Vaccinations are an important part of primary care for people with HIV (PWH) and can protect against viral hepatitis and some sexually transmitted infections, as well as respiratory bacterial and viral infections. Vaccinations for influenza, COVID-19, herpes zoster (shingles), hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, mpox, and human papillomavirus are recommended for PWH. Additionally, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has released recommendations incorporating the newer formulations of the pneumococcal pneumonia and respiratory syncytial virus vaccines. Additional considerations for the timing of vaccinations are de-scribed, including whether to delay vaccination until improvement of the immune status. Live vaccines (other than nonreplicating) are contraindicated for PWH with CD4+ counts less than 200 cells/μL or uncontrolled HIV.
Approximately 5 million adolescents (ages 15-24 years) living with HIV will transition to adult care in the next decade. Only half are engaged in care 12 months post-transition. This qualitative metasynthesis aimed to answer: What effect did the patient-provider relationship (PPR) have on adolescent living with HIV transition? What strategies were suggested to develop trusting relationships to promote engagement and retention in care? Primary qualitative studies from PubMed, CINAHL, and EBSCO (January 2008 to December 2019) were identified. Data were analyzed using team-based thematic synthesis techniques and international standards. Fourteen articles with 478 participants from eight countries were included. Four themes emerged: the familial nature of the PPR, stigma as a bond and barrier, the provider knowing the patient and getting to know new providers, and recommendations supporting transition. The PPR is integral. Collaborative strategies used to build new relationships will support autonomy, decrease stigma, and facilitate trust.
Infective endocarditis (IE) occurs more frequently in individuals living with congenital heart disease, often with high morbidity and mortality. Although gram-positive bacterial infections commonly cause IE, prosthetic valves are a known risk factor for fungal IE. We report a case of prosthetic pulmonary valve Candida parapsilosis IE in a 58-year-old male with repaired tetralogy of Fallot. He presented with fatigue, petechiae, and hematochezia. He had severe thrombocytopenia from idiopathic/immune thrombocytopenia purpura, which resolved with steroids and immunoglobulin. Treatment with antifungals as well as a surgical pulmonary valve replacement resulted in recovery without relapse at greater than a year.
BACKGROUND:The incidence of anal cancer is substantially higher among persons living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) than in the general population. Similar to cervical cancer, anal cancer is preceded by high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs). Treatment for cervical HSIL reduces progression to cervical cancer; however, data from prospective studies of treatment for anal HSIL to prevent anal cancer are lacking. METHODS:We conducted a phase 3 trial at 25 U.S. sites. Persons living with HIV who were 35 years of age or older and who had biopsy-proven anal HSIL were randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive either HSIL treatment or active monitoring without treatment. Treatment included office-based ablative procedures, ablation or excision under anesthesia, or the administration of topical fluorouracil or imiquimod. The primary outcome was progression to anal cancer in a time-to-event analysis. Participants in the treatment group were treated until HSIL was completely resolved. All the participants underwent high-resolution anoscopy at least every 6 months; biopsy was also performed for suspected ongoing HSIL in the treatment group, annually in the active-monitoring group, or any time there was concern for cancer. RESULTS:Of 4459 participants who underwent randomization, 4446 (99.7%) were included in the analysis of the time to progression to cancer. With a median follow-up of 25.8 months, 9 cases were diagnosed in the treatment group (173 per 100,000 person-years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 90 to 332) and 21 cases in the active-monitoring group (402 per 100,000 person-years; 95% CI, 262 to 616). The rate of progression to anal cancer was lower in the treatment group than in the active-monitoring group by 57% (95% CI, 6 to 80; P = 0.03 by log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS:Among participants with biopsy-proven anal HSIL, the risk of anal cancer was significantly lower with treatment for anal HSIL than with active monitoring. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02135419.).
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a pervasive infection worldwide, with high rates of infection in people living with HIV. HPV lesions range from benign condyloma to precancerous and cancerous lesions in sites of anogenital and oropharyngeal HPV infection. The most effective prevention of infection, condylomas, precancerous lesions, and malignancy is through HPV vaccination, with recently expanded indications for 9-valent HPV vaccination up to age 45. Multiple modalities exist for treatment of anogenital condyloma, with high recurrence rates for most. For millions of people living with HIV, screening for premalignant lesions has been found to prevent HPV-related cervical cancer. Anal Papanicolaou testing and high-resolution anoscopy with biopsy are effective at identifying precancerous lesions. Treatment is available but has high rates of recurrence of HPV-related lesions. Studies are underway to help create guidelines for anal HPV lesion screening and cancer prevention.