HIV and Co-Infections
May 21, 2021
Global WACh research at summer conferences 2021
Categories: Conferences, HIV and Co-Infections, Nutrition, Research, Talks and Events
Faculty, staff, students, and collaborators representing Global WACh’s research are invited to present their findings at large annual conferences this summer. We’ve rounded up some abstracts of interest, with more information to come!
If you are attending any of these scientific gatherings, be sure to add these presentations to your calendars! Refer to the title or reference numbers to find the presentation date and time in the program guides.
May 14, 2021
Dr. Sylvia LaCourse appointed to CDC-NIH-HIVMA/IDSA Pregnancy Review Group
Categories: HIV and Co-Infections

Dr. Sylvia LaCourse, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Global Health, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has been appointed to the Pregnancy Review Group of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (CDC-NIH-HIVMA/IDSA) Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV.
The Pregnancy Review Group reviews available data and provides recommendations for the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections for pregnant and lactating persons.
May 10, 2021
Research Trainee Dickins Onyango receives UW TB Research and Training Award
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, Research
Global WACh’s trainee, Dr. Dickins Onyango of the Kisumu County Department of Health in Kenya, received a UW-Kenya Tuberculosis Research and Training Program (KTRTP) Trainee Award that recognizes the efforts of early-career scientists who have made significant contributions to the entire spectrum of TB research.
With support from the award, Dickens presented a lecture at the 5th Annual UW Tuberculosis Symposium entitled, “Sub-optimal biomarker-confirmed adherence and correlates of nonadherence to isoniazid preventive therapy in children living with HIV in western Kenya,” held on March 23 and 24, 2021. Congratulations, Dickins!
April 9, 2021
New grant award supports a TB and HIV co-infections training program in Kenya
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, Research
A collaborative team leading a new TB and HIV training program in Kenya includes Thomas Hawn, Elizabeth Obimbo, Videlis Nduba, David Horne, Sylvia LaCourse, and Ksenia Koon
Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are two deadly infectious diseases causing complex, intertwined epidemics. TB is especially life-threatening to people living with HIV who have weakened immune systems.
Treating TB and HIV simultaneously is possible with services that have traditionally treated one illness over the other. The integration of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment programs can reduce the impact of the HIV epidemic on TB incidence and the burden of TB in HIV-infected individuals.
Despite progress in collaborative TB/HIV activities, there is still an urgent need for the research and development of new tools and strategies to accelerate progress towards TB and HIV elimination. (more…)
February 23, 2021
Researchers present latest HIV science at virtual CROI 2021
Categories: Conferences, HIV and Co-Infections, mHealth, PrEP, Research
The Conference on Retroviral Opportunistic Infections (CROI) is an annual forum for scientists and clinical investigators to present, discuss, and critique their investigations into the epidemiology and biology of human retroviruses and associated diseases. Every year, many Global WACh researchers present their study findings, contributing to the accelerating global progress in HIV and AIDS research.
This year, CROI will be held online from March 6-10, 2021. We have compiled a list of Science Spotlight presentations and an oral symposia presentation that our researchers are presenting. (more…)
November 30, 2020
Global WACh welcomes new staff members
Categories: Gut Health and Child Survival, HIV and Co-Infections
We are pleased to introduce the newest members to join the Global WACh team. Despite challenges due to the pandemic, our researchers continue to lead innovative studies with local and international partners to improve woman, adolescent, and child health, and even receive funding to launch new studies!
November 20, 2020
Dual HIV/syphilis rapid diagnostic test cost-effectiveness analysis, that changed WHO recommendation, published in the Lancet Global Health
Categories: HIV and Co-Infections, Publication, Research

Dual elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and syphilis is a public health priority. Global efforts for the prevention of MTCT of HIV have led to substantial reductions in new pediatric HIV infections, but progress for preventing congenital syphilis—a sexually transmitted infection that causes stillbirths and other infant health problems—is much slower. While dual HIV and syphilis RDT have some promise to curb pediatric HIV and syphilis, the cost-effectiveness of using these tests in antenatal care settings in a variety of settings has not been explored. (more…)
September 28, 2020
Dr. Sarah Benki-Nugent with UW and University of Nairobi collaborators receive award to build environmental health research capacity in Kenya
Categories: Awards, Children, HIV and Co-Infections
There is very little data on air pollution exposures in sub-Saharan Africa, and even less is known about the impact of this important exposure on early childhood brain development.
Dr. Sarah-Benki (Clinical Assistant Professor, Global Health) and a multi-disciplinary team of maternal-child health researchers from the University of Washington and the University of Nairobi lead the Kenya Healthy Home Healthy Brain Project (KHHOP), a research partnership focused on the impact of environmental pollutants on child neurodevelopment in urban Kenya. (more…)
July 11, 2020
Global WACh Researchers Share Findings Virtually at AIDS 2020
Categories: Conferences, HIV and Co-Infections, Research
The 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020) moved from San Francisco, CA to a virtual platform this year. The largest conference on HIV/AIDS research was held from July 6-10, 2020 and gathered researchers from around the world.
Global WACh faculty, staff, and students within the HIV and Co-Infections Scientific Priority Area shared 9 poster abstracts, 1 oral abstract, and moderated 1 oral poster discussion session on an innovative and interactive global platform to influence discussions on HIV science, research, and policy.
See the abstract titles below and click on the titles to learn more.
July 1, 2020
New trial paper evaluating intervention to prevent TB infection in HIV-exposed uninfected infants
Categories: HIV and Co-Infections, Publication, Research
Children born to mothers living with HIV are at an increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection, and young infants are particularly vulnerable to rapidly progressing to TB disease. Isoniazid preventative therapy (IPT) is used routinely to prevent TB after known TB exposure, but recent data suggest most transmission (70-90%) to young children occurs outside the household without identified exposure. Whether IPT can be used to prevent TB initial infection is unknown. (more…)
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