Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevalence in Women With HIV: Is There a Role for Targeted Screening?

Sexually Transmitted Infections in People with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are more commonly seen in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH). Routine sexual history taking and appropriate multisite screening practices support prompt identification and treatment of patients, which in turn reduces morbidity and spread of STIs including HIV. Nucleic acid amplification testing has high accuracy for diagnosing many of the major STIs. Diagnosis of syphilis remains complex, requiring 2 stage serologic testing, along with provider awareness of the myriad symptoms that can be attributable to this disease. Prevention through mechanisms such as vaccines and postexposure prophylaxis hold promise to reduce the burden of STIs in PWH.

Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening in Key Populations of Persons Living with HIV

Annual screening for bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STI), including gonorrhea/chlamydia (GC/CT) and syphilis, is recommended for persons with HIV (PWH). We used the prevention index to quantify the extent to which STI screening was completed at guideline-recommended frequency in African American and Latinx persons, women, persons with alcohol (AUD) and substance (SUD) use disorders. Data from PWH at Kaiser Permanente Northern California were collected from electronic health records. We defined receipt of GC/CT and syphilis screening consistent with recommendations as a prevention index score ≥ 75%. Among 9655 PWH (17.7% Latinx; 16.2% African American; 9.6% female; 12.4% AUD; 22.1% SUD), prevention index scores for GC/CT and syphilis increased from 2015 to 2019. African American PWH had lower odds of receiving an annual syphilis screen (aOR 0.87 [95% CI 0.79-0.97]). Female sex was associated with lower odds of GC/CT (aOR 0.30 [95% CI 0.27-0.34]) and syphilis (aOR 0.27 [95% CI 0.24-0.310) screening. AUD and SUD were not associated with differences in annual GC/CT or syphilis screening. Key PWH subgroups experience ongoing challenges to annual STI screening despite comparable healthcare access.

Evidence-Based Interventions Implemented into HIV Primary Care Clinics to Make Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening and Testing Routine: Outcomes of a Multi-Site Study

In response to rising rates of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States, this evaluative study of the implementation of four evidence-based interventions was developed and implemented. In three STI and HIV high-incidence jurisdictions of the United States, nine federally funded Health Resources and Services Administration Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clinical demonstration sites implemented (1) audio computer-assisted self-interview sexual history taking, (2) patient self-collection of urogenital and extragenital site chlamydia/gonorrhea nucleic acid amplification test specimens, (3) sexual and gender minority welcoming indicators, and (4) provider training, to make STI screening, testing, and treatment routine in their HIV primary care clinics. The priority populations of young adults, men who have sex with men, and sexual and gender minority patients were found to have risk behaviors identified in the self-interview sexual history, to prefer to self-collect urogenital and extragenital site specimens for STI testing, and to notice and like the sexual and gender minority welcoming indicators. Testing positive for a bacterial STI was significantly associated with using alcohol or recreational drugs before sex, being younger than 50 years, and having two or more sexual partners with other concurrent sexual partners. Of 255 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis infections, only 13.73% of patients reported related symptoms when screened and tested.

Coinfection With Chlamydial and Gonorrheal Infection Among US Adults With Early Syphilis

ABSTRACT

Among 865 adults with early syphilis considered for a multicenter treatment trial, 234 (27%) were excluded before enrollment because of bacterial sexually transmitted infection coinfection. Coinfection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (29%), Chlamydia trachomatis (22%), or both (23%) was common. Study findings highlight the need for comprehensive bacterial sexually transmitted infection screening in patients with syphilis.

A Missed Opportunity: Extragenital Screening for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Sexually Transmitted Infections in People with HIV in a Southeastern Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Clinic Setting

Background

Guidelines recommend annual screening for gonorrhea/chlamydia in sexually active people with HIV at multiple sites (urogenital, oropharyngeal, rectal). In the first year of multisite screening at our Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clinic, we studied (1) sexual history documentation rate, (2) sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening rate, (3) characteristics associated with STIs, (4) the percentage of extragenital STIs that would have been missed without multisite screening.

Methods

Participants were ≥14 years old with ≥1 in-person medical visit at our clinic in 2019. Descriptive analyses were performed, and adjusting for number of sites tested, a log-binomial model was used to estimate the association between characteristics and STI diagnosis in men.

Results

In this cohort (n = 857), 21% had no sexual history recorded. Almost all STI diagnoses were among males (99.3%). 68% (253/375) received appropriate urogenital testing, 63% (85/134) received appropriate oropharyngeal testing, and 69% (72/105) received appropriate rectal testing. In male participants with ≥1 STI test (n = 347), Hispanic ethnicity and detectable HIV viral load were associated with an STI diagnosis. Of those diagnosed with an STI who had multisite testing, 96% (n = 25/26) were positive only at an extragenital site.

Conclusions

Screening rates were similar across all anatomical sites indicating no obvious bias against extragenital testing. In males, STIs were more frequently diagnosed in people who identify as Hispanic and those with detectable viral loads which may indicate more condomless sex in these populations. Based on infections detected exclusively at extragenital sites, our clinic likely underdiagnosed STIs prior to implementation of multisite screening.

Incidence, Reinfection, and Discrepancy Between Sexual Practice and Anatomic Site Positivity of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Youth With HIV

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the overall incidence and reinfection rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the discrepancy between self-reported exposure history and anatomic site positivity of STIs among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with HIV in Atlanta, GA.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients 13-24 years of age at the Grady Ponce and Family Youth Clinic from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2018. Data were collected on patient demographics, self-reported sexual history and STI events. First STI incidence and incidence of reinfections were calculated by dividing new cases over corresponding person follow-up time.

RESULTS

A total of 626 sexually active AYAs with HIV were included in analysis. The mean age at first observation was 18.9 (SD: ±2.8) years; 72% were male, 92% were Black and 80% were horizontally infected. The cumulative first STI incidence rate was 45.49 cases per 100 person-years, and the recurrent STI incidence rate was 119.86 cases per 100 person-years. Among all Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) cases, the most common site of infection was the rectum (48.6% and 49.6%, respectively). Disagreement between exposure history and presence of GC or CT infection was statistically significant for nearly all anatomic sites and types of intercourse.

CONCLUSIONS

AYAs with HIV in Atlanta have disproportionately high first and recurrent incidence rates of STIs, with many patients not reporting exposure at their site of infection. There is considerable need to increase screening for STIs, including routine extragenital testing for GC and CT, among AYAs with HIV regardless of self-reported exposure history.

Intersecting Epidemics: Incident Syphilis and Drug Use in Women Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the United States (2005-2016)

BACKGROUND

Rates of early syphilis in US women are steadily increasing, but predictors of infection in this group are not clearly defined.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis focused on women enrolled in the US CFAR Network of Integrated Clinical Systems cohort between January 2005 and December 2016 with syphilis testing performed. The primary outcome of incident syphilis infection was defined serologically as a newly positive test with positive confirmatory testing after a negative test or a 2-dilution increase in rapid plasma regain titer. Infection rates were calculated for each woman-year in care with testing. Predictors of syphilis were sought among sociodemographics, clinical information, and self-reported behaviors. Multivariable logistic regression models were created; a subgroup analysis assessed predictors in women of reproductive age.

RESULTS

The annual rate of incident syphilis among 4416 women engaged in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care and tested during the 12-year study period was 760/100 000 person-years. Independent predictors of infection were injection drug use as a risk factor for HIV acquisition (aOR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.9), hepatitis C infection (aOR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.4), black race (aOR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.7 compared with white race), and more recent entry to care (since 2005 compared with 1994-2004). Predictors were similar in women aged 18-49.

CONCLUSIONS

Syphilis infection is common among US women in HIV care. Syphilis screening and prevention efforts should focus on women reporting drug use and with hepatitis C coinfection. Future studies should identify specific behaviors that mediate syphilis acquisition risk in women who use drugs.

A Prospective Study of Exposure to Gender-Based Violence and Risk of Sexually Transmitted Infection Acquisition in the Women's Interagency HIV Study, 1995-2018

Background: Our objectives were to estimate the association of gender-based violence (GBV) experience with the risk of sexually transmitted infection (STI) acquisition in HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative women, to compare the STI risks associated with recent and lifetime GBV exposures, and to quantify whether these associations differ by HIV status. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, prospective cohort study in the Women's Interagency HIV Study, 1994-2018. Poisson models were fitted using generalized estimating equations to estimate the association of past 6-month GBV experience (physical, sexual, or intimate partner psychological violence) with subsequent self-reported STI diagnosis (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, pelvic inflammatory disease, or trichomoniasis). Results: Data from 2868 women who reported recent sexual activity comprised 12,069 person-years. Higher STI risk was observed among HIV-seropositive women (incidence rate [IR] 5.5 per 100 person-years) compared with HIV-seronegative women (IR 4.3 per 100 person-years). Recent GBV experience was associated with a 1.28-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99, 1.65) risk after adjustment for HIV status and relevant demographic, socioeconomic, and sexual risk variables. Other important risk factors for STI acquisition included unstable housing (adjusted incidence rate ratio [AIRR] 1.81, 95% CI 1.32-2.46), unemployment (AIRR 1.42, 95% CI 1.14-1.76), transactional sex (AIRR 2.06, 95% CI 1.52-2.80), and drug use (AIRR 1.44, 95% CI 1.19-1.75). Recent physical violence contributed the highest risk of STI acquisition among HIV-seronegative women (AIRR 2.27, 95% CI 1.18-4.35), whereas lifetime GBV experience contributed the highest risk among HIV-seropositive women (AIRR 1.59, 95% CI 1.20-2.10). Conclusions: GBV prevention remains an important public health goal with direct relevance to women's sexual health.

Retrospective Chart Analysis of Child and Adolescent Trichomonas vaginalis Infection in Houston, Texas

BACKGROUND

Trichomonas vaginalis infection causes significant morbidity in the United States. Despite its high national disease burden, the epidemiologic characteristics of child and adolescent cases are not well understood. In this study, we aimed to describe the socioeconomic, transmission risk factors, clinical manifestations, and geospatial variables associated with cases of T vaginalis infection in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective chart abstraction of all T vaginalis cases at 2 large pediatric hospitals in Houston between 2008 and 2016.

RESULTS

We identified 87 patients (mean age, 16 years; range, 4-18 years); 30% of them were asymptomatic, and 39% were coinfected with another sexually transmitted infection(s). Almost all T vaginalis infections in sexually assaulted patients were diagnosed incidentally. Geospatial analysis identified clustering of cases in areas of high poverty and in minority populations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that children and adolescents are at risk for T vaginalis infection; however, their risk factors might differ from those in adults. In addition, our geospatial analysis revealed the need for dedicated resources in neighborhoods associated with health disparities to prevent future incident cases.