HTLV seroprevalence in people using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in England

Daniel Bradshaw; Arham Khawar; Poorvi Patel; Jennifer Tosswill; Colin Brown; Dana Ogaz; Emily Mason; Roeann Osman; Holly Mitchell; Olamide Dosekun; Borja Mora Peris; Graham Pickard; Michael Rayment; Rachael Jones; Mark Hopkins; Andy Williams; Margaret Kingston; Nicholas Machin; Yusri Taha; Sarah Duncan; Neil Turner; Noel Gill; Nick Andrews; Mohammad Raza; Simon Tazzyman; Achyuta Nori; Emma Cunningham; Graham P Taylor

doi:10.1016/j.jinf.2023.01.033

HTLV seroprevalence in people using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in England

J Infect. 2023 Mar;86(3):245-247. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2023.01.033. Epub 2023 Feb 10.

Authors

Daniel Bradshaw¹, Arham Khawar², Poorvi Patel², Jennifer Tosswill², Colin Brown², Dana Ogaz², Emily Mason², Roeann Osman², Holly Mitchell², Olamide Dosekun³, Borja Mora Peris³, Graham Pickard³, Michael Rayment⁴, Rachael Jones⁴, Mark Hopkins⁵, Andy Williams⁵, Margaret Kingston⁶, Nicholas Machin⁶, Yusri Taha⁷, Sarah Duncan⁷, Neil Turner⁴, Noel Gill², Nick Andrews², Mohammad Raza⁸, Simon Tazzyman⁸, Achyuta Nori⁹, Emma Cunningham⁹, Graham P Taylor¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK; National Centre for Human Retrovirology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK. Electronic address: daniel.bradshaw@ukhsa.gov.uk.
² UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK.
³ Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, London W2 1NY, UK.
⁴ Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, UK.
⁵ Barts Health NHS Trust, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London EC1A 7BE, UK.
⁶ Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK.
⁷ Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle NE1 4LP, UK.
⁸ Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK.
⁹ Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK.
¹⁰ Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; National Centre for Human Retrovirology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK.

PMID: 36773896
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2023.01.033

Abstract

Objectives: HTLV-1 is predominantly a sexually-transmitted infection but testing is not mentioned in HIV-PrEP guidelines. We ascertained HTLV-1/HTLV-2 seroprevalence amongst HIV-PrEP users in England.

Methods: An unlinked anonymous seroprevalence study.

Results: Amongst 2015 HIV-PrEP users, 95% were men, 76% of white ethnicity and 83% had been born in Europe. There were no HTLV-1/HTLV-2 seropositive cases (95% confidence interval 0% - 0.18%).

Conclusions: There were no HTLV positive cases, likely reflecting the demographic of mostly white and European-born individuals. Similar studies are needed worldwide to inform public health recommendations for HIV-PrEP using populations, particularly in HTLV-endemic settings.

Keywords: Bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM); Gay; HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis; Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

England / epidemiology
HIV Infections* / epidemiology
HIV Infections* / prevention & control
Homosexuality, Male
Humans
Male
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis*
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Sexually Transmitted Diseases*