HIV-1 infection recency among individuals newly diagnosed with HIV in Greater Gaborone, Botswana

This study looked at how many people newly diagnosed with HIV in the Greater Gaborone area were likely recently infected — meaning they acquired HIV within the past few months before diagnosis. Researchers analyzed plasma samples from 157 adults who were diagnosed with HIV between late 2023 and late 2024 and had not yet started HIV treatment. They used a testing approach that combines a laboratory assay measuring how recently the body responded to HIV with a measurement of the amount of virus in the blood to classify infections as recent or long‑standing. About 7.6% of participants were classified as having recent HIV infection, suggesting ongoing transmission in the community despite widespread testing and treatment efforts. Most participants were female and had a median age of 34 years. The study found that recent infection was less likely among people who had completed secondary education or higher, indicating that education may be linked with lower risk of recent HIV acquisition. Recent infection was not linked to age, employment status, or nationality. These results show that a measurable proportion of newly diagnosed individuals in Botswana had very recent HIV exposure and highlight the importance of continued surveillance and targeted prevention efforts to reduce ongoing transmission. The findings support using recency testing to better understand current HIV transmission dynamics and guide prevention strategies in high‑burden settings.