Viewpoint: Why do we need a point-of-care CD4 test for low-income countries?

In this paper, we discuss the reasons why we urgently need a point-of-care (POC) CD4 test, elaborate the problems we have experienced with the current technology which hampers CD4-count coverage and highlight the ideal characteristics of a universal CD4 POC test. It is high-time that CD4 technology is simplified and adapted for wider use in low-income countries to change the current paradigm of restricted access once and for all.

Outcomes in HIV-infected patients who develop tuberculosis after starting antiretroviral treatment in Malawi.

A retrospective review was conducted of patients starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) at Mzuzu Central Hospital, Malawi, to identify those who developed tuberculosis (TB) within 6 months of commencing ART and document their treatment outcomes. Of 2933 patients, 22 (0.75%) developed active TB, 17 (77%) of whom had commenced ART as a result of unexplained weight loss and/or fever. Of those who developed TB, 41% successfully completed anti-tuberculosis treatment, with lower survival probabilities than patients who did not develop TB. Easier methods are needed to diagnose TB in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients and to prevent patients from developing TB while on ART.

Outcomes of HIV-infected children with tuberculosis who are started on antiretroviral therapy in Malawi.

SETTING: Mzuzu Central Hospital, in the northern region of Malawi, which provides free antiretroviral therapy (ART) to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected adults and children, including those with tuberculosis (TB). OBJECTIVES: To compare outcomes in HIV-infected children who have been started on ART because of 1) active TB, 2) a past history of TB in the last 2 years and 3) a non-TB diagnosis. DESIGN: Retrospective data collection using ART patient master cards and ART patient registers. RESULTS: Between July 2004 and September 2006, 439 (11%) children of a total 3908 patients were started on ART. There were 29 with active TB, 56 with a past history of TB in the last 2 years and 354 with a non-TB diagnosis. The three groups were similar in nutritional indices and CD4-lymphocyte percentages. The 6-month probability of survival was 0.86 in the active TB group, 0.94 in the past history of TB group and 0.89 in the non-TB group. 12-month survival probability for the same groups was 0.86, 0.86 and 0.88, respectively. CONCLUSION: HIV-infected children with active and previous TB who are started on ART have good outcomes that are similar to those of children started on ART due to a non-TB diagnosis.

Outcomes of tuberculosis patients who start antiretroviral therapy under routine programme conditions in Malawi.

SETTING: Public sector facilities in Malawi providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients, including those with tuberculosis (TB). OBJECTIVES: To compare 6-month and 12-month cohort treatment outcomes of HIV-positive TB patients and HIV-positive non-TB patients treated with ART. DESIGN: Retrospective data collection using ART patient master cards and ART patient registers. RESULTS: Between July and September 2005, 7905 patients started ART, 6967 with a non-TB diagnosis and 938 with a diagnosis of active TB. 6-month cohort outcomes of non-TB and TB patients censored on 31 March 2006 showed significantly more TB patients alive and on ART (77%) compared with non-TB patients (71%) (P < 0.001). Between January and March 2005, 4580 patients started ART, 4179 with a non-TB diagnosis and 401 with a diagnosis of active TB. 12-month cohort outcomes of non-TB and TB patients censored on 31 March 2006 showed significantly more TB patients alive and on ART (74%) compared with non-TB patients (66%) (P < 0.001). Other outcomes of default and transfer out were also significantly less frequent in TB compared with non-TB patients. CONCLUSION: HIV-positive TB patients on ART in Malawi have generally good treatment outcomes, and more patients need to access this HIV treatment.

Cervical spinal cord injuries in patients with refractory epilepsy.

The incidence of cervical spinal cord injuries (c-SCI) in patients with refractory epilepsy is 30-40 times higher than in the normal population. The injuries occur after seizure-related falls. Risk factors and pitfalls in diagnosis are discussed. Awareness of the risk within this population of developing c-SCI should receive more widely recognition, especially in centres that treat this population.

Scaling up antiretroviral therapy in Africa: learning from tuberculosis control programmes--the case of Malawi.

The rapid and massive scale-up of antiretroviral drug therapy (ART) so needed in sub-Saharan Africa will not be possible using a 'medicalised' model. A more simple approach is required. DOTS has been used now for many years to provide successful anti-tuberculosis treatment to millions of patients in poor countries of the world, and many of the established concepts can be used for the delivery of ART. Malawi, a small and impoverished country in sub-Saharan Africa, is embarking on a national scale-up of ART. In this review we describe how we have adopted several of the principles of DOTS for delivering ART in Malawi: case finding and registration, treatment, monitoring, drug procurement, staffing and the issue of free drugs. We also discuss ART for HIV-infected TB patients. We hope that by using the DOTS approach we will be able to deliver ART to large numbers of HIV-infected patients under controlled conditions, and minimise the risk of developing drug resistance.

Scaling up HIV/AIDS and joint HIV-TB services in Malawi.

Two country-wide surveys were undertaken to assess progress in scaling up human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and HIV-tuberculosis (TB) services in the public health sector in Malawi between 2002 and 2003. In 2003, 118 sites were performing counselling and HIV testing compared with 70 in 2002. There were 215 269 HIV tests carried out in 2003 compared with 149 540 in 2002, the largest increases being in pregnant women (from 5059 to 26791), patients with TB (from 2130 to 3983) and patients/clients attending health facilities (from 35 407 to 79 584). In 2003, 3703 patients with AIDS were started on antiretroviral therapy compared with 1220 patients in 2002.

Retention and attrition during the preparation phase and after start of antiretroviral treatment in Thyolo, Malawi, and Kibera, Kenya: implications for programmes?

Among adults eligible for antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Thyolo (rural Malawi) and Kibera (Nairobi, Kenya), this study (a) reports on retention and attrition during the preparation phase and after starting ART and (b) identifies risk factors associated with attrition. 'Retention' implies being alive and on follow-up, whilst 'attrition' implies loss to follow-up, death or stopping treatment (if on ART). There were 11,309 ART-eligible patients from Malawi and 3633 from Kenya, of whom 8421 (74%) and 2792 (77%), respectively, went through the preparation phase and started ART. In Malawi, 2649 patients (23%) were lost to attrition in the preparation phase and 2189 (26%) after starting ART. Similarly, in Kenya 546 patients (15%) were lost to attrition in the ART preparation phase and 647 (23%) while on ART. Overall programme attrition was 43% (4838/11,309) for Malawi and 33% (1193/3633) for Kenya. Restricting cohort evaluation to 'on ART' (as is usually done) underestimates overall programme attrition by 38% in Malawi and 36% in Kenya. Risk factors associated with attrition in the preparation phase included male sex, age <35 years, advanced HIV/AIDS disease and increasing malnutrition. Considerable attrition occurs during the preparation phase of ART, and programme evaluations confined to on-treatment analysis significantly underestimate attrition. This has important operational implications, which are discussed here.

Reasons for loss to follow-up among mothers registered in a prevention-of-mother-to-child transmission program in rural Malawi.

This study was conducted to identify reasons for a high and progressive loss to follow-up among HIV-positive mothers within a prevention-of-mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) program in a rural district hospital in Malawi. Three focus group discussions were conducted among a total of 25 antenatal and post-natal mothers as well as nurse midwives (median age 39 years, range 22-55 years). The main reasons for loss to follow-up included: (1) not being prepared for HIV testing and its implications before the antenatal clinic (ANC) visit; (2) fear of stigma, discrimination, household conflict and even divorce on disclosure of HIV status; (3) lack of support from husbands who do not want to undergo HIV testing; (4) the feeling that one is obliged to rely on artificial feeding, which is associated with social and cultural taboos; (5) long waiting times at the ANC; and (6) inability to afford transport costs related to the long distances to the hospital. This study reveals a number of community- and provider-related operational and cultural barriers hindering the overall acceptability of PMTCT that need to be addressed urgently. Mothers attending antenatal services need to be better informed and supported, at both community and health-provider level.