Test of cure study: a feasibility study to estimate the time to test of cure (TOC) for and infections.

Objectives: Test of cure (TOC) for (NG) and (CT) infection is an important tool in the public health management of STIs. However, there are limited data about the optimal time to perform TOC using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for NG and CT infections. A study was performed to assess the feasibility of a larger study to determine the optimal time to TOC using NAATS.

The Context of Sexual Risk Behaviour Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Seeking PrEP, and the Impact of PrEP on Sexual Behaviour.

There are still important gaps in our understanding of how people will incorporate PrEP into their existing HIV prevention strategies. In this paper, we explore how PrEP use impacted existing sexual risk behaviours and risk reduction strategies using qualitative data from the PROUD study. From February 2014 to January 2016, we conducted 41 in-depth interviews with gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) enrolled in the PROUD PrEP study at sexual health clinics in England.

Sexual behaviours and sexually transmitted infection outcomes in a cohort of HIV-negative men who have sex with men attending sexual health clinics in England.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) attending sexual health (SH) clinics are at high risk for HIV acquisition and are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We collected standardised behavioural data from MSM attending clinics to characterise sexual behaviours and identify predictors for HIV and STIs. In 2012–2013, HIV-negative MSM attending five SH clinics in England reported sexual behaviours in the previous three months via a self-administered questionnaire.

Acceptability of an open-label wait-listed trial design: Experiences from the PROUD PrEP study.

Background: PROUD participants were randomly assigned to receive pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) immediately or after a deferred period of one-year. We report on the acceptability of this open-label wait-listed trial design.

Methods: Participants completed an acceptability questionnaire, which included categorical study acceptability data and free-text data on most and least liked aspects of the study.

Randomized controlled trial of the tolerability and completion of maraviroc compared with Kaletra® in combination with Truvada® for HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (MiPEP Trial).

Objectives: Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV is often poorly tolerated and not completed. Alternative PEP regimens may improve adherence and completion, aiding HIV prevention. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of a maraviroc-based PEP regimen compared with a standard-of-care regimen using ritonavir-boosted lopinavir.

Efficacy and safety of emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (FTC/TAF) vs. emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF) as a backbone for treatment of HIV-1 infection in virologically suppressed adults: subgroup analysis by third agent of a randomized, double-blind, active-controlled phase 3 trial.

Background: FTC/TAF was shown to be noninferior to FTC/TDF with advantages in markers of renal and bone safety.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of switching to FTC/TAF from FTC/TDF by third agent (boosted protease inhibitor [PI] vs. unboosted third agent).

Real-world persistence with antiretroviral therapy for HIV in the United Kingdom: A multicentre retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: Persistence with an antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen for HIV can be defined as the length of time a patient remains on therapy before stopping or switching. We aimed to describe ART persistence in treatment naïve patients starting therapy in the United Kingdom, and to describe differential persistence by treatment regimen.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study at eight UK centres of ART-naïve adults commencing ART between 2012 and 2015.

An analysis of baseline data from the PROUD study: an open-label randomised trial of pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has proven biological efficacy to reduce the sexual acquisition of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The PROUD study found that PrEP conferred higher protection than in placebo-controlled trials, reducing HIV incidence by 86 % in a population with seven-fold higher HIV incidence than expected. We present the baseline characteristics of the PROUD study population and place the findings in the context of national sexual health clinic data.

UK national guidelines on the management of syphilis 2015.

These guidelines are an update for 2015 of the 2008 UK guidelines for the management of syphilis. The writing group have piloted the new BASHH guideline methodology, notably using the GRADE system for assessing evidence and making recommendations. We have made significant changes to the recommendations for screening infants born to mothers with positive syphilis serology and to facilitate accurate and timely communication between the teams caring for mother and baby we have developed a birth plan.

British Association for Sexual Health and HIV: framework for guideline development and assessment.

The Clinical Effectiveness Group of the British Association for Sexual Health has updated their methodology for the production of national guidelines for the management of sexually transmitted infections and related conditions. The main changes are the adoption of the GRADE system for assessing evidence and making recommendations and the introduction of a specific Conflict of Interests policy for Clinical Effectiveness Group members and guideline authors. This new methodology has been piloted during the production of the 2015 British Association for Sexual Health & HIV guideline on the management of syphilis.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent the acquisition of HIV-1 infection (PROUD): effectiveness results from the pilot phase of a pragmatic open-label randomised trial.

Background: Randomised placebo-controlled trials have shown that daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with tenofovir-emtricitabine reduces the risk of HIV infection. However, this benefit could be counteracted by risk compensation in users of PrEP. We did the PROUD study to assess this effect.

Narratives of HIV: measuring understanding of HIV and the law in HIV-positive patients.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the understanding of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) regarding the application of the law around transmission of HIV in England and Wales.

Design: A questionnaire was designed to prompt participants attending a large HIV department to discuss their understanding of the law with reference to HIV transmission. The design focused on qualitative analysis as there were insufficient data available to inform a metric reflecting quantitative data on PLWHA's understanding of the legal implications of transmission.

The use of TDM in pregnant HIV-positive women: a retrospective cross-sectional review of five years practice in two large hospitals in Manchester.

Introduction: Despite plasma levels of certain HIV drugs decreasing in the third trimester of pregnancy there is no definitive evidence that therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) improves HIV control and prevents mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). Indeed "one-off" TDM measurements are thought to poorly correlate with overall drug exposure [1]. We aim to describe baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of pregnant women with HIV, and to compare their HIV control, management during pregnancy and neonatal outcomes with respect to whether TDM was performed.

Experience of acute hepatitis C and HIV co-infection in an inner city clinic in the UK.

Introduction: Acute hepatitis C infection (HCV) is increasing in the HIV-infected population, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). Patients co-infected with HCV and HIV progress more rapidly to liver cirrhosis and are at higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. We looked at our management of acute HCV to assess treatment outcome.

Should we offer routine hepatitis C antibody testing in men who have sex with men?

Introduction: There has been a significant rise in the number of HIV positive men who have sex with men (MSM) co-infected with hepatitis C (HCV). Most infections are thought to occur through high risk sexual practices, exacerbated by drug use. Previous data has suggested no need for routine screening in HIV negative MSM.

Exploring the infant feeding practices of immigrant women in the North West of England: a case study of asylum seekers and refugees in Liverpool and Manchester.

Little is known about the infant feeding experiences of refugees residing in the UK. To enable successful health promotion for this population, such experiences must be understood. The study aimed to gain an understanding of infant feeding practices among a group of UK-based refugee mothers.

In vivo mitochondrial function in HIV-infected persons treated with contemporary anti-retroviral therapy: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

Modern anti-retroviral therapy is highly effective at suppressing viral replication and restoring immune function in HIV-infected persons. However, such individuals show reduced physiological performance and increased frailty compared with age-matched uninfected persons. Contemporary anti-retroviral therapy is thought to be largely free from neuromuscular complications, whereas several anti-retroviral drugs previously in common usage have been associated with mitochondrial toxicity.

Acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis induced by Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis with dapsone.

We describe the case of HIV-1 infected patient presenting to hospital with a severe cutaneous adverse drug reaction shortly after commencing dapsone therapy as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis. To the best of our knowledge, acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis has not been reported as a reaction to dapsone in the setting of HIV.