HIV DNA Levels in Persons Who Acquired HIV in the Setting of Long-Acting Cabotegravir for HIV Prevention: Analysis of Cases from HPTN 083 and 084.

We evaluated HIV DNA levels in individuals who received long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) pre-exposure prophylaxis in the HPTN 083 and 084 trials and had HIV DNA testing performed to help determine HIV status. HIV DNA testing was performed using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples collected after a reactive HIV test was obtained at a study site. DNA was quantified using droplet digital PCR (lower limit of detection [LLOD]: 4.

The added value of serologic testing: A comparison of influenza incidence among pregnant persons based on molecular-based surveillance versus serologic testing.

Background: We examined the added value of serologic testing for estimating influenza virus infection incidence based on illness surveillance with molecular testing versus periodic serologic testing.

Methods: Pregnant persons unvaccinated against influenza at <28 weeks gestation were enrolled before the 2017 and 2018 influenza seasons in Peru and Thailand. Blood specimens were collected at enrollment and ≤14 days postpartum for testing by hemagglutination inhibition assay for antibodies against influenza reference viruses.

Perceived Feasibility and Acceptability of HIV Prevention Research With Daily Oral PrEP Among Young Transgender Women (YTGW) Who Sell or Trade Sex in Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand.

Young transgender women (YTGW) who sell or trade sex have among the highest HIV incidence rates in Thailand. Using qualitative methods, we assessed perceived acceptability, feasibility, and optimal design of a combination HIV prevention intervention including PrEP for YTGW. Key informant interviews were conducted during July 2016-July 2018 with 21 YTGW, aged 18-26 years, who sold sex and resided in Bangkok or Pattaya, Thailand.

Epidemiologic and Virologic Characteristics of Influenza in Lao PDR, 2016-2023.

Background: Influenza sentinel surveillance in Lao PDR is used to inform seasonal vaccination programs. This analysis reviews epidemiologic and virologic characteristics of influenza virus infection over 8 years, before and after emergence of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: Data collected for ILI and SARI surveillance during January 2016 through December 2023 were analyzed from nine hospitals.

Influenza virus circulation and vaccine effectiveness during June 2021-May 2023 in Thailand.

Thai Ministry of Public Health recommends influenza vaccination for certain risk groups. We evaluated 2023 Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine effectiveness against medically attended influenza using surveillance data from nine Thai hospitals and a test-negative design. During June 2022-May 2023, influenza vaccine provided moderate protection against seeking care for influenza illness (adjusted vaccine effectiveness 51%; 95% confidence interval 28-67).

Data quality assessment of the Enhanced Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (EGASP), Thailand, 2015-2021.

Background: Quality assessments of gonococcal surveillance data are critical to improve data validity and to enhance the value of surveillance findings. Detecting data errors by systematic audits identifies areas for quality improvement. We designed and implemented an internal audit process to evaluate the accuracy and completeness of surveillance data for the Thailand Enhanced Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (EGASP).

Depressive symptoms and HIV among a cohort of adolescent young men and transgender women who have sex with men, Bangkok and Nakhon Sawan, Thailand, 2017-2019.

Screening for depression may identify persons for HIV prevention services and to ensure linkage to care for ART and mental health. We assessed factors associated with depressive symptoms using multiple logistic regression among 15- to 29-year-old gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women who have sex with men (TGW) attending HIV prevention clinics at Silom Community Clinic or Bangrak Hospital in Bangkok or Rainbow Clinic in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand. We defined depressive symptoms as a self-report of feelings of sadness that impacted daily life in the past one month.

Characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes related to Zika virus infection during pregnancy in Northeastern Thailand: A prospective pregnancy cohort study, 2018-2020.

Background: In response to the 2015-2016 Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak and the causal relationship established between maternal ZIKV infection and adverse infant outcomes, we conducted a cohort study to estimate the incidence of ZIKV infection in pregnancy and assess its impacts in women and infants.

Methodology/principal Findings: From May 2018-January 2020, we prospectively followed pregnant women recruited from 134 participating hospitals in two non-adjacent provinces in northeastern Thailand. We collected demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic data and blood and urine at routine antenatal care visits until delivery.

Factors predicting mortality in hospitalised HIV-negative children with lower-chest-wall indrawing pneumonia and implications for management.

Introduction: In 2012, the World Health Organization revised treatment guidelines for childhood pneumonia with lower chest wall indrawing (LCWI) but no 'danger signs', to recommend home-based treatment. We analysed data from children hospitalized with LCWI pneumonia in the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) study to identify sub-groups with high odds of mortality, who might continue to benefit from hospital management but may not be admitted by staff implementing the 2012 guidelines. We compare the proportion of deaths identified using the criteria in the 2012 guidelines, and the proportion of deaths identified using an alternative set of criteria from our model.

Evaluation of cesarean delivery rates and factors associated with cesarean delivery among women enrolled in a pregnancy cohort study at two tertiary hospitals in Thailand.

Background: Cesarean delivery rates have increased globally resulting in a public health concern. We estimate rates of cesarean deliveries among Thai women using the World Health Organization (WHO) Robson Classification system and compare rates by Robson group to the Robson guideline for acceptable rates to identify groups that might benefit most from interventions for rate reduction.

Methods: In 2017 and 2018, we established cohorts of pregnant women aged ≥ 18 years seeking prenatal care at two tertiary Thai hospitals and followed them until 6-8 weeks postpartum.

antimicrobial susceptibility trends in Bangkok, Thailand, 2015-21: Enhanced Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (EGASP).

Objectives: Rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in is a global public health concern. Many ceftriaxone-resistant cases have been linked to Asia. In the WHO/CDC global Enhanced Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (EGASP), we conducted AMR surveillance at two clinical sites in Bangkok, Thailand, 2015-21.

Safety and immunogenicity of locally produced trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (Tri Fluvac) in healthy Thai adults aged 18-64 years in Nakhon Phanom: A Phase III double blinded, three-arm, randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Domestic influenza vaccine production facilitates a sustainable supply for mitigating seasonal influenza and improves national health security by providing infrastructure and experience for pandemic vaccine production, if needed.

Methods: A Phase III, double blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted from Sep 2019-Oct 2020 in healthy adults 18-64 years in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. Randomization (3:3:1) compared study vaccine (Tri Fluvac), saline placebo, and an active comparator (licensed vaccine).

Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Acute Respiratory Infections During Pregnancy.

Background: With the licensure of maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines in Europe and the United States, data are needed to better characterize the burden of RSV-associated acute respiratory infections (ARI) in pregnancy. The current study aimed to determine among pregnant individuals the proportion of ARI testing positive for RSV and the RSV incidence rate, RSV-associated hospitalizations, deaths, and perinatal outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, using 5 databases (Medline, Embase, Global Health, Web of Science, and Global Index Medicus), and including additional unpublished data.

High PrEP uptake, adherence, persistence and effectiveness outcomes among young Thai men and transgender women who sell sex in Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand: findings from the open-label combination HIV prevention effectiveness (COPE) study.

Background: Daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective in preventing HIV infection, but no study has evaluated combination prevention interventions with PrEP for transgender women (TGW) and men who have sex with men (MSM) who sell sex.

Methods: The Combination Prevention Effectiveness (COPE) study was a community-based, non-randomized implementation study in Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand. Participants were HIV-negative MSM and TGW aged 18-26 years who reported exchanging sex with men in the prior 12 months and who met 2014 U.

Changes in Personal Protective Equipment Usage Among Healthcare Personnel From the Beginning of Pandemic to Intra-COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand.

Objectives: Personal protective equipment (PPE) use is associated with reduced risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare personnel (HCP). There are limited data on the impact of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the PPE use of HCP. We describe the changes in PPE use from just before the widespread of community outbreaks ('pre-pandemic') to intra-pandemic time points, and examine factors associated with not changing in PPE use behavior among HCP in four Thai hospitals.

Assembling a global database of child pneumonia studies to inform WHO pneumonia management algorithm: Methodology and applications.

Background: The existing World Health Organization (WHO) pneumonia case management guidelines rely on clinical symptoms and signs for identifying, classifying, and treating pneumonia in children up to 5 years old. We aimed to collate an individual patient-level data set from large, high-quality pre-existing studies on pneumonia in children to identify a set of signs and symptoms with greater validity in the diagnosis, prognosis, and possible treatment of childhood pneumonia for the improvement of current pneumonia case management guidelines.

Methods: Using data from a published systematic review and expert knowledge, we identified studies meeting our eligibility criteria and invited investigators to share individual-level patient data.

Influenza-Like Symptom Incidence, Illness-Associated Expenses, and Economic Impact Among Healthcare Personnel in Thailand: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study (2020-2021).

Objectives: We estimated influenza-like symptom (ILS) incidence among healthcare personnel (HCP) in four hospitals and the economic impact due to ILS in the Thai HCP population during July 2020-June 2021 (Thailand's expected 2020 influenza season), which also coincided with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Methods: We followed HCP, in a prospective observational cohort, weekly for ≥1 of: muscle pain, cough, runny nose/nasal congestion, sore throat, or difficulty breathing. We fitted population-averaged Poisson regression models to identify factors associated with acquiring ILS and to calculate ILS incidence.

HLA-B∗46 associates with rapid HIV disease progression in Asian cohorts and prominent differences in NK cell phenotype.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles have been linked to HIV disease progression and attributed to differences in cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope representation. These findings are largely based on treatment-naive individuals of European and African ancestry. We assessed HLA associations with HIV-1 outcomes in 1,318 individuals from Thailand and found HLA-B∗46:01 (B∗46) associated with accelerated disease in three independent cohorts.

Diverse contexts and social factors among young cisgender men and transgender women who sell or trade sex in Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand: formative research for a PrEP program implementation study.

HIV incidence is high and persistent among cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) who have sex with men, particularly among those who sell or trade sex. In preparation for an open-label combination HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) program for these groups, we conducted formative research to explore the context of sex work/trade and factors that affect implementation of PrEP interventions. This study analyzed interviews with 20 young (aged 18-26 years) MSM and TGW who sell/trade sex and three sex work venue managers in Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand.

Transactional sex, HIV and health among young cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men in Thailand.

Purpose: To examine how recent sex work is identified and the HIV risk factors and service needs among Thai cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) who exchange sex.

Methods: MSM and TGW in Bangkok and Pattaya who exchanged sex in the last year (n = 890) were recruited through social media, outreach, and word-of-mouth. Recent sex exchange was based on the primary question, "In the last 30 days, have you sold or traded sex"; secondary questions (regarding income source and client encounters) were also investigated.