Last data update: May 06, 2024. (Total: 46732 publications since 2009)
Records 1-14 (of 14 Records) |
Query Trace: Bicego G[original query] |
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HIV incidence, viremia, and the national response in Eswatini: Two sequential population-based surveys
Nkambule R , Philip NM , Reid G , Mnisi Z , Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha H , Ao TT , Ginindza C , Duong YT , Patel H , Saito S , Solmo C , Brown K , Moore CS , Voetsch AC , Bicego G , Bock N , Mhlanga F , Dlamini T , Mabuza K , Zwane A , Sahabo R , Dobbs T , Parekh BS , El-Sadr W , Ryan C , Justman J . PLoS One 2021 16 (12) e0260892 With the highest HIV incidence and prevalence globally, the government of Eswatini started a substantial scale-up of HIV treatment and prevention services in 2011. Two sequential large population-based surveys were conducted before and after service expansion to assess the impact of the national response. Cross-sectional, household-based, nationally representative samples of adults, ages 18 to 49 years, were sampled in 2011 and 2016. We measured HIV prevalence, incidence (recent infection based on limiting antigen ≤1.5 optical density units and HIV RNA ≥1000 copies/mL), viral load suppression (HIV RNA <1000 copies/mL among all seropositive adults) and unsuppressed viremia (HIV RNA ≥1000 copies/mL among all, regardless of HIV status) and assessed for temporal changes by conducting a trend analysis of the log ratio of proportions, using a Z statistic distribution. HIV prevalence remained stable from 2011 to 2016 [32% versus 30%, p = 0.10]. HIV incidence significantly declined 48% [2.48% versus 1.30%, p = 0.01]. Incidence remained higher among women than men [2011: 3.16% versus 1.83%; 2016: 1.76% versus 0.86%], with a smaller but significant relative reduction among women [44%; p = 0.04] than men [53%; p = 0.09]. The proportion of seropositive adults with viral load suppression significantly increased from 35% to 71% [p < .001]. The proportion of the total adult population with unsuppressed viremia decreased from 21% to 9% [p < .001]. National HIV incidence in Eswatini decreased by nearly half and viral load suppression doubled over a five-year period. Unsuppressed viremia in the total population decreased 58%. These population-based findings demonstrate the national impact of expanded HIV services in a hyperendemic country. |
Derivation and external validation of a risk score for predicting HIV-associated tuberculosis to support case finding and preventive therapy scale-up: A cohort study.
Auld AF , Kerkhoff AD , Hanifa Y , Wood R , Charalambous S , Liu Y , Agizew T , Mathoma A , Boyd R , Date A , Shiraishi RW , Bicego G , Mathebula-Modongo U , Alexander H , Serumola C , Rankgoane-Pono G , Pono P , Finlay A , Shepherd JC , Ellerbrock TV , Grant AD , Fielding K . PLoS Med 2021 18 (9) e1003739 BACKGROUND: Among people living with HIV (PLHIV), more flexible and sensitive tuberculosis (TB) screening tools capable of detecting both symptomatic and subclinical active TB are needed to (1) reduce morbidity and mortality from undiagnosed TB; (2) facilitate scale-up of tuberculosis preventive therapy (TPT) while reducing inappropriate prescription of TPT to PLHIV with subclinical active TB; and (3) allow for differentiated HIV-TB care. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We used Botswana XPRES trial data for adult HIV clinic enrollees collected during 2012 to 2015 to develop a parsimonious multivariable prognostic model for active prevalent TB using both logistic regression and random forest machine learning approaches. A clinical score was derived by rescaling final model coefficients. The clinical score was developed using southern Botswana XPRES data and its accuracy validated internally, using northern Botswana data, and externally using 3 diverse cohorts of antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive and ART-experienced PLHIV enrolled in XPHACTOR, TB Fast Track (TBFT), and Gugulethu studies from South Africa (SA). Predictive accuracy of the clinical score was compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) 4-symptom TB screen. Among 5,418 XPRES enrollees, 2,771 were included in the derivation dataset; 67% were female, median age was 34 years, median CD4 was 240 cells/μL, 189 (7%) had undiagnosed prevalent TB, and characteristics were similar between internal derivation and validation datasets. Among XPHACTOR, TBFT, and Gugulethu cohorts, median CD4 was 400, 73, and 167 cells/μL, and prevalence of TB was 5%, 10%, and 18%, respectively. Factors predictive of TB in the derivation dataset and selected for the clinical score included male sex (1 point), ≥1 WHO TB symptom (7 points), smoking history (1 point), temperature >37.5°C (6 points), body mass index (BMI) <18.5kg/m2 (2 points), and severe anemia (hemoglobin <8g/dL) (3 points). Sensitivity using WHO 4-symptom TB screen was 73%, 80%, 94%, and 94% in XPRES, XPHACTOR, TBFT, and Gugulethu cohorts, respectively, but increased to 88%, 87%, 97%, and 97%, when a clinical score of ≥2 was used. Negative predictive value (NPV) also increased 1%, 0.3%, 1.6%, and 1.7% in XPRES, XPHACTOR, TBFT, and Gugulethu cohorts, respectively, when the clinical score of ≥2 replaced WHO 4-symptom TB screen. Categorizing risk scores into low (<2), moderate (2 to 10), and high-risk categories (>10) yielded TB prevalence of 1%, 1%, 2%, and 6% in the lowest risk group and 33%, 22%, 26%, and 32% in the highest risk group for XPRES, XPHACTOR, TBFT, and Gugulethu cohorts, respectively. At clinical score ≥2, the number needed to screen (NNS) ranged from 5.0 in Gugulethu to 11.0 in XPHACTOR. Limitations include that the risk score has not been validated in resource-rich settings and needs further evaluation and validation in contemporary cohorts in Africa and other resource-constrained settings. CONCLUSIONS: The simple and feasible clinical score allowed for prioritization of sensitivity and NPV, which could facilitate reductions in mortality from undiagnosed TB and safer administration of TPT during proposed global scale-up efforts. Differentiation of risk by clinical score cutoff allows flexibility in designing differentiated HIV-TB care to maximize impact of available resources. |
Risk scores for predicting early antiretroviral therapy mortality in sub-Saharan Africa to inform who needs intensification of care: a derivation and external validation cohort study
Auld AF , Fielding K , Agizew T , Maida A , Mathoma A , Boyd R , Date A , Pals SL , Bicego G , Liu Y , Shiraishi RW , Ehrenkranz P , Serumola C , Mathebula U , Alexander H , Charalambous S , Emerson C , Rankgoane-Pono G , Pono P , Finlay A , Shepherd JC , Holmes C , Ellerbrock TV , Grant AD . BMC Med 2020 18 (1) 311 BACKGROUND: Clinical scores to determine early (6-month) antiretroviral therapy (ART) mortality risk have not been developed for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), home to 70% of people living with HIV. In the absence of validated scores, WHO eligibility criteria (EC) for ART care intensification are CD4 < 200/μL or WHO stage III/IV. METHODS: We used Botswana XPRES trial data for adult ART enrollees to develop CD4-independent and CD4-dependent multivariable prognostic models for 6-month mortality. Scores were derived by rescaling coefficients. Scores were developed using the first 50% of XPRES ART enrollees, and their accuracy validated internally and externally using South African TB Fast Track (TBFT) trial data. Predictive accuracy was compared between scores and WHO EC. RESULTS: Among 5553 XPRES enrollees, 2838 were included in the derivation dataset; 68% were female and 83 (3%) died by 6 months. Among 1077 TBFT ART enrollees, 55% were female and 6% died by 6 months. Factors predictive of 6-month mortality in the derivation dataset at p < 0.01 and selected for the CD4-independent score included male gender (2 points), ≥ 1 WHO tuberculosis symptom (2 points), WHO stage III/IV (2 points), severe anemia (hemoglobin < 8 g/dL) (3 points), and temperature > 37.5 °C (2 points). The same variables plus CD4 < 200/μL (1 point) were included in the CD4-dependent score. Among XPRES enrollees, a CD4-independent score of ≥ 4 would provide 86% sensitivity and 66% specificity, whereas WHO EC would provide 83% sensitivity and 58% specificity. If WHO stage alone was used, sensitivity was 48% and specificity 89%. Among TBFT enrollees, the CD4-independent score of ≥ 4 would provide 95% sensitivity and 27% specificity, whereas WHO EC would provide 100% sensitivity but 0% specificity. Accuracy was similar between CD4-independent and CD4-dependent scores. Categorizing CD4-independent scores into low (< 4), moderate (4-6), and high risk (≥ 7) gave 6-month mortality of 1%, 4%, and 17% for XPRES and 1%, 5%, and 30% for TBFT enrollees. CONCLUSIONS: Sensitivity of the CD4-independent score was nearly twice that of WHO stage in predicting 6-month mortality and could be used in settings lacking CD4 testing to inform ART care intensification. The CD4-dependent score improved specificity versus WHO EC. Both scores should be considered for scale-up in SSA. |
Field validation of limiting-antigen avidity enzyme immunoassay to estimate HIV-1 incidence in cross-sectional survey in Swaziland
Duong Pottinger Y , Dobbs T , Mavengere Y , Manjengwa J , Rottinghaus EK , Saito S , Bock N , Philip N , Justman J , Bicego G , Nkengasong JN , Parekh B . AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2019 35 (10) 896-905 Reliable and accurate laboratory assays to detect recent HIV-1 infection have potential as simple and practical methods of estimating HIV-1 incidence in cross-sectional surveys. This study describes validation of the limiting-antigen (LAg) Avidity enzyme immunoassay (EIA) in a cross-sectional national survey, conducted in Swaziland, comparing it to prospective follow up incidence. As part of the Swaziland HIV-1 Incidence Measurement Survey (SHIMS), 18,172 individuals underwent counselling and HIV rapid testing in a household-based, population survey conducted from December 2010 to June 2011. Plasma samples from HIV-positive persons were classified as recent infections using an incidence testing algorithm with LAg-Avidity EIA (ODn 1.5) followed by viral load (VL >/=1,000 copies/mL). All HIV-seronegative samples were tested for acute HIV-1 infection by nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) pooling. HIV-seronegative individuals who consented to follow-up, were retested approximately 6 months later to detect observed HIV-1 seroconversion. HIV-1 incidence estimates based on LAg+VL and NAAT were calculated using assay-specific parameters and were compared with prospective incidence estimate. A total of 5,803 (31.9%) of 18,172 survey participants tested HIV-seropositive; of these 5683 (97.9%) were further tested with LAg+VL algorithm. The weighted annualized incidence from the longitudinal cohort study was 2.4% [95% CI 2.0, 2.7]. Based on cross-sectional testing of HIV-positives with LAg+VL algorithm, overall weighted annualized HIV-1 incidence was 2.5% [2.0, 3.0], while NAAT-based incidence was of 2.6%. In addition, LAg-based incidence in men (1.8%; 1.2-2.5) and women (3.2%; 2.4-3.9) were similar to estimates based on observed incidence (men=1.7%, women=3.1%). Changes in HIV-1 incidence with age in men and women further validate plausibility of the algorithm. These results demonstrate that the LAg EIA, in a serial algorithm with VL, is a cost-effective tool to estimate HIV-1 incidence in cross-sectional surveys. |
Trends in prevalence of advanced HIV disease at antiretroviral therapy enrollment - 10 countries, 2004-2015
Auld AF , Shiraishi RW , Oboho I , Ross C , Bateganya M , Pelletier V , Dee J , Francois K , Duval N , Antoine M , Delcher C , Desforges G , Griswold M , Domercant JW , Joseph N , Deyde V , Desir Y , Van Onacker JD , Robin E , Chun H , Zulu I , Pathmanathan I , Dokubo EK , Lloyd S , Pati R , Kaplan J , Raizes E , Spira T , Mitruka K , Couto A , Gudo ES , Mbofana F , Briggs M , Alfredo C , Xavier C , Vergara A , Hamunime N , Agolory S , Mutandi G , Shoopala NN , Sawadogo S , Baughman AL , Bashorun A , Dalhatu I , Swaminathan M , Onotu D , Odafe S , Abiri OO , Debem HH , Tomlinson H , Okello V , Preko P , Ao T , Ryan C , Bicego G , Ehrenkranz P , Kamiru H , Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha H , Kwesigabo G , Ramadhani AA , Ng'wangu K , Swai P , Mfaume M , Gongo R , Carpenter D , Mastro TD , Hamilton C , Denison J , Wabwire-Mangen F , Koole O , Torpey K , Williams SG , Colebunders R , Kalamya JN , Namale A , Adler MR , Mugisa B , Gupta S , Tsui S , van Praag E , Nguyen DB , Lyss S , Le Y , Abdul-Quader AS , Do NT , Mulenga M , Hachizovu S , Mugurungi O , Barr BAT , Gonese E , Mutasa-Apollo T , Balachandra S , Behel S , Bingham T , Mackellar D , Lowrance D , Ellerbrock TV . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017 66 (21) 558-563 Monitoring prevalence of advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease (i.e., CD4+ T-cell count <200 cells/muL) among persons starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) is important to understand ART program outcomes, inform HIV prevention strategy, and forecast need for adjunctive therapies.*,dagger, section sign To assess trends in prevalence of advanced disease at ART initiation in 10 high-burden countries during 2004-2015, records of 694,138 ART enrollees aged ≥15 years from 797 ART facilities were analyzed. Availability of national electronic medical record systems allowed up-to-date evaluation of trends in Haiti (2004-2015), Mozambique (2004-2014), and Namibia (2004-2012), where prevalence of advanced disease at ART initiation declined from 75% to 34% (p<0.001), 73% to 37% (p<0.001), and 80% to 41% (p<0.001), respectively. Significant declines in prevalence of advanced disease during 2004-2011 were observed in Nigeria, Swaziland, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. The encouraging declines in prevalence of advanced disease at ART enrollment are likely due to scale-up of testing and treatment services and ART-eligibility guidelines encouraging earlier ART initiation. However, in 2015, approximately a third of new ART patients still initiated ART with advanced HIV disease. To reduce prevalence of advanced disease at ART initiation, adoption of World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended "treat-all" guidelines and strategies to facilitate earlier HIV testing and treatment are needed to reduce HIV-related mortality and HIV incidence. |
Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey (SHIMS): a prospective national cohort study
Justman J , Reed JB , Bicego G , Donnell D , Li K , Bock N , Koler A , Philip NM , Mlambo CK , Parekh BS , Duong YT , Ellenberger DL , El-Sadr WM , Nkambule R . Lancet HIV 2016 4 (2) e83-e92 BACKGROUND: Swaziland has the highest national HIV prevalence worldwide. The Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey (SHIMS) provides the first national HIV incidence estimate based on prospectively observed HIV seroconversions. METHODS: A two-stage survey sampling design was used to select a nationally representative sample of men and women aged 18-49 years from 14 891 households in 575 enumeration areas in Swaziland, who underwent household-based counselling and rapid HIV testing during 2011. All individuals aged 18-49 years who resided or had slept in the household the night before and were willing to undergo home-based HIV testing, answer demographic and behavioural questions in English or siSwati, and provide written informed consent were eligible for the study. We performed rapid HIV testing and assessed sociodemographic and behavioural characteristics with use of a questionnaire at baseline and, for HIV-seronegative individuals, 6 months later. We calculated HIV incidence with Poisson regression modelling as events per person-years x 100, and we assessed covariables as predictors with Cox proportional hazards modelling. Survey weighting was applied and all models used survey sampling methods. FINDINGS: Between Dec 10, 2010, and June 25, 2011, 11 897 HIV-seronegative adults were enrolled in SHIMS and 11 232 (94%) were re-tested. Of these, 145 HIV seroconversions were observed, resulting in a weighted HIV incidence of 2.4% (95% CI 2.1-2.8). Incidence was nearly twice as high in women (3.1%; 95% CI 2.6-3.7) as in men (1.7%; 1.3-2.1, p<0.0001). Among men, partner's HIV-positive status (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.67, 1.06-6.82, p=0.040) or unknown serostatus (aHR 4.64, 2.32-9.27, p<0.0001) in the past 6 months predicted HIV seroconversion. Among women, significant predictors included not being married (aHR 2.90, 1.44-5.84, p=0.0030), having a spouse who lives elsewhere (aHR 2.66, 1.29-5.45, p=0.0078), and having a partner in the past 6 months with unknown HIV status (aHR 2.87, 1.44-5.84, p=0.0030). INTERPRETATION: Swaziland has the highest national HIV incidence in the world. In high-prevalence countries, population-based incidence measures and programmes that further expand HIV testing and support disclosure of HIV status are needed. FUNDING: President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
Changing antiretroviral eligibility criteria: Impact on the number and proportion of adults requiring treatment in Swaziland
Bock NN , Emerson RC , Reed JB , Nkambule R , Donnell DJ , Bicego GT , Okello V , Philip NM , Ehrenkranz PD , Duong YT , Moore JS , Justman JE . J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2016 71 (3) 338-44 OBJECTIVE: Early initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) at CD4 cell count ≥500 cells per microliter reduces morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected adults. We determined the proportion of HIV-infected people with high viral load (VL) for whom transmission prevention would be an additional benefit of early treatment. DESIGN: A randomly selected subset of a nationally representative sample of HIV-infected adults in Swaziland in 2012. METHODS: Eight to 12 months after a national survey to determine adult HIV prevalence, 1067 of 5802 individuals identified as HIV-infected were asked to participate in a follow-up cross-sectional assessment. CD4 cell enumeration, VL measurements, and ART status were obtained to estimate the proportion of currently untreated adults and of the entire HIV-infected population with high VL (≥1000 copies/mL) whose treatment under a test-and-treat or VL threshold eligibility strategy would reduce HIV transmission. RESULTS: Of the 927 (87% of 1067) participants enrolled, 466 (50%) reported no ART use. Among them, 424 (91%) had VL ≥1000 copies per milliliter; of these, 148 (35%) were eligible for ART at the then existing CD4 count threshold of <350 cells per microliter; an additional 107 (25%) were eligible with expanded CD4 criterion of <500 cells per microliter; and 169 (40%) remained ART ineligible. Thus, 36% of the 466 currently untreated and 18% of the total 927 had high VL yet remained ART ineligible under a CD4 criterion of <500 cells per microliter. CONCLUSIONS: A test-and-treat or VL threshold for treatment eligibility is necessary to maximize the HIV transmission prevention benefits of ART. |
Decentralizing access to antiretroviral therapy for children living with HIV in Swaziland
Auld AF , Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha H , Azih C , Kamiru H , Baughman AL , Agolory S , Abrams E , Ellerbrock TV , Okello V , Bicego G , Ehrenkranz P . Pediatr Infect Dis J 2016 35 (8) 886-93 BACKGROUND: In 2007, Swaziland initiated a hub-and-spoke model for decentralizing antiretroviral therapy (ART) access for HIV-infected children (<15 years old). Decentralization was facilitated through: (1) down-referral of stable children on ART from overburdened central facilities (hubs) to primary healthcare clinics (spokes), and (2) pediatric ART initiation at spokes (spoke-initiation). METHODS: We conducted a nationally representative retrospective cohort study among children starting ART during 2004-2010 to assess effect of down-referral and spoke-initiation on rates of loss to follow-up (LTFU), death, and attrition (death or LTFU). Twelve of 28 pediatric ART hubs were randomly selected using probability-proportional-to-size sampling. Seven selected facilities had initiated hub-and-spoke decentralization by study start; at these facilities, 901 of 1,893 hub-initiated and maintained (hub-maintained) children, and 495 of 1,105 down-referred or spoke-initiated children were randomly selected for record abstraction. At the five hub-only facilities, 612 of 1,987 children were randomly selected. Multivariable proportional hazards regression was used to estimate adjusted hazards ratios (AHR) for effect of down-referral (a time-varying covariate) and spoke-initiation on outcomes. RESULTS: Among 2,008 children at ART initiation, median age was 5.0 years, median CD4 percentage 12.0%, median CD4 count 358 cells/microL, and median weight-for-age z-score -1.91. Controlling for known confounders, down-referral was strongly protective against LTFU (AHR 0.40; 95% CI, 0.20-0.79) and attrition (AHR 0.46; 95% CI, 0.26-0.83) but not mortality. Compared with hub-only children or hub-maintained children, spoke-initiated children had similar outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Decentralization of pediatric ART through down-referral and spoke-initiation within a hub-and-spoke system should be continued and might improve program outcomes. |
Lower levels of antiretroviral therapy enrollment among men with HIV compared with women - 12 countries, 2002-2013
Auld AF , Shiraishi RW , Mbofana F , Couto A , Fetogang EB , El-Halabi S , Lebelonyane R , Pilatwe PT , Hamunime N , Okello V , Mutasa-Apollo T , Mugurungi O , Murungu J , Dzangare J , Kwesigabo G , Wabwire-Mangen F , Mulenga M , Hachizovu S , Ettiegne-Traore V , Mohamed F , Bashorun A , Nhan do T , Hai NH , Quang TH , Van Onacker JD , Francois K , Robin EG , Desforges G , Farahani M , Kamiru H , Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha H , Ehrenkranz P , Denison JA , Koole O , Tsui S , Torpey K , Mukadi YD , van Praag E , Menten J , Mastro TD , Hamilton CD , Abiri OO , Griswold M , Pierre E , Xavier C , Alfredo C , Jobarteh K , Letebele M , Agolory S , Baughman AL , Mutandi G , Preko P , Ryan C , Ao T , Gonese E , Herman-Roloff A , Ekra KA , Kouakou JS , Odafe S , Onotu D , Dalhatu I , Debem HH , Nguyen DB , Yen le N , Abdul-Quader AS , Pelletier V , Williams SG , Behel S , Bicego G , Swaminathan M , Dokubo EK , Adjorlolo-Johnson G , Marlink R , Lowrance D , Spira T , Colebunders R , Bangsberg D , Zee A , Kaplan J , Ellerbrock TV . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015 64 (46) 1281-6 Equitable access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for men and women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a principle endorsed by most countries and funding bodies, including the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Relief (PEPFAR) (1). To evaluate gender equity in ART access among adults (defined for this report as persons aged ≥15 years), 765,087 adult ART patient medical records from 12 countries in five geographic regions* were analyzed to estimate the ratio of women to men among new ART enrollees for each calendar year during 2002-2013. This annual ratio was compared with estimates from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)(dagger) of the ratio of HIV-infected adult women to men in the general population. In all 10 African countries and Haiti, the most recent estimates of the ratio of adult women to men among new ART enrollees significantly exceeded the UNAIDS estimates for the female-to-male ratio among HIV-infected adults by 23%-83%. In six African countries and Haiti, the ratio of women to men among new adult ART enrollees increased more sharply over time than the estimated UNAIDS female-to-male ratio among adults with HIV in the general population. Increased ART coverage among men is needed to decrease their morbidity and mortality and to reduce HIV incidence among their sexual partners. Reaching more men with HIV testing and linkage-to-care services and adoption of test-and-treat ART eligibility guidelines (i.e., regular testing of adults, and offering treatment to all infected persons with ART, regardless of CD4 cell test results) could reduce gender inequity in ART coverage. |
Implementation and operational research: evaluation of Swaziland's hub-and-spoke model for decentralizing access to antiretroviral therapy services
Auld AF , Kamiru H , Azih C , Baughman AL , Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha H , Ehrenkranz P , Agolory S , Sahabo R , Ellerbrock TV , Okello V , Bicego G . J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2015 69 (1) e1-e12 BACKGROUND: In 2007, Swaziland initiated a hub-and-spoke model for decentralizing antiretroviral therapy (ART) access. Decentralization was facilitated through (1) down-referral of stable ART patients from overburdened central facilities (hubs) to primary health care clinics (spokes) and (2) ART initiation at spokes (spoke initiation). METHODS: We conducted a nationally representative retrospective cohort study among adult ART enrollees during 2004-2010 to assess the effect of down-referral and spoke-initiation on rates of loss to follow-up (LTFU), death, and attrition (death or LTFU). Sixteen of 31 hubs were randomly selected using probability-proportional-to-size sampling. Seven selected facilities had initiated the hub-and-spoke model by study start. At these facilities, 1149 of 24,782 hub-initiated and maintained and 878 of 7722 down-referred or spoke-initiated patient records were randomly selected and analyzed. At the 9 hub-only facilities, 483 of 6638 records were randomly selected and analyzed. Multivariable proportional hazards regression was used to assess effect of down-referral (a time-varying covariate) and spoke-initiation on outcomes. RESULTS: At ART initiation, median age was 35, 65% were female, and median CD4 count was 147 cells per microliter. Controlling for known confounders, down-referral was strongly protective against LTFU [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.29 to 0.50] and attrition (AHR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.76) but not mortality. Compared with hub-initiated and maintained patients, spoke-initiated patients had lower LTFU (AHR 0.59; 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.77) and attrition rates (AHR 0.60; 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.77), but not mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Down-referral and spoke-initiation within a hub-and-spoke ART decentralization model were protective against LTFU and overall attrition and could facilitate future ART program expansion. |
Antiretroviral therapy enrollment characteristics and outcomes among HIV-infected adolescents and young adults compared with older adults - seven African countries, 2004-2013
Auld AF , Agolory SG , Shiraishi RW , Wabwire-Mangen F , Kwesigabo G , Mulenga M , Hachizovu S , Asadu E , Tuho MZ , Ettiegne-Traore V , Mbofana F , Okello V , Azih C , Denison JA , Tsui S , Koole O , Kamiru H , Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha H , Alfredo C , Jobarteh K , Odafe S , Onotu D , Ekra KA , Kouakou JS , Ehrenkranz P , Bicego G , Torpey K , Mukadi YD , Praag Ev , Menten J , Mastro T , Hamilton CD , Swaminathan M , Dokubo EK , Baughman AL , Spira T , Colebunders R , Bangsberg D , Marlink R , Zee A , Kaplan J , Ellerbrock TV . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014 63 (47) 1097-103 Although scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) since 2005 has contributed to declines of about 30% in the global annual number of human immunodeficiency (HIV)-related deaths and declines in global HIV incidence, estimated annual HIV-related deaths among adolescents have increased by about 50% and estimated adolescent HIV incidence has been relatively stable. In 2012, an estimated 2,500 (40%) of all 6,300 daily new HIV infections occurred among persons aged 15-24 years. Difficulty enrolling adolescents and young adults in ART and high rates of loss to follow-up (LTFU) after ART initiation might be contributing to mortality and HIV incidence in this age group, but data are limited. To evaluate age-related ART retention challenges, data from retrospective cohort studies conducted in seven African countries among 16,421 patients, aged ≥15 years at enrollment, who initiated ART during 2004-2012 were analyzed. ART enrollment and outcome data were compared among three groups defined by age at enrollment: adolescents and young adults (aged 15-24 years), middle-aged adults (aged 25-49 years), and older adults (aged ≥50 years). Enrollees aged 15-24 years were predominantly female (81%-92%), commonly pregnant (3%-32% of females), unmarried (54%-73%), and, in four countries with employment data, unemployed (53%-86%). In comparison, older adults were more likely to be male (p<0.001), employed (p<0.001), and married, (p<0.05 in five countries). Compared with older adults, adolescents and young adults had higher LTFU rates in all seven countries, reaching statistical significance in three countries in crude and multivariable analyses. Evidence-based interventions to reduce LTFU for adolescent and young adult ART enrollees could help reduce mortality and HIV incidence in this age group. |
Feasibility and validity of telephone triage for adverse events during a voluntary medical male circumcision campaign in Swaziland
Ashengo TA , Grund J , Mhlanga M , Hlophe T , Mirira M , Bock N , Njeuhmeli E , Curran K , Mallas E , Fitzgerald L , Shoshore R , Moyo K , Bicego G . BMC Public Health 2014 14 (1) 858 BACKGROUND: Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) reduces HIV acquisition among heterosexual men by approximately 60%. VMMC is a surgical procedure and some adverse events (AEs) are expected. Swaziland's Ministry of Health established a toll-free hotline to provide general information about VMMC and to manage post-operative clinical AEs through telephone triage. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a dataset of telephone calls logged by the VMMC hotline during a VMMC campaign. The objectives were to determine reasons clients called the VMMC hotline and to ascertain the accuracy of telephone-based triage for VMMC AEs. We then analyzed VMMC service delivery data that included date of surgery, AE type and severity, as diagnosed by a VMMC clinician as part of routine post-operative follow-up. Both datasets were de-identified and did not contain any personal identifiers. Proportions of AEs were calculated from the call data and from VMMC service delivery data recorded by health facilities. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the accuracy of phone-based triage compared to clinically confirmed AEs. RESULTS: A total of 17,059 calls were registered by the triage nurses from April to December 2011. Calls requesting VMMC education and counseling totaled 12,492 (73.2%) and were most common. Triage nurses diagnosed 384 clients with 420 (2.5%) AEs. According to the predefined clinical algorithms, all moderate and severe AEs (153) diagnosed through telephone-triage were referred for clinical management at a health facility. Clinicians at the VMMC sites diagnosed 341 (4.1%) total clients as having a mild (46.0%), moderate (47.8%), or severe (6.2%) AE. Eighty-nine (26%) of the 341 clients who were diagnosed with AEs by clinicians at a VMMC site had initially called the VMMC hotline. The telephone-based triage system had a sensitivity of 69%, a positive predictive value of 83%, and a negative predictive value of 48% for screening moderate or severe AEs of all the AEs. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a telephone-based triage system may be an appropriate first step to identify life-threatening and urgent complications following VMMC surgery. |
Poor performance of the determine HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab combo fourth-generation rapid test for detection of acute infections in a National Household Survey in Swaziland
Duong YT , Mavengere Y , Patel H , Moore C , Manjengwa J , Sibandze D , Rasberry C , Mlambo C , Li Z , Emel L , Bock N , Moore J , Nkambule R , Justman J , Reed J , Bicego G , Ellenberger DL , Nkengasong JN , Parekh BS . J Clin Microbiol 2014 52 (10) 3743-8 Fourth-generation HIV rapid tests (RTs) claim to detect both p24 antigen (Ag) and HIV antibodies (Ab) for early identification of acute infections, important for targeted prevention and reducing HIV transmission. In a nationally representative household survey in Swaziland, 18,172 adults, age 18-49 years, received home-based HIV rapid testing in 2010-2011. Of the 18,172 individuals, 5,822 (32.0%) were Ab+ by Determine HIV-1/2 Ab/Ab Combo and of those, 5,789 (99.4%) were confirmed reactive by Uni-Gold. Determine Combo identified 12 individuals as acute infections (Ag+/Ab-); however, none had detectable HIV-1 RNA and 8 of 12 remained HIV negative at 6-week follow-up visits (4 lost to follow up). All RT non-reactive samples were pooled and tested by nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) to identify acute infections. NAAT identified 13 (0.1%) of the 12,338 HIV antibody-negative specimens as HIV RNA positive with RNA levels ranging from 300 to >10,000,000 copies/mL. However, none of them were Ag+ on Determine Combo. Follow-up testing of 12 of the 13 NAAT-positive individuals at 6 months demonstrated 12 seroconversions (1 lost to follow-up). Therefore, the Combo test had a sensitivity of 0% (95% CI 0%-28%) and positive predictive value of 0% for the detection of acute infections. The ability of Determine 4th Generation Combo to detect antigen was very poor in Swaziland. Thus, Determine Combo does not add any value to the current testing algorithm; rather it adds additional costs and complexity to HIV diagnosis. The detection of acute HIV infections may need to rely on other testing strategies. |
Recent patterns in population-based HIV prevalence in Swaziland
Bicego GT , Nkambule R , Peterson I , Reed J , Donnell D , Ginindza H , Duong YT , Patel H , Bock N , Philip N , Mao C , Justman J . PLoS One 2013 8 (10) e77101 BACKGROUND: The 2011 Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey (SHIMS) was conducted as part of a national study to evaluate the scale up of key HIV prevention programs. METHODS: From a randomly selected sample of all Swazi households, all women and men aged 18-49 were considered eligible, and all consenting adults were enrolled and received HIV testing and counseling. In this analysis, population-based measures of HIV prevalence were produced and compared against similarly measured HIV prevalence estimates from the 2006-7 Swaziland Demographic and Health. Also, measures of HIV service utilization in both HIV infected and uninfected populations were documented and discussed. RESULTS: HIV prevalence among adults aged 18-49 has remained unchanged between 2006-2011 at 31-32%, with substantial differences in current prevalence between women (39%) and men (24%). In both men and women, between since 2006-7 and 2011, prevalence has fallen in the young age groups and risen in the older age groups. Over a third (38%) of the HIV-infected population was unaware of their infection status, and this differed markedly between men (50%) and women (31%). Of those aware of their HIV-positive status, a higher percentage of men (63%) than women (49%) reported ART use. CONCLUSIONS: While overall HIV prevalence remains roughly constant, age-specific changes strongly suggest both improved survival of the HIV-infected and a reduction in new HIV infections. Awareness of HIV status and entry into ART services has improved in recent years but remains too low. This study identifies opportunities to improve both HIV preventive and care services in Swaziland. |
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