Prevalence of hepatitis C virus seropositivity and active infection in a Rohingya refugee population in Cox's Bazar camps, Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant public health concern. Limited data have shown unusually high HCV seroprevalence among Rohingya refugees residing in camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. We aimed to assess the prevalence of HCV seropositivity and active infection and identify risk factors to inform the HCV response.

Understanding the medical challenges for the diagnosis and treatment of bilateral pitting oedema in children: a qualitative study.

Severely malnourished patients can present with bilateral pitting oedema, which is a common sign of Kwashiorkor. However, bilateral pitting oedema can also be an expression of other pathologies. In Mali and DRC, the number of children presenting with bilateral pitting oedema at MSF (Médecins Sans Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders) hospitals are up to 30% (Mali) and 49% (DRC) higher than in other countries, however, the reasons underlying this trend are unknown.

Exposure to COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stressors and Their Association With Distress, Psychological Growth and Drug Use in People With HIV in Nouvelle Aquitaine, France (ANRS CO3 AQUIVIH-NA Cohort-QuAliV-QuAliCOV Study).

We investigated people living with HIV (PLWH)'s exposure to COVID-19 pandemic stressors and their association with distress, psychological growth, and substance use. PLWH in the ANRS CO3 AQUIVIH-NA cohort's QuAliV study (Nouvelle Aquitaine, France) completed an adapted CAIR Lab Pandemic Impact Questionnaire (C-PIQ) and reported substance use between 9/2021 to 3/2022. We described cumulative stressor exposure (score 0-16) and explored variation by PLWH characteristics (demographic, HIV-related, risk factors, psychosocial).

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on ART Initiation and Access to HIV Viral Load Monitoring in Adults Living With HIV in West Africa: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis.

Objectives: Efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic have potentially compromised the availability and/or quality of HIV services. We aimed to assess the pandemic's impact on antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and HIV viral load (VL) monitoring in 3 West African countries.

Methods: We used routinely collected data from 5 clinics contributing to the International epidemiologic Database to Evaluate AIDS collaboration in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Nigeria.

Adolescents and young adults are the most undiagnosed of HIV and virally unsuppressed in Eastern and Southern Africa: Pooled analyses from five population-based surveys.

Age and gender disparities within the HIV cascade of care are critical to focus interventions efficiently. We assessed gender-age groups at the highest probability of unfavorable outcomes in the HIV cascade in five HIV prevalent settings. We performed pooled data analyses from population-based surveys conducted in Kenya, South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe between 2012 and 2016.

Growth and CD4 patterns of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV worldwide, a CIPHER cohort collaboration analysis.

Introduction: Adolescents living with HIV are subject to multiple co-morbidities, including growth retardation and immunodeficiency. We describe growth and CD4 evolution during adolescence using data from the Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER) global project.

Methods: Data were collected between 1994 and 2015 from 11 CIPHER networks worldwide.

Field evaluation of near point of care Cepheid GeneXpert HIV-1 Qual for early infant diagnosis.

Background: Access to point-of-care HIV testing shortens turn-around times, time to diagnosis and reduces loss to follow-up hence minimizing barriers to early linkage to care and treatment among HIV infected infants. Currently samples for early infant HIV diagnosis are sent to centralized testing facilities which are few and located only at specific regions in Kenya. However, there are Point of Care (POC) early infant diagnosis [EID] technologies elsewhere such as SAMBA and ALERE-Q that are yet to be evaluated in Kenya despite the urgent need for data to inform policy formulation regarding EID.

A life in waiting: Refugees' mental health and narratives of social suffering after European Union border closures in March 2016.

Rationale: In 2015, an estimated 856,723 refugees, predominantly from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq arrived in Greece as an entry point into the European Union. The border of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia closed in March 2016, blocking a popular route for refugees through Europe, and left around 60,000 people stranded in Greece.

Objective: A mixed-method study was conducted among refugees in the regions of Attica, Epirus, and Samos between November 2016 and February 2017.

Syrian refugees in Greece: experience with violence, mental health status, and access to information during the journey and while in Greece.

Background: Since 2015, Europe has been facing an unprecedented arrival of refugees and migrants: more than one million people entered via land and sea routes. During their travels, refugees and migrants often face harsh conditions, forced detention, and violence in transit countries. However, there is a lack of epidemiological quantitative evidence on their experiences and the mental health problems they face during their displacement.

Progress towards the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goals by age and gender in a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a household-based community cross-sectional survey.

Background: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has developed an ambitious strategy to end the AIDS epidemic. After eight years of antiretroviral therapy (ART) program we assessed progress towards the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets in Mbongolwane and Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional household-based community survey using a two-stage stratified cluster probability sampling strategy.

The epidemiology of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV: A cross-region global cohort analysis.

Background: Globally, the population of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV (APHs) continues to expand. In this study, we pooled data from observational pediatric HIV cohorts and cohort networks, allowing comparisons of adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV in "real-life" settings across multiple regions. We describe the geographic and temporal characteristics and mortality outcomes of APHs across multiple regions, including South America and the Caribbean, North America, Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and South and Southeast Asia.

Quantitative survey on health and violence endured by refugees during their journey and in Calais, France.

Background: In 2015, more than 1 million refugees arrived in Europe. During their travels, refugees often face harsh conditions, violence and torture in transit countries, but there is a lack of quantitative evidence on their experiences. We present the results of a retrospective survey among refugees in the 'Jungle' of Calais, France, to document their health problems and the violence they endured during their journeys.

Higher risk sexual behaviour is associated with unawareness of HIV-positivity and lack of viral suppression - implications for Treatment as Prevention.

Efficacy of Treatment as Prevention Strategy depends on a variety of factors including individuals' likelihood to test and initiate treatment, viral load and sexual behaviour. We tested the hypothesis that people with higher risk sexual behaviour are less likely to know their HIV-positive status and be virologically suppressed. A cross-sectional population-based survey of individuals aged 15-59 years old was conducted in 2013 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

A comparison of self-report and antiretroviral detection to inform estimates of antiretroviral therapy coverage, viral load suppression and HIV incidence in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.

Background: Accurately identifying individuals who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is important to determine ART coverage and proportion on ART who are virally suppressed. ART is also included in recent infection testing algorithms used to estimate incidence. We compared estimates of ART coverage, viral load suppression rates and HIV incidence using ART self-report and detection of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and we identified factors associated with discordance between the methods.

Mortality and clinical outcomes in children treated with antiretroviral therapy in four African vertical programmes during the first decade of paediatric HIV care, 2001-2010.

Objective: To assess mortality and clinical outcomes in children treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) in four African vertical programmes between 2001 and 2010.

Methods: Cohort analysis of data from HIV-infected children (<15 years old) initiating ART in four sub-Saharan HIV programmes in Kenya, Uganda and Malawi, between December 2001 and December 2010. Rates of mortality, programme attrition and first-line clinico-immunological failure were calculated by age group (<2, 2-4 and 5-14 years), 1 or 2 years after ART initiation, and risk factors were examined.

Who Needs to Be Targeted for HIV Testing and Treatment in KwaZulu-Natal? Results From a Population-Based Survey.

Introduction: Identifying gaps in HIV testing and treatment is essential to design specific strategies targeting those not accessing HIV services. We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with being HIV untested, unaware, untreated, and virally unsuppressed in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Methods: Cross-sectional population-based survey.

Task-sharing of HIV care and ART initiation: evaluation of a mixed-care non-physician provider model for ART delivery in rural Malawi.

Background: Expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa requires implementation of alternative care delivery models to traditional physician-centered approaches. This longitudinal analysis compares outcomes of patients initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) by non-physician and physician providers.

Methods: Adults (≥15 years) initiating ART between September 2007 and March 2010, and with >1 follow-up visit were included and classified according to the proportion of clinical visits performed by nurses or by clinical officers (≥ 80% of visits).

Paediatric HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa: clinical presentation and 2-year outcomes stratified by age group.

Objectives: To examine age differences in mortality and programme attrition amongst paediatric patients treated in four African HIV programmes.

Methods: Longitudinal analysis of data from patients enrolled in HIV care. Two-year mortality and programme attrition rates per 1000 person-years stratified by age group (<2, 2-4 and 5-15 years) were calculated.