Opioid Use Fueling HIV Transmission in an Urban Setting: An Outbreak of HIV Infection Among People Who Inject Drugs-Massachusetts, 2015-2018.

Objectives. To describe and control an outbreak of HIV infection among people who inject drugs (PWID).Methods. The investigation included people diagnosed with HIV infection during 2015 to 2018 linked to 2 cities in northeastern Massachusetts epidemiologically or through molecular analysis. Field activities included qualitative interviews regarding service availability and HIV risk behaviors.Results. We identified 129 people meeting the case definition; 116 (90%) reported injection drug use. Molecular surveillance added 36 cases to the outbreak not otherwise linked. The 2 largest molecular groups contained 56 and 23 cases. Most interviewed PWID were homeless. Control measures, including enhanced field epidemiology, syringe services programming, and community outreach, resulted in a significant decline in new HIV diagnoses.Conclusions. We illustrate difficulties with identification and characterization of an outbreak of HIV infection among a population of PWID and the value of an intensive response.Public Health Implications. Responding to and preventing outbreaks requires ongoing surveillance, with timely detection of increases in HIV diagnoses, community partnerships, and coordinated services, all critical to achieving the goal of the national Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative.

Trends in Antiretroviral Therapy Eligibility and Coverage Among Children Aged <15 Years with HIV Infection - 20 PEPFAR-Supported Sub-Saharan African Countries, 2012-2016.

Rapid disease progression and associated opportunistic infections contribute to high mortality rates among children aged <15 years with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (1). Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has decreased childhood HIV-associated morbidity and mortality rates over the past decade (2). As accumulating evidence revealed lower HIV-associated mortality with early ART initiation, the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines broadened ART eligibility for children with HIV infection (2). Age at ART initiation for children with HIV infection expanded sequentially in the 2010, 2013, and 2016 WHO guidelines to include children aged <2, <5, and <15 years, respectively, regardless of clinical or immunologic status (3-5). The United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has supported ART for children with HIV infection since 2003 and, informed by the WHO guidelines and a growing evidence base, PEPFAR-supported countries have adjusted their national pediatric guidelines. To understand the lag between guideline development and implementation, as well as the ART coverage gap, CDC assessed national pediatric HIV guidelines and analyzed Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; UNAIDS) data on children aged <15 years with HIV infection and the numbers of these children on ART. Timeliness of WHO pediatric ART guideline adoption varied by country; >50% of children with HIV infection are not receiving ART, underscoring the importance of strengthening case finding and linkage to HIV treatment in pediatric ART programs.

Effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines in Preventing COVID-19-Associated Outpatient Visits and Hospitalizations Among American Indian and Alaska Native Persons, January-November 2021: A Test-Negative Case-Control Analysis Using Surveillance Data.

Background: Despite the disproportionate morbidity and mortality experienced by American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, few studies have reported vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates among these communities. Methods: We conducted a test-negative case-control analysis among AI/AN persons aged ≥12 years presenting for care from January 1, 2021, through November 30, 2021, to evaluate the effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against COVID-19-associated outpatient visits and hospitalizations. Cases and controls were patients with ≥1 symptom consistent with COVID-19-like illness; cases were defined as those test-positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and controls were defined as those test-negative for SARS-CoV-2. We used unconditional multivariable logistic regression to estimate VE, defined as 1 minus the adjusted odds ratio for vaccination among cases vs controls. Results: The analysis included 207 cases and 267 test-negative controls. Forty-four percent of cases and 78% of controls received 2 doses of either BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccine. VE point estimates for 2 doses of mRNA vaccine were higher for hospitalized participants (94.6%; 95% CI, 88.0-97.6) than outpatient participants (86.5%; 95% CI, 63.0-95.0), but confidence intervals overlapped. Conclusions: Among AI/AN persons, mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were highly effective in preventing COVID-associated outpatient visits and hospitalizations. Maintaining high vaccine coverage, including booster doses, will reduce the burden of disease in this population.

A qualitative study of injection and sexual risk behavior among unstably housed people who inject drugs in the context of an HIV outbreak in Northeast Massachusetts, 2018.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the underlying causes of a sudden increase in HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) and initiate an appropriate response to the outbreak, we engaged in in-depth qualitative interviews with members of the PWID community in Lawrence and Lowell, Massachusetts. METHODS: We interviewed 34 PWID who were currently or recently unstably housed, then transcribed interviews and coded transcripts, grouping codes into categories from which we identified key themes. RESULTS: Participants described a heightened threat of overdose prompting PWID to inject together, increasing opportunities for sharing injection equipment. There were misunderstandings about safe injection practices to prevent HIV transmission and a low threshold for injection-related risk taking. Stigma regarding HIV prevented conversations about HIV status. Less thought was given to sexual risks than injection-related risks for HIV transmission. CONCLUSIONS: We found multiple facilitators of HIV transmission. Additional HIV education and prevention interventions focusing on both injection and sexual risk practices would benefit this population, in addition to structural interventions such as increased access and availability of syringe service programs.

Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV in Adolescents and Young Women: Findings From a National Prospective Cohort Survey, Zimbabwe, 2013-2014.

PURPOSE: We assessed 18-month cumulative mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) risk and risk factors for no antiretroviral medication use during pregnancy among adolescent, young women, and adult mothers in Zimbabwe. METHODS: We analyzed data from a prospective survey of 1,171 mother-infant pairs with HIV-exposed infants aged 4-12 weeks who were recruited from 151 immunization clinics from February to August 2013. HIV-exposed infants were followed until diagnosed with HIV, death, or age 18 months. Findings were weighted and adjusted for complex survey design and nonresponse. RESULTS: The 18-month cumulative MTCT risk was highest among adolescent aged ≤19 years (12%) followed by young women aged 20-24 years (7.5%) and adult women aged ≥25 years (6.9%). Across these groups, more than 94% had ≥1 antenatal care visit by 21 weeks of gestation, more than 95% had ≥1 HIV test, and more than 98% knew their HIV status. Of known HIV-positive mothers, maternal antiretroviral medication coverage during pregnancy was 76.8% (95% confidence interval: 65.1-85.5), 83.8% (78.6-87.9), and 87.8% (84.6-90.4) among adolescent, young women, and adult mothers, respectively. Among HIV-positive mothers diagnosed prenatally, the adjusted odds ratio of no ARV use during pregnancy was increased among those who had no antenatal care attendance (adjusted odds ratio: 7.7 [3.7-16.0]), no HIV testing (7.3 [2.3-23.5]), no prepartum CD4 count testing (2.1 [1.3-3.4]), and maternal HIV identification during pregnancy (2.9 [1.8-4.8]). Age was not a risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: With similar coverage of prevention of MTCT services, the 18-month cumulative MTCT risk was higher among adolescents and young women, compared with adults. Additional research should examine the causes to develop targeted interventions.

Primary Care Group Visits for Childhood Obesity: Clinical Program Evaluation.

We conducted 29 group visits targeting children with elevated body mass index (BMI) and their families. Visit activities focused on social support, mind-body techniques, exercise, and nutrition. Measures included attendance, family satisfaction scores, and per-patient change in BMI percentile. Ninety-six patients attended ≥1 group visit, mean 2.0 (SD ±1.8; range 1-14). Mean patient age was 9.6 years (SD ±2.4; range 4-15 years); 53.1% were female; 44.8% had a BMI 95th to 99th percentile for age/sex; 35.4% had a BMI >99th percentile. Mean attendance per group visit was 6.8 patients (SD ±3.8; range 1-16 patients). Mean family satisfaction scores were 9.8 (SD ±0.8) with 10/10 "would recommend to family or friends." Of 42 patients who attended ≥2 group visits, 5 (11.9%) experienced a ≥5 BMI percentile reduction between first and last visits; 3 (7.1%) maintained this reduction 2 years later. Group visits were associated with high family satisfaction scores, though few patients experienced a reduction in BMI percentile.