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Background: New HIV infections in Tanzania have been decreasing, however some populations remain at higher risk. Despite of that, evidence on the magnitude of HIV infection and the associated factors and HIV/AIDS services uptake among fisherfolk in Tanzania are inadequately explored. This study therefore aimed at determining prevalence of HIV infection and utilization of HIV/AIDS services among fishfolk in selected Islands of Lake Victoria for evidence-based interventions.Methods: Cross-sectional study determining status of HIV infection among fisherfolk (n = 456) and retrospective review of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) registry (n = 1744) were done in Buchosa and Muleba districts. Structured questionnaire and HIV rapid test kits with the standard testing protocol were used as research tools.Results: A total of 269 (58.9%) male and 187 (41.1%) female fisherfolk were recruited during the community survey. Prevalence of HIV infection was 14% in all surveyed landing sites with a site variation from as low as 7.2% to as high as 23.8%. Participants employed in fishing related employment had higher odds of being HIV infected (5.4 times) than those who practiced fishing and partly farming [OR = 5.40; 95%CI 1.88-15.61; p < 0.001]. Participants employed in fishing related employment had higher odds of being HIV infected (5.4 times) than those practiced fishing and farming [OR = 5.40; 95%CI 1.88-15.61; P < 0.001]. Lack of formal education [aOR = 3.37; 95%CI 1.64-6.92; p < 0.001], being older [aOR = 1.06; 95%CI 1.03-1.09] and using alcohol [aOR = 2.26; 95%CI 1.23-4.15] predicted the likelihood of contracting HIV infection. Approximately three quarters (76%) of respondents had ever tested for HIV infection within past 1 year. Moreover, about half of the study participants had used condom inconsistently and 5 out of 14 (37.5%) of participants who knew their status had never started treatment. Despite the low uptake of most HIV preventive services, majority (88%) of male fisherfolk were circumcised.Conclusion: The magnitude of HIV infection among fisherfolk was up to 3 times higher than that of the general populations in Muleba and Buchosa districts. Higher age, using alcohol and lack of formal education predicted increased likelihood of HIV infection. The uptake of key HIV/AIDS curative and preventive services was generally low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adherence to option B+ antiretroviral treatment (ART) is vital to a successful implementation of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) program. Further studies show that optimal viral suppression is also crucial for a successful PMTCT program, however barriers to adherence exist and differ among populations and particularly within few years of its adoption in Tanzania. This study therefore aimed at investigating the level and predictors of adherence to ART option B+ among pregnant and lactating women in rural and urban settings of eastern Tanzania. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 305 pregnant women and lactating mothers on Option B+ regime from six health facilities located in rural and urban settings in Morogoro region in eastern Tanzania. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, as well as bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Good adherence to option B+ PMTCT drugs was 26.3% and 61.1% among respondents residing in urban and rural areas respectively. The rural residents were 4.86 times more likely to adhere compared to their counterparts in an urban area (aOR = 4.86; 95% CI = 2.91–8.13). Similarly, women with male partners’ support in PMTCT were 3.51 times more likely to have good adherence than those without (aOR = 3.51, 95% CI = 1.21–10.15). Moreover, there was a significantly lower odds of adherence to option B+ among those who had been on treatment between one to two years as compared to those had less than one year of treatment (aOR = 0.45; 95%CI = 0.22–0.93). Conclusion: Adherence to PMTCT option B+ antiretroviral drugs treatment among pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers was low and much lower among urban residents. Adherence was significantly predicted by rural residence, male partner support and short duration on ART. Efforts to improve adherence should focus on increasing male participation on PMTCT, tailored interventions to urban residents and those who have been on ART for a long duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory confirmation among presumptive tuberculosis (PTB) patients is pivotal in ensuring prompt management. Limited information exists in Tanzania regarding the performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF® in comparison with conventional methods. An operational study was conducted involving 806 PTB patients at Sekou Toure Hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania from June to November 2013. Patients' information was obtained and their respective sputum samples analyzed by lightemitting diode fluorescent microscopy (LED FM) and GeneXpert MTB/RIF®. The mean age of study participants was 39.6±16.0 years, with males accounting for 50.5%. The majority of patients (97.5%) were new cases. The proportions of PTB patients confirmed by LED FM and GeneXpert MTB/RIF® were 14.1% (114/806) and 23.7% (191/806) respectively, resulting into a 9.6% incremental detection rate by GeneXpert MTB/RIF® over LED FM. The detection rate among HIV positive individuals was also higher [23.6% (63/267) vs 14.2% (38/267), respectively], with an incremental detection of 9.4%. The incremental detection of PTB by GeneXpert MTB/RIF® over LED FM calls for expansion of its use to increase detection of smear negative PTB among people living with HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]