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New Research Showed Higher Rates of Stis and STI RECURUTENCE IN MSM USING PREP WHATE REPORTED CLOGING IN SEXUALIZED Drug Use, or “Chemsex.”
AN OBSERVATIONAL COHORT STUDY OF MEN WHA HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM) USING HIV PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP) Identified A High Incidence of Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), with a Disprortion Impact Among Those Who Reported Sexualized Drug Use, or “Chemsex.”
The Researchers Reported the Findings in Wiener Klische Wochenschrift.
To the BIRGIT WILLINGER, MDand Colleagues Noted, “MSM Are the Primary Target Group for Prep Services AS, Compred to the General Population, They Are More Likely to Engage in Condomless Anal Intercourse With Casual Partners As Well As In Sexualized Drug Use (Chemsx).”
FURTHER, They Noted that chemsex hascreated in prevalence in many western country and has ben correlated with sex practices prone to hiv transmission, such condomless anal intercourse. Chemsex is also associated with a higher sti prevalence, according to Dr. Willinger and Colleagues.
Reinfections Account For Nearly 70% of Stis
The Prospective Study Enrolled 360 People (Median Age, 31.2), All But One of Whom Identified as msm (n = 359); The other participant (n = 1) identified as transgender woman. All Participants Were Using or Had Started Prep at an HIV and STI OUTPATIENT CLINIC. They Underwent Quarterly Sti Testing and Completed Questions About Sexual Behaviors. The Follow-Up Period Included 379 Person-Youars.
The Researchers Identified 276 Stis in 154 People. In Total, 23% of infections Were symptomatic. Patients with one or more Reinfection (18%; 65/360) Accounted for 68% (187/276) of All Stis.
Per 100-Person Years, Incident Rates Were 29.9 for Gonorrhea, 22.7 For Chlamydia, and 9.8 for syphilis. Nearly All (95%) Gonorrhea Cases and Most (81%) Cases of Chlamydia Were extragenital infections. The single HIV infection Occrede in a 20-year-Old man with Inconsistent Prep Use. In hepatitis c virus infections were detected.
Chemsex Linked to Higher Rates of Stis
Chemsex, Which Was Reported by 44% of participants, was significantly Linked with Higher Rates of Gonorrhea (38% vs 21%; P<0.001) and syphilis (17% vs 5%; P<0.001), but not chlamydia (26% vs 19%).
“The Impact of Chemsex on Sti Risk Emerged as Critical Finding in Our Research,” The Authors Wrote. “Participants Deging in Chemsex Not Only Exhibited Higher Rates of Stis But Also Were More Likely to Experience Reinfections.”
Together, The Findings Underscore “The Importance of Harm Reduction Strategies” in Sti Prevention for Precas, Dr. Willinger and Colleagues Noted.
