Browsing by Author "Fowler, Mary Glenn"
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Item Analysis of HIV tropism in Ugandan infants(Current HIV research, 2010) Church, Jessica D.; Huang, Wei; Mwatha, Anthony; Musoke, Philippa; Jackson, J. Brooks; Bagenda, Danstan; Omer, Saad B.; Donnell, Deborah; Nakabiito, Clemensia; Eure, Chineta; Guay, Laura A.; Taylor, Allan; Bakaki, Paul M.; Matovu, Flavia; McConnell, Michelle; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Eshleman, Susan H.HIV-infected infants may have CXCR4-using (X4-tropic) HIV, CCR5-using (R5-tropic) HIV, or a mixture of R5-tropic and X4-tropic HIV (dual/mixed, DM HIV). The level of infectivity for R5 virus (R5-RLU) varies among HIV-infected infants. HIV tropism and R5-RLU were measured in samples from HIV-infected Ugandan infants using a commercial assay. DM HIV was detected in 7/72 (9.7%) infants at the time of HIV diagnosis (birth or 6–8 weeks of age, 4/15 (26.7%) with subtype D, 3/57 (5.3 %) with other subtypes, P=0.013). A transition from R5-tropic to DM HIV was observed in only two (6.7%) of 30 infants over 6–12 months. Six (85.7%) of seven infants with DM HIV died, compared to 21/67 (31.3%) infants with R5-tropic HIV (p=0.09). Higher R5- RLU at 6–8 weeks was not associated with decreased survival. Infants with in utero infection had a higher median R5-RLU than infants who were HIV-uninfected at birth (p=0.025).Item Association of cord blood Nevirapine concentration with reported timing of dose and HIV-1 transmission(Aids, 2006) Jackson, J. Brooks; Parsons, Teresa; Musoke, Philippa; Nakabiito, Clemensia; Donnell, Deborah; Fleming, Thomas; Mirochnick, Mark; Mofenson, Lynne; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Mmiro, Francis; Guay, LauraBackground: To correlate nevirapine presence and concentration in cord bloods of infants born to HIV-1 infected women with report of timing of dose and HIV-1 transmission at 6 weeks of age. Methods: All available cord blood samples from the infants of mothers enrolled in the HIVNET 012 trial who were randomly assigned to receive either nevirapine or zidovudine at the onset of labor were tested for a nevirapine concentration. Results: Nevirapine was detected in the cord blood of 244 of 259 (94%) infants whose mothers reported they took nevirapine in labor more than 1 h before delivery and in 12 of 13 (92%) infants whose mothers reported they took nevirapine less than 1 h before delivery. The median nevirapine cord blood concentration was 1238 ng/ml [interquartile range (IQR), 905–1474 ng/ml] and 122 ng/ml (IQR, 64–321 ng/ml) for women who reported taking nevirapine more or less than 1 h before delivery, respectively (P < 0.001). The median nevirapine cord blood concentration of infants who were HIV-1 negative at birth, but positive at 6–8 weeks of age (n ¼ 11), was 916 ng/ml (IQR, 737–1245 ng/ml) compared with 1192 ng/ml (IQR, 875–1471 ng/ml) for uninfected infants (n ¼ 236). Conclusions: Cord blood nevirapine concentration correlated well with report of nevirapine administration and timing of dose before delivery. The nevirapine cord blood concentration was modestly lower in infected infants, although the number of infants infected between birth and 6–8 weeks of age was small (n ¼ 11). The high adherence rate in the HIVNET 012 study supports the efficacy, simplicity and deliverability of this regimen.Item Considerations in Using US-Based Laboratory Toxicity Tables to Evaluate Laboratory Toxicities Among Healthy Malawian and Ugandan Infants(Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes, 1999) Lubega, Irene R.; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Musoke, Philippa; Elbireer, Ali; Bagenda, Danstan; Kafulafula, George; Ko, Jeanne; Mipando, Linda; Mubiru, Mike; Kumwenda, Newton; Taha, Taha; Jackson, J. Brooks; Guay, LauraObjectives—To determine normal hematologic and selected blood chemistry values among healthy, full-term, non–HIV-exposed infants in Uganda and Malawi, and to determine the proportion of healthy babies with an apparent laboratory toxicity based on Division of AIDS oxicity tables. Design—This was a cross-sectional laboratory study of infants from birth to 6 months of age. Methods—Blood samples were collected from a total of 561 infants and analyzed according to age categories similar to those in the 2004 Division of AIDS toxicity tables. Select chemistry and hematology parameters were determined and values compared with those in the toxicity tables. Results—In the first 56 days of life, there were few graded toxicities except for neutropenia in 2 of 10 (20%) Ugandan and 13 of 45 (29%) Malawian infants at birth. After 7 days, about 20% of the infants in Uganda and Malawi would have been classified as having a neutropenia whereas 47% and 53% of those more than 2 months of age in Uganda and Malawi respectively, would have been reported as having an abnormal hemoglobin. Chemistry findings were not different from US norms. Conclusions—These findings underscore the importance of establishing relevant local laboratory norms for infants.Item Contraceptive Use and Pregnancy Incidence Among Women Participating in an HIV Prevention Trial(Journal of Women's Health, 2017) Akello, Carolyne A; Bunge, Katherine E; Nakabiito, Clemensia; Mirembe, Brenda G; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Mishra, Anupam; Marrazzo, Jeanne; Chirenje, Zvavahera M; Celum, Connie; Balkus, Jennifer EBackground: Recent HIV prevention trials required use of effective contraceptive methods to fulfill eligibility for enrollment. We compared pregnancy rates in a subset of participants enrolled in the Microbicide Trials Network protocol (MTN-003), a randomized trial of chemoprophylaxis to prevent HIV acquisition among women aged 18–45 years who initiated depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) or combined oral contraceptives (COCs) at enrollment, relative to those already using DMPA or COCs. Methods: Data were analyzed from MTN-003 participants from Uganda. Before enrollment, information on contraceptive type and initiation date was obtained. Urine pregnancy tests were performed at monthly follow-up visits. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare pregnancy incidence among new users (initiated £60 days before enrollment) and established users (initiated >60 days before enrollment). Results: Of 322 women enrolled, 296 were COC or DMPA users, 82 (28%) were new users, and 214 (72%) were established users. Pregnancy incidence was higher among new contraceptive users compared to established users (20.70% vs. 10.55%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.66; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.93–2.96). Among DMPA users, pregnancy incidence was 10.20% in new users versus 3.48% in established users (HR= 2.56; 95% CI 0.86–7.65). Among new COC users, pregnancy incidence was 42.67% in new users versus 23.67% in established COC users (adjusted HR= 1.74; 95% CI 0.87–3.48). Conclusions: New contraceptive users, regardless of method, at the Uganda MTN-003 site had an increased pregnancy risk compared to established users, which may be due to contraceptive initiation primarily for trial eligibility. New users may benefit from intensive contraceptive counseling and additional contraceptive options, including longer acting reversible contraceptives.Item Cost Effectiveness Of Single-Dose Nevirapine Regimen For Mothers And Babies To Decrease Vertical HIV-1 Transmission In Sub-Saharan Africa(The Lancet, 1999) Marseille, Elliot; Kahn, James G.; Mmiro, Francis; Guay, Laura; Musoke, Philippa; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Jackson, J. BrooksIdentification of economical interventions to decrease HIV-1 transmission to children is an urgent public-health priority in sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed the cost effectiveness of the HIVNET 012 nevirapine regimen.We assessed cost effectiveness in a hypothetical cohort of 20 000 pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Our main outcome measures were programme cost, paediatric HIV-1 cases averted, cost per case averted, and cost per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY). We compared HIVNET 012 with other short-course antiretroviral regimens. We also compared two implementation strategies: counselling and HIV-1 testing before treatment (targeted treatment), or nevirapine for all pregnant women (universal treatment, no counselling and testing). We did univariate and multivariate sensitivity analyses.For universal treatment with 30% HIV-1 seroprevalence, the HIVNET 012 regimen would avert 603 cases of HIV-1 in babies, cost US$83 333, and generate 15 862 DALYs. The associated cost-effectiveness ratios were $138 per case averted or $5·25 per DALY. At 15% seroprevalence, the universal treatment option would cost $83 333 and avert 302 cases at $276 per case averted or $10·51 per DALY. For targeted treatment at 30% seroprevalence, HIVNET 012 would cost $141 922 and avert 476 cases at $298 per case averted or $11·29 per DALY. With seroprevalence higher than 3·0% for universal and 4·5% for targeted treatment, the HIVNET 012 regimen was likely to be as cost effective as other public-health interventions. The cost effectiveness of HIVNET 012 was robust under a wide range of parameters in the sensitivity analysis.The HIVNET 012 regimen can be highly cost-effective in high seroprevalence settings. In lower seroprevalence areas, when multidose regimens are not cost effective, nevirapine therapy could have a major public-health impact at a reasonable cost.Item A cross-sectional study of the magnitude, barriers, and outcomes of HIV status disclosure among women participating in a perinatal HIV transmission study, “The Nevirapine Repeat Pregnancy study”(BMC Public Health, 2015) Kiweewa, Flavia M; Bakaki, Paul M; McConnell, Michelle S; Musisi, Maria; Namirembe, Constance; Nakayiwa, Frances; Kusasira, Fiona; Nakintu, Dorothy; Mubiru, Michael C; Musoke, Philippa; Fowler, Mary GlennBackground HIV status disclosure is a difficult emotional task for HIV-infected persons and may create the opportunity for both social support and rejection. In this study, we evaluated the proportions, patterns, barriers and outcomes of HIV- 1 status disclosure among a group of women in Uganda. Methods An exit interview was conducted one year post-partum for 85 HIV-infected women who participated in a study of HIV-1 transmission rates among NVP-experienced compared with NVP-naïve women in “The Nevirapine Repeat Pregnancy (NVP-RP) Study” at the Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, Kampala-Uganda, between June 2004 and June 2006.ResultsOf the 85 women interviewed, 99 % had disclosed their HIV status to at least one other person. Disclosure proportions ranged between 1 % to employer(s) and 69 % to a relative other than a parent. Only 38 % of the women had disclosed to their sex partners. Women with an HIV-infected baby were more likely than those with an uninfected baby to disclose to their sex partner, OR 4.9 (95 % CI, 2.0 –11.2), and women were less likely to disclose to a partner if they had previously disclosed to another relative than if they had not, OR 0.19 (95 % CI, 0.14–0.52). The most common reasons for non-disclosure included fear of separation from the partner and subsequent loss of financial support 34 %, and not living with the partner (not having opportunities to disclose) 26 %. While most women (67 %) reported getting social support following disclosure, 22 % reported negative outcomes (neglect, separation from their partners, and loss of financial support). Following disclosure of HIV status, 9 % of women reported that their partner (s) decided to have an HIV test. Conclusion Results from this study show high overall HIV disclosure proportions and how this disclosure of HIV status can foster social support. However, proportions of disclosure specifically to male sex partners were low, which suggests the need for interventions aimed at increasing male involvement in perinatal care, along with supportive counseling.Item Early Weaning of HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants and Risk of Serious Gastroenteritis: Findings from Two Perinatal HIV Prevention Trials in Kampala, Uganda(Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes, 2010) Makumbi, Carolyne Onyango; Bagenda, Danstan; Mwatha, Antony; Omer, Saad B.; Musoke, Philippa; Mmiro, Francis; Zwerski, Sheryl L.; Kateera, Brenda Asiimwe; Musisi, Maria; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Jackson, J. Brooks; Guay, Laura A.To assess serious gastroenteritis risk and mortality associated with early cessation of breastfeeding in infants enrolled in two prevention-of-maternal-to-child-HIV-transmission trials in Uganda.We used hazard rates to evaluate serious gastroenteritis events by month of age and mortality among HIV-exposed uninfected infants enrolled in the HIVNET 012 (1997-2001) and HIVIGLOB/NVP (2004-2007) trials. HIV-infected mothers were counseled using local infant feeding guidelines current at the time.Breastfeeding cessation occurred earlier in HIVIGLOB/NVP compared to HIVNET 012 (median 4.0 vs. 9.3 months, p<0.001). Rates of serious gastroenteritis were higher in HIVIGLOB/NVP (8.0/1000 child-months) compared to HIVNET 012 (3.1/1000 child-months; p < 0.001). Serious gastroenteritis events also peaked earlier at 3-4 and 7-8 months (16.2/1000 and 15.0/1000 child-months, respectively) compared to HIVNET 012 at 9 to10 months (20.8/1000 child-months). All cause-infant mortality did not statistically differ between the HIVIGLOB/NVP and the HIVNET 012 trials [3.2/1000 versus 2.0/1000 child-months respectively, (p=0.10)]Early breastfeeding cessation seen in the HIVIGLOB/NVP trial was associated with increased risk of serious gastroenteritis among HIV-exposed uninfected infants when compared to later breastfeeding cessation in the HIVNET 012 trial. Testing interventions which could decrease HIV transmission through breastfeeding and allow safe breastfeeding into the second year of life are urgently needed.Item Efficacy And Safety Of An Extended Nevirapine Regimen In Infant Children Of Breastfeeding Mothers With HIV-1 Infection For Prevention Of Postnatal HIV-1 Transmission (HPTN 046): A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial(The Lancet, 2012) Coovadia, Hoosen M.; Brown, Elizabeth R.; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Chipato, Tsungai; Moodley, Dhayendre; Manji, Karim; Musoke, Philippa; Chibanda, Lynda StranixNevirapine given once-daily for the first 6, 14, or 28 weeks of life to infants exposed to HIV-1 via breastfeeding reduces transmission through this route compared with single-dose nevirapine at birth or neonatally. We aimed to assess incremental safety and efficacy of extension of such prophylaxis to 6 months.In our phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled HPTN 046 trial, we assessed the incremental benefit of extension of once-daily infant nevirapine from age 6 weeks to 6 months. We enrolled breastfeeding infants born to mothers with HIV-1 in four African countries within 7 days of birth. Following receipt of nevirapine from birth to 6 weeks, infants without HIV infection were randomly allocated (by use of a computer-generated permuted block algorithm with random block sizes and stratified by site and maternal antiretroviral treatment status) to receive extended nevirapine prophylaxis or placebo until 6 months or until breastfeeding cessation, whichever came first. The primary efficacy endpoint was HIV-1 infection in infants at 6 months and safety endpoints were adverse reactions in both groups. We used Kaplan-Meier analyses to compare differences in the primary outcome between groups. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00074412.Between June 19, 2008, and March 12, 2010, we randomly allocated 1527 infants (762 nevirapine and 765 placebo); five of whom had HIV-1 infection at randomisation and were excluded from the primary analyses. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, 1·1% (95% CI 0·3–1·8) of infants who received extended nevirapine developed HIV-1 between 6 weeks and 6 months compared with 2·4% (1·3–3·6) of controls (difference 1·3%, 95% CI 0–2·6), equating to a 54% reduction in transmission (p=0·049). However, mortality (1·2% for nevirapine vs 1·1% for placebo; p=0·81) and combined HIV infection and mortality rates (2·3% vs 3·2%; p=0·27) did not differ between groups at 6 months. 125 (16%) of 758 infants given extended nevirapine and 116 (15%) of 761 controls had serious adverse events, but frequency of adverse events, serious adverse events, and deaths did not differ significantly between treatment groups.Nevirapine prophylaxis can safely be used to provide protection from mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 via breastfeeding for infants up to 6 months of age.Item Extended prophylaxis with nevirapine and cotrimoxazole among HIV-exposed uninfected infants is well tolerated(AIDS (London, England), 2012) Aizire, Jim; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Wang, Jing; Shetty, Avinash K.; Chibanda, Lynda Stranix; Kamateeka, Moreen; Brown, Elizabeth R.; Bolton, Steve G.; Musoke, Philippa M.; Coovadia, HoosenNevirapine and cotrimoxazole are associated with hematologic toxicities and skin-rash. Safety of their concurrent use for prophylaxis over extended periods among HIV-exposed uninfected infants has not been previously assessed.Secondary data analysis of the ‘HIV Prevention Trials Network-046 protocol’ (version 2.0), a phase-III, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that assessed efficacy and safety of nevirapine prophylaxis against breast milk transmission of HIV-1.Trial infants received 6-month study nevirapine/placebo, and standard-of-care peripartum single-dose nevirapine+/– zidovudine ‘tail’, and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis from 6 weeks through breastfeeding cessation. Adverse events were monitored using United States Division of AIDS Toxicity Tables (2004). Risk of neutropenia, anemia and skin-rash in the cotrimoxazole+nevirapine and the cotrimoxazole+placebo groups were compared using negative-binomial regression.Incidence of neutropenia and/or anemia, and skin-rash was highest during the first 6 weeks of life and declined, thereafter, regardless of study group. Time to first adverse event after 6 weeks was similar in cotrimoxazole+nevirapine and cotrimoxazole+placebo groups: hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.26 (0.96–1.66) for neutropenia and/or anemia (all grades), 1.27 (0.80–2.03) for neutropenia and/or anemia (grade ≥3) and 1.16 (0.46–2.90) for skin-rash (grade ≥2). There were no statistically significant differences in immediate (6 weeks–6 months) and long-term (6–12 months) adverse event risk among infants on cotrimoxazole+nevirapine versus cotrimoxazole+placebo.Extended nevirapine and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis through 6 months of age among HIV-exposed uninfected infants did not appear to increase the immediate or long-term risk of neutropenia, anemia or skin-rash. Concurrent use beyond 6 months, however, needs to be evaluated.Item The Impact of Maternal Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy and Short-Course Combination Antiretrovirals for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission on Early Infant Infection Rates at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, January 2007 to May 2009(JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 2021) Namukwaya, Zikulah; Mudiope, Peter; Musoke, Philippa; Matovu, Joyce; Kayma, Sarah; Salmond, William; Bitarakwate, Edward; Mubiru, Michael; Maganda, Albert; Galla, Moses; Byamugisha, Josaphat; Fowler, Mary GlennEarly HIV infant diagnosis and treatment have been shown to dramatically improve survival in infants. Despite these findings, infants accessing HIV diagnosis and treatment remain low in Uganda. We describe the antiretroviral (ARV) drugs given in the Mulago Hospital prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) program from January 2007 to May 2009 and its impact on early infant HIV infection rates. Methods: Pregnant women identified as HIV infected in the Mulago antenatal clinics received one of the following regimens: short-course ARV prophylaxis plus single-dose nevirapine (sdNVP) in labor, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), or sdNVP if they presented in labor. Infants received sdNVP and zidovudine (ZDV) for 1 week. Infants HIV diagnosis was done from 6 weeks after delivery. Results: 62.3% of HIV-infected women received combination ARVs, including HAART. Early infection rates were highest among infants with no maternal ARV [36.4; 95% confidence interval (CI): 17.2 to 59.3] or only sdNVP (11.2; 95% CI: 8.1 to 14.8). Similar rates were observed for the group that took short-course ARVs, ZDV/sdNVP (4.6; 95% CI: 3.2 to 6.4), and ZDV/lamivudine/sdNVP (4.9; 95% CI: 3.1 to 7.2) and lowest rates for those that took HAART (1.7: 95% CI: 0.8 to 2.8). Overall infection rate was 5.0% (95% CI: 4.1 to 5.9). Conclusions: Findings indicate low rates of infant infection for mothers receiving combination ARVs. These findings demonstrate that provision of combination ARV for PMTCT is feasible and effective in busy referral hospital’s PMTCT programs in resource- limited settingsItem Impaired Haemophilus influenzae Type b Transplacental Antibody Transmission and Declining Antibody Avidity through the First Year of Life Represent Potential Vulnerabilities for HIV-Exposed but -Uninfected Infants(Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, 2014) Gaensbauer, James T.; Rakhola, Jeremy T.; Onyango-Makumbi, Carolyne; Mubiru, Michael; Westcott, Jamie E.; Krebs, Nancy F.; Asturias, Edwin J.; Fowler, Mary Glenn; McFarland, Elizabeth; Janoff, Edward N.To determine whether immune function is impaired among HIV-exposed but -uninfected (HEU) infants born to HIV-infected mothers and to identify potential vulnerabilities to vaccine-preventable infection, we characterized the mother-to-infant placen- tal transfer of Haemophilus influenzae type b-specific IgG (Hib-IgG) and its levels and avidity after vaccination in Ugandan HEU infants and in HIV-unexposed U.S. infants. Hib-IgG was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 57 Ugandan HIV- infected mothers prenatally and in their vaccinated HEU infants and 14 HIV-unexposed U.S. infants at birth and 12, 24, and 48 weeks of age. Antibody avidity at birth and 48 weeks of age was determined with 1 M ammonium thiocyanate. A median of 43% of maternal Hib-IgG was transferred to HEU infants. Although its level was lower in HEU infants than in U.S. infants at birth (P < 0.001), Hib-IgG was present at protective levels (>1.0 - g/ml) at birth in 90% of HEU infants and all U.S. infants. HEU in- fants had robust Hib-IgG responses to a primary vaccination. Although Hib-IgG levels declined from 24 to 48 weeks of age in HEU infants, they were higher than those in U.S. infants (P 0.002). Antibody avidity, comparable at birth, declined by 48 weeks of age in both populations. Early vaccination of HEU infants may limit an initial vulnerability to Hib disease resulting from impaired transplacental antibody transfer. While initial Hib vaccine responses appeared adequate, the confluence of lower antibody avidity and declining Hib-IgG levels in HEU infants by 12 months support Hib booster vaccination at 1 year. Potential immunologic impairments of HEU infants should be considered in the development of vaccine platforms for populations with high maternal HIV prevalence.Item Intrapartum And Neonatal Single-Dose Nevirapine Compared With Zidovudine For Prevention Of Mother-To-Child Transmission Of HIV-1 in Kampala, Uganda: HIVNET 012 Randomised Trial(The Lancet, 1999) Guay, Laura A.; Musoke, Philippa; Fleming, Thomas; Bagenda, Danstan; Allen, Melissa; Nakabiito, Clemensia; Sherman, Joseph; Bakaki, Paul; Ducar, Constance; Deseyve, Martina; Emel, Lynda; Mirochnick, Mark; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Mofenson, Lynne; Miotti, Paolo; Dransfield, Kevin; Bray, Dorothy; Mmiro, Francis; Jackson, J. BrooksThe AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol 076 zidovudine prophylaxis regimen for HIV-1-infected pregnant women and their babies has been associated with a significant decrease in vertical HIV-1 transmission in non-breastfeeding women in developed countries. We compared the safety and efficacy of short-course nevirapine or zidovudine during labour and the first week of life.From November, 1997, to April, 1999, we enrolled 626 HIV-1-infected pregnant women at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. We randomly assigned mothers nevirapine 200 mg orally at onset of labour and 2 mg/kg to babies within 72 h of birth, or zidovudine 600 mg orally to the mother at onset of labour and 300 mg every 3 h until delivery, and 4 mg/kg orally twice daily to babies for 7 days after birth. We tested babies for HIV-1 infection at birth, 6–8 weeks, and 14–16 weeks by HIV-1 RNA PCR. We assessed HIV-1 transmission and HIV-1-free survival with Kaplan-Meier analysis.Nearly all babies (98·8%) were breastfed, and 95·6% were still breastfeeding at age 14–16 weeks. The estimated risks of HIV-1 transmission in the zidovudine and nevirapine groups were: 10·4% and 8·2% at birth (p=0·354); 21·3% and 11·9% by age 6–8 weeks (p=0·0027); and 25·1% and 13·1% by age 14–16 weeks (p=0·0006). The efficacy of nevirapine compared with zidovudine was 47% (95% CI 20–64) up to age 14–16 weeks. The two regimens were well tolerated and adverse events were similar in the two groups.Nevirapine lowered the risk of HIV-1 transmission during the first 14–16 weeks of life by nearly 50% in a breastfeeding population. This simple and inexpensive regimen could decrease mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission in less-developed countries.Item Long Term Follow-up of Children in the HIVNET 012 Perinatal HIV Prevention Trial: Five-Year Growth and Survival(Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes, 2013) Owor, Maxensia; Mwatha, Anthony; Donnell, Deborah; Musoke, Philippa; Mmiro, Francis; Allen, Melissa; Jackson, J. Brooks; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Laura A; Guay, Laura A.To describe five year growth, survival and long-term safety among children exposed to nevirapine or zidovudine in an African perinatal prevention trial, HIVNET 012.All study children who were alive at eighteen months of age were eligible for an extended follow-up study. Children whose families consented were enrolled and evaluated every six months from 24 to 60 months. At each visit, history, physical exam and growth measures were taken. From these measurements Z scores based on World Health Organization (WHO) standards were computed. Serious adverse event data were collected. Data from the initial and extended follow-up cohorts were included in the analysis.528 study children were alive at age 18 months, and 491 (426 HIV uninfected; 65 infected) were enrolled into the follow-up study. Both exposed but uninfected children and HIV infected children were substantially below WHO growth standards for weight and height. Head circumference Z scores for uninfected children were comparable to WHO norms. Five-year survival rates were 93% for uninfected children versus 43% for infected children. Long-term safety and growth outcomes in the two study arms were similar.Both infected and uninfected children in the five-year HIVNET 012 follow-up showed poor height and weight growth outcomes, underscoring the need for early nutritional interventions to improve long-term growth of all infants born to HIV-infected women in resource limited settings. Likewise, the low five year survival among HIV infected children support the importance of early initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Both peripartum nevirapine and zidovudine were safe.Item Maternal Humoral Immune Responses Do Not Predict Postnatal HIV-1 Transmission Risk in Antiretroviral-Treated Mothers from the IMPAACT PROMISE Study(Msphere, 2019) Hompe, Eliza D.; Jacobson, Denise L.; Eudailey, Joshua A.; Butler, Kevin; Edwards, Whitney; Pollara, Justin; Brummel, Sean S.; Fouda, Genevieve G.; Chinula, Lameck; Kamanga, Melvin; Kinikar, Aarti; Moodley, Dhayendre; Owor, Maxensia; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Permar, Sallie R.To design immune interventions that can synergize with antiretroviral therapy (ART) to reduce the rate of HIV mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), it is essential to characterize maternal immune responses in the setting of ART during pregnancy and breastfeeding and define their effect on MTCT. Prior studies reported an association between breast milk envelope (Env)-specific antibodies and antibodydependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity with reduced postnatal transmission. In this study, we investigated whether these immune correlates were similarly associated with protection in a matched case-control study of mother-infant pairs receiving maternal ART or infant nevirapine prophylaxis during breastfeeding in the International Maternal-Pediatric-Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network Promoting Maternal-Infant Survival Everywhere (PROMISE) trial, assessing postnatal transmission risk in 19 transmitting and 57 nontransmitting mothers using conditional logistic regression models adjusted for maternal plasma viral load. The odds ratios of postnatal MTCT for a 1-unit increase in an immune correlate were 3.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56, 23.14) for breast milk Env-specific secretory IgA (sIgA), 2.32 (95% CI, 0.43, 12.56) for breast milk and 2.16 (95% CI, 0.51, 9.14) for plasma Env-specific IgA, and 4.57 (95% CI, 0.68, 30.48) for breast milk and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.25, 3.67) for plasma ADCC activity, with all CIs spanning 1.0. Interestingly, although mucosal IgA responses are poor in untreated HIV-infected women, there was a strong correlation between the magnitudes of breast milk and plasma Env-specific IgA in this cohort. In this analysis of the small number of postnatal virus transmissions in the landmark PROMISE study, no single antibody response was associated with breast milk transmission risk.Item Perinatal HIV and Its Prevention: Progress Toward an HIV-free Generation(Clinics in perinatology, 2010) Fowler, Mary Glenn; Gable, Alicia R.; Lampe, Margaret A.; Etima, Monica; Owor, MaxensiaSince the first cases of infant HIV infection were described in the early 1980s, significant progress has been made in our understanding of risk factors for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV as well as effective interventions to prevent transmission. MTCT of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) can occur during pregnancy particularly in the third trimester, during the intrapartum period, and for infants exposed to HIV, who are breastfed, throughout the period of lactation.1 Before the availability of antiretroviral and obstetric interventions, about 1 in 4 infants born to women infected with HIV became infected. Among these infected infants, 50% to 60% of transmission occurred around the time of labor or delivery based on newborn infants exposed to HIV having negative cord blood or newborn polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests that subsequently became positive within the first weeks of life.2 Among HIV-infected breastfeeding populations, about 20% to 25% of infections occurred in utero based on positive PCRs at birth; 35% to 50% intrapartum; and another 25% to 35% of infants negative at birth and in the first 6 weeks became infected later, presumably as a result of transmission through breast milk.Item A Phase I/II Study Of The Safety And Pharmacokinetics Of Nevirapine In HIV-1-Infected Pregnant Ugandan Women And Their Neonates (HIVNET 006)(Aids, 1999) Musoke, Philippa; Guay, Laura A.; Bagenda, Danstan; Mirochnick, Mark; Nakabiito, Clemensia; Fleming, Thomas; Elliott, Terry; Horton, Scott; Dransfield, Kevin; Pav, Joseph W.; Murarka, Amal; Allen, Melissa; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Mofenson, Lynne; Hom, David; Mmiro, Francis; Jackson, J. BrooksTo determine the safety, pharmacokinetics, tolerance, antiretroviral activity, and infant HIV infection status after giving a single dose of nevirapine to HIV-1-infected pregnant women during labor and their newborns during the first week of life.An open label phase I/II study.Tertiary care hospital, Kampala, Uganda.Nevirapine, 200mg, was given as a single dose during labor to 21 HIV-1-infected pregnant Ugandan women. In cohort 1, eight infants did not receive nevirapine whereas in cohort 2, 13 infants received a single dose of nevirapine, 2mg/kg, at 72h of age.The number and type of adverse events; nevirapine concentrations in the plasma and breast milk; maternal plasma HIV-1 RNA copy number before and up to 6 weeks after delivery; and HIV-1 infection status of the infants were monitored.Nevirapine was well tolerated by women and infants; no serious adverse events that were related to nevirapine were observed. Median nevirapine concentration in the women at delivery was 1623ng/ml (range 238-2356ng/ml); median cord/maternal blood ratio of 0.75 (0.37-0.93). The median half-life in women was 61.3h (27-90h) and the transplacental nevirapine half-life in infants who did not receive a neonatal dose was 54h. The median half-life after a single dose at 72h in infants was 46.5h. During the first week of life, the median colostrum/breast milk to maternal plasma nevirapine concentration was 60.5% (25-122%). The median nevirapine concentration in breast milk 1 week after delivery was 103ng/ml (25-309ng/ml). Plasma nevirapine concentrations were above 100ng/ml in all infants from both cohorts tested at age 7 days. Maternal HIV-1 RNA levels decreased by a median of 1.3 logs at 1 week postpartum, and returned to baseline by 6 weeks postpartum. Detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA was observed in one out of 22 (4.5%) infants at birth; three out of 21 (14%) at 6 weeks; and four out of 21 (19%) at 6 months of age.The administration of a single dose of nevirapine to women during labor and to their newborns at 72h was well tolerated and showed potent antiretroviral activity in the women at 1 week after dosing without rebound above baseline 6 weeks after a single dose. The nevirapine concentration was maintained above the target of 100ng/ml in infants at age 7 days, even in those infants not receiving a neonatal dose. This regimen has promise as prophylaxis against intrapartum and early breast milk transmission in a breastfeeding population.Item Predictors of Early and Late Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in a Breastfeeding Population: HIV Network for Prevention Trials 012 Experience, Kampala, Uganda(Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes, 2009) Mmiro, Francis A.; Aizire, Jim; Mwatha, Anthony K.; Eshleman, Susan H.; Donnell, Deborah; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Nakabiito, Clemensia; Musoke, Philippa M.; Jackson, J. Brooks; Guay, Laura A.To determine the predictors for early versus later (breastfeeding) transmission of HIV-1.Secondary data analysis was performed on HIV Network for Prevention Trials 012, a completed randomized clinical trial assessing the relative efficacy of nevirapine (NVP) versus zidovudine in reducing mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1. We used Cox regression analysis to assess risk factors for MTCT. The ViroSeq HIV genotyping and a sensitive point mutation assay were used to detect NVP resistance mutations.In this subset analyses, 122 of 610 infants were HIV infected, of whom 99 (81.1%) were infected early (first positive polymerase chain reaction ≤56 days). Incidence of MTCT after 56 days was low [0.7% per month (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.4 to 1.0)], but continued through 18 months. In multivariate analyses, early MTCT “factors” included NVP versus zidovudine (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.38 to 0.86), pre-entry maternal viral load (VL, HR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.28 to 2.41), and CD4 cell count (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.28). Maternal VL (6–8 weeks) was associated with late MTCT (HR = 3.66, 95% CI: 1.78 to 7.50), whereas maternal NVP resistance (6–8 weeks) was not.Maternal VL was the best predictor of both early and late transmission. Maternal NVP resistance at 6–8 weeks did not predict late transmission.Item Safety and Efficacy of HIV Hyperimmune Globulin (HIVIGLOB) for Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission in HIV-1 infected Pregnant Women and their Infants in Kampala, Uganda (HIVIGLOB/NVP STUDY)(Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes, 2011) Makumbi, Carolyne Onyango; Omer, Saad B.; Mubiru, Michael; Moulton, Lawrence H.; Nakabiito, Clemensia; Musoke, Philippa; Mmiro, Francis; Zwerski, Sheryl; Wigzell, Hans; Falksveden, Lars; Wahren, Britta; Antelman, Gretchen; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Guay, Laura; Jackson, J. BrooksThis phase III randomized clinical trial compared single dose nevirapine (sdNVP) plus HIV immunoglobulin (HIVIGLOB) to sdNVP alone for preventing maternal-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV.Primary objectives were to determine rates of HIV infection among infants, and to assess the safety of HIVIGLOB in combination with sdNVP in HIV-infected Ugandan pregnant women and their infants.Mother-infant pairs were randomized to receive 200mg of NVP to women in labor and 2mg/kg NVP to newborns within 72 hours after birth (sdNVP arm) or to receive sdNVP plus a single intravenous 240ml dose of HIVIGLOB given to women at 36-38 weeks gestation and a single intravenous 24ml dose to newborns within 18 hours of birth (HIVIGLOB/sdNVP arm). Risk of HIV infection was determined using Kaplan-Meier and risk ratio estimates at birth, 2, 6, 14 weeks, 6 and 12 months of age. Intent-to-treat analysis included 198 HIVIGLOB/sdNVP and 294 sdNVP mother-infant pairs. At 6 months of age, the primary endpoint, there was no statistically significant difference in HIV transmission in the HIVIGLOB/sdNVP arm versus the sdNVP arm (18.7% vs.15.0%; RR =1.240 [95% CI: 0.833-1.846]; p= 0.290). Similarly, the proportion of serious adverse events in the HIVIGLOB/sdNVP and sdNVP arms, respectively for mothers (18.9% vs. 19.3%; p= 0.91) and infants (62.6% vs. 59.5%; p=0.51), were not significantly different.Giving mother-infant pairs an infusion of peripartum HIV hyperimmunoglobulin in addition to sdNVP for PMTCT was as safe as sdNVP alone, but was no more effective than sdNVP alone in preventing HIV transmission.Item SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among blood donors in Uganda: 2019–2022(John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2023-05-16) Bloch, Evan M; Kyeyune, Dorothy; White, Jodie L; Ddungu, Henry; Ashokkumar, Swetha; Habtehyimer, Feben; Baker, Owen; Kasirye, Ronnie; Patel, Eshan U.; Grabowski, M. Kate; Musisi, Ezra; Moses, Khan; Hume, Heather A; Lubega, Irene; Shrestha, Ruchee; Motevalli, Mahnaz; Fernandez, Reinaldo E; Reynolds, Steven J; Redd, Andrew D; Wambongo Musana, Hellen; Dhabangi, Aggrey; Ouma, Joseph; Eroju, Priscilla; Lange, Telsa; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Musoke, Philippa; Stramer, Susan L.; Whitby, Denise; Zimmerman, Peter A; McCullough, Jeffrey; Sachithanandham, Jaiprasath; Pekosz, Andrew; Goodrich, Raymond; Quinn, Thomas C; Ness, Paul M.; Laeyendecker, Oliver; Tobian, Aaron A. R.Abstract Abstract Background The true burden of COVID‐19 in low‐ and middle‐income countries remains poorly characterized, especially in Africa. Even prior to the availability of SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccines, countries in Africa had lower numbers of reported COVID‐19 related hospitalizations and deaths than other regions globally. Methods Ugandan blood donors were evaluated between October 2019 and April 2022 for IgG antibodies to SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleocapsid (N), spike (S), and five variants of the S protein using multiplexed electrochemiluminescence immunoassays (MesoScale Diagnostics, Rockville, MD). Seropositivity for N and S was assigned using manufacturer‐provided cutoffs and trends in seroprevalence were estimated by quarter. Statistically significant associations between N and S antibody seropositivity and donor characteristics in November–December 2021 were assessed by chi‐square tests. Results A total of 5393 blood unit samples from donors were evaluated. N and S seropositivity increased throughout the pandemic to 82.6% in January–April 2022. Among seropositive individuals, N and S antibody levels increased ≥9‐fold over the study period. In November–December 2021, seropositivity to N and S antibody was higher among repeat donors (61.3%) compared with new donors (55.1%; p = .043) and among donors from Kampala (capital city of Uganda) compared with rural regions ( p = .007). Seropositivity to S antibody was significantly lower among HIV‐seropositive individuals (58.8% vs. 84.9%; p = .009). Conclusions Despite previously reported low numbers of COVID‐19 cases and related deaths in Uganda, high SARS‐CoV‐2 seroprevalence and increasing antibody levels among blood donors indicated that the country experienced high levels of infection over the course of the pandemic.Item Unintended pregnancy and contraception use among African women living with HIV: Baseline analysis of the multi-country US PEPFAR PROMOTE cohort(Public Library of Science, 2024-03-11) Aizire, Jim; Yende-Zuma, Nonhlanhla; Hanley, Sherika; Nematadzira, Teacler; Nyati, Mandisa M; Dadabhai, Sufia; Chinula, Lameck; Nakaye, Catherine; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Taha, TahaAbout 90% of unintended pregnancies are attributed to non-use of effective contraception-tubal ligation, or reversible effective contraception (REC) including injectables, oral pills, intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUCD), and implant. We assessed the prevalence of unintended pregnancy and factors associated with using RECs, and Long-Acting-Reversible-Contraceptives (LARCs)-implants and IUCDs, among women living with HIV (WLHIV) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). We conducted cross-sectional analyses of the US-PEPFAR PROMOTE study WLHIV on ART at enrollment. Separate outcome (REC and LARC) modified-Poisson regression models were used to estimate prevalence risk ratio (PRR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). Of 1,987 enrolled WLHIV, 990 (49.8%) reported their last/current pregnancy was unintended; 1,027/1,254 (81.9%) non-pregnant women with a potential to become pregnant reported current use of effective contraception including 215/1,254 (17.1%) LARC users. Compared to Zimbabwe, REC rates were similar in South Africa, aPRR = 0.97 (95% CI: 0.90-1.04), p = 0.355, lower in Malawi, aPRR = 0.84 (95% CI: 0.78-0.91), p<0.001, and Uganda, 0.82 (95% CI: 0.73-0.91), p<0.001. Additionally, REC use was independently associated with education attained, primary versus higher education, aPRR = 1.10 (95% CI: 1.02-1.18), p = 0.013; marriage/stable union, aPRR = 1.10 (95% CI: 1.01-1.21), p = 0.039; no desire for another child, PRR = 1.10 (95% CI: 1.02-1.16), p = 0.016; infrequent sex (none in the last 3 months), aPRR = 1.24 (95% CI: 1.15-1.33), p<0001; and controlled HIV load ([less than or equal to] 1000 copies/ml), PRR = 1.10 (95% CI: 1.02-1.19), p = 0.014. LARC use was independently associated with country (Zimbabwe ref: South Africa, PRR = 0.39 (95% CI: 0.26-0.57), p<0.001; Uganda, PRR = 0.65 (95% CI: 0.42-1.01), p = 0.054; and Malawi, aPRR = 0.87 (95% CI: 0.64-1.19), p = 0.386; HIV load ([less than or equal to] 1000 copies/ml copies/ml), aPRR=1.73 (95% CI: 1.26-2.37), p<0.001; and formal/self-employment, aPRR = 1.37 (95% CI: 1.02-1.91), p = 0.027. Unintended pregnancy was common while use of effective contraception methods particularly LARCs was low among these African WLHIV. HIV viral load, education, sexual-activity, fertility desires, and economic independence are pertinent individual-level factors integral to the multi-level barriers to utilization of effective contraception among African WLHIV. National programs should prioritize strategies for effective integration of HIV and reproductive health care in the respective African countries.