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The following is a summary of “Prevalence, risk factors and the impact of tenofovir treatment in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease among people living with HIV: A cross-sectional population-based study,” published in the December 2024 issue of Infectious Disease by Lazzari et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, associated risk factors, and the impact of tenofovir among unvaccinated individuals with HIV.
They carried out a cross-sectional study from November 2020 to May 2021, analyzing plasma samples from 4,400 of 5,476 people with HIV (PWH). Antibodies, including total antibodies, IgG, IgM, and IgA, were tested.
The results showed that among participants (median age 48 years, 84% male), 92% had undetectable HIV viral loads, and 5% had syphilis. The SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was 18% (95% CI 17–19), with 1,180 individuals testing positive for antibodies IgG 13%, IgA 10%, IgM 11%), of these seropositive, 67.5% were asymptomatic, 29% experienced mild illness, and 3.5% had severe or critical conditions. Risk factors included younger age, female sex, men who have sex with men (MSM), non-European origin, and prior syphilis. Antiretrovirals, including tenofovir, did not protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19.
Investigators concluded that ongoing surveillance and tailored interventions were crucial for at-risk PWH amid the evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants, but tenofovir did not prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971224003370#keys0001
