Implementation of point-of-care testing and prevalence of cryptococcal antigenaemia among patients with advanced HIV disease in Mumbai, India.

Objectives: To describe the implementation of screening for cryptococcal antigenaemia by point-of-care (POC) serum cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) lateral flow assay, measure the prevalence and factors associated with serum cryptococcal antigenaemia in the routine programmatic setting.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Seventeen publicly funded antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres in Mumbai, India.

Utility of the lateral flow urine lipoarabinomannan tuberculosis assay in patients with advanced HIV disease at antiretroviral therapy centres in Mumbai, India.

Background: People with Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) are at higher risk of TB coinfection and mortality. However, there are challenges in TB diagnosis with the currently recommended diagnostic tools. WHO recommends lateral flow urine lipoarabinomannan (LF-LAM) assay to assist TB diagnosis among AHD patients.

Condom use and prevalence of syphilis and HIV among female sex workers in Andhra Pradesh, India - following a large-scale HIV prevention intervention.

Background: Avahan, the India AIDS initiative began HIV prevention interventions in 2003 in Andhra Pradesh (AP) among high-risk groups including female sex workers (FSWs), to help contain the HIV epidemic. This manuscript describes an assessment of this intervention using the published Avahan evaluation framework and assesses the coverage, outcomes and changes in STI and HIV prevalence among FSWs.

Methodology: Multiple data sources were utilized including Avahan routine program monitoring data, two rounds of cross-sectional survey data (in 2006 and 2009) and STI clinical quality monitoring assessments.

Targeted interventions of the Avahan program and their association with intermediate outcomes among female sex workers in Maharashtra, India.

Background: Avahan, the India AIDS Initiative has been a partner supporting targeted interventions of high risk populations under India's National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) since 2004 in the state of Maharashtra. This paper presents an assessment of the Avahan program among female sex workers (FSWs) in Maharashtra, its coverage, outcomes achieved and their association with Avahan program.

Methods: An analytical framework based on the Avahan evaluation design was used, addressing assessment questions on program implementation, intermediate outcomes and association of outcomes with Avahan.

Baseline integrated behavioural and biological assessment among most at-risk populations in six high-prevalence states of India: design and implementation challenges.

Objective: This paper presents key methodological approaches and challenges in implementing and analysing the first round of the integrated biobehavioural assessment of most-at-risk populations, conducted in conjunction with evaluation of Avahan, the India AIDS initiative.

Methods: The survey collected data on HIV risk behaviours, sexually transmitted infections and HIV prevalence in 29 districts in six high-prevalence states of India. Groups included female sex workers and clients, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and truck drivers.