Repeat HIV Testing and Incident Rates among Individuals Attending Voluntary Counseling and Testing Clinics in Wuxi,China: A Retrospective Study

Objective

We aimed to elucidate the rates of repeat HIV testing and incident HIV diagnosis, and baseline CD4⁺ T cell count among individuals attending HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) clinics in Wuxi, China.

Methods

A repeat HIV testing within 12 months was recorded if individuals had their first test with negative results, during 2013-2014 and retested within 12 months. An incident HIV diagnosis was recorded if individuals had their first test with negative results, during 2013-2015 and had a subsequent positive result at any point by the end of 2015. Data on HIV testing and diagnosis among individuals attending 32 VCT clinics from 2013 to 2015 and HIV diagnosis from other clinical services in Wuxi, China, were retrieved. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze factors associated with repeat HIV testing. Cox regression was used to evaluate factors associated with incident HIV diagnosis.

Results

From 2013 to 2014, 11,504 individuals tested HIV negative at their first recorded test, with 655 (5.7%) retesting within 12 months. Higher repeat HIV testing within 12 months was associated with male gender [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4-2.2], risk behaviors [commercial heterosexual behaviors (aOR = 1.4, CI: 1.1-1.6), male-male sexual behaviors (aOR = 3.7, CI: 2.7-4.9)], injection drug use (aOR = 9.9, CI: 6.5-15.1), and having taken HIV tests previously (aOR = 2.0, CI: 1.6-2.4). From 2013 to 2015, 1,088 individuals tested negative on HIV test at their visit and at ≥ 2 subsequent tests; of them 30 had incident HIV diagnosis. The overall rate of incident HIV diagnosis among all VCT individuals was 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1-2.1) per 100 person-years. Incident HIV diagnosis was associated with male gender [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 8.5, 95% CI: 1.9-38.1], attending hospital-based VCT clinics (aHR = 7.8, 95% CI: 1.1-58.3), and male-male sexual behavior (aHR = 8.4, 95% CI: 1.5-46.7). Individuals diagnosed at VCT clinics had higher CD4⁺ T cell count compared with those diagnosed at other clinical services (median 407 vs. 326 copies/mm³, P = 0.003).

Conclusion

VCT individuals in Wuxi, China, had a low repeat HIV testing rate and high HIV incidence. VCT-clinic-based interventions aimed at increasing repeat HIV testing are needed to detect more cases at an earlier stage, especially among individuals at high risk for HIV infection such as men who have sex with men.