Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research

Incidence and Predictors of Sero-Conversion among HIV Discordant Couples at Amhara Region Selected Public Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2018: A Mixed Cohort Study

Abstract

Mihretie Gedfew*, Abebe Dilie, Getiye Degenu, Dessalegn Haile, Tadesse Yirga, Bekalu Bewket, Haile Amha and Atsedemariam Andualem

Background: Discordant couple refers to couples with mixed Sero status where one is positive and the other is HIV-negative. They are at permanent risk of getting the infection. But many individuals in healthy relationships are unaware of their partner and their own Sero status and chance of gaining the virus. Therefore, we conducted this cohort study to determine the incidence and predictors of Sero conversion among adult discordant couples at Amhara region selected public hospitals, Northwest, Ethiopia, 2019.

Methods: A mixed cohort study was conducted from October 2018 to November 2019 at selected public hospitals in the Amhara region. The study included two hundred twelve (212) discordant couples who had regular follow-up at selected ART clinics hospitals, and the data were collected using checklists. Epi-data 4.1 was used to data entry, and STATA 14 for analysis. Seroconversion incidence rate was 8/100 PY among discordant couples. Using the Kaplan-Meier curve the survival status between categorical variables were calculated and compared using the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazard models used to examine independent time-related factors for HIV development.

Results: A total of 212 patients were followed and produced 598 person-years (PY) of observation, and 51 new HIV cases were observed during the follow up period with the overall incidence density of 8 per 100 PY. Female sex (AHR (95%CI: 1.67 (0.85, 3.3), not abstained within the last 12 months (AHR (95%CI: 2.11 (0.65, 6.75), viral load >= 1000 copies (AHR (95%CI: 1.33 (0.38, 1.49), being merchant 1.2 (0.3, 3), p: 0.01), desire to have children, AHR (95%CI: 2.27 (.89-5.81) P: 0.04) and having no history of alcohol (AHR (95%CI: 0.48 (0.21, 1.41) were independent predictors of Seroconversion. among discordant couples.

Conclusion: The overall incidence of Seroconversion among discordant couples is high and factors that affect the incidence are negative female spouse, not abstained in the past 12 months, high viral load, being merchant, desire to have children and having no history of alcohol.