scholarly journals Prevalence and risk factors associated with HIV and syphilis co-infection in the African Cohort Study: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Gilbert ◽  
Nicole Dear ◽  
Allahna Esber ◽  
Michael Iroezindu ◽  
Emmanuel Bahemana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Infection Risk ◽  
Multivariate Model ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Study Enrollment ◽  
Sti Testing ◽  
Infection Risk Factors

Abstract Background Each year, 5.6 million new syphilis cases are diagnosed globally. Guidelines for people living with HIV (PLWH) in low-income countries (LIC) recommend STI testing for symptomatic persons and those newly diagnosed with HIV; routine STI testing is less clear. Here we provide updated syphilis prevalence and identify co-infection risk factors in PLWH in the African Cohort Study (AFRICOS) to understand these rates as they relate to syndromic treatment. Methods AFRICOS is a study enrolling PLWH and HIV-uninfected individuals in four African countries. Participant study enrollment information was used to determine syphilis prevalence and co-infection risk factors. Inclusion criteria consisted of adults 18 years or older receiving care at a participating clinic as a long-term resident who consented to data and specimen collection. Exclusion criteria consisted of pregnancy and/or imprisonment. Screen-positive syphilis was defined as a reactive rapid plasma regain (RPR) upon study enrollment whereas confirmed syphilis included a reactive RPR followed by reactive treponemal test. Multivariate analyses was performed to determine HIV and syphilis co-infection risk factors. Results Between 2013 and March 1, 2020, 2939 PLWH enrolled and 2818 were included for analysis. Screen-positive and confirmed syphilis prevalence were 5.3% (151/2818) and 3.1% (87/2818), respectively. When the analysis was restricted to PLWH with an RPR titer of greater than, or equal to, 1:8, 11/87 (12.6%) participants were included. No PLWH and confirmed syphilis had documented genital ulcers. In the multivariate model, participants with confirmed syphilis co-infection were more likely to have none or some primary education [aOR 3.29 (1.60, 6.74)] and consume alcohol [aOR 1.87 (1.16, 3.03)] compared to those without syphilis. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) with suppressed viral load (VL) was protective in the unadjusted model but not adjusted multivariate model. Conclusions Our findings show that syphilis rates in sub-Saharan Africa remain elevated where diagnosis remains challenging, and that both lower education level and alcohol consumption are significantly associated with HIV/syphilis co-infection in AFRICOS. Based on our analysis, current STI guidelines targeting testing for African individuals with either new HIV diagnosis or syndromic symptoms may be inadequate, highlighting the need for increased testing and treatment strategies in resource-limited settings.

scholarly journals Treatment outcomes in HIV infected patients older than 50 years attending an HIV clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe: A cohort study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253000
Author(s):  
Tinei Shamu ◽  
Cleophas Chimbetete ◽  
Matthias Egger ◽  
Tinashe Mudzviti
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Virologic Suppression ◽  
Viral Loads ◽  
Cell Counts

There is a growing number of older people living with HIV (OPLHIV). While a significant proportion of this population are adults growing into old age with HIV, there are also new infections among OPLHIV. There is a lack of data describing the outcomes of OPLHIV who commenced antiretroviral therapy (ART) after the age of 50 years in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a cohort study of patients who enrolled in care at Newlands Clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe, at ages ≥50 years between February 2004 and March 2020. We examined demographic characteristics, attrition, viral suppression, immunological and clinical outcomes. Specifically, we described prevalent and incident HIV-related communicable and non-communicable comorbidities. We calculated frequencies, medians, interquartile ranges (IQR), and proportions; and used Cox proportional hazards models to identify risk factors associated with death. We included 420 (57% female) who commenced ART and were followed up for a median of 5.6 years (IQR 2.4–9.9). Most of the men were married (n = 152/179, 85%) whereas women were mostly widowed (n = 125/241, 51.9%). Forty per cent (n = 167) had WHO stage 3 or 4 conditions at ART baseline. Hypertension prevalence was 15% (n = 61) at baseline, and a further 27% (n = 112) had incident hypertension during follow-up. During follow-up, 300 (71%) were retained in care, 88 (21%) died, 17 (4%) were lost to follow-up, and 15 (4%) were transferred out. Of those in care, 283 (94%) had viral loads <50 copies/ml, and 10 had viral loads >1000 copies/ml. Seven patients (1.7%) were switched to second line ART during follow-up and none were switched to third-line. Higher baseline CD4 T-cell counts were protective against mortality (p = 0.001) while male sex (aHR: 2.29, 95%CI: 1.21–4.33), being unmarried (aHR: 2.06, 95%CI: 1.13–3.78), and being unemployed (aHR: 2.01, 95%CI: 1.2–3.37) were independent independent risk factors of mortality. There was high retention in care and virologic suppression in this cohort of OPLHIV. Hypertension was a common comorbidity. Being unmarried or unemployed were significant predictors of mortality highlighting the importance of sociologic factors among OPLHIV, while better immune competence at ART commencement was protective against mortality.

The Iron Biology Status of Peritoneal Dialysis Patients May be a Risk Factor for Development of Infectious Peritonitis

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwh Aldriwesh ◽  
Noura Al-Dayan ◽  
Jonathan Barratt ◽  
Primrose Freestone
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Peritoneal Dialysis ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Infection Risk ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Peritoneal Dialysate ◽  
Susceptibility To Infection ◽  
Infection Risk Factors

Background Infectious peritonitis is a clinically important condition contributing to the significant mortality and morbidity rates observed in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Although some of the socioeconomic risk factors for PD-associated peritonitis have been identified, it is still unclear why certain patients are more susceptible than others to infection. Methods We examined the molecular components of human peritoneal dialysate (HPD) in an attempt to identify factors that might increase patient susceptibility to infection. Characterization studies were performed on initial and follow-up dialysate samples collected from 9 renal failure patients on PD. Results Our in vitro data showed that peritonitis-causing bacteria grew differently in the patient dialysates. Proteomic analysis identified an association between transferrin presence and infection risk, as peritoneal transferrin was discovered to be iron-saturated, which was in marked contrast to transferrin in blood. Further, use of radioactive iron-labeled transferrin showed peritoneal transferrin could act as a direct iron source for the growth of peritonitis-causing bacteria. We also found catecholamine stress hormones noradrenaline and adrenaline were present in the dialysates and were apparently involved in enhancing the growth of the bacteria via transferrin iron provision. This suggests the iron biology status of the PD patient may be a risk factor for development of infectious peritonitis Conclusions Collectively, our study suggests transferrin and catecholamines within peritoneal dialysate may be indicators of the potential for bacterial growth in HPD and, as infection risk factors, represent possible future targets for therapeutic manipulation.

scholarly journals Contrasting Monetary and Multidimensional Poverty Measures in a Low-Income Sub-Saharan African Country

2020 ◽  
Vol 151 (2) ◽  
pp. 547-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Salecker ◽  
Anar K. Ahmadov ◽  
Leyla Karimli
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Poverty Measurement ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Analytical Strategy ◽  
Poverty Risk ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Over Time

AbstractDespite significant progress in poverty measurement, few studies have undertaken an in-depth comparison of monetary and multidimensional measures in the context of low-income countries and fewer still in Sub-Saharan Africa. Yet the differences can be particularly consequential in these settings. We address this gap by applying a distinct analytical strategy to the case of Rwanda. Using data from two waves of the Rwandan Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey, we combine comparing poverty rates cross-sectionally and over time, examining the overlaps and differences in the two measures, investigating poverty rates within population sub-groups, and estimating several statistical models to assess the differences between the two measures in identifying poverty risk factors. We find that using a monetary measure alone does not capture high incidence of multidimensional poverty in both waves, that it is possible to be multidimensional poor without being monetary poor, and that using a monetary measure alone overlooks significant change in multidimensional poverty over time. The two measures also differ in which poverty risk factors they put emphasis on. Relying only on monetary measures in low-income sub-Saharan Africa can send inaccurate signals to policymakers regarding the optimal design of social policies as well as monitoring their effectiveness.

Risk Factors for Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections in the Era of Prevention Bundles

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devin Callister ◽  
Pauline Limchaiyawat ◽  
Samantha J. Eells ◽  
Loren G. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Bloodstream Infection ◽  
Hemodynamic Monitoring ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Central Line ◽  
Infection Risk ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Infect Control Hosp ◽  
Infection Risk Factors ◽  
Independent Risk Factors

Little is known about central line–associated bloodstream infection risk factors in the bundle era. In our case-control investigation, we found that independent risk factors for central line–associated bloodstream infection at our center included the number of recent lab tests, catheter duration, and lack of hemodynamic monitoring as the insertion indication.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;00(0): 1–3

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