title: HIV/STI co-infections, syphilis incidence, and hepatitis B vaccination: the Buenos Aires cohort of men who have sex with men.
abstract: In a previous cohort study among 327 men who have sex with men (MSM) in Buenos Aires, an HIV incidence rate of 3.9 per 100 persons-year was reported. Using data from this study, we determined: (a) HIV/STI co-infections; (b) clinical manifestations of incident HIV infections; (c) syphilis incidence and its associated risk factors; and (d) adherence and immune response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine. During the cohort study, 12 incident HIV infections were found. Within this group, HIV infection alone was most frequent (42%), followed by co-infection of HIV/HBV (33%), and triple co-infection of HIV/HBV/syphilis (25%). The most frequent clinical manifestations among incident HIV cases were: pharyngitis, fever, lymphadenopathy, asthenia, and myalgia. Seven new syphilis infections were detected yielding an incidence rate of 2.4 (95% CI=1.07 - 4.73) per 100 persons-year. Sex work was the only significant risk factor associated with syphilis seroconversion (hazard rate=10.93, p-value=0.033). Only 7% of cohort participants reported having received HBV vaccine. Ninety-percent of the 204 cohort members who agreed to be vaccinated completed the HBV vaccination schedule with an immune response rate of 85%. Our findings suggest the need to increase the access to serologic testing for STI and HBV immunization, as well as the developing of effective HIV/STI behavioral and educational prevention programs among MSM in Buenos Aires.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Parasitologia e Inmunologia, Centro Nacional de Referencia para el SIDA, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Segura
authors.forename: Christian T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Bautista
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marone
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sosa Estani
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.forename: Silvia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Montano
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Griemberg
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weissenbacher
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Avila
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines