Effect of rK39 testing in guiding treatment initiation and outcome in patients with visceral leishmaniasis in Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study.

Background: The rapid diagnostic test (RDT) rK39 is currently being used for routine diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in East Africa. However, continuous monitoring of the performance of the assay, in particular its impact on the clinical decision in initiating anti-leishmanial treatment and outcomes remains needed as there are concerns about the diagnostic performance of this test.

Methods: VL patients prospectively enrolled in a diagnostic trial and with rK39 RDT were included.

Clinical features and risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality among patients with COVID-19 in northern Ethiopia.

Objective: To describe the clinical features and assess the determinants of severity and in-hospital mortality of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from a unique setting in Ethiopia.

Methods: Consecutive patients admitted to a COVID-19 isolation and treatment centre were included in this study. The overall clinical spectrum of COVID-19, and factors associated with risk of severe COVID-19 and in-hospital mortality were analysed.

Immune recovery in HIV-1 infected patients with sustained viral suppression under long-term antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia.

Background: There is very little data on long-term immune recovery responses in patients on suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the setting of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Thus, we sought to determine CD4+ T-cell, CD8+ T-cell and CD4/CD8 ratio responses in a cohort of HIV infected individuals on sustained suppressive ART followed up for more than a decade.

Methods: The cohort comprised adult patients who started ART between 2001 and 2007 and followed for up to 14 years.

Role of CD4/CD8 ratio on the incidence of tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy followed up for more than a decade.

Background: The role of CD4/CD8 ratio on the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is unknown. Thus, we sought to determine whether the CD4/CD8 ratio was associated with development of TB in a cohort of HIV infected individuals on ART followed up for more than a decade in the setting of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: The cohort comprised adult patients who started ART between 2001 and 2007 and followed for up to 15 years.