PLoS ONE (Jan 2008)

Regional differences in prevalence of HIV-1 discordance in Africa and enrollment of HIV-1 discordant couples into an HIV-1 prevention trial.

  • Jairam R Lingappa,
  • Barrot Lambdin,
  • Elizabeth Ann Bukusi,
  • Kenneth Ngure,
  • Linda Kavuma,
  • Mubiana Inambao,
  • William Kanweka,
  • Susan Allen,
  • James N Kiarie,
  • Joseph Makhema,
  • Edwin Were,
  • Rachel Manongi,
  • David Coetzee,
  • Guy de Bruyn,
  • Sinead Delany-Moretlwe,
  • Amalia Magaret,
  • Nelly Mugo,
  • Andrew Mujugira,
  • Patrick Ndase,
  • Connie Celum,
  • Partners in Prevention HSV-2/HIV Transmission Study Group

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0001411
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
p. e1411

Abstract

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Most HIV-1 transmission in Africa occurs among HIV-1-discordant couples (one partner HIV-1 infected and one uninfected) who are unaware of their discordant HIV-1 serostatus. Given the high HIV-1 incidence among HIV-1 discordant couples and to assess efficacy of interventions for reducing HIV-1 transmission, HIV-1 discordant couples represent a critical target population for HIV-1 prevention interventions and prevention trials. Substantial regional differences exist in HIV-1 prevalence in Africa, but regional differences in HIV-1 discordance among African couples, has not previously been reported.The Partners in Prevention HSV-2/HIV-1 Transmission Trial ("Partners HSV-2 Study"), the first large HIV-1 prevention trial in Africa involving HIV-1 discordant couples, completed enrollment in May 2007. Partners HSV-2 Study recruitment data from 12 sites from East and Southern Africa were used to assess HIV-1 discordance among couples accessing couples HIV-1 counseling and testing, and to correlate with enrollment of HIV-1 discordant couples. HIV-1 discordance at Partners HSV-2 Study sites ranged from 8-31% of couples tested from the community. Across all study sites and, among all couples with one HIV-1 infected partner, almost half (49%) of couples were HIV-1 discordant. Site-specific monthly enrollment of HIV-1 discordant couples into the clinical trial was not directly associated with prevalence of HIV-1 discordance, but was modestly correlated with national HIV-1 counseling and testing rates and access to palliative care/basic health care (r = 0.74, p = 0.09).HIV-1 discordant couples are a critical target for HIV-1 prevention in Africa. In addition to community prevalence of HIV-1 discordance, national infrastructure for HIV-1 testing and healthcare delivery and effective community outreach strategies impact recruitment of HIV-1 discordant couples into HIV-1 prevention trials.