COVID-19 symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 infection among people living with HIV in the US: the MACS/WIHS combined cohort study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

SARS-CoV-2 infection among People Living With HIV (PLWH) is not well-described.

OBJECTIVE:

To study COVID-19 symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 PCR-based swab testing among participants of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) and Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS).

METHODS:

A telephone survey was collected April-June 30, 2020. Symptom and testing prevalence were explored. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity.

RESULTS:

The survey was completed by 3411 participants, including 2078 (61%) PLWH and 1333 HIV-seronegative (SN) participants from across the US. Thirteen percent (n = 441) were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection (13.4% of PLWH vs 12.2% of SN). Among those tested, positivity was higher in PLWH than SN (11.2% vs 6.1%, p = 0.08). Reasons for not being tested included testing not being available (30% of participants) and not knowing where to get tested (16% of participants). Most symptoms reported since January 2020 were similar in PLWH and SN, including headache (23% vs. 24%), myalgias (19% vs 18%), shortness of breath (14% vs 13%), chills (12% vs 10%), fever (6% vs 6%) and loss of taste or smell (6% vs 7%). Among PLWH who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 DNA, the most common symptoms were headache (71%), myalgia (68%), cough (68%) and chills (65%). In multivariable analysis among those tested, the odds of SARS-CoV-2 positivity were higher among PLWH than SN (aOR = 2.22 95%CI = 01.01-4.85, p = 0.046) and among those living with others versus living alone (aOR = 2.95 95%CI = 1.18-7.40).

CONCLUSION:

Prevalence and type of COVID-19 symptoms were similar in PLWH and SN. SARS-CoV-2 infection may be elevated among PLWH.

• Authors: Gypsyamber D'Souza, Gayle Springer, Deborah Gustafson, Seble Kassaye, Maria L Alcaide, Catalina Ramirez, Anjali Sharma, Frank J Palella, Phyllis C Tien, Roger Detels, Mirjam-Colette Kempf, Cecile D Lahiri, Charles R Rinaldo, Audrey L French, Joseph B Margolick, Ada A Adimora
• Journal: HIV research & clinical practice (HIV Res Clin Pract) Vol. 21 Issue 5 Pg. 130-139 (10 2020) ISSN: 2578-7470 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 33211636 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Topics

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (epidemiology)
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Ageusia (epidemiology, virology)
• Anosmia (epidemiology, virology)
• COVID-19 (epidemiology, physiopathology, virology)
• Chills (epidemiology, virology)
• Coinfection
• Cough (epidemiology, virology)
• Dyspnea (epidemiology, virology)
• Female
• Fever (epidemiology, virology)
• HIV Infections (epidemiology, physiopathology, virology)
• Headache (epidemiology)
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Prevalence
• SARS-CoV-2 (isolation & purification)
• United States (epidemiology)