Characteristics of Women with HIV in the North of England

The document presents findings from a retrospective study on the characteristics of women with HIV in the North of England. The study identified 177 women ranging from 16 to 75 years old, with 67% presenting with a CD4 count less than 350 and 35% with a CD4 count less than 200. Of these women, 132 (75%) were on treatment, with 100 (74%) having a fully suppressed viral load. The most common treatment regimen was Atripla/Truvada plus Efavirenz. The cohort was ethnically diverse, with 72% being Black African and representing 27 nationalities. Co-infections were common, with 14% having hepatitis B and 6% hepatitis C. The study highlighted the need for increased HIV testing, especially among immigrants from high-prevalence countries, due to the common occurrence of late presentation of HIV. The study concluded that a significant proportion of the cohort presented with late-stage HIV disease and suffered from at least one co-morbid condition, with psychiatric and gynaecological conditions being particularly prevalent.