Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41896583›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Men who have sex with men newly diagnosed with HIV-1 in Portugal (2023-2024): a comparative analysis of transmission clusters between migrants and non-migrants.

Ricardo Abrantes, Victor Pimentel, Cruz S Sebastião, André Mateus, Luis Palma, Luis Mendão, M Rosário O Martins, Marta Pingarilho, Ana Abecasis

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Ricardo AbrantesGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health (LA-REAL), Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon (IHMT/UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, Lisboa, 1349-008, Portugal. ricardo.m.abrantes@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8958-7407
Victor PimentelGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health (LA-REAL), Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon (IHMT/UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, Lisboa, 1349-008, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6390-4128
Cruz S SebastiãoGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health (LA-REAL), Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon (IHMT/UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, Lisboa, 1349-008, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1232-0119
André MateusGrupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos (GAT), Lisbon, Portugal.
Luis PalmaGrupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos (GAT), Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2772-9497
Luis MendãoGrupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos (GAT), Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7595-4499
M Rosário O MartinsGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health (LA-REAL), Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon (IHMT/UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, Lisboa, 1349-008, Portugal.
Marta PingarilhoGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health (LA-REAL), Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon (IHMT/UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, Lisboa, 1349-008, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7928-3087
Ana AbecasisGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health (LA-REAL), Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon (IHMT/UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, Lisboa, 1349-008, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3903-5265

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Migration to Europe has been rising in recent years and is associated with higher HIV vulnerability due to overlapping social and structural barriers. New cases among migrants have been steadily increasing, and for the first time in Portugal, there were more cases among migrants than among non-migrants in 2023. This study aims to compare sociodemographic, behavioural, clinical, and viral genomic characteristics of non-migrant and migrant MSM newly diagnosed with HIV-1 in Portugal (2023-2024), as well as the composition of Transmission Clusters (TC) to which they belong. Between June 2023 and December 2024, 60 MSM were recruited upon HIV-1 reactive screening in a community centre in Lisbon. Sociodemographic and behavioural data were collected through a questionnaire. A blood sample was collected for viral load measurement and HIV-1 genomic sequencing. TC were identified using a branch support ≥ 90% and iterating between 1.5%, 2.5%, 3.5%, 4.5%, 5.5% and 6.5% genetic distances. Among the 60 MSM newly diagnosed with HIV in our 2023-2024 community-based sample, 70% were migrants, of whom 60% were from Latin America and 10% from other regions. The results showed significant differences in age at diagnosis, district of residence, and HIV-1 subtype between non-migrants and migrants, while sexual behaviours, testing patterns, and STI prevalence were similar across the two groups. No difference between the proportion of non-migrant and migrant MSM in TC was found. Notably, phylogenetic analysis suggests that migrant MSM are mainly related to other migrant MSM and outside Portugal. In contrast, non-migrant MSM were more frequently found in mixed clusters. All Surveillance drug resistance mutations (SDRM) in TC were related to migrant MSM. Findings from this single community-based centre suggest that recent HIV-1 epidemiology among MSM has shifted towards an increased proportion of migrants in MSM HIV diagnosis, who are primarily involved in sexual networks with other migrants. To effectively address these current dynamics, Portugal should explore strategies to improve early and accessible PrEP, STI, and HIV testing for the migrant MSM communities.

Indexed as

HIV-1HIV InfectionsHomosexuality, MaleTransients and MigrantsAdultHumansMaleMiddle AgedPortugalViral LoadHIV-1Men Who Have Sex with MenMigrantsPortugalTransmission ClusterTransmitted Drug Resistance

Identifiers

PMID41896583
PMCPMC13039673

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.