Ethnicity predicts viral rebound after travel to the tropics in HIV-infected travelers to the tropics in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

Gebreselassie, Hiwot Mamo; Kraus, David; Fux, C A; Haubitz, Sebastian; Scherrer, A; Hatz, C; Veit, O; Stoeckle, M; Fehr, J; de Lucia, S; Cavassini, M; Bernasconi, E; Schmid, P; Furrer, Hansjakob; Stähelin, Cornelia Johanna (2017). Ethnicity predicts viral rebound after travel to the tropics in HIV-infected travelers to the tropics in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. HIV medicine, 18(8), pp. 564-572. Blackwell Science 10.1111/hiv.12491

[img] Text
Gebreselassie HIVMed 2017.pdf - Published Version
Restricted to registered users only
Available under License Publisher holds Copyright.

Download (295kB)

OBJECTIVES

The number of HIV-infected individuals from developed countries travelling to tropical and subtropical areas has increased as a result of the clinical and survival benefits of combination antiretroviral therapy. The aim of our study was to describe the traveler population in the SHCS and to determine the frequency of viral rebound in virologically suppressed individuals after a travel episode to the tropics compared to non-travelers.

METHODS

Swiss HIV Cohort Study participants with at least one follow-up visit between 1 January 1989 and 28 February 2015 were eligible for inclusion in the study. The primary outcome was the occurrence of viral rebound (viral load > 200 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL) after a travel episode compared with a nontravel episode in previously suppressed individuals (≤ 200 copies/mL). All virologically suppressed patients contributed multiple travel or nontravel episodes to the analysis. Logistic regression was performed including factors associated with viral rebound.

RESULTS

We included 16 635 patients in the study, of whom 6084 (36.5%) had ever travelled to the tropics. Travel frequency increased over time, with travellers showing better HIV parameters than nontravellers [less advanced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stage and higher CD4 count nadir]. Viral rebound was seen in 477 (3.9%) of 12 265 travel episodes and in 5121 (4.5%) of 114 884 nontravel episodes [unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.87; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78-0.97]. Among these 477 post-travel viral rebounds, 115 had a resistance test performed and 51 (44%) of these showed new resistance mutations. Compared with European and North American patients, the odds for viral rebound were significantly lower in Southeast Asian (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.51-0.88) and higher in sub-Saharan African (SSA) patients (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.22-1.62). Travel further increased the odds of viral rebound in SSA patients (OR 2.00; 95% CI 1.53-2.61).

CONCLUSIONS

Region of origin is the main risk factor for viral rebound rather than travel per se. Pre-travel adherence counselling should focus on patients of SSA origin.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Pre-clinic Human Medicine > Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Haematology, Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Laboratory Medicine and Hospital Pharmacy (DOLS) > Clinic of Infectiology

UniBE Contributor:

Gebreselassie, Hiwot Mamo, Kraus, David, Haubitz, Sebastian, Furrer, Hansjakob, Stähelin, Cornelia Johanna

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 360 Social problems & social services

ISSN:

1464-2662

Publisher:

Blackwell Science

Language:

English

Submitter:

Annelies Luginbühl

Date Deposited:

04 Jul 2017 13:56

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:03

Publisher DOI:

10.1111/hiv.12491

PubMed ID:

28247589

Uncontrolled Keywords:

HIV adherence travel virological failure visiting friends and relatives

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.96732

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/96732

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback