Incorporating rapid HIV testing into partner counseling and referral services.
OBJECTIVE
Partner counseling and referral services (PCRS) provide a unique opportunity to decrease transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by notifying sex and drug-injection partners of HIV-infected individuals of their exposure to HIV. We incorporated rapid HIV testing into PCRS to reduce barriers associated with conventional HIV testing and identify undiagnosed HIV infection within this high-risk population.


METHODS
From April 2004 through June 2006, HIV-infected people (index clients) were interviewed, and their partners were notified of their potential exposure to HIV and offered rapid HIV testing at six sites in the United States. The numbers of index clients participating and the numbers of partners interviewed and tested were compared by site. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed.


RESULTS
A total of 2,678 index clients were identified, of whom 779 (29%) provided partner locating information. A total of 1,048 partners were elicited, of whom 463 (44%) were both interviewed and tested for HIV. Thirty-seven partners (8%) were newly diagnosed with HIV. The number of index clients interviewed to identify one partner with newly diagnosed HIV infection ranged from 10 to 137 at the participating sites.


CONCLUSIONS
PCRS provides testing and prevention services to people at high risk for HIV infection. Incorporating rapid HIV testing into PCRS and identifying previously undiagnosed infections likely confer individual and public health benefits. Further evaluation is needed to determine the best methods of identifying partners with previously unrecognized HIV infection.
Begley
Elin B
EB
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, MS E-59, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. eqb5@cdc.gov
Oster
Alexandra M
AM
Song
Binwei
B
Lesondak
Linda
L
Voorhees
Kelly
K
Esquivel
Magdalena
M
Merrick
Ronald L
RL
Carrel
Jack
J
Sebesta
Douglas
D
Vergeront
James
J
Shrestha
Dhana
D
Heffelfinger
James D
JD
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000328:Adult; D016358:Contact Tracing; D003710:Demography; D037001:Directive Counseling; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology