Marseille 2007
| Abstract #350 - Partner notification an efficient HIV-preventive method | ||||
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Session: 26.34: Posters B (Poster) on Tuesday in Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Mr Fredrik Pettersson - Venhlsan (Gay Mens health Clinic, Sweden |
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| Additional Authors: Dr Lena Nilsson-Schnesson, Dr Gran Bratt, Dr Anders Karlsson, Mr Gun Malmlv, Mr Ivar Qvarnstrm, | ||||
| Aim: A Posterpresentation Background Swedish epidemiological data show an ongoing spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) among sexually active men who have sex with men (MSM), predominantly in Stockholm. Partner notification (PN) of all individuals newly diagnosed with HIV and other STIs is mandatory as regulated by the Swedish Communicable Diseases Act and is carried out by specially trained social workers. Venhlsan (Gay Mens Health Clinic) provides medical and psychosocial care for over 600 HIV-positive MSM. It also offers free counselling, testing and treatment of HIV, Syphilis, hepatitis A and B, Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia. The purposes of this survey were to: 1) examine the prevalence of STIs among the newly HIV diagnosed MSM at Venhlsan in 2006, 2) describe these men in terms of age, ethnicity, sexual venues, and number of sexual partners, and 3) examine the number of the newly HIV-diagnosed men who were identified through partner identification. | ||||
| Method / Issue: Methods Partner notification notes and medical files of all patients being HIV diagnosed at Venhlsan in 2006 were examined. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Results Thirty-eight MSM were diagnosed with HIV infection. In addition to HIV, 11 men (29 %) were also diagnosed with at least one untreated STI of whom only four had STI symptoms. The median age was 37 years (age range: 25 75 years). Almost two thirds (n = 24) were of Swedish origin and about one half (n = 21) had been infected in Sweden. For 9 patients PN was the reason for HIV-testing, in 5/9 due to Gonorrea a/o Chlamydia and 4 due to HIV. The most common sexual venues were sex clubs, social network (friends, gay clubs), and the Internet. Over one third (n = 15) of the HIV-diagnosed men could not report the exact number of sexpartners. Most of these 15 men had had anonymous sexual encounters in sex clubs and/or abroad. One hundred and thirty-one sexual partners were identified through PN and almost two thirds of them (n = 84) were contacted and asked to undergo HIV counselling and testing. The HIV testing identified 4 new HIV cases and these men were unaware of their HIV status. | ||||
| Discussion: Conclusions: One third of the newly 38 HIV diagnosed MSM was simultaneously diagnosed with another STI. About one third reported having had only anonymous sexual partners. Partner notification due to HIV or other STIs detected 9 new HIV cases. The findings suggest that STIs may feed the spread of HIV and that partner notification is an effective method to identify MSM who are unaware of their HIV infection. Our findings indicate that all partner notified MSM should be offered testing for all STIs including HIV. In addition, knowledge about sexual venues and sexual life styles being collected through partner notification is important in improving HIV preventive efforts among MSM. | ||||
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