Nationwide increases in anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies between October 2020 and March 2021 in the unvaccinated Czech population.

Background: The aim of the nationwide prospective seroconversion (PROSECO) study was to investigate the dynamics of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in the Czech population. Here we report on baseline prevalence from that study. Methods: The study included the first 30,054 persons who provided a blood sample between October 2020 and March 2021. Seroprevalence was compared between calendar periods, previous RT-PCR results and other factors. Results: The data show a large increase in seropositivity over time, from 28% in October/November 2020 to 43% in December 2020/January 2021 to 51% in February/March 2021. These trends were consistent with government data on cumulative viral antigenic prevalence in the population captured by PCR testing - although the seroprevalence rates established in this study were considerably higher. There were only minor differences in seropositivity between sexes, age groups and BMI categories, and results were similar between test providing laboratories. Seropositivity was substantially higher among persons with history of symptoms (76% vs. 34%). At least one third of all seropositive participants had no history of symptoms, and 28% of participants with antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 never underwent PCR testing. Conclusions: Our data confirm the rapidly increasing prevalence in the Czech population during the rising pandemic wave prior to the beginning of vaccination. The difference between our results on seroprevalence and PCR testing suggests that antibody response provides a better marker of past infection than the routine testing program.

Access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for women and children in the WHO European Region 2002-2006.

Objective. To assess the level of access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for women and children in the WHO European Region. Methods. Analysis of data from three national surveys of 53 WHO European Member States. The comparative level of access to HAART for women and children was assessed by comparing the percentage of reported HIV cases with the percentage of HAART recipients in women at the end of 2002 and 2006 and in children at the end of 2004 and 2006. Findings. Overall, the data suggest that there is equivalence of access to antiretroviral therapy by gender and age in Europe. However, in central and eastern Europe women were disproportionately more likely to receive HAART when compared with men in 2006, representing 29% of HIV cases when compared with 39% of HAART recipients in central Europe, and 34% of HIV cases when compared with 42% of HAART recipients in eastern Europe. In comparison with adults, children (<15 years of age) were over-represented among HAART recipients when compared with HIV cases in eastern Europe, accounting for 1% of HIV cases and 9% of people on HAART in 2004 and 1% of HIV cases and 8% HAART recipients in 2006. Conclusion. Access to HAART remains inequitable in terms of gender in central and eastern Europe, favouring women over men, and in terms of age in eastern Europe, favouring children over adults. Despite high and increasing coverage with HAART in many European countries, countries must address how to further increase the number of people on treatment while ensuring equitable access for all population groups in need.

Experience of antiretroviral treatment in Georgia.

INTRODUCTION: HIV infection is the major public health, social and economic problem in Georgia. Although the HIV epidemic is in its nascent phase in the country, the potential risk for development of a wide spread HIV epidemic is very high. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of ARV treatment principles in Georgia, including treatment and monitoring methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 985 people living with HIV/AIDS in Georgia registered at Infectious Disease, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center since 2004. To ensure universal access to ARV therapy all HIV/AIDS individuals included in the study were investigated by special algorithm, all identified patients requiring ARV therapy were offered treatment and monitored during therapy on treatment effectiveness and side effects. HIV-1 RNA in plasma was measured by quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. For determination of percentages and absolute count of T-lymphocyte subpopulations single-platform immunophenotyping technique using the Becton-Dickinson FACSCalibur flow cytometer was applied. For resistance testing TRUGENE HIV-1 Genotyping Kit with the OpenGene DNA Sequencing System (Siemens) was used. Reasons of treatment failure and mortality rate among ARV treated patients were analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Treatment was offered to 398 HIV/AIDS patients. 397 patients started treatment, 1 patient refused. Out of 397 HIV/AIDS patients treated 21 patients discontinued, 54 patients died and 322 patients are currently on ARV treatment. Out of the treated patients 281 adults and 11 children are receiving first-line treatment, 27 adults and 2 children are on second-line treatment and 1 adult is receiving salvage regimen. Treatment failure was defined in 52 cases. Among them immunological failure was observed in 7 cases, clinical failure in 1 case and virologic failure in 44 cases. Prevalence of drug resistance among virologic failure cases accounted for 73% and inadequate adherence for 27% cases. Out of drug resistance cases 3% has three-class drug resistance, 84%--two-class drug resistance and 13% found to be resistant to one class. In ARV naive patients the prevalence of drug resistance to any class was 4.33%. The majority of death cases among ARV treated patients was due to non-AIDS related or incurable conditions, while deaths due to AIDS related conditions were mainly associated with delayed referral of patients in already advanced stage of disease. It's worth to mention that the highest number of death cases was due to liver failure in HIV/HCV and/or HBV co-infected patients.

Encouraging innovation: ten research priorities for achieving universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in Europe by 2010.

When the HIV epidemic officially hit western Europe in the early 1980s, central and eastern Europe were almost completely spared due to the isolation of the Soviet Union. However, in the mid-1990s, reported new cases of HIV in eastern European countries began to increase exponentially. While there have been many declarations and strategies addressing HIV/AIDS, today the goal is universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support services by 2010. The articles included in this thematic issue of the Central European Journal of Public Health on HIV/AIDS reflect this, while the ten priorities listed below are immediate and sometimes innovative research needs in the context of preventing HIV among the most-at-risk populations. While by no means exhaustive, they are intended to point out gaps in existing knowledge and thus serve as inspiration for future research efforts.

Antiretroviral treatment for injecting drug users in developing and transitional countries 1 year before the end of the "Treating 3 million by 2005. Making it happen. The WHO strategy" ("3 by 5").

OBJECTIVE: To describe and estimate the availability of antiretroviral treatment (ART) to injecting drug users (IDUs) in developing and transitional countries. METHODS: Literature review of grey and published literature and key informants' communications on the estimated number of current/former injecting drug users (IDUs) receiving ART and the proportion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attributed to injecting drug use (IDU), the number of people in ART and in need of ART, the number of people living with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (PLWHA) and the main source of ART. RESULTS: Data on former/current IDUs on ART were available from 50 countries (in 19 countries: nil IDUs in treatment) suggesting that approximately 34 000 IDUs were receiving ART by the end of 2004, of whom 30 000 were in Brazil. In these 50 countries IDUs represent approximately 15% of the people in ART. In Eastern European and Central Asia IDU are associated with > 80% of HIV cases but only approximately 2000 (14%) of the people in ART. In South and South-East Asia there were approximately 1700 former/current IDUs receiving ART ( approximately 1.8% of the people in ART), whereas the proportion of HIV cases associated to IDU is > 20% in five countries (and regionally ranges from 4% to 75%). DISCUSSION: There is evidence that the coverage of ART among current/former IDUs is proportionally substantially less than other exposure categories. Ongoing monitoring of ART by exposure and population subgroups is critical to ensuring that scale-up is equitable, and that the distribution of ART is, at the very least, transparent.

HIV/AIDS in eastern Europe: more than a sexual health crisis.

HIV/AIDS is often described as a sexually transmitted disease. In the former USSR, however, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is being driven by injecting drug use among men. This article addresses several widely circulated assumptions about HIV in eastern Europe: that sexual contact is the primary mode of transmission, that women form a major increasing proportion of those infected, and that the disease threatens young people in particular. Because the rate of injecting drug use is extremely high in many eastern European countries, HIV control there cannot just target sexual transmission but must embrace other approaches, such as comprehensive harm reduction. In the area of treatment, scaling up access to highly active antiretroviral therapy has been a major global priority for the last two years. European efforts to broaden access have been generally quite successful, yet in the two European countries with the greatest need, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the demand for treatment is growing much faster than its availability.

HIV/AIDS in the transitional countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

In the 1990s, HIV/AIDS became a major threat to health, economic stability and human development in countries in eastern Europe and central Asia. Social, political and economic transition exacerbated the structural conditions that allowed HIV/AIDS to flourish as dramatic changes led to increasing drug injection, economic decline and failing health and healthcare systems. There is a need to address the professional and ideological opposition - even in countries considered to be fully functioning democracies - to evidence-based public health interventions like harm reduction, coupled with treating HIV/AIDS for all those in need, if countries are to provide a more effective response.

HIV-related restrictions on entry, residence and stay in the WHO European Region: a survey.

BACKGROUND: Back in 1987, the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that the screening of international travellers was an ineffective way to prevent the spread of HIV. However, some countries still restrict the entrance and/or residency of foreigners with an HIV infection. HIV-related travel restrictions have serious implications for individual and public health, and violate internationally recognized human rights. In this study, we reviewed the current situation regarding HIV-related travel restrictions in the 53 countries of the WHO European Region. METHODS: We retrieved the country-specific information chiefly from the Global Database on HIV Related Travel Restrictions at hivtravel.org. We simplified and standardized the database information to enable us to create an overview and compare countries. Where data was outdated, unclear or contradictory, we contacted WHO HIV focal points in the countries or appropriate non-governmental organizations. The United States Bureau of Consular Affairs website was also used to confirm and complement these data. RESULTS: Our review revealed that there are no entry restrictions for people living with HIV in 51 countries in the WHO European Region. In 11 countries, foreigners living with HIV applying for long-term stays will not be granted a visa. These countries are: Andorra, Armenia, Cyprus (denies access for non-European Union citizens), Hungary, Kazakhstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. In Uzbekistan, an HIV-positive foreigner cannot even enter the country, and in Georgia, we were not able to determine whether there were any HIV-related travel restrictions due to a lack of information. CONCLUSIONS: In 32% of the countries in the European Region, either there are some kind of HIV-related travel restrictions or we were unable to determine if such restrictions are in force. Most of these countries defend restrictions as being justified by public health concerns. However, there is no evidence that denying HIV-positive foreigners access to a country is effective in protecting public health. Governments should revise legislation on HIV-related travel restrictions. In the meantime, a joint effort is needed to draw attention to the continuing discrimination and stigmatization of people living with HIV that takes place in those European Region countries where such laws and policies are still in force.

Access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the WHO European Region 2003-2005.

AIMS: To assess changes in access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) between the end of 2002 and the end of 2005, and to review the capacity for further HAART scale-up in the then 52 Member States of the WHO European Region. METHODS: Analysis of data from four surveys evaluating access to HAART, supplemented by regional estimates of the number of people receiving HAART. Changes in access to HAART are evaluated in terms of changes in the number of people receiving HAART over time and changes in country-level HAART coverage. RESULTS: During 2003-2005, the total number of individuals receiving HAART increased by an estimated 101,000, from 242,000 to 343,000 (a 42% increase); 85,000 were in the west region (a 36% increase) and 16,000 in the centre and east regions (a 229% increase). The number of countries providing "high'' coverage with HAART (>75% of those in need receiving it) increased from 29 to 38, and the number of countries providing no HAART declined from eight to four. CONCLUSIONS: Despite high and increasing coverage in many European countries, access to HAART remained inequitable in terms of geographical location. By the end of 2005, all countries in the west provided "high'' HAART coverage as compared with half of countries in the centre and east. Six east countries still provided poor or no HAART coverage. Countries must address how to further equitably increase the number of people receiving HAART.

Access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for injecting drug users in the WHO European Region 2002-2004.

Providing equitable access to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) to injecting drug users (IDUs) is both feasible and desirable. Given the evidence that IDUs can adhere to HAART as well as non-IDUs and the imperative to provide universal and equitable access to HIV/AIDS treatment for all who need it, here we examine whether IDUs in the 52 countries in the WHO European Region have equitable access to HAART and whether that access has changed over time between 2002 and 2004. We consider regional and country differences in IDU HAART access; examine preliminary data regarding the injecting status of those initiating HAART and the use of opioid substitution therapy among HAART patients, and discuss how HAART might be better delivered to injecting drug users. Our data adds to the evidence that IDUs in Europe have poor and inequitable access to HAART, with only a relatively small improvement in access between 2002 and 2004. Regional and country comparisons reveal that inequities in IDU access to HAART are worst in eastern European countries.

HIV/hepatitis coinfection in eastern Europe and new pan-European approaches to hepatitis prevention and management.

ISSUES: HIV/hepatitis coinfection in Europe; WHO European clinical protocols on the management of people coinfected with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B or C (HBV or HCV); stakeholder recommendations for better HCV services. INTRODUCTION: The increasing availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy throughout Europe and central Asia has changed comorbidity and mortality patterns among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) as liver disease has increasingly replaced AIDS as the cause of death in PLWHA in western European countries. The average prevalence of HCV among PLWHA is 40 per cent, and much higher in countries where the HIV epidemic is driven by injecting drug use. Access to hepatitis treatment for PLWHA and IDUs is still very limited in Europe due to a lack of clear clinical management guidelines for HIV/hepatitis coinfections, high costs and a national failure to recognise hepatitis as a critical health issue. DESCRIPTION: In October 2006, the WHO Regional Office for Europe issued protocols for the clinical management of HIV/HCV and HIV/HBV coinfections. They include diagnostic algorithms adjusted for resource availability, and guidelines for the management of patients who do not yet need treatment, those who need only hepatitis or only HIV/AIDS treatment, and those who need both. Though the protocols should provide practical guidelines for physicians and assist in the development of national treatment standards, there is still a need for targeted prevention, treatment and care interventions. To expand access to hepatitis prevention and treatment, public awareness needs to be raised and national political leaders need to address hepatitis as a public health issue. Effective public health measures include price reductions for anti-hepatitis drugs; targeted testing, counselling and prevention activities; increased access to hepatitis B and C treatment and to HBV vaccination for the populations most at risk.