34 research outputs found
DISCORDANT RESULTS BETWEEN GENOTYPIC ASSAYS (XPERT MTB/RIF AND HAIN MTBDRPLUS) AND BACTEC MGIT 960 SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF RIFAMPICIN-RESISTANT<i>MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS</i>ISOLATES IN ZAMBIA
No full textThe Effect of HIV on the Association of Hyperglycaemia and Active Tuberculosis in Zambia, a Case–Control Study
Get PDFAbstract Objectives To determine if HIV modifies the association between hyperglycaemia and active tuberculosis in Lusaka, Zambia. Methods A case–control study among newly—diagnosed adult tuberculosis cases and population controls in three areas of Lusaka. Hyperglycaemia is determined by random blood glucose (RBG) concentration measured at the time of recruitment; active tuberculosis disease by clinical diagnosis, and HIV status by serological result. Multivariable logistic regression is used to explore the primary association and effect modification by HIV. Results The prevalence of RBG concentration ≥ 11.1 mmol/L among 3843 tuberculosis cases was 1.4% and among 6977 controls was 1.5%. Overall, the adjusted odds ratio of active tuberculosis was 1.60 (95% CI 0.91–2.82) comparing those with RBG concentration ≥ 11.1– < 11.1 mmol/L. The corresponding adjusted odds ratio among those with and without HIV was 5.47 (95% CI 1.29–23.21) and 1.17 (95% CI 0.61–2.27) respectively; p-value for effect modification by HIV = 0.042. On subgroup analysis, the adjusted odds ratio of smear/Xpert-positive tuberculosis was 2.97 (95% CI 1.49–5.90) comparing RBG concentration ≥ 11.1– < 11.1 mmol/L. Conclusions Overall, no evidence of association between hyperglycaemia and active tuberculosis was found, though among those with HIV and/or smear/Xpert-positive tuberculosis there was evidence of association. Differentiation of hyperglycaemia caused by diabetes mellitus and stress-induced hyperglycaemia secondary to tuberculosis infection is important for a better understanding of these findings
A journey in <i>Megokgo ya lethabo</i> and “Tubatse”
Get PDFWhen Groenewald (1993a: 20) examined Northern Sotho novels, he realised that certain authors have written about a journey. They have used it in different ways to achieve different aims and objectives. Groenewald is the first to emphasise the importance of a journey when an author to reveal and display his intentions in writing such a work of literary art uses it. This will be examined in full so that the importance of the journey as used as a technique can be realised. In Megokgo ya lethabo, (1992) Lentsoane uses a journey technique to resolve problems brought about by Dikgoneng's marriage. On the other hand, Mahapa (1968) uses the journey technique to contrast modern and traditional ways of living. By so doing, he creates problems because a modern philosophy of life and a traditional attitude to life are two different things.
Ge Groenewald (1993a: 20) a sekaseka dipadi tša Sesotho sa Leboa o lemogile gore go na le bangwadi ba bangwe bao ba ngwadilego ka leeto. Ba diriša leeto ka ditsela tša go fapafapana go fihlelela maikemišetšo le dinepo tša go fapafapana. Groenewald ke wa mathomo wa go gatelela bohlokwa bja leeto ge mongwadi a le diriša go utolla le go tšweletša maikemišetšo a gagwe ka mešomo yeo ya bokgabo. Taba yeo e tla tsinkelwa ka botlalo gore bohlokwa bja leeto bjalo ka ge le dirišitšwe bokathekniki bo tsupollwe. Mo go Megokgo ya lethabo (1992), Lentsoane o diriša thekniki ya leeto go rarolla mathata a go hlagišwa ke lenyalo la Dikgoneng. Ka lehlakoreng le lengwe, Mahapa (1968) yena o diriša thekniki ya leeto go fapantšha bophelo bja sebjalebjale le bja setšo. Ka go dira bjalo, o hlola mathata ka gobane tsela ya selehono ya bophelo le mokgwa wa bogologolo wa bophelo ga di nwešane a mokgako.
Key words: Technique, journey technique, traditional attitude to life, modern philosophy of life
[Jnl for Language Teaching 37(2) 2003: 237-248
Diagnosis of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: Discordant results by diagnostic methods.
Get PDFThe performance of the Xpert© MTB/RIF and MTBDRplus assays for the detection of rifampicin resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis was compared to culture-based drug susceptibility testing in 30 specimens with rifampicin-resistant and rifampicin-indeterminate Xpert MTB/RIF results collected between March 2012 and March 2014. Xpert MTB/RIF and MTBDRplus were 100% sensitive and 100% concordant for rifampicin resistance detection, but 3 of 13 samples (23%) positive for rifampicin resistance on Xpert MTB/RIF and MTBDRplus were negative for rifampicin resistance on mycobacteria growth indicator tube drug susceptibility testing. Specificity was 72% for Xpert MTB/RIF and 80% for MTBDRplus. Positive predictive value for Xpert MTB/RIF for multidrug resistant tuberculosis was 47.8% for new patients and 77.8% for previously treated patients; negative predictive value was 100% for both new and previously treated patients. The discordant rifampicin resistance test results indicate a need to fully characterise circulating rifampicin resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Zambia and to inform the development of guidelines for decision-making in relation to diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis
Precision of the Kalon Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 IgG ELISA: an international inter-laboratory assessment
Get PDFCITATION: Patel, Eshan U., et al. 2015. Precision of the Kalon Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 IgG ELISA : an international inter-laboratory assessment. BMC Infectious Diseases, 15:398, doi:10.1186/s12879-015-1130-6.The original publication is available at http://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.comBackground: The commercial Kalon HSV-2 IgG ELISA is currently recommended for research use in sub-Saharan
Africa because of its superior accuracy compared to other serologic assays. However, there are no data on key
precision parameters of Kalon such as inter-operator variation, repeatability, and reproducibility, thus contributing to
a barrier for its acceptance and use in clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated the analytical and field
precision of the Kalon HSV-2 IgG ELISA.
Methods: A total of 600 HIV-infected and uninfected serum samples from South Africa and Zambia, previously
tested by the gold standard University of Washington HSV western blot (UW-WB), were tested using Kalon by two
technologists in an United States reference laboratory. Aliquots of 183 samples were retested using Kalon by an
on-site technologist in a South African laboratory and a Zambian laboratory.
Results: Intra-assay variation was below 10 %. Intra-assay, intra-laboratory, and inter-laboratory correlation and
agreement were significantly high (p < 0.01). In comparison to the UW-WB, accurate performance of Kalon was
reproducible by each operator and laboratory. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated high
selectivity of Kalon in the overall study population (area under the curve = 0.95, 95%CI = 0.92–0.97).
Discussion: Kalon is a robust assay with high precision and reproducibility. Accordingly, operator errorlikely does
not contribute to the variability observed in Kalon’s specificity throughout sera from sub-Saharan Africa.
Conclusions: In populations with optimal diagnostic accuracy, Kalon is a reliable stand-alone method for on-site
HSV-2 IgG antibody detection.http://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-015-1130-6Publisher's versio
Prevalence and risk factors of M tuberculosis infection in young people across 14 communities in Zambia and South Africa.
Get PDFBACKGROUND: From 2018-2021 the TB Reduction through Expanded Antiretroviral Treatment and TB Screening (TREATS) project took place in 21 Zambian and South African communities. The TREATS Incidence of TB Infection Cohort Study was conducted in adolescents and young people (AYP), aged 15-24 years in 14 communities. We describe the baseline prevalence and risk factors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) infection among this cohort and explore the quantitative QFT-Plus interferon gamma (IFN-γ) responses.
METHODS AND FINDINGS: A random sample of approximately 300 AYP per community were recruited and information on TB/HIV risk factors, TB symptoms and social mixing patterns collected. QuantiFERON TB Gold Plus assay (QFT-Plus) was used to detect M. tuberculosis infection, following manufacturer's instructions. Logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with infection. 5577 eligible AYP were invited to participate across both countries, with 4648 enrolled. QFT-Plus results were available for 4529: 2552(Zambia) and 1977(South Africa). Overall, 47.6% (2156/4529) AYP had positive QFT-Plus results, the prevalence of infection in South Africa being twice that in Zambia (64.7% (1280/1977) vs 34.3% (867/2552) p0.6 IU/ml) of the assay at baseline showed no evidence of association with recent TB exposure.
CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of infection in AYP warrants urgent action to address TB control, especially in South Africa. Further research is required to delineate antigen tube responses of the QFT-Plus assay more precisely to fully realise the benefit of the additional TB2 tube in high TB/HIV burden settings
Erratum to: Precision of the Kalon Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 IgG ELISA: an international inter-laboratory assessment.
Get PDFComparing patterns of recent and remote Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection determined using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assay in a high TB burden setting.
Get PDFOne quarter of the world's population is estimated to be infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Identifying recent TB infection (TBI) offers an avenue to targeted TB preventative therapy provision, and prevention to disease progression. However, detecting recent TBI remains challenging. The QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assay (QFT-Plus) claims to have improved sensitivity in detecting recent TBI, by the addition of the TB2 antigen tube to the TB1 tube used in previous tests. TB2 detects CD8-mediated interferon gamma response, a potential marker of recent infection. We compared QFT-Plus TB1 and TB2 responses in individuals with recent and remote infection in high-burden settings. The Tuberculosis Reduction through Expanded Antiretroviral Treatment and TB Screening (TREATS) Project followed a cohort of adolescents and young people (AYP) aged 15-24 years in Zambia and South Africa to determine TBI incidence measured by QFT-Plus over 24 months. We categorised individuals with QTF-Plus positive result into recent and remote infection. We compared their TB1 and TB2 responses and the antigen tube differential [TB2-TB1], an indicator of CD8-activity, using logistic regression. At baseline, 3876 AYP, 1852/3876 (47.8%) were QFT-Plus positive whilst 2024/3876 (52.2%) QFT-Plus negative. Of the QFT-Plus baseline positives, 1069/1852 (57.7%) tested positive at both 12 and 24 months-remote infection. Of the QFT-Plus baseline negatives, 274/2024(13.3%) converted within a 12-month period- recent infection. TB1 and TB2 responses were higher in remote than recent infection. In recent infection, TB2 responses were greater than TB1 responses. The mean differential was 0.01 IU/ml in recent and -0.22 IU/ml in remote infection, (p = 0.145). The quantitative QFT-Plus results did not appear to reflect a marked distinction between recent and remote infection. Further analysis of the responses of infected individuals who developed disease is required to determine whether any signal in QFT-Plus results may predict progression to disease
The impact of a combined TB/HIV intervention on the incidence of TB infection among adolescents and young adults in the HPTN 071 (PopART) trial communities in Zambia and South Africa.
Get PDFBACKGROUND: HPTN071 (PopART) was a cluster randomized trial conducted in Zambian and South African (SA) communities, between 2013-2018. The PopART intervention (universal HIV-testing and treatment (UTT) combined with population-level TB symptom screening) was implemented in 14 communities. The TREATS study (2017-2021) was conducted to evaluate the impact of the PopART intervention on TB outcomes. We report on the impact of the combined TB/HIV intervention on the incidence of TB infection in a cohort of adolescents and young adults (AYA) aged 15-24 years.
METHODS: A random sample of AYA was enrolled between July 2018 and July 2019 in 7 intervention vs 7 standard-of-care communities. We collected questionnaire data on risk factors for TB, and blood for measuring TB infection using QuantiFERON (QFT) Plus. AYA were seen at months 12 and 24 with all procedures repeated. Primary outcome was incidence of TB infection comparing intervention and standard-of-care communities. An incident case was defined as a participant with QFT interferon-gamma response of = 0.7 IU/ml ('positive') at follow up.
RESULTS: We enrolled 4,648 AYA, 2,223 (47.8%) had a negative QFT-plus result at baseline, 1,902 (85.6%) had a follow up blood sample taken at 12 months or 24 months. Among the 1,902 AYA, followed for 2,987 person-years, 213 had incident TB infection giving (7.1 per 100 person-years). TB infection incidence rates were 8.7 per 100 person-years in intervention communities compared to 6.0 per 100 person-years in standard-of-care communities. There was no evidence the intervention reduced the transmission of TB (incidence-rate-ratio of 1.45, 95%CI 0.97-2.15, p = 0.063).
CONCLUSION: In our trial setting, we found no evidence that UTT combined with TB active case finding reduced the incidence of TB infection at population level. Our data will inform future modelling work to better understand the population level dynamics of HIV and TB
The burden and natural history of cardiac pathology at TB diagnosis in a high-HIV prevalence district in Zambia: protocol for the TB-Heart study.
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a major cause of death across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In parallel, non-communicable disease and especially cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden has increased substantially in the region. Cardiac manifestations of TB are well-recognised but the extent to which they co-exist with pulmonary TB (PTB) has not been systematically evaluated. The aim of this study is to improve understanding of the burden of cardiac pathology in PTB in those living with and without HIV in a high-burden setting. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional and natural history study to evaluate the burden and natural history of cardiac pathology in participants with PTB in Lusaka, Zambia, a high burden setting for TB and HIV. Participants with PTB, with and without HIV will be consecutively recruited alongside age- and sex-matched TB-uninfected comparators on a 2:1 basis. Participants will undergo baseline assessments to collect clinical, socio-demographic, functional, laboratory and TB disease impact data followed by point-of-care and standard echocardiography. Participants with PTB will undergo further repeat clinical and functional examination at two- and six months follow-up. Those with cardiac pathology at baseline will undergo repeat echocardiography at six months. DISCUSSION: The outcomes of the study are to a) determine the burden of cardiac pathology at TB diagnosis, b) describe its association with patient-defining risk factors and biochemical markers of cardiac injury and stretch and c) describe the natural history of cardiac pathology during the course of TB treatment
