Men on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) who were tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) every six months instead of every three months may be no more likely to test positive for STIs. In the U.S., CDC guidelines recommend STI screening once every three months for gay and bisexual men and transgender women. In the Dutch EZI-PrEP study, 448 participants were randomized to receive STI monitoring twice-yearly or quarterly; they could also get tested between scheduled appointments—for example, if they developed STI symptoms. Those who were monitored every six months had more in-between clinic visits than the every-three-month group (274 versus 157), but their total number of visits was still lower (862 versus 1,288). There was no significant difference between the two groups in overall STI positivity rates, though people in the twice-yearly group were slightly more likely to test positive for asymptomatic STIs. Twice-yearly monitoring would be less burdensome for PrEP users and could reduce costs, enabling clinics to put more people on PrEP for the same budget.
Prevention: STI Testing
Current CDC guidelines recommend STI screening once every three months for gay and bisexual men and transgender women.
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