Resilience and associated factors in orphaned and separated adolescents in Kenya: Understanding the relationship with care environment and HIV risks

Orphans are at higher risk of HIV infection and several important HIV risk factors than non-orphans; however, this may be due to a combination of related social, psychological, and economic factors, as well as care environment, rather than orphan status alone. Understanding these complex relationships may aid policy makers in supporting evidence-based, cost-effective programming for this vulnerable population. This longitudinal study uses a causal effect model to examine, through decomposition, the relationship between care environment and HIV risk factors in orphaned and separated adolescents and youths (OSAY) in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya; considering resilience, social, peer, or family support, volunteering, or having one's material needs met as potential mediators. We analysed survey responses from 1105 OSAY age 10-26 living in Charitable Children's Institutions (CCI) (orphanages) and family-based care settings (FBS). Follow-up time was 7-36 months. Care in CCIs (vs. FBS) was associated with a decreased likelihood of engaging in forced, exchange, and consensual sex. Excess relative risks (ERR) attributable to the indirect pathway, mediation, or interaction were not significant in any model. Care environment was not statistically associated with differences in substance use. Our findings support the direct, unmediated, association between institutional care and HIV risk factors.

A job task analysis of the authorised firearms officer - counter terrorism (AFO-CT) national role profile

BACKGROUND

The Ministry of Defence Police recognised the requirement to develop a Physical Employment Standard (PES) for the Authorised Firearms Officer -Counter Terrorism (AFO-CT) role profile.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to conduct a job task analysis to identify the most critical and physically demanding tasks performed by AFO-CT personnel.

METHODS

A focus group and online survey were undertaken to identify a list of job tasks. The down-selected job tasks were objectively monitored during training events to determine the most physically demanding tasks. Tasks were ranked by physical demand and additional factors (e.g., operational load, primary physical actions). Down-selected tasks were then included in a Subject Matter Experts (SME) task scenario generation workshop. The physiological demands of the resulting standardised scenarios were determined.

RESULTS

The focus group (n = 11) identified 13 physically demanding and critical role-related tasks. The subsequent survey (n = 907) down-selected eight tasks with a 'moderate' demand or greater. Thirty AFO-CT personnel completed the eight tasks as part of routine training events. From the observed tasks, four tasks were down-selected and combined into two operationally relevant, reasonable worst-case standardised scenarios during a SME workshop. The two scenarios, 'Conduct Armed Search in the Open for an Active Shooter' and 'Victim Focussed Emergency Search' were used in subsequent phases of the research to form the basis of the AFO-CT PES.

CONCLUSION

This research elucidated the most physically demanding job tasks within the AFO-CT role profile to inform the development of a MOD armed policing PES.

Characterization of HIV-Related Stigma in Myanmar

Characterizing HIV-related stigma and its impacts are important for interventions toward their elimination. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 to evaluate enacted and internalized stigma among adult people living with HIV (PLWH) across four cities in Myanmar using the India Stigma Index questionnaire. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to determine differences in measured enacted and internalized stigma outcomes. Among 1,006 participants, 89% reported any stigma indicator, 47% enacted stigma, and 87% internalized stigma. In regression analysis, city and duration of illness were associated with higher enacted stigma, and younger age was associated with higher internalized stigma. Those with HIV duration > 7.4 years had mean enacted stigma nearly 2 units higher than the overall mean. Internalized stigma increased with duration of illness and leveled off at 5 years. PLWH from smaller cities experienced lower stigma. In Myanmar, nearly 90% of PLWH experience stigma, results that reflect a unique transition point.

HIV Incidence and Death Among Orphaned and Nonorphaned Children and Adolescents Living in Family-Based Settings in Western Kenya: A Prospective Cohort Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the incidence of HIV, death, and abuse among orphaned children to nonorphaned children living in households caring for orphaned children in Western Kenya.

STUDY DESIGN

A random sample was taken of 300 households caring for at least one orphaned child in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. All orphaned and nonorphaned children in each selected household were enrolled in a prospective cohort study between 2010 and 2013. A total of 1488 children (487 double orphans, 743 single orphans, and 258 nonorphans) were followed up annually until 2019. Survival analysis was used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the association between the number of parents the child had lost (none, 1, or 2), and HIV incidence, death, combined HIV incidence or death, and incident abuse.

RESULTS

Among 1488 children enrolled, 52% of participants were females, 23 were HIV positive, and the median age was 10.4 years. Over the course of the study, 16 orphaned children died and 11 acquired HIV. No deaths or incident HIV infections were observed among the nonorphaned children. Among children who were HIV negative at enrollment, loss of a parent was strongly associated with incident HIV (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.21 per parent lost, 95% CI: 1.03-4.73) and HIV or death (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.46 per parent lost, 95% CI: 1.37-4.42). There were no significant associations between orphan level and abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

In similar households, orphaned children experience a higher risk of HIV and death than nonorphaned children. Both orphaned children and the families caring for them need additional support to prevent adverse health outcomes.

Prevalence, incidence and chronicity of child abuse among orphaned, separated, and street-connected children and adolescents in western Kenya: What is the impact of care environment?

BACKGROUND

The effect of different types of care environment on orphaned and separated children and adolescents' (OSCA) experiences of abuse in sub-Saharan Africa is uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

Our two primary objectives were 1) to compare recent child abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual) between OSCA living in institutional environments and those in family-based care; and 2) to understand how recent child abuse among street-connected children and youth compared to these other vulnerable youth populations.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

This project followed a cohort of OSCA in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya (2009-2019). This analysis includes 2393 participants aged 18 years and below, 1017 from institutional environments, 1227 from family-based care, and 95 street-connected participants.

METHODS

The primary outcome of interest was recent abuse. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of recent abuse at baseline, follow-up, and chronically for each abuse domain and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) between care environments, controlling for multiple factors.

RESULTS

In total, 47 % of OSCA reported ever experiencing any kind of recent abuse at baseline and 54 % in follow-up. Compared to those in family-based care, street-connected participants had a much higher reported prevalence of all types of recent abuse at baseline (AOR: 5.01, 95 % CI: 2.89, 9.35), in follow-up (AOR: 5.22, 95 % CI: 2.41, 13.98), and over time (AOR: 3.44, 95 % CI: 1.93, 6.45). OSCA in institutional care were no more likely than those in family-based care of reporting any recent abuse at baseline (AOR: 0.85 95 % CI: 0.59-1.17) or incident abuse at follow-up (AOR: 0.91, 95 % CI: 0.61-1.47).

CONCLUSION

OSCA, irrespective of care environment, reported high levels of recent physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Street-connected participants had the highest prevalence of all kinds of abuse. OSCA living in institutional care did not experience more child abuse than those living in family-based care.

Not all clusters are equal: dynamics of molecular HIV-1 clusters in a statewide Rhode Island epidemic

OBJECTIVES

Molecular epidemiology is a powerful tool to characterize HIV epidemics and prioritize public health interventions. Typically, HIV clusters are assumed to have uniform patterns over time. We hypothesized that assessment of cluster evolution would reveal distinct cluster behavior, possibly improving molecular epidemic characterization, towards disrupting HIV transmission.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort.

METHODS

Annual phylogenies were inferred by cumulative aggregation of all available HIV-1 pol sequences of individuals with HIV-1 in Rhode Island (RI) between 1990 and 2020, representing a statewide epidemic. Molecular clusters were detected in annual phylogenies by strict and relaxed cluster definition criteria, and the impact of annual newly-diagnosed HIV-1 cases to the structure of individual clusters was examined over time.

RESULTS

Of 2153 individuals, 31% (strict criteria) - 47% (relaxed criteria) clustered. Longitudinal tracking of individual clusters identified three cluster types: normal, semi-normal and abnormal. Normal clusters (83-87% of all identified clusters) showed predicted growing/plateauing dynamics, with approximately three-fold higher growth rates in large (15-18%) vs. small (∼5%) clusters. Semi-normal clusters (1-2% of all clusters) temporarily fluctuated in size and composition. Abnormal clusters (11-16% of all clusters) demonstrated collapses and re-arrangements over time. Borderline values of cluster-defining parameters explained dynamics of non-normal clusters.

CONCLUSIONS

Comprehensive tracing of molecular HIV clusters over time in a statewide epidemic identified distinct cluster types, likely missed in cross-sectional analyses, demonstrating that not all clusters are equal. This knowledge challenges current perceptions of consistent cluster behavior over time and could improve molecular surveillance of local HIV epidemics to better inform public health strategies.

Factors associated with caregiver compliance to an HIV disclosure intervention and its effect on HIV and mental health outcomes among children living with HIV: post-hoc instrumental variable-based analysis of a cluster randomized trial in Eldoret, Kenya

Background

The HADITHI study is a cluster-randomized trial of children living with HIV and their caregivers in Kenya that aimed to increase rates of caregiver disclosure of their child's HIV status, encourage earlier status disclosure, and improve pediatric mental health and HIV outcomes. This analysis identified characteristics predicting caregiver non-responsiveness and compared outcomes among children based on disclosure status.

Methods

A penalized logistic regression model with lasso regularization identified the most important predictors of disclosure. The two-stage least squares instrumental variable approach was used to assess outcomes accounting for non-compliance to disclosure.

Results

Caregiver non-isolation and shorter time on antiretroviral therapy were predictive of HIV status disclosure. There were no statistically significant differences found in CD4 percentage, depression status, or mental and emotional status based on disclosure status up to 24 months-post intervention.

Conclusion

These findings have implications for specialists seeking to tailor disclosure interventions to improve caregiver-child dyad responsiveness.

Continuity of Care is Associated with Higher Appointment Adherence Among HIV Patients in Low Clinician-to-Patient Ratio Facilities in Western Kenya

We sought to determine the relationship between continuity of care and adherence to clinic appointments among patients receiving HIV care in high vs. low clinician-to-patient (C:P) ratios facilities in western Kenya. This retrospective analysis included 12,751 patients receiving HIV care from the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) program, between February 2016-2019. We used logistic regression analysis with generalized estimating equations to estimate the relationship between continuity of care (two consecutive visits with the same provider) and adherence to clinic appointments (within 7 days of a scheduled appointment) over time. Adjusting for covariates, patients in low C:P ratio facilities who had continuity of care, were more likely to be adherent to their appointments compared to those without continuity (adjusted odds ratio = 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-1.69). Continuity in HIV care may be a factor in clinical adherence among patients in low C:P ratio facilities and should therefore be promoted.

192 Uniportal Non-Intubated Subxiphoid VATS Thymectomy Compared to Uniportal Intubated Subxiphoid VATS Thymectomy: The Technical Feasibility, Safety, Level of Post-Operative Pain, and Adequacy of Oncological Resection

Aim

Subxiphoid video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (SVATS) has been associated with less pain and subsequent opioid requirements. Furthermore, a non-intubated approach reduces sedatives and opioid requirements and may enhance recovery. The current retrospective comparative study is aimed to compare the technical feasibility, enhanced recovery, safety, and adequacy of oncological resection in patients undergoing non-intubated subxiphoid video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy and in patients who underwent a traditional intubated subxiphoid resection.

Method

We conducted a retrospective study of 42 patients who underwent Subxiphoid VATS thymectomy from September 2016 until June 2021. Among them, 21 carefully selected patients underwent non-intubated SVATS thymectomy.

Results

A total of 42 patients were included in the analysis, of which the mean age was 59.6 years, and 52% were female. The mean age for the non-intubated group was 57.5 and 54.5% female. Among them, 12 patients had myasthenia gravis. Significant complications were bleeding, mandating conversion, acute kidney injury, prolonged air leak and vocal cord palsy. In total, for Group 2, there were 3 cases converted to sternotomy, compared to Group 1. Both groups' median hospital length of stay was two days. Complete resection was achieved in all cases in Group 1, whereas, in Group 2, 4 patients were reported with an R1 resection margin.

Conclusion

Non intubated subxiphoid thymectomy is technically feasible, safe and associated with adequate oncological resection. Reduced sedation and opioid requirement lower the risk of postoperative respiratory failure and delirium, thus enhancing early recovery. However, more extensive studies are required to confirm this hypothesis.

Toward evaluation of disseminated effects of medications for opioid use disorder within provider-based clusters using routinely-collected health data

Routinely-collected health data can be employed to emulate a target trial when randomized trial data are not available. Patients within provider-based clusters likely exert and share influence on each other's treatment preferences and subsequent health outcomes and this is known as dissemination or spillover. Extending a framework to replicate an idealized two-stage randomized trial using routinely-collected health data, an evaluation of disseminated effects within provider-based clusters is possible. In this article, we propose a novel application of causal inference methods for dissemination to retrospective cohort studies in administrative claims data and evaluate the impact of the normality of the random effects distribution for the cluster-level propensity score on estimation of the causal parameters. An extensive simulation study was conducted to study the robustness of the methods under different distributions of the random effects. We applied these methods to evaluate baseline prescription for medications for opioid use disorder among a cohort of patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder and adjust for baseline confounders using information obtained from an administrative claims database. We discuss future research directions in this setting to better address unmeasured confounding in the presence of disseminated effects.

Statewide Longitudinal Trends in Transmitted HIV-1 Drug Resistance in Rhode Island, USA

Background

HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance (TDR) remains a global challenge that can impact care, yet its comprehensive assessment is limited and heterogenous. We longitudinally characterized statewide TDR in Rhode Island.

Methods

Demographic and clinical data from treatment-naïve individuals were linked to protease, reverse transcriptase, and integrase sequences routinely obtained over 2004-2020. TDR extent, trends, impact on first-line regimens, and association with transmission networks were assessed using the Stanford Database, Mann-Kendall statistic, and phylogenetic tools.

Results

In 1123 individuals, TDR to any antiretroviral increased from 8% (2004) to 26% (2020), driven by non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI; 5%-18%) and, to a lesser extent, nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI; 2%-8%) TDR. Dual- and triple-class TDR rates were low, and major integrase strand transfer inhibitor resistance was absent. Predicted intermediate to high resistance was in 77% of those with TDR, with differential suppression patterns. Among all individuals, 34% were in molecular clusters, some only with members with TDR who shared mutations. Among clustered individuals, people with TDR were more likely in small clusters.

Conclusions

In a unique (statewide) assessment over 2004-2020, TDR increased; this was primarily, but not solely, driven by NNRTIs, impacting antiretroviral regimens. Limited TDR to multiclass regimens and pre-exposure prophylaxis are encouraging; however, surveillance and its integration with molecular epidemiology should continue in order to potentially improve care and prevention interventions.

Catamenial pneumothorax

Thoracic endometriosis syndrome is an under-recognised manifestation of endometriosis and includes catamenial pneumothorax, catamenial haemothorax, catamenial haemoptysis and pulmonary nodules. Catamenial pneumothorax presents as recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax with a temporal relationship to the onset of menses, affecting mostly the right lung. A 48-year-old woman presented with an eight-year history of right-sided catamenial pneumothorax, during which time she had three episodes of pneumothorax. Serial chest imaging revealed an enlarging mass overlying the right hemi-diaphragm. She was referred to our trust where she underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for right pleurectomy. Intraoperatively, defects were found in the right hemidiaphragm, through which parts of the liver had herniated. We describe the presenting features and management of catamenial pneumothorax.

Association of Care Environment With HIV Incidence and Death Among Orphaned, Separated, and Street-Connected Children and Adolescents in Western Kenya

IMPORTANCE

In 2015, there were nearly 140 million orphaned children globally, particularly in low- and middle-income regions, and millions more for whom the street is central to their everyday lives. A total of 16.6 million children were orphaned because of deaths associated with HIV/AIDS, of whom 90% live in sub-Saharan Africa. Although most orphaned and separated children and adolescents in this region are cared for by extended family, the large number of children requiring care has produced a proliferation of institutional care. Few studies have investigated the association between care environment and physical health among orphaned and separated youths in sub-Saharan Africa.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association of care environment with incident HIV and death among orphaned and separated children and adolescents who were living in charitable children's institutions, family-based settings, and street settings in western Kenya over almost 10 years.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

The Orphaned and Separated Children's Assessments Related to Their Health and Well-Being (OSCAR) project was an observational prospective cohort study conducted in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The cohort comprised 2551 orphaned, separated, and street-connected children from communities within 8 administrative locations, which included 300 randomly selected households (family-based settings) caring for children who were orphaned from all causes, 19 charitable children's institutions (institutional settings), and a convenience sample of 100 children who were practicing self-care on the streets (street settings). Participants were enrolled from May 31, 2010, to April 24, 2013, and were followed up until November 30, 2019.

EXPOSURES

Care environment (family-based, institutional, or street setting).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Survival regression models were used to investigate the association between care environment and incident HIV, death, and time to incident HIV or death.

RESULTS

Among 2551 participants, 1230 youths were living in family-based settings, 1230 were living in institutional settings, and 91 were living in street settings. Overall, 1321 participants (51.8%) were male, with a mean (SD) age at baseline of 10.4 (4.8) years. Most participants who were living in institutional (1047 of 1230 youths [85.1%]) or street (71 of 91 youths [78.0%]) settings were double orphaned (ie, both parents had died). A total of 59 participants acquired HIV infection or died during the study period. After adjusting for sex, age, and baseline HIV status, living in a charitable children's institution was not associated with death (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 0.26; 95% CI, 0.07-1.02) or incident HIV (AHR, 1.49; 95% CI, 0.46-4.83). Compared with living in a family-based setting, living in a street setting was associated with death (AHR, 5.46; 95% CI, 2.30-12.94), incident HIV (AHR, 17.31; 95% CI, 5.85-51.25), and time to incident HIV or death (AHR, 7.82; 95% CI, 3.48-17.55).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this study, after adjusting for potential confounders, no association was found between care environment and HIV incidence or death among youths living in institutional vs family-based settings. However, living in a street setting vs a family-based setting was associated with both HIV incidence and death. This study's findings suggest that strengthening of child protection systems and greater investment in evidence-based family support systems that improve child and adolescent health and prevent youth migration to the street are needed for safe and beneficial deinstitutionalization to be implemented at scale.

Longitudinal typing of molecular HIV clusters in a statewide epidemic

BACKGROUND

HIV molecular epidemiology is increasingly integrated into public health prevention. We conducted cluster typing to enhance characterization of a densely sampled statewide epidemic towards informing public health.

METHODS

We identified HIV clusters, categorized them into types, and evaluated their dynamics between 2004 and 2019 in Rhode Island. We grouped sequences by diagnosis year, assessed cluster changes between paired phylogenies, t0 and t1, representing adjacent years and categorized clusters as stable (cluster in t0 phylogeny = cluster in t1 phylogeny) or unstable (cluster in t0 ≠ cluster in t1). Unstable clusters were further categorized as emerging (t1 phylogeny only) or growing (larger in t1 phylogeny). We determined proportions of each cluster type, of individuals in each cluster type, and of newly diagnosed individuals in each cluster type, and assessed trends over time.

RESULTS

A total of 1727 individuals with available HIV-1 subtype B pol sequences were diagnosed in Rhode Island by 2019. Over time, stable clusters and individuals in them dominated the epidemic, increasing over time, with reciprocally decreasing unstable clusters and individuals in them. Conversely, proportions of newly diagnosed individuals in unstable clusters significantly increased. Within unstable clusters, proportions of emerging clusters and of individuals in them declined; whereas proportions of newly diagnosed individuals in growing clusters significantly increased over time.

CONCLUSION

Distinct molecular cluster types were identified in the Rhode Island epidemic. Cluster dynamics demonstrated increasing stable and decreasing unstable clusters driven by growing, rather than emerging clusters, suggesting consistent in-state transmission networks. Cluster typing could inform public health beyond conventional approaches and direct interventions.

Odderon Exchange from Elastic Scattering Differences between pp and pp[over ¯] Data at 1.96 TeV and from pp Forward Scattering Measurements

We describe an analysis comparing the pp[over ¯] elastic cross section as measured by the D0 Collaboration at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV to that in pp collisions as measured by the TOTEM Collaboration at 2.76, 7, 8, and 13 TeV using a model-independent approach. The TOTEM cross sections, extrapolated to a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=1.96  TeV, are compared with the D0 measurement in the region of the diffractive minimum and the second maximum of the pp cross section. The two data sets disagree at the 3.4σ level and thus provide evidence for the t-channel exchange of a colorless, C-odd gluonic compound, also known as the odderon. We combine these results with a TOTEM analysis of the same C-odd exchange based on the total cross section and the ratio of the real to imaginary parts of the forward elastic strong interaction scattering amplitude in pp scattering for which the significance is between 3.4σ and 4.6σ. The combined significance is larger than 5σ and is interpreted as the first observation of the exchange of a colorless, C-odd gluonic compound.

Sex differences in health status, healthcare utilization, and costs among individuals with elevated blood pressure: the LARK study from Western Kenya

BACKGROUND

Elevated blood pressure is the leading risk factor for global mortality. While it is known that there exist differences between men and women with respect to socioeconomic status, self-reported health, and healthcare utilization, there are few published studies from Africa. This study therefore aims to characterize differences in self-reported health status, healthcare utilization, and costs between men and women with elevated blood pressure in Kenya.

METHODS

Data from 1447 participants enrolled in the LARK Hypertension study in western Kenya were analyzed. Latent class analysis based on five dependent variables was performed to describe patterns of healthcare utilization and costs in the study population. Regression analysis was then performed to describe the relationship between different demographics and each outcome.

RESULTS

Women in our study had higher rates of unemployment (28% vs 12%), were more likely to report lower monthly earnings (72% vs 51%), and had more outpatient visits (39% vs 28%) and pharmacy prescriptions (42% vs 30%). Women were also more likely to report lower quality-of-life and functional health status, including pain, mobility, self-care, and ability to perform usual activities. Three patterns of healthcare utilization were described: (1) individuals with low healthcare utilization, (2) individuals who utilized care and paid high out-of-pocket costs, and (3) individuals who utilized care but had lower out-of-pocket costs. Women and those with health insurance were more likely to be in the high-cost utilizer group.

CONCLUSIONS

Men and women with elevated blood pressure in Kenya have different health care utilization behaviors, cost and economic burdens, and self-perceived health status. Awareness of these sex differences can help inform targeted interventions in these populations.

151 Optimising Bone Health on Sheffield Frailty Unit Through Quality Improvement

Introduction

NICE and the National Osteoporosis Guidance Group (NOGG) advise on evaluation of fracture risk and osteoporosis treatment1,2, with evidence suggesting that screening and treatment reduces the risk of fragility fractures 3,4,5. However, it is often overlooked in the management of older patients within secondary care. Audit data from Sheffield Frailty Unit (SFU) in 2018 showed that national guidance was not routinely followed. Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX®) scores were not calculated and bone health was poorly managed. Therefore, we undertook a quality improvement project aiming to optimise bone health in patients presenting to SFU.

Method & Intervention

In January 2019 we collaborated with Sheffield Metabolic Bone Centre (MBC) to develop a pathway aiming to improve bone health assessment and management in patients presenting to SFU with a fall or fragility fracture. This included a user-friendly flow chart with accompanying guidelines, alongside education for staff. Performance was re-evaluated in May 2019, following which a tick box prompt was added to post take ward round documentation. A re-audit was performed in March 2020.

Results

In March 2018 0% of patients presenting with a fall had a FRAX® score calculated and only 40% of those with a new fragility fracture were managed according to guidelines. In May 2019, this had improved to 18% and 100% respectively. In March 2020 86% of patients had a FRAX® score calculated appropriately and 100% of fragility fractures were managed according to guidelines. In both re-audits 100% of FRAX® scores were acted on appropriately.

Conclusions

There has been a significant increase in the number of patients who have their bone health appropriately assessed and managed after presenting to SFU. However, achieving optimum care is under constant review with the aim to deliver more treatment on SFU, thereby reducing the need for repeat visits to the MBC.

A Rare Coincidence—a Second Trimester Ectopic Pregnancy Following Early Medical Abortion: a Case Report

We describe a case of a woman in her mid-30s who presented to a tertiary level maternity hospital 17 days following early medical abortion with a positive pregnancy test. On the ultrasound examination, it was discovered that she had a second trimester ectopic pregnancy which was treated surgically with a unilateral salpingectomy. We discuss in depth factors related to this woman’s care, such as appropriate assessment and evaluation of early medical abortion cases, the diagnostic challenges of early pregnancy scanning as well as the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of care in these scenarios, and how this affected this woman’s care.

Empirical comparison of analytical approaches for identifying molecular HIV-1 clusters

Public health interventions guided by clustering of HIV-1 molecular sequences may be impacted by choices of analytical approaches. We identified commonly-used clustering analytical approaches, applied them to 1886 HIV-1 Rhode Island sequences from 2004-2018, and compared concordance in identifying molecular HIV-1 clusters within and between approaches. We used strict (topological support ≥ 0.95; distance 0.015 substitutions/site) and relaxed (topological support 0.80-0.95; distance 0.030-0.045 substitutions/site) thresholds to reflect different epidemiological scenarios. We found that clustering differed by method and threshold and depended more on distance than topological support thresholds. Clustering concordance analyses demonstrated some differences across analytical approaches, with RAxML having the highest (91%) mean summary percent concordance when strict thresholds were applied, and three (RAxML-, FastTree regular bootstrap- and IQ-Tree regular bootstrap-based) analytical approaches having the highest (86%) mean summary percent concordance when relaxed thresholds were applied. We conclude that different analytical approaches can yield diverse HIV-1 clustering outcomes and may need to be differentially used in diverse public health scenarios. Recognizing the variability and limitations of commonly-used methods in cluster identification is important for guiding clustering-triggered interventions to disrupt new transmissions and end the HIV epidemic.

Detection of types of HPV among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Kenyan women undergoing cryotherapy or loop electrosurgical excision procedure

OBJECTIVE

To assess the baseline types of HPV infection among HIV-positive and HIV-negative women in western Kenya undergoing cryotherapy or loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

METHODS

A prospective observational study was conducted of baseline HPV characteristics of women undergoing visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and cryotherapy or LEEP. After a positive VIA in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women, data on demographics, CD4 count, and use of antiretroviral therapy and a cervical swab were collected. HPV typing was performed using the Roche Linear Array.

RESULTS

Of 175 participants, 86 (49.1%) were HIV-positive and had a higher prevalence of low-risk HPV types (odds ratio [OR] 5.28, P=0.005) compared with HIV-negative women. The most common high-risk (HR)-HPV types in HIV-positive women were HPV 16 (13.9%) and HPV 18 (11.1%). HIV-positive women requiring LEEP were more likely to have HR-HPV types (OR 6.67, P=0.012) and to be infected with multiple HR-HPV types (OR 7.79, P=0.024) compared to those undergoing cryotherapy.

CONCLUSION

HIV-positive women requiring LEEP versus cryotherapy had a higher prevalence of any HR-HPV type and multiple HR-HPV types. There were no such differences in HPV types identified among HIV-negative women.

Effects of social health insurance on access and utilization of obstetric health services: results from HIV+ pregnant women in Kenya

BACKGROUND

Reducing maternal morbidity and mortality remains a top global health agenda especially in high HIV/AIDS endemic locations where there is increased likelihood of mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Social health insurance (SHI) has emerged as a viable option to improve population access to health services, while improving outcomes for disenfranchised populations, particularly HIV+ women. However, the effect of SHI on healthcare access for HIV+ persons in limited resource settings is yet to undergo rigorous empirical evaluation. This study analyzes the effect of health insurance on obstetric healthcare access including institutional delivery and skilled birth attendants for HIV+ pregnant women in Kenya.

METHODS

We analyzed cross-sectional data from HIV+ pregnant women (ages 15-49 years) who had a delivery (full term, preterm, miscarriage) between 2008 and 2013 with their insurance enrollment status available in the electronic medical records database of a HIV healthcare system in Kenya. We estimated linear and logistic regression models and implemented matching and inverse probability weighting (IPW) to improve balance on observable individual characteristics. Additionally, we estimated heterogeneous effects stratified by HIV disease severity (CD4 < 350 as "Severe HIV disease", and CD4 > 350 otherwise).

FINDINGS

Health Insurance enrollment is associated with improved obstetric health services utilization among HIV+ pregnant women in Kenya. Specifically, HIV+ pregnant women covered by NHIF have greater access to institutional delivery (12.5-percentage points difference) and skilled birth attendants (19-percentage points difference) compared to uninsured. Notably, the effect of NHIF on obstetric health service use is much greater for those who are sicker (CD4 < 350) - 20 percentage points difference.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms conceptual and practical considerations around health insurance and healthcare access for HIV+ persons. Further, it helps to inform relevant policy development for health insurance and HIV financing and delivery in Kenya and in similar countries in sub-Saharan Africa in the universal health coverage (UHC) era.

2504. Laboratory Evaluation of HIV-1 Viral Load Pooling with Marker-Assisted Deconvolution

Background

Cost still limits HIV-1 viral load (VL) routine monitoring in resource limited settings (RLS), preventing early detection of virologic failure (VF). Pooled VL testing reduces cost over individual testing (IND). We previously showed in simulation, that additional cost benefits over previously-used pooling deconvolution algorithms can be achieved by using low-cost, routinely-collected clinical markers to determine the order for VL testing in deconvolution (termed marker-assisted minipool plus algorithm; mMPA). This algorithm has not been assessed in-vitro.

Methods

150 samples from 99 Ghanaian adults with HIV on first-line therapy (VF 17%; CD4-VL correlation −0.35) were used to construct 30, 5-sample pools: n = 10 with 0, n = 5 with 1, and n = 15 with 2 individuals with VF. VL testing was with Abbott M2000. Accuracy, number of tests and rounds of testing to deconvolute pools were estimated using four strategies: (1) IND; (2) Minipooling (MP); (3) Minipooling with algorithm (MPA); and (4) mMPA.

Results

Compared with IND, MP and MPA, mMPA reduced total number of tests per pool needed to ascertain VF: MP average 4.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.5–5.2, p> 0.05), MPA 3.0 (95% CI 2.4–3.5, P < 0.001), and mMPA 2.5 (CI 2.0–3.0, P < 0.001). Compared with MP and MPA, mMPA further reduced VL tests by 42% (1.9 tests/pool, CI 1.3–2.4, P < 0.001) and 17% (0.5, CI 0.2–0.8, p = 0.004); and required fewer testing rounds than MPA by 17% (P < 0.01), thus producing results quicker. IND and MP had 100% sensitivity and specificity. MPA and mMPA had similar sensitivity of 96.1% (MPA CI 90.7–100%; mMPA CI 88.0–100.0%) and specificity of 99.5% and 99.2% (98.5–100.0% for MPA and 97.5–100.0% for mMPA). Specifically, 3/150 samples were misclassified with MPA and mMPA: one suppression as VF, and two VF as suppressed.

Conclusion

Laboratory evaluation confirms that deconvolution using mMPA with CD4 or other routinely-collected clinical information as low-cost biomarkers reduces the number of VL assays required to identify VF in a setting with a low prevalence of VF. Implementation of pooled VL testing using mMPA for deconvolution may increase the availability of VL monitoring in RLS. Work is ongoing to reduce complexity and misclassification, required prior to widespread implementation.

Disclosures

All authors: No reported disclosures.

885. HIV-1 Treatment Failure and Extensive Drug Resistance in Perinatally Infected Children Failing First-Line Antiretroviral Therapy in Western Kenya

Background

Understanding drug resistance in perinatally HIV-infected children (PHIC) when viral load (VL) monitoring is limited is critical for life-long antiretroviral use. Resistance data in PHIC in sub-Saharan Africa are limited. Though guidelines recommend PI-based first-line regimens in PHIC, many worldwide remain on NNRTI-based regimens. We examined treatment failure, resistance, and outcomes in Kenyan PHIC on first-line NNRTI-based therapy.

Methods

PHIC were enrolled in 2010–2013 at the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare in Eldoret, Kenya, a large program caring for >160,000 HIV patients; >15,000 PHIC. VL testing, not routinely available then, was done for all, and resistance testing was done in viremic PHIC. Clinical data were derived from medical records. Subtype and resistance interpretation were with Stanford Database tools. Associations between failure (>1,000 copies/mL) or resistance, and demographic, clinical or lab variables were evaluated with Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

Results

Of 482 PHIC enrolled, 52% were female, median age 8.4 years (range 1–15), median CD4% 28 (range 0–53), 79% on zidovudine (AZT)/abacavir (ABC)+lamivudine(3TC)+efavirenz (EFV)/nevirapine (NVP) for median 2.3 years. Treatment failure was seen in 31%, associated with low CD4% and count. Genotypes were available in 124, 47% female, median age 8.3 years (range 2–15), median CD4% 22 (range 0–45), 81% on AZT/ABC+3TC+EFV/NVP for median 2.5 years, median VL 7,515 copies/mL. Subtypes were A 76%, C 3%, D 15%, recombinants 6%. Reverse transcriptase mutations were in 93%; 93%-NNRTIs, median 2/patient, most common Y181C (44%); 89%-NRTIs, median 3/patient, most common M184V (85%); 89%-dual class, median 5/patient. Intermediate-high resistance to potential second-line drugs included 62% etravirine, 66% rilpivirine, and 19% tenofovir. Of 92/124 (74%) PHIC with follow-up data, 27% remained on NNRTI-based first-line (median CD4 count 461), of whom 24% had suppressed VL and 48% died; and 73% switched to PI-based second-line (median CD4 count 591), of whom 72% had suppressed VL and 6% died (P < 0.05 for both).

Conclusion

PHIC in western Kenya on NNRTI-based first-line regimens had high treatment failure rates and extensive drug resistance with poor clinical outcomes, demanding urgent interventions.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported Disclosures.

The effect of J5 bacterins on clinical, behavioral, and antibody response following an Escherichia coli intramammary challenge in dairy cows at peak lactation

Vaccination against coliform mastitis has become part of mastitis control programs in the past 3 decades, as a means of reducing the severity of clinical mastitis. Our study objective was to evaluate the effect of 2 commercially available vaccines on clinical, behavioral, and antibody response following Escherichia coli intramammary challenge in cows near peak lactation. Cows (n = 12 per group) were vaccinated with vaccine 1 (V1) or vaccine 2 (V2) at dry-off, 21 d pre-calving, and 14 d post-calving. Twelve cows served as unvaccinated controls (CTL). Cows were challenged with E. coli in a rear quarter at approximately 100 d in milk. Milk samples were collected pre- and post-challenge to enumerate E. coli and determine somatic cell count. Serum was collected before each vaccination and at d 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 30, and 60 relative to challenge, to study antibody response. Milk IgA and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations were determined in whey. Vaginal temperature, cow activity, and milk yield and components were monitored post-challenge. Bacterial count, somatic cell score, milk yield and component decline, vaginal temperature, activity measures, and antibody and cytokine response were analyzed for treatment differences. The effects of parity, breed, and a repeated measure of time were also tested. Seven cows had to be removed from the study post-challenge for antibiotic treatment (CTL and V1, n = 3 each; V2, n = 1), 2 of which were euthanized (both CTL). Vaccinated cows exhibited fever (vaginal temperature ≥39.4°C) 3 h earlier than CTL cows, but we found no differences between treatments for bacterial count, somatic cell score, or milk yield reduction. Vaccinated cows spent more time lying per rest bout 2 d post-challenge, but total daily lying time was not different from CTL cows during the 7 d post-challenge. The vaccines differed in antibody response: V1 cows had greater serum IgG₁ and IgG₂ post-challenge. A parity effect was also evident: primiparous cows had lower bacterial counts, somatic cell score and a smaller milk yield decline than multiparous cows, but also had lower antibody production. Immunization with either J5 bacterin did not reduce clinical signs of mastitis in cows challenged at 100 d in milk, demonstrating that the effects of J5 vaccination had diminished at peak lactation.

Comparison of HPV detection in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Kenyan women with or without cervical dysplasia

e17015

Background: Cervical cancer, a malignancy caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, is the most common malignancy in women living in sub-Saharan African countries including Kenya. HIV co-infection accelerates the natural course of cervical cancer. To determine the specific HPV type distribution in HIV-infected women compared to HIV-uninfected women, with and without evidence of cervical dysplasia. Methods: Demographic information, behavioral data, and a cervical swab were collected from women 18 and 45 years of age, HIV-infected or HIV-uninfected, who presented for cervical cancer screening at Moi Referral and Teaching Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya. Women were triaged based on the presence or absence of cervical dysplasia. HPV testing was performed using the Roche Linear Array Assay. Results were compared between women with or without HIV co-infection and between those with or without cervical dysplasia, using Chi-square tests or Fisher’s exact tests. Results: 223 women had normal VIAs. All had HPV testing, 221 had valid results: 115 HIV-infected women (mean age 37 years) and 106 HIV-uninfected (mean age 33 years). 175 women had abnormal VIAs. 143 women had HPV testing performed, 140 had valid results: 70 HIV-infected women (mean age 38.5 years) and 70 HIV-uninfected (mean age 31.3 years). Greater than 90% of all HIV-infected women in both projects were receiving anti-retroviral therapy at enrollment. HPV of any type was detected in 48% of all women with normal VIA vs. 61% of women with abnormal VIA (P = 0.018). High risk (HR)-HPV was detected in 38% of all women with normal VIA vs. 51% of all women with abnormal VIA (P = 0.012). HIV-uninfected women with normal VIA had significantly lower detection of all HPV (P = 0.026), high risk-HPV (P = 0.018), IARC high risk-HPV (P = 0.047), A9 types (P = 0.050), and individual types HPV 16 (P = 0.0274), HPV 18 (P = 0.007), and HPV 51 (P = 0.009) than HIV-uninfected women with abnormal VIA. Among HIV-infected women, there was no difference in detection of any group of HPV types or individual types with respect to VIA results. Conclusions: HIV-uninfected women without cervical dysplasia had lower detection of oncogenic HPV than HIV-uninfected women with dysplasia. In contrast, HPV detection did not differ among HIV-infected women between those with or without cervical dysplasia. In addition, VIA appears to lack specificity for HPV-associated cervical dysplasia, as 39% of women with abnormal VIA examinations did not have any HPV detected, and 49% of women with abnormal VIA examinations did not have any HR-HPV detected.

A cross-sectional analysis of factors associated with detection of oncogenic human papillomavirus in human immunodeficiency virus-infected and uninfected Kenyan women

Background

Cervical cancer is caused by oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) and is one of the most common malignancies in women living in sub-Saharan Africa. Women infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have a higher incidence of cervical cancer, but the full impact on HPV detection is not well understood, and associations of biological and behavioral factors with oncogenic HPV detection have not been fully examined. Therefore, a study was initiated to investigate factors that are associated with oncogenic HPV detection in Kenyan women.

Methods

Women without cervical dysplasia were enrolled in a longitudinal study. Data from enrollment are presented as a cross-sectional analysis. Demographic and behavioral data was collected, and HPV typing was performed on cervical swabs. HIV-uninfected women (n = 105) and HIV-infected women (n = 115) were compared for demographic and behavioral characteristics using t-tests, Chi-square tests, Wilcoxon sum rank tests or Fisher’s exact tests, and for HPV detection using logistic regression or negative binomial models adjusted for demographic and behavioral characteristics using SAS 9.4 software.

Results

Compared to HIV-uninfected women, HIV-infected women were older, had more lifetime sexual partners, were less likely to be married, were more likely to regularly use condoms, and were more likely to have detection of HPV 16, other oncogenic HPV types, and multiple oncogenic types. In addition to HIV, more lifetime sexual partners was associated with a higher number of oncogenic HPV types (aIRR 1.007, 95% CI 1.007–1.012). Greater travel distance to the clinic was associated with increased HPV detection (aOR for detection of ≥ 2 HPV types: 3.212, 95% CI 1.206–8.552). Older age (aOR for HPV 16 detection: 0.871, 95% CI 0.764–0.993) and more lifetime pregnancies (aOR for detection of oncogenic HPV types: 0.706, 95% CI, 0.565–0.883) were associated with reduced detection.

Conclusion

HIV infection, more lifetime sexual partners, and greater distance to health-care were associated with a higher risk of oncogenic HPV detection, in spite of ART use in those who were HIV-infected. Counseling of women about sexual practices, improved access to health-care facilities, and vaccination against HPV are all potentially important in reducing oncogenic HPV infections.

Measurement of the Effective Weak Mixing Angle in pp[over ¯]→Z/γ^{*}→ℓ^{+}ℓ^{-} Events

We present a measurement of the effective weak mixing angle parameter sin^{2}θ_{eff}^{ℓ} in pp[over ¯]→Z/γ^{*}→μ^{+}μ^{-} events at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider and corresponding to 8.6  fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity. The measured value of sin^{2}θ_{eff}^{ℓ}[μμ]=0.23016±0.00064 is further combined with the result from the D0 measurement in pp[over ¯]→Z/γ^{*}→e^{+}e^{-} events, resulting in sin^{2}θ_{eff}^{ℓ}[comb]=0.23095±0.00040. This combined result is the most precise measurement from a single experiment at a hadron collider and is the most precise determination using the coupling of the Z/γ^{*} to light quarks.

Combined Forward-Backward Asymmetry Measurements in Top-Antitop Quark Production at the Tevatron

The CDF and D0 experiments at the Fermilab Tevatron have measured the asymmetry between yields of forward- and backward-produced top and antitop quarks based on their rapidity difference and the asymmetry between their decay leptons. These measurements use the full data sets collected in proton-antiproton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=1.96  TeV. We report the results of combinations of the inclusive asymmetries and their differential dependencies on relevant kinematic quantities. The combined inclusive asymmetry is A_{FB}^{tt[over ¯]}=0.128±0.025. The combined inclusive and differential asymmetries are consistent with recent standard model predictions.

[Treatments of steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome in children]

Primary nephrotic syndrome (NS) is the most common glomerular disease in children. It is characterized by massive proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia. It typically has a sudden onset and more than 70% of patients will experience at least one relapse. An immunological origin has long been postulated, although the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the disease remain debated. Steroids are the first-line therapy with cumulative dose and duration of initial treatment varying among countries. Steroid-sparing agents may be indicated in case of steroid-dependency or frequent relapses. However, no consensus exists regarding the different treatment options. These treatments are mostly suspensive and therefore, need to be prolonged for several months. Levamisole, an antihelminthic drug, also has an immunomodulatory function, and alone or in combination with steroids, it can decrease cumulative steroid dose and relapses. It is usually well tolerated, and its principal side effects are cytopenia and elevated liver enzymes. Mycophenolate mofetil is an immunosuppressive agent whose reported side effects are cytopenia and diarrhea. Calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine or tacrolimus) have long been used in steroid-dependent patients. Their major side effects are hirsutism, gum hypertrophy, and nephrotoxicity, leading to interstitial kidney fibrosis and chronic kidney disease. Cyclophosphamide is an efficient treatment but its gonadal toxicity is a major drawback to its use. More recent drugs such as rituximab are very effective but require hospitalization for the infusion and induce an increased risk of opportunistic infection, prolonged neutropenia, and anaphylaxis. In this review, we present the available treatments, their indications, and the side effects.

The Association of Health Insurance with institutional delivery and access to skilled birth attendants: evidence from the Kenya Demographic and health survey 2008-09

BACKGROUND

Healthcare financing through health insurance is gaining traction as developing countries strive to achieve universal health coverage and address the limited access to critical health services for specific populations including pregnant women and their children. However, these reforms are taking place despite limited evaluation of impact of health insurance on maternal health in developing countries including Kenya. In this study we evaluate the association of health insurance with access and utilization of obstetric delivery health services for pregnant women in Kenya.

METHODS

Nationally representative data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2008-09 was used in this study. 4082 pregnant women with outcomes of interest - Institutional delivery (Yes/No - delivery at hospital, dispensary, maternity home, and clinic) and access to skilled birth attendants (help by a nurse, doctor, or trained midwife at delivery) were selected from 8444 women ages 15-49 years. Linear and logistic regression, and propensity score adjustment are used to estimate the causal association of enrollment in insurance on obstetric health outcomes.

RESULTS

Mothers with insurance are 23 percentage points (p < 0.01) more likely to deliver at an institution and 20 percentages points (p < 0.01) more likely have access to skilled birth attendants compared to those not insured. In addition mothers of lower socio-economic status benefit more from enrollment in insurance compared to mothers of higher socio-economic status. For both institutional delivery and access to skilled birth attendants, the average difference of the association of insurance enrollment compared to not enrolling for those of low SES is 23 percentage points (p < 0.01), and 6 percentage points (p < 0.01) for those of higher SES.

CONCLUSIONS

Enrolling in health insurance is associated with increased access and utilization of obstetric delivery health services for pregnant women. Notably, those of lower socio-economic status seem to benefit the most from enrollment in insurance.