IMPRESS Study

    IMPRESS Study (IMpact of late PREsentation and Sex differences on Size and activity of HIV subtype C reservoirs before and during cART)

    Investigating impact of late presentation and sex differences on size and activity of HIV subtype C reservoirs before and during combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in a longitudinal cohort of 75 patients in rural South Africa.

    • Association between HIV reservoir size and activity at cART initiation and size, activity and immune activation at later time points.
    • Effects of gender on HIV reservoir size and activity, adjusted for CD4 counts and age at cART initiation.

    Association between differences in immune activation, reservoir size and activity and differences in HIV-specific T cell responses

    Started 2019
    Status ongoing till 2022

    ITREMA study

    ITREMA Study (Intensified TREatment Monitoring strategy to prevent Accumulation and spread of HIV-1 drug resistance in resource limited settings): 

    Implementation of a targeted, cost-effective HIV treatment and monitoring strategy that identifies underlying cause of detectable viral load in people living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy:

    • Rapid drug monitoring and resistance reflex testing in case of loss of viral suppression.
    • Targeted counselling and adherence support for non-adherent PLWH and resistance testing for adherent PLWH with unsuppressed viral loads at higher risk of drug resistant HIV.

    An innovative approach is the use of on-site ARV-druglevel testing to be indicative for therapy adherence.
    The study is a collaboration between the University Medical Centre Utrecht, the
    Amsterdam Medical Centre, both from the Netherlands tin cooperation with University of Witswatersrand, and Ndlovu Research Centre. Leading investigator is Lucas Hermans MD PhD student.

    Started 2019
    Status nearing completion in 2021

    SARS-CoV-2 Monitoring and Surveillance

    Detection and characterization of circulating and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in northern provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West using multiplex PCR genotyping combined with whole genome sequencing approaches.

    Started 2021
    Status ongoing

    Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 Shedding in Infected Individuals

    Investigating and characterizing prolonged SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positivity in infected individuals in Limpopo.

    An innovative approach is the use of on-site ARV-druglevel testing to be indicative for therapy adherence.
    The study is a collaboration between the University Medical Centre Utrecht, the
    Amsterdam Medical Centre, both from the Netherlands tin cooperation with University of Witswatersrand, and Ndlovu Research Centre. Leading investigator is Lucas Hermans MD PhD student.

    Started 2021
    Status ongoing