Investigation into the Prevalence of Beijing Strain among HIV TB Patients in Blantyre

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Date
2021-09-06
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Kamuzu University of Health Sciences
Abstract
Type of study A retrospective cohort method will be used in this study. The Problem The prevalence of the Beijing strains among HIV positive patients in the southern region of Malawi specifically Blantyre has not been investigated. Blantyre would be an interesting case owing to its proximity to both Mozambique and South Africa and the bi-directional migration taking place with these two countries. Data from such a study would be important in the design of TB control strategies among HIV positive individuals. Broad Objective The aim of the study is to determine investigate the prevalence of the Beijing strains among HIV positive TB patients in Blantyre, Malawi. Specific objectives i. To establish the prevalence of the Beijing strain among HIV positive patients in Blantyre ii. To establish a possible association between Beijing strain and drug resistance among HIV positive patients in Blantyre. Methodology A total of 50 culture confirmed Mtb clinical isolates with drug resistant profiles from GeneXpert will be used in the study. These will be selected from frozen sputum samples collected between 2009 and 2018 from TB patients presenting at QECH. Drug resistance will be confirmed using custom made sensititre plates by determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). DNA will be extracted and subjected to RD207 (targeting the Beijing strain) singleplex PCR assay. The resulting information will be analysed to establish genotype-phenotype associations. The PCR assay will determine the rate of occurrence of the Beijing strain among HIV positive individuals while MICs will determine the extent of drug resistance within these strains. The expected results are to find high prevalence of Beijing strain in HIV positive TB patients who are resistant to Tb therapy. Expected findings and their dissemination The results will be presented at the College of Medicine Annual Research Dissemination conference shared with COMREC and presented at National TB research conferences and published in a peer review journal.
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Research Subject Categories::MEDICINE
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