Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Feb;14(1):89-96.
doi: 10.1071/SH16056.

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

Danielle German  1 , Mary Kate Grabowski  1 , Chris Beyrer  1
Affiliations
Review

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

Danielle German et al. Sex Health. 2017 Feb.

Abstract

The multidimensional nature and continued evolution of HIV epidemics among men who have sex with men (MSM) requires innovative intervention approaches. Strategies are needed that recognise 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. Maximising 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, sociobehavioural and phylogenetic data resources are becoming increasingly critical for informing public health approaches to HIV among MSM.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

    1. Beyrer C. Tailoring biomedical interventions for key populations. Lancet HIV. 2015;2(1):c8–9. - PubMed
    1. Beyrer C, Baral SD, Weire BW, Curran JW, Chaisson RE, Sullivan PS. A call to action for concentrated HIV epidemics. Curr Opin HIV AIDS. 2014;9(2):95–100. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Rosenberg ES, Millett GA, Sullivan PS, Del Rio C, Curran JW. Understanding the HIV disparities between black and white men who have sex with men in the USA using the HIV care continuum: a modeling study. Lancet HIV. 2014;1(3):e112–e8. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Whiteside YO, Song R, Wertheim JO, Oster AM. Molecular analysis allows inference into HIV transmission among young men who have sex with men in the United States. AIDS. 2015;29(18):2517–22. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lewis F, Hughes GJ, Rambaut A, Pozniak A, Leigh Brown AJ. Episodic sexual transmission of HIV revealed by molecular phylodynamics. PLoS Med. 2008;5(3):e50. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types