Case-ascertained study of household transmission of seasonal influenza - South Africa, 2013.

Objectives: The household is important in influenza transmission due to intensity of contact. Previous studies reported secondary attack rates (SAR) of 4-10% for laboratory-confirmed influenza in the household. Few have been conducted in middle-income countries.

Human metapneumovirus-associated severe acute respiratory illness hospitalisation in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected South African children and adults.

Background: Data on human metapneumovirus (HMPV)-associated severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) are limited in settings with high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection prevalence.

Objectives: To describe clinical characteristics and seasonality (all sites), and incidence (Soweto only) of HMPV-associated SARI among children and adults.

Study Design: Active, prospective, hospital-based, sentinel surveillance for patients hospitalised with SARI was conducted at four sites in South Africa from February 2009-December 2013.

Treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis with bedaquiline in a high HIV prevalence setting: an interim cohort analysis.

Background: South Africa has a large burden of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB); only 15% of XDR-TB patients have successful outcomes.

Objective: To describe the safety and effectiveness of bedaquiline (BDQ) in the South African BDQ Clinical Access Programme.

Design: An interim cohort analysis.

Determining the Provincial and National Burden of Influenza-Associated Severe Acute Respiratory Illness in South Africa Using a Rapid Assessment Methodology.

Local disease burden data are necessary to set national influenza vaccination policy. In 2010 the population of South Africa was 50 million and the HIV prevalence was 11%. We used a previously developed methodology to determine severe influenza burden in South Africa.

Efficiency and safety of the combination of moxifloxacin, pretomanid (PA-824), and pyrazinamide during the first 8 weeks of antituberculosis treatment: a phase 2b, open-label, partly randomised trial in patients with drug-susceptible or drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis.

Background: New antituberculosis regimens are urgently needed to shorten tuberculosis treatment. Following on from favourable assessment in a 2 week study, we investigated a novel regimen for efficacy and safety in drug-susceptible and multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis during the first 8 weeks of treatment.

Methods: We did this phase 2b study of bactericidal activity--defined as the decrease in colony forming units (CFUs) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the sputum of patients with microscopy smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis-at eight sites in South Africa and Tanzania.

Mortality amongst patients with influenza-associated severe acute respiratory illness, South Africa, 2009-2013.

Introduction: Data on the burden and risk groups for influenza-associated mortality from Africa are limited. We aimed to estimate the incidence and risk-factors for in-hospital influenza-associated severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) deaths.

Methods: Hospitalised patients with SARI were enrolled prospectively in four provinces of South Africa from 2009-2013.

Epidemiology of severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) among adults and children aged ≥5 years in a high HIV-prevalence setting, 2009-2012.

Objective: There are few published studies describing severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) epidemiology amongst older children and adults from high HIV-prevalence settings. We aimed to describe SARI epidemiology amongst individuals aged ≥5 years in South Africa.

Methods: We conducted prospective surveillance for individuals with SARI from 2009-2012.

Tuberculosis and hepatic steatosis are prevalent liver pathology findings among HIV-infected patients in South Africa.

Liver disease epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa has shifted as a result of HIV and the increased use of antiretroviral therapy leading to a need for updated data on common causes of liver disease. We retrospectively reviewed records from all hospitalized patients who had liver biopsy at a single hospital in South Africa from 2001 to 2009 and compared diagnosis by HIV status. During the period of study 262 patients had liver biopsy, 108 (41%) were HIV-infected, 25 (10%) were HIV-sero-negative, and 129 (49%) had unknown or unrecorded HIV status.

Epidemiology of viral-associated acute lower respiratory tract infection among children <5 years of age in a high HIV prevalence setting, South Africa, 2009-2012.

Background: Data on the epidemiology of viral-associated acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) from high HIV prevalence settings are limited. We aimed to describe LRTI hospitalizations among South African children aged <5 years.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled hospitalized children with physician-diagnosed LRTI from 5 sites in 4 provinces from 2009 to 2012.

High nasopharyngeal pneumococcal density, increased by viral coinfection, is associated with invasive pneumococcal pneumonia.

Background: We identified factors associated with pneumococcal colonization, high colonization density, and invasive pneumococcal pneumonia among patients hospitalized with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs).

Methods: In 2010, 4025 cases were enrolled in surveillance in South Africa. A total of 969 of 4025 systematically selected nasopharyngeal-oropharyngeal specimens (24%) were tested for respiratory viruses and Streptococcus pneumoniae by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Incidence of TB and HIV in prospectively followed household contacts of TB index patients in South Africa.

Objective: To report the incidence rates of TB and HIV in household contacts of index patients diagnosed with TB.

Design: A prospective cohort study in the Matlosana sub-district of North West Province, South Africa.

Methods: Contacts of index TB patients received TB and HIV testing after counseling at their first household visit and were then followed up a year later, in 2010.