{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T03:03:08Z","timestamp":1787022188397,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,8]],"date-time":"2026-05-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778198400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001713","name":"European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["RIA-2016V-1644"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RIA-2016V-1644"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001713","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Despite global reports of declining HIV incidence, current data are limited. This study presents findings on HIV incidence and risk factors in a HIV trial preparedness cohort.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Between 18 July 2018 and 13 October 2022, individuals 18\u201345-year-old were recruited from communities along the trans-African highway and the shores of Lake Victoria in Masaka district, Uganda. Eligible individuals were HIV-negative and met at least one of the following criteria: suspected or confirmed sexually transmitted infection (STI), unprotected sex with \u22652 partners, unprotected sex with a new partner in the past 3 months, or unprotected sex in exchange for money\/goods in the past month. Baseline data included demographics, sexual behaviour, and HIV risk factors. Follow-up assessments of HIV risk and sexual behaviour were conducted every six months, while HIV counselling and testing (HCT) were provided every 3 months, with linkage to care for those testing positive. Data were summarised descriptively, and associations with HIV incidence were analysed using\u00a0uni-variable\u00a0and multi-variable Poisson regression models.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Of the 1422 individuals enrolled, 1115 (78.4%) attended \u22651 follow-up visit; 69% were female and 55% were aged \u226424 years. Over 900.3 person-years of observation (PYO), 24 individuals acquired HIV, yielding an incidence rate (IR) of 2.7 PYO [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.8\u20134.0]. Baseline factors independently associated with incident HIV included female sex [adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) = 6.84 PYO, 95% CI 1.60\u201329.30], residence in a fishing community [aIRR\u2009=\u20093.04 PYO, 95% CI 1.05\u20138.78] and recreational drug use in the past 3 months [aIRR\u2009=\u20093.08 PYO, 95% CI 1.19\u20137.99]. In a separate analysis, using time-updated variables assessed during follow-up, HIV acquisition was associated with sex after alcohol consumption [aIRR\u2009=\u20092.65 PYO, 95% CI 1.11\u20136.31], and STI diagnosis\/treatment within the past 3 months [aIRR\u2009=\u20092.52 PYO, 95% CI 1.09\u20135.80].<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>HIV incidence remains high among women, fishing community residents, and individuals with high risk behaviours, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to reduce the burden in these populations.<\/jats:p>\n                  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