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Little data exist on how 15-to-24-year-old perinatally infected youth living with HIV (p-YLHIV) learn their HIV status, and how those disclosure experiences may relate to current viral suppression ...

Background We report the yield of targeted universal tuberculosis (TB) testing of clinic attendees in high-risk groups. Methods Clinic attendees in primary healthcare facilities in South Africa with one of the following risk factors underwent sputum testing for TB: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), contact with a TB patient in the past year, and having had TB in the past 2 years. A single sample was collected for Xpert-Ultra (Xpert) and culture. We report the proportion positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Data were analyzed descriptively. The unadjusted clinical and demographic factors’ relative risk of TB detected by culture or Xpert were calculated and concordance between Xpert and culture is described. Results A total of 30 513 participants had a TB test result. Median age was 39 years, and 11 553 (38%) were men. The majority (n = 21734, 71%) had HIV, 12 492 (41%) reported close contact with a TB patient, and 1573 (5%) reported prior TB. Overall, 8.3% were positive for M. tuberculosis by culture and/or Xpert compared with 6.0% with trace-positive results excluded. In asymptomatic participants, the yield was 6.7% and 10.1% in symptomatic participants (with trace-positives excluded). Only 10% of trace-positive results were culture-positive. We found that 55% of clinic attendees with a sputum result positive for M. tuberculosis did not have a positive TB symptom screen. Conclusions A high proportion of clinic attendees with specific risk factors (HIV, close TB contact, history of TB) test positive for M. tuberculosis when universal testing is implemented.

BACKGROUND Many individuals at risk for HIV may be reached through active TB case finding interventions in areas with highly prevalent co-epidemics of TB/HIV. METHODS We analyzed data from a cluster-randomized trial of 2 TB case finding strategies: facility-based screening and contact investigation of newly identified TB cases. In both arms, on-site rapid HIV testing was offered to all contacts older than 18 months who did not self-report HIV-positive status. Those who were HIV infected were referred appropriately. All contacts 15 years and older were included in this analysis. RESULTS Among 2179 contacts identified, 50% (1092) accepted HIV testing and counselling, of whom 6.3% (68) tested HIV-positive. Contacts who were unemployed [adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04 to 1.25], had not been to a clinic (aPR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.18) or HIV tested (aPR 1.25, 95% CI: 1.14 to 1.39) 6 months before, and those reporting gastrointestinal symptoms (aPR 1.22, 95% CI: 0.98 to 1.52) and genitourinary symptoms (aPR 1.30, 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.45) were significantly associated with accepting HIV testing. Women [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.19, 95% CI: 1.26 to 3.81], individuals with a past history of tuberculosis (aOR 1.96, 95% CI: 0.93 to 4.14), and those not HIV tested 6 months before (aOR 2.20, 95% CI: 1.28 to 3.79) were significantly associated with testing HIV-positive. CONCLUSION Offering HIV testing in the context of active tuberculosis case finding represents an opportunity to identify a large proportion of previously undiagnosed individuals with HIV in a population that might otherwise not seek testing.

Summary Background The South African national HIV plan recommends pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for transgender women, whose HIV prevalence estimates are as high as 25% in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to explore PrEP awareness, uptake, and willingness, as well as associated barriers and facilitators, in order to inform PrEP implementation efforts with transgender women in South Africa. Methods Using a community-engaged, convergent parallel mixed methods design, trained local transgender women data collectors recruited 213 transgender women participants (aged >18 years, assigned male sex at birth, and identifying as a gender different from male), via network referral and word-of-mouth in Cape Town, East London, and Johannesburg. A subset of 36 transgender women also participated in qualitative in-depth interviews. Quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics and negative binomial regression models to assess correlates of PrEP willingness. Qualitative interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded. Thematic content analysis was used to identify key themes. Quantitative and qualitative data were integrated for interpretation. Findings Participants were recruited between June 1 and Nov 30, 2018. 57 (45%) of 127 HIV-negative participants were PrEP-aware and only 14 (11%) of 129 were currently taking PrEP. HIV-negative participants experiencing social (eg, violence, poverty) and interpersonal (eg, discrimination, low transgender women community connectedness) hardship reported PrEP awareness more frequently than HIV-negative transgender women who did not. Willingness to take PrEP was low, at 56 (55%) of 102, among HIV-negative participants who were not currently taking PrEP, and negatively associated with transgender women community connectedness (multivariable prevalence ratio 0·87; 95% CI 0·77–0·99). Barriers to PrEP included taking a daily pill, side-effects, and cost. Participants urged greater education and engagement of transgender women in PrEP implementation. Interpretation South Africa is poised to scale up PrEP services for transgender women. Dedicated transgender clinics are planned to provide comprehensive care, including PrEP, for transgender women. It is critical to ensure transgender women are aware of and have accurate information about PrEP, and that health-care sites are prepared to provide quality care for transgender women. Funding Gilead Sciences.

Daratumumab in combination with lenalidomide‐dexamethasone (D‐Rd) recently received FDA approval for the treatment of transplant‐ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). The present PEGASUS study compared progression‐free survival (PFS) in patients treated with D‐Rd in the MAIA trial and patients treated with common standard‐of‐care regimens from the Flatiron Health electronic health record‐derived deidentified database, which has data from patients treated primarily at community‐based oncology practices in the United States. Individual‐level patient data from both data sources were used to perform an anchored indirect treatment comparison (ITC) of D‐Rd to bortezomib‐lenalidomide‐dexamethasone (VRd) and bortezomib‐dexamethasone (Vd); lenalidomide‐dexamethasone (Rd) was the common anchor for the ITC. Hazard ratios (HRs) reflecting direct comparisons of PFS within MAIA (D‐Rd vs Rd) and Flatiron Health (VRd vs Rd; Vd vs Rd) were used to make ITCs for D‐Rd vs VRd and Vd, respectively. After application of MAIA inclusion/exclusion criteria and propensity‐score weighting, the Flatiron Health patients resembled the MAIA trial population on measured baseline characteristics. Based on the direct comparison within MAIA, treatment with D‐Rd was associated with a significantly lower risk of progression or death compared to Rd (HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.42, 0.71). Based on the ITCs, D‐Rd was associated with a significantly lower risk of progression or death compared to VRd (HR 0.68; 95% CI 0.48, 0.98) and Vd (HR 0.48; 95% CI 0.33, 0.69). In the absence of head‐to‐head trials comparing D‐Rd to VRd or Vd, the present ITC may help inform treatment selection in transplant‐ineligible patients with NDMM.

Background With HIV now considered a chronic disease, economic burden for people living with HIV (LWH) may threaten long-term disease outcomes. We studied associations between economic burden (employment, income, insurance, and financial difficulty) and HIV status for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and how economic burden relates to disease progression. Setting We analyzed data collected every 6 months through 2015 from GBMSM LWH and GBMSM living without HIV from 2 waves (2001-2003 cohort and 2010+ new recruit cohort) of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. Methods Using generalized estimating equations, we first assessed the association between HIV status (exposure) and economic burden indicators since the last study visit (outcomes) of employment (working/student/retired versus not currently working), personal annual income of ≥$10,000, insurance (public/private versus none), and financial difficulty meeting basic expenses. Then among people LWH, we assessed the relationships between economic burden indicators (exposures), risk of progressive immune suppression (CD4 ≤500 cells/uL), and progression to AIDS (CD4 ≤200; outcomes). Results Of 1721 participants, 59.5% were LWH (n = 1024). GBMSM LWH were 12% less likely to be employed, 16% more likely to have health insurance, and 9% more likely to experience financial difficulty than GBMSM living without HIV. Among GBMSM LWH, employment was associated with a 6% and 32% lower likelihood of immune suppression or progression to AIDS, respectively, and the income was associated with a 15% lower likelihood of progression to AIDS. Conclusions Interventions that stabilize employment, income, and offer insurance support may enrich GBMSM LWH's ability to prevent disease progression.

Proliferation of CD4(+) T cells harboring HIV-1 proviruses is a major contributor to viral persistence in people on antiretroviral therapy (ART). To determine whether differential rates of clonal proliferation or HIV-1–specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) pressure shape the provirus landscape, we performed an intact proviral DNA assay (IPDA) and obtained 661 near–full-length provirus sequences from 8 individuals with suppressed viral loads on ART at time points 7 years apart. We observed slow decay of intact proviruses but no changes in the proportions of various types of defective proviruses. The proportion of intact proviruses in expanded clones was similar to that of defective proviruses in clones. Intact proviruses observed in clones did not have more escaped CTL epitopes than intact proviruses observed as singlets. Concordantly, total proviruses at later time points or observed in clones were not enriched in escaped or unrecognized epitopes. Three individuals with natural control of HIV-1 infection (controllers) on ART, included because controllers have strong HIV-1–specific CTL responses, had a smaller proportion of intact proviruses but a distribution of defective provirus types and escaped or unrecognized epitopes similar to that of the other individuals. This work suggests that CTL selection does not significantly check clonal proliferation of infected cells or greatly alter the provirus landscape in people on ART.

SETTING: Human mobility contributes to the spread of infectious diseases. South Africa has a long history of internal labor migration and a high burden of TB.METHODS: People newly diagnosed with TB in the Vhembe and Waterberg Districts of Limpopo answered a questionnaire regarding geographic movement over the past year. Participants were classified as ‘highly mobile’ (spending more than 30 nights at a residence other than their primary residence in the past year, or being ≥250 km from their primary residence at the time of the interview) or ‘less mobile’. We explored associations between sociodemographic characteristics and high mobility, and between mobility and time to presentation at a clinic.RESULTS: Of the 717 participants included, 185 (25.7%) were classified as ‘highly mobile’. Factors associated with high mobility included living with someone outside of Limpopo Province, HIV-positive status (men only), and current smoking (men only). Highly mobile individuals had similar care-seeking behavior as less mobile individuals (adjusted time ratio 0.9, 95% CI 0.6–1.2, P = 0.304)CONCLUSION: Highly mobile people with TB in Limpopo Province were more likely to live with people from outside the province, smoke, and have HIV. These patients had similar delays in seeking care as less mobile individuals.

sectitleSETTING/titleFifty-five public clinics in northern South Africa./secsectitleOBJECTIVE/titleTo estimate patient costs and identify the factors associated with catastrophic costs among individuals treated for tuberculosis (TB)./secsectitleDESIGN/titleWe performed cross-sectional interviews of consecutive patients at public clinics from October 2017 to January 2018. 'Catastrophic costs' were defined as costs totalling ≥20% of annual household income. For participants with no reported income, we considered scenarios where costs were considered non-catastrophic if 1) costs totalledUS$7.70 (ZAR100) or 2) a multidimensional poverty index was above a certain threshold./secsectitleRESULTS/titleAmong 327 participants, the estimated mean TB episode costs were US$365 (95%CI 233-498): out-of-pocket costs comprised 58% of costs, wages lost due to health care-seeking represented 26%, and income reduction accounted for 16% of costs. Ninety (28%) participants experienced catastrophic costs, which were associated with clinic travel times of 60-90 min (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.7, 95%CI 0.9-3.1), unemployment (aPR 2.0, 95%CI 1.0-4.0) and having fewer household members (aPR 0.6, 95%CI 0.3-1.0)./secsectitleCONCLUSIONS/titleIn rural South Africa, catastrophic costs from TB are common and associated with distance to clinics, unemployment, and household size. These findings can help tailor social protection programs and enhance service delivery to patients at greatest risk of experiencing financial hardship./sec.

Background Optimal breastfeeding practices, reflected by early initiation and feeding of colostrum, avoidance of prelacteal feeds, and continued exclusivity or predominance of breastfeeding, are critical for assuring proper infant nutrition, growth and development. Methods We used data from a nationally representative survey in 21 district sites across the Mountains, Hills and Terai (southern plains) of Nepal in 2013. Determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding, feeding of colostrum, prelacteal feeding and predominant breastfeeding were explored in 1015 infants

Background Studies have revealed associations between preceding short and long birth-to-birth or birth-to-pregnancy intervals and poor pregnancy outcomes. Most of these studies, however, have examined the effect of intervals that began with live births. Using data from Bangladesh, we examined the effect of inter-outcome intervals (IOI) starting with a non-live birth or neonatal death, on outcomes in the next pregnancy. Pregnancy spacing behaviors in rural northeast Bangladesh have changed little since 2004. Methods We analyzed pregnancy histories for married women aged 15-49 years who had outcomes between 2000 and 2006 in Sylhet, Bangladesh. We examined the effects of the preceding outcome and the IOI length on the risk of stillbirth, neonatal death and spontaneous abortion using multinomial logistic regression models. Results Data included 64,897 pregnancy outcomes from 33,495 mothers. Inter-outcome intervals of 27-50 months and live births were baseline comparators. Stillbirths followed by IOI’s

Background Providing incentives to screen close contacts for tuberculosis (TB) is an alternative to household-based contact investigation. We aimed to characterize patients and contexts where this incentive-based strategy might be preferred. Methods This is a secondary analysis of a cluster randomized trial of TB contact investigation in Limpopo District, South Africa, conducted between 2016 and 2020. Twenty-eight clinics were randomly allocated to household-based vs incentive-based contact investigation. In the incentive-based arm, index participants and contacts received transport reimbursement and incentives for TB screening and microbiological diagnosis of contacts. We estimated differences in mean number of contacts per index participant with household-based vs incentive-based contact investigation overall and within subgroups of index participants. Results A total of 3776 contacts (1903 in the incentive-based and 1873 in the household-based arm) were referred by 2501 index participants. A higher proportion of contacts in the incentive-based than household-based arm were adults (72% vs 59%), reported chronic TB symptoms (25% vs 16%) or ever smoking (23% vs 11%). Index participants who walked or bicycled to a clinic referred 1.03 more contacts per index (95% confidence interval [CI], .48 to 1.57) through incentive-based than household-based investigation. Index participants living with >5 household members referred 0.48 more contacts per index (95% CI, .03 to .94) through household-based than incentive-based investigation. Conclusions Relative to household-based investigation, incentive-based investigation identifies contacts likely at higher risk for active TB. Incentive-based investigation may be more appropriate for index participants who can easily access clinics, versus household-based investigation for patients with large households. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT02808507.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship of circulating immune cells with recurrence and metabolic/lifestyle factors in patients with early stage breast cancer. METHODS: Patients with early stage breast cancer were identified from the electronic record and institutional registry. Lymphocyte and monocyte counts were obtained from blood samples at time of diagnosis prior to any chemotherapy. Correlations between lymphocyte and monocyte and recurrence were assessed in the entire cohort and among obese patients, those reporting alcohol consumption, and smoking. Competing risk regression was used to analyze time to recurrence. RESULTS: A total of 950 patients with ≥5 years of follow-up were identified; 433 had complete data and were eligible for analysis. 293 (68%) had hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, 82 (19%) HER2 positive, and 53 (13%) triple negative. Patients in the highest quintile of lymphocytes compared to the lowest quintile had lower risk of recurrence (sub-hazard ratio (SHR)=0.17, 95% CI [0.03–0.93], p=0.041) while patients in the highest quintile of monocytes had lower risk for recurrence (SHR= 0.19, 95% CI [0.04, 0.92], p=0.039). Higher monocytes were more strongly associated with lower recurrence among those reporting alcohol consumption (HR= 0.10, 95% CI [0.01, 0.91], p=0.04). In obese patients, higher lymphocytes were associated with lower risk of recurrence (p=0.046); in non-obese patients, higher monocytes were associated with lower risk of recurrence (p=0.02). There were no correlations among patients who reported tobacco use. CONCLUSIONS: High lymphocyte and monocyte counts are associated with lower recurrence rate in early stage breast cancer, particularly in obese patients and those reporting alcohol consumption.

Background Opioid overdose is preventable and reversible. To target overdose prevention training and naloxone distribution, it is important to understand characteristics of those people who use drugs most likely to witness an overdose. In this paper we report the proportion and characteristics of women who use heroin that have witnessed an opioid overdose in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 200 women who use heroin. We fitted unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models with witnessing an opioid overdose as the dependent variable and sociodemographic and drug use-related variables as independent variables. Results The majority of participants (85%) reported having ever witnessed an opioid overdose. Age (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02–1.12), having ever attempted to stop heroin use (aOR = 11.27; 95% CI: 2.25–56.46), history of arrest (aOR = 3.75; 95% CI: 1.32–10.63), and spending time daily in places where people use drugs (aOR = 3.72; 95% CI: 1.43–9.64) were found to be independently associated with ever witnessing an overdose. Conclusions Findings suggest the need for expanded access to naloxone to lay people and community and peer-based overdose prevention training in Tanzania, including the distribution of naloxone in settings with high drug use.

The HIV latent reservoir in resting memory CD4(+) T cells precludes cure. Therapeutics to reactivate and eliminate this reservoir are in clinical trials in adults, but not yet in pediatric populations. We determined, ex vivo, the inducibility of the latent reservoir in perinatal infection as compared with adult infections using the Tat/rev induced limiting dilution assay (TILDA), in which a single round (12 hours) of CD4(+) T cell stimulation with PMA/ionomycin maximally activates T cells and leads to proviral expression with multiply spliced HIV RNA production. Markers of immune activation and exhaustion were measured to assess interactions with inducibility. Although rates of T cell activation with PMA/ionomycin were similar, the latent reservoir in perinatal infection was slower to reactivate and of lower magnitude compared with adult infection, independent of proviral load. An enhanced TILDA with the addition of phytohemagglutin and a duration of 18 hours augmented proviral expression in perinatal but not adult infection. The baseline HLA-DR(+)CD4(+) T cell level was significantly lower in perinatal compared with adult infections, but not correlated with induced reservoir size. These data support the hypothesis that there are differences in kinetics of latency reversal and baseline immune activation in perinatal compared with adult infections, with implications for latency reversal strategies toward reservoir clearance and remission.

Background: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) spends millions of dollars to cover United Arab Emirates (UAE) nationals seeking healthcare overseas each year. Many patients undertake multiple visits following their initial trip. This paper analyzes repeated trips following an initial medical trip overseas so that the DHA can more effectively address patients’ needs and reduce the risks associated with multiple trips overseas.Methods: Administrative data were obtained from the DHA for the UAE nationals who sought treatment overseas during 2009–2016. We examined the match of the medical specialty between the initial and subsequent trips. Medical specialty was the key independent variable and other covariates included gender, age group, travel season, treatment destination and trip order. A mixed-effects logistic regression model with subject specific random intercept was used to assess the relationship of the outcome with the key variables of interest.Results: The analysis included 2,344 UAE nationals who had at least one trip following the initial medical visit. Oncology was the most common medical specialties sought by patients who travelled for repeated visits (18%). Patients in the age group 13-18 years had the highest odds of subsequent visits matching the medical specialty at the initial trip relative among age groups (OR 1.93, 95% CI:1.351,2.757). Patients travelling for oncology, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, obstetrics/gynecology and otolaryngology had higher odds of subsequent trips matching the specialty of initial trips. The odds of subsequent trips matching the medical specialty of the initial trip increased with each additional trip (OR 1.73, 95%CI: 1.533,1.94).Conclusions: This is the first longitudinal study that examines the repeated medical trips among UAE nationals supported by the DHA. The results demonstrated that age group, medical specialty sought at the time of the initial trip, and number of trips were significant factors for understanding the match of the medical specialty between the initial and subsequent trips. The study results may help the DHA to establish an overseas treatment registry to collect information about patients seeking medical treatment overseas. In addition, the study will support establishing follow-up care programs to improve patients’ outcome and the clinical care for those patients.

Animal source foods (ASF) provide nutrients essential to child growth and development yet remain infrequently consumed in rural Nepal. Agriculture and nutrition programs aim to increase ASF intake among children through small-scale animal husbandry projects. The relationship between livestock ownership and children&rsquo, s consumption of ASF, however, is not well established. This study examined associations between livestock ownership and the frequency with which Nepali children consume eggs, dairy, and meat. We analyzed longitudinal 7-day food frequency data from sentinel surveillance sites of the Policy and Science of Health, Agriculture and Nutrition (PoSHAN) study. Data consisted of surveys from 485 Nepali farming households conducted twice per year for two years (a total of 1449 surveys). We used negative binomial regression analysis to examine the association between the number of cattle, poultry, and meat animals (small livestock) owned and children&rsquo, s weekly dairy, egg, and meat intakes, respectively, adjusting for household expenditure on each food type, mother&rsquo, s education level, caste/ethnicity, agroecological region, season, and child age and sex. We calculated predicted marginal values based on model estimates. Children consumed dairy 1.4 (95% CI 1.1&ndash, 2.0), 2.3 (1.7&ndash, 3.0) and 3.0 (2.1&ndash, 4.2) more times per week in households owning 1, 2&ndash, 4 and &gt, 4 cattle, respectively, compared to children in households without cattle. Children consumed eggs 2.8 (2.1&ndash, 3.7) more times per week in households owning 1 or 2 chickens compared to children in households without chickens. Child intake of meat was higher only in households owning more than seven meat animals. Children&rsquo, s intakes of dairy, eggs, and meat rose with household expenditure on these foods. Small-scale animal production may be an effective strategy for increasing children&rsquo, s consumption of eggs and dairy, but not meat. Increasing household ability to access ASF via purchasing appears to be an important approach for raising children&rsquo, s intakes of all three food types.

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV), HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) can contribute to disparities in population health, depending on the individual, social and environmental factors characterizing a setting. To better understand the place-based determinants and patterns of these key interrelated public health problems in Uganda, we compared risk factors for IPV, HIV and STI in fishing, trading and agrarian communities in Rakai, Uganda by gender. Method This study used cross-sectional data collected from 14,464 sexually active men (n = 6531) and women (n = 7933) as part of the Rakai Community Cohort Study, a population-based open cohort study of men and women aged 15–49 years. We used multilevel modified poisson regression models, which incorporated random intercepts for community and households. Factors associated with IPV, HIV and STI were assessed separately for men and women in fishing, trading and agrarian communities. Results A larger proportion of participants in the fishing communities than those in trading and agrarian communities were HIV positive, engaged in HIV risk behaviors, had STI symptoms and reported perpetration of or victimization by IPV. Female gender was a shared correlate of IPV, HIV and STI in the fishing communities. Engagement in multiple sexual relationships or partner’s engagement in multiple relationships were shared correlates of IPV, and HIV in agrarian communities and IPV and STI in trading communities. Conclusion Programs should target factors at multiple levels to reduce risk for syndemic conditions of HIV, STI and IPV in Rakai, Uganda particularly among men and women in fishing communities.

Background There is a dearth of comparative effectiveness research examining the implementation of different strategies for active tuberculosis (TB) case finding, particularly in rural settings, which represent 60% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa. Methods and findings We conducted a pragmatic, cluster-randomized comparative effectiveness trial of two TB case finding strategies (facility-based screening and contact tracing) in 56 public primary care clinics in two largely rural districts of Limpopo Province, South Africa. In the facility-based screening arm, sputum Xpert MTB/RIF was performed on all patients presenting (for any reason) with TB symptoms to 28 study clinics, and no contact tracing was performed. In the contact-tracing arm, contacts of patients with active TB were identified (via household tracing in 14 clinics and using small monetary incentives in the other 14 clinics), screened for TB symptoms, and offered Xpert MTB/RIF testing. The primary outcome was the number of newly identified patients with TB started on treatment. The analysis used multivariable Poisson regression adjusted for historical clinic-level TB case volumes and district. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02808507). From July 18, 2017, to January 17, 2019, a total of 3,755 individuals started TB treatment across 56 study clinics in the 18-month period. Clinic characteristics and clinic-level averages of patient characteristics were similar across the two arms: 40/56 (71%) clinics were in a rural location, 2,136/3,655 (58%) patients were male, and 2,243 (61%) were HIV positive. The treatment initiation ratio comparing the yield of TB patients started on treatment in the facility-based arm compared to that from the contact-tracing arm was 1.04 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83–1.30, p = 0. 73). In the contact-tracing arm, 1,677 contacts of 788 new TB index patients were screened, yielding 12 new patients with TB. Prespecified subgroup analyses resulted in similar results, with estimated treatment initiation ratios of 0.96 (95% CI 0.64–1.27; p = 0.78) and 1.23 (95% CI 0.87–1.59; p = 0.29) among historically smaller and historically larger clinics, respectively. This ratio was 1.02 (95% CI 0.66–1.37; p = 0.93) and 1.08 (95% CI 0.74–1.42; p = 0.68) in the Vhembe and Waterberg districts, respectively. The estimated treatment initiation ratio was unchanged in sensitivity analyses excluding 24 records whose TB registration numbers could not be verified (1.03, 95% CI 0.82–1.29; p = 0.78) and excluding transfers-in (1.02, 95% CI 0.80–1.29; p = 0.71). Study limitations include the possibility of imbalance on cluster size owing to changes in catchment population over time and the inability to distinguish the independent effects of the two contact investigation strategies. Conclusions Contact tracing based on symptom screening and Xpert MTB/RIF testing did not increase the rate of treatment initiation for TB relative to the less resource-intensive approach of facility-based screening in this rural sub-Saharan setting. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02808507., In this pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial, Colleen Hanrahan and colleagues examine the effectiveness of two active case finding strategies for tuberculosis, Author summary Why was this study done? Active case finding for tuberculosis (TB) is recommended by the World Health Organization as an approach to find patients with previously unidentified TB, particularly in high-burden settings. Few studies have compared the yield of feasible strategies to implement active TB case finding in rural settings. What did the researchers do and find? We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial examining the effectiveness of two active case finding strategies for TB in two largely rural districts of South Africa: facility-based case finding (screening all attendees at public primary healthcare clinics for TB symptoms and testing patients with symptoms using Xpert MTB/RIF) and contact tracing (testing symptomatic contacts of newly diagnosed TB patients using Xpert MTB/RIF). A total of 1,929 TB patients started TB treatment in 28 clinics randomized to facility-based screening, and 1,726 started treatment in 28 size-matched clinics randomized to contact tracing; this corresponds to a treatment initiation ratio of 1.06 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83–1.30, p = 0.70) comparing facility-based screening to contact tracing. In the contact-tracing arm, 1,677 contacts of 789 new TB index patients were screened for TB, yielding 12 new TB diagnoses. What do these findings mean? Feasibly delivered contact tracing, using Xpert MTB/RIF as the diagnostic test, did not increase the clinic-level TB treatment initiation rate above the current standard of care (facility-based screening). This finding is driven by lower-than-expected yield from contact tracing, suggesting that although close contacts of patients newly diagnosed with TB patients do have higher-than-average TB risk, higher-sensitivity testing approaches may be necessary to identify TB among this group and increase TB treatment initiation rates at the clinic level. Potential limitations of this study include the possibility of changing clinic populations over time, the use of two different contact investigation strategies, and limited generalizability outside of rural sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Ethiopia has one of the lowest rates of facility delivery and is promoting birth preparedness among pregnant women through its community health services to increase the rate of institutional delivery and reduce maternal mortality. Observational studies of birth preparedness in Ethiopia have thus far only reported the marginal effect of birth preparedness when controlling for other factors, such as parity and education. Objectives: In this cross-sectional study, we use propensity score modeling to estimate the average population-level effect of birth preparedness on the likelihood of delivering at a facility. Methods: We conducted secondary analysis of household survey data collected from 215 women with a recent live birth within the catchment areas of 10 semi-urban health centers. A mother was considered well prepared for birth if she reported completing four of the following six actions: identified a skilled provider, identified an institution, saved money, identified transport, prepared clean delivery materials, and prepared food. We performed unadjusted and multivariate logistic regression analyses, with and without propensity score weighting, to assess the relationship between birth preparedness and institutional delivery. Findings: One hundred respondents (47%) delivered in an institution, and over two-thirds (151, 71%) were considered well prepared for birth. Institutional delivery was more common among women who were considered well prepared (57%) versus those who were considered not well prepared (19%). In the model with propensity score weighting, women who were well prepared for birth had 3.83 times higher odds of delivering at a facility (95% CI: 1.41–10.40, p-value = 0.010). Conclusions: This study contributes to existing evidence supporting the inclusion of antenatal birth preparedness counseling as a part of an antenatal care package for promoting institutional delivery. Important gaps remain in operationalizing the definition of birth preparedness and understanding the pathway from exposure to outcome.

Background As opioid overdoses and deaths increase globally, little is known about these dimensions in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we explore factors associated with opioid overdose experiences among a sample of women who use opioids in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 200 women who use opioids in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, recruited via respondent-driven sampling. We fitted unadjusted and adjusted log-binomial regression models with robust standard errors to examine associations between participant characteristics and reporting ever had an opioid overdose in terms of prevalence ratios. Results Thirty-four percent (n = 68) of participants reported having ever had an opioid overdose. In the final adjusted model, having ever attempted to stop using heroin (adj. PR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.01-2.12), sleeping outside in the past 6 months (adj. PR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.29-2.91), injecting drugs (adj. PR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.19-2.66), alcohol use (adj. PR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.09-2.23), and having moderately severe to severe depression (adj. PR = 3.10, 95% CI: 1.07-8.97) were all found to be significantly associated with having ever had an opioid overdose. Conclusions We demonstrate factors associated with opioid overdose among women who use drugs in Tanzania that may not be addressed with injection-focused harm reduction efforts. Our findings suggest the need for overdose surveillance efforts and further work to characterize overdose risks in this context in order to design relevant, targeted interventions to prevent opioid overdose in sub-Saharan Africa.

Our study sought to compare the overall survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal venous thrombosis (PVT), treated with either conventional trans-arterial chemoembolization (cTACE) or drug-eluting beads (DEB) TACE. This retrospective analysis included a total of 133 patients, treated without cross-over and compared head-to-head by means or propensity score weighting. Mortality was compared using survival analysis upon propensity score weighting. Adverse events and liver toxicity grade ≥3 were recorded and reported for each TACE. In order to compare with historical sorafenib studies, a sub-group analysis was performed and included patients who fulfilled the SHARP inclusion criteria. The median overall survival (MOS) of the entire cohort was 4.53 months (95 % CI, 3.63–6.03). MOS was similar across treatment arms, no significant difference between cTACE (N = 95) and DEB-TACE (N = 38) was observed (MOS of 5.0 vs. 3.33 months, respectively; p = 0.157). The most common adverse events after cTACE and DEB- TACE, respectively, were as follows: post-embolization syndrome [N = 57 (30.0 %) and N = 38 (61.3 %)], diarrhea [N = 3 (1.6 %) and N = 3 (4.8 %)], and encephalopathy [N = 11 (5.8 %) and N = 2 (3.2 %)]. Our retrospective study could not reveal a difference in toxicity and efficiency between cTACE and DEB-TACE for treatment of advanced stage HCC with PVT. • Conventional TACE (cTACE) and drug-eluting-beads TACE (DEB-TACE) demonstrated equal safety profiles. • Survival rates after TACE are similar to patients treated with sorafenib. • Child-Pugh class and tumor burden are reliable predictors of survival.

The Epistem Genedrive assay rapidly detects the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from sputum and is currently available for clinical use. However, the analytical and clinical performance of this test has not been fully evaluated. The analytical limit of detection (LOD) of the Genedrive PCR amplification was tested with genomic DNA; the performance of the complete (sample processing plus amplification) system was tested by spiking M. tuberculosis mc 2 6030 cells into distilled water and M. tuberculosis -negative sputum. Specificity was tested using common respiratory pathogens and nontuberculosis mycobacteria. A clinical evaluation enrolled adults with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis, obtained three sputum samples from each participant, and compared the accuracy of the Genedrive to that of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay using M. tuberculosis cultures as the reference standard. The Genedrive assay had an LOD of 1 pg/μl (100 genomic DNA copies/reaction). The LODs of the system were 2.5 × 10 4 CFU/ml and 2.5 × 10 5 CFU/ml for cells spiked into water and sputum, respectively. False-positive rpoB probe signals were observed in 3/32 (9.4%) of the negative controls and also in few samples containing Mycobacterium abscessus , Mycobacterium gordonae , or Mycobacterium thermoresistibile . In the clinical study, among 336 analyzed participants, the overall sensitivities for the tuberculosis case detection of Genedrive, Xpert, and smear microscopy were 45.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 35.2% to 55.8%), 91.8% (95% CI, 84.4% to 96.4%), and 77.3% (95% CI, 67.7% to 85.2%), respectively. The sensitivities of Genedrive and Xpert for the detection of smear-microscopy-negative tuberculosis were 0% (95% CI, 0% to 15.4%) and 68.2% (95% CI, 45.1% to 86.1%), respectively. The Genedrive assay did not meet performance standards recommended by the World Health Organization for a smear microscopy replacement tuberculosis test. Epistem is working on modifications to improve the assay.

BackgroundYouth-led strategies remain untested in clinic-based programs to improve viral suppression (VS) and reduce stigma among HIV-positive adolescents and young adults (AYA) in sub-Saharan Africa. In response, Project YES! placed paid HIV-positive youth peer mentors (YPM) in four HIV clinics in Ndola, Zambia including a Children's Hospital (pediatric setting), an adult Hospital and two primary care facilities (adult settings).MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted from December 2017 to February 2019. Consecutively recruited 15 to 24-year-olds were randomly assigned to an intervention arm with monthly YPM one-on-one and group sessions and optional caregiver support groups, or a usual care comparison arm. Survey data and blood samples were collected at baseline and at the six-month midline. Generalized estimating equation models evaluated the effect of study arm over time on VS, antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence gap, and internalized stigma.ResultsOut of 276 randomized youth, 273 were included in the analysis (Intervention n = 137, Comparison n = 136). VS significantly improved in both arms (I:63.5% to 73.0%; C:63.7% to 71.3.0%) [OR:1.49, 95% CI:1.08, 2.07]. In a stratified analysis intervention (I:37.5% to 70.5%) versus the comparison (C:60.3% to 59.4%) participants from the pediatric clinic experienced a relative increase in the odds of VS by a factor of 4.7 [interaction term OR:4.66, 95% CI:1.84, 11.78]. There was no evidence of a study arm difference in VS among AYA in adult clinics, or in ART adherence gaps across clinics. Internalized stigma significantly reduced by a factor of 0.39 [interaction term OR:0.39, 95% CI:0.21,0.73] in the intervention (50.4% to 25.4%) relative to the comparison arm (45.2% to 39.7%).ConclusionsProject YES! engaged AYA, improving VS in the pediatric clinic and internalized stigma in the pediatric and adult clinics. Further research is needed to understand the intersection of VS and internalized stigma among AYA attending adult HIV clinics.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04115813.

Background The 2015 earthquake in Nepal caused massive damages and triggered relief activities to minimize human suffering. The post-earthquake nutrition and food security situation in the hardest hit areas remains uncertain. Methods Two national cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2014 and 2016 among households (HH) with pre-school aged children or newly married women. Of the 21 village development committees (VDCs) included in this sample, 7 fell within “earthquake-affected” areas. This paper presents data from 982 HH, 1015 women, and 883 children from 2014 and 1056 HH, 1083 women, and 998 children from 2016 living in these areas, with longitudinal overlap of about 55%. Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, and logistic regression was used to calculate p-values, both using robust estimates of standard errors to account for clustering. Results From 2014 to 2016, child wasting (weight-for-height z score

Background The neonatal mortality rate (NMR) in Malawi has remained stagnant at around 27 per 1000 live births over the last 15 years, despite an increase in the uptake of targeted health care interventions. We used the nationally representative 2015/16 Demographic Health Survey data set to evaluate the effect of two types of maternal exposures, namely, lack of access to maternal or intra-partum care services and birth history factors, on the risk of neonatal mortality. Methods A causal inference approach was used to estimate a population attributable risk parameter for each exposure, adjusting for co-exposures and household, maternal and child-specific covariates. The maternal exposures evaluated were unmet family planning needs, less than 4+ antenatal care visits, lack of institutional delivery or skilled birth attendance, having prior neonatal mortality, short (8-24 months) birth interval preceding the index birth, first pregnancy, and two or more pregnancy outcomes within the preceding five years of the survey interview. Results We included 9553 women and their most recent live birth within 3 years of the survey. The sample's overall neonatal mortality rate was 18.5 per 1000 live births. The adjusted population attributable risk for first pregnancies was 3.9/1000 (P

To assess the effectiveness of postoperative feeding guidelines in reducing the incidence and severity of intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) among infants.Two cohorts of infants6 months old undergoing intestinal surgery were compared: preguideline (retrospective data from 2007 to 2013; n = 83) and postguideline (prospective data from 2013 to 2016; n = 81). The guidelines included greater initial enteral nutrition volumes of 20 mL/kg/d and daily feeding advancement if tolerated. The primary outcomes were incidence of IFALD (peak direct bilirubin [DB] 2 mg/dL) and severity (DB 5 mg/dL for moderate-severe). Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the odds of developing IFALD. Other outcomes were time to reach 50% and 100% goal calories from enteral nutrition and the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis after feeding.The incidence of IFALD decreased from 71% to 51% (P = .031), and median peak DB decreased from 5.7 to 2.4 mg/dL (P = .001). After adjusting for diagnosis and prematurity, the odds of developing IFALD of any severity were reduced by 60% (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.20-0.85), and the odds of developing moderate-to-severe IFALD were reduced by 72% (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.13-0.58) with guideline use. Time to reach 50% enteral nutrition decreased from a median of 10 to 6 days (P = .020) and time to reach 100% enteral nutrition decreased from 35 to 21 days (P = .035) with guideline use. The incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis after initiating enteral nutrition did not change (5% vs 9%, P = .346).Implementation of feeding guidelines reduced time to reach feeding goals, significantly reducing IFALD incidence and severity.

Carotenoids are naturally occurring pigments that function as vitamin A precursors, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents or biomarkers of recent vegetable and fruit intake, and are thus important for population health and nutritional assessment. An assay approach that measures proteins could be more technologically feasible than chromatography, thus enabling more frequent carotenoid status assessment. We explored associations between proteomic biomarkers and concentrations of 6 common dietary carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, and lycopene) in plasma from 500 6–8 year old Nepalese children. Samples were depleted of 6 high-abundance proteins. Plasma proteins were quantified using tandem mass spectrometry and expressed as relative abundance. Linear mixed effects models were used to determine the carotenoid:protein associations, accepting a false discovery rate of q 10% of all child samples. Among these, relative abundance of 4 were associated with β-carotene, 11 with lutein/zeaxanthin and 51 with β-cryptoxanthin. Carotenoid-associated proteins are notably involved in lipid and vitamin A transport, antioxidant function and anti-inflammatory processes. No protein biomarkers met criteria for association with α-carotene or lycopene. Plasma proteomics may offer an approach to assess functional biomarkers of carotenoid status, intake and biological function for public health application. Original maternal micronutrient trial from which data were derived as a follow-up activity was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00115271., Highlights • Mass spectrometry-based proteomics and a novel statistical approach were combined to quantify protein relative abundances. • We identified potential networks of interaction and candidate protein biomarkers of major circulating carotenoids. • Plasma proteins could be measured in populations as functional biomarkers of carotenoid status and intake.

Background Studies have revealed associations between preceding short and long birth-to-birth or birth-to-pregnancy intervals and poor pregnancy outcomes. Most of these studies, however, have examined the effect of intervals that began with live births. Using data from Bangladesh, we examined the effect of inter-outcome intervals (IOI) starting with a non-live birth or neonatal death, on outcomes in the next pregnancy. Pregnancy spacing behaviors in rural northeast Bangladesh have changed little since 2004. Methods We analyzed pregnancy histories for married women aged 15-49 years who had outcomes between 2000 and 2006 in Sylhet, Bangladesh. We examined the effects of the preceding outcome and the IOI length on the risk of stillbirth, neonatal death and spontaneous abortion using multinomial logistic regression models. Results Data included 64,897 pregnancy outcomes from 33,495 mothers. Inter-outcome intervals of 27-50 months and live births were baseline comparators. Stillbirths followed by IOI’s

BACKGROUND Malignant pleural effusion is a common complication of advanced malignancies. Indwelling tunneled pleural catheter (IPC) placement provides effective palliation but can be associated with complications, including infection. In particular, hematologic malignancy and the associated immunosuppressive treatment regimens may increase infectious complications. This study aimed to review outcomes in patients with hematologic malignancy undergoing IPC placement. METHODS A retrospective multicenter study of IPCs placed in patients with hematologic malignancy from January 2009 to December 2013 was performed. Inclusion criteria were recurrent, symptomatic pleural effusion and an underlying diagnosis of hematologic malignancy. Records were reviewed for patient demographics, operative reports, and pathology, cytology, and microbiology reports. RESULTS Ninety-one patients (mean ± SD age, 65.4 ± 15.4 years) were identified from eight institutions. The mean X SD in situ dwell time of all catheters was 89.9 ± 127.1 days (total, 8,160 catheter-days). Seven infectious complications were identified, all of the pleural space. All patients were admitted to the hospital for treatment, with four requiring additional pleural procedures. Two patients died of septic shock related to pleural infection. CONCLUSIONS We present, to our knowledge, the largest study examining clinical outcomes related to IPC placement in patients with hematologic malignancy. An overall 7.7% infection risk and 2.2% mortality were identified, similar to previously reported studies, despite the significant immunosuppression and pancytopenia often present in this population. IPC placement appears to remain a reasonable clinical option for patients with recurrent pleural effusions related to hematologic malignancy.

To implement feeding guidelines to reduce advancement time and the incidence of parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease (PNALD) among intestinal surgical infants requiring parenteral nutrition (PN).Feeding guidelines with higher initial enteral nutrition (EN) volume and specific advancement criteria were implemented for surgical infants aged6 months. Preimplementation and postimplementation outcomes were compared.There were 57 preimplementation and 33 postimplementation infants. The initial EN volume improved from 10 to 20 ml kg(-1) day(-1) (P0.001). Time to reach 50% of goal calories from EN decreased by a median of 6 days (P=0.012) without a change in necrotizing enterocolitis incidence after resuming feeding. PNALD incidence decreased from 70% to 48% (P=0.046), and median peak direct bilirubin (DB) decreased from 5.6 to 2.3 mg dl(-1) (P=0.011).Feeding guideline implementation with higher initial feeding volume was well tolerated and resulted in faster achievement of 50% goal EN calories. PNALD incidence and peak DB were reduced.

Malaria is preventable and treatable, yet remains the most prevalent parasitic endemic disease in Africa. This article analyzes prospective observational data from the Malaria Awareness Program (MAP), an interactive malaria education initiative led by home-based care workers to improve participant knowledge of malaria as a precursor to increased uptake of malaria control interventions in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. Between 2012 and 2016, 1,330 individuals participated in MAP. MAP's effectiveness was measured through pre- and post-participation surveys assessing knowledge in malaria transmission, symptoms, prevention, and treatment. The primary analysis assessed differences in knowledge between individuals who completed MAP ( n = 499) and individuals who did not complete MAP ( n = 399). The adjusted odds of correct malaria knowledge score versus partially correct or incorrect score among MAP completers was 3.3 and 2.8 times greater for transmission and prevention, respectively ( p values

Background Identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis immunoproteome and antigens associated with serologic responses in adults has renewed interest in developing a serologic test for childhood tuberculosis (TB). We investigated IgG antibody responses against M. tuberculosis antigens in children with well-characterized TB. Methods We studied archived sera obtained from hospitalized children with suspected pulmonary TB, and classified as having confirmed TB (culture-confirmed), unlikely TB (clinical improvement without TB treatment), or unconfirmed TB (all others). A multiplexed bead-based assay for IgG antibodies against 119 M. tuberculosis antigens was developed, validated and used to test sera. The area under the curves (AUCs) of the empiric receiver-operator characteristic curves were generated as measures of predictive ability. A cross-validated generalized linear model was used to select the most predictive combinations of antigens. Results For the confirmed TB versus unlikely TB comparison, the maximal single antigen AUC was 0.63, corresponding to sensitivity 0.60 and specificity 0.60. Older (age: 60+ months old) children's responses were better predictive of TB status than younger (age: 12-59 months old) children's, with a maximal single antigen AUC of -0.76. For the confirmed TB versus unlikely TB groups, the most predictive combinations of antigens assigned TB risk probabilities of 0.33 and 0.33, respectively, when all ages were considered, and 0.57 (interquartile range: 0.48-0.64) and 0.35 (interquartile range: 0.32-0.40) when only older children were considered. Conclusion An antigen-based IgG test is unlikely to meet the performance characteristics required of a TB detection test applicable to all age groups.

Depression and depressive symptoms mediate the association between drug use and HIV risk. Yet, there are few interventions that target depressive symptoms and HIV risk for people who use drugs (PWUD). This study was a randomized controlled trial of an integrated cognitive behavioral therapy and HIV prevention intervention to reduce depressive symptoms, injection risk behaviors and increase condom use in a sample of urban people who used heroin or cocaine in the prior 6 months. A total of 315 individuals aged 18-55, who self-reported at least one HIV drug and sex risk behavior and scored ≥16 and

Objectives: The incidence of intestinal failure–associated liver disease (IFALD) varies following intestinal surgical intervention in infants, ranging from 25% to 60%. Although IFALD resolves in some infants, 40% of infants who require long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) progress to liver failure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of IFALD at our center among infants requiring intestinal procedures and to assess postoperative feeding practices. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of infants with intestinal surgical procedures before 6 months of age from 2007 to 2012. Infants with preexisting liver disease, other than IFALD, were excluded. The primary outcome was incidence of IFALD during the initial hospitalization. Timing of IFALD development and median time to reach enteral nutrition goals were investigated. Results: The overall incidence of IFALD was 66% (54/82), and among infants requiring >60 days of PN, the incidence was 90% (27/30). Median direct bilirubin of those with IFALD was 7.5 mg/dL. Infants with IFALD were more likely to be premature (29 vs 38 weeks, P < .001), have necrotizing enterocolitis (54% vs 17%, P = .002), and have culture-positive infection (42% vs 7%, P = .001). Among the most recent 24 infants, the median time to introduce enteral nutrition postoperatively was 19 days (interquartile range = 9-27), and the median time to reach 50% of calories from enteral nutrition was 34 days (interquartile range = 23-50). Conclusions: The risk of IFALD is common at our center. Multidisciplinary preventive and therapeutic strategies need to be investigated. Future investigation will focus on the time to reach enteral nutrition goals as a modifiable risk factor.

In settings of high HIV prevalence, tuberculosis control and patient management are hindered by lack of accurate, rapid tuberculosis diagnostic tests that can be performed at point-of-care. The Determine TB LAM Ag (TB LAM) test is a lateral flow immunochromatographic test for detection of mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan (LAM) in urine. Our objective was to determine sensitivity and specificity of the TB LAM test for tuberculosis diagnosis.Prospective diagnostic accuracy study.Hospital and outpatient settings in Uganda and South Africa.HIV-infected adults with tuberculosis symptoms and/or signs.Participants provided a fresh urine specimen for TB LAM testing, blood for mycobacterial culture, and 2 respiratory specimens for smear microscopy and mycobacterial culture.For the TB LAM test, sensitivity in participants with culture-positive tuberculosis and specificity in participants without tuberculosis.A total of 1013 participants were enrolled. Among culture-positive tuberculosis patients, the TB LAM test identified 136/367 (37.1%) overall and 116/196 (59.2%) in the group with CD4 ≤100 cells per cubic millimeter. The test was specific in 559/573 (97.6%) patients without tuberculosis. Sensitivity of the urine TB LAM test plus sputum smear microscopy was 197/367 (53.7%) overall and 133/196 (67.9%) among those with CD4 ≤100. CD4 ≤50 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 6.2; P0.001] or 51-100 (AOR, 7.1; P0.001), mycobacteremia (AOR, 6.1; P0.01) and hospitalization (AOR, 2.6; P = 0.03) were independently associated with a positive TB LAM test.In HIV-positive adults with CD4 ≤100, the TB LAM urine test detected over half of culture-positive tuberculosis patients, in30 minutes and without the need for equipment or reagents.