HIV PrEP among people with TB in Uganda (TB PrEP, Ross, PI)
HIV and tuberculosis (TB) are two infections that often occur among members of the same household and cause a high number of deaths globally. This study tests an implementation strategy to include HIV testing and medications to prevent HIV acquisition as part of public health outreach to household members of people with TB in Uganda. We hypothesize that this approach could reduce HIV acquisitions by leveraging existing TB public health programs to also deliver medications to prevent HIV.
New pathways to prevention from community TB screening in South Africa (ThiPhiSA Study, Shapiro, PI)
ThiPhiSA is a study based in KwaZulu Natal province, South Africa, comparing community-based delivery to standard clinic-based delivery of TB preventive therapy (TPT) to see which strategy helps the most people finish a 12-week course of prevention medication. In South Africa, all people with HIV and close contacts of people with TB are recommended to take TPT, but many people face barriers to collecting TPT and completion rates are very low. ThiPhiSA is conducted in partnership with the HSRC CCBR in a peri-urban region outside of Pietermaritzburg.
Novel clinic-based TB diagnostics and testing algorithms for persons with HIV (DROP-TB Study, Shapiro, PI)
The DROP-TB study is trying to find better strategies to diagnose and prevent TB in people living with HIV when they visit clinics to start HIV treatment. In DROP-TB, we are testing combinations of new blood-based, urine-based, and tongue swab tests for TB. We also are learning how to best ensure that people with HIV receive TB prevention medication as part of their HIV care—after confirming they do not have TB. DROP-TB is conducted in partnership with researchers at AHRI in northern KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.