Spectrum of antibiotic resistance in UTI caused by Escherichia coli among HIV-infected patients in Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Antimicrobial drug resistance is one of the top ten threats to global health according to the World Health Organization. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections and main reason for antibiotic prescription. The incidence of UTIs appears to be high among people living with HIV.

Lessons for test and treat in an antiretroviral programme after decentralisation in Uganda: a retrospective analysis of outcomes in public healthcare facilities within the Lablite project.

Background: We describe the decentralisation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) alongside Option B+ roll-out in public healthcare facilities in the Lablite project in Uganda. Lessons learned will inform programmes now implementing universal test and treat (UTT).

Methods: Routine data were retrospectively extracted from ART registers between October 2012 and March 2015 for all adults and children initiating ART at two primary care facilities (spokes) and their corresponding district hospitals (hubs) in northern and central Uganda.

Microbial Translocation Does Not Drive Immune Activation in Ugandan Children Infected With HIV.

Objective: Immune activation is associated with morbidity and mortality during human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, despite receipt of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We investigated whether microbial translocation drives immune activation in HIV-infected Ugandan children.

Methods: Nineteen markers of immune activation and inflammation were measured over 96 weeks in HIV-infected Ugandan children in the CHAPAS-3 Trial and HIV-uninfected age-matched controls.

Towards 90-90-90 Target: Factors Influencing Availability, Access, and Utilization of HIV Services-A Qualitative Study in 19 Ugandan Districts.

Background: UNAIDS has set a new target 90-90-90 by 2020. To achieve this target, current programs need to address challenges that limit access, availability, and utilization of HIV testing and treatment services. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the barriers that influence access, availability, and utilization of HIV services in rural Uganda within the setting of a large donor funded program.

Effect of ready-to-use supplementary food on mortality in severely immunocompromised HIV-infected individuals in Africa initiating antiretroviral therapy (REALITY): an open-label, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial.

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, severely immunocompromised HIV-infected individuals have a high risk of mortality during the first few months after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). We hypothesise that universally providing ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) would increase early weight gain, thereby reducing early mortality compared with current guidelines recommending ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for severely malnourished individuals only.

Methods: We did a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial, open-label, parallel-group trial at inpatient and outpatient facilities in eight urban or periurban regional hospitals in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Patient-level benefits associated with decentralization of antiretroviral therapy services to primary health facilities in Malawi and Uganda.

Background: The Lablite project captured information on access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) at larger health facilities ('hubs') and lower-level health facilities ('spokes') in Phalombe district, Malawi and in Kalungu district, Uganda.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among patients who had transferred to a spoke after treatment initiation (Malawi, n=54; Uganda, n=33), patients who initiated treatment at a spoke (Malawi, n=50; Uganda, n=44) and patients receiving treatment at a hub (Malawi, n=44; Uganda, n=46).

Results: In Malawi, 47% of patients mapped to the two lowest wealth quintiles (Q1-Q2); patients at spokes were poorer than at a hub (57% vs 23% in Q1-Q2; p<0.

Lopinavir plus nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors, lopinavir plus raltegravir, or lopinavir monotherapy for second-line treatment of HIV (EARNEST): 144-week follow-up results from a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Millions of HIV-infected people worldwide receive antiretroviral therapy (ART) in programmes using WHO-recommended standardised regimens. Recent WHO guidelines recommend a boosted protease inhibitor plus raltegravir as an alternative second-line combination. We assessed whether this treatment option offers any advantage over the standard protease inhibitor plus two nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) second-line combination after 144 weeks of follow-up in typical programme settings.

Impact of decentralisation of antiretroviral therapy services on HIV testing and care at a population level in Agago District in rural Northern Uganda: results from the Lablite population surveys.

Background: We conducted unlinked cross-sectional population-based surveys in Northern Uganda before and after antiretroviral therapy (ART) provision (including Option B+ [lifelong ART for pregnant/breast-feeding women]) at a local primary care facility (Lira Kato Health Centre [HC]). Prior to decentralisation, people travelled 56-76 km round-trip for ART; we aimed to evaluate changes in uptake of HIV-testing, ART coverage and access to ART following decentralisation.

Methods: A total of 2124 adults in 1351 households in two parishes closest to Lira Kato HC were interviewed using questionnaires between March and April 2013 and 2123 adults in 1229 households between January and March 2015.

Implementation of Antiretroviral Therapy for Life in Pregnant/Breastfeeding HIV+ Women (Option B+) Alongside Rollout and Changing Guidelines for ART Initiation in Rural Zimbabwe: The Lablite Project Experience.

Background: Lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for pregnant and breastfeeding women (Option B+) was rolled out in Zimbabwe from 2014, with simultaneous raising of the CD4 treatment threshold to 500 cells per cubic millimeter in nonpregnant/breastfeeding adults and children 5 years and over.

Methods: Lablite is an implementation project in Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Uganda evaluating ART rollout. Routine patient-level data were collected for 6 months before and 12 months after Option B+ rollout at a district hospital and 3 primary care facilities in Zimbabwe (2 with outreach ART and 1 with no ART provision before Option B+).

Shifting human resources for health in the context of ART provision: qualitative and quantitative findings from the Lablite baseline study.

Background: Lablite is an implementation project supporting and studying decentralized antiretroviral therapy (ART) rollout to rural communities in Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Task shifting is one of the strategies to deal with shortage of health care workers (HCWs) in ART provision. Evaluating Human Resources for Health (HRH) optimization is essential for ensuring access to ART.

Improved Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Observed Among HIV-Infected Children Whose Caregivers had Positive Beliefs in Medicine in Sub-Saharan Africa.

A high level of adherence to antiretroviral treatment is essential for optimal clinical outcomes in HIV infection, but measuring adherence is difficult. We investigated whether responses to a questionnaire eliciting caregiver beliefs in medicines were associated with adherence of their child (median age 2.8 years), and whether this in turn was associated with viral suppression.

Identification of gaps for implementation science in the HIV prevention, care and treatment cascade; a qualitative study in 19 districts in Uganda.

Background: Over the last 20 years, countries in sub Saharan Africa have made significant strides in the implementation of programs for HIV prevention, care and treatment. Despite, the significant progress made, many targets set by the United Nations have not been met. There remains a large gap between the ideal and what has been achieved.

Population level usage of health services, and HIV testing and care, prior to decentralization of antiretroviral therapy in Agago District in rural Northern Uganda.

Background: Decentralization of ART services scaled up significantly with the country wide roll out of option B plus in Uganda. Little work has been undertaken to examine population level access to HIV care particularly in hard to reach areas in rural Africa. Most work on ART scale up has been done at health facility level which omits people not accessing healthcare in the community.

Abacavir, zidovudine, or stavudine as paediatric tablets for African HIV-infected children (CHAPAS-3): an open-label, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial.

Background: WHO 2013 guidelines recommend universal treatment for HIV-infected children younger than 5 years. No paediatric trials have compared nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Africa, where most HIV-infected children live. We aimed to compare stavudine, zidovudine, or abacavir as dual or triple fixed-dose-combination paediatric tablets with lamivudine and nevirapine or efavirenz.

The Lablite project: a cross-sectional mapping survey of decentralized HIV service provision in Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa antiretroviral therapy (ART) is being decentralized from tertiary/secondary care facilities to primary care. The Lablite project supports effective decentralization in 3 countries. It began with a cross-sectional survey to describe HIV and ART services.

Assessment of second-line antiretroviral regimens for HIV therapy in Africa.

Background: The efficacy and toxic effects of nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) are uncertain when these agents are used with a protease inhibitor in second-line therapy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in resource-limited settings. Removing the NRTIs or replacing them with raltegravir may provide a benefit.

Methods: In this open-label trial in sub-Saharan Africa, we randomly assigned 1277 adults and adolescents with HIV infection and first-line treatment failure to receive a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (lopinavir-ritonavir) plus clinician-selected NRTIs (NRTI group, 426 patients), a protease inhibitor plus raltegravir in a superiority comparison (raltegravir group, 433 patients), or protease-inhibitor monotherapy after 12 weeks of induction therapy with raltegravir in a noninferiority comparison (monotherapy group, 418 patients).

Anthropometric measurements and lipid profiles to detect early lipodystrophy in antiretroviral therapy experienced HIV-infected children in the CHAPAS-3 trial.

Background: Few studies have investigated objective markers of lipodystrophy in African children. We compared body circumferences, skin-fold thickness (SFT) and lipids in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive and stavudine (d4T)-exposed children with HIV-uninfected controls.

Methods: In the CHAPAS-3 trial, HIV-infected children (ART-naive or on d4T for ≥2 years without clinical lipodystrophy) were randomized to d4T, abacavir or zidovudine with lamivudine (3TC) plus a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.

Response to antiretroviral therapy of HIV type 1-infected children in urban and rural settings of Uganda.

From 2006 to 2011, a cohort study was conducted among 1000 children resident in urban and rural settings of Uganda to ascertain and compare the response to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among urban versus rural children and the factors associated with this response. Clinical, immunological, and virological parameters were ascertained at baseline and weeks 24, 48, 96, and 144 after ART initiation. Adherence to ART was assessed at enrollment by self-report (SR) and pill counts (PC).

Pharmacokinetics of abacavir and its anabolite carbovir triphosphate without and with darunavir/ritonavir or raltegravir in HIV-infected subjects.

Background: Here, we aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of abacavir and carbovir triphosphate (CBV-TP) with darunavir/ritonavir 900/100 mg once daily or raltegravir 400 mg twice daily.

Methods: HIV-infected subjects on abacavir (600 mg once daily) underwent steady-state pharmacokinetic assessments without and with darunavir/ritonavir or raltegravir. Within-subject changes in plasma and intracellular pharmacokinetic parameters were evaluated by geometric mean ratios (GMRs) and 90% CIs.