Associated Projects

To achieve the objective of reducing the number of undiagnosed people living with HIV infection in the European region and to promote timely treatment and linkage to care, the COBATEST network forms part of different research projects.

Utility evaluation of Point of Care Tests in non-Clinical Settings for the Screening of HIV and Syphilis in Men who have Sex with Men

This study aims to provide WHO Member States and other relevant public health institutions on the performance and operational characteristics of commercially available STI diagnostic tests that can be used at the point-of-care, and is currently in progress. A utility evaluation of SD BIOLINE HIV/Syphilis Duo (Alere) and DPP® HIV-Syphilis Assay (Chembio) for the screening of HIV & syphilis in men who have sex with men will take place in the non-clinical settings of four COBATEST Network members (Gais Positius Barcelona, Legebitra Ljubljana, Baltic HIV Association, Alliance Global Kiev) and one associated member (HF Prévention Paris).

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COBA-Cohort

This COBA-Cohort is a pan-European prospective and multicentre cohort of HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) attending 1 of the 15 participating CBVCT services, led by five COBATEST Network members: AIDES, AIDS-Fondet, CheckpointLX and Legebitra, from France, Denmark, Greece, Portugal and Slovenia, respectively. The COBA-Cohort is active and has around 4,000 persons enrolled.

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Read the report on the first results

Validation and Analysis of HIV Testing Data in the Community Setting – COBATEST Network

This report, commissioned by the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, aims to provide a common approach for assessing and improving overall data quality collected by the CBVCT services participating in the COBATEST network. It assessed the transcription validity, completeness and consistency of the data submitted to the COBATEST Network in order to provide recommendations to ease integration of CBVCT data with the national surveillance system.

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Economic evaluation of HIV testing for men who have sex with men in community-based organizations

This study incorporated six COBATEST Network members (GAT Portugal, AIDES Paris, AIDES Lyon, Positive Voice Greece, AIDS Fondet Denmark and Legebitra Slovenia) and was funded by GILEAD, in partnership with the University of Lisbon.

Investigators performed an economic evaluation of HIV testing for MSM at CBVCT services in the year 2014 and compared them across six European cities. The results highlight that there is a common CBVCT model, the cost of which is comparable regardless of the epidemiological context and prices. The CBVCT services represent an effective and “worth it” experience, to be continued and expanded in future public health strategies towards HIV.

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