Publications by authors named "Elsa Mutemba"
Article Synopsis
- A study evaluated the mortality rate in HIV patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) who underwent tuberculosis (TB) screening with rapid tests.
- Among 972 patients, 10.1% tested positive for TB, and of those followed for two years, 4% died while 15.7% were lost to follow-up.
- Key factors linked to higher mortality included missed ART, advanced HIV disease, and missed anti-TB treatment, indicating the importance of timely diagnoses and comprehensive treatment strategies.
Background: Tuberculosis is a major health concern in several countries, and effective diagnostic algorithms for use in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients are urgently needed.
Methods: At prescription of antiretroviral therapy, all patients in 3 Mozambican health centers were screened for tuberculosis, with a combined approach: World Health Organization (WHO) 4-symptom screening (fever, cough, night sweats, and weight loss), a rapid test detecting mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan in urine (Determine TB LAM), and a molecular assay performed on a sputum sample (Xpert MTB/RIF; repeated if first result was negative). Patients with positive LAM or Xpert MTB/RIF results were referred for tuberculosis treatment.