Age-targeted HIV treatment and primary prevention as a 'ring fence' to efficiently interrupt the age patterns of transmission in generalized epidemic settings in South Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Generalized HIV epidemics propagate to future generations according to the age patterns of transmission. We hypothesized that future generations could be protected from infection using age-targeted prevention, analogous to the ring-fencing strategies used to control the spread of smallpox.

Methods

We modeled age-targeted or cohort-targeted outreach with HIV treatment and/or prevention using EMOD-HIV v0·8, an individual-based network model of HIV transmission in South Africa.

Results

Targeting ages 20 to 30 with intensified outreach, linkage, and eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART) averted 45% as many infections as universal outreach for approximately one-fifth the cost beyond existing HIV services. Though cost-effective, targeting failed to elimina

SUBMITTER: Bershteyn A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4967845 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature