HIV in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Can We Change the Way We Deal with Co-Infections

Abstract

The first incidence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was reported back in 1984, and by the end of 2013, around 1509 patients were diagnosed with HIV infection. Recently in 2018, the Saudi ministry of health released that the incidence of HIV in Saudi Arabia is 3 cases of HIV for every 10,000 of the population. Having said that, the surveillance of HIV will face a range of challenges in KSA despite proper medical care, counseling, family planning, diagnostic, evaluation, and the use of effective anti-retroviral therapy. Patients who underwent anti-retroviral therapy showed significant reduction in morbidity as well as mortality. On the other hand, further targeted treatment and preventive strategies are warranted to control HIV co-infections in the KSA. In addition, progress towards meeting the WHO 90-90-90 goals for HIV not only at KSA but at the MENA region too, which is that of the population, 90% are diagnosed, 90% undergoing treatment, and 90% under viral control, is not being systematically monitored. In this review, we discuss the common co-infections with HIV infections that are reported in KSA, which when compared to international trends, it is similar for both viral hepatitis and tuberculosis. Although those co-infections exist, they are presented in different ratios and percentages when compared to the international reported data. These differences mandates defining and introducing new resilient methods of treatment and preventive measures. In this review, we offer an insight into healthcare policymakers to be compliant with UNAIDS 2020 vision program. We also discuss some of the gaps and recommendations to achieve the WHO 90-90-90 goal.

Desfecho do tratamento da tuberculose latente em pessoas vivendo com vírus da imunodeficiência humana

“…A testagem do HIV em pessoas com TB e os exames para diagnóstico da TB em PVHA, oferecidos gratuitamente pelo Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), é imprescindível para a garantia de tratamento adequado e em tempo oportuno 19,20 , principalmente por conta da gravidade clínica desta população quando acometida pela coinfecção TB-HIV 17 . Assim, evidencia-se a importância da testagem universal e em todos os pontos da rede de atenção à saúde, da vinculação imediata da pessoa ao serviço de seguimento e à implementação de estratégias que promovam a adesão ao tratamento do HIV 21 .…”

Trends of HIV indicators in Egypt from 1990 to 2021: time-series analysis and forecast toward UNAIDS 90–90–90 targets

“…The prevalence of HCV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections is considerably higher in HIV-infected patients, with rates approximately 20 and 10 times higher, respectively, than in the general population without HIV infection. Recognizing these viral co-infections is crucial for developing appropriate treatment strategies [ 35 ]. Egypt is one of the few countries (Jordan, Egypt, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Singapore, Seychelle, Montenegro, and Costa Rica) that has the highest HCV test rate among HIV patients.…”

Patterns of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV Among Blood Donors in Samtah-Jazan Region

“…HIV is a known viral infection with deleterious effects with approximately 36 million cases in the world [ 26 ]. It is estimated that 3 out of 100,000 individuals are infected with HIV in the Saudi population [ 27 ].…”