Prevalence of Concurrent HIV, STIs High in Persons With Monkeypox

THURSDAY, Sept. 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Among persons with monkeypox, those with HIV infection or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are disproportionately represented, according to research published in the Sept. 9 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Kathryn G. Curran, Ph.D., from the CDC Monkeypox Emergency Response Team, and colleagues matched and analyzed monkeypox, HIV, and STI surveillance data from eight U.S. jurisdictions among persons with monkeypox and examined the differences in clinical features of monkeypox according to HIV infection status.

The researchers found that the prevalence of HIV was 38 percent among 1,969 persons with monkeypox during May 17 to July 22, 2022, and 41 percent had received a diagnosis of at least one other reportable STI in the previous year. Ninety-four percent of those with monkeypox and diagnosed HIV infection had received HIV care in the previous year; 82 percent had an HIV viral load of <200 copies/mL, indicative of HIV viral suppression. A higher proportion of patients with HIV infection was hospitalized compared with those without HIV infection (8 versus 3 percent).

"Data on diagnosis of HIV infections and STIs in close temporal association to monkeypox diagnosis reinforce the importance of offering recommended testing, prevention, and treatment services for HIV, STIs, and other syndemic conditions to men who have sex with men and other persons evaluated for monkeypox," the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text

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