Frequent viral load testing is necessary during analytical treatment interruptions (ATIs) in HIV cure-directed clinical trials, though such may be burdensome and inconvenient to trial participants. We implemented a national, cross-sectional survey in the United States to examine the acceptability of a novel home-based peripheral blood collection device for HIV viral load testing. Between June and August 2021, we distributed an online survey to people with HIV (PWH) and community members, biomedical HIV cure researchers and HIV care providers. We performed descriptive analyses to summarize the results. We received 73 survey responses, with 51 from community members, 12 from biomedical HIV cure researchers and 10 from HIV care providers. Of those, 51 (70%) were cisgender men and 50 (68%) reported living with HIV. Most (>80% overall) indicated that the device would be helpful during ATI trials and they would feel comfortable using it themselves or recommending it to their patients/participants. Of the 50 PWH, 42 (84%) indicated they would use the device if they were participating in an ATI trial and 27 (54%) also expressed a willingness to use the device outside of HIV cure studies. Increasing sensitivity of viral load tests and pluri-potency of the device (CD4 count, chemistries) would augment acceptability. Survey findings provide evidence that viral load home testing would be an important adjunct to ongoing HIV cure-directed trials involving ATIs. Survey findings may help inform successful implementation and uptake of the device in the context of personalized HIV care.

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Introduction Oral health is an important component of care at haemophilia treatment centres (HTCs). Correlations between oral health and inflammation suggest that proper oral health may improve joint health. Aim To evaluate the dental habits, needs, and oral health status of paediatric patients with bleeding disorders, and identify predicters of poor oral health. Methods From May 2016 to October 2017, consecutive paediatric HTC patients completed a 14‐question survey and were examined by dental professionals. Descriptive analyses, chi‐square tests and logistic regression models identified characteristics associated with four main dental outcomes. Results Evaluations from 226 consecutive patients (age 1–20 years) were included. Diagnoses included haemophilia A and B (64%), von Willebrand disease (25%) and other bleeding disorders (13%). Nearly half of patients reported not brushing their teeth twice a day (44%). One‐quarter of patients did not currently have a dentist (27%), and 15% reported specific challenges with access to dental care. Oral screening demonstrated significant pathology: 89% of patients had plaque accumulation, 37% had gingivitis and 8% had lesions suggestive of dental caries. Multivariate analysis revealed that having a primary caregiver with active decay was associated with significantly higher rates of suspicious lesions (OR 4.34, CI 1.41‐13.35) and gingival erythema (OR 3.44, CI 1.63‐7.25) and lower rates of twice daily teeth brushing (OR .17, CI .08‐.37). Conclusion Children with bleeding disorders commonly have significant dental pathology and report obstacles to dental care, posing the potential risk for morbidity. Primary caregiver dental health is strongly associated with dental pathology in children.

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The association between nasopharyngeal (NP) SARS-CoV-2 viral loads and clinical outcomes remains debated. Here, we examined the factors that might predict the NP viral load and the role of the viral load as a predictor of clinical outcomes. A convenience sample of 955 positive remnant NP swab eluent samples collected during routine care between 18 November 2020 and 26 September 2021 was cataloged and a chart review was performed. For non-duplicate samples with available demographic and clinical data (i.e., non-employees), an aliquot of eluent was sent for a droplet digital PCR quantification of the SARS-CoV-2 viral load. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the clinical predictors of NP viral loads and the predictors of COVID-19-related clinical outcomes. Samples and data from 698 individuals were included in the final analysis. The sample cohort had a mean age of 50 years (range: 19–91); 86.6% were male and 76.3% were unvaccinated. The NP viral load was higher in people with respiratory symptoms (p = 0.0004) and fevers (p = 0.0006). In the predictive models for the clinical outcomes, the NP viral load approached a significance as a predictor for in-hospital mortality. In conclusion, the NP viral load did not appear to be a strong predictor of moderate-to-severe disease in the pre-Delta and Delta phases of the pandemic, but was predictive of symptomatic diseases and approached a significance for in-hospital mortality, providing support to the thesis that early viral control prevents the progression of disease.