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BackgroundSexually transmitted infections (STIs) and bacterial vaginosis (BV) are associated with increased transmission of HIV, and poor reproductive and sexual health. The burden of STIs/BV among young people is unknown in many high HIV prevalence settings. We conducted an acceptability, feasibility, and prevalence study of home-based sampling for STIs/BV among young men and women aged 15–24 years old in a health and demographic surveillance site (HDSS) in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Methods and findingsA total of 1,342 young people, stratified by age (15–19 and 20–24 years) and sex were selected from the HDSS sampling frame; 1,171/1,342 (87%) individuals had ≥1 attempted home visit between 4 October 2016 and 31 January 2017, of whom 790 (67%) were successfully contacted. Among the 645 who were contacted and eligible, 447 (69%) enrolled. Consenting/assenting participants were interviewed, and blood, self-collected urine (men), and vaginal swabs (women) were tested for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, and BV. Both men and women reported that sample collection was easy. Participants disagreed that sampling was painful; more than half of the participants disagreed that they felt anxious or embarrassed. The weighted prevalence of STIs/BV among men and women, respectively, was 5.3% and 11.2% for chlamydia, 1.5% and 1.8% for gonorrhoea, 0% and 0.4% for active syphilis, 0.6% and 4.6% for trichomoniasis, 16.8% and 28.7% for HSV-2, and 42.1% for BV (women only). Of the women with ≥1 curable STI, 75% reported no symptoms. Factors associated with STIs/BV included having older age, being female, and not being in school or working. Among those who participated in the 2016 HIV serosurvey, the prevalence of HIV was 5.6% among men and 19% among women. Feasibility was impacted by the short study duration and the difficulty finding men at home.ConclusionsA high prevalence of STIs/BV was found in this rural setting with high HIV prevalence in South Africa. Most STIs and HIV infections were asymptomatic and would not have been identified or treated under national syndromic management guidelines. A nested STI/BV survey within a HDSS proved acceptable and feasible. This is a proof of concept for population-based STI surveillance in low- and middle-income countries that could be utilised in the evaluation of STI/HIV prevention and control programmes.

BackgroundAdolescent girls and young women (AGYW) bear the brunt of the HIV epidemic in South Africa. ‘DREAMS’ aims to reduce HIV incidence through multi-level combination prevention. We describe HIV incidence and uptake of HIV and sexual reproductive health (SRH) by AGYW in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), prior to DREAMS.MethodsLongitudinal and cross-sectional analysis of women (15–24 year old) in a population-based HIV incidence cohort within a demographic surveillance site in KZN. Observation time for HIV incidence was person-years at risk while resident. “Current use of contraceptives” and “having an HIV test in the past 12 months” was compared between 2011 and 2015.ResultsIn 2015, HIV prevalence was 11.0% and 34.1% and HIV incidence (2011–2015) was 4.54% (95%CI:3.89–5.30) and 7.45% (95%CI:6.51–8.51) per year in 15–19 and 20–24 year olds respectively, with no significant decline compared to 2006–2010. In 2015, 90.7% of 20-24-year-olds were unemployed, 36.4% and 51.7% of 15–19 and 20–24 year olds reported recent migration; 20.9% and 72.6% of 15–19 and 20–24 year olds had ever been pregnant. In 2015, less than 50% reported condom-use at last sex, 15.0% of 15–19 year olds and 48.9% of 20–24 year olds were currently using contraception and 32.0% and 66.7% of 15–19 and 20–24 year olds had tested for HIV in the past 12 months. There had been no improvement compared to 2011. Factors associated with AGYW testing for HIV in the past 12 months were, survey year—2011 more likely than 2015 (aOR = 0.50), number of partners (aOR = 3.25), ever been pregnant (aOR = 2.47) and knowing where to find ART (aOR = 1.54). Factors associated with contraception use were being older (aOR = 4.83); ever been pregnant (aOR = 12.62); knowing where to get ART (aOR = 1.79) and having had an HIV test in past 12 months (aOR = 1.74).ConclusionPrior to DREAMS, HIV incidence in AGYW was high. HIV and SRH service uptake did not improve and was suboptimal. Findings highlight the need for combination HIV prevention programmes for AGYW in this economically vulnerable area.

AIDS dementia complex (ADC) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients continues to be a problem in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). A better understanding of the drug resistance mutation patterns that emerge in the central nervous system (CNS) during HAART is of paramount importance as these differences in drug resistance mutations may explain underlying reasons for poor penetration of antiretroviral drugs into the CNS and suboptimal concentrations of the drugs that may reside in the brains of HIV-infected individuals during therapy. Thus, we provide a detailed analysis of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) protease and reverse transcriptase (RT) genes derived from different regions of the brains of 20 HIV-1-infected patients (5 without ADC, 2 with probable ADC, and 13 with various stages of ADC) on antiretroviral therapy. We show the compartmentalization and independent evolution of both primary and secondary drug resistance mutations to both RT and protease inhibitors in diverse regions of the CNS of HIV-infected patients, with and without dementia, on antiretroviral therapy. Our results suggest that the independent evolution of drug resistance mutations in diverse areas of the CNS may emerge as a consequence of incomplete suppression of HIV, probably related to suboptimal drug levels in the CNS and drug selection pressure. The emergence of resistant virus in the CNS may have considerable influence on the outcome of neurologic disease and also the reseeding of HIV in the systemic circulation upon failure of therapy.