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Title: Employing Molecular Phylodynamic Methods to Identify and Forecast HIV Transmission Clusters in Public Health Settings: A Qualitative Study

Journal Article · · Viruses
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/v12090921· OSTI ID:1815774
ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3];  [2];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7]; ORCiD logo [7];  [8]; ORCiD logo [9];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [6];  [2];  [10]
  1. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States). College of Medicine. College of Public Health and Health Professions. Dept. of Epidemiology; Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States). Emerging Pathogens Inst.
  2. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States). Emerging Pathogens Inst.; Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States). College of Medicine. Dept. of Pathology, Immunology, and Lab. Medicine
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA (United States). Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA (United States). Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention; Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL (United States). Division of Disease Control and Health Protection. Bureau of Communicable Diseases. HIV/AIDS Section
  5. North Carolina Dept. of Health and Human Services, Raleigh, NC (United States). Division of Public Health, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch
  6. Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL (United States). Division of Disease Control and Health Protection. Bureau of Communicable Diseases. HIV/AIDS Section
  7. Florida Dept. of Health, Jacksonville, FL (United States). Bureau of Public Health Labs
  8. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Theoretical Biology & Biophysics Group
  9. Clemson Univ., SC (United States). Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences; Clemson Univ., SC (United States). Advanced Plant Technology Program
  10. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States). College of Medicine. College of Public Health and Health Professions. Dept. of Epidemiology
+ Show Author Affiliations

Molecular HIV surveillance is a promising public health strategy for curbing the HIV epidemic. Clustering technologies used by health departments to date are limited in their ability to infer/forecast cluster growth trajectories. Resolution of the spatiotemporal dynamics of clusters, through phylodynamic and phylogeographic modelling, is one potential strategy to develop a forecasting tool; however, the projected utility of this approach needs assessment. Prior to incorporating novel phylodynamic-based molecular surveillance tools, we sought to identify possible issues related to their feasibility, acceptability, interpretation, and utility. Qualitative data were collected via focus groups among field experts (n = 17, 52.9% female) using semi-structured, open-ended questions. Data were coded using an iterative process, first through the development of provisional themes and subthemes, followed by independent line-by-line coding by two coders. Most participants routinely used molecular methods for HIV surveillance. All agreed that linking molecular sequences to epidemiological data is important for improving HIV surveillance. We found that, in addition to methodological challenges, a variety of implementation barriers are expected in relation to the uptake of phylodynamic methods for HIV surveillance. The participants identified several opportunities to enhance current methods, as well as increase the usability and utility of promising works-in-progress.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001; R21-AI138815-01; R01AI145552-01A1; T32-AA025877; R01AI35946
OSTI ID:
1815774
Journal Information:
Viruses, Vol. 12, Issue 9; ISSN 1999-4915
Publisher:
MDPICopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Checklists for improving rigour in qualitative research: a case of the tail wagging the dog? journal May 2001
Automated analysis of phylogenetic clusters journal November 2013

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Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
molecular epidemiology
HIV phylogenetics
surveillance
HIV prevention
qualitative research
focus groups