Mohammad Pour1,2, Linda James3,4, Kamlendra Singh5,6,7, Samuel Mampunza3, Franklin Baer8, JoAnna Scott9, Michael G Berg10, Mary A Rodgers10, Gavin A Cloherty10, John Hackett10, Carole P McArthur11,12,13,14. 1. Pathology Department, Truman Medical Center, 2301 Holmes St, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. 2. Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, 650 E 25th Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. 3. Université Protestante au Congo, Croisement de l'avenue de Libération et du Boulevard Triomphal, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. 4. IMA World Health, 1730 M St NW Suite 1100, Washington, DC, 20036, USA. 5. Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA. kamlendra.singh@ki.se. 6. Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA. kamlendra.singh@ki.se. 7. Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. kamlendra.singh@ki.se. 8. SANRU NGO, 76 Ave. de Justice, Kinshasa-Gombe, Democratic Republic of Congo. 9. Research and Graduate Programs, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, 650 E 25th Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. 10. Abbott Laboratories, 100 Abbott Park Rd, Abbott Park, IL, 60064, USA. 11. Pathology Department, Truman Medical Center, 2301 Holmes St, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. McArthurC@umkc.edu. 12. Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry, 650 E 25th Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. McArthurC@umkc.edu. 13. Université Protestante au Congo, Croisement de l'avenue de Libération et du Boulevard Triomphal, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. McArthurC@umkc.edu. 14. University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, 2301 Holmes, Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. McArthurC@umkc.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of people living with HIV (PLHIV) is the first step toward achieving the new Fast Track Strategy to end AIDS by 2030: 95-95-95. However, reaching PLHIV is especially difficult in resource-limited settings such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where reliable prevalence data is lacking. This study evaluated the prevalence of HIV in patients in the urban Kinshasa area. METHODS: Individuals seeking healthcare were tested for HIV between February 2017 and July 2018 at existing Kinshasa urban clinics. The study was conducted in two phases. Case finding was optimized in a pilot study phase using a modified cell phone-based Open\Data Kit (ODK) collection system. HIV prevalence was then determined from data obtained between March-July of 2018 from 8320 individuals over the age of 18 years receiving care at one of 47 clinics in Kinshasa. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV in our study was 11.0% (95% CI 10.3-11.6%) overall and 8.14% in the subset of N = 1240 participants who were healthy mothers seeking prenatal care. These results are in sharp contrast to President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) estimates of 2.86%, but are consistent with data from surrounding countries. CONCLUSION: While this data is sub-national and reflects an urban healthcare setting, given the large population of Kinshasa and rapidly changing age demographics, the results suggest that HIV prevalence in the DRC is substantially higher than previously reported.
BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of people living with HIV (PLHIV) is the first step toward achieving the new Fast Track Strategy to end AIDS by 2030: 95-95-95. However, reaching PLHIV is especially difficult in resource-limited settings such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where reliable prevalence data is lacking. This study evaluated the prevalence of HIV in patients in the urban Kinshasa area. METHODS: Individuals seeking healthcare were tested for HIV between February 2017 and July 2018 at existing Kinshasa urban clinics. The study was conducted in two phases. Case finding was optimized in a pilot study phase using a modified cell phone-based Open\Data Kit (ODK) collection system. HIV prevalence was then determined from data obtained between March-July of 2018 from 8320 individuals over the age of 18 years receiving care at one of 47 clinics in Kinshasa. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV in our study was 11.0% (95% CI 10.3-11.6%) overall and 8.14% in the subset of N = 1240 participants who were healthy mothers seeking prenatal care. These results are in sharp contrast to President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) estimates of 2.86%, but are consistent with data from surrounding countries. CONCLUSION: While this data is sub-national and reflects an urban healthcare setting, given the large population of Kinshasa and rapidly changing age demographics, the results suggest that HIV prevalence in the DRC is substantially higher than previously reported.
Entities:
Keywords:
Democratic Republic of the Congo; HIV; HIV prevalence
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