Socio-demographic and behavioural determinants of HIV prevalence among homosexual and bisexual men having sex with men (MSM) in India: Integrated bio-behavioural surveillance.

Background: HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) is 16.5 times higher than adult HIV prevalence. With a socio-cultural context that demands marriage, a considerable proportion of MSM in India have female sexual partners and act as a bridge population. Stratified analysis of HIV risk factors among homosexual and bisexual MSM will be instrumental in identifying the high-risk MSM. We aim to identify the socio-demographic and behavioural factors associated with HIV risk among homosexual and bisexual MSM. Methods: Overall, 23081 MSM were enrolled in the IBBS conducted across India between October 2014 and November 2015. Data and blood samples were collected. Chi-square test, univariate and multivariable logistic regression methods were used in data analysis. Results: HIV prevalence was significantly higher among homosexual MSM than bisexual MSM. Older age, lesser education, being a sex worker, being married, living with a male or hijra partner, younger age at initiation of MSM behaviour, duration, injecting drugs, and having STI symptoms were associated with higher prevalence. The prevalence of new homosexual MSM was 11.4%. Nearly 75% of the bisexual MSM reported inconsistent condom usage with female partners. Conclusion: Interventions for early identification of new MSM and advocacy for safe sex with alternative preventive techniques are recommended.

Injecting drug use & HIV prevalence among female sex workers: Evidence from the National Integrated Biological & Behavioural Surveillance, India.

Background & objectives: Female sex workers (FSWs) who inject drugs (FSW-IDs) have a higher risk of HIV infection and transmission. Understanding the socio-demographic characteristics and other risk behaviours among FSW-IDs will help in strengthening targeted interventions for HIV prevention and management. In the present study, the HIV prevalence, associated socio-demographic characteristics and risk behaviours among FSWs who injected drugs (FSW-IDs) and those who did not ID (FSW-NIDs) was determined in India. Methods: The national cross-sectional, community-based, integrated biological and behavioural surveillance was conducted in 2014-2015 at 73 randomly selected FSW domains across 28 States and Union Territories in India. The sample size was fixed at 400 for each domain, and a probability-based sampling method was followed. The data were analyzed by logistic regression methods. Results: Data from 27,007 FSWs were included in the analysis, of which 802 (3%) were FSW-IDs. HIV prevalence among FSW-IDs was significantly higher than that in FSW-NIDs (4.5 vs. 1.9%). Univariate analysis showed that factors significantly associated with higher HIV prevalence among FSW-IDs were older age, sex work as the only source of income, dissolved marriage, living with a sex worker, urban locality of sex work and consumption of alcohol or oral drugs. In multivariable analysis, factors such as older age of FSW-IDs (35 yr and above), having a dissolved marriage and sex work being the only source of income were observed to be independently and significantly associated with higher HIV prevalence. Interpretation & conclusions: Scaling up the HIV preventive interventions for FSW-IDs, such as facilitating awareness and improved access to needle and syringe exchange programme (NSEP) and opioid substitution therapy (OST), encouraging safe sex and injecting practices, educating on the harmful effects of alcohol and drugs and providing alternative vocation options to secure their financial needs are several strategies that may reduce HIV transmission among FSWs.

An Analysis of Levels and Trends in HIV Prevalence Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Karnataka, South India, 2003-2019.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Periodic tracking of the trends and the levels of HIV prevalence at regional and district levels helps to strengthen a state's HIV/AIDS response. HIV prevalence among pregnant women is crucial for the HIV prevalence estimation of the general population. Karnataka is one of the high HIV prevalence states in India. Probing regional and district levels and trends of HIV prevalence provides critical insights into district-level epidemic patterns. This paper analyzes the region- and district-wise levels and trends of HIV prevalence among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinics (ANC) from 2003 to 2019 in Karnataka, South India. METHODS: HIV prevalence data collected from pregnant women in Karnataka during HIV Sentinel Surveillance (HSS) between 2003 and 2019 was used for trend analysis. The consistent sites were grouped into four zones (Bangalore, Belgaum, Gulbarga and Mysore regions), totaling 60 sites, including 30 urban and 30 rural sites. Regional and district-level HIV prevalence was calculated; trend analysis using Chi-square trend test and spatial analysis using QGIS software was done. For the last three HSS rounds, HIV prevalence based on sociodemographic variables was calculated to understand the factors contributing to HIV positivity in each region. RESULTS: In total, 254,563 pregnant women were recruited. HIV prevalence in Karnataka was 0.22 (OR: 0.15 95% CI: 0.16 - 0.28) in 2019. The prevalence was 0.24, 0.32, 0.17 and 0.14 in Bangalore, Belgaum, Gulbarga, and Mysore regions, respectively. HIV prevalence had significantly (P< 0.05) declined in 26 districts. CONCLUSION AND GLOBAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS: HIV prevalence among pregnant women was comparatively higher in Bangalore and Belgaum regions. Analysis of contextual factors associated with the transmission risk and evidence-based targeted interventions will strengthen HIV management in Karnataka. Regionalized, disaggregated, sub-national analyses will help identify emerging pockets of infections, concentrated epidemic zones and contextual factors driving the disease transmission.

Heterogeneity and Confinement of HIV Prevalence among Pregnant Women Calls for Decentralized HIV Interventions: Analysis of Data from Three Rounds of HIV Sentinel Surveillance in Karnataka: 2013-2017.

BACKGROUND: The HIV sentinel surveillance (HSS) serves to estimate the levels and trend of HIV prevalence among high-risk, bridge, and general population and monitors HIV management at national, state, and district levels. Data from HSS are valuable in understanding the risk factors associated with HIV transmission with particular demographic characteristics. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to analyze the sociodemographic profile of the pregnant mothers attending the antenatal care (ANC) clinics in Karnataka, in order to understand the dynamics of HIV within the general population in Karnataka. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study design: this was a cross-sectional study conducted using consecutive sampling method. Study setting: the surveillance was conducted at select antenatal clinics, in Karnataka, India, between January and March, in the years 2013, 2015, and 2017. Methodology: in total, 74,278 eligible pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years, attending the sentinel sites for the first time during the surveillance period, were included in the study. Information on their sociodemographic characteristics and blood samples was collected. RESULTS: HIV prevalence among the ANC clinic attendees has significantly declined, reaching a recent stabilization. The risk factors significantly associated with HIV among pregnant women were age, education, occupation, and marital status. HIV is highly concentrated in the northern and southern districts of Karnataka. CONCLUSION: Despite the declining trends of HIV prevalence in Karnataka, the epidemic is heterogeneous and concentrated within the state, calling for decentralized region-specific interventions.

Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with HIV Infection among Pregnant Women in Odisha State, India.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze trends in HIV prevalence and risk factors associated with HIV infection among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Odisha State, India. METHODS: Data were from the HIV Sentinel Surveillance (HSS) among pregnant women, a descriptive cross-sectional study using consecutive sampling method and conducted in India. Data and samples were collected from pregnant women attending select antenatal clinics that act as designated sentinel sites in Odisha State, India, during the three months surveillance period and in three surveillance years: 2013, 2015, and 2017. All eligible pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years, attending the sentinel sites for the first time during the surveillance period, were included. Information on their socio-demographic characteristics and blood samples were also collected. RESULTS: In total, 38,384 eligible pregnant women were included in the survey. Of these, 107 women were HIV positive, with an overall prevalence of 0.28%. HIV prevalence indicated a stabilizing trend between 2013 and 2017. However, pregnant women whose spouses were non-agricultural laborers, truck drivers, or migrants were significantly at higher risk of being infected. Likewise, HIV prevalence significantly increased over the years among pregnant women whose spouses were in the service sector (government or private). District-wise fluctuations in HIV prevalence was observed, with the district of Cuttack recording the highest prevalence among the districts. CONCLUSION AND GLOBAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS: Women who are spouses of non-agricultural laborers, truck drivers or migrants need focused interventions, such as creating awareness on HIV and its prevention. Migration, due to poverty and its impact on sexually transmitted diseases among migrants from low and middle-income countries, have been documented globally. Single male migrant specific interventions are recommended to halt the disease progression among pregnant women and general population in Odisha, India.

Comparison of cytokeratin expressions among orthokeratinized odontogenic cysts, epidermoid cysts and odontogenic keratocysts: An immunohistochemical study.

BACKGROUND: Orthokeratinized odontogenic cysts are keratinizing jaw cysts and due their association with impacted teeth and keratinaceous content, they resemble odontogenic keratocysts but differ in regards to biological behaviour, being less aggressive. To unravel the nature of OOCs, as they resemble epidermoid cysts histologically and due to their developmental resemblances to OKCs, this study was conducted. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To compare the cytokeratin expressions of CK 10 and CK 19 among orthokeratinized odontogenic keratocysts, epidermoid cysts and odontogenic keratocysts by immunohistochemical study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 cases of all three cysts were collected, 10 cases in each of these cysts (OOCs, EDCs and OKCs) were incubated with CK 10 and CK 19 markers respectively. IHC staining was performed and assessed all layers of epithelium. All the data were analyzed using SPSS software, P values were obtained by the Chi-square test and Fisher's test. RESULTS: The expression pattern of CK10 showed 100% positive in both OOCs and EDCs with significant difference in OKCs. CK19 expression, between EDCs and OKCs was significant but between OOCs & EDCs and OOCs & OKCs was found to be statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: CK 10 expressions in both OOCs and EDCs were near identical both in terms of expression and patterns of expression in surface and spinous layers. OOCs may not be distinguished from EDCs both histologically and with CK 10 expression. CK19 expression between OOCs & EDCs and OOCs & OKCs was statistically insignificant. Thus, based upon CK 19 expression, no significant differences were found between OOCs & EDCs and OOCs & OKCs, implying that OOCs resemble both EDCs and OKCs.

Carcinoma Cuniculatum of the Alveolar Mucosa: A Rare Variant of Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Carcinoma cuniculatum is one of the variants of squamous cell carcinoma. It is significantly rare with an incidence rate < 1% compared to other histological variants of squamous cell carcinoma. Various etiologic factors implicated are trauma, HPV, chronic inflammation and alcohol consumption but real causative agent still remains unclear. Initially it resembles plantar wart which slowly progress to bulky exophytic mass in the sole of the foot, where cases have been reported first. In the oral cavity it presents clinically as an exophytic growth and slowly invades the jaw and destroys the underlying bone. Microscopically it exhibits as both exophytic and endophytic epithelial masses along with well differentiated and pronounced hyperkeratosis. Treatment includes surgical resection alone unlike other variants which are treated by radiation with or without chemotherapy. Here we present a case of carcinoma cuniculatum occurred in alveolar mucosa of a 47 years old female. It presented as an exophytic growth in mandibular alveolar region, with histological features consistent with carcinoma cuniculatum.