisexual men (MSM) and a cohort of HIV-infected men. The HIV-infected men were divided into those on and not on HAART and by sexuality. Serum total oestradiol and testosterone levels were evaluated where possible. One hundred HIV-negative MSM and 73 HIV-infected men (88% MSM) were analysed. Low libido and erectile dysfunction (ED) were reported in the control group in 2% and 10% respectively. This compared to a prevalence of 26% for both problems in HIV-infected MSM not taking HAART. In those MSM on HAART reduced libido was noted in 48% and ED in 25%. In the group of men taking HAART the mean oestradiol level was 228 pmol/L and was significantly above normal limits. Low libido and ED are more commonly reported in HIV-infected men compared to gay men of negative or unknown status. HAART is associated with a higher prevalence of lack of sexual desire and raised serum oestradiol levels.

Objective The objective of this study is to review clinical outcomes of recommendations made by a multidisciplinary paediatric virtual clinic (PVC) for complex case management of paediatric HIV as a model of care within a tertiary network. Design A retrospective review of the clinical outcomes of paediatric and adolescent (0–21 years) referrals to the PVC at St. Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London was performed between October 2009 and November 2013. Results 234 referrals were made for 182 children from 37 centres, discussed in 42 meetings (median age 13 years, IQR 10–15 years). Reasons for referral included virological failure (44%), simplification of the current regimen (24%) and antiretroviral drug complications (24%). At latest follow-up, PVC advice had been instituted in 80% of referrals. Suppression following virological failure was achieved in 48% following first referral and 57% following subsequent discussions and was maintained in 95% of children referred for regimen simplification. Following advice, dyslipidaemia resolved in 42% and liver function normalised in 73% with biochemical hepatitis. Adherence support aided resolution of viraemia in nine children and 12% of referrals resulted in additional support, including psychology, social services and mental health input. Conclusions Combined multidisciplinary virtual input with adult expertise in resistance and newer agents, paediatric knowledge of pill swallowing, childhood formulations/weight banding and parental support, assists complex treatment decision making in paediatric HIV infection. The Virtual Clinic model could be applied to the management of other rare complex diseases of childhood within a clinical network.

BACKGROUND • Flucloxacillin is a semi-synthetic penicillin, widely used for the management of soft-tissue infections has been associated with druginduced liver injury (DILI) • A recent study using genome-wide association (GWA) methods identified the presence of the HLA-B*5701 allele to be associated with a high risk of DILI (odds ratio= 80.6, P=8.7 x10 -33 ) 1 with the conclusion that HLA-B*5701 may be the main genetic risk factor for flucloxacillininduced liver injury • HLA-B*5701 screening is routinely performed to identify HIV-infected individuals at risk of hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) to the antiretroviral drug, abacavir. As a result, HLA-B*5701 testing is now a routine part of care in many HIV clinics • Given the high prevalence of soft-tissue infections in HIV-1 positive patients, we investigated whether flucloxacillin use was associated with adverse events in a cohort of HIV-infected individuals known to be HLA-B*5701 positive. RESULTS (2)

Objective To evaluate whether the prevalence of HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance has continued to decline in infections probably acquired within the United Kingdom. Design Multicentre observational study. Setting All UK public laboratories conducting tests for genotypic HIV resistance as a part of routine care. Participants 14584 patients infected with HIV-1 subtype B virus, who were first tested for resistance before receiving antiretroviral therapy between January 2002 and December 2009. Main outcome measure Prevalence of transmitted drug resistance, defined as one or more resistance mutations from the surveillance list recommended by the World Health Organization. Results 1654 (11.3%, 95% confidence interval 10.8% to 11.9%) patients had one or more mutations associated with transmitted HIV-1 drug resistance; prevalence was found to decline from 15.5% in 2002 to 9.6% in 2007, followed by a slight increase to 10.9% in 2009 (P=0.21). This later rise was mainly a result of increases in resistance to nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (from 5.4% in 2007 to 6.6% in 2009, P=0.24) and protease inhibitors (1.5% to 2.1%, P=0.12). Thymidine analogue mutations, including T215 revertants, remained the most frequent mutations associated with nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, despite a considerable fall in stavudine and zidovudine use between 2002 and 2009 (from 29.4% of drug regimens in 2002 to 0.8% in 2009, from 47.9% to 8.8%, respectively). Conclusions The previously observed decline in the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance in HIV-1 infections probably acquired in the UK seems to have stabilised. The continued high prevalence of thymidine analogue mutations suggests that the source of this resistance may be increasingly from patients who have not undergone antiretroviral therapy and who harbour resistant viruses. Testing of all newly diagnosed HIV-1 positive people should be continued.

CXCR4-tropic (X4) HIV-1 variants are associated with faster disease progression compared with CCR5-tropic variants; however, the mechanism for this is unclear. We measured T-cell activation in 120 individuals with primary HIV-1 infection. X4-utilizing variants, determined genotypically, were present in 8.3% of the participants and were associated with higher levels of CD4 T-cell activation, even after adjusting for other prognostic factors. Increased CD4 T-cell activation may influence the more rapid immunological decline associated with X4 virus.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HIV RNA load may be associated with central nervous system (CNS) disease in HIV infected subjects. We investigated parameters associated with CSF HIV RNA within a large clinical cohort.All HIV infected subjects undergoing CSF examination including assessment of CSF HIV RNA at St. Mary's Hospital, London, UK between January 2008 and October 2010 were included. Parameters associated with a detectable CSF HIV RNA load were assessed using linear regression modelling. CSF viral escape was defined as CSF RNA0.5 log(10) copies/mL greater than plasma HIV RNA and200 copies/mL where plasma HIV RNA50 copies/mL.Of 142 subjects, 99 were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Plasma HIV RNA was50 copies/mL in 69 subjects. CSF examination was performed for investigation of presumed HIV encephalopathy (IxHE, n = 57), other CNS diseases considered HIV related (n = 39), syphilis (n = 20) and CNS presentations not considered HIV related (n = 26). CSF viral escape was present in 30/142 (21%) subjects overall and in 9/69 (13%) of those on ART with undetectable plasma HIV RNA. Overall, plasma HIV RNA load was significantly associated with detectable CSF HIV RNA (p ≤ 0.001). In subjects with plasma HIV RNA50 copies/mL, only CNS penetration effectiveness (CPE, 2008) score of2 was significantly associated with detectable CSF HIV RNA (p = 0.044). In patients undergoing LP for IxHE both plasma HIV RNA and CPE scores were independently associated with detectable CSF HIV RNA (p = 0.0190.003 respectively) which was not observed in subjects undergoing CSF examination for other medical reasons.In a clinical setting, CSF viral escape is observed frequently in 21% of subjects and is associated with different parameters depending on the clinical scenario.

orrigendum to “Lessons from IAVI-006, a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate the afety and immunogenicity of the pTHr.HIVA DNA and MVA.HIVA vaccines in a rime-boost strategy to induce HIV-1 specific T-cell responses in healthy olunteers” [Vaccine 26 (2008) 6671–6677] . Guimaraes-Walkera,∗, N. Mackieb, S. McCormackc, T. Hankea, C. Schmidt f, J. Gilmourd, B. Barine, . McMichaela, J. Weberb, K. Leggb, A. Babikerc, P. Hayesd, F. Gotchd, C. Smithe, L. Dallye, . Dorrell a, I. Ceberea, R. Kaya, N. Winstonea, S. Moorea, N. Goonetillekea, P. Fast f, IAVI-006 study group1

Background: Determination of HIV-1 tropism is a pre-requisite to the use of CCR5 antagonists. This study evaluated the potential of population genotypic tropism tests (GTTs) in clinical practice, and the correlation with phenotypic tropism tests (PTTs) in patients accessing routine HIV care. Methods: Forty-nine consecutive plasma samples for which an original Trofile TM assay was performed were obtained from triple-class-experienced patients in need of a therapy change. Viral tropism was defined as the consensus of three or more tropism calls obtained from the combination of two independent population PTT assays (Trofile Biosciences, San Francisco, CA, USA, and Virco, Beerse, Belgium), population GTTs and GTTs based on ultra-deep sequencing. If no consensus was reached, a clonal PTT was performed in order to finalize the tropism call. This two-step approach allowed the definition of a reference tropism call. Results: According to the reference tropism result, 35/49 samples were CCR5 tropic (R5) (patients eligible for maraviroc treatment) and 14/49 were assigned as non-R5 tropic. The non-R5 samples [patients not eligible for maraviroc treatment according to the FDA/European Medicines Agency (EMEA) label] group included both the CXCR4 (X4) samples and the dual and mixed CCR5/CXCR4 (R5/X4) samples. Compared with Trofile TM population PTTs, population GTTs showed a higher sensitivity (97%) and a higher negative predictive value (91%), but almost equal specificity and an equal positive predictive value. Conclusions: In line with recent reports from clinical trial data, our data support the use of population genotypic tropism testing as a tool for tropism determination before the start of maraviroc.

BackgroundNucleoside-sparing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) regimens might be an attractive therapeutic option for HIV type-1 (HIV-1)-infected patients; however, the pharmacokinetic profiles of such regimens are frequently unknown.MethodsFourteen HIV-1-infected patients (age 21–55 years, 64% male) on stable cART with plasma HIV RNA ResultsNo statistically significant differences in pharmacokinetic parameters were observed between period 2 versus period 1. During period 3, darunavir GMR (95% confidence interval) values for trough and maximum plasma concentration (Ctroughand Cmax), area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) and elimination half-life (t1/2) were 0.64 ng/ml (0.44–0.93), 1.05 ng/ ml (0.90–1.24), 0.92 ng h/ml (0.78–1.08) and 0.69 h (0.46–1.05), respectively, when compared with period 1. No statistically significant changes were observed in ritonavir or raltegravir pharmacokinetic parameters. Darunavir CtroughConclusionsDarunavir Ctroughis reduced by 36% when administered without tenofovir/emtricitabine in HIV-1 -infected patients. This interaction might be of clinical significance in the management of individuals with protease-resistant HIV viral isolates.

This study characterized the prevalence and patterns of antiretroviral-drug-resistance mutations according to plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA load in a large population of patients with HIV-1 infection who underwent testing for resistance mutations in routine clinical practice. HIV-1 genotypic resistance test results with linked clinical data were obtained from national resistance and clinical databases in the United Kingdom. Among 7861 tests, detection of > or =1 resistance mutation was most frequent at viral loads of 300-10,000 copies/mL and decreased statistically significantly at viral loads of >10,000 copies/mL. Major resistance mutations were commonly detected in the subset of tests that were performed among patients with viral loads of

IntroductionTwo recent studies have highlighted low rates of virological response to once daily nevirapine containing combination antiretroviral therapy (CART) in treatment naïve HIV-1 infected subjects.AimWe assessed factors associated with treatment responses in a cohort of HIV-1 infected, therapy naïve individuals, commencing nevirapine CART with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) containing either lamivudine or emtricitabine.ResultsBetween January 2002 and 2006, 173 subjects (80 female) met the study inclusion criteria. All subjects initially commenced on twice daily nevirapine with six different NRTI backbones. Mean follow up was 802 days. 49 (28%) subjects switched to once daily nevirapine, 23 (13%) within the first year. After 48 weeks of therapy, HIV RNA was < 50 copies/mL in 154/173 subjects (89%). A trend was observed towards improved virological outcome (HIV RNA < 50 copies/mL) and switching to once daily nevirapine during the first year of therapy (p=0.051).ConclusionWhilst awaiting the results of prospective studies assessing once daily nevirapine, our data describe high treatment success rates and good safety responses when switching to once daily nevirapine.

There will be a continued imperative to recruit large numbers of healthy volunteers to early phase prophylactic HIV vaccine (PHV) trials. We studied mechanisms associated with participation in two related phase II PHV trials. The most cited reasons for volunteering were altruism and a personal connection to HIV. The most successful recruiting strategies targeted organisations dealing with HIV, health or social issues, or were directed to large audiences through the mass media. However, circulated emails and word of mouth were the most resource-effective approaches. Group discussions and the collection of a pool of potential volunteers were much less effective than one-to-one discussions and immediate screening after recruitment. We utilised our findings to devise key recommendations to assist PHV trial teams who are planning future studies.

Abacavir is metabolized primarily by two enzymes: alcohol dehydrogenase and gluconyl transferase. Under normal conditions, alcohol is hepatically cleared via alcohol dehydrogenase to acetaldehyde, and subsequently by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ACD) to acetic acid. Disulfiram acts as an ACD blocker. Abacavir may also act as an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase, which raises the possibility of disulfiram-like reactions (if complete inhibition occurs) or reduced alcohol tolerance (if partial inhibition occurs) occurring with abacavir therapy.

The worrying finding that up to 19% of newly diagnosed HIV-1 cases in the UK have genotypic evidence of transmitted drug-resistant HIV-1 (TrDR-HIV-1) does not concur with levels observed in one London centre. A study of the prevalence of resistance in primary HIV infection and newly diagnosed antiretroviral-naive individuals demonstrated significantly lower levels of TrDR-HIV-1 than previously reported. Variations in the prevalence of TrDR-HIV-1 may reflect the heterogeneity of methodologies and definitions used for resistance.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genetic diversity is a major obstacle for the design of a successful vaccine. Certain viral polymorphisms encode human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-associated immune escape, potentially overcoming limited vaccine protection. Although transmission of immune escape variants has been reported, the overall extent to which this phenomenon occurs in populations and the degree to which it contributes to HIV-1 viral evolution are unknown. Selection on the HIV-1 env gene at transmission favors neutralization-sensitive variants, but it is not known to what degree selection acts on the internal HIV-1 proteins to restrict or enhance the transmission of immune escape variants. Studies have suggested that HLA class I may determine susceptibility to HIV-1 infection, but a definitive role for HLA at transmission remains unproven. Comparing populations of acute seroconverters and chronically infected patients, we found no evidence of selection acting to restrict transmission of HIV-1 variants. We found that statistical associations previously reported in chronic infection between viral polymorphisms and HLA class I alleles are not present in acute infection, suggesting that the majority of viral polymorphisms in these patients are the result of transmission rather than de novo adaptation. Using four episodes of HIV-1 transmission in which the donors and recipients were both sampled very close to the time of infection we found that, despite a transmission bottleneck, genetic variants of HIV-1 infection are transmitted in a frequency-dependent manner. As HIV-1 infections are seeded by unique donor-adapted viral variants, each episode is a highly individual antigenic challenge. Host-specific, idiosyncratic HIV-1 antigenic diversity will seriously tax the efficacy of immunization based on consensus sequences.

Objective To determine the pharmacokinetics of cessation of nevirapine (NVP) in order to design clinical protocols which will reduce the risk of resistance to nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). Methods In a case study, NNRTI genotypic resistance was demonstrated in a patient discontinuing therapy for toxicity. Subsequently, nine patients receiving NVP-containing antiretroviral regimens and stopping treatment were recruited. Patients were advised to continue the nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) backbone for 5 days following cessation of NVP. Plasma NVP concentrations were determined over 7–10 days after the last dose. HIV-1 reverse transcriptase genotyping was performed at viral load rebound (approximately day 21 following cessation) to detect mutations associated with reduced NNRTI sensitivity. Results The median predicted time for plasma NVP concentration to fall below the inhibitory concentration (IC)50 of wild-type virus was 168 h (range 108–264 h). De novo genotypic mutations conferring resistance to NRTIs or NNRTIs were not demonstrated following cessation of therapy. Conclusions The prolonged elimination half-life of NVP compared with NRTIs, which persists even after 20 weeks of therapy, raises concern over the development of NNRTI resistance if all three drugs are stopped together. Continuation of the NRTI backbone for a further 5 days, allowing the elimination of NVP, may avoid the development of drug resistance.

We modified the Abbott diagnostics HIV-1 Viroseq version 2 assay trade mark in order to detect the presence of HIV-1 drug resistance mutations in patients with viraemia below 1000 copies/ml of plasma. One hundred and forty-four patients with a detectable HIV-1 plasma viral load below 1000 copies/ml were selected and HIV-1 genetic analysis carried out using a modification of the Abbott Diagnostics Viroseq 2.0 assay trade mark. The procedure differs from the standard protocol in that a nested PCR amplification step was introduced. The oligonucleotide primers for the first round of PCR were those supplied in the RT-PCR module of the kit. The nested PCR primers were primers A and H taken from the sequencing module. One hundred and twenty-eight out of 144 (89%) plasma samples with an HIV-1 viral load of less than 1000 copies/ml (ranging from 54 to 992 copies) were successfully sequenced. HIV-1 genotypes were obtained from 68 out of 81 (84%) samples with a viral load of greater than 50 but less than 300 copies/ml and 60/63 (95%) of samples with a viral load of greater than 300 but less than 1000 copies/ml. Serial dilution of a sample with a high viral load did not affect the detection of resistance mutations. Multiple sequencing of samples with low viral load did not result in detection of additional mutations, although, in one sample the K103N mutation was detected in 3/6 replicates while wild-type was detected in 2/6 and a mixture of wild-type/mutant in 1/6. Samples from patients infected with both clade B and non-B clades of HIV-1 could be genotyped at low copy number. Modification of the Abbott Viroseq assay allows reproducible sequencing of the HIV-1 genome from patients with low, but detectable, plasma virus burden.

Introduction : Due to discontinuation of the Siemens Versant HIV-1 RNA (bDNA) assay in the UK, our laboratory switched to the Roche Cobas Ampliprep/Taqman HIV-1 viral load (VL) assay (Roche) in April 2013. This assay has a lower cut-off of 20 RNA copies/mL (compared with

Introduction: Darunavir (DRV) is a preferred agent in treatment guidelines for ART-naive and experienced patients [1]. It is considered to have a high genetic barrier to resistance and 11 resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) are recognized by IAS-USA [2]. These have largely been identified by analyses examining the correlation between baseline genotype and virological response [3]. However, there is little information on RAMs that are directly selected by DRV, outside of short-term clinical trials. We aimed to identify emerging mutations by comparing the genotypes of individuals before and after DRV exposure. Materials and Methods: The UK HIV Drug Resistance Database was used to identify patients aged over 16 who had received at least 30 days of a DRV-containing regimen. Patients were included if they had a “baseline” resistance test, prior to DRV exposure, and a “repeat” test, either on DRV or within 30 days of stopping this agent. To avoid attributing the effects of other PIs on emerging RAMs to DRV, patients were excluded if they had received another PI for greater than 90 days between the baseline genotype and the start of DRV. The baseline and repeat tests were compared to determine the nature of mutations stratified by PI history. Results: A total of 5623 patients had DRV, of whom 306 met the inclusion criteria. A total of 228 (74.5%) were male, median age at the start of DRV was 42 years (IQR 37–47), and half had subtype B infection. The mode of transmission was homosexual contact for 50%, heterosexual for 38%, and 3% were injection drug users. The median CD4 count at the start of DRV was 257 cells/mm 3 (IQR 94–453). A total of 149 patients (49%) had a history of PI use prior to DRV, and 157 (51%) were PI-naive. The most common previous PIs were lopinavir, atazanavir, and saquinavir. Baseline DRV RAMs were present in 1 (0.6%) PI-naive and 20 (13.4%) PI-experienced patients. Mutations emerged under DRV pressure in a further 3 (1.9%) PI-naive patients, and in 7 (4.7%) PI-experienced patients, 5 of whom had other DRV RAMs present at baseline (Table 1). The median time from the start of DRV to the repeat test was 196 days for PI-naive patients and 296 days for PI-experienced. Conclusions: PI-experienced patients had a greater prevalence of DRV RAMs at baseline than PI-naive individuals, probably due to the fact that some DRV RAMs can be selected by other PIs. This group also accumulated more RAMs during DRV exposure, possibly because previous PIs had caused minority variants which then emerged on DRV therapy. Overall, only 10 patients accumulated 16 RAMs, which supports the perception that DRV has a high genetic barrier to resistance. Repeat genotyping in the case of virological failure on DRV may still be warranted to detect emerging resistance and guide management decisions. (Published: 2 November 2014) Citation: Abstracts of the HIV Drug Therapy Glasgow Congress 2014 El Bouzidi K et al. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2014, 17(Suppl 3): 19739 http://www.jiasociety.org/index.php/jias/article/view/19739 | http://dx.doi.org/10.7448/IAS.17.4.19739