RESUMO
Point-of-care rapid testing is one of the strategies to increase HIV screening. We present data on over 14 years of the "EASY Test Program", an ongoing cross-sectional collaborative project that provides free and anonymous rapid HIV testing in the metropolitan city of Milan, Italy. Overall, 22,186 HIV tests were performed, with a 0.52% prevalence of HIV infection; 100% of those diagnosed with HIV were linked to care. The "EASY Test Program" is an appropriate test-and-treat strategy, allowing a fast HIV assessment (24 hours). Motivated clinicians, in partnership with community associations, can perform an easy HIV screening out of hospitals in alternative settings, among individuals who in the majority of cases had never tested for HIV, ultimately providing an effective linkage to care.
Assuntos
Infecções por HIV , Humanos , Infecções por HIV/diagnóstico , Infecções por HIV/epidemiologia , Sistemas Automatizados de Assistência Junto ao Leito , Estudos Transversais , Diagnóstico Precoce , Teste de HIV , Programas de RastreamentoRESUMO
Aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the retention-in-care of individuals diagnosed during six years of salivary HIV testing (EASY-test project). Among those linked-to-care at the Infectious Diseases Department of San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy), the proportion of patients engaged, retained in care and virologically suppressed after the antiretroviral treatment was 96%, 100% and 95.2%, respectively. Results from our study suggest that salivary HIV testing may help bring to light cases of HIV infection otherwise undiagnosed, and thus favour a more rapid and wider reduction of the HIV infection burden at the population level.
Assuntos
Algoritmos , Infecções por HIV/diagnóstico , HIV-1/imunologia , Adulto , Terapia Antirretroviral de Alta Atividade , Diagnóstico Precoce , Feminino , Infecções por HIV/tratamento farmacológico , HIV-1/isolamento & purificação , Homossexualidade Masculina , Humanos , Masculino , Projetos Piloto , Saliva/virologia , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the retention-in-care of individuals diagnosed during six years of salivary HIV testing (EASY-test project). Among those linked-to-care at the Infectious Diseases Department of San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy), the proportion of patients engaged, retained in care and virologically suppressed after the antiretroviral treatment was 96%, 100% and 95.2%, respectively. Results from our study suggest that salivary HIV testing may help bring to light cases of HIV infection otherwise undiagnosed, and thus favour a more rapid and wider reduction of the HIV infection burden at the population level.
