Impact of Option B Combination Antiretroviral Therapy on Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV-1, Maternal and Infant Virologic Responses to Combination Antiretroviral Therapy, and Maternal and Infant Mortality Rates: A 24-Month Prospective Follow-Up Study at a Primary Health Care Clinic, in Harare, Zimbabwe.

We conducted a 24month prospective follow-up study, at a primary health care clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe, to determine cumulative mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 (MTCT) rate and the contributions of intrauterine (IU), intrapartum (IP), and postpartum (PP) to MTCT, as well as maternal and infant mortality rates in the era of Option B combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Plasma for viral load (VL) quantitation was obtained from 475 mothers enrolled into the study. VL was quantified at enrolment and every 6 months thereafter up to 24 months using the Cepheid GeneXpert HIV-1 Quantitative test.

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 and infant mortality in the first six months of life, in the era of Option B Plus combination antiretroviral therapy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the contributions of intrauterine (IU), intrapartum (IP), and postpartum (PP) transmission to mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 (MTCT) and infant mortality in the first 6 months of life, in the era of Option B Plus combination antiretroviral therapy.

Methods: Plasma for virus load (VL) quantitation was obtained from 451 women enrolled into the study. VL was quantified using the Cepheid GeneXpert HIV-1 quantitative test.

Point of care Xpert MTB/RIF versus smear microscopy for tuberculosis diagnosis in southern African primary care clinics: a multicentre economic evaluation.

Background: Rapid on-site diagnosis facilitates tuberculosis control. Performing Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) at point of care is feasible, even when performed by minimally trained health-care workers, and when compared with point-of-care smear microscopy, reduces time to diagnosis and pretreatment loss to follow-up. However, whether Xpert is cost-effective at point of care remains unclear.

Effect of Xpert MTB/RIF on clinical outcomes in routine care settings: individual patient data meta-analysis.

Background: Xpert MTB/RIF, the most widely used automated nucleic acid amplification test for tuberculosis, is available in more than 130 countries. Although diagnostic accuracy is well documented, anticipated improvements in patient outcomes have not been clearly identified. We performed an individual patient data meta-analysis to examine improvements in patient outcomes associated with Xpert MTB/RIF.