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People living with HIV (PLWH) may face an increased risk of eye complications associated with ageing, chronic inflammation, and the toxicity arising from long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART). This review aims to understand how inflammatory pathways contribute to retinal alterations observed in PLWH on long-term ART. This review was conducted using four electronic database searches, namely Scopus, Hinari, Google Scholar, and PubMed; from 1996 (when ART became available) until January 2022, without language restriction. Sources from clinical trials, meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials ..read more

Background: Maternal electronic gatekeeping (eGK) codes for HIV viral load (VL) testing of pregnant and breastfeeding women were developed to permit increased frequency of maternal HIV VL testing without automated gatekeeping cancellation, and to enable virological surveillance. Objectives: This study describes the national uptake of maternal eGK codes and VL suppression (VLS) rates disaggregated by age during antenatal, delivery and postnatal periods in South Africa during 2022. Method: HIV VL tests associated with C#PMTCT (used for antenatal and postnatal testing) and C#DELIVE ..read more

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Background: Protease inhibitors (PIs) have been recommended as World Health Organization second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) for low- to middle-income countries for two decades. As dolutegravir-based regimens have become widely available, the future role of PIs is uncertain. Objectives: To describe the characteristics of patients on PI-based ART (in first-line and second-line regimens), double-boosted protease inhibitors (DBPI) and patients who received recycled nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) in second-line regimens at a tertiary level ART clinic. Method:&nbs ..read more

Background: Concerns have arisen regarding the extent to which South Africa’s HIV response can be country-owned and sustainable given substantial foreign investment and technical support. Objectives: To assess the extent to which South Africa’s national HIV response is country-owned. Method: We conducted a scoping review of South African literature using the Global Health Initiative Framework for country ownership. Results: South Africa has clear aspirations for what should be accomplished and strategies are aligned with national and international priorities. Although South ..read more

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Background: Thrombotic thrombocytopaenia purpura (TTP) is a rare disorder which carries a high mortality. HIV is an important cause of TTP. Objectives: We assessed the presentation and response to plasma exchange (PEX) by HIV status. Method: A single-centre retrospective review of all patients receiving PEX for TTP between 01 January 2010 and 31 December 2019 was undertaken. Demographics and presenting parameters were compared between HIV-associated TTP and other aetiologies using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis analysis of variance testing, as appropriate. The effec ..read more

Background: Limited data exist on the differential risk of HIV acquisition between infants born preterm versus those born at term to women living with HIV (WLHIV). With a reported increase in preterm delivery among pregnant WLHIV, understanding the risk of vertical transmission of HIV in preterm infants can inform strategies to optimise the timing of diagnostic testing, antiretroviral prophylaxis, and infant feeding. Objectives: To describe the prevalence and timing of HIV acquisition, in utero versus perinatal, among infants with perinatal HIV exposure born prior to 37 weeks completed gestati ..read more