Analysis of the Screening of Contact Subjects of People Living with HIV at the Antivenereal Health Center of the National Institute of Public Hygiene of Treichville, Abidjan/Côte d’Ivoire from January 2009 to December 2018

Abstract

Introduction: In Côte d’Ivoire, people living with HIV are estimated to 460,000 with about 290,000 who know their HIV status. Index testing is a strategy for screening unidentified HIV carriers. This study aimed at analyzing the screening of contact subjects of people living with HIV at the anti-venereal health center of Treichville in Abidjan. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study from January 2009 to December 2018. The target population was index patients and their sexual partners. After giving their consent, index patients and their sexual partners were interviewed during their medical visit. Data were analyzed using Epi info 3.5.4. The khi2 test was performed at 5% significance level. Results: A total of 114 index patients have been included in the study. The majority of sexual partners were men (sex ratio M/F = 1.5) with an average age of 43 years (±9.77). 87.7% of index patients lived in pairs. The analysis showed that 87.7% of index patients had disclosed their HIV status to their sexual partners and 94.3% of index patients invited their sexual partners to be tested. 85.8% of sexual partners had been tested. 19.8% of sexual partners who have been tested were HIV positive. All the 8 children of female index patients were HIV negative. HIV test acceptability was statistically associated with living in pairs (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Screening sexual partners from index patients has been an effective way to detect HIV carriers who did not know their status.