Publications by authors named "A Tariro Makadzange"
Objective: HIV/AIDS mortality remains significantly high in sub-Saharan Africa, mostly driven by opportunistic infections and advanced HIV disease (AHD). This study aimed to assess CD4 + cell count recovery following ART initiation and factors associated with immune reconstitution.
Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study between 2015 and 2016.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated immune recovery among individuals with advanced HIV disease (AHD) in Zimbabwe, focusing on adults receiving care in 18 outpatient clinics.
- Data from 1,338 participants showed that the median CD4 count increased from 50 cells/mm at baseline to 180 cells/mm after 12 months of antiretroviral therapy, with 43% achieving a CD4 count above 200 cells/mm.
- Findings indicated that male gender and a low baseline CD4 count were strong predictors of poor immune recovery, highlighting that men are at greater risk for ongoing immunological failure after treatment.
The rapid development of vaccines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has provided an effective tool for the management of COVID-19. However, in many African countries there has been a poor uptake of COVID-19 vaccines with only 32.5% first vaccine dose coverage compared to the WHO global target of 70%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVaccination is one of the most effective methods for preventing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Vaccine hesitancy has led to a decrease in vaccine uptake; driven by misinformation, fear, and misperceptions of vaccine safety. Whole inactivated vaccines have been used in one-fifth of the vaccine recipients in Africa, however there are limited real-world data on their safety.
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