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Objective: The role of HIV exposure in determining growth among HIV-uninfected children is debated. We determined whether intrauterine HIV exposure influences linear growth in a cohort of Ethiopian children followed up to 18 months of age in public health facilities in Adama city, Ethiopia.Methods: Participants were offspring of pregnant women enrolled in a prospective cohort study that included screening for HIV infection during antenatal care. Growth patterns of HIV-exposed and uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed (HU) children were compared up to 18 months of age, with length-for-age z-score (LAZ) and proportion with stunting as primary outcomes. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were constructed to investigate the associations between HIV exposure and linear growth, controlling for socio-demographic factors and breastfeeding status.Results: Of 1705 included infants (164 HEU), 1276 remained in follow-up at 18 months. Among HIV-positive mothers, 132 (80.5%) were receiving antiretroviral therapy at enrolment. At the 18-month visit, mean LAZ was -1.08 among HEU children and -0.74 among HU children (p = 0.052). Proportions of HEU and HU children with stunting at the 18-month visit were 27.8% and 18.7%, respectively (p = 0.010). In multivariable models, HIV exposure was associated with lower LAZ at all follow-up visits, and with stunting at the 18-month visit (adjusted odds ratio 2.29, 95% confidence interval 1.40-3.71). HIV exposure was not associated with weight-related growth outcomes.Conclusions: HEU children in Ethiopia had inferior linear growth compared with HU children, implying that intrauterine HIV exposure impacts early childhood growth in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Restricted capacity for viral load (VL) testing is a major obstacle for antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in high-burden regions. Algorithms for targeted VL testing could help allocate laboratory resources rationally. We validated the performance of the Viral Load Testing Criteria (VLTC), an algorithm with satisfactory performance in derivation (sensitivity 91%, specificity 43%).Methods: HIV-positive adults who had been receiving first-line ART for ≥12 months at three Ethiopian public ART clinics were included. Healthcare providers collected data on variables of the VLTC: current CD4 count, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and self-reported treatment interruption. VL testing was performed in parallel. Performance of the algorithm for identification of patients with VL ≥ 1000 copies/ml was evaluated.Results: Of 562 patients (female 62%, median ART duration 92 months), 33 (6%) had VL ≥ 1000 copies/ml. Sensitivity for the VLTC was 85% (95% CI, 68-95), specificity 60% (95% CI, 55-64), positive predictive value 12% (95% CI, 10-14) and negative predictive value 98% (95% CI, 97-99). Use of the algorithm would reduce the number of VL tests required by 57%. Misclassification occurred in 5/33 (15%) of subjects with VL ≥ 1000 copies/ml.Conclusion: In validation, the VLTC performed similarly well as derivation. Use of the VLTC may be considered for targeted VL testing for ART monitoring in high-burden regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims: Injecting opioid users are at elevated risk of death. Although liver disease (especially hepatitis C) is common, its impact on mortality is low in active injectors. Because opioid substitution therapy (OST) reduces the risk of death from directly drug related causes, we hypothesised that the proportion of liver-related deaths would increase in subjects receiving OST. We investigated liver-related mortality in a cohort of injecting opioid users attending a needle exchange program (NEP) in a Swedish city in relation to OST exposure.Design and Methods: Participants enrolled in the NEP between 1987 and 2011 with available national identity numbers, and registered use of opioids, were included. Linkage based on national identity numbers was performed with national registers for death, emigration and prescription of OST. Participants were categorised as non-OST recipients until the registered date of first OST prescription, and hence as OST recipients. Hazard ratios were calculated by Cox regression for overall and liver-related mortality in relation to OST, with OST as a time-dependent variable.Results: Among 4494 NEP participants, 1488 opioid users were identified; 711/1488 had been prescribed OST. During a follow-up period of 15 546 person-years 368 deaths occurred. Sixteen deaths were caused by liver disease; 10 of these occurred in OST recipients. The risk of liver-related death was significantly increased in OST receiving participants (hazard ratio 3.08, 95% confidence interval [1.09, 8.68], P = 0.03).Conclusions: Liver related mortality among opioid users was significantly elevated in OST recipients, showing the long-term importance of chronic liver disease in this population. [Jerkeman A, Håkansson A, Rylance R, Wagner P, Alanko Blomé M, Björkman P. Death from liver disease in a cohort of injecting opioid users in a Swedish city in relation to registration for opioid substitution therapy. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:424-431]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A Pantoea agglomerans isolate from barley seeds, selected for inducing growth promotion in tomato test plants, was found to excrete several hormones of the cytokinin class into its culture medium. In addition to isopentenyladenine, isopentenyladenosine and the 2-methylthiol derivates of these, an unknown compound with affinity to anticytokinin antibodies was also isolated. Mass spectroscopy indicated the structure of this to be a deoxyisopentenyladenosine. The structure of 9-(5′-deoxy- β- d-ribofuranosyl)-6-(3-methyl-2-butenylamino)purine was verified after synthesis of standards and analysis with GC–MS. The synthesized 5′-deoxyisopentenyl-adenosine showed activity in the Amaranthus bioassay, specific for cytokinins. To our knowledge this is the first report of a naturally occurring cytokinin containing 5′-deoxyribose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation during treatment for tuberculosis (TB) improves survival in HIV/TB co-infected patients. Data on ART outcome for HIV/TB co-infected patients managed in primary health care in low-income regions is limited. We compared virological suppression rates, mortality and retention in care in HIV-positive adults receiving care in five Ethiopian health centres with regard to TB co-infection. Materials and Methods HIV-positive ART-naïve adults eligible for ART initiation were prospectively recruited from October 2011 until March 2013. At inclusion, all patients submitted sputum for microbiological TB testing (smear microscopy, liquid culture and PCR). Virological suppression rates after six months of ART (VS; viral load <40 and <400 copies/mL) with regard to TB status was the primary outcome. The impact of HIV/TB co-infection on VS rates was determined by multivariate regression analysis. Mortality and retention in care were analyzed by proportional hazard models. Results Among 812 participants (TB 158; non-TB 654), 678 started ART during the follow-up period (TB 135; non-TB 543). Median CD4 cell counts at ART initiation were 161 cells/µL (interquartile range [IQR], 98-243) and 184 (IQR, 118-256) for TB and non-TB patients, respectively (p=0.05). No difference in retention in care between TB and non-TB patients was observed during follow-up; 25 (3.7%) patients died and 17 (2.5%) were lost to follow-up (p=0.30 and p=0.83, respectively). Overall rates of VS at six months were 72.1% (<40 copies/mL) and 88.7% (<400 copies/mL), with similar results for subjects with and without TB co-infection (<40 copies/mL: 65/92 (70.7%) vs. 304/420 (72.4%), p=0.74; <400 copies/mL: 77/92 (83.7%) vs. 377/420 (89.8%), p=0.10, respectively). CD4 cell count increase during treatment was 87 (IQR, 26-178) and 103 cells/µL (IQR, 38-173) for TB and non-TB patients, respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.49). Conclusions High rates of VS were achieved in adults receiving ART at Ethiopian health centres managed by non-physician clinicians, with no significant difference with regard to TB co-infection. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of combined ART and anti-TB treatment at primary health care level in low-income countries. This study is registered with clinicaltrial.gov, NCT01433796. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]