Brief Report: How Do We Reach Men? Offering HIV Testing in Evenings and Weekends in the HPTN 071 (PopART) Community-Based Trial in South Africa.

Background: Unknown HIV status and consequent low antiretroviral treatment coverage among men living with HIV combined with high-risk behavior is a key driver of the HIV epidemic in high-burden settings. We investigated whether conducting household visits during nontraditional shifts increased the number of men recruited for community-based HIV testing, compared with traditional weekday shifts in the HPTN 071 (PopART) trial in South Africa.

Methods: We used data captured during household visits among individuals aged 15 years or older in 6 communities in South Africa from September 2016 to September 2017.

Concurrent evaluation of cytokines improves the accuracy of antibodies against Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis.

Background: Antibodies against mycobacterial proteins are highly specific, but lack sensitivity, whereas cytokines have been shown to be sensitive but not very specific in the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). We assessed combinations between antibodies and cytokines for diagnosing TB.

Methods: Immuoglubulin (Ig) A and IgM antibody titres against selected mycobacterial antigens including Apa, NarL, Rv3019c, PstS1, LAM, "Kit 1" (MTP64 and Tpx)", and "Kit 2" (MPT64, Tpx and 19 kDa) were evaluated by ELISA in plasma samples obtained from individuals under clinical suspicion for TB.

Detection of a combination of serum IgG and IgA antibodies against selected mycobacterial targets provides promising diagnostic signatures for active TB.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) based tests for the diagnosis of active tuberculosis (TB) disease often show a lack of specificity in TB endemic regions, which is mainly due to a high background prevalence of LTBI. Here, we investigated the combined performance of the responses of different Ig classes to selected mycobacterial antigens in primary healthcare clinic attendees with signs and symptoms suggestive of TB. The sensitivity and specificity of IgA, IgG and/or IgM to LAM and 7 mycobacterial protein antigens (ESAT-6, Tpx, PstS1, AlaDH, MPT64, 16kDa and 19kDa) and 2 antigen combinations (TUB, TB-LTBI) in the plasma of 63 individuals who underwent diagnostic work-up for TB after presenting with symptoms and signs compatible with possible active TB were evaluated.

Evaluation of cytokine responses against novel Mtb antigens as diagnostic markers for TB disease.

Objective: We investigated the accuracy of host markers detected in Mtb antigen-stimulated whole blood culture supernatant in the diagnosis of TB.

Methods: Prospectively, blood from 322 individuals with presumed TB disease from six African sites was stimulated with four different Mtb antigens (Rv0081, Rv1284, ESAT-6/CFP-10, and Rv2034) in a 24 h whole blood stimulation assay (WBA). The concentrations of 42 host markers in the supernatants were measured using the Luminex multiplex platform.