The XLII Spanish Epidemiology Society (SEE) meeting took place from September 10th to 13th, 2023 in Cadis, Spain. Three abstracts were presented by COBATEST network at the meeting.
Dr. Laura Fernàndez-López presented an abstract based on data collected by COBATEST network members analyzing the increase of integrated testing for HIV, HCV and syphilis in community-based testing services looking at 2014 to 2023. The number of testing sessions where more than one test was conducted increased during the study period, from 48.38% of all testing sessions in 2014 to 82.19% in 2023 (an increase of 69.88%). Considering all testing sessions over the entire period, 44.0% involved both HIV and syphilis tests, 35.9% involved only HIV tests, 13.6% involved the 3 tests, 5.4% involved both HIV and HCV tests, and only 1.3% and 0.3% of testing sessions exclusively performed HCV tests and syphilis tests, respectively. The number of testing sessions where all 3 tests were conducted increased by 617.2% in 2023 compared to 2014, rising from 1.7% of all testing sessions to 56.1%.
The prevalence of reactive tests for the three infections at the same testing session over the entire period was 0.18% of all testing sessions where the 3 tests were performed. The prevalence for HIV and syphilis reactive tests was 1.5%, 0.0% for HIV and HCV, and 0.5% for Syphilis and HCV.
Please find full presentations online.
Second abstract presented by Dr. Laura Fernàndez-López analysed bio-behavioral trends related to HIV/STIs in key populations based on data from theCOBATEST Network from 20213 to 2022. 103,644 visits, of which 2,290 were for transgender individuals (TG), 48,005 for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBHSH), 1,356 for sex workers (PID), and 19,772 for non-EU migrants. Significant changes were observed (p<0.05) in the trend of previous HIV testing in TG, where there was an increase in individuals who had never been tested for HIV. Regarding vaccination coverage against hepatitis A (VHA), an upward trend was observed since 2019 in GBHSH, PID, and transgender individuals, while in migrants, the upward trend began in 2018 but showed a decline in 2022. Vaccination coverage against hepatitis B (VHB) showed an upward trend since 2018 in GBHSH, transgender individuals, and migrants, with a decline in the latter group in 2022. The prevalence of STIs in the last 12 months among TG, GBHSH, PID, and transgender individuals showed an increasing trend until 2020, reversing the trend in 2021. The use of condoms showed a downward trend since 2020 among TG, GBHSH, and transgender individuals, while it increased among PID since 2020, and a decline was observed among migrants since 2018.
Please find full presentations online.
Third abstract presented by Dr. Laura Fernàndez-López based on data collected by COBATEST network members in 2023 discussed healthcare access and STIs Among Beneficiaries of Community-Testing Centres in Europe and Central Asia in 2023. In total, 12,564 persons were tested for STI. Out of total, 88.95% (n=11,176) had access to care, 7.74% (n=973) had STI-diagnoses, and 4.93% (n=48) had both STI and HIV-diagnoses. Among the group of those who had an STI diagnosis, cis men (73.4%), the age group of 26 to 35 years (40.3%), and those who tested positive for HIV were more represented. The percentage of those with access to healthcare services is also higher in this group, although it is not statistically significant. The percentage of MSM (67.8%) and SW (12.9%) were also higher in the group of those with an STI diagnosis compared with those without STI diagnosis, and PWID percentage (2.9%) was lower. Compared to other key-population groups without access to care, migrants (7.75%, n=41) and sex workers (8.62%, n=20) had the highest prevalence of STI-diagnoses. Seventy-two percent (n=450) of people who inject drugs (PWIDS), reported not having access to care, and 75.5% (n=447) of the population-group didn’t have STI.
Cisgender women had a lower probability of STI-diagnoses compared to cisgender men [PR=0.37; 95% CI, 0.27-0.51; p<0.001]. The probability of STI-diagnosis among MSM compared with rest of the population was 5.84 [95%CI, 4.42-7.87; p<0.001]. The probability of STI-diagnoses among MSM without access to care was 9.89 [CI 95%, 2.27-40.18; p<0.001] compared to rest of the population without access to care.
Please find full presentations online.