Publications by authors named "Laura Limarzi"
Malawi has the highest invasive cervical cancer (ICC) mortality rate worldwide, and ICC is the leading cause of cancer death among women. In 2004, Malawi adopted visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and ablative treatment with cryotherapy. However, screening coverage has remained low (<30%) and few women (<50%) who require ablative treatment receive it.
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- Malawi's Option B+ program for pregnant and breastfeeding women allows antiretroviral therapy (ART) without routine lab checks and focuses on safety outcomes.
- An observational study over 12 months revealed that 90% of women using TDF/3TC/EFV were virally suppressed and engaged in care, despite some experiencing laboratory toxicities.
- Overall, the program was effective, with low rates of perinatal HIV infection and manageable adverse events, suggesting that clinical symptom monitoring is adequate.
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzed HIV-infected pregnant women in Malawi’s PMTCT Option B+ program to assess treatment failure rates and the importance of viral load testing during their first antenatal care visit.* -
- Out of 864 women evaluated, 7.6% showed treatment failure, particularly linked to low CD4 cell counts, highlighting that monitoring these biomarkers is crucial for ensuring effective therapy.* -
- The findings indicate that the program is generally successful in maintaining viral suppression among these women, but those who experience treatment failure should be identified promptly for targeted counseling and potential changes to their ART regimen.*