Anemia at the Initiation of Tuberculosis Therapy Is Associated with Delayed Sputum Conversion among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Pulmonary tuberculosis and anemia are both prevalent in Tanzania. There is limited and inconsistent literature on the association between anemia and sputum conversion following tuberculosis treatment. Newly diagnosed sputum smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients aged ≥15 years initiating on standard anti tuberculosis therapy were recruited from 14 of 54 tuberculosis clinics in Dar es Salaam. Patients were receiving medication according to the recommended short course Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) strategy and were followed up prospectively until completion of treatment (six months). Patients were evaluated before initiation of TB treatment by performing the following; clinical history, physical examination, complete blood counts, serum biochemistry and sputum microscopy. Sputum smears were re-examined at two months of anti-tuberculosis therapy for presence of acid fast bacilli. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <13 g/dl (males) or <12 g/dl (females). Log-binomial regression was used to assess the association between anemia and sputum conversion at two months. Of the 1245 patients included in the study, 86% were anemic and 7% were sputum smear positive at two months of anti-tuberculosis therapy. Anemic patients were three times more likely to have sputum positive smear as compared to non-anemic patients at two months (RR = 3.05; 95% CI 1.11-8.40) p = 0.03. The risk for sputum positive smear results increased with severity of anemia (P for trend <0.01). Baseline anemia is associated with increased risk for persistent positive sputum smears at two months of tuberculosis treatment. Future studies should evaluate the mechanisms for TB-associated anemia as well as the role of intervention for anemia among TB patients

Multi Drug and Other Forms of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Are Uncommon among Treatment Naïve Tuberculosis Patients in Tanzania

Background: Surveillance and effective management of drug resistance is important to sustaining tuberculosis (TB) control efforts. We aimed to determine resistance rates to first line anti tuberculosis drugs and to describe factors associated with the resistance to any of the first line anti tuberculosis drugs in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. Materials Newly diagnosed, TB patients with neither history of tuberculosis treatment nor isoniazid prophylaxis were included into the study. Sputum specimens were cultured on either mycobacteria growth indicator tube 960 (MGIT 960) or Lowenstein Jenstein (LJ) medium supplemented with either glycerol (GLJ) or pyruvate (PLJ). Drug susceptibility for isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol was determined by either Lowenstein–Jensen (LJ) medium or mycobacteria growth indicator tube 960 (MGIT 960). Results: A total of 933 newly diagnosed TB patients, were included into the study. Multi drug resistance (MDR) tuberculosis was detected among 2 (0.2%) patients. Resistance to any of the four tested drugs was detected among 54 (5.8%) patients. Mono-resistance to isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol were 21(2.3%), 3 (0.3%), 13 (1.4%), 9 (1.0%) respectively. Conclusion: Primary resistance to first line anti tuberculosis drugs is still low in this setting. Continued vigilance including periodic national surveillance of anti-tuberculosis resistance is recommended

Hepatitis A, B and C viral co-infections among HIV-infected adults presenting for care and treatment at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tanzania is currently scaling-up access to anti-retro viral therapy (ART) to reach as many eligible persons as possible. Hepatitis viral co-infections are known to influence progression, management as well as outcome of HIV infection. However, information is scarce regarding the prevalence and predictors of viral hepatitis co-infection among HIV-infected individuals presenting at the HIV care and treatment clinics in the country.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study conducted between April and September 2006 enrolled 260 HIV-1 infected, HAART naïve patients aged ≥18 years presenting at the HIV care and treatment clinic (CTC) of the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH). The evaluation included clinical assessment and determination of CD4+ T-lymphocyte count, serum transaminases and serology for Hepatitis A, B and C markers by ELISA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of anti HAV IgM, HBsAg, anti-HBc IgM and anti-HCV IgG antibodies were 3.1%, 17.3%, 2.3% and 18.1%, respectively. Dual co-infection with HBV and HCV occurred in 10 individuals (3.9%), while that of HAV and HBV was detected in two subjects (0.8%). None of the patients had all the three hepatitis viruses. Most patients (81.1%) with hepatitis co-infection neither had specific clinical features nor raised serum transaminases. History of blood transfusion and jaundice were independent predictors for HBsAg and anti-HBc IgM positivity, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is high prevalence of markers for hepatitis B and C infections among HIV infected patients seeking care and treatment at MNH. Clinical features and a raise in serum alanine aminotransferase were of limited predictive values for the viral co-infections. Efforts to scale up HAART should also address co-infections with Hepatitis B and C viruses.</p

Viral suppression and mortality among HIV infected adults initiated Anti-Retroviral Therapy at Temeke Regional hospital: Programmatic achievements and Opportunities for improvement

Background: Despite the fact that HIV disease has greater impact in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region, treatment outcomes are scarcely reported at implementation level. Programmatic data present real life implementation challenges of public health importance which should inform policies. This study was conducted to describe mortality, viral suppression and document challenges at secondary facility HIV clinic in Temeke, Dar es Salaam Tanzania.Methods: Hospital-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among HIV patients initiated on ART between May and November 2016 at Temeke Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Data was collected from HIV database between May and November 2017. Mortality was reported as proportion while viral suppression was defined as HIV-RNA below 50 copies per ml.Results: A total of 747 PLHIV were eligible and were included in the study. Out of these, forty (5.4) patients died. Good adherence to Antiretroviral therapy was seen in 70% of PLHV only. Of the 419 participants with HIV viral load measurements, viral suppression was achieved in 318 (75.9%) patients. Viral suppression is more likely for patients with CD4+ T lymphocyte count greater than 200 cells/μL. There was high attrition rate from the clinic, more than one-third 35.2% of those initiated ART were still attending the clinic at one year.Conclusion: HIV viral suppression and adherence to ART at Temeke HIV CTC are still sub-optimal. Good tracking, enhanced adherence as well as early diagnosis and treatment might improve viral suppression at one year. High attrition from the clinic may need careful examination. Keywords: Viral suppression, HIV, SSA, treatment failure, AIDS, Tanzani

Hepatitis B vaccination coverage among healthcare workers at national hospital in Tanzania: how much, who and why?

Abstract Background Hepatitis B vaccination for healthcare workers (HCWs) is a key component of the WHO Hepatitis B Elimination Strategy 2016–2021. Data on current hepatitis B vaccine coverage among health care workers in Sub-Saharan Africa are scarce, but these data are vital for effective programming. We assessed the proportion of HCWs vaccinated for hepatitis B and the factors associated with adequate vaccination coverage at a national hospital in Tanzania. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among consenting healthcare workers between 30th July and 30th September 2015. Vaccination histories were obtained through self-administered questionnaires. Means and proportions were used to summarize the data. Student’s t and chi-squared tests were used as appropriate. Logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with vaccination. Results A total of 348 HCWs were interviewed, of whom 198 (56.9%) had received at least one dose of hepatitis B vaccination, while only 117 (33.6%) were fully vaccinated. About half of the 81 HCWs with partial vaccination (49.4%) had missed their subsequent vaccination appointments. Among unvaccinated HCWs, 14 (9.3%) had either HBV infection or antibodies against HBV infection upon pre-vaccination screening. However, the remaining participants were not vaccinated and did not know their immune status against HBV. Nearly all respondents (347, 99.3%) had heard about the hepatitis B viral vaccine. The following reasons for non-vaccination were given: 98 (65.3%) reported that they had not been offered the vaccine; 70 (46.7%) observed standard precautions to ensure infection prevention and 60 (41.3%) blamed a low level of awareness regarding the availability of the hepatitis B vaccine. Conclusion The current vaccination coverage among practicing healthcare workers at Muhimbili National Hospital is low, despite a high level of awareness and the acceptance of the vaccine. Expedited and concerted efforts to scale vaccine uptake should include improved access to the vaccine, especially for newly recruited HCWs. The extension of the study to private healthcare settings and lower-level facilities would be useful

Tuberculosis associated mortality in a prospective cohort in Sub Saharan Africa: Association with HIV and antiretroviral therapy

OBJECTIVE: Nine out of ten tuberculosis deaths occur in tuberculosis-burdened countries, particularly Sub Saharan Africa. In these setting mortality has not been fully described. We describe the magnitude and pattern of TB mortality in Tanzania. METHODS: A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted among HIV infected and uninfected pulmonary tuberculosis patients from time of anti-TB treatment initiation to completion. Patients were censored at the time of treatment completion, or at their last visit for those who did not complete TB treatment. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate time to death; cox proportional hazards model was used to examine risk factors for mortality. RESULTS: A total of 58 deaths out of 1696 patients (3.4%) occurred, two thirds (n = 39) during the first two months of treatment. Compared to HIV un-infected TB patients, mortality risk for TB/HIV co-infected patients was least when antiretroviral therapy (ART) was initiated after 14 days of anti-TB (RR = 3.55; 95% CI: 1.44, 8.73 p < 0.0001) and highest when ART was initiated 90 days or less prior to anti-TB and within the first 14 days of anti-TB therapy (RR = 10; 95% CI: 3.28, 30.54; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Meticulously planned and supervised antiretroviral therapy reduces mortality among TB/HIV patients. Among patients with TB/HIV naïve of ART, withholding ART until the third week of anti-tuberculosis therapy will likely reduce TB mortality in Tanzania. Patients on ART and later develop tuberculosis should be closely monitored

Univariate and multivariate analysis for factors associated with resistance to first line anti-tuberculosis drugs in Dar es salaam, Tanzania (n = 933).

<p>Univariate and multivariate analysis for factors associated with resistance to first line anti-tuberculosis drugs in Dar es salaam, Tanzania (n = 933).</p

The association between delayed sputum conversion and anemia among Tuberculosis patients (N = 1245)^*.

<p>*Two separate models for (anemia and anemia severity) were each adjusted for: age, sex, HIV status, smoking, alcohol, drug abuse, body mass index (BMI), duration of illness, lymphocytes, platelets count and resistance to rifampicin and/or Isoniazid.</p><p><b>**</b>Trend test p-value.</p