Category Archives: Co-infections
Clostridium difficile: A healthcare-associated infection of unknown significance in adults in sub-Saharan Africa
BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) causes a high burden of disease in high-resource healthcare systems, with significant morbidity, mortality, and financial implications. CDI is a healthcare-associated infection for which the...
Risk of late relapse or reinfection with hepatitis C virus after achieving a sustained virological response: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) can lead to sustained virological response (SVR) in over 90% of people. Subsequent recurrence of HCV, either from late relapse or reinfection, reverses...
Discontinuation from antiretroviral therapy: A continuing challenge among adults in HIV care in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Discontinuation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces the immunological benefit of treatment and increases complications related to human immune-deficiency virus (HIV). However, the risk factors for ART discontinuation are poorly...
Hepatitis C virus seroprevalence in adults in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
With the introduction of more efficient treatments for hepatitis C virus (HCV), improved epidemiological information is required at the country level to allow evidence-based policymaking for elaboration of national strategies...
Less research on tuberculosis than HIV and malaria when research agendas are poorly coordinated: A systematic review of research outputs from Cambodia
OBJECTIVE: Coordination of health interventions and research is often weak during periods of political transition and unprecedented aid inflows, which Cambodia has recently experienced. Although HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria...
Systematic review of outbreaks of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: Evidence that P. jirovecii is a transmissible organism and the implications for healthcare infection control
BACKGROUND: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Several nosocomial outbreaks of PCP have been reported in human-immunodeficiency-virus-negative, immunocompromised patients. The primary...
Mortality in children diagnosed with tuberculosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Case fatality ratios in children with tuberculosis are poorly understood-particularly those among children with HIV and children not receiving tuberculosis treatment. We did a systematic review of published work...
Association between diabetes mellitus and active tuberculosis in Africa and the effect of HIV
OBJECTIVE: To determine current evidence for the association between diabetes and active tuberculosis in Africa, and how HIV modifies, or not, any association between diabetes and active tuberculosis. METHODS: We...
Mental disorders in HIV/HCV coinfected patients under antiviral treatment for hepatitis C
This paper aims to review the epidemiology and management of mental disorders in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected patients, the need for antiviral therapy in this specific...
Systematic review and meta-analysis of hepatitis C virus infection and HIV viral load: New insights into epidemiologic synergy
INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV infection frequently co-occur due to shared transmission routes. Co-infection is associated with higher HCV viral load (VL), but less is known about the...