Social Network–Based Recruitment Successfully Reveals HIV-1 Transmission Networks Among High-Risk Individuals in El Salvador

Dennis, Ann M.; Murillo, Wendy; Hernández, Flor de Maria; Guardado, María Elena; Nieto, Ana; Lorenzana, Ivette; Eron, Joseph J.; Paz–Bailey, Gabriela

doi:10.1097/qai.0b013e318288b246

Cited by 33 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(33 reference statements)

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“…In this study, persons were more likely to be in clusters if they were age 30 or younger, had acute infection, were local residents, and contracted drug resistant HIV, but were not Latino. Clustering factors in an El Salvador study [75] were recent infection, sex with stable male partners, and sex with over two partners in the past year. A Hong Kong study [77] of recently HIV-infected MSM employed both phylogenetic and social network analyses.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Networks, Sexual Networks and HIV Risk in Men Who Have Sex with Men

2014

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Worldwide, men who have sex with men (MSM) remain one of the most HIV-vulnerable community populations. A global public health priority is developing new methods of reaching MSM, understanding HIV transmission patterns, and intervening to reduce their risk. Increased attention is being given to the role that MSM networks play in HIV epidemiology. This review of MSM network research studies demonstrates that: (1) Members of the same social network often share similar norms, attitudes, and HIV risk behavior levels; (2) Network interventions are feasible and powerful for reducing unprotected sex and potentially for increasing HIV testing uptake; (3) HIV vulnerability among African American MSM increases when an individual enters a high-risk sexual network characterized by high density and racial homogeneity; and (4) Networks are primary sources of social support for MSM, particularly for those living with HIV, with greater support predicting higher care uptake and adherence.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Networks, Sexual Networks and HIV Risk in Men Who Have Sex with Men

2014

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“…Identifying these persons, regardless of whether they were previously known to surveillance, allows field workers to contact them, ensure linkage or return to care, elicit and notify partners, and expand the network of persons in the city that are receiving public health services. For example, 15.3% (81/448) of named partners in the genetic network linked only to someone other than the index case who named them; therefore, it is possible that simply being a named partner indicates an elevated risk status and possibly increased importance in the network (i.e., an intervention-worthy case) [26, 33]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social and Genetic Networks of HIV-1 Transmission in New York City

et al. 2017

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BackgroundSexually transmitted infections spread across contact networks. Partner elicitation and notification are commonly used public health tools to identify, notify, and offer testing to persons linked in these contact networks. For HIV-1, a rapidly evolving pathogen with low per-contact transmission rates, viral genetic sequences are an additional source of data that can be used to infer or refine transmission networks.Methods and FindingsThe New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene interviews individuals newly diagnosed with HIV and elicits names of sexual and injection drug using partners. By law, the Department of Health also receives HIV sequences when these individuals enter healthcare and their physicians order resistance testing. Our study used both HIV sequence and partner naming data from 1342 HIV-infected persons in New York City between 2006 and 2012 to infer and compare sexual/drug-use named partner and genetic transmission networks. Using these networks, we determined a range of genetic distance thresholds suitable for identifying potential transmission partners. In 48% of cases, named partners were infected with genetically closely related viruses, compatible with but not necessarily representing or implying, direct transmission. Partner pairs linked through the genetic similarity of their HIV sequences were also linked by naming in 53% of cases. Persons who reported high-risk heterosexual contact were more likely to name at least one partner with a genetically similar virus than those reporting their risk as injection drug use or men who have sex with men.ConclusionsWe analyzed an unprecedentedly large and detailed partner tracing and HIV sequence dataset and determined an empirically justified range of genetic distance thresholds for identifying potential transmission partners. We conclude that genetic linkage provides more reliable evidence for identifying potential transmission partners than partner naming, highlighting the importance and complementarity of both epidemiological and molecular genetic surveillance for characterizing regional HIV-1 epidemics.

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“…Such findings suggest a need for setting-specific interventions with heightened attention to those who cross social boundaries. Likewise, a study in El Salvador found that respondent driven sampling methods were successful for identifying MSM transmission networks and that MSM who were in phylogenetic clusters were more likely to report larger social networks of MSM compared to those not in clusters (29). This study suggests that social network and phylogenetic strategies can together help to refine intervention targeting and contact with those at increased risk for transmission.…”

Section: Integrating Hiv Phylogenetics To Understand Characteristics mentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced use of phylogenetic data to inform public health approaches to HIV among men who have sex with men

2017

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The multi-dimensional nature and continued evolution of HIV epidemics among men who have sex with men (MSM) requires innovative intervention approaches. Strategies are needed that recognize the individual, social, and structural factors driving HIV transmission; that can pinpoint networks with heightened transmission risk; and that can help target intervention in real-time. HIV phylogenetics is a rapidly evolving field with strong promise for informing innovative responses to the HIV epidemic among MSM. Currently, HIV phylogenetic insights are providing new understandings of characteristics of HIV epidemics involving MSM, social networks influencing transmission, characteristics of HIV transmission clusters involving MSM, targets for antiretroviral and other prevention strategies, and dynamics of emergent epidemics. Maximizing the potential of HIV phylogenetics for HIV responses among MSM will require attention to key methodological challenges and ethical considerations, as well as resolving key implementation and scientific questions. Enhanced and integrated use of HIV surveillance, socio-behavioral, and phylogenetic data resources are becoming increasingly critical for informing public health approaches to HIV among MSM.

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Social Network–Based Recruitment Successfully Reveals HIV-1 Transmission Networks Among High-Risk Individuals in El Salvador

Cited by 33 publications

References 27 publications

Social Networks, Sexual Networks and HIV Risk in Men Who Have Sex with Men

Social Networks, Sexual Networks and HIV Risk in Men Who Have Sex with Men

Social and Genetic Networks of HIV-1 Transmission in New York City

Enhanced use of phylogenetic data to inform public health approaches to HIV among men who have sex with men

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