Individuals presenting for care with severe immunosuppression typically have high plasma HIV viral load (pVL) and may transmit HIV before and after initiation of combination antiretroviral therapies ...(cART).
Using risk equations and data collected in the IMEA 040 DATA trial on sexual behaviour and pVL level of 84 HIV-infected patients (23 women), we estimated monthly rates of HIV transmission for each virologically unsuppressed participant (pVL >50 copies/mL) who reported sex with HIV-negative or unknown serostatus (HNUS) partners at cART initiation, 24 weeks (W24) and W48 after; rates were considered negligible for other participants.
At cART initiation, median pVL was 5.4 log10 copies/mL. The percentage of virologically unsuppressed patients decreased, from 100% at cART initiation to 27% (95% CI 16%-43%) for heterosexuals and 8% (95% CI 2%-22%) for MSM at W48 (P < 0.001). The percentage of patients reporting sex with HNUS partners increased between cART initiation and W48, from 23% (95% CI 10%-42%) to 42% (95% CI 25%-61%) for heterosexuals (P = 0.042) and from 41% (95% CI 21%-64%) to 73% (95% CI 52%-88%) for MSM (P = 0.004). Median monthly HIV transmission rates were 0.0540 (IQR 0.0339-0.0742) for MSM and 0.0018 (IQR 0.0014-0.0191) for heterosexuals at cART initiation, and were reduced by 95% (95% CI 87%-100%) for heterosexuals and 98% (95% CI 95%-100%) for MSM as early as W24.
Risk of onward transmission for severely immunosuppressed individuals is high before and within the first weeks of cART, and persists, at a substantially reduced level, beyond 24 weeks of cART for some individuals. Earlier cART and protecting HIV-negative partners until full viral suppression is achieved could reduce HIV transmission.
HIV-infected patients with TB need simplified, effective and well-tolerated antiretroviral regimens.
The French ANRS 129 BKVIR open trial evaluated the once-daily tenofovir DF/emtricitabine and ...efavirenz combination, started within 12 weeks after TB treatment initiation, in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients. Success was defined as an HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL and TB cure at 48 weeks.
TB was confirmed microbiologically (90%) or histologically (10%) in 69 patients (71% male; median age 43 years; 54% born in Africa). The median time between TB treatment initiation and antiretroviral therapy was 8 weeks (range 1-22 weeks). At baseline, median HIV-1 RNA was 5.4 log10 copies/mL and median CD4 cell count 74 cells/mm(3). In the ITT analysis, combined success at week 48 was achieved in 57/69 patients (83%, 95% CI 74-92). Twelve patients did not achieve virological success, and TB was not cured in one of them. Among the 47 patients who fully adhered to the strategy, the success rate was 96% (95% CI 90-100) and was not affected by low rifampicin and isoniazid serum concentrations. Forty-nine serious adverse events were reported in 31 patients (45%), and 11 led to antiretroviral drug interruption. All adverse events resolved. The immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome occurred in 23 patients (33%, 95% CI 22-44), and was associated with a low baseline BMI (P = 0.03) and a low haemoglobin level (P = 0.02).
These results support the use of tenofovir DF/emtricitabine and efavirenz combination therapy for HIV infection in patients with TB.
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