Browsing by Author "Minga, Albert"

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Comorbidities and HIV-related factors associated with mental health symptoms and unhealthy substance use among older adults living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries: a cross-sectional study.
(2025-Mar) Ross, Jeremy L.; Rupasinghe, Dhanushi; Chanyachukul, Thida; Ramírez, Brenda C.; Murenzi, Gad; Kwobah, Edith; Mureithi, Fiona; Minga, Albert; Marbaniang, Ivan; Perazzo, Hugo; Parcesepe, Angela; Goodrich, Suzanne; Chimbetete, Cleophas; Mensah, Ephrem; Maruri, Fernanda ; Nguyen, Dung T. H.; López-Iñiguez, Alvaro; Lancaster, Kathryn; Byakwaga, Helen; Tlali, Mpho; Plaisy, Marie K.; Nimkar, Smita; Moreira, Rodrigo; Anastos, Kathryn ; Semeere, Aggrey; Wandeler, Gilles ; Jaquet, Antoine; Sohn, Annette
INTRODUCTION: People with HIV (PWH) are vulnerable to mental health and substance use disorders (MSDs), but the extent to which these are associated with other non-communicable diseases in ageing PWH populations remains poorly documented. We assessed comorbidities associated with symptoms of MSD among PWH ≥40 years in the Sentinel Research Network (SRN) of the International epidemiology Database to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA). METHODS: Baseline data collected between June 2020 and September 2022, from 10 HIV clinics in Asia, Latin America and Africa contributing to the SRN, were analysed. Symptoms of MSDs and comorbidities were assessed using standardized questionnaires, anthropometric and laboratory tests, including weight, height, blood pressure, glucose, lipids, chronic viral hepatitis and liver transient elastography. HIV viral load, CD4 count and additional routine clinical data were accessed from participant interview or medical records. HIV and non-HIV clinical associations of mental illness symptoms and unhealthy substance use were analysed using logistic regression. Mental illness symptoms were defined as moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score >9), moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 >9) or probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PCL-5 >32). Unhealthy substance use was defined as ASSIST score >3, or AUDIT ≥7 for women (≥8 for men). RESULTS: Of 2614 participants assessed at baseline study visits, 57% were female, median age was 50 years, median CD4 was 548 cells/mm CONCLUSIONS: Improved integration of MSD and comorbidity services in HIV clinical settings, and further research on the association between MSD and comorbidities, and care integration among older PWH in low-middle-income countries, are required.
Drug Resistance in People With Viremia on Dolutegravir-based Antiretroviral Therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa: The DTG RESIST Study.
(2025-May-20) Loosli, Tom; Bolton-Moore, Carolyn; Buzaalirwa, Lydia; Byakwaga, Helen; Çelikağ, İpek; Chimbetete, Cleophas; Ebasone, Peter V.; Giandhari, Jennifer; Han, Nuri; Huwa, Jacqueline; Kasozi, Charles; Mafoua, Adolphe; Messou, Eugène ; Minga, Albert; Muula, Guy; Muyindike, Winnie; Ndala, Arcel C. M.; Sauermann, Mamatha ; Semeere, Aggrey; Singh, Lavanya; Kouyos, Roger D.; Lessells, Richard; Egger, Matthias
Dolutegravir resistance is an increasing concern. An analysis of the DTG RESIST study found that among 227 integrase sequences from 7 African countries (all non-B subtypes), 59 (26.0%) had at least 1 major drug resistance mutation (primarily G118R and E138A/K/T), with 49 (21.6%) predicted to have high-level resistance to dolutegravir.
Standard of care in advanced HIV disease: review of HIV treatment guidelines in sub-Saharan African countries-an extension study of eight countries.
(2025-Mar-29) Scheier, Thomas C.; Tufa, Tafese B.; Feldt, Torsten ; Hardy, Yasmine ; Minga, Albert; Moh, Raoul; Damasceno, Albertino; Chambal, Lucia; Ntoumi, Francine; Kades, Carine; Bitunguhari, Leopold; Sebatunzi, Osee R.; Missanga, Marco; Njekwa, Katanekwa; Muyoyeta, Monde; Rangarajan, Sumathy; Meintjes, Graeme; Mertz, Dominik; Eikelboom, John W.; Wasserman, Sean
INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization (WHO) has published guidelines for the management of patients with advanced HIV disease (AHD) but mortality remains high. Adoption of WHO recommendations by national guidelines is poorly documented. We aimed to extend our prior review of six national management guidelines by including additional countries from sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: We identified guidelines of eight additional countries participating in a multicountry trial of azithromycin prophylaxis for AHD. Data was extracted in five domains including definition of AHD (1 item), screening (6 items), prophylaxis (6 items), supportive care (1 items), and HIV treatment (4 items) and scored agreement of each national guideline with the WHO guidelines. RESULTS: Six of the eight national guidelines had a designated section for AHD. Compared with the WHO guideline, the agreement score for national guidelines was between 7 and 17 out of 18, whereby disagreement is mainly driven by missing information. None of the national guidelines had more than three items not in agreement with the WHO guidelines, and the maximum number of items not addressed by any one guideline was eight. Main areas of disagreement were the targeted population for start of ART in presence of tuberculosis meningitis (1/8 in agreement) and urine lipoarabinomannan screening (2/8 in agreement). The targeted population group for cotrimoxazole prophylaxis and its discontinuation was in line with the WHO recommendations in 3/8 national guidelines. Except one guideline, all documents showed similar overall agreement, irrespectively of publication date. CONCLUSION: National guidelines for the management of people with AHD are broadly in agreement with WHO guidelines. Main areas of disagreement are recommendations regarding urine lipoarabinomannan screening, cotrimoxazole prophylaxis and start of antiretroviral therapy in presence of tuberculosis.
Trends in hepatitis B virus testing practices and management in HIV clinics across sub-Saharan Africa.
(2017-Nov-01) Coffie, Patrick A.; Egger, Matthias; Vinikoor, Michael J.; Zannou, Marcel; Diero, Lameck; Patassi, Akouda; Kuniholm, Mark H.; Seydi, Moussa; Bado, Guillaume; Ocama, Ponsiano; Andersson, Monique I.; Messou, Eugène; Minga, Albert; Easterbrook, Philippa; Anastos, Kathryn; Dabis, François; Wandeler, Gilles
BACKGROUND: Approximately 8% of HIV-infected individuals are co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Knowledge of HBV status is important to guide optimal selection of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and monitor/prevent liver-related complications. We describe changes in testing practices and management of HBV infection over a 3-year period in HIV clinics across SSA. METHODS: A medical chart review was conducted in large urban HIV treatment centers in Côte d'Ivoire (3 sites), Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Togo, Uganda and Zambia (1 site each). Of the patients who started ART between 2010 and 2012, 100 per year were randomly selected from each clinic. Demographic, clinical and laboratory information as well as individual treatment histories were collected using a standardized questionnaire. We examined changes over time in the proportion of patients screened for HBV infection (HBV surface antigen [HBsAg]-positivity), identified predictors of HBV testing using logistic regression, and assessed the proportion of patients initiating a tenofovir (TDF)-containing ART regimen. RESULTS: Overall, 3579 charts of patients initiating ART (64.4% female, median age 37 years) were reviewed in 12 clinics. The proportion of patients screened for HBsAg increased from 17.8% in 2010 to 24.4% in 2012 overall, and ranged from 0.7% in Kenya to 96% in South Africa. In multivariable analyses, age and region were associated with HBsAg screening. Among 759 individuals tested, 88 (11.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.4-14.1) were HBV-infected, of whom 71 (80.7%) received a TDF-containing ART regimen. HBsAg-positive individuals were twice as likely to receive a TDF-containing first-line ART regimen compared to HBsAg-negative patients (80.7% vs. 40.3%, p < 0.001). The proportion of patients on TDF-containing ART increased from 57.9% in 2010 to 90.2% in 2012 in HIV/HBV-co-infected patients (Chi-2 test for trend: p = 0.01). Only 114 (5.0%) patients were screened for anti-HCV antibodies and one of them (0.9%, 95% CI 0.02-4.79) had a confirmed HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic screening for HBV infection in HIV-positive patients before ART initiation was limited in most African countries and its uptake varied widely across clinics. Overall, the prescription of TDF increased over time, with 90% of HIV/HBV-coinfected patients receiving this drug in 2012.