HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and incidence of sexually transmitted infections in Brazil, 2018 to 2022: An ecological study of PrEP administration, syphilis, and socioeconomic indicators.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is one of the pillars of a combination prevention strategy for reducing the risk of new infections caused by HIV. The daily use of antiretroviral drugs by individuals who are not infected with HIV is required to prevent infection. Although its efficacy has been well established in the literature, in recent years, the decreased supply of antiretroviral drugs has been associated with an increase in the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and changes in the social determinants of health. An ecological study was conducted covering a five-year period (2018-2022), starting from the year of initiation of PrEP administration in Brazilian state capitals. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Descriptive analysis was performed, and the spatial distribution of study data was taken into account. Correlation analysis was used to assess the association between PrEP administration, the incidence and detection rate of STI, and socioeconomic data. The southern region showed the highest incidence rates of STI, but the northern and northeastern regions demonstrated the worst socioeconomic indicators, especially those related to illiteracy and basic sanitation. PrEP administration was significantly correlated with illiteracy (ρ = -0.658), per capita income (ρ = 0.622), public garbage collection (ρ = 0.612), syphilis (ρ = 0.628) and viral hepatitis (ρ = 0.419) incidences. Further, all STI were significantly associated with illiteracy and per capita income. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings highlight the need to continue exploring PrEP use and rising syphilis rates. In terms of policy, PrEP administration appears to be inversely associated with regions of greater social vulnerability. Further efforts should focus on the social determinants and health needs of this population to improve access to PrEP and reduce social disparities.

Neurological Development, Epilepsy, and the Pharmacotherapy Approach in Children with Congenital Zika Syndrome: Results from a Two-Year Follow-up Study.

Clinical outcomes related to congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) include microcephaly accompanied by specific brain injuries. Among several CZS outcomes that have been described, epilepsy and motor impairments are present in most cases. Pharmacological treatment for seizures resulting from epilepsy is performed with anticonvulsant drugs, which in the long term are related to impairments in the child's neuropsychomotor development. Here, we describe the results from a two-year follow-up of a cohort of children diagnosed with CZS related to the growth of the head circumference and some neurological and motor outcomes, including the pharmacological approach, and its results in the treatment of epileptic seizures. This paper is part of a prospective cohort study carried out in the state of Mato Grosso Sul, Brazil, based on a Zika virus (ZIKV)-exposed child population. Our data were focused on the assessment of head circumference growth and some neurological and motor findings, including the description of seizure conditions and pharmacological management in two periods. Among the 11 children evaluated, 8 had severe microcephaly associated with motor impairment and/or epilepsy. Seven children were diagnosed with epilepsy. Of these, 3 had West syndrome. In four children with other forms of epilepsy, there was no pharmacological control.