Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Future approaches to clearing the latent human immunodeficiency virus reservoir: Beyond latency reversal
Conclusion: Future approaches to clearing the latent reservoir may bypass latency reversal through the use of drugs that selectively induce apoptosis in infected cells. Several classes of these pro-apoptotic drugs have shown promise inin vitro andex vivo studies, and may represent the basis of a future functional cure for HIV. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - August 11, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Alexander M.L. Hayes Source Type: research

Understanding adherence in virally suppressed and unsuppressed human immunodeficiency virus-positive urban patients on second-line antiretroviral treatment
Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the importance of improving patients ’ knowledge about adherence and motivation to continue ART use despite the persistence of side effects and difficulties with taking medication. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - August 10, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Siphamandla B. Gumede Source Type: research

Antiretroviral therapy optimisation in the time of COVID-19: Is it really different in North and South Africa?
No abstract available. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - July 29, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Ahmed Cordie Source Type: research

The spectrum of electrolyte abnormalities in black African people living with human immunodeficiency virus and diabetes mellitus at Edendale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Conclusion: Hypocalcaemia and hyponatraemia were the most frequent electrolyte abnormalities and occurred more frequently in PLWH/DM compared with HIV-uninfected patients with DM. People living with HIV and DM have significantly lower corrected serum calcium levels compared with HIV-uninfected patients with DM. Furthermore, hyponatraemia is a marker of impaired glycaemic control. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - July 22, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Preyanka Pillay Source Type: research

Patient acceptance of HIV testing services in rural emergency departments in South Africa
Conclusions: Despite national guidelines, a high proportion of individuals remain undiagnosed, of which a majority are young men. Our study demonstrated high patient acceptance of ED-based HCT. There is a need for investment and innovation regarding effective pain management and confidential service delivery to address patient barriers. Findings support a routine, non-targeted HCT strategy in EDs. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - July 21, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Aditi Rao Source Type: research

Retention in care for adolescents who were newly initiated on antiretroviral therapy in the Cape Metropole in South Africa
Conclusion: Key interventions are needed to motivate adolescents to remain in care, and to adhere to their treatment regimen to achieve the target of 90% viral load suppression, with specific emphasis on older and pregnant adolescents. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - July 21, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Brian van Wyk Source Type: research

Paediatric antiretroviral overdose: A case report from a resource-poor area
Conclusion: In an area endemic for HIV and where antiretroviral drug use is commonplace, there is a need for health education to ensure that parents keep drugs out of the reach of children. In the case of a suspected overdose, parents need to be reminded to seek medical attention immediately. Physician awareness of the clinical presentation, management and challenges with an antiretroviral drug overdose is also important. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - July 20, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Bryan A. Ogoti Source Type: research

Evaluation of the impact of delayed centrifugation on the diagnostic performance of serum creatinine as a baseline measure of renal function before antiretroviral treatment
Conclusion: The analysis of serum creatinine using the isotope dilution mass spectrometry traceable kinetic Jaffe method is unreliable if performed on samples centrifuged ≥ 6 h after collection. The raised creatinine concentration can affect clinical decisions such as renal functional assessment, choice of antiretroviral drug or regimen, and the dose and frequency of medication. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - July 15, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Chemedzai E. Chikomba Source Type: research

The updated South African National Guideline for the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of Communicable Infections (2019)
No abstract available. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - July 7, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Jeanette Wessels Source Type: research

Characteristics and outcomes of older people on antiretroviral therapy in Tlokwe Clinics, South Africa
Conclusion: Although the level of VL suppression in this cohort was high, greater effort is required to bring this in line with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) recommendations viz. 90% viral suppression in PLWH by 2030. Further research is needed to define the evolving long-term needs of OPLWH and to facilitate entry into care of those currently not in care. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - July 6, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Mareike Rabe Source Type: research

Case report: Emergence of dolutegravir resistance in a patient on second-line antiretroviral therapy
Conclusion: To our knowledge this is the first case report from South Africa of emergent dolutegravir resistance in a treatment-experienced, integrase inhibitor-na ïve patient. Factors that may have contributed to resistance emergence in this patient were that there was only one fully active nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor in the regimen and lower exposure to dolutegravir because of the reduced dosing frequency while on rifampicin. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - July 1, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Kairoonisha Mahomed Source Type: research

Late diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus infection is linked to higher rates of epilepsy in children in the Eastern Cape of South Africa
Conclusions: In this descriptive study, the prevalence of epilepsy among children with HIV was 2.48%, mostly diagnosed in advanced HIV-disease stages. Our findings support the usefulness of early detection and initiation of ART in HIV-infected children in order to reduce the risk of epilepsy. In addition, our study demonstrates that novel techniques are effective in accessing cohort-level data that allow interrogation of both structured and unstructured clinical data. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - June 29, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Isabel A. Michaelis Source Type: research

Evaluation of a mobile application to support HIV self-testing in Johannesburg, South Africa
Conclusion: Despite some challenges with IFU interpretation and data capture via the app, this pilot showed that the AspectTM HIVST app is an acceptable way to upload mobile HIVST results and demographic information to a central database. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - June 29, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Natasha Gous Source Type: research

Changes in the incidence and prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in the South African medical schemes environment: 2005 –2015
Conclusion: There has been an increase in the number of SA-PLWH accessing treatment in the medical scheme environment. The high prevalence of HIV infection among older members should signal concern that HIV-related comorbid conditions are likely to become a growing component of care required by PLWH utilizing the SA private healthcare sector. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - June 28, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Floidy Wafawanaka Source Type: research

Empowering parents for human immunodeficiency virus prevention: Health and sex education at home
Conclusion: Parent-led health education in the home seems feasible, acceptable and effective and should be capitalised on in HIV prevention strategies. Further testing in controlled studies is recommended. (Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine)
Source: Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine - June 28, 2020 Category: African Health Authors: Taygen Edwards Source Type: research