Factors Associated with Virological Rebound in HIV-Positive Sub-Saharan Migrants Living in France After Traveling Back to Their Native Country: ANRS-VIHVO 2006–2009 Study

In France, around 25% of the estimated number of people living with HIV are migrants, of whom three quarters are from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Our objective was to determine factors associated with virological rebound (VR) at the occasion of a transient stay to the country of origin. HIV-positive migrants from SSA participating to the ANRS-VIHVO adherence study between 2006 and 2009, on effective ART with controlled pre-travel HIV-1 plasma viral load (VL), were included. Outcome was VR, defined as VL ≥ 50 copies/ml at the post-travel visit during the week following the return to France. Among 237 persons (61.6% female, median age 41 years (IQR, 35–47), median time on ART 4.2 years (IQR, 2.2–7.1), 27 (11.4%) experienced VR. The main purpose of the travel was to visit family and median time spent abroad was 5.3 weeks (IQR, 4.1–8.8). The travel was extended longer than anticipated by at least 1 week in 42 individuals (17.7%). In multivariable logistic model, risk factors for VR were male sex [adjusted OR (aOR) 5.1; 95% CI 1.6–16.2)], no employment in France (aOR 2.0; 1.2–3.5), self-reported non-adherence during the trip (aOR 14.9; 4.9–45.9) and PI-containing regimen (aOR 4.6; 1.2–17.6). In another analysis not including self-reported adherence, traveling during Ramadan while respecting the fast (aOR 3.3; 1.2–9.6) and extension of the stay (aOR 3.0; 1.1–7.8) were associated with VR. Virological rebound was partly explained by structural barriers to adherence such as extension of the travel and inadequate management of Ramadan fasting. Individuals’journeys should be carefully planned with health care providers.