Determining the level of condom use and associated factors among married people in Tshwane District of South Africa.

Introduction: despite the wide availability of free male condoms in South Africa, high rates of new HIV transmissions are reported to occur among married couples. The aim of this study was to determine the level of condom use among the married people and to assess the factors associated with condom use in the Tshwane district of the Gauteng province.

Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted among 325 clients accessing health care services at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital.

Lost to follow up rate in the first year of ART in adults initiated in a universal test and treat programme: a retrospective cohort study in Ekurhuleni District, South Africa.

Introduction: South Africa adopted and implemented the Universal Test and Treat (UTT) strategy for HIV since 2016. However, the care outcomes for patients initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) through the UTT strategy have not been established. We determined the rate of lost to follow up (LTFU) and associated factors in patients who were initiated on ART through the UTT and the pre-ART strategy at 12 months post ART initiation.

Introduction of 2009 pandemic influenza A virus subtype H1N1 into South Africa: clinical presentation, epidemiology, and transmissibility of the first 100 cases.

Background: We documented the introduction of 2009 pandemic influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (A[H1N1]pdm09) into South Africa and describe its clinical presentation, epidemiology, and transmissibility.

Methods: We conducted a prospective descriptive study of the first 100 laboratory-confirmed cases of A(H1N1)pdm09 infections identified through active case finding and surveillance. Infected patients and the attending clinicians were interviewed, and close contacts were followed up to investigate household transmission.