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Sherriff N, Mirandola M, Silva R, Cordioli M, Sawyer A, Gios L, Zorzi A, Huber J, Vera J, Richardson D, Hassan-Ibrahim M, Wlazly D, Padovese V, Barbara C, Darmanin A, Schembri A, Caceres C, Vargas S, Blondeel K, Kiarie J, Kurbonov F, Peeling RW, Thwin SS, Toskin I. Independent clinic-based evaluation of dual POCTs for screening for HIV and syphilis in men who have sex with men in Italy, Malta, Peru, and the United Kingdom. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:192. [PMID: 38418941 PMCID: PMC10902927 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09019-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Globally, the incidence of HIV and syphilis can be reduced by the use of validated point of care tests (POCTs). As part of the WHO PRoSPeRo Network, we aimed to evaluate the performance, acceptability, and operational characteristics of two dual HIV/syphilis POCTs (Bioline HIV/Syphilis Duo (Abbott) and DPP® HIV-Syphilis assay (Chembio) for the screening of HIV and syphilis amongst men who have sex with men (MSM). METHOD AND ANALYSES A cross sectional study of 2,577 MSM in Italy, Malta, Peru, and the United Kingdom (UK) presenting to seven clinic sites, were enrolled. Finger prick blood was collected to perform POCTs and results compared with standard laboratory investigations on venepuncture blood. Acceptability and operational characteristics were assessed using questionnaires. Diagnostic meta-analysis was used to combine data from the evaluation sites. RESULTS Based on laboratory tests, 23.46% (n = 598/2549) of participants were confirmed HIV positive, and 35.88% of participants (n = 901/2511) were positive on treponemal reference testing. Of all participants showing evidence of antibodies to Treponema pallidum, 50.56% (n = 455/900) were Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test reactive. Of HIV positive individuals, 60.62% (n = 354/584) had evidence of antibodies to T. pallidum, and of these 60.45% (n = 214/354) exhibited reactive RPR tests indicating probable (co)infection. For Bioline POCT, pooled sensitivities and specificities for HIV were 98.95% and 99.89% respectively, and for syphilis were 73.79% and 99.57%. For Chembio pooled sensitivities and specificities for HIV were 98.66% and 99.55%, and for syphilis were 78.60% and 99.48%. Both tests can detect greater than 90% of probable active syphilis cases, as defined by reactive RPR and treponemal test results. These dual POCTs were preferred by 74.77% (n = 1,926) of participants, due to their convenience, and the operational characteristics made them acceptable to health care providers (HCPs). CONCLUSIONS Both the Bioline and the Chembio dual POCT for syphilis and HIV had acceptable performance, acceptability and operational characteristics amongst MSM in the PRoSPeRo network. These dual POCTs could serve as a strategic, more cost effective, patient and healthcare provider (HCP) friendly alternative to conventional testing; in clinical and other field settings, especially those in resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel Sherriff
- School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Brighton, Village Way, Falmer, BN1 9PH, UK.
- Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender, University of Brighton, Edward Street, Brighton, BN2 0JG, UK.
| | - Massimo Mirandola
- School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Brighton, Village Way, Falmer, BN1 9PH, UK
- Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Ronaldo Silva
- World Health Organization, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (includes the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction [HRP]), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Maddalena Cordioli
- Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alexandra Sawyer
- School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Brighton, Village Way, Falmer, BN1 9PH, UK
| | - Lorenzo Gios
- Infectious Diseases Section, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Antonella Zorzi
- Microbiology and Virology Unit, Molecular Biology Department, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Jorg Huber
- School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Brighton, Village Way, Falmer, BN1 9PH, UK
| | - Jaime Vera
- Brighton & Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Daniel Richardson
- Brighton & Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Mohammed Hassan-Ibrahim
- Department of Microbiology & Infection, Royal Sussex County Hospital, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton, UK
| | - Dominika Wlazly
- Royal Sussex County Hospital Brighton, CIRU Research Laboratory, Brighton, UK
| | - Valeska Padovese
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Genito-Urinary Clinic, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta
| | | | | | - Aaron Schembri
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta
| | - Carlos Caceres
- Centro de Investigación Interdisciplinaria en Sexualidad, Sida y Sociedad, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Silver Vargas
- Centro de Investigación Interdisciplinaria en Sexualidad, Sida y Sociedad, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Karel Blondeel
- World Health Organization, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (includes the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction [HRP]), Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - James Kiarie
- World Health Organization, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (includes the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction [HRP]), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Firdavs Kurbonov
- World Health Organization, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (includes the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction [HRP]), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Rosanna W Peeling
- Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Soe Soe Thwin
- World Health Organization, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (includes the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction [HRP]), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Igor Toskin
- World Health Organization, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (includes the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction [HRP]), Geneva, Switzerland
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Nazli A, Garner A, Gokengin D. Awareness of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men using apps for sexual encounters in Turkiye. Int J STD AIDS 2022; 33:1124-1133. [DOI: 10.1177/09564624221126867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background New HIV diagnoses are rising in Turkiye. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are estimated to be the main driver of the epidemic. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) was proven to be effective in reducing new HIV diagnoses and PrEP recently became available in Turkiye. Objective To assess awareness of and willingness to use PrEP and the level of off-licence use among MSM. Methods An anonymous self-completed questionnaire was sent out over the Hornet Gay Social Network from December 2019 to February 2020, available in Turkish and Arabic. It included 20 questions on HIV and STI testing, PrEP awareness, PrEP use, willingness to use, chemsex and sexual happiness level. Results Overall 4761 respondents who responded to more than 1/3 of the questions were eligible for analyses; 5.5% was Arabic speaking. The mean age was 30.5 years, 31.4% had never tested for HIV, 40.5% knew what PrEP was, the most common source of knowledge was the internet (44.5%), 2.5% (120) had used PrEP in the last 12 months and 1.7% (83) was current users. PrEP users had accessed drugs over the internet (47.6%), pharmacy (23%), and friends (13.8%). Almost 40% were willing to use PrEP in the following 6 months. Younger and Arabic speaking respondents had lower rates of HIV testing ( p = .001) and lower awareness for PrEP than comparators ( p = .004). Conclusion Awareness and willingness to use PrEP is high among MSM in Turkiye. The recent availability of PrEP in the country is a big step forward in terms of prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arzu Nazli
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Alex Garner
- Mpact Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights, California, US
| | - Deniz Gokengin
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
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