People with high HIV viral load within risk networks: who are these people and who refers them best?

Introduction: Viral load is one of the most important determinants for HIV transmission. Identification of people with high viral load (PHVL) can be effective in limiting onward HIV transmission. In order to improve the identification of these individuals within risk networks, we determined a) the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anna Korobchuk, Hayk Davtyan, Olga Denisiuk, Rony Zachariah, Georgios K Nikolopoulos, Dimitrios Paraskevis, Britt Skaathun, John Schneider, Tetyana I Vasylyeva, Leslie D Williams, Pavlo Smyrnov, Samuel R Friedman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2019-07-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11273
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850149019131576320
author Anna Korobchuk
Hayk Davtyan
Olga Denisiuk
Rony Zachariah
Georgios K Nikolopoulos
Dimitrios Paraskevis
Britt Skaathun
John Schneider
Tetyana I Vasylyeva
Leslie D Williams
Pavlo Smyrnov
Samuel R Friedman
author_facet Anna Korobchuk
Hayk Davtyan
Olga Denisiuk
Rony Zachariah
Georgios K Nikolopoulos
Dimitrios Paraskevis
Britt Skaathun
John Schneider
Tetyana I Vasylyeva
Leslie D Williams
Pavlo Smyrnov
Samuel R Friedman
author_sort Anna Korobchuk
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Viral load is one of the most important determinants for HIV transmission. Identification of people with high viral load (PHVL) can be effective in limiting onward HIV transmission. In order to improve the identification of these individuals within risk networks, we determined a) the number of PHVL recruited through risk networks b) their socio-demographic, behavioural and clinical characteristics and c) the characteristics of individuals who referred these PHVL to the study. Methodology: From November 2013 to March 2016, in Odessa, Ukraine, Transmission Reduction Intervention Project (TRIP) was implemented to identify people recently infected with HIV within the risk networks of “seeds” and “venues” where they engaged in risk behaviour. Results: TRIP identified 53 PHVL, of whom 32 (60%) injected drugs; 42 (79%) were unaware of their HIV status; 25 (47%) had more than one sex partner, and only 14 (26%) were using condoms. There were 164 people who referred individuals into the study; 33 of them (20%) referred PHVL. In terms of referrers, those with lower than secondary level of education, not living with a sex partner, and reporting regular condom use were significantly more likely (p < 0.05) to refer PHVL. Most PHVL (38, 72%) and their referrers (27, 82%) were found through venues. Conclusions: In Odessa city, PHVL are at high risk of transmitting HIV as the majority inject drugs, do not know their HIV status, and have unprotected sex and/or multiple partners. Targeting these individuals for HIV prevention, harm reduction and initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) is urgent.
format Article
id doaj-art-1b0490e652f44f94b15c36cd664af4e3
institution OA Journals
issn 1972-2680
language English
publishDate 2019-07-01
publisher The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
record_format Article
series Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
spelling doaj-art-1b0490e652f44f94b15c36cd664af4e32025-08-20T02:27:05ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802019-07-011307.110.3855/jidc.11273People with high HIV viral load within risk networks: who are these people and who refers them best?Anna Korobchuk0Hayk Davtyan1Olga Denisiuk2Rony Zachariah3Georgios K Nikolopoulos4Dimitrios Paraskevis5Britt Skaathun6John Schneider7Tetyana I Vasylyeva8Leslie D Williams9Pavlo Smyrnov10Samuel R Friedman11Alliance for Public Health, Kyiv, UkraineTB Research and Prevention Center, Yerevan, ArmeniaAlliance for Public Health, Kyiv, UkraineSpecial Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), World Health Organization, Geneva, SwitzerlandMedical School, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, CyprusDepartment of Hygiene Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GreeceDivision of Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, California, United StatesDepartment of Medicine and Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, Chicago, United StatesDepartment of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United KingdomNational Development and Research Institutes, Department of Population Health, NYU Medical School, New York, United StatesAlliance for Public Health, Kyiv, UkraineNational Development and Research Institutes, Department of Population Health, NYU Medical School, New York, United States Introduction: Viral load is one of the most important determinants for HIV transmission. Identification of people with high viral load (PHVL) can be effective in limiting onward HIV transmission. In order to improve the identification of these individuals within risk networks, we determined a) the number of PHVL recruited through risk networks b) their socio-demographic, behavioural and clinical characteristics and c) the characteristics of individuals who referred these PHVL to the study. Methodology: From November 2013 to March 2016, in Odessa, Ukraine, Transmission Reduction Intervention Project (TRIP) was implemented to identify people recently infected with HIV within the risk networks of “seeds” and “venues” where they engaged in risk behaviour. Results: TRIP identified 53 PHVL, of whom 32 (60%) injected drugs; 42 (79%) were unaware of their HIV status; 25 (47%) had more than one sex partner, and only 14 (26%) were using condoms. There were 164 people who referred individuals into the study; 33 of them (20%) referred PHVL. In terms of referrers, those with lower than secondary level of education, not living with a sex partner, and reporting regular condom use were significantly more likely (p < 0.05) to refer PHVL. Most PHVL (38, 72%) and their referrers (27, 82%) were found through venues. Conclusions: In Odessa city, PHVL are at high risk of transmitting HIV as the majority inject drugs, do not know their HIV status, and have unprotected sex and/or multiple partners. Targeting these individuals for HIV prevention, harm reduction and initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) is urgent. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11273UkraineKey populationsHigh viral loadRisk networkpeople living with HIV (PLWH)
spellingShingle Anna Korobchuk
Hayk Davtyan
Olga Denisiuk
Rony Zachariah
Georgios K Nikolopoulos
Dimitrios Paraskevis
Britt Skaathun
John Schneider
Tetyana I Vasylyeva
Leslie D Williams
Pavlo Smyrnov
Samuel R Friedman
People with high HIV viral load within risk networks: who are these people and who refers them best?
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Ukraine
Key populations
High viral load
Risk network
people living with HIV (PLWH)
title People with high HIV viral load within risk networks: who are these people and who refers them best?
title_full People with high HIV viral load within risk networks: who are these people and who refers them best?
title_fullStr People with high HIV viral load within risk networks: who are these people and who refers them best?
title_full_unstemmed People with high HIV viral load within risk networks: who are these people and who refers them best?
title_short People with high HIV viral load within risk networks: who are these people and who refers them best?
title_sort people with high hiv viral load within risk networks who are these people and who refers them best
topic Ukraine
Key populations
High viral load
Risk network
people living with HIV (PLWH)
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11273
work_keys_str_mv AT annakorobchuk peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT haykdavtyan peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT olgadenisiuk peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT ronyzachariah peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT georgiosknikolopoulos peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT dimitriosparaskevis peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT brittskaathun peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT johnschneider peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT tetyanaivasylyeva peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT lesliedwilliams peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT pavlosmyrnov peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest
AT samuelrfriedman peoplewithhighhivviralloadwithinrisknetworkswhoarethesepeopleandwhorefersthembest