Assessing Option B+ retention and infant follow-up in Lilongwe, Malawi

Assessing Factors Associated with Option B+ Initiation, Retention, and Infant Follow Up in Lilongwe, Malawi

Brief Report: Impact of Option B+ on the Infant PMTCT Cascade in Lilongwe, Malawi

This observational study compared uptake of infant prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services pre/post implementation of Option B+ in Lilongwe, Malawi. There were 845 (pre) and 998 (post) births. Post-B+, infants had longer median predelivery maternal antiretroviral therapy {62 days [interquartile range (IQR): 38-94] pre-B+ vs. 95 days [IQR: 61-131] post-B+; P < 0.0001} and impr...

Bacterial Biofilm Formation in Milking Equipments in Lilongwe, Malawi

Background: Some microorganisms can adhere to food handling surfaces forming biofilms that pose a safety challenge. This study was done to evaluate bacterial biofilm formation in milking equipments in Lilongwe, Malawi. Methods: Pooled milk (n=54) and water (n=60) samples were collected from households and milk bulking groups in Lilongwe, Malawi. Swabbing (n=46) and rinsing (n=16) were done on ...

Factors influencing postnatal Option B+ participation and breastfeeding duration among HIV-positive women in Lilongwe District, Malawi: A qualitative study

To ensure the health of mothers and children, prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) programs test women for HIV, engage HIV-positive women in care, and promote recommended breastfeeding practices. Under Malawi's Option B+ PMTCT program, ~20% of women are lost-to-follow-up (LTFU) and little is known about their breastfeeding practices. The purpose of this study is to describe fa...

Loss to follow-up before and after initiation of antiretroviral therapy in HIV facilities in Lilongwe, Malawi

INTRODUCTION Although several studies have explored factors associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) from HIV care, there remains a gap in understanding how these factors vary by setting, volume of patient and patients' demographic and clinical characteristics. We determined rates and factors associated with LTFU in HIV care Lilongwe, Malawi. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study ...