COVID-19 Testing Results by HIV Status, March-July 2020, Chicago, USA

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Virology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The relationship between Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) acquisition requires further investigation.
• Understanding this interaction is crucial for public health strategies, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if individuals living with HIV have a different rate of acquiring COVID-19 compared to HIV-negative individuals.
• To assess the impact of viral suppression and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use on COVID-19 positivity rates in people with HIV.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 1862 patients.
• Analysis of COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity rates between people with HIV (n=349) and HIV-negative controls (n=1513).
• Consideration of factors such as viral suppression and recent PrEP usage in the HIV-positive cohort.

Main Results:

• COVID-19 positivity was observed in 10.6% of people with HIV and 7.1% of HIV-negative patients.
• The observed difference in positivity rates between the two groups was not statistically significant after adjusting for relevant factors.
• A majority of people with HIV in the study were virally suppressed, and a significant portion had recently used PrEP.

Conclusions:

• The study found no significant difference in COVID-19 acquisition between people with HIV and HIV-negative individuals in adjusted models.
• Current findings suggest that HIV status, even with varying levels of viral suppression or PrEP use, may not be an independent risk factor for COVID-19 acquisition.
• Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the complex interplay between HIV, its management, and SARS-CoV-2 infection.