scholarly journals Differences in Post-mRNA Vaccination SARS-CoV-2 IgG Concentrations and Surrogate Virus Neutralization Test Response by HIV Status and Type of Vaccine: a Matched Case-Control Observational Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew A Spinelli ◽  
Michael J Peluso ◽  
Kara L Lynch ◽  
Cassandra Yun ◽  
David V Glidden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neutralization Test ◽  
Virus Neutralization Test ◽  
Virus Neutralization ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Test Response ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Matched Case ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination, people living with HIV (PLWH) had lower surrogate virus neutralization test response (p=0.03) and a trend towards lower IgG response (p=0.08), particularly among those with lower CD4+T-cell counts and who received the BNT162b2 vaccine. Study of the impact of supplemental vaccine doses among PLWH is needed.

scholarly journals An Integrated Approach to HIV Disclosure for HIV-Affected Families in Thailand

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 232595821983102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jureeporn Jantarapakde ◽  
Chitsanu Pancharoen ◽  
Somsong Teeratakulpisarn ◽  
Pornpen Mathajittiphan ◽  
Rosalin Kriengsinyot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Relationship ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Hiv Disclosure ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Hiv Knowledge ◽  
Group Education ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Programs ◽  
The Impact

Disclosure of HIV status to family members could improve communication, relationship, and cohesion. We evaluated the impact of a family-centered program designed to increase the readiness/willingness of parents to disclose HIV status to their children. People living with HIV (PLWH) with children ≥8 years were surveyed regarding HIV knowledge, family relationship, attitudes, willingness/readiness to disclose, and they were then invited to participate in group education and family camps. Of 367 PLWH surveyed, 0.8% had disclosed, 14.7% had not yet disclosed but were willing/ready to disclose, 50.4% were willing but not ready, and 33.2% did not wish to disclose. The educational sessions and camps led to significant improvements of HIV knowledge and disclosure techniques, and readiness/willingness to disclose. Given the benefits of group education and family camps in supporting PLWH to improve their communication with their families and disclose their HIV status, these supporting activities should be included in HIV programs.

scholarly journals Disclosure of HIV seropositivity to sexual partner in Ethiopia: A systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 174550652110630
Author(s):  
Aklilu Endalamaw ◽  
Yibeltal Assefa ◽  
Demeke Geremew ◽  
Habte Belete ◽  
Berihun Assefa Dachew ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Adjusted Odds Ratio ◽  
Sexual Partners ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Status Disclosure ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: In Ethiopia, the burden of HIV/AIDS is a public health issue that requires significant control of transmission. Once an infection has been established, determinants influence people living with HIV to disclose or not their HIV-positive status to sexual partners. This study assessed the proportion and associated factors of people living with HIV’s disclosure status to sexual partners. Methods: CRD42020149092 is the protocol’s registration number in the PROSPERO database. We searched PubMed, Scopus, African Journals Online, and Google Scholar databases. For the subjective and objective assessment of publication bias, we used a funnel plot and Egger’s regression test, respectively. The I2 statistic was used to assess variation across studies. Meta-analysis of weighted inverse variance random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled proportion. We conducted subgroup and sensitivity analyses to investigate the cause of heterogeneity and the impact of outliers on the overall estimation, respectively. A trend analysis was also performed to show the presence of time variation. Results: The percentage of people living with HIV who disclosed their HIV-positive status to sexual partners was 76.03% (95% confidence interval: 68.78, 83.27). Being on antiretroviral therapy (adjusted odds ratio = 6.19; 95% confidence interval: 2.92, 9.49), cohabiting with partner (adjusted odds ratio = 4.48; 95% confidence interval: 1.24, 7.72), receiving HIV counseling (adjusted odds ratio = 3.94; 95% confidence interval: 2.08, 5.80), having discussion prior to HIV testing (adjusted odds ratio = 4.40; 95% confidence interval: 2.11, 6.69), being aware of partner’s HIV status (adjusted odds ratio = 6.08; 95% confidence interval: 3.05, 9.10), positive relationship with partner (adjusted odds ratio = 4.44; 95% confidence interval:1.28, 7.61), and being member of HIV association (adjusted odds ratio = 3.70; 95% confidence interval: 2.20, 5.20) had positive association with HIV status disclosure. Conclusion: In Ethiopia, more than one-fourth of adults living with HIV did not disclose their HIV-positive status to sexual partners. HIV-positive status disclosure was influenced by psychosocial factors. A multidimensional approach is required to increase seropositive disclosure in Ethiopia.

scholarly journals Undetectable equals untransmittable (U = U): awareness and associations with health outcomes among people living with HIV in 25 countries

2020 ◽  
pp. sextrans-2020-054551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chinyere Okoli ◽  
Nicolas Van de Velde ◽  
Bruce Richman ◽  
Brent Allan ◽  
Erika Castellanos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Missed Opportunities ◽  
Suboptimal Adherence ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact

Objectives‘Undetectable equals Untransmittable’ (U=U) is an empowering message that may enable people living with HIV (PLHIV) to reach and maintain undetectability. We estimated the percentage of PLHIV who ever discussed U=U with their main HIV care provider, and measured associations with health-related outcomes. Secondarily, we evaluated whether the impact of the U=U message varied between those who heard it from their healthcare provider (HCP) vs from elsewhere.MethodsData were from the 25-country 2019 Positive Perspectives Survey of PLHIV on treatment (n=2389). PLHIV were classified as having discussed U=U with their HCP if they indicated that their HCP had ever told them about U=U. Those who had not discussed U=U with their HCP but were nonetheless aware that ‘My HIV medication prevents me from passing on HIV to others’ were classified as being made aware of U=U from non-HCP sources. Multivariable logistic regression was used to measure associations between exposure to U=U messages and health outcomes.ResultsOverall, 66.5% reported ever discussing U=U with their HCP, from 38.0% (South Korea) to 87.3% (Switzerland). Prevalence was lowest among heterosexual men (57.6%) and PLHIV in Asia (51.3%). Compared with those unaware of U=U, those reporting U=U discussions with their HCP had lower odds of suboptimal adherence (AOR=0.59, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.78) and higher odds of self-reported viral suppression (AOR=2.34, 95% CI 1.72 to 3.20), optimal sexual health (AOR=1.48, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.92) and reporting they ‘always shared’ their HIV status (AOR=2.99, 95% CI 1.42 to 6.28). While exposure to U=U information from non-HCP sources was beneficial too, the observed associations were attenuated relative to those seen with reported discussions with HCPs.ConclusionHCP discussion of U=U with PLHIV was associated with favourable health outcomes. However, missed opportunities exist since a third of PLHIV reported not having any U=U discussion with their HCP. U=U discussions with PLHIV should be considered as a standard of care in clinical guidelines.

The impact of living with HIV: differences in experiences of stigma for heterosexual and homosexual people living with HIV in Australia

Sexual Health ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loren Brener ◽  
Hannah Wilson ◽  
Sean Slavin ◽  
John de Wit
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Hiv Stigma ◽  
Heterosexual Transmission ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
Related Stigma ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact

Background HIV in Australia has been closely aligned with the gay community and continues to disproportionately affect members of this community. Although heterosexual transmission remains low, recently there has been an increase in new HIV diagnoses attributable to heterosexual sex. This highlights the need to address the health and social consequences for heterosexual people living with HIV (PLHIV). This subanalysis of a larger study compared the experiences of stigma, health and wellbeing of a sample of gay and heterosexual PLHIV. Methods: Data were drawn from a study of experiences of stigma among PLHIV in Australia. All 49 participants who reported being heterosexual were included, as were 49 participants randomly selected from the 611 gay participants. The samples were compared on perceived HIV stigma, HIV treatment-related stigma, perceived negative reactions of others, HIV status disclosure, and health and wellbeing measures. Results: The findings illustrate that heterosexual PLHIV have more negative experiences in terms of both general HIV stigma and treatment-related stigma than gay PLHIV. The heterosexual PLHIV also perceived greater negative reactions in relation to their HIV status by different people in their social environment and were less likely to access treatment than the gay PLHIV. There were no differences between the two groups in any of the health and wellbeing measures. Conclusions: This study shows that in the Australian context, heterosexual PLHIV may feel more stigmatised than gay PLHIV. In view of lower HIV treatment uptake in heterosexual PLHIV, addressing HIV-related stigma could contribute to increasing access to HIV treatment.

scholarly journals The Lived Experiences of Stigmatization in the Process of HIV Status Disclosure among People Living with HIV in Taiwan

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5089
Author(s):  
Chia-Hui Yu ◽  
Chu-Yu Huang ◽  
Nai-Ying Ko ◽  
Heng-Hsin Tung ◽  
Hui-Man Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Hiv Status Disclosure ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Status Disclosure

People living with HIV (PLWH) face social stigma which makes disclosure of HIV status difficult. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of stigmatization in the process of disease disclosure among PLWH in Taiwan. Analysis of the semi-structured interviews from 19 PLWH in Taiwan revealed two phases and six themes. Phase one “experiences before disclosure” involved three themes: “Struggles under the pressure of concealing the HIV Status,” “Torn between fear of unemployment/isolation and desire to protect closed ones,” and “Being forced to disclose the HIV status.” Phase two “experiences after disclosure” included three themes: “Receiving special considerations and requirements from school or work,” “Receiving differential treatments in life and when seeking medical care,” and “Stress relief and restart.” Healthcare professionals need to assess stigmatization in PLWH and develop individualized approaches to assist with the disease disclosure process.

scholarly journals Consequences of COVID-19 crisis for persons with HIV: the impact of social determinants of health

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristie C. Waterfield ◽  
Gulzar H. Shah ◽  
Gina D. Etheredge ◽  
Osaremhen Ikhile
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Hiv Infections ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Persons Who Inject Drugs ◽  
Persons Living With Hiv ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background With the indiscriminate spread of COVID-19 globally, many populations are experiencing negative consequences such as job loss, food insecurity, and inability to manage existing medical conditions and maintain preventive measures such as social distancing and personal preventative equipment. Some of the most disadvantaged in the COVID-19 era are people living with HIV/AIDS and other autoimmune diseases. Discussion As the number of new HIV infections decrease globally, many subpopulations remain at high risk of infection due to lack of or limited access to prevention services, as well as clinical care and treatment. For persons living with HIV or at higher risk of contracting HIV, including persons who inject drugs or men that have sex with men, the risk of COVID-19 infection increases if they have certain comorbidities, are older than 60 years of age, and are homeless, orphaned, or vulnerable children. The risk of COVID-19 is also more significant for those that live in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, rural, and/or poverty-stricken areas. An additional concern for those living the HIV is the double stigma that may arise if they also test positive for COVID-19. As public health and health care workers try to tackle the needs of the populations that they serve, they are beginning to realize the need for a change in the infrastructure that will include more efficient partnerships between public health, health care, and HIV programs. Conclusion Persons living with HIV that also have other underlying comorbidities are a great disadvantage from the negative consequences of COVID-19. For those that may test positive for both HIV and COVID-19, the increased psychosocial burdens stemming from stress and isolation, as well as, experiencing additional barriers that inhibit access to care, may cause them to become more disenfranchised. Thus, it becomes very important during the current pandemic for these challenges and barriers to be addressed so that these persons living with HIV can maintain continuity of care, as well as, their social and mental support systems.

scholarly journals Five Commercial Immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Determination and Their Comparison and Correlation with the Virus Neutralization Test

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 593
Author(s):  
Václav Šimánek ◽  
Ladislav Pecen ◽  
Zuzana Krátká ◽  
Tomáš Fürst ◽  
Hana Řezáčková ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Neutralization Test ◽  
Young Patients ◽  
Virus Neutralization Test ◽  
Virus Neutralization ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Previous Contact ◽  
Dependent Elderly ◽  
Protein Assays ◽  
Antibody Determination

There is an ongoing debate as to whether SARS-CoV-2 antibodies can be found in patients who have recovered from COVID-19 disease. Currently, there is no consensus on whether the antibodies, if present, are protective. Our regular measurements of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, starting in July 2020, have provided us with the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the five different immunoassays. A total of 149 patients were enrolled in our study. We measured the samples using each immunoassay, then performing a virus neutralization test and comparing the results of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with this test. We observed that the production of neutralizing antibodies is age-dependent. Elderly patients have a higher proportion of high neutralizing titers than young patients. Based on our results, and in combination with the literature findings, we can conclude that the serological SARS-CoV-2 antibody measurement is a helpful tool in the fight against COVID-19. The assays can provide information about the patient’s previous contact with the virus. Anti-spike protein assays correlate well with the virus neutralization test and can be used in the screening of potential convalescent plasma donors.

scholarly journals Free access to antiretroviral treatment and protection against the risk of catastrophic health expenditure in people living with HIV: evidence from Cameroon

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwân-al-Qays Bousmah ◽  
Marie Libérée Nishimwe ◽  
Christopher Kuaban ◽  
Sylvie Boyer
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Health Expenditure ◽  
Antiretroviral Treatment ◽  
Catastrophic Health Expenditure ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Free Access ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Art Policy ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background To foster access to care and reduce the burden of health expenditures on people living with HIV (PLHIV), several sub-Saharan African countries, including Cameroon, have adopted a policy of removing HIV-related fees, especially for antiretroviral treatment (ART). We investigate the impact of Cameroon’s free antiretroviral treatment (ART) policy, enacted in May 2007, on catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) risk according to socioeconomic status, in PLHIV enrolled in the country’s treatment access program. Methods Based on primary data from two cross-sectional surveys of PLHIV outpatients in 2006–2007 and 2014 (i.e., before and after the policy’s implementation, respectively), we used inverse propensity score weighting to reduce covariate imbalances between participants in both surveys, combined with probit regressions of CHE incidence. The analysis included participants treated with ART in one of the 11 HIV services common to both surveys (n = 1275). Results The free ART policy was associated with a significantly lower risk of CHE only in the poorest PLHIV while no significant effect was found in lower-middle or upper socioeconomic status PLHIV. Unexpectedly, the risk of CHE was higher in those with middle socioeconomic status after the policy’s implementation. Conclusions Our findings suggest that Cameroon’s free ART policy is pro-poor. As it only benefitted PLHIV with the lowest socioeconomic status, increased comprehensive HIV care coverage is needed to substantially reduce the risk of CHE and the associated risk of impoverishment for all PLHIV.

scholarly journals Vaccine responses in ageing and chronic viral infection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloe Rees-Spear ◽  
Laura E McCoy
Keyword(s):  
Viral Infections ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Chronic Infections ◽  
Vaccine Responses ◽  
Inflammatory Conditions ◽  
Immunological Changes ◽  
Cellular Responsiveness ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Lay Summary Improved life expectancy in recent years has led to a growing population of adults over the age of 60. Age is commonly associated with increased inflammatory conditions and infections. Similar immunological changes have been observed during chronic infections, in particular HIV, where this is compounded by the success of antiretroviral therapy that has increased the number of people living with HIV into their sixties and beyond. The increased susceptibility of these groups to infection makes vaccination all the more important. However, the alterations to their immune systems call into question how effective those vaccinations may be. Here we discuss vaccine efficacy within elderly and chronically infected populations and investigate the immunological changes that may impact vaccine responsiveness. Over the last few decades, changing population demographics have shown that there is a growing number of individuals living past the age of 60. With this expanding older population comes an increase in individuals that are more susceptible to chronic illness and disease. An important part of maintaining health in this population is through prophylactic vaccination, however, there is growing evidence that vaccines may be less effective in the elderly. Furthermore, with the success of anti-viral therapies, chronic infections such as HIV are becoming increasingly prevalent in older populations and present a relatively unstudied population with respect to the efficacy of vaccination. Here we will examine the evidence for age-associated reduction in antibody and cellular responsiveness to a variety of common vaccines, and investigate the underlying causes attributed to this phenomenon, such as inflammation and senescence. We will also discuss the impact of chronic viral infections on immune responses in both young and elderly patients, particularly those living with HIV, and how this affects vaccinations in these populations.

Causes and outcomes of hospitalizations among people living with HIV in Georgia’s referral institution, 2012–2017

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 662-670
Author(s):  
Nino Rukhadze ◽  
Ole Kirk ◽  
Nikoloz Chkhartishvili ◽  
Natalia Bolokadze ◽  
Lali Sharvadze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Clinical Immunology ◽  
Fatal Outcome ◽  
Cd4 Count ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Lethal Outcome ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Cd4 Cell Counts ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
Cd4 Cell

We assessed trends in causes and outcomes of hospitalization among people living with HIV (PLWH) admitted to the Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center (IDACIRC) in Tbilisi, Georgia. Retrospective analysis included adult PLWH admitted to IDACIRC for at least 24 h. Internationally validated categorization was used to split AIDS admissions into mild, moderate, and severe AIDS. A total of 2085 hospitalizations among 1123 PLWH were registered over 2012–2017 with 65.1% (731/1123) of patients presenting with CD4 count <200. Of 2085 hospitalizations, 931 (44.7%) were due to AIDS-defining illnesses. In 2012, AIDS conditions accounted for 50.3% of admissions compared to 41.6% in 2017 ( p = 0.16). Overall, 167 hospitalizations (8.0%) resulted in lethal outcome. AIDS admissions had higher mortality than non-AIDS admissions (11.5% vs 5.2%, p < 0.0001). Among 167 deceased patients, 137 (82.0%) had CD4 count <200 at admission. In multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with mortality included severe AIDS versus non-AIDS admission (OR 2.81, 95% CI: 1.10–7.15), CD4 cell counts <50 (OR 4.34, 95% CI: 2.52–7.47), and 50–100 (OR 2.37, 95% CI: 1.27–4.42) versus >200. Active AIDS disease remains a significant cause of hospitalization and fatal outcome in Georgia. Earlier diagnosis of HIV is critical for decreasing AIDS hospitalizations and mortality.

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