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Characterization of HIV risks in a Brazilian sickle cell disease population
Blatyta, P. F., Kelly, S., Goncalez, T. T., Carneiro-Proietti, A. B., Salomon, T., Miranda, C., Sabino, E., Preiss, L., Maximo, C., Loureiro, P., Custer, B., de Almeida-Neto, C., & NHLBI Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study-III (REDS-III) International Component, Brazil (2020). Characterization of HIV risks in a Brazilian sickle cell disease population. BMC Public Health, 20(1), Article 1606. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09702-5
BACKGROUND: A low prevalence of HIV in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients has been reported in the literature though mechanisms for this are not understood.
METHODS: HIV risk behaviors were compared between SCD cases and non-SCD controls using a self-administered audio computer-assisted self-interview. SCD cases were recruited from a multi-center SCD cohort established in Brazil; controls were recruited from SCD social contacts. Categorical variables were analyzed using Chi-Square or Fisher exact test. Continuous variables were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test.
RESULTS: There were 152 SCD cases and 154 age/location matched controls enrolled at three participating Brazilian centers during 2016-17. No significant differences in number of sexual partners (lifetime or previous 12 months), male-to-male sex partners or intravenous drug use were observed. Cases received more transfusions, surgeries, and acupuncture treatment.
CONCLUSIONS: Besides the risk of transfusion-transmitted HIV, which is now exceedingly rare, SCD and non-SCD participants demonstrated similar HIV risk behaviors. Causes other than risk behaviors such as factors inherent to SCD pathophysiology may explain the reported low prevalence of HIV in SCD.