Increasing trends in primary NNRTI resistance among newly HIV-1-diagnosed individuals in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to estimate primary resistance in an urban setting in a developing country characterized by high antiretroviral (ARV) coverage over the diagnosed population and also by an important proportion of undiagnosed individuals, in order to determine whether any change in primary resistance occurred in the past five years. DESIGN: We carried out a multi-site resistance surveillance study according to WHO HIV resistance guidelines, using a weighted sampling technique based on annual HIV case reports per site. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 197 drug-naive HIV-1-infected individuals diagnosed between March 2010 and August 2011 at 20 HIV voluntary counselling and testing centres in Buenos Aires. Clinical records of enrolled patients at the time of diagnosis were compiled. Viral load and CD4 counts were performed on all samples. The pol gene was sequenced and the resistance profile determined. Phylogenetic analysis was performed by neighbour-joining (NJ) trees and bootscanning analysis. RESULTS: We found that 12 (7.9%) of the 152 successfully sequenced samples harboured primary resistance mutations, of which K103N and G190A were the most prevalent. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) resistance mutations were largely the most prevalent (5.9%), accounting for 75% of all primary resistance and exhibiting a significant increase (p=0.0072) in prevalence during the past 10 years as compared to our previous study performed in 1997-2000 and in 2003-2005. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) and protease inhibitor primary resistance were low and similar to the one previously reported. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of primary NNRTI resistance in Buenos Aires appear to be increasing in the context of a sustained ARV coverage and a high proportion of undiagnosed HIV-positive individuals.

[Characteristics of HIV infection by sex in a suburban district of Buenos Aires for the periods 1998 to 2002 and 2003 to 2005]. / Características de la infección por HIV/sida según sexo en una región del Gran Buenos Aires. Períodos 1998-2002/ 2003-2005.

With the aim of evaluating gender differences in one of the poorest districts of Buenos Aires, we reviewed epidemiological and clinical data of newly-diagnosed HIV patients at the Diego Paroissien Hospital between 1998 and 2005.We analyzed 524 clinical charts, 329 (62.8%) of which were from the 1998 to 2002 period and 195 (37.2%) from 2003 to 2005. Women accounted for 241 (46%) of the patients. The dominant mode of transmission was sexual intercourse in women and intravenous drug-use in men. At the time of diagnosis, women were at a significantly lower clinical stage, were younger, and had higher CD4 counts and lower viral loads. No gender differences were found in the rates of continued clinical care or continued antiretroviral therapy at one year follow-up. Comparing the periods 1998 to 2002 and 2003 to 2005, there was a statistically significant increase in diagnoses made during the pregnancy screening in women, in sexual transmission as the primary route of HIV infection, in the frequency of patients (both men and women) who had continued clinical care at one year follow-up, and a decreasing of intravenous drug-use in both sexes.The observed gender differences in the 2003-2005 period persisted even when those women who were diagnosed during their pregnancy screening were excluded from the analysis.

Características de la infección por HIV/sida según sexo en una región del Gran Buenos Aires: Períodos 1998-2002/ 2003-2005 / Characteristics of HIV infection by sex in a suburban district of Buenos Aires for the periods 1998 to 2002 and 2003 to 2005

Con el propósito de evaluar características de la infección por HIV/sida en uno de los distritos más pobres del Gran Buenos Aires, revisamos datos clínicos y epidemiológicos de las historias clínicas de los pacientes con diagnóstico reciente de infección por HIV en el hospital Dr. Diego Paroissien entre 1998 y 2005. Analizamos 524 historias clínicas, 329 (62.8%) correspondientes al período 1998-2002 y 195 (37.2%) al 2003-2005, 241 mujeres (46%) y 283 hombres (54%). El modo dominante de transmisión en las mujeres fue sexual y en los hombres el uso de drogas intravenosas. Las mujeres presentaron al momento del diagnóstico de infección por HIV, de manera estadísticamente significativa, menor estadio clínico, menor edad, mayores valores de recuento de células CD4 y menores de carga viral. No observamos diferencias entre ambos sexos en la frecuencia con que los pacientes continuaron en control clínico al año de seguimiento, iniciaron terapia antirretroviral y continuaron en tratamiento al año de haber iniciado el mismo. Comparando los períodos 1998- 2002 y 2003-2005 se determinó un aumento, estadísticamente significativo, del diagnóstico como parte del control del embarazo en la mujer, del modo primario sexual de adquisición, de la frecuencia de pacientes que continuaron en control clínico al año de seguimiento y de la disminución del uso de drogas inyectables para ambos sexos. Las diferencias de sexo observadas persisten en el período 2003-2005 cuando se excluyeron del análisis las mujeres en las que se realizó el diagnóstico como parte del control del embarazo.

With the aim of evaluating gender differences in one of the poorest districts of Buenos Aires, we reviewed epidemiological and clinical data of newly-diagnosed HIV patients at the Diego Paroissien Hospital between 1998 and 2005.We analyzed 524 clinical charts, 329 (62.8%) of which were from the 1998 to 2002 period and 195 (37.2%) from 2003 to 2005. Women accounted for 241 (46%) of the patients. The dominant mode of transmission was sexual intercourse in women and intravenous drug-use in men. At the time of diagnosis, women were at a significantly lower clinical stage, were younger, and had higher CD4 counts and lower viral loads. No gender differences were found in the rates of continued clinical care or continued antiretroviral therapy at one year follow-up. Comparing the periods 1998 to 2002 and 2003 to 2005, there was a statistically significant increase in diagnoses made during the pregnancy screening in women, in sexual transmission as the primary route of HIV infection, in the frequency of patients (both men and women) who had continued clinical care at one year follow-up, and a decreasing of intravenous drug-use in both sexes.The observed gender differences in the 2003-2005 period persisted even when those women who were diagnosed during their pregnancy screening were excluded from the analysis.

Adherencia a las terapias antirretrovirales en una población de bajos recursos económicos de la región suburbana de Buenos Aires / Adherence to the antiretroviral therapy in a low income population of the suburban area of Buenos Aires

Es necesario un elevado nivel de adherencia a la terapia antirretroviral para obtener beneficios a largo plazo. Mediante una encuesta previamente validada, evaluamos el nivel de adherencia a la terapia antirretroviral y exploramos posibles factores relacionados con la no adherencia en una población de bajos recursos económicos. Realizamos un estudio transversal en la población de pacientes infectados con VIH que reciben terapia antirretroviral. Se evaluaron variables sociodemográficas y sociocognitivas. El nivel de adherencia se determinó según el número de dosis perdidas los cuatro días previos a la entrevista. Se utilizaron prueba de Chi cuadrado o exacta de Fisher para variables nominales y prueba t de Student para variables continuas para evaluar diferencias estadísticamente significativas. Participaron 71 pacientes: mujeres 41 (58%), media de edad: 35.3 años;. hombres 30 (42%), media de edad 40.4 años. Cincuenta reportaron adherencia > 95% (70.4%). La carga viral fue < 500 copias/ml en 80.4% de los pacientes adherentes y en 34% de los no adherentes. Sentirse a menudo o siempre, sin ánimo, triste y/o deprimido la semana previa a la entrevista se asoció estadísticamente con adherencia < 95%. No se asociaron con el nivel de adherencia, edad, género, nivel de educación, poseer empleo, factor de riesgo de adquisición de VIH, uso de alcohol, uso de drogas ilegales, presencia de síntomas, capacidad de autodeterminación, comprender la asociación entre adherencia y resistencia, apoyo social y familiar, número de comprimidos o tomas y recibir un régimen que contiene Inhibidor de Proteasa.

Wiring the HIV/AIDS system: building interorganizational infrastructure to link people, sites, and networks.

This paper presents a case example of the new "geometry of care" (Rier and Indyk, this volume), by examining selected examples from five facets of a program developed by the lead author and in operation since 1989. This program is designed to understand, build, revise, and maintain the organizational infrastructure with which to link diverse players and sites, and combine these into a web for producing, assessing, and exchanging the information needed to combat HIV/AIDS. Each example demonstrates how opportunities were exploited for developing and linking resources within and between systems of care and prevention. The program began as an iterative and systems approach to improve access of high-risk, hard-to-reach inner city New York populations to HIV/AIDS services, treatment, and research. The approach is also currently being further elaborated and applied in Argentina and India (see Boylan et al., this volume), and is adaptable to other local and global public health challenges (see Indyk & Rier, this volume).