Healthcare provider perspectives on integrating HIV care into cancer centers in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Background: In East and Southern Africa, treatment of people with concomitant cancer and HIV is complicated by siloed service delivery pathways, which exacerbate barriers to care and impact clinical decision-making. Integrating HIV care into cancer treatment centers may improve service delivery and overall patient outcomes.

Methods: We administered a questionnaire to clinicians and support staff at tertiary cancer referral centers in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and South Africa to assess level of concern about clinical management of people with HIV (PWH) and cancer, barriers to integrating HIV service delivery into cancer treatment delivery, and beliefs related to HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ART), and integrated care.

Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Long-Acting Broadly Neutralizing HIV-1 Monoclonal Antibody VRC07523LS in Newborn Infants Exposed to HIV-1.

Background: Vertical HIV-1 transmission despite antiretroviral therapy may be mitigated by use of long-acting, broadly neutralizing, monoclonal antibodies (bNAb) such as VRC07523LS. The present study was designed to determine the safety and pharmacokinetics of VRC07523LS.

Methods: VRC07523LS, 80 mg/dose, was administered subcutaneously after birth to non-breastfed (Cohort 1; N=11, enrolled in USA) and breastfed (Cohort 2; N=11, enrolled in South Africa and Zimbabwe) infants exposed to HIV-1.

Living with psychosis in West and Southeast Africa: SUCCEED Africa's four-country situation analysis.

As part of the formative work of the SUCCEED Africa consortium, we followed a participatory process to identify existing gaps and resources needed for the development and implementation of a rights-based intervention for people with lived experience of psychosis in Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. In 2021, we conducted a desk review of published and grey literature on psychosis in the four SUCCEED countries. Using an adapted version of the PRIME situation analysis template, data were extracted across the five domains of the WHO Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Matrix: health, education, livelihoods, social and empowerment.

Quantifying capacity of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery in Zimbabwe.

Objectives: To evaluate the otolaryngology surgical capacity in Harare, Zimbabwe by analyzing procedural volumes across four hospitals, one private and three public, from 2019 to 2022.

Methods: A retrospective review of hand-written surgical case logs was conducted at Harare Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Institute (HEENT), Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals (PGH), Sally Mugabe Children's Hospital (SMCH), and Sally Mugabe Adult's Hospital (SMAH). Patient age and surgical intervention for all otolaryngology surgeries performed in the operating room from 2019 to 2022 were recorded.

"We Need Gentleness": Isolation, Loneliness, and Implications for Psychosocial Counseling Among People with HIV who are on Methadone Maintenance Treatment and Experience Common Mental Disorders in Vietnam.

The psychological experiences and needs of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who use methadone maintenance treatment and have common mental disorders in Hanoi, Vietnam remain unknown. Due to limited services for common mental disorders, optimal delivery methods for psychotherapy are also unknown. Accordingly, this qualitive study explored both symptoms of common mental disorders among this population and the preferred qualifications and characteristics of a mental health counselor.

Factors influencing survival outcomes in patients with stroke at three tertiary hospitals in Zimbabwe: A 12-month longitudinal study.

Background: In this longitudinal study, we aimed to determine factors influencing survival outcomes among patients with stroke at three tertiary hospitals over a 12-month period. The investigation sought to uncover influential determinants to enhance the precision of prognostic assessments and inform targeted interventions for individuals affected by stroke.

Methods: Employing a longitudinal study design, participants were observed for 12 months from baseline, censoring survivors at the endpoint.

The Real-World Effectiveness of Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccines in Zimbabwe During the Omicron Variant Dominance: A Test-Negative Case-Control Study.

Background/objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global health, with varying vaccine effectiveness (VE) across different regions and vaccine platforms. In Africa, where vaccination rates are relatively low, inactivated vaccines like BBIP-CorV (Sinopharm) and Coronovac (Sinovac) have been widely used. This study evaluated the real-world effectiveness of licensed inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in Zimbabwe during a period dominated by Omicron variants.

Predictors of physical activity among pregnant women in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The extensive benefits of physical activity (PA) are well known. However, PA participation among pregnant women remains low. This study evaluated PA levels and associated factors, including barriers and facilitators in pregnant women in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Influence of inoculation and phosphorus fertilizer application on phenology, yield components and grain yield of bambara groundnut genotypes.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the parasitic is seriously threatening Bambara groundnuts, farmers to suffer yield losses of up to 100 %. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of phosphorus (P) application and inoculation on Bambara groundnut genotypes for growth and reproductive phrase. The experiment was conducted in 2020 at the Henderson Research Station in Mazowe, Zimbabwe in a 2 × 2 × 26 factorial design with 26 genotypes arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications, two P rates (0 and 20 kg ha-) and two levels of inoculation (with and without ).

Aflatoxin B and fumonisin B exposure and adverse birth outcomes in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women from Harare, Zimbabwe.

Aflatoxin B (AFB1) and fumonisin B (FB1) are toxic secondary products of fungi that frequently contaminate staple crops in resource-limited settings. Antenatal AFB1 and FB1 exposure may cause adverse birth outcomes. We conducted a retrospective substudy nested in a case-control cohort of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women ≥20 weeks gestation from Harare, Zimbabwe.

Subsequent pregnancies in the IMPAACT 2010/VESTED Trial: high rate of adverse outcomes in women living with HIV.

Introduction: Women with HIV (WHIV) have higher risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes, particularly in the absence of antiretroviral treatment(ART), and timing of ART may impact risk.

Methods: In IMPAACT 2010 (VESTED), 643 pregnant WHIV in 9 countries were randomized 1:1:1 to initiate ART: dolutegravir (DTG)+emtricitabine(FTC)/tenofovir alafenamide(TAF); DTG+FTC/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) or efavirenz (EFV)/FTC/TDF. We describe adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with a subsequent pregnancy during 50 weeks of postpartum follow-up: spontaneous abortion (<20 weeks), stillbirth (≥20 weeks), preterm delivery (<37 weeks) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA).

Extensive cervical lesion and treatment outcomes in women with HIV/HPV co-infection.

Background: Cervical cancer is a common cancer worldwide, with > 85% of deaths occurring in Lower- and Middle-Income Countries where resources for screening programs are limited. Women living with HIV (WLHIV) are at increased risk. HPV test-and-treat is a screening strategy where women with HPV are offered ablative treatment of the cervix to reduce the risk of invasive cancer.

Evolving Landscape of Sickle Cell Anemia Management in Africa: A Critical Review.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent inherited blood disorder, particularly affecting populations in Africa. This review examined the disease's burden, its diverse clinical presentations, and the challenges associated with its management in African settings. Africa bears a significant burden of SCD, with prevalence varying across countries and age groups.

Molecular Diversity and Agronomic Performance of Sesame () Cultivars in Benin: Local Cultivars and Lines Introduced From China.

Sesame cultivation was until recently restricted to the northwestern part of Benin. The yield is relatively low, as there are no improved varieties introduced and widely adopted so far. This study aimed to assess the molecular diversity, genetic differentiation, and the agronomic performance of a collection of local cultivars and introduced lines of sesame from China.

'Making abortion safe': abortion and post-abortion care providers' experiences of stigma in Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Background: Social stigma and the marginalisation of abortion care within medical settings can negatively affect abortion providers. While some research has evaluated stigma interventions in legally restrictive settings, little work has explored the experiences of healthcare professionals (HCPs) providing abortion and post-abortion care (PAC) outside the USA. This study, part of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' 'Making Abortion Safe' programme, aimed to understand providers' experiences of abortion stigma in four African countries with restrictive legislation.

Emergence of Omicron FN.1 a descendent of BQ.1.1 in Botswana.

Botswana, like the rest of the world, has been significantly impacted by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In December 2022, we detected a monophyletic cluster of genomes comprising a sublineage of the Omicron variant of concern (VOC) designated as B.1.

Geocultural differences in pre-schooler sleep profiles and family practices: an analysis of pooled data from 37 countries.

Study Objectives: To examine 1) multidimensional sleep profiles in pre-schoolers (3-6 years) across geocultural regions and 2) differences in sleep characteristics and family practices between Majority World regions (Pacific Islands, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America) and the Minority World (the Western world).

Methods: Participants were 3507 pre-schoolers from 37 countries. Nighttime sleep characteristics and nap duration (accelerometer: n=1950) and family practices (parental questionnaire) were measured.

Phenotypic characterization of NK cells in 5-year-old children exposed to maternal HIV and antiretroviral therapy in early-life.

Background: HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) children are at increased risk of morbidity during the first years of life. Although the immune responses of HEU infants in early-life are relatively well described, studies of natural killer (NK) cells in older HEU children are lacking. NK cell subsets were analysed in HEU children and compared to those in HIV unexposed uninfected (HUU) children aged ~ five years.

Assessing the potential impact of livestock immunisation and acaricide use on controlling the spread of East Coast fever.

Immunisation of livestock with high-quality vaccines and the use of acaricides are highly ranked tick control strategies worldwide. However, the effects of coupling livestock immunisation and acaricide control on mitigating the spread of East Coast Fever (ECF) is not well understood. Effective strategies to curb the disease require an understanding of the influence of control strategies on ECF dynamics.

Prevalence of probable post-traumatic stress disorder and experiences of trauma in emerging adults living with HIV in Zimbabwe.

Background: Little is known about the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in emerging adults living with HIV in low-income countries.

Aims: Determine prevalence of trauma exposure, prevalence of probable PTSD and conditional prevalence of probable PTSD for different traumatic events; and better understand the experiences of individuals with HIV and PTSD.

Method: This mixed method study used secondary data from a cross-sectional survey of people ( = 222) aged 18 to 29 living with HIV in Zimbabwe and primary qualitative data collection.

Therapeutic interventions targeting enteropathy in severe acute malnutrition modulate systemic and vascular inflammation and epithelial regeneration.

Background: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is the most life-threatening form of undernutrition, and children hospitalised with complications have unacceptably high mortality. Complicated SAM is a multisystem disease characterised pathophysiologically by muscle wasting, systemic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and malnutrition enteropathy including epithelial barrier dysfunction. There is a clear need for novel interventions to address the underlying pathogenic perturbations of complicated SAM.