Differences in Risk Behavior and Demographic Factors Between Men Who Have Sex With Men With Acute and Nonacute Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in a Community-Based Testing Program in Los Angeles.

INTRODUCTION: High viremia combined with HIV-infection status unawareness and increased sexual risk behavior contributes to a disproportionate amount of new HIV infections. METHODS: From August 2011 to July 2015, the Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Center conducted 66,546 HIV tests. We compared factors, including the presence of concomitant sexually transmitted infections, number of recent sex partners and reported condomless anal intercourse between men who have sex with men (MSM) diagnosed with an acute HIV infection and a nonacute HIV infection using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 1082 unique MSM who tested HIV-infected for the first time, 165 (15%) had an acute infection and 917 had a nonacute infection. HIV rapid antibody testing was 84.8% sensitive for detecting HIV infection (95% confidence interval (CI): 82.9% to 87.1%). Median HIV viral load among acutely infected MSM was 842,000 copies per milliliter (interquartile range = 98,200-4,897,318). MSM with acute infection had twice the number of sex partners in the prior 30 days (median = 2) and prior 3 months (median = 4) before diagnosis compared with those diagnosed with nonacute infection (P ≤ 0.0001). The odds of acute HIV infection were increased with the numbers of recent sex partners after controlling for age and race/ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) >5 partners in past 30 days = 2.74; 95% CI: 1.46 to 5.14; aOR >10 partners in past 3 months = 2.41; 95% CI: 1.36 to 4.25). Non-African American MSM had almost double the odds of being diagnosed with an acute HIV infection compared with African American MSM (aOR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.10 to 3.52). CONCLUSIONS: MSM with acute HIV infection had nearly twice as many sex partners in the past 30 days and 3 months compared with MSM with newly diagnosed nonacute HIV infection. Those diagnosed with acute HIV infection had decreased odds of being African American MSM.

Risk Factors Associated with Incident Syphilis in a Cohort of High-Risk Men in Peru.

BACKGROUND: Syphilis is concentrated among high-risk groups, but the epidemiology of syphilis reinfection is poorly understood. We characterized factors associated with syphilis incidence, including reinfection, in a high-risk cohort in Peru. METHODS: Participants in the NIMH CPOL trial were assessed at baseline and 2 annual visits with HIV/STI testing and behavioral surveys. Participants diagnosed with syphilis also attended 4- and 9-month visits. All participants underwent syphilis testing with RPR screening and TPPA confirmation. Antibiotic treatment was provided according to CDC guidelines. Reinfection was defined as a 4-fold titer increase or recurrence of seroreactivity after successful treatment with subsequent negative RPR titers. The longitudinal analysis used a Possion generalized estimating equations model with backward selection of variables in the final model (criteria P <0.02). RESULTS: Of 2,709 participants, 191 (7.05%) were RPR-reactive (median 1:8, range 1:1-1:1024) with TPPA confirmation. There were 119 total cases of incident syphilis, which included both reinfection and first-time incident cases. In the bivariate analysis, the oldest 2 quartiles of age (incidence ratio (IR) 3.84; P <0.001 and IR 8.15; P <0.001) and being MSM/TW (IR 6.48; P <0.001) were associated with higher risk of incident syphilis infection. Of the sexual risk behaviors, older age of sexual debut (IR 12.53; P <0.001), not being in a stable partnership (IR 1.56, P = 0.035), higher number of sex partners (IR 3.01; P <0.001), unprotected sex in the past 3 months (IR 0.56; P = 0.003), HIV infection at baseline (IR 3.98; P <0.001) and incident HIV infection during the study period (IR 6.26; P = 0.003) were all associated with incident syphilis. In the multivariable analysis, older age group (adjusted incidence ratio (aIR) 6.18; P <0.001), men reporting having sex with a man (aIR 4.63; P <0.001), and incident HIV infection (aIR 4.48; P = 0.008) were significantly associated. CONCLUSIONS: We report a high rate of syphilis reinfection among high-risk men who have evidence of previous syphilis infection. Our findings highlight the close relationship between HIV incidence with both incident syphilis and syphilis reinfection. Further studies on syphilis reinfection are needed to understand patterns of syphilis reinfection and new strategies beyond periodic testing of high-risk individuals based on HIV status are needed.

Global challenges in human immunodeficiency virus and syphilis coinfection among men who have sex with men.

INTRODUCTION: Syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM), and the rate of coinfection has been increasing over the last decade. HIV and syphilis coinfection is particularly challenging because the infections interact synergistically thereby increasing the risk of acquisition and transmission as well as accelerating disease progression. Areas covered: This paper reviews and summarizes the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, clinical management and prevention of HIV and syphilis coinfection among MSM. Expert commentary: Research does not support a different syphilis treatment for coinfected individuals; however, coinfection may warrant a recommendation for antiretroviral therapy. In order to reverse the epidemic of syphilis and HIV coinfection, there needs to be greater awareness, improved cultural sensitivity among health care providers, improved access to preventative services and increased screening for syphilis and HIV.