Partner services in adults with acute and early HIV infection.

BACKGROUND: To examine the yield of HIV partner services provided to persons newly diagnosed with acute and early HIV infection (AEH) in San Diego, United States.

DESIGN: Observational cohort study.

METHODS: The study investigated the yield (i.e. number of new HIV and AEH diagnoses, genetically linked partnerships and high-risk uninfected partners) of partner services (confidential contact tracing) for individuals with AEH enrolled in the San Diego Primary Infection Resource Consortium 1996-2014.

RESULTS: A total of 107 of 574 persons with AEH (19%; i.e. index cases) provided sufficient information to recruit 119 sex partners. Fifty-seven percent of the 119 recruited partners were HIV infected, and 33% of the 119 were newly HIV diagnosed. Among those newly HIV diagnosed, 36% were diagnosed during AEH. There were no significant demographic or behavioral risk differences between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected recruited partners. Genetic sequences were available for both index cases and partners in 62 partnerships, of which 61% were genetically linked. Partnerships in which both index case and partner enrolled within 30 days were more likely to yield a new HIV diagnosis (P = 0.01) and to be genetically linked (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: Partner services for persons with AEH within 30 days of diagnosis represents an effective tool to find HIV-unaware persons, including those with AEH who are at greatest risk of HIV transmission.