Abstract:

OBJECTIVE:

To provide data on incidence of early diagnosis of HIV infections and define prevalence and incidence of asymptomatic STI in MSM.

METHODS:

Prospective cohort study of HIV-uninfected MSM at high-risk for HIV-infection. Participants were selected through a risk-assessment questionnaire, and screened for HIV-infection (quarterly) and for other STIs (yearly): syphilis, hepatitis A, B and C (serology); C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae in penis and rectum and Human Papillomavirus in anus and mouth (PCR).

RESULTS:

Between November 2009 and October 2012, 258 HIV-uninfected MSM at high-risk for HIV-infection were included and followed-up during [median (IQR)] 2 (1.4, 2.5) years. Nineteen acute HIV-infections were diagnosed (incidence: 3.9 per 100 person-years). Prevalence of STIs at baseline was: syphilis 8.4% (95%CI: 5.4-12.7); HCV 2.0% (95%CI: 0.7-4.8); C. trachomatis in penis 3.2% (95%CI:1.5-6.5), in rectum 6.5% (95%CI:3.9-10.5); N. gonorrhoeae in penis 2.0% (95%CI:0.8-5.0), in rectum 6.1% (95%CI:3.6-10.1); HPV in anal canal 75.7% (95%CI:68.8-81.5), in mouth 3.8% (95%CI:1.8-7.7).

CONCLUSIONS:

The implementation of the Check-ear-project in a MSM community centre allowed for the identification of early HIV-infections and asymptomatic STI among MSM. The high incidence of HIV infections and the high prevalence of STIs, strongly supports the recommendation of periodical screenings among sexually active MSM.

• See abstract online
• Codi Doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2017.08.012.
• Autors/ores d’IrsiCaixa: Pep Coll, Christian Brander, Bonaventura Clotet
• Grup de recerca: Immunitat Cel·lular i Genètica de l'Hoste