Asymptomatic Rectal Bacterial Pathogens Show Large Prospective Relationships With HIV Incidence in a Cohort of Young Sexual and Gender Minorities: Implications for STI Screening and HIV Prevention.

Background: We estimated the predictive value of rectal (bacterial sexually transmitted infection [bSTI]) pathogen detection for future HIV seroconversion among young adult sexual and gender minorities (YSGMs) assigned male at birth (AMAB).

Methods: Data were collected between March 2018 and August 2022 from RADAR, a longitudinal cohort study of YSGMs AMAB living in the Chicago metropolitan area (n = 1022). Rates of rectal bSTIs and the proportion of self-reported rectal bSTI symptoms are reported.