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. 2016 Jan 28;11(1):e0147422.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147422. eCollection 2016.

Incidence of Co-Infections of HIV, Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 and Syphilis in a Large Cohort of Men Who Have Sex with Men in Beijing, China

Dongliang Li  1 , Xueying Yang  1   2 , Zheng Zhang  1 , Zixin Wang  2 , Xiao Qi  1 , Yuhua Ruan  3 , Yunhua Zhou  4 , Chunrong Li  2 , Fengji Luo  1 , Joseph T F Lau  2
Affiliations

Incidence of Co-Infections of HIV, Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 and Syphilis in a Large Cohort of Men Who Have Sex with Men in Beijing, China

Dongliang Li et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: The HIV-epidemic among MSM in China has worsened. In this key population, prevalence of HSV-2 and syphilis infection and co-infection with HIV is high.

Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted (n = 962) in Beijing, China, with three overlapping cohorts (n = 857, 757 and 760) consisting of MSM that were free from pairs of infections of concern (i.e. HIV-HSV-2, HIV-syphilis, HSV-2-syphilis) at baseline to estimate incidence of HIV, HSV-2, syphilis, and those of co-infection.

Results: The incidence of HIV, HSV-2 and syphilis in the overall cohort was 3.90 (95% CI = 2.37, 5.43), 7.87 (95% CI = 5.74, 10.00) and 6.06 (95% CI = 4.18, 7.94) cases per 100 person-years (PYs), respectively. The incidence of HIV-HSV-2, HIV-Syphilis and HSV-2-Syphilis co-infections was 0.30 (95% CI = 0.29, 0.88), 1.02 (95% CI = 0.13, 2.17) and 1.41 (95% CI: 0.04, 2.78) cases per 100 PYs, respectively, in the three sub-cohorts constructed for this study.

Conclusions: The incidence of HIV, HSV-2 and syphilis was very high and those of their co-infections were relatively high. Such co-infections have negative impacts on the HIV/STI epidemics. Prevention practices need to take such co-infections into account.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Processes for constructing the three cohorts for estimation of incidence of co-infections (HIV-HSV-2, HIV-Syphilis, HSV-2-Syphilis).
Fig 2
Fig 2. Processes for constructing the fourth cohort for estimation of incidence of co-infections (HIV-HSV-2, HIV-Syphilis, HSV-2-Syphilis, excluding all three infections at baseline).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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