Category Archives: Co-infections
Sustained virological response in special populations with chronic hepatitis C using interferon-free treatments: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational cohort studies
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis C treatment has changed considerably in recent years, and many interferon (IFN)-free therapies are now available. Considering the high rates of sustained virological response (SVR) presented...
Active case finding for communicable diseases in prison settings: Increasing testing coverage and uptake among the prison population in the European Union/European Economic Area
Prison populations are disproportionally affected by communicable diseases when compared with the general community because of a complex mix of socioeconomic determinants and environmental factors. Tailored and adequate health care...
Strategies for improving the lives of US women aged 40 and above living with HIV/AIDS: An evidence map
BACKGROUND: While in its early years the HIV epidemic affected primarily the male and the young, nowadays, the population living with HIV/AIDS is approximately 24% women, and its age composition...
Linking private, for-profit providers to public sector services for HIV and tuberculosis co-infected patients: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of infectious disease deaths worldwide and is the leading cause of death among people with HIV. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called...
Pharmacokinetics of efavirenz in patients on antituberculosis treatment in high HIV and tuberculosis burden countries: A systematic review
AIMS: Efavirenz (EFV) and Rifampicin-Isoniazid (RH) are cornerstone drugs in HIV-tuberculosis (TB) co-infection treatment but with complex drug interactions, efficacy and safety challenges. We reviewed recent data on EFV and...
Comorbidities and treatment outcomes in multidrug resistant tuberculosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Little is known about the impact of comorbidities on multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes. We aimed to examine the effect of human immunodeficiency...
Tuberculosis treatment outcomes in Ethiopia from 2003 to 2016, and impact of HIV co-infection and prior drug exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Knowledge of tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes is substantially needed to assess the performance of national TB controls programs (NTPs). To date, the overall estimates of treatment outcomes have not...
CD4 cell count threshold for cryptococcal antigen screening of HIV-infected individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Current guidelines recommend screening all people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) who have a CD4 count ≤100 cells/µL for cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) to identify those patients who could benefit...
Interferon-free direct-acting antiviral therapy for acute hepatitis C virus infection in HIV-infected individuals: A literature review
Dramatic rises in hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection rates in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals have been observed recently, largely attributable to increasing recreational drug use combined with increased testing...
HIV-positive women have higher risk of HPV infection, precancerous lesions, and cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis
OBJECTIVES: HIV-positive women have higher human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and cervical cancer (CC) incidence than HIV-negative women, partly due to HIV’s modifying effect on HPV pathogenesis. We synthesized the literature...
Diagnostic accuracy of tests to detect hepatitis B surface antigen: A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is characterised by the persistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Expanding HBV diagnosis and treatment programmes into low resource settings will require...
Is an endoscopic examination associated with transfusion-transmissible infections? A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: The purpose of a donor medical questionnaire is to identify the blood donor’s history relative to the current known blood-safety risks. A temporary deferral from blood donation after an...
