Browsing by Author "Mwanahamuntu M"

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A randomized trial of the intrauterine contraceptive device vs hormonal contraception in women who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
(2007-Aug) Stringer EM; Kaseba C; Levy J; Sinkala M; Goldenberg RL; Chi BH; Matongo I; Vermund SH; Mwanahamuntu M; Stringer JS; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. eli@uab.edu; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) is effective and safe among women who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). STUDY DESIGN: We randomly assigned 599 postpartum, HIV-infected women in Zambia to receive either a copper IUD or hormonal contraception and followed them for at least 2 years. RESULTS: Women who were assigned randomly to hormonal contraception were more likely to become pregnant than those who were assigned randomly to receive an IUD (rate, 4.6/100 vs 2.0/100 woman-years; hazards ratio, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.7). One woman who was assigned to the IUD experienced pelvic inflammatory disease (crude rate, 0.16/100 woman-years; 95% CI, 0.004-868); there was no pelvic inflammatory disease among those women who were assigned to hormonal contraception. Clinical disease progression (death or CD4+ lymphocyte count dropping below 200 cells/microL) was more common in women who were allocated to hormonal contraception (13.2/100 woman-years) than in women who were allocated to the IUD (8.6/100 woman-years; hazard ratio, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.04-2.1). CONCLUSION: The IUD is effective and safe in HIV-infected women. The unexpected observation that hormonal contraception was associated with more rapid HIV disease progression requires urgent further study.
Accuracy of screening tests for cervical precancer in women living with HIV in low-resource settings: a paired prospective study in Lusaka, Zambia.
(2024) Taghavi K; Moono M; Mwanahamuntu M; Roumet M; Limacher A; Kapesa H; Madliwa T; Rutjes A; Basu P; Low N; Manasyan A; Bohlius J; Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of histopathology, Lancet Laboratories, Richmond, South Africa.; International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.; Levy Mwanawasa Medical University Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.; Clinical Trials Unit, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Institute of Social and Preventative Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, Alabama, USA.; University of Zambia University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to provide evidence to improve cervical screening for women living with HIV (WLHIV). We assessed the accuracy of screening tests that can be used in low-resource settings and give results at the same visit. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We conducted a paired, prospective study among consecutive eligible WLHIV, aged 18-65 years, receiving cervical cancer screening at one hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. The histopathological reference standard was multiple biopsies taken at two time points. The target condition was cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 and above (CIN2+). The index tests were high-risk human papillomavirus detection (hrHPV, Xpert HPV, Cepheid), portable colposcopy (Gynocular, Gynius) and visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). Accuracy of stand-alone and test combinations were calculated as the point estimate with 95% CIs. A sensitivity analysis considered disease when only visible lesions were biopsied. RESULTS: Women included in the study had well-controlled HIV infection (median CD4 count=542 cells/mm CONCLUSION: The low accuracy of screening tests assessed might be explained by our reference standard, which reduced verification and misclassification biases. Better screening strategies for WLHIV in low-resource settings are urgently needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03931083.
Cervical cancer screening outcomes in Zambia, 2010-19: a cohort study.
(2021-Jun) Pry JM; Manasyan A; Kapambwe S; Taghavi K; Duran-Frigola M; Mwanahamuntu M; Sikazwe I; Matambo J; Mubita J; Lishimpi K; Malama K; Bolton Moore C; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Washington University, St Louis, MO, USA. Electronic address: jakepry@cidrz.org.; Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia; University Teaching Hospital, Women and Newborn Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; The Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.; Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Joint IRB-BSC-CRG Program in Computational Biology, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Ersilia Open Source, Cambridge, UK.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
BACKGROUND: Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death among women. Poor uptake of screening services contributes to the high mortality. We aimed to examine screening frequency, predictors of screening results, and patterns of sensitisation strategies by age group in a large, programmatic cohort. METHODS: We did a cohort study including 11 government health facilities in Lusaka, Zambia, in which we reviewed routine programmatic data collected through the Cervical Cancer Prevention Program in Zambia (CCPPZ). Participants who underwent cervical cancer screening in one of the participating study sites were considered for study inclusion if they had a screening result. Follow-up was accomplished per national guidelines. We did descriptive analyses and mixed-effects logistic regression for cervical cancer screening results allowing random effects at the individual and clinic level. FINDINGS: Between Jan 1, 2010, and July 31, 2019, we included 183 165 women with 204 225 results for visual inspection with acetic acid and digital cervicography (VIAC) in the analysis. Of all those screened, 21 326 (10·4%) were VIAC-positive, of whom 16 244 (76·2%) received treatment. Of 204 225 screenings, 92 838 (45·5%) were in women who were HIV-negative, 76 607 (37·5%) were in women who were HIV-positive, and 34 780 (17·0%) had an unknown HIV status. Screening frequency increased 65·7% between 2010 and 2019 with most appointments being first-time screenings (n=158 940 [77·8%]). Women with HIV were more likely to test VIAC-positive than women who were HIV-negative (adjusted odds ratio 3·60, 95% CI 2·14-6·08). Younger women (≤29 years) with HIV had the highest predictive probability (18·6%, 95% CI 14·2-22·9) of screening positive. INTERPRETATION: CCPPZ has effectively increased women's engagement in screening since its inception in 2006. Customised sensitisation strategies relevant to different age groups could increase uptake and adherence to screening. The high proportion of screen positivity in women younger than 20 years with HIV requires further consideration. Our data are not able to discern if women with HIV have earlier disease onset or whether this difference reflects misclassification of disease in an age group with a higher sexually transmitted infection prevalence. These data inform scale-up efforts required to achieve WHO elimination targets. FUNDING: US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
Identification of human papillomaviruses from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded pre-cancer and invasive cervical cancer specimens in Zambia: a cross-sectional study.
(2015-Jan-16) Bateman AC; Katundu K; Polepole P; Shibemba A; Mwanahamuntu M; Dittmer DP; Parham GP; Chibwesha CJ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Plot 5032 Great North Road, Lusaka, Zambia. bateman.allen@gmail.com.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Plot 5032 Great North Road, Lusaka, Zambia. professorparham@gmail.com.; University of Zambia Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. mulindim@gmail.com.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Plot 5032 Great North Road, Lusaka, Zambia. mulindim@gmail.com.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UNC School of Medicine, UNC, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Carla.Chibwesha@cidrz.org.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UNC School of Medicine, UNC, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. professorparham@gmail.com.; Department of Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. bateman.allen@gmail.com.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Plot 5032 Great North Road, Lusaka, Zambia. Carla.Chibwesha@cidrz.org.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Plot 5032 Great North Road, Lusaka, Zambia. Katundu.Katundu@cidrz.org.; University of Zambia Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. poleman1981@gmail.com.; University of Zambia Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. professorparham@gmail.com.; University of Zambia Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. shibemba@yahoo.com.; Program in Global Oncology, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and School of Medicine, UNC, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. dirk_dittmer@med.unc.edu.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
BACKGROUND: The most common human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes isolated from cervical cancer in select African countries are HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-35, and HPV-45, but the most common genotypes in Zambia are unknown. The overall objective of this study was to assess the potential impact of current HPV vaccines in preventing cervical cancer in Zambia, by determining the combined prevalence of HPV-16 and/or HPV-18 in invasive cervical cancer (ICC) and high-grade pre-cancer [cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or 3 (CIN2/3)] cases. FINDINGS: We compared DNA extraction techniques to determine which assay performs well in the Zambian context, where unbuffered formalin is used to fix specimens. We then tested specimens with the Abbott RealTime High-Risk HPV test to estimate the prevalence of HPV-16/18 in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded ICC and CIN2/3 specimens. DNA extraction using heat (without xylene) was more successful than xylene-based extraction. Over 80% of specimens tested using heat extraction and the Abbott RealTime HPV test were positive for HPV. HPV-16 and/or HPV-18 were identified in 65/93 (69.9%) ICC specimens positive for HPV and in 38/65 (58.5%) CIN2/3 specimens positive for HPV. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge this is the first report to identify HPV genotypes in cervical cancers in Zambia. A combined HPV-16/18 prevalence of 69.9% in ICC specimens suggests that current vaccines will be highly protective against cervical cancer in Zambia.
Innovative approaches to promoting cervical health and raising cervical cancer awareness by use of existing cultural structures in resource-limited countries: experiences with traditional marriage counseling in Zambia.
(2013-Dec) Kapambwe S; Parham G; Mwanahamuntu M; Chirwa S; Mwanza J; Amuyunzu-Nyamongo M; 1.Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
The Cervical Cancer Prevention Program in Zambia (CCPPZ) has increasingly used community-level structures to increase the uptake and ensure the sustainability of the program. Traditional marriage counselors, the alangizi, who have existed in the Zambian society for many years, are one of the structures used by the program to impart cervical cancer knowledge and increase access to screening and care using an existing community structure. Several steps were followed in developing this intervention: (a) ensuring the alangizi understood the process of screening by encouraging them to go through the screening process; (b) workshops were arranged for the alangizi to meet and share experiences during which lessons were given on cervical cancer by health workers as well; and (c) eight alangizi were chosen to help document the lessons as part of ensuring that cervical cancer information is accurate and passed in a consistent manner. Over 70 alangizi, who had undergone cervical cancer screening, were trained by CCPPZ. A 'Cervical Cancer Training Manual for Marriage Counsellors' was developed to help the alangizi integrate cervical cancer lessons in their routine teachings. An evaluation was conducted during the training of the alangizi that forms the basis for this paper. The results show that although the alangizi face key challenges in their work (e.g. changing social contexts), they are still considered relevant by most communities in Zambia and are potentially an important avenue for cervical cancer and other health information. This paper shows that it is possible to integrate sexual and reproductive health messages into existing structures in the community. However, it is important to design culturally specific and sensitive healthcare strategies that embrace locally accepted good practices.
Myths and misconceptions about cervical cancer among Zambian women: rapid assessment by peer educators.
(2010-Jun) Chirwa S; Mwanahamuntu M; Kapambwe S; Mkumba G; Stringer J; Sahasrabuddhe V; Pfaendler K; Parham G; Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Plot 5977 Benekale Road, Northmead, Lusaka, Zambia. groesbeck.parham@cidrz.org; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
OBJECTIVE: To make a rapid assessment of the common myths and misconceptions surrounding the causes of cervical cancer and lack of screening among unscreened low-income Zambian women. METHODS: We initiated a door-to-door community-based initiative, led by peer educators, to inform unscreened women about the existence of a new see-and-treat cervical cancer prevention program. During home visits peer educators posed the following two questions to women: 1. What do you think causes cervical cancer? 2. Why haven't you been screened for cervical cancer? The most frequent types of responses gathered in this exercise were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Peer educators contacted over 1100 unscreened women over a period of two months. Their median age was 33 years, a large majority (58%) were not educated beyond primary school, over two-thirds (71%) did not have monthly incomes over 500,000 Zambian Kwacha (US$100) per month, and just over half (51%) were married and cohabiting with their spouses. Approximately 75% of the women engaged in discussions had heard of cervical cancer and had heard of the new cervical cancer prevention program in the local clinic. The responses of unscreened low-income Zambian women to questions posed by peer educators in urban Lusaka reflect the variety of prevalent 'folk' myths and misconceptions surrounding cervical cancer and its prevention methods. CONCLUSION: The information in our rapid assessment can serve as a basis for developing future educational and intervention campaigns for improving uptake of cervical cancer prevention services in Zambia. It also speaks to the necessity of ensuring that programs addressing women's reproductive health take into account societal inputs at the time they are being developed and implemented. Taking a community-based participatory approach to program development and implementation will help ensure sustainability and impact.
Partnering with traditional Chiefs to expand access to cervical cancer prevention services in rural Zambia.
(2019-Mar) Kapambwe S; Mwanahamuntu M; Pinder LF; Chisele S; Chirwa SC; Parham GP; Ministry of Health, Republic of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Newborn Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how the influence of traditional Chiefs can be leveraged to promote access to cervical cancer prevention services in rural Zambia. METHODS: A retrospective review of outcome data was conducted for all screening outreach events that occurred in Zambian Chiefdoms between October 4, 2015, and October 3, 2016. Members of the health promotion team of the Cervical Cancer Prevention Program in Zambia visited local Chiefs to inform them of the importance of cervical cancer prevention. The local Chiefs then summoned adults living within their Chiefdoms to assemble for cervical cancer prevention health talks. Screen-and-treat services were implemented within each of the Chiefdoms over a 1-week period. RESULTS: VIA-enhanced digital imaging of the cervix (digital cervicography) was offered to 8399 women in ten Chiefdoms as part of a village-based screening (VBS) program. In all, 419 (4.9%) women had positive screening test results. Of these women, 276 (65.8%) were treated immediately with thermocoagulation and 143 (34.1%) were referred to provincial government hospitals to undergo either the loop electrosurgical excision procedure/large loop excision of the transformation zone (n=109, 26.0%) or punch biopsy (n=34, 8.1%). CONCLUSION: The influence of traditional Chiefs was leveraged to facilitate access to cervical cancer prevention services in rural Zambia.
Predictors and outcomes of low birth weight in Lusaka, Zambia.
(2016-Sep) Chibwesha CJ; Zanolini A; Smid M; Vwalika B; Phiri Kasaro M; Mwanahamuntu M; Stringer JS; Stringer EM; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. Electronic address: carla_chibwesha@med.unc.edu.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
OBJECTIVE: To determine factors associated with low birth weight (LBW) in an urban Zambian cohort and investigate risk of adverse outcomes for LBW neonates. METHODS: The present retrospective cohort analysis used data recorded between February 2006 and December 2012 for singletons and first-born twins delivered in the public health system of Lusaka, Zambia. Routine clinical data and generalized estimating equations were used to examine covariates associated with LBW (<2500 g) and describe outcomes of LBW. RESULTS: In total, 200 557 neonates were included, 21 125 (10.5%) of whom were LBW. Placental abruption, delivery before 37 weeks, and twin pregnancy were associated with LBW in multivariable analysis (P<0.01 for all). Compared with neonates weighing more than 2500 g, LBW neonates were at higher risk of stillbirth (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 8.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.5-11.5), low Apgar score (AOR 5.7, 95% CI 4.6-7.2), admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (AOR 5.4, 95% CI 3.5-8.3), and very early neonatal death (AOR 6.2, 95% CI 3.7-10.3). CONCLUSION: LBW neonates are at increased risk of adverse outcomes, including stillbirth and neonatal death, independent of pregnancy duration at delivery and multiple pregnancy. These findings underscore the need for early, comprehensive, and high-quality prenatal care.
Screening test accuracy to improve detection of precancerous lesions of the cervix in women living with HIV: a study protocol.
(2020-Dec-18) Taghavi K; Moono M; Mwanahamuntu M; Basu P; Limacher A; Tembo T; Kapesa H; Hamusonde K; Asangbeh S; Sznitman R; Low N; Manasyan A; Bohlius J; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; CTU Bern, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, Alabama, USA.; International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), World Health Organization, Lyon, France.; Women and Newborn health, Levy Mwanawasa Medical University Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.; Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland katayoun.taghavi@ispm.unibe.ch.
INTRODUCTION: The simplest and cheapest method for cervical cancer screening is visual inspection after application of acetic acid (VIA). However, this method has limitations for correctly identifying precancerous cervical lesions (sensitivity) and women free from these lesions (specificity). We will assess alternative screening methods that could improve sensitivity and specificity in women living with humanimmunodeficiency virus (WLHIV) in Southern Africa. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a paired, prospective, screening test accuracy study among consecutive, eligible women aged 18-65 years receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS at Kanyama Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. We will assess a portable magnification device (Gynocular, Gynius Plus AB, Sweden) based on the Swede score assessment of the cervix, test for high-risk subtypes of human papillomavirus (HR-HPV, GeneXpert, Cepheid, USA) and VIA. All study participants will receive all three tests and the reference standard at baseline and at six-month follow-up. The reference standard is histological assessment of two to four biopsies of the transformation zone. The primary histological endpoint is cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade two and above (CIN2+). Women who are VIA-positive or have histologically confirmed CIN2+ lesions will be treated as per national guidelines. We plan to enrol 450 women. Primary outcome measures for test accuracy include sensitivity and specificity of each stand-alone test. In the secondary analyses, we will evaluate the combination of tests. Pre-planned additional studies include use of cervigrams to test an automated visual assessment tool using image pattern recognition, cost-analysis and associations with trichomoniasis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Zambia Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, Zambian National Health Regulatory Authority, Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority, Swissethics and the International Agency for Research on Cancer Ethics Committee. Results of the study will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03931083; Pre-results.
The use of thermal ablation in diverse cervical cancer "screen-and-treat" service platforms in Zambia.
(2022-Apr) Mwanahamuntu M; Kapambwe S; Pinder LF; Matambo J; Chirwa S; Chisele S; Basu P; Prendiville W; Sankaranarayanan R; Parham GP; Zambia Ministry of Health, Cancer Control, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.; International Agency for Research on Cancer, WHO Screening Group, Early Detection and Prevention Section, Lyon, France.; Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Cervical Cancer Prevention Program, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Newborn Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)
OBJECTIVE: Thermal ablation (TA) was implemented in public sector cervical cancer prevention services in Zambia in 2012. Initially introduced as a treatment modality in primary healthcare clinics, it was later included in mobile outreach campaigns and clinical research trials. We report the feasibility, acceptability, safety, and provider uptake of TA in diverse clinical contexts. METHODS: Screening services based on visual inspection with acetic acid were offered by trained nurses to non-pregnant women aged 25-59 years. Women with a type 1 transformation zone (TZ) were treated with same-visit TA. Those with a type 2 or 3 TZ, or suspicious for cancer, were managed with same-visit electrosurgical excision or punch biopsy, respectively. A provider survey was conducted. RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2020, 2123 women were treated with TA: primary healthcare clinics, n = 746; mobile outreach clinics, n = 1127; research clinics, n = 250. Of the 996 women treated in primary healthcare and research clinics, 359 (48%) were HIV positive. Mild cramping during treatment was the most common adverse effect. No treatment interruptions occurred. No major complications were reported in the early (6 weeks) follow-up period. Providers expressed an overwhelming preference for TA over cryotherapy. CONCLUSION: TA was feasible, safe, and acceptable in diverse clinical contexts. It was the preferred ablation method of providers when compared with cryotherapy.