Sexually transmitted diseases as a risk for acquiring HIV infection among the population of men who have sex with men - A Case Control Study

At the beginning of the 1980-ies, HIV infection and AIDS were described for the first time, this among the population of men who have sex with other men. Nearly thirty years later, the MSM population is still a population under heightened risk for acquiring HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases. This study investigates sexually transmitted diseases as a risk for HIV infection. A total of 296 men who have sex with men (MSM) were included in this case control study. Differences among the frequencies of sexually transmitted diseases among the MSM of HIV positive and HIV negative status were tested. The history of HIV positive more often states falling ill with sexually transmitted diseases than this was the case before they became HIV positive, unlike those MSM who are not HIV infected (45,9% : 11,1% that is OR 6,79, 95% CI 3,49-13,19). Hepatitis B infection is more frequent in HIV positive MSM (11,5% : 1,9%; OR 6,58, 95%CI 1,86-23,3). The frequency of gonorrhea in case history of HIV positive MSM is significantly higher than in the HIV negative group (11,5% : 3,8%, OR 3,24 , 95%CI 1,13-9,34). In the group of HIV positive MSM, unlike the HIV negative group, syphilis (14,8 : 1,0%, OR 17,74 , 95%CI 3,43-122,87) and genital herpes (8,2% : 0,5%, OR 18,39 , 95%CI 2,03-424,7) are more frequent . The results of this study will be used in future preventive activities focused on the population of MSM, as a population under particular risk for acquiring sexually transmitted infections

Trends in HIV surveillance data in the EU/EEA, 2005 to 2014: New HIV diagnoses still increasing in men who have sex with men

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission remains significant in Europe. Rates of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have declined, but not in all countries. New HIV diagnoses have increased among native and foreign-born men who have sex with men. Median CD4+T-cell count at diagnosis has increased, but not in all groups, and late diagnosis remains common. HIV infection and AIDS can be eliminated in Europe with resolute prevention measures, early diagnosis and access to effective treatment

Prevalence of chronic HCV infection in EU/EEA countries in 2019 using multiparameter evidence synthesis

Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)Background: Epidemiological data are crucial to monitoring progress towards the 2030 Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) elimination targets. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of chronic HCV infection (cHCV) in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries in 2019. Methods: Multi-parameter evidence synthesis (MPES) was used to produce national estimates of cHCV defined as: π = πrecρrec + πexρex + πnonρnon; πrec, πex, and πnon represent cHCV prevalence among recent people who inject drugs (PWID), ex-PWID, and non-PWID, respectively, while ρrec, ρex, and ρnon represent the proportions of these groups in the population. Information sources included the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) national operational contact points (NCPs) and prevalence database, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction databases, and the published literature. Findings: The cHCV prevalence in 29 of 30 EU/EEA countries in 2019 was 0.50% [95% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.46%, 0.55%]. The highest cHCV prevalence was observed in the eastern EU/EEA (0.88%; 95% CrI: 0.81%, 0.94%). At least 35.76% (95% CrI: 33.07%, 38.60%) of the overall cHCV prevalence in EU/EEA countries was associated with injecting drugs. Interpretation: Using MPES and collaborating with ECDC NCPs, we estimated the prevalence of cHCV in the EU/EEA to be low. Some areas experience higher cHCV prevalence while a third of prevalent cHCV infections was attributed to PWID. Further efforts are needed to scale up prevention measures and the diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals, especially in the east of the EU/EEA and among PWID. Funding: ECDC.Peer reviewe

Knowledge about and prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis in a population-based sample of emerging Croatian adults.

To determine the prevalence of genital Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) infection, knowledge about chlamydia and experience of previous testing for chlamydia, we carried out a national probability-based survey in emerging adults aged 18-25 years in Croatia in 2021-2022. Participants (n = 1197), members of a national online panel, completed a web-based questionnaire that collected information on socio-demographics, sexual behaviours and knowledge about sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Urine specimens from a sample of sexually experienced participants were self-collected and tested for chlamydia using Cobas 4800 CT/NG test. To achieve broad representativeness of the emerging adult population in the country, we applied post-hoc weighting for gender and age. Multivariable ordinary least squares linear regression was used to determine correlates of knowledge about chlamydia infection and binomial logistic regression to assess correlates of the willingness to test for chlamydia. Among 448 participants who sent in their urine specimens chlamydia prevalence was 2.5% (95% CI 1.2-5.1) in women and 1.0% (0.3-3.2%) in men. A total of 8.0% of women and 4.7% men reported testing for chlamydia prior to the survey. About a quarter of the sample was characterized by not answering correctly any of the six questions related to knowledge about chlamydia, while only 9.6% had five or six correct answers. In the multivariable analysis, significantly higher odds of willingness to test for chlamydia were found in females compared to males (OR = 1.34, p = 0.024), those with better knowledge about the infection (OR = 1.11, p = 0.005), and those with lower religiosity (OR = 0.91, p = 0.017). In conclusion, prevalence of chlamydia in emerging adults in Croatia is considerable. Efforts to control this infection should focus on primary prevention and targeted testing combined with effective case management strategies

New HIV diagnoses among adults aged 50 years or older in 31 European countries, 2004–15: an analysis of surveillance data

Background The HIV burden is increasing in older adults in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). We investigated factors associated with HIV diagnosis in older adults in the 31 EU/EEA countries during a 12 year period. Methods In this analysis of surveillance data, we compared data from older people (aged ≥50 years) with those from younger people (aged 15–49 years). We extracted new HIV diagnoses reported to the European Surveillance System between Jan 1, 2004, and Dec 31, 2015, and stratified them by age, sex, migration status, transmission route, and CD4 cell count. We defined late diagnosis as CD4 count of less than 350 cells per μL at diagnosis and diagnosis with advanced HIV disease as less than 200 cells per μL. We compared the two age groups with the χ2test for difference, and used linear regression analysis to assess temporal trends. Findings During the study period 54 102 new HIV diagnoses were reported in older adults. The average notification rate of new diagnoses was 2·6 per 100 000 population across the whole 12 year period, which significantly increased over time (annual average change [AAC] 2·1%, 95% CI 1·1–3·1; p=0·0009). Notification rates for new HIV diagnoses in older adults increased significantly in 16 countries in 2004–15, clustering in central and eastern EU/EEA countries. In 2015, compared with younger adults, older individuals were more likely to originate from the reporting country, to have acquired HIV via heterosexual contact, and to present late (p<0·0001 for all comparisons). HIV diagnoses increased significantly over time among older men (AAC 2·2%, 95% CI 1·2–3·3; p=0·0006), women (1·3%, 0·2–2·4; p=0·025), men who have sex with men (5·8%, 4·3–7·5; p<0·0001), and injecting drug users (7·4%, 4·8–10·2; p<0·0001). Interpretation Our findings suggest that there is a compelling need to deliver more targeted testing interventions for older adults and the general adult population, such as by increasing awareness among health-care workers and expanding opportunities for provider-initiated and indicator-condition-guided testing programmes. Funding European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Prevalence of chronic HCV infection in EU/EEA countries in 2019 using multiparameter evidence synthesis

Abstract: Background Epidemiological data are crucial to monitoring progress towards the 2030 Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) elimination targets. Our aim was to estimate the prevalence of chronic HCV infection (cHCV) in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries in 2019. Methods Multi-parameter evidence synthesis (MPES) was used to produce national estimates of cHCV defined as: \u3c0 = \u3c0rec\u3c1rec + \u3c0ex\u3c1ex + \u3c0non\u3c1non; \u3c0rec, \u3c0ex, and \u3c0non represent cHCV prevalence among recent people who inject drugs (PWID), ex-PWID, and non-PWID, respectively, while \u3c1rec, \u3c1ex, and \u3c1non represent the proportions of these groups in the population. Information sources included the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) national operational contact points (NCPs) and prevalence database, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction databases, and the published literature. Findings The cHCV prevalence in 29 of 30 EU/EEA countries in 2019 was 0.50% [95% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.46%, 0.55%]. The highest cHCV prevalence was observed in the eastern EU/EEA (0.88%; 95% CrI: 0.81%, 0.94%). At least 35.76% (95% CrI: 33.07%, 38.60%) of the overall cHCV prevalence in EU/EEA countries was associated with injecting drugs. Interpretation Using MPES and collaborating with ECDC NCPs, we estimated the prevalence of cHCV in the EU/EEA to be low. Some areas experience higher cHCV prevalence while a third of prevalent cHCV infections was attributed to PWID. Further efforts are needed to scale up prevention measures and the diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals, especially in the east of the EU/EEA and among PWID