There are about 116 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Botswana. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
The primary aim is to assess if etonogestrel (ENG) implant users taking dolutegravir (DTG) have a 20% or greater change in their ENG plasma levels, compared to women taking no antiretroviral therapy (ART). A secondary aim is to assess whether ENG implant users taking dolutegravir have significantly higher ENG plasma levels than ENG implant users taking efavirenz. This is a cross-sectional, non-randomized evaluation to compare ENG levels between 3 and 12 months post-implant insertion in three groups of women: 1) women using DTG-based ART (n=90), 2) women using EFV-based ART (n=90), and 3) women using no ART (not HIV infected) (n=90). This study will be conducted in Botswana in Southern Africa among women using the ENG implant, and involves a one-time collection of blood and questionnaire.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in Botswana. The burden of cervical cancer is largely related to the high prevalence of HIV in Botswana (22%), as HIV is known to be a significant risk factor for cervical cancer. Cervical cancer screening is life-saving and has been shown to reduce cervical cancer incidence in multiple settings. Yet, there is no consensus on appropriate screening algorithms for women living with HIV, across resource settings. Botswana is in a unique position, relative to its neighbors in Sub-Saharan Africa, in that there exists capacity for advanced screening modalities, including primary high risk human papilloma virus (hrHPV) testing and cytology-based screening. To address this issue, this study seeks to evaluate two-stage cervical cancer screening algorithms for women living with HIV in Botswana using hrHPV testing. The protocols include hrHPV testing followed by Pap Smear evaluation, VIA and colposcopy. These same participants will be invited back at one-year for cervical cancer screening using hrHPV testing (followed by triage testing) in order to inform guidelines on the frequency of HPV testing in women living with HIV. The evidence generated will be critical to guiding cervical cancer screening in HIV-infected women across resource settings.
A number of rapid panel-based molecular assays for direct organism identification and resistance characterization in positive blood culture bottles are now commercially available. They have been shown to improve accuracy and decrease the time-to-result, allowing targeted treatment in hospitalized patients with bacteraemia, in high-income countries (HICs). However, these molecular assays are add-on tests performed in addition to conventional testing, increasing the complexity of diagnostic algorithms and costs of patient care. Conventional organism identification includes performing a Gram stain, biochemical identification and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing. The FilmArray Blood Culture Identification (BioFire, USA) is an example of a rapid panel-based molecular assay that combines nesting and multiplexing of PCR (nested multiplex PCR) to detect multiple pathogens simultaneously. There are limited data on how such tests impact patient management, health care costs and how they can better be incorporated into diagnostic algorithms. The aim of this study is to assess the added value and acceptability of a multiplexed molecular diagnostic assay in the identification of pathogens in patients presenting with bacteremia at hospitals in LMICs, and to assess health care providers' satisfaction with the assay.
The goal of this pilot study is to assess both implementation outcomes (acceptability, feasibility and adoption) and clinical efficacy (contraceptive method uptake by women wishing to avoid pregnancy) using a Hybrid Type 2 study design of a family planning program being piloted by the Cervical Cancer Prevention Program in Gabarone, Botswana.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and antiviral activity to promote clearance of HIV-1 infected cells of VRC01 in infants with HIV beginning combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).
The purpose of this study is to assess the early longitudinal metabolic effects including insulin sensitivity in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) children compared to HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) children; as well as to determine differences in the effects of neonatal zidovudine (AZT) vs. nevirapine (NVP) prophylaxis on early longitudinal changes in insulin sensitivity in the first 3 years of life.
The purpose of this study was to compare the virologic efficacy and safety of three antiretroviral (ARV) regimens, dolutegravir plus emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide, dolutegravir plus emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in pregnant women living with HIV-1 and to compare the safety of these regimens for their infants.
This program is a comprehensive evaluation of rheumatic valvular heart disease (RVHD), Atrial fibrillation (AF)/flutter and stroke. A prospective, randomized, parallel group, open-label clinical trial of rivaroxaban versus standard vitamin K antagonists (VKA) therapy to evaluate non-inferiority of rivaroxaban to VKA, with testing for superiority if non-inferiority is satisfied.
Many children admitted to hospital in Botswana without bloody diarrhoea are presumed to have viral gastroenteritis and so not treated with antibiotics - but they may indeed have a treatable cause for their illness. The investigators will conduct a randomized trial to see if rapid testing using novel methods to identify potentially treatable causes of diarrhoea leads to improved outcomes. The investigators will also be randomizing children to Lactobacillus reuteri DSM (daughter strain) 17938 therapy versus placebo (the standard of care) to see if this treatment decreases the duration of diarrhoea. The proposed study is a large multi-centre trial following the previous pilot trial.
Diagnostic and treatment delays contribute substantially to disparities in cancer morbidity and mortality between low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries. Individuals present with advanced stage disease resulting in minimal chance for cure or long-term survival. The Potlako project will implement and evaluate a multifaceted intervention to test the hypothesis that a package of enhanced coordination of care including an electronic messaging, transportation support, and training targeted at generalist clinicians at primary and secondary level facilities, can reduce time to diagnosis and stage at diagnosis for HIV-infected individuals with cancer.