There are about 25 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Swaziland. 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 goal of this observational study is to assess the birth outcomes of HIV-positive women delivering in hospitals in Eswatini who are receiving dolutegravir (DTG) or other anti-retroviral (ARV) drug regimens. The main question the study aims to answer is, what is the proportion of neural tube defects among live and stillborn infants delivered by: - HIV-positive women on DTG at conception - HIV-negative women - HIV-positive women on non-DTG ARV at conception Participants will be interviewed for information on HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy history, other medical history of selected conditions (e.g., diabetes, malaria, TB) and potential birth defect exposures. Photographs will be taken of the infants. Data on mothers' pregnancy history, birth outcomes, and HIV and ARV information (as applicable) will be collected from patient records.
Since late December 2019, the novel human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) first reported in China, has spread worldwide. Vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections have been developed in record time and several candidate vaccines have completed Phase 2a/b and Phase 3 clinical trials. Coronaviruses (CoVs) are spherical, enveloped viruses with positive-sense single-stranded RNA genomes. One fourth of their genome is responsible for coding structural proteins, such as the Spike (S) glycoprotein, envelope, membrane, and nucleocapsid proteins. Envelope, membrane, and nucleocapsid proteins are mainly responsible for virion assembly whilst the S protein is involved in receptor binding, mediating virus entry into host cells during CoVs infection via different receptors. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the phylogenetic lineage B of the genus Betacoronavirus and it recognizes the ACE2 as the entry receptor. It is the seventh CoV known to cause human infections and the third known to cause severe disease after SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. AZD1222 is a recombinant replication-defective chimpanzee adenovirus vaccine expressing the SARS-CoV-2 S surface glycoprotein. Development of AZD1222, previously referred to as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, was initiated by the University of Oxford, UK, with subsequent transfer of development activities to AstraZeneca. The ChAdOx1 platform has been used in 14 clinical studies sponsored by the University of Oxford with immunogens from multiple pathogens such as influenza, tuberculosis, malaria, chikungunya, Zika, MERS-CoV, and Meningitis B. Over 360 healthy adult participants have received ChAdOx1-vectored vaccines in these studies. These vaccines demonstrated robust immunogenicity after a single dose and favourable safety profiles, with no vaccine-related serious adverse events (SAEs).
This study aims to assess the feasibility and utility of birth testing using point-of-care (POC) testing in maternity settings in Eswatini.
The second Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey (SHIMS 2, 2016), is a population based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) that will assess the prevalence of key human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related health indicators. This is a two-stage cluster sampled cross-sectional survey of 6,417 randomly selected households in Swaziland. Approximately 20,292 eligible persons will be approached (4,664 participants 0-14 years; 12,563 participants 15-49 years; 3,065 participants 50 years and older). Of the sample approached, 15,403 are expected to agree to a blood draw for home-based HIV rapid testing including 3,361 participants 0-14 years; 9,680 participants 15-49 years; and 2,362 participants 50 years and older. SHIMS 2, 2016 will characterize HIV incidence, prevalence, viral load suppression, cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) T-cell distribution, and risk behaviors in a household-based, nationally-representative sample of the Swazi population and will describe uptake of key HIV prevention, care, and treatment services.
The study will evaluate the effect of implementing a family-centered care (FAM-CARE) program (where all HIV-positive family members are seen together as a unit and receive care together) on viral suppression and retention in HIV-positive children <15 years through enrollment of a prospective cohort of 660 HIV-positive children and their caregivers at sites that were randomized to either implement the family-care program (intervention sites) or continue the current standard of care (control sites).
This stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial is embedded in an 18-month observational cohort study that has the aim to assess the operationalization of oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Swaziland as an additional HIV combination prevention method among individuals at high risk of HIV infection. The trial aims to determine the effect of a healthcare facility-based PrEP promotion package on the number of clients who take up PrEP.
This study is to understand how to improve retention in care and treatment services to HIV positive pregnant women and their babies in Swaziland. The investigators will evaluate outcomes of patients who are lost-to-follow-up (LTF) under a new approach for prevention of mother-to-child (PMTCT) called Option B+, where all HIV positive pregnant women initiate lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) regardless of their disease stage. The goal is to understand the outcomes of patients who are LTF from care, and the reasons for disengagement from care in the context of PMTCT in order to inform efforts to improve retention in care among patients under Option B+.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, clinical outcomes, affordability, and scalability of offering early antiretroviral treatment to all HIV-positive individuals in Swaziland's government-managed health system.
The ECHO Study is an open-label randomized clinical trial that will compare three highly effective, reversible methods of contraception (including a non-hormonal method) to evaluate whether there is a link between use of any of these methods and increased risk of acquiring HIV infection. A randomized clinical trial among about 7,800 women in four countries, ECHO will deliver evidence to support and guide individual, policy and programmatic decisions on contraception for women at risk of acquiring HIV infection.
The specific objectives of this study are reduce stigma towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in Swaziland and Lesotho, using performance ethnography at community roundtables.