Recurrent tuberculosis among HIV-coinfected patients: a case series from KwaZulu-Natal.

Background: Recurrent tuberculosis (TB) following TB treatment completion in HIV-infected individuals remains a major public health burden. We assessed the role of various risk factors in mediating the development of recurrent TB and subsequent resistance to antiretroviral therapy and anti-TB drugs.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed secondary demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from medical records of five HIV-infected TB patients enrolled between 2009 and 2014 in a prospective observational study investigating TB recurrence.

Turning the tide against tuberculosis.

Despite affecting men, women, and children for millennia, tuberculosis (TB) is the most neglected disease. In contrast, the global response to HIV has reached a defining moment. By uniting efforts, promptly integrating major scientific findings for both treatment and prevention, and scaling up services, the once inconceivable end to the HIV epidemic may no longer be an illusion.

High rates of tuberculosis in patients accessing HAART in rural South Africa.

Background: The challenge of early tuberculosis (TB) infection among rural patients accessing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in a resource-limited setting with high HIV and TB burden has not been fully quantified.

Methods: This is a retrospective study nested within a prospective study of 969 patients consecutively initiated onto HAART at the CAPRISA AIDS Treatment programme in rural KwaZulu-Natal between January 2007 and December 2010. Patients were screened for clinical symptoms consistent with TB using a standardized checklist, and routine clinical investigations that included sputum microscopy and chest x-ray diagnosis.

The immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome after antiretroviral therapy initiation in patients with tuberculosis: findings from the SAPiT trial.

Background: Concerns about the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) remain a barrier to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation during antituberculosis treatment in co-infected patients.

Objective: To assess IRIS incidence, severity, and outcomes relative to the timing of ART initiation in patients with HIV-related tuberculosis.

Design: Randomized, open-label clinical trial.

Co-enrollment in multiple HIV prevention trials - experiences from the CAPRISA 004 Tenofovir gel trial.

Background: In settings where multiple HIV prevention trials are conducted in close proximity, trial participants may attempt to enroll in more than one trial simultaneously. Co-enrollment impacts on participant's safety and validity of trial results. We describe our experience, remedial action taken, inter-organizational collaboration and lessons learnt following the identification of co-enrolled participants.

High incidence of hospital admissions with multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis among South African health care workers.

Background: Nosocomial transmission has been described in extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and HIV co-infected patients in South Africa. However, little is known about the rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis among health care workers in countries with high tuberculosis and HIV burden.

Objective: To estimate rates of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and XDR-TB hospitalizations among health care workers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

HIV-Associated Tuberculosis.

The intersecting HIV and Tuberculosis epidemics in countries with a high disease burden of both infections pose many challenges and opportunities. For patients infected with HIV in high TB burden countries, the diagnosis of TB, ARV drug choices in treating HIV-TB coinfected patients, when to initiate ARV treatment in relation to TB treatment, managing immune reconstitution, minimising risk of getting infected with TB and/or managing recurrent TB, minimizing airborne transmission, and infection control are key issues. In addition, given the disproportionate burden of HIV in women in these settings, sexual reproductive health issues and particular high mortality rates associated with TB during pregnancy are important.