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Recent HIV infection among women and men enrolling to care in urban clinics in Ethiopia

Abdulahi, Ilili Jemal LU ; Björkman, Per LU orcid ; Sasinovich, Sviataslau LU ; Alemayehu, Dawit Hailu ; Arimide, Dawit LU orcid ; Mihret, Adane ; Abdissa, Alemseged LU ; Mulu, Andargachew ; Medstrand, Patrik LU orcid and Reepalu, Anton LU orcid (2026) In BMC Infectious Diseases 26(1).
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Early HIV diagnosis allows timely interventions to control HIV transmission. We have determined the proportion of recent infections among people living with HIV (PLHIV) enrolling to care in Ethiopia and identified factors associated with recent infection. METHODS: Participants (aged ≥ 15 years) newly enrolled in HIV care were recruited from urban clinics in central Ethiopia (2022-2024). We used a recent infection testing algorithm, combining limiting antigen avidity serology and viral load quantification, to determine HIV infection recency. Factors associated with recent infection were investigated using logistic regression analysis, including sex-stratified analyses. RESULTS: Among 622 participants (median age 35 years; 364... (More)

BACKGROUND: Early HIV diagnosis allows timely interventions to control HIV transmission. We have determined the proportion of recent infections among people living with HIV (PLHIV) enrolling to care in Ethiopia and identified factors associated with recent infection. METHODS: Participants (aged ≥ 15 years) newly enrolled in HIV care were recruited from urban clinics in central Ethiopia (2022-2024). We used a recent infection testing algorithm, combining limiting antigen avidity serology and viral load quantification, to determine HIV infection recency. Factors associated with recent infection were investigated using logistic regression analysis, including sex-stratified analyses. RESULTS: Among 622 participants (median age 35 years; 364 [58.5%] women), 42 (6.8%) had recent infection. Recent infection was more common among PLHIV aged 15-24 years compared to those > 24 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-8.6), and in PLHIV belonging to key and priority populations (aOR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1-4.2). In sex-stratified analyses, age 15-24 years remained significantly associated with recent infection in both men (unadjusted odds ratio, 6.4; 95% CI, 1.5-26.5) and women (aOR, 2.7; 95% CI,1.2-6.1), whereas belonging to key and priority populations was significantly associated with recent infection only among women (aOR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1-5.2). CONCLUSION: A low proportion of PLHIV newly enrolled in care had recently acquired HIV infection. Recent infection was more common among persons aged 15-24 years and women belonging to key and priority populations. Further scale-up of HIV testing services are needed to improve detection of recent infection, which could help in prevention of new infections.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Ethiopia, HIV, Key population, Recent Infection, Viral load
in
BMC Infectious Diseases
volume
26
issue
1
article number
864
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:105037707728
  • pmid:42062937
ISSN
1471-2334
DOI
10.1186/s12879-026-13443-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2026. The Author(s).
id
f669d36e-07db-4fec-9fde-a288741434b5
date added to LUP
2026-05-13 16:16:52
date last changed
2026-05-13 17:15:01
@article{f669d36e-07db-4fec-9fde-a288741434b5,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Early HIV diagnosis allows timely interventions to control HIV transmission. We have determined the proportion of recent infections among people living with HIV (PLHIV) enrolling to care in Ethiopia and identified factors associated with recent infection. METHODS: Participants (aged ≥ 15 years) newly enrolled in HIV care were recruited from urban clinics in central Ethiopia (2022-2024). We used a recent infection testing algorithm, combining limiting antigen avidity serology and viral load quantification, to determine HIV infection recency. Factors associated with recent infection were investigated using logistic regression analysis, including sex-stratified analyses. RESULTS: Among 622 participants (median age 35 years; 364 [58.5%] women), 42 (6.8%) had recent infection. Recent infection was more common among PLHIV aged 15-24 years compared to those &gt; 24 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-8.6), and in PLHIV belonging to key and priority populations (aOR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1-4.2). In sex-stratified analyses, age 15-24 years remained significantly associated with recent infection in both men (unadjusted odds ratio, 6.4; 95% CI, 1.5-26.5) and women (aOR, 2.7; 95% CI,1.2-6.1), whereas belonging to key and priority populations was significantly associated with recent infection only among women (aOR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1-5.2). CONCLUSION: A low proportion of PLHIV newly enrolled in care had recently acquired HIV infection. Recent infection was more common among persons aged 15-24 years and women belonging to key and priority populations. Further scale-up of HIV testing services are needed to improve detection of recent infection, which could help in prevention of new infections.</p>}},
  author       = {{Abdulahi, Ilili Jemal and Björkman, Per and Sasinovich, Sviataslau and Alemayehu, Dawit Hailu and Arimide, Dawit and Mihret, Adane and Abdissa, Alemseged and Mulu, Andargachew and Medstrand, Patrik and Reepalu, Anton}},
  issn         = {{1471-2334}},
  keywords     = {{Ethiopia; HIV; Key population; Recent Infection; Viral load}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Infectious Diseases}},
  title        = {{Recent HIV infection among women and men enrolling to care in urban clinics in Ethiopia}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12879-026-13443-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12879-026-13443-y}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}