Prevalence and incidence rate of tuberculosis among HIV-infected patients enrolled in HIV care, treatment, and support program in mainland Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Despite improvements in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), mortality in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) is still high and primarily attributed to tuberculosis (TB) infection. In Sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 80% of HIV-related mortality cases are associated with TB. Relatively little is known about the incidence of TB among PLHIV in Tanzania and the determinant factors. We report the prevalence and incidence rate of confirmed TB and determine association with selected demographic and program-related factors based on data in the national HIV care and treatment program from 2011 to 2014. METHODS: We used the Tanzania National AIDS Control Programme database to obtain information on all HIV clients enrolled in the HIV care and treatment program between January 2011 and December 2014. We analyzed retrospective cohort data to assess the prevalence and TB incidence rate per 1000 person-years. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for putatively associated factors. RESULTS: Over 4 years, there were 22,071 confirmed cases of pulmonary TB in 1,323,600 person-years. The overall TB incidence was around 16.7 (95% CI 16.4-16.9) cases per 1000 person-years. The annual incidence rate decreased by 12.4 % from 17.0 (95% CI 16.5-17.4) in 2011 to 14.9 (95% CI 14.5-15.4) in 2014. The TB incidence rate was higher in persons not using ART and in males than in females. The incidence of TB was higher in patients with advanced HIV disease and decreased with increasing age. The overall prevalence of TB was 2.2%, with a peak prevalence of 2.5% in 2013 and was higher among children < 15 years (3.2%) in the same year. CONCLUSION: The study found an overall decrease in the incidence of TB in PLHIV. Our results emphasize the need for early initiation of ART and the provision of TB preventive therapy for those PLHIV without active TB after intensified TB case-finding.

Preliminary insights into the occurrence of similar clones of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria in humans, animals and the environment in Tanzania: A systematic review and meta-analysis between 2005 and 2016.

The emergence and spread of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) are complex and of the public health concern across the globe. This review aimed at assessing the ESBL-PE clones circulating in humans, animals and the environment to provide evidence-based insights for combating ESBL-PE using One Health approach. Systematic search from Medline/PubMed, Google Scholar and African Journals Online was carried out and retrieved nine eligible articles (of 131) based on phenotypic and genotypic detection of ESBL-PE between 2005 and 2016 in Tanzania. Analysis was performed using STATA 11.0 software to delineate the prevalence of ESBL-PE, phenotypic resistance profiles and clones circulating in the three interfaces. The overall prevalence of ESBL-PE in the three interfaces was 22.6% (95% CI: 21.1-24.2) with the predominance of Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains (51.6%). The majority of ESBL-PE were resistant to the commonly used antimicrobials such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline/doxycycline, 38%-55% were resistant to ciprofloxacin and all were sensitive to meropenem/imipenem. ESBL-PE infections were more associated with deaths compared to non-ESBL-PE infections. Strikingly, E. coli ST38, ST131 and ST2852 were found to intersect variably across the three interfaces. The predominant allele, blaCTX-M-15, was found mostly in the conjugative IncF plasmids connoting transmission potential. The high prevalence of ESBL-PE and shared clones across the three interfaces, including the global E. coli ST131 clone, indicates wide and inter-compartmental spread that calls for One Health genomic-driven studies to track the resistome flow.

Isolation and Potential for Transmission of Mycobacterium bovis at Human-livestock-wildlife Interface of the Serengeti Ecosystem, Northern Tanzania.

Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), is a multihost pathogen of public health and veterinary importance. We characterized the M. bovis isolated at the human-livestock-wildlife interface of the Serengeti ecosystem to determine the epidemiology and risk of cross-species transmission between interacting hosts species. DNA was extracted from mycobacterial cultures obtained from sputum samples of 472 tuberculosis (TB) suspected patients and tissue samples from 606 livestock and wild animal species. M. bovis isolates were characterized using spoligotyping and Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Units-Variable Tandem Repeats (MIRU-VNTR) on 24 loci. Only 5 M. bovis were isolated from the cultured samples. Spoligotyping results revealed that three M. bovis isolates from two buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) and 1 African civet (Civettictis civetta) belonged to SB0133 spoligotype. The two novel strains (AR1 and AR2) assigned as spoligotype SB2290 and SB2289, respectively, were identified from indigenous cattle (Bos indicus). No M. bovis was detected from patients with clinical signs consistent with TB. Of the 606 animal tissue specimens and sputa of 472 TB-suspected patients 43 (7.09%) and 12 (2.9%), respectively, yielded non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), of which 20 isolates were M. intracellulare. No M. avium was identified. M. bovis isolates from wildlife had 45.2% and 96.8% spoligotype pattern agreement with AR1 and AR2 strains, respectively. This finding indicates that bTB infections in wild animals and cattle were epidemiologically related. Of the 24 MIRU-VNTR loci, QUB 11b showed the highest discrimination among the M. bovis strains. The novel strains obtained in this study have not been previously reported in the area, but no clear evidence for recent cross-species transmission of M. bovis was found between human, livestock and wild animals.

Detection of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli in Market-Ready Chickens in Zambia.

The frequent administering of antibiotics in the treatment of poultry diseases may contribute to emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase- (ESBL-) producing Escherichia coli in poultry in Zambia. A total of 384 poultry samples were collected and analyzed for ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The cultured E. coli isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests and the polymerase chain reaction for detection of bla CTX-M, bla SHV, and bla TEM genes. Overall 20.1%, 77/384, (95% CI; 43.2-65.5%) of total samples analyzed contained ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The antimicrobial sensitivity test revealed that 85.7% (66/77; CI: 75.7-92) of ESBL-producing E. coli isolates conferred resistance to beta-lactam and other antimicrobial agents. These results indicate that poultry is a potential reservoir for ESBL-producing Escherichia coli. The presence of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in poultry destined for human consumption requires strengthening of the antibiotic administering policy. This is important as antibiotic administration in food animals is gaining momentum for improved animal productivity in developing countries such as Zambia.

Nutritional status of HIV-infected women with tuberculosis in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

SETTING: Tuberculosis (TB) treatment clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. OBJECTIVE: To quantify anthropometrics and intake of en-ergy and protein among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive women with TB. DESIGN: HIV-positive women with newly diagnosed TB were assessed on their anthropometric characteristics and dietary intake. Energy and protein intake were determined using Tanzania food composition tables and compared with standard recommendations. Patients were re-evaluated after 4-6 months of anti-tuberculosis treatment. RESULTS: Among 43 women, the baseline median CD4 count was 209 cells/µl (range 8-721); 19 (44%) had a CD4 count of <200; 20 (47%) were on antiretroviral therapy. Body mass index was <18.5 kg/m(2) in 25 (58%); the median food insecurity score was 6. The median level of kcal/day was 1693 (range 1290-2633) compared to an estimated need of 2658; the median deficit was 875 kcal (range -65-1278). The median level of protein/day was 42 g (range 27-67) compared to 77 g estimated need; the median protein deficit was 35 g (range 10-50). The median weight gain among 29 patients after 4-6 months was 6 kg. CONCLUSION: HIV-positive women with TB have substantial 24-h deficits in energy and protein intake, report significant food insecurity and gain minimal weight on anti-tuberculosis treatment. Enhanced dietary education together with daily supplementation of 1000 kcal with 40 g protein may be required.

Completion of isoniazid preventive therapy and survival in HIV-infected, TST-positive adults in Tanzania.

SETTING: The World Health Organization recommends the use of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients with a positive tuberculin skin test (TST). However, due to concerns about the effectiveness of IPT in community health care settings and the development of drug resistance, these recommendations have not been widely implemented in countries where tuberculosis (TB) and HIV co-infection is common. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of IPT on survival and TB incidence among HIV-infected patients in Tanzania. DESIGN: A cohort study nested within a randomized trial of HIV-infected adults with baseline CD4 counts of ≥ 200 cells/µ l was conducted to compare survival and incidence of active TB between TST-positive subjects who did or did not complete 6 months of IPT in the period 2001-2008. RESULTS: Of 558 TST-positive subjects in the analytic cohort, 488 completed 6 months of IPT and 70 did not. Completers had a decrease in mortality compared to non-completers (HR 0.4, 95%CI 0.2-0.8). However, the protective effect of IPT on the incidence of active TB was non-significant (HR 0.6, 95%CI 0.3-1.3). CONCLUSION: Completion of IPT is associated with increased survival in HIV-infected adults with CD4 counts ≥ 200 cells/µ l and a positive TST.

Disseminated tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus infection: ineffective immunity, polyclonal disease and high mortality.

BACKGROUND: Disseminated tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of death in patients with the acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS), but its pathogenesis and clinical features have not been defined prospectively. METHODS: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected adults with a CD4 count ≥ 200 cells/µl and bacille Calmette-Guérin scar underwent immunologic evaluation and subsequent follow-up. RESULTS: Among 20 subjects who developed disseminated TB, baseline tuberculin skin tests were ≥15 mm in 14 (70%) and lymphocyte proliferative responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis were positive in 14 (70%). At the time of diagnosis, fever ≥2 weeks plus ≥5 kg weight loss was reported in 16 (80%) patients, abnormal chest X-rays in 7/17 (41%), and positive sputum cultures in 10 (50%); median CD4 count was 30 cells/µl (range 1-122). By insertion sequence (IS) 6110 analysis, 14 (70%) blood isolates were clustered and 3/8 (37%) concurrent sputum isolates represented a different strain (polyclonal disease). Empiric TB treatment was given to eight (40%) patients; 11 (55%) died within a month. CONCLUSIONS: Disseminated TB in HIV occurs with cellular immune responses indicating prior mycobacterial infection, and IS6110 analysis suggests an often lethal combination of reactivation and newly acquired infection. Control will require effective prevention of both remotely and recently acquired infection, and wider use of empiric therapy in patients with advanced AIDS and prolonged fever.

Low BMI and falling BMI predict HIV-associated tuberculosis: a prospective study in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Low body mass index (BMI) is a known risk factor for tuberculosis (TB) in people without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but there are no prospective studies linking BMI to the risk of HIV-associated TB. DESIGN: In HIV-infected adults with CD4 counts ≥ 200 cells/µl receiving placebo in a TB booster vaccine trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, we measured BMI at baseline and Year 1, and related baseline BMI and change in BMI to the risk of developing TB. RESULTS: We documented 92 cases of TB among 979 subjects followed for a mean of 3.2 years. Compared to subjects who did not develop TB, subjects who developed TB had a lower baseline BMI (23.2 vs. 24.6 kg/m(2), P = 0.006), and a greater BMI decline from baseline to Year 1 (-0.4 vs. 0.6 kg/m(2), P < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, baseline BMI was associated with the risk of developing TB (hazard ratio [HR] per kg/m(2) 0.94, 95%CI 0.90-0.99, P = 0.028), as was the change in BMI from baseline to Year 1 (HR per kg/m(2) 0.79, 95%CI 0.71-0.87, P < 0.001). Subjects with a baseline BMI < 17 kg/m(2) were more likely to develop TB (HR 3.72, 95%CI 1.16-12.0, P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Low and falling BMI predict HIV-associated TB.

Three years of HIV/AIDS care and treatment services in Tanzania: achievements and challenges.

The Tanzania HIV Care and Treatment Plan was launched in October 2004 aiming at providing 440,000 AIDS patients with antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and track disease progression in 1.2 million HIV+ persons by the end of the 2008. This paper is intended to provide information to stake holders of the achievements and challenges of the HIV Care and Treatment Plan since its inception in 2004. Facility patient reports are aggregated at district and then regional level before being sent to the national level where they are aggregated to form a national report. By December 2007, 210 health facilities were offering HIV care and treatment services in Tanzania. About 123,147 (5%) of the 2,636,785 estimated people living with HIV and AIDS were enrolled, and 71,439 (13.6%) of the estimated 527,357 AIDS cases commenced ART. More females than males started ART, F:M ratio being 3:2. Most (49%) patients were started ART due to low CD4 counts (< 200). About 6,618 patients had their initial ARV regimen changed due to starting anti-TB treatment 679 (10%), peripheral neuropathy 812 (12%), skin rash 378 (6%), and stock out 247 (4%) or other reasons (18%), while 2,653 (42%) had no reason recorded. The proportion of patients still alive and on ART at 6, 12 and 24 months after initiation of treatment was 60%, 60%, and 50%, respectively, while those collecting ARVs on schedule was 34%, 25% and 10% respectively. About 3,084 patients developed TB after starting ART, of whom 1,557 (approximately 50%) patients during the first three months of treatment. During the three years (2004-2007) of HIV care and treatment services in Tanzania, there has been an increase in the number of CTC facilities, geographical coverage of services, the number of enrolled patients and those on ART. However, the set target for ART services has not been achieved and there are significant geographical variations in these achievements, which do not correspond with either population density or disease burden. Efforts should be made to i) ensure equitable accessibility when scaling up ART services in Tanzania, ii) improve the recording and reporting system and iii) armonize the activities of various stakeholders.

Oral health status of handicapped primary school pupils in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: There is hardly any information regarding oral health status of handicapped primary school pupils in Tanzania. Determination of their oral health status could help in planning sustainable intervention programmes for this disadvantaged group. OBJECTIVES: To determine caries and periodontal status and treatment needs of handicapped primary school pupils in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study. SETTING: Uhuru Mchanganyiko and Buguruni special schools, Dar es Salaam. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 179 (55.8%) males and 142 (44.2%) females aged between 7 and 22 years. Majority (71%) were deaf followed by blind (17.8%) and mentally retarded (8.7%). Six (1.9%) pupils were both deaf and blind, while one (0.3%) pupil was blind and mentally retarded. Forty one (12.8%) pupils had at least one decayed deciduous tooth, with the mean (dmfs) ranging from 0.25 to 3.24. The deaf had the highest mean decayed surfaces, followed by the mentally retarded and the blind. There was only one (0.3%) pupil who had a filled deciduous tooth. Thirty three (10.3%) pupils had decayed permanent teeth and 31 (9.7%) had missing permanent teeth. None of the decayed permanent teeth were restored. The blind had the lowest mean deciduous surfaces (DS) scores of between 0 and 1.0. In the mentally retarded group the mean DS ranged from 0.25 to 1.75. About 73.5% of the studied group had bleeding of the gums, with the blind having the highest mean bleeding index scores (p < 0.001) and about 82.8% of the pupils had calculus, with highest mean scores mainly among the blind (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: The caries prevalence among handicapped primary school pupils was quite low. However, there was relatively high level of gingival bleeding and calculus. Regarding treatment needs, 23% required dental fillings mainly of one and two surface restorations and 82% required scaling and polishing. Despite these treatment needs these pupils had not received any dental attention.

Quality assessment of sputum smear microscopy for detection of acid fast bacilli in peripheral health care facilities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: There is no published information regarding the quality of sputum smear microscopy in Tanzania. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate technical quality and results of smear microscopy for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in peripheral health care facilities in Kinondoni and Ilala Districts in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: All tuberculosis diagnostic centres in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. RESULTS: The proportion of well prepared smears was 86.2% and that of well stained smears was 81.2%. The overall average agreement in reading was (89.2%). The overall sensitivity was 88.5% and specificity was 100%. High false negatives (HFN) were the major errors found in this study and Low false negative (LFN) and quantification errors (QE) were the minor errors found. There were no false positive errors. Minor errors occurred more frequently in hospitals than dispensaries, while major errors occurred more frequently in dispensaries than in hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The types of errors found in this survey, HFN, LFN and QE, suggest a systematic under-reading of smears in all the surveyed health facilities, probably due to a number of technical factors (quality of smears, poor stains, bad microscopes, or inadequate training) and other factors such as overwork and lack of motivation which need to be addressed. RECOMMENDATIONS: Regular supervision using the new WHO quality assurance guidelines should be conducted countrywide. We do recommend that blind re-checking as the most efficient means of making the first broad assessment of sputum smear microscopy in Tanzania.

Patients' satisfaction with dental care provided by public dental clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: In Tanzania, patient satisfaction with dental services has received only minor attention. OBJECTIVE: To assess patients' satisfaction with public dental health services in Dar es Salaam. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Five public dental clinics randomly selected from a list of all the nine public dental clinics in Dar es Salaam. SUBJECTS: Five hundred and sixteen consecutive patients, 193 males and 323 females aged between 12 and 77 years who, during the study period between July and November, 2002 were attending five dental clinics were randomly selected. RESULTS: No significant differences in patients' satisfaction level (overall or for the specific studied items) were found in all the five public dental clinics. The answers to the specific sub-items, apart from time spent with doctor, were around the average with very few responses with a high ranking. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate a moderate level of patient satisfaction with dental care offered in public dental clinics in Dar es Salaam. Areas identified as needing improvement included; technical quality of care, interpersonal aspects and communication.

Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART): the Tanzanian experience.

OBJECTIVES: Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART), which involves the use of hand instruments, is a relatively inexpensive, non-sophisticated, tooth conservative technique that offers the opportunity for restorative work in remote areas without electricity. The objectives of this survey were to evaluate the experience of dental practitioners with ART and the impact of the technique on oral health care in Tanzania, where ART was pioneered. METHODS: Dental officers (DOs), assistant dental officers (ADOs) and dental therapists (DTs) from different parts of the Tanzania mainland participated in a cross-sectional study that gathered information using a self-administered structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Only 41 (35%) of the 117 respondents were practising ART with only 6.5% of them doing so either "most of the time" or "always". Practising ART was significantly associated with the cadre of the dental practitioner, being higher among ADOs (50%) than DOs (37%) and DTs (20%), and with ART training, but was not related to either working experience or material availability. CONCLUSIONS: To date, ART has made little impact on oral health care delivery in Tanzania, where dental extractions still account for over 90% of all forms of dental treatment, and restorative work for less than 5%. Several problems in providing ART were noted, such as limited practical training and practice in ART, scarce resources, and lack of advocacy. RECOMMENDATIONS: An increased involvement and support for ART from the Ministry of Health and professional organisations, and public education of ART is called for.

Medicinal plants used by Tanzanian traditional healers in the management of Candida infections.

An ethnomedical survey in Coast, Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Tanga regions of Tanzania has resulted in the identification of 36 plant species belonging to 21 plant families that are used traditionally for the treatment of Candida infections. Twenty-one plants constituting 58.3% of all collected plants are used to treat of oral candidiasis (Utando) one of the important signs of HIV/AIDS. The knowledge of traditional healers for the treatment of Candida infections has been highly supported by the literature in that 13 (36.1%) out of the 36 plants identified have been proven to be active against Candida albicans and/or other species of Candida. Also, some of the plants were reported to be active against other species of fungi including Cryptococcus neoformans, one of the important pathogenic fungi in HIV/AIDS. It can be seen that ethnomedical information from traditional healers provides a solid lead towards development of new drugs than random screening. The task that remains is to screen extracts prepared from these plants and perform a bioassay-guided fractionation of the active extracts so as to isolate the active compounds from these plants.