SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among People Living With HIV Compared With People Without HIV: Survey Results From the MACS-WIHS Combined Cohort Study
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms among people living with HIV (PLWH) are not well described. SETTING: Longitudinal survey within the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS) of PLWH compared with similar HIV-seronegative (SN) individuals. METHODS: Telephone-administered survey of MWCCS participants at 13 clinical research sites across the United States addressing COVID-19 symptoms, SARS-CoV-2 testing, and pandemic impact on social distancing and antiretroviral therapy (ART) use. Primary data collection occurred during May (wave 1), June-July (wave 2), and August-September, 2020 (wave 3). RESULTS: One-third of MWCCS participants were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection; 10% was tested ≥2 times. Similar proportions of PLWH and SN participants were tested, but SARS-CoV-2 positivity was higher among PLWH than among SN individuals (9.4% vs 4.8%, P = 0.003). Odds of SARS-CoV-2 positivity remained higher among PLWH after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and study site (adjusted odds ratio = 2.0, 95% confidence interval = 1.2 to 3.2). SARS-CoV-2 positivity was not associated with CD4 cell counts among PLWH. Among SARS-CoV-2 positive participants, 9% had no symptoms, 7% had 1-2 mild symptoms, and 84% had ≥3 symptoms. Most of the (98%) participants reported physical distancing during all survey waves; self-reported ART adherence among PLWH was not adversely affected during the pandemic compared with the previous year (similar adherence in 89% of participants, improved in 9% of participants, and decreased in 2% of participants). CONCLUSIONS: Despite similar SARS-CoV-2 testing and physical distancing profiles by HIV serostatus among MWCCS participants, PLWH who reported SARS-CoV-2 testing were more likely to have a positive test result. Additional studies are needed to determine whether and why PLWH are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, University of Miami, Emory University, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Cook County Health and Hospitals System, Northwestern University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of California, Los Angeles, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, University of Pittsburgh, University of California, San Francisco
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Gilead Sciences, ViiV Healthcare, Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, National Institutes of Health, University of California, San Francisco, Center for AIDS Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Aging, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Cancer Institute, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of California, Los Angeles
Awards: G1034546755, G12089860, G1296759572, G1400602301, G1655989834, G1787625665, G183157880, G1849940085, G1913134163, G192128497, G2008237588, G2127051194, G2334180555, G248584506, G255204022, Defining Antiretroviral Pharmacology Within HIV-1 Reservoirs of Males and Females, G2755707676, G2759654445, G2908277772, G30074556, G311558797, G319781266, G3242306066, G3390010831, G343705321, G3630727822, G3671922257, G3869857964, Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), G4016133911, G4044828089, G4391827178, G4535678174, G456742281, G483408255, G5078796989, G521591464, G5431849782, G5691055145, G5747858550, G5900455136, G6745172908, G693265041, G6990385686, G775892330, G7807729167, Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, G8653535977, G9000016284, G9000030772, G9000039899, G9000080293, G9000082816, G9000102070, G9000108991, University of Pittsburgh MACS/WIHS CCS, MACS/WIHS -CCS, UNC MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study Clinical Research Site, Surviving the HIV Epidemic (S/HE) in metropolitan Washington DC - Advancing knowledge through cohort studies, Data Analysis and Coordination Center for the MACS-WIHS Combined Cohort Study, MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study: Brooklyn Clinical Research Site (Bklyn CRS), Clinical Research Sites for the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MACS/WIHS-CCS) - Baltimore/Wash DC Center, UAB-MISS MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study, Clinical Research Sites for the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MACS/WIHS-CCS), UAB Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)
OpenAlex ID: W3202500742