Substance use and other correlates of HIV infection among transwomen and men who have sex with men in Perú: Implications for targeted HIV prevention strategies for transwomen.

Characterization of HIV risk factors among transwomen and men who have sex with men (MSM) should be assessed separately and independently. However, due to several constraints, these populations continue to be conflated in clinical research and data. There are limited datasets globally powered to make such comparisons.

On the explainability of hospitalization prediction on a large COVID-19 patient dataset.

We develop various AI models to predict hospitalization on a large (over 110k) cohort of COVID-19 positive-tested US patients, sourced from March 2020 to February 2021. Models range from Random Forest to Neural Network (NN) and Time Convolutional NN, where combination of the data modalities (tabular and time dependent) are performed at different stages (early vs. model fusion).

Active syphilis and its association with HIV and sexual risk behaviours in a multicity sample of men who have sex with men and transgender women in Peru.

Unlabelled: Background Syphilis in Peru is heavily concentrated in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). The aim of the present study was to understand the risk factors for active syphilis infection among MSM and TGW in Peru.

Methods: Independent correlates suggestive of active syphilis infection were examined to better understand risk factors for syphilis in MSM and TGW, with separate analyses conducted based on location and among TGW.

An explanatory factor analysis of a brief self-report scale to detect neurocognitive impairment among HIV-positive men who have sex with men and transgender women in Peru.

Neurocognitive impairment (NCI) has been associated with poor clinical outcomes in various patient populations. This study used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to examine the factor structure of the existing 95-item Neuropsychological Impairment Scale (NIS) to create a suitable NCI screening instrument for people living with HIV (PLH). In Lima, Peru, 313 HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART) completed the NIS using computer-assisted self-interviews (CASI).

A Qualitative Assessment of Alcohol Consumption and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women in Peru.

Background: Peruvian men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) experience the double burden of a highly concentrated HIV epidemic with a high prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Recent research has associated both with risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex, having multiple sexual partners, engaging in sex work, having recent sexually transmitted infections, and having HIV-infected partners. AUDs have also been associated in MSM/TGW with being unaware of HIV+ status.

The Impact of Alcohol Use and Related Disorders on the HIV Continuum of Care: a Systematic Review : Alcohol and the HIV Continuum of Care.

Alcohol use is highly prevalent globally with numerous negative consequences to human health, including HIV progression, in people living with HIV (PLH). The HIV continuum of care, or treatment cascade, represents a sequence of targets for intervention that can result in viral suppression, which ultimately benefits individuals and society. The extent to which alcohol impacts each step in the cascade, however, has not been systematically examined.

HIV-infected men who have sex with men, before and after release from jail: the impact of age and race, results from a multi-site study.

The US HIV/AIDS epidemic is concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM). Black men are disproportionately affected by incarceration and Black MSM experience higher infection rates and worse HIV-related health outcomes compared to non-Black MSM. We compared HIV treatment outcomes for Black MSM to other HIV-infected men from one of the largest cohorts of HIV-infected jail detainees (N = 1270) transitioning to the community.

Validation of the 'drinking expectancy questionnaire for men who have sex with men' in Peru.

Introduction And Aims: Alcohol use disorders are highly prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Peru, where the HIV epidemic is concentrated 100-fold greater among MSM than in the general population. Drinking expectancies have been associated with the intent to drink and engage in high-risk behaviours. Assessing them in this population may uncover attractive intervention targets that in turn can be used to reduce problematic drinking and risky sexual behaviours.

Men Who Have Sex With Men in Peru: Acceptability of Medication-Assisted Therapy for Treating Alcohol Use Disorders.

In Peru, the HIV epidemic is concentrated in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). Multiple studies correlate alcohol use disorders (AUDs) with risky sexual behaviors among Peruvian MSM. Qualitative research was used to inform a clinical trial on the acceptability of medication-assisted therapies to assist management of AUDs and improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among MSM/TGW in Peru.

Communication technology use and mHealth acceptance among HIV-infected men who have sex with men in Peru: implications for HIV prevention and treatment.

The HIV epidemic in Peru is concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM). Given that MSM have been documented as early adopters of emerging technology, we examined communication technology access and utilization, and mobile health (mHealth) acceptance among Peruvian MSM and transgender women (TGW) in order to gauge opportunities for mHealth-enabled HIV interventions. A convenience sample of 359 HIV-infected MSM and TGW recruited from three sites in Lima, Peru completed standardized assessments of alcohol use disorders (AUDs), risky sexual behavior, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence along with self-constructed measures of communication technology access and utilization, and mHealth acceptance.

Alcohol use disorders negatively influence antiretroviral medication adherence among men who have sex with men in Peru.

As international guidelines increase access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) globally, ART adherence becomes increasingly important to achieve HIV treatment as prevention (TasP) goals. In the concentrated HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgendered women (TGW) in Lima, Peru, the independent correlates of ART nonadherence were examined to inform treatment intervention priorities. Cross sectional survey of HIV-infected MSM and TGW who are engaged in clinical care in Lima, Peru.

An evaluation of hepatic enzyme elevations among HIV-infected released prisoners enrolled in two randomized placebo-controlled trials of extended release naltrexone.

Extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX), an approved treatment for opioid or alcohol dependence, is a once-monthly injectable formulation of naltrexone. Hepatotoxicity concerns have limited its use, necessitating further investigation. This study aims to examine hepatic enzyme levels in participants of 2 randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) of XR-NTX.

A systematic review of alcohol use and sexual risk-taking in Latin America.

Objective: To provide an account of published literature on the association between alcohol use and sexual risk-taking, focusing on Latin America.

Methods: A search of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, LILACS, and Cochrane databases identified 561 unique articles. After excluding those that were not directly relevant, 30 studies were retained for review.

Screening for drug and alcohol use disorders and their association with HIV-related sexual risk behaviors among men who have sex with men in Peru.

Background: Peru's HIV epidemic is concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM). The contribution of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) to known high-risk behaviors associated with HIV transmission in this context has not been well characterized.

Methods: Between June and October 2011, 5,148 sexually active MSM were recruited using convenience sampling in five cities to participate in a cross-sectional bio-behavioral survey.

A review of medical and substance use co-morbidities in Central Asian prisons: implications for HIV prevention and treatment.

Background: HIV incidence in Central Asia is rising rapidly. People who inject drugs (PWIDs) contribute greatest to the epidemic, with more than a quarter of all HIV cases being in the criminal justice system (CJS). This review assembled and aggregated recent data on drug-related health problems and respective healthcare services in the CJS of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Correlates of retention in HIV care after release from jail: results from a multi-site study.

Retention in care is key to effective HIV treatment, but half of PLWHA in the US are continuously engaged in care. Incarcerated individuals are an especially challenging population to retain, and empiric data specific to jail detainees is lacking. We prospectively evaluated correlates of retention in care for 867 HIV-infected jail detainees enrolled in a 10-site demonstration project.

Characterization of peripheral and mucosal immune responses in rhesus macaques on long-term tenofovir and emtricitabine combination antiretroviral therapy.

Background: The goal of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is to suppress virus replication to limit immune system damage. Some have proposed combining ART with immune therapies to boost antiviral immunity. For this to be successful, ART must not impair physiological immune function.

A tonsillar PolyICLC/AT-2 SIV therapeutic vaccine maintains low viremia following antiretroviral therapy cessation.

Background: HIV-infected individuals rely on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to control viral replication. Despite abundant demonstrable benefits, the multiple limitations of ART point to the potential advantages of therapeutic vaccination approaches that could provide sustained host control of viral replication after discontinuation of ART. We provide evidence from a non-human primate model that a therapeutic vaccine applied to the tonsils can maintain low viral loads after cessation of ART.

Tonsillar application of AT-2 SIV affords partial protection against rectal challenge with SIVmac239.

Background: Although mucosal responses are important for preventing infections with HIV, the optimal strategies for inducing them remain unclear. To evaluate vaccine strategies targeting the oral mucosal lymphoid tissue inductive sites as an approach to provide immunity at distal sites, we vaccinated healthy macaques via the palatine/lingual tonsils with aldrithiol 2 (AT-2) inactivated Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)mac239, combined with CpG-C immunostimulatory oligonucleotide (CpG-C ISS-ODN, C274) as the adjuvant.

Methods: Macaques received 5 doses of C274 or control ODN C661 and AT-2 SIV on the tonsillar tissues every 6 weeks before being challenged rectally with SIVmac239, 8 weeks after the last immunization.

Current concepts of HIV transmission.

The epithelial surface acts as an effective barrier against HIV. The various mucosal surfaces possess specific mechanisms that help prevent the transmission of virus. Yet, HIV manages to cross these barriers to establish infection, and this is enhanced in the presence of physical trauma or preexisting sexually transmitted infections.

Current concepts of HIV transmission.

The epithelial surface acts as an effective barrier against HIV. The various mucosal surfaces possess specific mechanisms that help prevent the transmission of virus. Yet, HIV manages to cross these barriers to establish infection, and this is enhanced in the presence of physical trauma or pre-existing sexually transmitted infections.