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. 2015 Jun 1;211(11):1757-60.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiu831. Epub 2014 Dec 26.

High Transmissibility During Early HIV Infection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men-San Francisco, California

T Déirdre Hollingsworth  1 , Christopher D Pilcher  2 , Frederick M Hecht  2 , Steven G Deeks  2 , Christophe Fraser  3
Affiliations

High Transmissibility During Early HIV Infection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men-San Francisco, California

T Déirdre Hollingsworth et al. J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

We estimate the relative transmission rate in early versus later infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in San Francisco, California, by studying the characteristics of a sample of transmitters, recruited through newly diagnosed, recently infected MSM between 1996 and 2009. Of 36 transmitters identified, 9 were determined on the basis of testing history and serologic testing to have been recently infected. The unadjusted odds ratio of transmitting during early infection was 15.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.3-33.4; P < .001); the odds ratio was 8.9 (95% CI, 4.1-19.4) after adjustment for self-reported antiretroviral treatment. This high transmissibility could be due to both high infectiousness and high rates of sex partner change or concurrent partnerships.

Keywords: HIV; San Francisco; early infection; men who have sex with men; transmission rate.

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