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Background There are limited data on the clinical characteristics and use of guideline directed medical therapy among patients with heart failure in Malawi. We conducted a study to assess patient characteristics and clinical management given to heart failure patients at Queen Elizabeth Central hospital in Malawi. Methods In a cross sectional study, patients with a diagnosis of heart failure who were followed up in the adult chest clinic at QECH were recruited to ascertain their characteristics and the therapy they were receiving. Echocardiograms and electrocardiograms were performed to identify abnormalities. Results A total of 79 patients were recruited and 62% (49 out of 79) were female. The median age was 60 years (IQR 40.5-70.5). Most patients were hypertensive with NYHA (New York Heart Association) class I and II symptoms. Left ventricular(LV) systolic dysfunction was found in 55% (36 out of 65), with 68% (39 out of 65) having features of left ventricular remodeling. Most patients were on at least a single neurohormonal drug with 77% (61 out of 79) on ACEI (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor), 52% (42 out of 79) on a beta blocker and 34%(27 out of 79) on aldosterone antagonists. The recommended doses of medications were achieved in 14% (9 out 61), 24% (10 out 42), 22% (6 out of 27) on ACEI, beta blockers and aldosterone antagonists respectively. Conclusions Hypertension is the commonest comorbidity in patients with heart failure, who are mostly females with NYHA class I or II symptoms. Most had LV remodeling changes and are on at least one neurohormonal antagonist but most remain sub optimally treated.

Background: Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) significantly impacts the quality of life (QoL) yet data on quality of life among these patients in Malawi are lacking. This study was conducted to assess QoL among patients with T2DM. Methods: A mixed-method cross-section study was carried out at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), Lilongwe, Malawi. A systematic sampling method was used for quantitative data and purposive sampling was used for qualitative data. A modified diabetes quality of life (MDQoL)-17 questionnaire was used for quantitative data while in-depth interviews and diary methods were used for qualitative data. Demographic data were summarized using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics using t-test and ANOVA. Thematic content analysis guided by Braun and Clark (2006) was utilized to analyze qualitative data. Ethical approval was obtained from the College of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee (CoMREC) reference number P.09.20.3122.Results: A sample of 339 participants with a mean age of 50.3±15.5 was recruited. Overall, the mean QoL score was moderate (63.91±19.54). Those with tertiary education and those on health insurance had better QoL (QoL 73.8, C.I. 68.56-79.04, p-value 0.005), (QoL 76.71, C.I. 69.22-84.19, p-value 0.005) respectively compared to those with lower education and those without health insurance. Furthermore, the absence of comorbidities was associated with having better QoL (QoL 71.18, C.I. 66.69-75.67, p-value < 0.0001). Qualitatively, the participants referred to QoL as an absence of disease and leading an independent life. T2DM was associated with patients’ health status, increased stress levels, loss of independence as well as lifestyle changes. There were QoL-promoting factors among T2DM patients such as diabetes health talks, having a supportive family, accepting one’s condition positively, and following hospital advice such as doing physical exercises and following a prescribed diet. Inhibiting factors include drug shortages, societal perceptions, sedentary lifestyle, stress, and despising hospital advice.Conclusion: Overall the QoL in patients with T2DM receiving treatment at KCH is moderate. The QoL of patients with T2DM is influenced by interrelated factors and this requires multidisciplinary team care to optimize the QoL among these patients. Health workers need to adopt a holistic approach when treating patients with T2DM, such as managing comorbidities and including assessment of QoL, behavioral change measures like physical exercises, and a healthy diet. The government and various stakeholders need to promote education and mandatory national health insurance which improve health status.

Background People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and advanced immunosuppression initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) remain vulnerable to tuberculosis (TB) and early mortality. To improve early survival, isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) or empiric TB treatment have been evaluated; however, their benefit on longer-term outcomes warrants investigation. Methods We present a 96-week preplanned secondary analysis among 850 ART-naive outpatients (≥13 years) enrolled in a multicountry, randomized trial of efavirenz-containing ART plus either 6-month IPT (n = 426) or empiric 4-drug TB treatment (n = 424). Inclusion criteria were CD4 count Results By 96 weeks, 85 deaths and 63 TB events occurred. Kaplan-Meier estimated mortality (10.1% vs 10.5%; P = .86) and time-to-death (P = .77) did not differ by arm. Empiric had higher TB risk (6.1% vs 2.7%; risk difference, −3.4% [95% confidence interval, −6.2% to −0.6%]; P = .02) and shorter time to TB (P = .02) than IPT. Tuberculosis medication adherence lowered the hazards of death by ≥23% (P Conclusions Empiric TB treatment offered no longer-term advantage over IPT in our population with advanced immunosuppression initiating ART. High IPT adherence significantly lowered death and TB incidence through 96 weeks, emphasizing the benefit of ART plus IPT initiation and completion, in persons with advanced HIV living in high TB-burden, resource-limited settings.

HIV protease inhibitors anti-Plasmodium falciparum activity in adults remains uncertain.Adults with HIV CD4+ counts200 cells/mm3 starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) with P. falciparum subclinical parasitemia (Pf SCP) were randomized 1:1 to (step 1) protease inhibitor lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r)-based (arm A) or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (nNRTI)-based ART (arm B) for 15 days. In step 2, participants received nNRTI-based ART and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis for 15 days. P. falciparum SCP clearance was measured by polymerase chain reaction. The Fisher exact test [95% exact confidence interval (CI)] was used to compare proportions of P. falciparum SCP clearance (10 parasites/μL on 3 occasions within 24 hours) between LPV/r and nNRTI arms at day 15. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare time-to-clearance.Fifty-two adults from Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda with a median age = 31 (Q1, Q3: 24-39) years, 33% women, with baseline median CD4+ counts of 324 (259-404) cells/mm3, median HIV-1 RNA viremia of 5.18 log10 copies/mL (4.60-5.71), and median estimated P. falciparum density of 454 parasites/μL (83-2219) enrolled in the study. Forty-nine (94%) participants completed the study. At day 15, there was no statistically significant difference in the proportions of P. falciparum SCP clearance between the LPV/r (23.1% clearance; 6 of the 26) and nNRTI (26.9% clearance; 7 of the 26) arms [between-arm difference 3.9% (95% CI, -21.1% to 28.4%; P = 1.00)]. No significant difference in time-to-clearance was observed between the arms (P = 0.80).In a small randomized study of adults starting ART with P. falciparum SCP, no statistically significant differences were seen between LPV/r- and nNRTI-based ART in P. falciparum SCP clearance after 15 days of treatment.

Background Distal sensory peripheral neuropathy (DSPN) is a complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We estimate DSPN prevalence in 7 resource-limited settings (RLSs) for combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)–naive people living with HIV (PLWH) compared with matched participants not living with HIV and in PLWH virally suppressed on 1 of 3 cART regimens. Methods PLWH with a CD4+ count Associations between covariates with DSPN at entry were assessed using the χ2 test, and virally suppressed PLWH were assessed using generalized estimating equations. Results Before initiating cART, 21.3% of PLWH had DSPN compared with 8.5% of people not living with HIV (n = 2400; χ2(df = 1) = 96.5; P < .00001). PLWH with DSPN were more likely to report inability to work [χ2(df = 1) = 10.6; P = .001] and depression [χ2(df = 1) = 8.9; P = .003] than PLWH without DSPN. Overall prevalence of DSPN among those virally suppressed on cART decreased: 20.3%, week 48; 15.3%, week 144; and 10.3%, week 192. Incident DSPN was seen in 127 PLWH. Longitudinally, DSPN was more likely in older individuals (P < .001) and PLWH with less education (P = .03). There was no significant association between cART regimen and DSPN. Conclusions Although the prevalence of DSPN decreased following cART initiation in PLWH, further research could identify strategies to prevent or ameliorate residual DSPN after initiating cART in RLSs.

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are significant causes of morbidity and mortality in Malawi and are the second leading cause of deaths in adults after HIV and AIDS. The purpose of this assessment was to identify human, infrastructural and systems requirements in implementation research to support the response to the NCD epidemic in the Malawian health sector.Methods: This national needs assessment was conducted using a concurrent triangulation mixed methods approach. Twenty-two health facilities providing tertiary (n =4), secondary (n =2) and primary (n = 16) care level were included in the assessment. Qualitative interviews with 72 participants from the health facilities, academic institutions, development partner organizations, Ministry of Health and the Central Medical Stores Trust from across the country were also conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data from the facility assessment and thematic content analysis was done to identify themes from the qualitative data. Results: The qualitative and quantitative findings were merged and categorized into five thematic areas. Theme 1: Record keeping and surveillance for NCDs – which showed a high incidence of hypertension and diabetes at the facilities. Theme 2: Availability of NCD services- 15 (68%) facilities had an NCD clinic available. NCD clinics were reported available at 75% of the tertiary facilities, 100% of secondary facilities and 63% of the primary facilities. Theme 3: Perceived needs for improving NCD care – where key informants highlighted the need for more human resources, drugs, guidelines and diagnostic technologies. Theme 4: Limited NCD focused implementation research engagement. This was due to lack of funding and limited number of researchers conducting NCD focused research. Theme 5: Opportunities for improving NCD focused implementation research. Opportunities were available through the growing interest and focus on NCDs by the government and development partners.Conclusion: NCDs are a significant health burden in the Malawian healthcare services. A general lack of human, systems and material resources in the healthcare system negatively affects extent of coverage of NCD services and implementation research activities necessary for improving care.

The Malawi College of Medicine and its partners are building non-communicable diseases’ (NCDs’) research capacity through a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. Several strategies are being implemented including research mentorship for junior researchers interested to build careers in NCDs’ research. In this article, we present the rationale for and our experiences with this mentorship program over its 2 years of implementation. Lessons learned and the challenges are also shared.

BACKGROUND: AIDS Clinical Trial Group 5199 compared neurological and neuropsychological test performance of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)–infected participants in resource-limited settings treated with 3 World Health Organization–recommended antiretroviral (ART) regimens. We investigated the impact of tuberculosis (TB) on neurological and neuropsychological outcomes. METHODS: Standardized neurological and neuropsychological examinations were administered every 24 weeks. Generalized estimating equation models assessed the association between TB and neurological/neuropsychological performance. RESULTS: Characteristics of the 860 participants at baseline were as follows: 53% female, 49% African; median age, 34 years; CD4 count, 173 cells/μL; and plasma HIV-1 RNA, 5.0 log copies/mL. At baseline, there were 36 cases of pulmonary, 9 cases of extrapulmonary, and 1 case of central nervous system (CNS) TB. Over the 192 weeks of follow-up, there were 55 observations of pulmonary TB in 52 persons, 26 observations of extrapulmonary TB in 25 persons, and 3 observations of CNS TB in 2 persons. Prevalence of TB decreased with ART initiation and follow-up. Those with TB coinfection had significantly poorer performance on grooved pegboard (P < .001) and fingertapping nondominant hand (P < .01). TB was associated with diffuse CNS disease (P < .05). Furthermore, those with TB had 9.27 times (P < .001) higher odds of reporting decreased quality of life, and had 8.02 times (P = .0005) higher odds of loss of productivity. CONCLUSIONS: TB coinfection was associated with poorer neuropsychological functioning, particularly the fine motor skills, and had a substantial impact on functional ability and quality of life. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT00096824.

Many HIV-infected individuals present with advanced HIV disease. These patients are at high risk of death after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, but risk factors for death in these patients are unclear.We used data from a multisite randomized trial comparing empiric vs. preventive tuberculosis therapy in HIV-infected adults initiating ART with CD4 T-cell counts less than 50 cells/μl to evaluate risk factors for death within 48 weeks after ART initiation. Cox proportional hazards models were fit to evaluate characteristics present at baseline and at 4 weeks after ART initiation, including the week 4 CD4 T-cell response and new opportunistic infections.Of 850 enrolled, the median pre-ART CD4 T-cell count was 18 cells/μl and 67 (7.9%) died. Baseline risk factors for death included lymphadenopathy, lower CD4 T-cell count, lower serum albumin, high white blood cell count, elevated neutrophil percentage, and lower hemoglobin. Among 746 participants with data at week 4, the median changes in CD4 T-cell count and viral load for those who died (n = 43) vs. survived were 26 vs. 56 cells/μl and -2.7 vs. -2.7 log10 copies/ml, respectively. Each 20 cell/μl lower change in week 4 CD4 T-cell count was associated with a 20% increased risk of post week-4 mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 1.20, 1.01-1.42, P = .038).Evidence of active infection and suboptimal immunologic response during the first month of ART are associated with death in the first year after ART initiation in those with advanced HIV disease taking tuberculosis preventive therapy. Strategies to reduce early mortality in this population warrant further investigation.

Growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 axis abnormalities have been associated with body composition changes among HIV-infected persons with wasting or lipodystrophy. Little is known of GH/IGF-1 axis alterations with antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation or differing ART therapies. The AIDS Clinical Trials Group Prospective Evaluation of Antiretrovirals in Resource-Limited Settings (PEARLS) study was a prospective, randomized clinical trial of ART initiation with emtricitabine/tenofovir + efavirenz (FTC/TDF+EFV) versus lamivudine/zidovudine + efavirenz (3TC/ZDV+EFV) in HIV-1-infected individuals from resource-diverse settings. IGF-1 was measured from baseline, week 48, and week 96 stored serum samples. Multivariate models were constructed. 415 participants were included: 170 (41%) were randomized to FTC/TDF+EFV and 245 (59%) to 3TC/ZDV+EFV. The mean age was 35 years, 60% were black, 42% women. The mean IGF-1 level did not change significantly from baseline to week 96 (−0.65 ng/ml; 95% confidence interval (CI) −5.18–3.87), p = .78 and there were no differences by treatment arm at week 96, p = .74. Lower baseline IGF-1 was associated with age, non-white race, greater waist–hip ratio (WHR), low CD4 count, and lower baseline albumin (all p

BACKGROUND Antiretroviral therapy (ART) can downregulate antibody responses to HIV infection. We evaluated the impact of early vs. delayed ART on the performance of HIV diagnostic and incidence assays. METHODS Samples were obtained from 207 participants in the HPTN 052 trial, who were stably suppressed on ART for ≥4 years [Malawi sites; pre-ART CD4 cell count 350-550 cells/mm (early ART arm, N = 180) or

It has been postulated that the direction of HIV transmission between two individuals can be determined by phylogenetic analysis of HIV sequences. This approach may be problematic, since HIV sequences from newly infected individuals are often more similar to index sequences from samples collected years before transmission, compared to those from samples collected at the time of transmission. We evaluated the accuracy of phylogenetic methods for determining the direction of HIV transmission by analyzing next-generation sequencing (NGS) data from index–partner pairs enrolled in the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052 trial. HIV-infected index and HIV-uninfected partner participants were enrolled as serodiscordant couples; samples were analyzed from couples with index-to-partner HIV transmission that was confirmed by genetic linkage studies. NGS for HIV gp41 (HXB2 coordinates: 7691–8374) was performed using plasma samples from thirty-nine index–partner pairs (seventy-eight samples collected within 3 months of partner seroconversion). Maximum likelihood trees were generated using the entire dataset using FastTree v.2. Topological patterns of HIV from each index–partner pair were analyzed. The analysis included 9,368 consensus sequences and 521,145 total sequence reads for the seventy-eight samples analyzed. In 10 per cent (four out of thirty-nine) of couples, the phylogeny was inconsistent with the known direction of transmission. In 26 per cent (ten out of thirty-nine) of couples, the phylogeny results could not discern directionality. In 64 per cent (twenty-five out of thirty-nine) of couples, the results correctly indicated index-to-partner transmission; in two of these twenty-five cases, only one index sequence was closest to the most recent common ancestor. Phylogenetic analysis of NGS data obtained from samples collected within 3 months of transmission correctly determined the direction of transmission in 64 per cent of the cases analyzed. In 36 per cent of the cases, the phylogenetic topology did not support the known direction of infection, and in one-third of these cases the observed topology was opposite to the known direction of transmission. This demonstrates that phylogenetic topology alone may not be sufficient to accurately determine the direction of HIV transmission.

Objective Compare the safety and efficacy of topical gentian violet with that of nystatin oral suspension (NYS) for the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis in HIV-1-infected adults in resource-limited settings. Design Multicenter, open-label, evaluator-blinded, randomized clinical trial at eight international sites, within the AIDS Clinical Trials Group. Study participants and intervention Adult HIV-infected participants with oropharyngeal candidiasis, stratified by CD4 cell counts and antiretroviral therapy status at study entry, were randomized to receive either gentian violet (0.00165%, BID) or NYS (500 000 units, QID) for 14 days. Main outcome measure(s) Cure or improvement after 14 days of treatment. Signs and symptoms of oropharyngeal candidiasis were evaluated in an evaluator-blinded manner. Results The study was closed early per Data Safety Monitoring Board after enrolling 221 participants (target = 494). Among the 182 participants eligible for efficacy analysis, 63 (68.5%) in the gentian violet arm had cure or improvement of oropharyngeal candidiasis versus 61 (67.8%) in the NYS arm, resulting in a nonsizable difference of 0.007 (95% confidence interval: -0.129, 0.143). There was no sizable difference in cure rates between the two arms (-0.0007; 95% confidence interval: -0.146, 0.131). No gentian violet-related adverse events were noted. No sizable differences were identified in tolerance, adherence, quality of life, or acceptability of study drugs. In gentian violet arm, 61 and 39% of participants reported 'no' and 'mild-to-moderate' staining, respectively. Cost for medication procurement was significantly lower for gentian violet versus NYS (median $2.51 and 19.42, respectively, P = 0.01). Conclusion Efficacy of gentian violet was not statistically different than NYS, was well tolerated, and its procurement cost was substantially less than NYS.

BackgroundAn interim analysis of data from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052 trial showed that antiretroviral therapy (ART) prevented more than 96% of genetically linked infections caused by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in serodiscordant couples. ART was then offered to all patients with HIV-1 infection (index participants). The study included more than 5 years of follow-up to assess the durability of such therapy for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission.MethodsWe randomly assigned 1763 index participants to receive either early or delayed ART. In the early-ART group, 886 participants started therapy at enrollment (CD4+ count, 350 to 550 cells per cubic millimeter). In the delayed-ART group, 877 participants started therapy after two consecutive CD4+ counts fell below 250 cells per cubic millimeter or if an illness indicative of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (i.e., an AIDS-defining illness) developed. The primary study end point was the diagnosis of genetically linked HIV-1 infection in the previously HIV-1-negative partner in an intention-to-treat analysis.ResultsIndex participants were followed for 10,031 person-years; partners were followed for 8509 person-years. Among partners, 78 HIV-1 infections were observed during the trial (annual incidence, 0.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7 to 1.1). Viral-linkage status was determined for 72 (92%) of the partner infections. Of these infections, 46 were linked (3 in the early-ART group and 43 in the delayed-ART group; incidence, 0.5%; 95% CI, 0.4 to 0.7) and 26 were unlinked (14 in the early-ART group and 12 in the delayed-ART group; incidence, 0.3%; 95% CI, 0.2 to 0.4). Early ART was associated with a 93% lower risk of linked partner infection than was delayed ART (hazard ratio, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.22). No linked infections were observed when HIV-1 infection was stably suppressed by ART in the index participant.ConclusionsThe early initiation of ART led to a sustained decrease in genetically linked HIV-1 infections in sexual partners. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; HPTN 052 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00074581 .).

Background Prevalence and spectrum of hypertensive retinopathy in the population reflects the status of hypertension control and the associated risks for cardiovascular events. We investigated the prevalence and clinical spectrum of hypertensive retinopathy among patients attending hypertension clinic at a tertiary hospital in Malawi. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of systematically selected patients attending hypertension clinic at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital. Patient interviews using a structured questionnaire and review of patients’ medical records (health passports) were done to obtain the following information: demographics, duration since the diagnosis of hypertension, history of stroke and blood pressure measurements. The presence and severity of hypertensive retinopathy was determined by dilated fundoscopy through slit lamp biomicroscopy. Results We recruited 104 patients. Women outnumbered men by 3:1. Women tended to be younger compared to men (mean ages 54 and 61 years respectively). Of the surveyed patients, 80% had sub-optimal blood pressure control and 75% had evidence of hypertensive retinopathy. History of stroke was associated with hypertensive retinopathy. Conclusions Hypertensive retinopathy is very common in patients attending the hypertension clinic at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. This may be a reflection of sub-optimal blood pressure control in this patient population. There is a need to identify the actual reasons, rectify them and intensify intervention in control of hypertension in this patient population.

BACKGROUND: Neurocognitive impairment remains a common complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). We previously reported improved neurocognitive functioning with ART initiation in 7 resource-limited countries for HIV+ participants from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) 5199 International Neurological Study (INS). Here, we apply normative data from the International Neurocognitive Normative Study (INNS) to INS to provide previously unknown rates of neurocognitive impairment. METHODS: The A5199 INS assessed neurocognitive and neurological performance within a randomized clinical trial with 3 arms containing World Health Organization first-line recommended ART regimens (ACTG 5175; PEARLS). The ACTG 5271 INNS collected normative comparison data on 2400 high-risk HIV-negative participants from 10 voluntary counseling and testing sites aligned with INS. Normative comparison data were used to create impairment ratings for HIV+ participants in INS; associations were estimated using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Among 860 HIV+ adults enrolled in ACTG 5199, 55% had no neurocognitive impairment at baseline. Mild neurocognitive impairment was found in 25%, moderate in 17%, and severe in 3% of participants. With the initiation of ART, the estimated odds of impairment were reduced 12% (95% confidence interval, 9%, 14%) for every 24 weeks (P < .0001) on ART. Mild impairment dropped slightly and then remained at about 18% out to week 168. CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of HIV+ participants had neurocognitive impairment at baseline before ART, based on local norms. With ART initiation, there were significant overall reductions in neurocognitive impairment over time, especially in those with moderate and severe impairments. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT00096824.

BackgroundWe evaluated use of phylogenetic methods to predict the direction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission.MethodsFor 33 pairs of HIV-infected patients (hereafter, “index patients”) and their partners who acquired genetically linked HIV infection during the study, samples were collected from partners and index patients close to the time when the partner seroconverted (hereafter, “SC samples”); for 31 pairs, samples collected from the index patient at an earlier time point (hereafter, “early index samples”) were also available. Phylogenies were inferred using env next-generation sequences (1 tree per pair/subtype). The direction of transmission (DoT) predicted from each tree was classified as correct or incorrect on the basis of which sequences (those from the index patient or the partner) were closest to the root. DoT was also assessed using maximum parsimony to infer ancestral node states for 100 bootstrap trees.ResultsDoT was predicted correctly for both single-pair and subtype-specific trees in 22 pairs (67%) by using SC samples and in 23 pairs (74%) by using early index samples. DoT was predicted incorrectly for 4 pairs (15%) by using SC or early index samples. In the bootstrap analysis, DoT was predicted correctly for 18 pairs (55%) by using SC samples and for 24 pairs (73%) by using early index samples. DoT was predicted incorrectly for 7 pairs (21%) by using SC samples and for 4 pairs (13%) by using early index samples.ConclusionsPhylogenetic methods based solely on the tree topology of HIV env sequences, particularly without consideration of phylogenetic uncertainty, may be insufficient for determining DoT.

BACKGROUND: Hepatotoxicity associated with isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) has not been well studied in severely immunosuppressed people with HIV. Our objective was to determine risk factors for hepatotoxicity in severely immunosuppressed individuals taking IPT and ART. SETTING: Multi-center study in resource limited settings with high burden of tuberculosis. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from one randomized arm of the REMEMBER trial. The analysis includes participants with pre-ART CD4 cell counts of 5 × upper limit of normal or symptomatic hepatitis during IPT and ART. Logistic regression was used to identify baseline risk factors for hepatotoxicity. Time to occurrence of hepatotoxicity was estimated by the Kaplan Meier method. RESULTS: Among 426 participants (53% male, median age 35 years, median CD4 count 19 cells/µL), 31 developed hepatotoxicity (7.3%). Raised pretreatment AST/ALT (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.7–7.7) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) sero-positivity at baseline (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.7-12.9) were significantly associated with an increased risk of developing hepatotoxicity. Participants with both raised AST/ALT and positive HBsAg had a higher risk (OR 19.9, 95% CI 5.3-74.3) and earlier onset of hepatotoxicity than participants who did not have these conditions at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of hepatotoxicity during IPT and ART was high. Severely immunosuppressed individuals with raised pretreatment AST/ALT or HBsAg sero-positivity need closer monitoring for hepatotoxicity.

Africa bears 24% of the world’s burden of disease but harbors only 3% of its health care workers. To cope with this disproportionate burden of disease, the continent’s health workforce requires adequate capacitation. To achieve such capacitation, governments and global funding agencies like the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relieve have decided to support medical school development, both established and new medical schools. By some estimates more than 100 new medical schools will be established in Africa over the next decade. These new medical schools face daunting challenges yet are also presented with some unique opportunities. This article explores some of these challenges and opportunities and suggests how medical schools may function most effectively toward this end by working together in consortia (like the Consortium of New Southern African Medical Schools [CONSAMS]). A seminal report in The Lancet in 2010 recommended that medical schools could most effectively achieve health care strengthening and capacitation by working, not in isolation, but together in in “networks, alliances, and consortia.” CONSAMS was created initially among a group of 5 new medical schools in southern Africa (in Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho and Mozambique) together with 2 facilitating northern partners (at Vanderbilt

Evaluation of pretreatment HIV genotyping is needed globally to guide treatment programs. We examined the association of pretreatment (baseline) drug resistance and subtype with virologic failure in a multinational, randomized clinical trial that evaluated 3 antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimens and included resource-limited setting sites.Pol genotyping was performed in a nested case-cohort study including 270 randomly sampled participants (subcohort), and 218 additional participants failing ART (case group). Failure was defined as confirmed viral load (VL)1000 copies/mL. Cox proportional hazards models estimated resistance-failure association.In the representative subcohort (261/270 participants with genotypes; 44% women; median age, 35 years; median CD4 cell count, 151 cells/µL; median VL, 5.0 log10 copies/mL; 58% non-B subtypes), baseline resistance occurred in 4.2%, evenly distributed among treatment arms and subtypes. In the subcohort and case groups combined (466/488 participants with genotypes), used to examine the association between resistance and treatment failure, baseline resistance occurred in 7.1% (9.4% with failure, 4.3% without). Baseline resistance was significantly associated with shorter time to virologic failure (hazard ratio [HR], 2.03; P = .035), and after adjusting for sex, treatment arm, sex-treatment arm interaction, pretreatment CD4 cell count, baseline VL, and subtype, was still independently associated (HR, 2.1; P = .05). Compared with subtype B, subtype C infection was associated with higher failure risk (HR, 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.35), whereas non-B/C subtype infection was associated with longer time to failure (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, .22-.98).In this global clinical trial, pretreatment resistance and HIV-1 subtype were independently associated with virologic failure. Pretreatment genotyping should be considered whenever feasible.NCT00084136.

Introduction: We evaluated HIV drug resistance in adults who received early vs. delayed antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a multinational trial [HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052, enrollment 2005-2010]. In HPTN 052, 1763 index participants were randomized to start ART at a CD4 cell count of 350-550 cells/mm 3 (early ART arm) or 1000 copies/mL >24 weeks after ART initiation. Drug resistance testing was performed for pretreatment (baseline) and failure samples from participants with virologic failure. Results: HIV genotyping results were obtained for 211/249 participants (128 early ART arm and 83 delayed ART arm) with virologic failure. Drug resistance was detected in 4.7% of participants at baseline; 35.5% had new resistance at failure. In univariate analysis, the frequency of new resistance at failure was lower among participants in the early ART arm (compared with delayed ART arm, P = 0.06; compared with delayed ART arm with ART initiation before May 2011, P = 0.032). In multivariate analysis, higher baseline viral load (P = 0.0008) and ART regimen (efavirenz/lamivudine/zidovudine compared with other regimens, P = 0.024) were independently associated with higher risk of new resistance at failure. Conclusions: In HPTN 052, the frequency of new drug resistance at virologic failure was lower in adults with early ART initiation. The main factor associated with reduced drug resistance with early ART was lower baseline viral load.

Objectives Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) provision to eligible HIV-infected pregnant and post-partum women is critical for optimizing maternal health. We assessed the impact of maternal HAART on HIV-free survival of breastfed infants in Malawi. Methods The post-exposure prophylaxis of infants-Malawi trial (2004–2009) enrolled mothers/infants during labor or immediately post-partum to evaluate 14-week extended infant antiretroviral prophylaxis for preventing HIV transmission through breastfeeding. Mothers meeting national HAART guidelines were referred for therapy. Child HIV-free survival—survival without HIV infection—was compared by maternal HAART status. Results Overall, 3022 mother-infant pairs contributed 4214 infant/person-years (PY) at-risk for HIV infection or death, with 532 events (incidence 12.6/100 PY, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 11.6–13.7). During follow-up, 349 mothers were HAART initiated; 581 remained HAART naive with CD4 cell counts

Earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-tuberculosis (TB) is associated with increased immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). The severity, frequency, and complications of TB IRIS were evaluated in A5221, a randomized trial of earlier ART (within 2 weeks after TB treatment initiation) vs. later ART (8-12 weeks after TB treatment) in HIV-infected patients starting TB treatment.In 806 participants, TB IRIS was defined using published clinical criteria. Cases were classified as severe (hospitalization/death), moderate (corticosteroid use/invasive procedure), or mild (no hospitalization/procedures/steroids). Fisher exact, Wilcoxon, and log-rank tests were used for comparisons.TB IRIS occurred in 61 (7.6%) patients: 10.4% in earlier vs. 4.7% in later ART, 11.5% with CD450 vs. 5.4% with CD4 ≥50 cells per cubic millimeter. The CD4/ART arm interaction was significant, P = 0.014, with 44.3% of TB IRIS occurring with CD450 and earlier ART. TB IRIS occurred sooner with earlier vs. later ART initiation, at a median of 29 vs. 82 days after TB treatment initiation (P0.001). IRIS manifestations included lymphadenopathy (59.0%), constitutional symptoms (54.1%), and radiographic changes (41.0%); central nervous system TB IRIS was uncommon (6.6%). TB IRIS was mild in 27.9%, moderate in 41.0%, and severe in 31.1%. No TB IRIS-associated deaths occurred. IRIS management required ≥1 invasive procedures in 34.4%, hospitalization in 31.1%, and corticosteroids in 54.1%.TB IRIS was more frequent with earlier ART initiation and CD450 cells per cubic millimeter. As ART is implemented earlier in HIV-TB coinfection, programs will require the diagnostic capabilities, clinical resources, and training necessary to manage TB IRIS.

Summary Background Use of antiretroviral treatment for HIV-1 infection has decreased AIDS-related morbidity and mortality and prevents sexual transmission of HIV-1. H owever, the best time to initiate antiretroviral treatment to reduce progression of HIV-1 infection or non-AIDS clinical events is unknown. We reported previously that early antiretroviral treatment reduced HIV-1 transmission by 96%. We aimed to compare the eff ects of early and delayed initiation of antiretroviral treatment on clinical outcomes. Methods The HPTN 052 trial is a randomised controlled trial done at 13 sites in nine countries. We enrolled HIV-1-serodiscordant couples to the study and randomly allocated them to either early or delayed antiretroviral treatment by use of permuted block randomisation, stratifi ed by site. Random assignment was unblinded. The HIV-1-infected member of every couple initiated antiretroviral treatment either on entry into the study (early treatment group) or after a decline in CD4 count or with onset of an AIDS-related illness (delayed treatment group). Primary events were AIDS clinical events (WHO stage 4 HIV-1 disease, tuberculosis, and severe bacterial infections) and the following serious medical conditions unrelated to AIDS: serious cardiovascular or vascular disease, serious liver disease, end-stage renal disease, new-onset diabetes mellitus, and non-AIDS malignant disease. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00074581. Findings 1763 people with HIV-1 infection and a serodiscordant partner were enrolled in the study; 886 were assigned early antiretroviral treatment and 877 to the delayed treatment group (two individuals were excluded from this group af ter randomisation). Median CD4 counts at randomisation were 442 (IQR 373–522) cells per μL in patients assigned to the early treatment group and 428 (357–522) cells per μL in those allocated delayed antiretroviral treatment. In the delayed group, antiretroviral treatment was initiated at a median CD4 count of 230 (IQR 197–249) cells per μL. Primary clinical events were reported in 57 individuals assigned to early treatment initiation versus 77 people allocated to delayed antiretroviral treatment (hazard ratio 0·73, 95% CI 0·52–1·03; p=0·074). New-onset AIDS events were recorded in 40 participants assigned to early antiretroviral treatment versus 61 allocated delayed initiation (0·64, 0·43–0·96; p=0·031), tuberculosis developed in 17 versus 34 patients, respectively (0·49, 0·28–0·89, p=0·018), and primary nonAIDS events were rare (12 in the early group vs nine with delayed treatment). In total, 498 primary and secondary outcomes occurred in the early treatment group (incidence 24·9 per 100 person-years, 95% CI 22·5–27·5) versus 585 in the delayed treatment group (29·2 per 100 person-years, 26·5–32·1; p=0·025). 26 people died, 11 who were allocated to early antiretroviral treatment and 15 who were assigned to the delayed treatment group.

Background. Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) reduces genital tract human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) load and reduces the risk of sexual transmission, but little is known about the efficacy of cART for decreasing genital tract viral load (GTVL) and differences in sex or HIV-1 subtype. Methods. HIV-1 RNA from blood plasma, seminal plasma, or cervical wicks was quantified at baseline and at weeks 48 and 96 after entry in a randomized clinical trial of 3 cART regimens. Results. One hundred fifty-eight men and 170 women from 7 countries were studied (men: 55% subtype B and 45% subtype C; women: 24% subtype B and 76% subtype C). Despite similar baseline CD4+ cell counts and blood plasma viral loads, women with subtype C had the highest GTVL (median, 5.1 log10 copies/mL) compared to women with subtype B and men with subtype C or B (4.0, 4.0, and 3.8 log10 copies/mL, respectively; P < .001). The proportion of participants with a GTVL below the lower limit of quantification (LLQ) at week 48 (90%) and week 96 (90%) was increased compared to baseline (16%; P < .001 at both times). Women were significantly less likely to have GTVL below the LLQ compared to men (84% vs 94% at week 48, P = .006; 84% vs 97% at week 96, P = .002), despite a more sensitive assay for seminal plasma than for cervical wicks. No difference in GTVL response across the 3 cART regimens was detected. Conclusions. The female genital tract may serve as a reservoir of persistent HIV-1 replication during cART and affect the use of cART to prevent sexual and perinatal transmission of HIV-1.

Early initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) reduces HIV transmission and has health benefits. HIV drug resistance can limit treatment options and compromise use of ART for HIV prevention. We evaluated drug resistance in 85 participants in the HIV Prevention Trials Network 052 trial who started ART at CD4 counts of 350-550 cells per cubic millimeter and failed ART by May 2011; 8.2% had baseline resistance and 35.3% had resistance at ART failure. High baseline viral load and less education were associated with emergence of resistance at ART failure. Resistance at ART failure was observed in 7 of 8 (87.5%) participants who started ART at lower CD4 cell counts.

INTRODUCTION: Continuous evaluation of child survival is needed in sub-Saharan Africa where HIV prevalence among women of reproductive age continues to be high. We examined mortality levels and trends over a period of approximately 20 years among HIV-unexposed and -exposed children in Blantyre Malawi. METHODS: Data from 5 prospective cohort studies conducted at a single research site from 1989 to 2009 were analyzed. In these studies children born to HIV-infected and -uninfected mothers were enrolled at birth and followed longitudinally for at least 2 years. Information on sociodemographic HIV infection status survival and associated risk factors was collected in all studies. Mortality rates were estimated using birth-cohort analyses stratified by maternal and infant HIV status. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to determine risk factors associated with mortality. RESULTS: The analysis included 8286 children. From 1989 to 1995 overall mortality rates (per 100 person-years) in these clinic-based cohorts remained comparable among HIV-uninfected children born to HIV-uninfected mothers (range 3.3-6.9) or to HIV-infected mothers (range 2.5-7.5). From 1989 to 2009 overall mortality remained high among all children born to HIV-infected mothers (range 6.3-19.3) and among children who themselves became infected (range 15.6-57.4 1994-2009). Only lower birth weight was consistently and significantly (P < 0.05) associated with higher child mortality. CONCLUSIONS: HIV infection among mothers and children contributed to high levels of child mortality in the African setting in the pretreatment era. In addition to services that prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV other programs are needed to improve child survival by lowering HIV-unrelated mortality through innovative interventions that strengthen health infrastructure.

First-line antiretroviral treatment regimens in resource-limited settings used in breastfeeding mothers often include stavudine (d4T). Limited data describing d4T concentrations in breast milk are available. We analyzed d4T concentrations in 52 mother-infant pairs using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (lower limit of quantification: 5 ng/mL in plasma, 20 ng/mL in breast milk). Median (interquartile range) d4T concentrations were 86 (36-191) ng/mL in maternal plasma, 151 (48-259) ng/mL in whole milk, 190 (58-296) ng/mL in skim milk, and5 (5 to5) ng/mL in infant plasma. Although d4T is concentrated in breast milk relative to maternal plasma, the infant d4T dose received from breast milk is very small and not clinically significant.

Abstract 33 Background: Enabled by collaboration and political stability, Malawi is a global leader for HIV research and implementation. We undertook this work to identify ways to leverage successes in HIV treatment and research for cancer and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Methods: Over more than two decades, investment from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other funders has allowed Malawi participation in international HIV networks. As these sought to address HIV-positive cancer, investment occurred to increase pathology, improve cancer registration, scale up cervical cancer screening, and improve nursing and pharmacy skills for chemotherapy administration. This allowed Malawi to participate in multinational clinical trials for HIV-positive Kaposi sarcoma treatment and cervical cancer prevention. Building on this, Malawi was one of six countries in 2014 to receive an NIH U54 consortium award for HIV-positive malignancies and was one of six countries added to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) AIDS Malignancy Consortium. In 2016, expanding beyond HIV-positive cancer, Malawi was one of three countries invited to join a new NCI–International Agency for Research on Cancer esophageal cancer consortium, one of five recipients of a new NCI Burkitt lymphoma award, and one of six recipients of a new NCI P20 grant for a regional center of research excellence for NCDs. Malawi is also one of 11 countries to convene a Lancet noncommunicable diseases and injury poverty commission for NCDs and injury. Finally, partners have improved surveillance and treatment for hypertension, diabetes, injury, and sickle cell anemia, in part, through a national Knowledge Translation Platform for HIV-NCD integration. With this support and funding, career development opportunities are embedded for Malawian NCD researchers. Results: Building on successes in HIV treatment and research, Malawi has become a global leader for cancer and NCD research and implementation. Conclusion: Continue developing a multilateral national platform for NCD research and implementation that is globally impactful and can lead to measurable outputs for individual cancer and NCD focus areas. Funding: National Institutes of Health. AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST No COIs from the authors.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is indicated during tuberculosis treatment in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), but the timing for the initiation of ART when tuberculosis is diagnosed in patients with various levels of immune compromise is not known.We conducted an open-label, randomized study comparing earlier ART (within 2 weeks after the initiation of treatment for tuberculosis) with later ART (between 8 and 12 weeks after the initiation of treatment for tuberculosis) in HIV-1 infected patients with CD4+ T-cell counts of less than 250 per cubic millimeter and suspected tuberculosis. The primary end point was the proportion of patients who survived and did not have a new (previously undiagnosed) acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining illness at 48 weeks.A total of 809 patients with a median baseline CD4+ T-cell count of 77 per cubic millimeter and an HIV-1 RNA level of 5.43 log(10) copies per milliliter were enrolled. In the earlier-ART group, 12.9% of patients had a new AIDS-defining illness or died by 48 weeks, as compared with 16.1% in the later-ART group (95% confidence interval [CI], -1.8 to 8.1; P=0.45). Among patients with screening CD4+ T-cell counts of less than 50 per cubic millimeter, 15.5% of patients in the earlier-ART group versus 26.6% in the later-ART group had a new AIDS-defining illness or died (95% CI, 1.5 to 20.5; P=0.02). Tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome was more common with earlier ART than with later ART (11% vs. 5%, P=0.002). The rate of viral suppression at 48 weeks was 74% and did not differ between the groups (P=0.38).Overall, earlier ART did not reduce the rate of new AIDS-defining illness and death, as compared with later ART. In persons with CD4+ T-cell counts of less than 50 per cubic millimeter, earlier ART was associated with a lower rate of new AIDS-defining illnesses and death. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others; ACTG A5221 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00108862.).

OBJECTIVE: We previously developed a multiassay algorithm (MAA) to identify recent HIV infection that includes the BED-capture enzyme immunoassay an avidity assay based on the Genetic Systems HIV-1/HIV-2 + O enzyme immunoassay CD4 cell count and HIV viral load. We used this MAA to evaluate the association between recent maternal HIV infection and in-utero transmission of HIV. METHODS: Plasma samples were collected at delivery from 2561 HIV-infected women in the postexposure prophylaxis of infants-Malawi trial. The MAA described above was used to identify women with recent HIV infection. Logistic regression models assessed association between recent HIV infection and in-utero HIV transmission (defined as a positive infant HIV DNA test at birth). RESULTS: Seventy-three women were identified as recently infected using the MAA. Those women were younger and had lower parity than women who were identified as not recently infected using the MAA (P < 0.0001 for age and parity). The frequency of in-utero HIV transmission was 17.8% among women identified as recently infected compared with 6.7% among women identified as not recently infected (13/73 vs. 166/2488 P = 0.001). In a multivariate model three factors were independently associated with in-utero HIV transmission: recent infection [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.49 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30-4.78 P = 0.006] log(10) HIV viral load at delivery (AOR: 2.01 95% CI: 1.60-2.51 P < 0.0001) and younger age (per 10 year increase AOR: 0.66 95% CI: 0.43-0.93 P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Results obtained using a MAA suggest that recent maternal HIV acquisition is strongly associated with in-utero HIV transmission independent of HIV viral load at delivery.

BACKGROUND: The association between postnatal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmission and maternal highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) after infant extended antiretroviral prophylaxis was assessed. METHODS: A follow-up study was conducted for the Post-Exposure Prophylaxis of Infants trial in Blantyre Malawi (PEPI-Malawi). In PEPI-Malawi breast-feeding infants of HIV-infected women were randomized at birth to receive a either control regimen (single-dose nevirapine plus 1 week of zidovudine); the control regimen plus nevirapine to age 14 weeks; or the control regimen plus nevirapine and zidovudine to age 14 weeks. Infant HIV infection maternal CD4 cell count and HAART use were determined. Maternal HAART use was categorized as HAART eligible but untreated (CD4 cell count of

Background: The increasing investment in malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to differentiate malarial and non-malarial fevers, and an awareness of the need to improve case management of non-malarial fever, indicates an urgent need for high quality evidence on how best to improve prescribers’ practices. Methods: A three-arm stratified cluster-randomised trial was conducted in 36 primary healthcare facilities from September 2010 to March 2012 within two rural districts in northeast Tanzania where malaria transmission has been declining. Interventions were guided by formative mixed-methods research and were introduced in phases. Prescribing staff from all facilities received standard Ministry of Health RDT training. Prescribers from facilities in the health worker (HW) and health worker-patient (HWP) arms further participated in small interactive peer-group training sessions with the HWP additionally receiving clinic posters and patient leaflets. Performance feedback and motivational mobile-phone text messaging (SMS) were added to the HW and HWP arms in later phases. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with a non-severe, non-malarial illness incorrectly prescribed a (recommended) antimalarial. Secondary outcomes investigated RDT uptake, adherence to results, and antibiotic prescribing. Results: Standard RDT training reduced pre-trial levels of antimalarial prescribing, which was sustained throughout the trial. Both interventions significantly lowered incorrect prescribing of recommended antimalarials from 8% (749/8,942) in the standard training arm to 2% (250/10,118) in the HW arm (adjusted RD (aRD) 4%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1% to 6%; P = 0.008) and 2% (184/10,163) in the HWP arm (aRD 4%; 95% CI 1% to 6%; P = 0.005). Small group training and SMS were incrementally effective. There was also a significant reduction in the prescribing of antimalarials to RDT-negatives but no effect on RDT-positives receiving an ACT. Antibiotic prescribing was significantly lower in the HWP arm but had increased in all arms compared with pre-trial levels. Conclusions: Small group training with SMS was associated with an incremental and sustained improvement in prescriber adherence to RDT results and reducing over-prescribing of antimalarials to close to zero. These interventions may become increasingly important to cope with the wider range of diagnostic and treatment options for patients with acute febrile illness in Africa. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT01292707) 29 January 2011.

Background HIV-1 and Plasmodium falciparum malaria cause substantial morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially as co-infecting pathogens. We examined the relationship between presence of P. falciparum DNA in plasma samples and clinical malaria as well as the impact of atazanavir, an HIV-1 protease inhibitor (PI), on P. falciparum PCR positivity. Methods ACTG study A5175 compared two NNRTI-based regimens and one PI-based anti-retroviral (ARV) regimen in antiretroviral therapy naïve participants. We performed nested PCR on plasma samples for the P. falciparum 18s rRNA gene to detect the presence of malaria DNA in 215 of the 221 participants enrolled in Blantyre and Lilongwe, Malawi. We also studied the closest sample preceding the first malaria diagnosis from 102 persons with clinical malaria and randomly selected follow up samples from 88 persons without clinical malaria. Results PCR positivity was observed in 18 (8%) baseline samples and was not significantly associated with age, sex, screening CD4+ T-cell count, baseline HIV-1 RNA level or co-trimoxazole use within the first 8 weeks. Neither baseline PCR positivity (p = 0.45) nor PCR positivity after initiation of antiretroviral therapy (p = 1.0) were significantly associated with subsequent clinical malaria. Randomization to the PI versus NNRTI ARV regimens was not significantly associated with either PCR positivity (p = 0.5) or clinical malaria (p = 0.609). Clinical malaria was associated with a history of tuberculosis (p = 0.006) and a lower BMI (p = 0.004). Conclusion P. falciparum DNA was detected in 8% of participants at baseline, but was not significantly associated with subsequent development of clinical malaria. HIV PI therapy did not decrease the prevalence of PCR positivity or incidence of clinical disease.

Mitochondrial toxicity is a major concern related to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Common manifestations are peripheral neuropathy and lipodystrophy. Depletion of mitochondria has been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. We investigated whether mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) levels in peripheral blood can be used as biomarker of stavudine-associated mitochondrial toxicities. We enrolled 203 HIV-infected Malawian adult patients on stavudine-containing ART and 64 healthy controls of Bantu origin in a cross-sectional study. Total DNA was extracted from whole blood.The glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene was used to estimate nuclear DNA (nDNA) levels and the ATP synthase-8 mitochondrial DNA gene to estimate mtDNA levels, from which mtDNA/nDNA ratios were determined. MtDNA subhaplogroups were established by sequencing. Among patients, peripheral neuropathy was present in 21% (43/203), lipodystrophy in 18% (20/112), elevated lactate level (2.5 mmol/L) in 17% (19/113). Healthy controls had a higher median mtDNA/nDNA ratio when compared to HIV/AIDS patients (6.64 vs. 5.08; p=0.05), patients presenting with peripheral neuropathy (6.64 vs. 3.40, p=0.039), and patients with high lactate levels (6.64 vs. 0.68, p=0.024), respectively. Significant differences in median mtDNA/nDNA ratios were observed between patients with high and normal lactate levels (5.88 vs. 0.68, p=0.018). The median mtDNA/nDNA ratio of patients in subhaplogroup L0a2 was much lower (0.62 vs. 8.50, p=0.01) than that of those in subhaplogroup L2a. Our data indicate that peripheral blood mtDNA/nDNA ratio is a marker of mitochondrial toxicities of stavudine and is associated with elevated lactate levels and mtDNA subhaplogroups. This could open the prospect to select a substantial group of patients who will not have problematic side effects from stavudine, an affordable and effective antiretroviral drug that is being phased out in Africa due to its toxicity.

Background: Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is one of the main toxicities associated with stavudine. Genetic variants in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups have been associated with increased risk of developing PN in European non-Hispanic and black patients on stavudine containing antiretroviral therapy (ART). We investigated mtDNA haplogroups and their role in susceptibility to stavudine-induced peripheral in Malawian patients on ART. Method: Two hundred and fifteen adults on stavudine containing regimens were recruited from the ART clinic at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, into a cross-sectional study to investigate the effects of genetic variants in mtDNA of individuals in relation to response to treatment. Patients were categorized according to whether or not they had developed PN after a minimum of 6 months on stavudine containing ART. Whole mtDNA coding regions of each patient were sequenced, and CD4 count, viral load, and creatinine were determined. The mtDNA variation was correlated with clinical characteristics. Results: Fifty-three (25%) of the participants developed PN after starting stavudine containing ART. Mitochondrial DNA subhaplogroup L0a2 was independently associated with increased risk of PN in a multivariate model (odds ratio, 2.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 4.39; P = 0.019), and subhaplogroup L2a was independently associated with reduced risk of PN (odds ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.16 to 0.94; P = 0.036). Conclusions: Genetic variation in mtDNA confers differential risk of developing PN in patients on stavudine containing ART among Malawians.