Integration of HIV care into maternal and child health services in the global IeDEA consortium

The WHO recommends the integration of routine HIV services within maternal and child health (MCH) services to reduce the fragmentation of and to promote retention in care for pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV (WWH) and their infants and children exposed to HIV (ICEH). During 2020–2021, we surveyed 202 HIV treatment sites across 40 low- and middle-income countries within the global International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium. We determined the proportion of sites providing HIV services integrated within MCH clinics, defined as full [HIV care and antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation in MCH clinic], partial (HIV care or ART initiation in MCH clinic), or no integration. Among sites serving pregnant WWH, 54% were fully and 21% partially integrated, with the highest proportions of fully integrated sites in Southern Africa (80%) and East Africa (76%) compared to 14%–40% in other regions (i.e., Asia-Pacific; the Caribbean, Central and South America Network for HIV Epidemiology; Central Africa; West Africa). Among sites serving postpartum WWH, 51% were fully and 10% partially integrated, with a similar regional integration pattern to sites serving pregnant WWH. Among sites serving ICEH, 56% were fully and 9% were partially integrated, with the highest proportions of fully integrated sites in East Africa (76%), West Africa (58%) and Southern Africa (54%) compared to ≤33% in the other regions. Integration was heterogenous across IeDEA regions and most prevalent in East and Southern Africa. More research is needed to understand this heterogeneity and the impacts of integration on MCH outcomes globally

Integration of HIV care into maternal and child health services in the global IeDEA consortium

The WHO recommends the integration of routine HIV services within maternal and child health (MCH) services to reduce the fragmentation of and to promote retention in care for pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV (WWH) and their infants and children exposed to HIV (ICEH). During 2020–2021, we surveyed 202 HIV treatment sites across 40 low- and middle-income countries within the global International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium. We determined the proportion of sites providing HIV services integrated within MCH clinics, defined as full [HIV care and antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation in MCH clinic], partial (HIV care or ART initiation in MCH clinic), or no integration. Among sites serving pregnant WWH, 54% were fully and 21% partially integrated, with the highest proportions of fully integrated sites in Southern Africa (80%) and East Africa (76%) compared to 14%–40% in other regions (i.e., Asia-Pacific; the Caribbean, Central and South America Network for HIV Epidemiology; Central Africa; West Africa). Among sites serving postpartum WWH, 51% were fully and 10% partially integrated, with a similar regional integration pattern to sites serving pregnant WWH. Among sites serving ICEH, 56% were fully and 9% were partially integrated, with the highest proportions of fully integrated sites in East Africa (76%), West Africa (58%) and Southern Africa (54%) compared to ≤33% in the other regions. Integration was heterogenous across IeDEA regions and most prevalent in East and Southern Africa. More research is needed to understand this heterogeneity and the impacts of integration on MCH outcomes globally

Reducing time to differentiated service delivery for newly diagnosed people living with HIV in Kigali, Rwanda: study protocol for a pilot, unblinded, randomised controlled study

Introduction Current HIV guidelines recommend differentiated service delivery (DSD) models that allow for fewer health centre visits for clinically stable people living with HIV (PLHIV). Newly diagnosed PLHIV may require more intensive care early in their treatment course, yet frequent appointments can be burdensome to patients and health systems. Determining the optimal parameters for defining clinical stability and transitioning to less frequent appointments could decrease patient burden and health system costs. The objectives of this pilot study are to explore the feasibility and acceptability of (1) reducing the time to DSD from 12 to 6 months after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation,and (2) reducing the number of suppressed viral loads required to enter DSD from two to one.Methods and analyses The present study is a pilot, unblinded trial taking place in three health facilities in Kigali, Rwanda. Current Rwandan guidelines require PLHIV to be on ART for ≥12 months with two consecutive suppressed viral loads in order to transition to less frequent appointments. We will randomise 90 participants to one of three arms: entry into DSD at 6 months after one suppressed viral load (n=30), entry into DSD at 6 months after two suppressed viral loads (n=30) or current standard of care (n=30). We will measure feasibility and acceptability of this intervention; clinical outcomes include viral suppression at 12 months (primary outcome) and appointment attendance (secondary outcome).Ethics and dissemination This clinical trial was approved by the institutional review board of Albert Einstein College of Medicine and by the Rwanda National Ethics Committee. Findings will be disseminated through conferences and peer-reviewed publications, as well as meetings with stakeholders.Trial registration number NCT04567693

Experiences of stigma and HIV care engagement in the context of Treat All in Rwanda: a qualitative study

Abstract Background ‘Treat All’ policies recommending immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART) soon after HIV diagnosis for all people living with HIV (PLHIV) are now ubiquitous in sub-Saharan Africa. While early ART initiation and retention is effective at curtailing disease progression and transmission, evidence suggests that stigma may act as a barrier to engagement in care. This study sought to understand the relationships between HIV stigma and engagement in care for PLHIV in Rwanda in the context of Treat All. Methods Between September 2018 and March 2019, we conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews with adult PLHIV receiving care at two health centers in Kigali, Rwanda. We used a grounded theory approach to data analysis to develop conceptual framework describing how stigma influences HIV care engagement in the context of early Treat All policy implementation in Rwanda. Results Among 37 participants, 27 (73%) were women and the median age was 31 years. Participants described how care engagement under Treat All, including taking medications and attending appointments, increased their visibility as PLHIV. This served to normalize HIV and use of ART but also led to high levels of anticipated stigma in the health center and community at early stages of treatment. Enacted stigma from family and community members and resultant internalized stigma acted as additional barriers to care engagement. Nonetheless, participants described how psychosocial support from care providers and family members helped them cope with stigma and promoted continued engagement in care. Conclusions Treat All policy in Rwanda has heightened the visibility of HIV at the individual and social levels, which has influenced HIV stigma, normalization, psychosocial support and care engagement in complex ways. Leveraging the individual and community support described by PLHIV to deliver evidence-based, peer or provider-delivered stigma reduction interventions may aid in attaining Treat All goals

High Levels of Viral Load Monitoring and Viral Suppression Under Treat All in Rwanda - a cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: Aiming to reach UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets, nearly all sub-Saharan African countries have expanded antiretroviral therapy (ART) to all people living with HIV (PLWH) (Treat All). Few published data exist on viral load testing and viral suppression under Treat All in this region. We assessed proportions of patients with available viral load test results and who were virally suppressed, as well as factors associated with viral suppression, among PLWH in 10 Rwandan health centres after Treat All implementation. METHODS: Cross-sectional study during 2018 of adults (≥15 years) engaged in HIV care at 10 Rwandan health centres. Outcomes were being on ART (available ART initiation date in the study database, with no ART discontinuation prior to 1 January 2018), retained on ART (≥2 post-ART health centre visits ≥90 days apart during 2018), available viral load test results (viral load measured in 2018 and available in study database) and virally suppressed (most recent 2018 viral load/mL). We used modified Poisson regression models accounting for clustering by health centre to determine factors associated with being virally suppressed. RESULTS: Of 12,238 patients, 7050 (58%) were female and 1028 (8%) were aged 15 to 24 years. Nearly all patients (11,933; 97%) were on ART, of whom 11,198 (94%) were retained on ART. Among patients retained on ART, 10,200 (91%) had available viral load results; of these 9331 (91%) were virally suppressed. Viral suppression was less likely among patients aged 15 to 24 compared to \u3e49 years (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR): 0.83, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.90 and those with pre-ART CD4 counts of≥500 cells/mm CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort of Rwandan PLWH receiving HIV care after Treat All implementation, patients in study health centres have surpassed the third UNAIDS 90-90-90 target. To ensure all PLWH fully benefit from ART, additional efforts should focus on improving ART adherence among younger persons

Association Between Time to Antiretroviral Therapy and Loss to Care Among Newly Diagnosed Rwandan People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Despite improved clinical outcomes of initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) soon after diagnosis, conflicting evidence exists regarding the impact of same-day ART initiation on subsequent clinical outcomes. We aimed to characterize the associations of time to ART initiation with loss to care and viral suppression in a cohort of newly diagnosed people living with HIV (PLHIV) entering care after Rwanda implemented a national Treat All policy. We conducted a secondary analysis of routinely collected data of adult PLHIV enrolling in HIV care at 10 health facilities in Kigali, Rwanda. Time from enrollment to ART initiation was categorized as same day, 1-7 days, or \u3e7 days. We examined associations between time to ART and loss to care (\u3e120 days since last health facility visit) using Cox proportional hazards models, and between time to ART and viral suppression using logistic regression. Of 2,524 patients included in this analysis, 1,452 (57.5%) were women and the median age was 32 (interquartile range: 26-39). Loss to care was more frequent among patients who initiated ART on the same day (15.9%), compared with those initiating ART 1-7 days (12.3%) or \u3e7 days (10.1%),  \u3c .001. In multivariable analyses, same-day ART initiation was associated with a greater hazard of loss to care compared with initiating \u3e7 days after enrollment (adjusted hazard ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.85). A total of 1,698 (67.3%) had available data on viral load measured within 455 days after enrollment. Of these, 1,476 (87%) were virally suppressed. A higher proportion of patients initiating ART on the same day were virally suppressed (89%) compared with those initiating 1-7 days (84%) or \u3e7 days (88%) after enrollment. This association was not statistically significant. Our findings suggest that ensuring adequate, early support for PLHIV initiating ART rapidly may be important to improve retention in care for newly diagnosed PLHIV in the era of Treat All

Anogenital Human Papillomavirus and HIV Infection in Rwandan Men Who Have Sex With Men.

BackgroundMen who have sex with men (MSM) have a high prevalence of anal and penile human papillomavirus (HPV) infections with MSM living with HIV (MSMLH) bearing the highest rates. Data on anogenital high-risk HPV (hrHPV) among MSM in Rwanda and the associated risk factors are scant.MethodsWe recruited 350 self-identified MSM aged 18 years living in Kigali, Rwanda, with 300 recruited from the community and 50 from partner clinics. Anal and penile specimens from all participants were analyzed for hrHPV using the AmpFire platform. Logistic regression was used to calculate crude odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted ORs (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) as a measure of association between various factors and anal and penile hrHPV infection prevalence.ResultsAnal hrHPV prevalence was 20.1%, was positively associated with having receptive anal sex with more partners (aOR: 9.21, 95% CI: 3.66 to 23.14), and was negatively associated with having insertive anal sex with more partners (aOR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.66). Penile hrHPV prevalence was 35.0%, was negatively associated with having receptive anal sex with more partners (aOR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.66), and differed significantly by HIV status, with 55.2% and 29.7% for MSMLH and HIV-negative MSM, respectively (P < 0.01).ConclusionPenile hrHPV prevalence was higher than that of anal hrHPV and it was significantly higher in Rwandan MSMLH than in HIV-negative MSM. The prevalence of anal and penile HPV infections is likely variable at different locations in Africa, according to a number of factors including HIV status and sexual practices

Anogenital Human Papillomavirus and HIV Infection in Rwandan Men Who Have Sex With Men.

BackgroundMen who have sex with men (MSM) have a high prevalence of anal and penile human papillomavirus (HPV) infections with MSM living with HIV (MSMLH) bearing the highest rates. Data on anogenital high-risk HPV (hrHPV) among MSM in Rwanda and the associated risk factors are scant.MethodsWe recruited 350 self-identified MSM aged 18 years living in Kigali, Rwanda, with 300 recruited from the community and 50 from partner clinics. Anal and penile specimens from all participants were analyzed for hrHPV using the AmpFire platform. Logistic regression was used to calculate crude odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted ORs (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) as a measure of association between various factors and anal and penile hrHPV infection prevalence.ResultsAnal hrHPV prevalence was 20.1%, was positively associated with having receptive anal sex with more partners (aOR: 9.21, 95% CI: 3.66 to 23.14), and was negatively associated with having insertive anal sex with more partners (aOR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.66). Penile hrHPV prevalence was 35.0%, was negatively associated with having receptive anal sex with more partners (aOR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.13 to 0.66), and differed significantly by HIV status, with 55.2% and 29.7% for MSMLH and HIV-negative MSM, respectively (P < 0.01).ConclusionPenile hrHPV prevalence was higher than that of anal hrHPV and it was significantly higher in Rwandan MSMLH than in HIV-negative MSM. The prevalence of anal and penile HPV infections is likely variable at different locations in Africa, according to a number of factors including HIV status and sexual practices

Comparison of AmpFire and MY09/11 assays for HPV genotyping in anogenital specimen of Rwandan men who have sex with men

IntroductionThe AmpFire HPV genotyping Assay (Atila Biosystems, Mountain View, CA, USA) is a new test for which there are few data regarding its analytic performance and reliability. Using anal and penile swab specimens from a cohort study of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Rwanda, we compared high-risk HPV (hrHPV) detection by AmpFire done at two laboratories, one at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and the other Rwanda Military Hospital, and well-validated MY09/11-based assay done at UCSF.MethodsAnal and penile specimens collected from 338 MSM from March 2016 to September 2016 were tested for high-risk HPV genotypes (hrHPV) by MY09/11, AmpFire UCSF and AmpFire RMH. Cohen's kappa coefficient was used to test for reproducibility.ResultsThe hrHPV positivity by MY09/11 and AmpFire UCSF was 13% and 20.7% (k = 0.73) for anal specimens and was 26.3% and 32.6% (k = 0.67) for penile specimens. Specifically, good reproducibility was for types 16 and 18 (k = 0.69 and k = 0.71) for anal specimens and (k = 0.50 and k = 0.72) for penile specimens. The hrHPV positivity by AmpFire at UCSF and RMH was 20.7% for both laboratories (k = 0.87) for anal specimens and was 34.9% and 31.9% (k = 0.89) for penile specimens. Specifically, excellent reproducibility was for types 16 and 18 for anal specimens (k = 0.80 and k = 1.00) and penile specimens (k = 0.85 and k = 0.91).ConclusionResults show that MY09/11 and AmpFire assays have good reproducibility while the AmpFire UCSF and RMH assays have excellent reproducibility. These results show that AmpFire is a promising HPV genotyping test