Epidemiological and Clinical Information of People At Risk for HIV Referred to the Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center, Tehran, Iran, 2013-2014

Background: As the effective treatment can control the HIV progression and also, there is possibility of prevention after exposure, investigation of people at risk for HIV would be useful. Patient adherence to post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was estimated 59.6% in Iran and the main reason for discontinued PEP was negative serological test result of the source person. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the epidemiologic, and dinical information of individuals, who were referred to the voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) center of Imam Khomeini Hospital during 2013 to 2014. Methods: In a study conducted in Tehran during 2013 to 2014, included 453 people who were eligible for receiving antiretroviral drugs as PEP were assessed. We designed a questionnaire regarding socio-demographic and antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen. Results: From a total of 453 adult people who enrolled in this study, 274 (60.5%) subjects complete PEP course while other 179 (39.5%) individuals did not complete PEP regimen. Investigating the reasons of incomplete PEP revealed that 11 (6.1%) subjects could not afford the drug regimen, 83 (46.4%) persons did not return to the center for completing PEP course, three (1.7%) subjects discontinued the PEP program for adverse event of drug reactions containing nausea and vomiting in two persons and rash in one of the participants, 64 (35.7%) persons interrupted the PEP course because of the negative serological test result of the source person. Moreover, in 18 (10.1%) persons the reason was not defined. After six months, 116 people returned to the center and all of 116 persons had negative HIV Ab test result. Conclusions: We recommend adherence counseling for the people in order to complete the PEP course and to increase adherence to the treatment.