The Relationship Between Anal High-Risk HPV (Hr-HPV) Infection, Anal High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions (HSIL), and the Anal Microbiome Among Three Distinct Populations of Hispanic People Living With HIV (PLWH) in California, Mexico and Puerto Rico
The study evaluates if there is relationship between the kinds of bacteria living in the anus (also known as the anal microbiome) and the risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection or HPV-related pre-cancer (high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or HSIL) in Hispanic people living with HIV (PLWH) in Puerto Rico, Mexico and California
• Documentation of HIV-1 infection by means of any one of the following:
‣ Documentation of HIV diagnosis in the medical record by a licensed health care provider.
⁃ Documentation of receipt of antiretroviral therapy (ART) by a licensed health care provider (Documentation may be a record of an ART prescription in the participant's medical record, a written prescription in the name of the participant for ART, or pill bottles for ART with a label showing the participant's name. Receipt of at least two agents is required; each component agent of a multi-class combination ART regimen will be counted toward the 2-agent requirement, excepting receipt of a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) regimen alone (e.g., Truvada), which is exclusionary);
⁃ HIV-1 RNA detection by a licensed HIV-1 RNA assay demonstrating \>1000 RNA copies/mL;
⁃ Any locally licensed HIV screening antibody and/or HIV antibody/antigen combination assay confirmed by a second licensed HIV assay such as a HIV-1 Western blot confirmation or HIV rapid multispot antibody differentiation assay.
⁃ NOTE: A licensed assay refers to a U.S. FDA-approved assay or an assay approved by the relevant local health authority.
• Age 21 years or older. Cervical HSIL/cancer screening does not usually begin until 20 years of age or older. Also, anal HSIL/cancer screening among high-risk individuals such as people living with HIV is recommended for those 25 years of age or older. Children under the age of 18 are at low risk of developing cervical or anal HSIL/cancer and will not benefit from the kind of screening planned for this study.
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤ 1 (Karnofsky score ≥ 70%).
• Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
• Previous consent to participate in ULACNet-101 in Mexico and Puerto Rico sites or a patient at Anal Neoplasia Clinic, Research and Education (ANCRE) Center in San Francisco.