Study of HIV-1 Infection Patterns and Transmission Among Newly Diagnosed Adults Attending Specialist Clinics in Hong Kong

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are conducting a prospective cohort study to understand the epidemiologic status and evolving patterns of HIV-1 infection in Hong Kong. The study focuses on newly diagnosed adults living with HIV, aiming to describe the distribution of HIV-1 subtypes, their link to transmission routes, and the dynamics of transmission clusters. It also seeks to assess the community burden of HIV and how it changes over a four-year period. Participants are adults newly diagnosed with HIV who attend specialist HIV clinics in Hong Kong. They are invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire capturing behavioral and network information before infection. Clinical data such as CD4CD8 counts and viral load measures will be collected, along with blood samples for RNA sequencing to support molecular analyses. This data will contribute to establishing an epidemiologic cohort database. During the study, participants will undergo surveys and clinical record transcription to evaluate molecular and transmission patterns of HIV-1 over time. The main outcomes measured include the prevalent HIV-1 subtypes and transmission modes from enrollment through the four-year study. Researchers will also monitor changes in molecular patterns and transmission routes, along with population viral loads, to better understand the epidemics progression.

Analyses of Newly Diagnosed HIV Infection in Hong Kong