Browsing by Author "Njai, Harr Freeya"

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    Setting up a Standardized Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Processing Laboratory to Support Multi-center HIV/AIDS Vaccine and Intervention Trials.
    (Labmedicine, 2011) Njai, Harr Freeya; Gombe, Ben; Khamis, Tomusange; Birungi, Josephine; Ruzagira, Eugene; Admassu, Dareskedar; Tarragona-Fiol, Tony; Porter, Kholoud; Stevens, Gwynneth; Mugisha, Joseph; Gilmour, Jill; Kamali, Anatoli; Kaleebu, Pontiano
    Despite infrastructure and capacity challenges in Africa, significant development has been made in the number of laboratories supporting immunological and safety studies required for large-scale HIV/AIDS vaccine or intervention trials. In Uganda, cohorts participating in HIV intervention trials are often recruited from rural areas. To avoid transporting samples from intervention trial areas over long distances (120 km) to central laboratories in Entebbe, we set up a standardized peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) processing laboratory at a field station in Masaka, southwest Uganda. The laboratory was well equipped and enrolled into the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) Quality Assurance (QA) program. Staff was trained in laboratory techniques and Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP). The laboratory received IAVI and GCLP accreditation in 2008. In this paper we describe the process and achievements of measures taken to overcome challenges, to build staff capacity, and to optimize the quality of the cells yielded.
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    Short Communication HIV Type 1 Transmitted Drug Resistance and Evidence of Transmission Clusters among Recently Infected Antiretroviral-Naive Individuals from Ugandan Fishing Communities of Lake Victoria
    (Aids Research and Human Retroviruses, 2013) Nazziwa, Jamirah; Njai, Harr Freeya; Ndembi, Nicaise; Birungi, Josephine; Lyagoba, Fred; Gershim, Asiki; Nakiyingi-Miiro, Jessica; Nielsen, Leslie; Mpendo, Juliet; Nanvubya, Annet; Debont, Jan; Grosskurth, Heiner; Kamali, Anatoli; Seeley, Janet; Kaleebu, Pontiano
    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) prevalence and incidence in the fishing communities on Lake Victoria in Uganda are high. This population may play a role in driving the HIV epidemic in Uganda including the spread of transmitted drug resistance (TDR). We report data on TDR in this population among antiretroviral (ARV)-naive, recently infected individuals about 5 years after ARV scaling-up in Uganda. We identified phylogenetic transmission clusters and combined these with volunteer life histories in order to understand the sexual networks within this population. From a prospective cohort of 1,000 HIV-negative individuals recruited from five communities, 51 seroconverters were identified over a period of 2 years. From these, whole blood was collected and population sequencing of the HIV-1 pol gene (protease/reverse transcriptase) was performed from plasma. Drug resistance mutations (DRMs) were scored using the 2009 WHO list for surveillance of TDR. TDR prevalence categories were estimated using the WHO recommended truncated sampling technique for the surveillance of TDR for use in resource-limited settings (RLS). Of the samples 92% (47/51) were successfully genotyped. HIV-1 subtype frequencies were 15/47 (32%) A1, 20/47 (43%) D, 1/47 (2%) C, 1/47 (2%) G, and 10/ 47 (21%) unique recombinant forms. Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) drug resistance mutation K103N was identified in two individuals and V106A in one (6%) suggesting that the level of TDR was moderate in this population. No nucleoside/tide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) or protease inhibitor (PI) DRMs were detected. In this study, we identified five transmission clusters supported by high bootstrap values and low genetic distances. Of these, one pair included the two individuals with K103N. Two of the genotypic clusters corresponded with reported sexual partnerships as detected through prior in-depth interviews. The level of TDR to NNRTIs in these ARV-naive individuals was moderate by WHO threshold survey categorization. The transmission clusters suggest a high degree of sexual partner mixing between members of these communities.