Knowledge of HIV by Health Professionals in Kampala; Uganda

Deficiencies in HIV knowledge among health care professionals is of concern because they play an instrumental role in counseling patients to reduce risk behaviors. We report here on the results of a pretest questionnaire which we administered to assess baseline levels of HIV knowledge among a group of health care providers in Kampala; Uganda; our educational intervention; and the results of the post-test questionnaire which we administered to detect changes in the level of HIV knowledge following intervention. Pre-test results indicated that the greater deficiencies in knowledge related to transmission and prevention and clinical manifes nottations of disease. Scores on the post-test; administered following a 15-hour course; indicated a significant improvement in knowledge of clinical manifestations and overall knowledge. Our findings underscore the need for ongoing HIV educational programs for health care workers

Immune activation; allergic drug toxicity and mortality in HIV-positive tuberculosis

This study was conducted to correlate serum levels of markers of immune activation with mortality and drug toxicity in HIV+TB. Design: Substudy of a randomised clinical trial of streptomycin-thiacetazone-isoniazid (STH) vs. rifampin-isiniazid-pyrazinamide (RHZ) in HIV + TB. Design: Substudy of a randomized clinical trial of streptomycin-thiacetazone-isoniazid (STH) vs. rifampin-isoniazid-pyrazinamide (RHZ) in HIV + TB. Results: Neopterinor =14 ng/mg; TNF-alpha receptorsor = 6.5 ng/ml; and negative skin test were independently associated with increased mortality (P0.01). Among STH-treated subjects; dermatologic toxicity and mortality (P0.05); although these two adverse events occurred independently. Activation markers increased from baseline after 2 months of therapy with the less rapidly bactericidal STH regimen; whereas they declined in those treated with RHZ; suggesting a relationship with continued mycobacterial replication. Conclusions: Immune activation in HIV+TB is associated with shortened survival and increased risk of drug toxicity. HIV+TB patients with elevated serum neopterin should be treated with a rapidly-bactericidal drug regimen which does not include thiacetazone

Model stimulation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda

The objective was to model the HIV/AIDS epidemic among the adult population (15-54 years) in Uganda; taking into account the sexual mixing and variability of infectiousness of an individual infected with HIV. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda is modeled using a computer simulation; based on a mathematical model; over a period of 30 years from the period the virus is anticipated to have been introduced in the population. The model examines transmission via sexual contact; blood transfusion; and intensive surgery. The results showed that HIV prevalence rates are found to be higher for uniform infectivity compared to variable infectivity; as well as for number of new partners based on a distribution compared to mean number of new sex partners. Blood transfusion was responsible for 0.09- 0.30of the HIV infection; while none were obtained from the projections for invasive surgery. It was concluded that use of uniform infectivity as well as use of categorical mean number of new sex partners may over estimate and underestimate the epidemic; respectively. Before blood was screened; it accounted for a small but significant portion of the epidemic

Model stimulation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda

The objectives was to model the HIV/AIDS epidemic among the adult population (15-54 years) in Uganda; taking into account the sexual mixing and variability of infectiousness of an individual infected with HIV. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda is modeled using a computer simulation; based on a mathematical model; over a period of 30 years from the period the virus is anticipated to have been introduced in the population. The model examines transmission via sexual contact; blood transfusion; and intensive surgery. The results showed that HIV prevalence rates are found to be higher for uniform infectivity compared to variable infectivity; as well as for number of new partners based on a distribution compared to mean number of new sex partners. Blood transfusion was responsible for 0.09- 0.30of the HIV infection; while none were obtained from the projections for invasive surgery. It was concluded that use of uniform infectivity as well as use of categorical mean number of new sex partners may over estimate and underestimate the epidemic; respectively. Before blood was screened; it accounted for a small but significant portion of the epidemic