Development of low-threshold access to examination for HIV infection in the Sverdlovsk Region

Objective. To study the results of «street» testing for HIV infection using rapid tests. Materials and methods. A study was conducted in the period 2013-2015, which used retrospective and prospective follow-up studies, epidemiological analysis, and statistical methods. Results. Among the people who underwent «street» testing for HIV infection, there were employees and students (85%), women (50.9%) and men (60%). There was a preponderance of persons aged 20-39 years (58.3% of women and 60% of men). Positive test results were more common among drug addicts (15.1%) and persons having a sexual partner with an established diagnosis of HIV infection (11.1%). The primary detection rate for HIV infection was 2.5 times greater than that during routine screening; a low immune status was recorded in 28.1% of the patients detected during «street» testing, which was 1.5 times less than that during routine screening (p < 0.001). Low-threshold testing using rapid tests contributes to the active identification of new HIV infection cases. Conclusion. It is necessary to expand the volume of examinations for HIV infection through testing by rapid tests among different population groups.

HIV infection, rapid tests, screening, HIV infection detection rates, immune status