Gayle Sherman
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View article: High paediatric HIV viral load rejection rate in South Africa, a retrospective review
High paediatric HIV viral load rejection rate in South Africa, a retrospective review Open
No abstract available.
View article: Are social protection and food security accelerators for adolescents to achieve the Global AIDS targets?
Are social protection and food security accelerators for adolescents to achieve the Global AIDS targets? Open
Introduction Without effective, scalable interventions, we will fail to achieve the Global AIDS Targets of zero AIDS‐related deaths, zero HIV transmission and zero discrimination. This study examines associations of social protection and f…
View article: How paediatric HIV services weathered the COVID-19 storm in Tshwane District, South Africa
How paediatric HIV services weathered the COVID-19 storm in Tshwane District, South Africa Open
Initially, COVID-19 resulted in reduced paediatric HIV services as children disengaged from care. Indicators eventually recovered to proximate pre-pandemic levels; however, compensatory increases did not occur. Thus, some children may not …
View article: Attrition Rates in HIV Viral Load Monitoring and Factors Associated With Overdue Testing Among Children Within South Africa’s Antiretroviral Treatment Program: Retrospective Descriptive Analysis
Attrition Rates in HIV Viral Load Monitoring and Factors Associated With Overdue Testing Among Children Within South Africa’s Antiretroviral Treatment Program: Retrospective Descriptive Analysis Open
Background Numerous studies in South Africa have reported low HIV viral load (VL) suppression and high attrition rates within the pediatric HIV treatment program. Objective Using routine laboratory data, we evaluated HIV VL monitoring, inc…
View article: Retrospective review of maternal HIV viral load electronic gatekeeping codes in South Africa
Retrospective review of maternal HIV viral load electronic gatekeeping codes in South Africa Open
Although overall national uptake of maternal HIV VL eGK codes was low, antenatal and delivery uptake improved over time, thereby facilitating use of eGK codes for programmatic monitoring of maternal VLS rates for the first time. Quality of…
View article: Healthcare provisions associated with multiple HIV‐related outcomes among adolescent girls and young women living with HIV in South Africa: a cross‐sectional study
Healthcare provisions associated with multiple HIV‐related outcomes among adolescent girls and young women living with HIV in South Africa: a cross‐sectional study Open
Introduction Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living with HIV experience poor HIV outcomes and high rates of unintended pregnancy. Little is known about which healthcare provisions can optimize their HIV‐related outcomes, particular…
View article: How Paediatric HIV services weathered the COVID-19 storm in Tshwane District, South Africa: A retrospective review
How Paediatric HIV services weathered the COVID-19 storm in Tshwane District, South Africa: A retrospective review Open
Background COVID-19 and the accompanying restrictions disrupted HIV services to children living with HIV [CLHIV] across South Africa. Prior to COVID-19, updated national HIV guidelines were released and included: a] Additional HIV polymera…
View article: Compliance to Viral Load Monitoring Schedules Among Women Attending Prevention of Vertical HIV Transmission Services Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Compliance to Viral Load Monitoring Schedules Among Women Attending Prevention of Vertical HIV Transmission Services Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga, South Africa Open
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral load (VL) monitoring was likely interrupted during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We used routine data on repeat VL testing among 667 prevention of vertical HIV transmission (PVT)…
View article: Eliminating Vertical Transmission of HIV in South Africa: Establishing a Baseline for the Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children
Eliminating Vertical Transmission of HIV in South Africa: Establishing a Baseline for the Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children Open
To gain a detailed overview of vertical transmission in South Africa, we describe insights from the triangulation of data sources used to monitor the national HIV program. HIV PCR results from the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) …
View article: Resistance is common in paediatric patients failing ART in South Africa
Resistance is common in paediatric patients failing ART in South Africa Open
Background Minimal data exist on HIV drug resistance patterns and prevalence among paediatric patients failing ART in resource-limited settings. We assessed levels of HIV drug resistance in children with virological failure. Methods This c…
View article: A secondary analysis evaluating retention in care among HIV-positive infants diagnosed at birth using centralized laboratory and point-of-care testing in Pretoria, South Africa
A secondary analysis evaluating retention in care among HIV-positive infants diagnosed at birth using centralized laboratory and point-of-care testing in Pretoria, South Africa Open
Background: Birth HIV PCR Point-of-Care (POC) testing can potentially augment the early infant diagnosis (EID) program. Data on the clinical benefits of birth POC testing in South Africa is limited. We compared attrition rates and six-mont…
View article: Infant HIV Testing Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic and Evolving PMTCT Guidelines in Johannesburg, South Africa
Infant HIV Testing Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic and Evolving PMTCT Guidelines in Johannesburg, South Africa Open
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted HIV programmes with the diversion of resources and lockdown measures. We assessed the impact of COVID-19 on infant HIV diagnosis in the context of updated 2019 prevention of mother-to-child transm…
View article: Attrition Rates in HIV Viral Load Monitoring and Factors Associated With Overdue Testing Among Children Within South Africa’s Antiretroviral Treatment Program: Retrospective Descriptive Analysis (Preprint)
Attrition Rates in HIV Viral Load Monitoring and Factors Associated With Overdue Testing Among Children Within South Africa’s Antiretroviral Treatment Program: Retrospective Descriptive Analysis (Preprint) Open
BACKGROUND Numerous studies in South Africa have reported low HIV viral load (VL) suppression and high attrition rates within the pediatric HIV treatment program. OBJECTIVE Using routine laboratory data, we evaluated HIV VL monitoring, …
View article: Population-level risk factors for vertical transmission of HIV in the national prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme in South Africa: An ecological analysis
Population-level risk factors for vertical transmission of HIV in the national prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme in South Africa: An ecological analysis Open
Background. Although South Africa has an overall mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV rate <5%, case rates remain high. Objectives. To identify population-level predictors of MTCT to inform targeted interventions to further reduce pa…
View article: Data protection, data management, and data sharing: Stakeholder perspectives on the protection of personal health information in South Africa
Data protection, data management, and data sharing: Stakeholder perspectives on the protection of personal health information in South Africa Open
The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) 2013 came into force in South Africa on 1 July 2020. It seeks to strengthen the processing of personal information, including health information. While POPIA is to be welcomed, there are c…
View article: Eliminating HIV transmission through breast milk from women taking antiretroviral drugs
Eliminating HIV transmission through breast milk from women taking antiretroviral drugs Open
Mothers taking antiretroviral drugs with low plasma viral loads may still transmit HIV to their breastfeeding children. Given the widely acknowledged benefits of breastfeeding, eliminating the risk of vertical transmission of HIV through b…
View article: Evaluating the performance of the GeneXpert HIV-1 qualitative assay as a consecutive test for a new early infant diagnosis algorithm in South Africa.
Evaluating the performance of the GeneXpert HIV-1 qualitative assay as a consecutive test for a new early infant diagnosis algorithm in South Africa. Open
Background. The proportion of HIV-exposed infants and young children infected with HIV in South Africa (SA) has declined markedly over the past decade as a result of the country’s comprehensive prevention of mother-to-child transmission p…
View article: Quality and turnaround times of viral load monitoring under prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV Option B+ in six South African districts with a high antenatal HIV burden
Quality and turnaround times of viral load monitoring under prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV Option B+ in six South African districts with a high antenatal HIV burden Open
We demonstrate above-average quality of care and delayed return of results to PMTCT clients. Context-specific interventions are needed to shorten TATs.
View article: Predictors of Cell-Associated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1 DNA Over 1 Year in Very Early Treated Infants
Predictors of Cell-Associated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1 DNA Over 1 Year in Very Early Treated Infants Open
Background Younger age of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is associated with smaller viral reservoirs in perinatally acquired HIV-1 infection, but there is wide variability among early-treated infants. Predictors of this variabilit…
View article: Maternal HIV viral load testing during pregnancy and postpartum care in Gauteng Province, South Africa
Maternal HIV viral load testing during pregnancy and postpartum care in Gauteng Province, South Africa Open
Fewer than 5% of WLHIV with a VL at the time of delivery received VL monitoring during the antenatal and postpartum periods in accordance with national guidelines. More than 80% of WLHIV delivering had no evidence of VL monitoring during t…
View article: Trends in RPR Seropositivity among Children Younger than 2 Years in South Africa, 2010–2019
Trends in RPR Seropositivity among Children Younger than 2 Years in South Africa, 2010–2019 Open
A positive rapid plasma reagin (RPR) result in children under the age of 2 years indicates either passive transplacental transfer of maternal antibodies or active infection with syphilis (possible congenital syphilis). We describe trends i…
View article: Impact of breastfeeding, maternal antiretroviral treatment and health service factors on 18-month vertical transmission of HIV and HIV-free survival: results from a nationally representative HIV-exposed infant cohort, South Africa
Impact of breastfeeding, maternal antiretroviral treatment and health service factors on 18-month vertical transmission of HIV and HIV-free survival: results from a nationally representative HIV-exposed infant cohort, South Africa Open
Background We analysed the impact of breastfeeding, antiretroviral drugs and health service factors on cumulative (6 weeks to 18 months) vertical transmission of HIV (MTCT) and ‘MTCT-or-death’, in South Africa, and compared estimates with …
View article: Low Pretreatment Viral Loads in Infants With HIV in an Era of High-maternal Antiretroviral Therapy Coverage
Low Pretreatment Viral Loads in Infants With HIV in an Era of High-maternal Antiretroviral Therapy Coverage Open
Background: With expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs, transmission rates are low but new infant infections still occur. We investigated predictors of pre-ART viral load (VL) and CD4+ T-cell counts and percentages in infants …
View article: The updated South African National Guideline for the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of Communicable Infections (2019)
The updated South African National Guideline for the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of Communicable Infections (2019) Open
South Africa has made great strides in reducing the vertical transmission of human
\nimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the first two months of life from 23% (2003) to 0.7% (2019),
\ndespite a persistently high antenatal HIV prevalence of aro…
View article: The geographic distribution of priority population groups for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in South Africa
The geographic distribution of priority population groups for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in South Africa Open
Findings suggest that the need for eMTCT interventions is greatest in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Eastern Cape. Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces may require more HIV prevention and family planning services because of high fert…
View article: Point‐of‐care HIV maternal viral load and early infant diagnosis testing around time of delivery at tertiary obstetric units in South Africa: a prospective study of coverage, results return and turn‐around times
Point‐of‐care HIV maternal viral load and early infant diagnosis testing around time of delivery at tertiary obstetric units in South Africa: a prospective study of coverage, results return and turn‐around times Open
Introduction Maternal viral load monitoring (mVL) and early infant diagnosis (EID) are necessary to achieve elimination of mother‐to‐child transmission of HIV. Point‐of‐care testing can achieve better outcomes compared to centralized labor…
View article: Response to Zhao and Zhou: Diagnosis of HIV infection in breastfed infants of mothers on antiretroviral therapy
Response to Zhao and Zhou: Diagnosis of HIV infection in breastfed infants of mothers on antiretroviral therapy Open
We thank Zhao and Zhou [1] for their thoughtful comments on our report of two infants born to women with HIV who had unusual trajectories of diagnostic tests. The two HIV-exposed infants were initially positive on nucleic acid amplificatio…
Time of HIV diagnosis, CD4 count and viral load at antenatal care start and delivery in South Africa Open
These results show that pre-pregnancy ART improves immunologic and virologic control during pregnancy and call for renewed efforts in HIV testing, linkage to ART and viral monitoring.