Annet Nanvubya

International AIDS Vaccine Initiative | IAVI · Clinical Sciences Department

Rapid assessment for alcohol use in clinical practice and research is key to improved health and study participation. We assessed the correlation between Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score and responses from a single question on frequency of alcohol use among people living in fishing communities of Uganda. Four hundred nineteen...

Within the penile microbiome, bacteria associated with seroconversion, immunology, and cells (BASIC species) enhance HIV susceptibility in heterosexual uncircumcised men by inducing foreskin inflammation and HIV target cell recruitment. This phase 1/2 clinical trial randomizes HIV-uninfected Ugandan men (n = 125) to either oral tinidazole, topical...

Introduction Uganda´s fishing communities experience a high burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), with limited access to healthcare. Knowledge on healthcare use and treatment seeking will help identify unmet needs and facilitate appropriate allocation of resources. Methods between 2014-2015,...

Background Women are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women’s participation in HIV prevention research is associated with men/spousal influence. The willingness of women to participate in HIV prevention research is challenged by negative influences from the male fraternity as primary decision-makers. The UVRI-IAVI HIV...

Introduction Hepatitis B (HBV) prevalence remains high in Sub Saharan Africa and among some key populations such as those with continued exposure through sexual contact. We assessed the HBV status among potential participants who were screened for simulated HIV vaccine efficacy trials in Kenya and Uganda. Methods We conducted a cross sectional ana...

Impact of Good Participatory Practices in engaging mobile fishing communities in Vaccine Trials in Uganda

Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by parasitic flatworms of the Schistosoma spp., and is increasingly recognized to alter the immune system, and the potential to respond to vaccines. The impact of endemic infections on protective immunity is critical to inform vaccination strategies globally. We assessed the influence of Schistosoma mansoni worm...

Unlabelled: The impact of endemic infections on protective immunity is critical to inform vaccination strategies. In this study, we assessed the influence of Schistosoma mansoni infection on host responses in a Ugandan fishing cohort given a Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine. Concentrations of schistosome-specific circulating anodic antigen (CAA) pre-vac...

Introduction Family planning knowledge is poor and use is low in Ugandan fishing communities. We compared the effectiveness of enhanced family planning (FP) education with routine counselling on FP knowledge and use. Methods Individuals aged 15–49 years were randomly assigned to intervention or control arm. The intervention constituted enhanced FP...

Introduction: In Uganda, people living in fishing communities tend to engage in high-risk sexual activity which leads to unintended pregnancies that may end in abortions. Abortion has negative social, psychological, and medical impacts. We determined the frequency of abortion and its correlates among female fisher-folk along Lake Victoria in Ugand...

Abstract Introduction Hepatitis B is a serious potentially fatal hepatocellular disease caused by the hepatitis B virus. In the fishing communities of Lake Victoria Uganda, the hepatitis B virus infection burden is largely unknown. This study assessed the prevalence and incidence of hepatitis B in these communities. Methods This was a retrospective...

Background There is widespread use of herbal medicines among populations in sub-Saharan Africa. However, pregnant women should be conscious about medication taken during pregnancy including herbal medicines because their safety profiles are not known and some of them might affect the mother, fetus and pregnancy outcomes. Knowledge about use and saf...

Background Knowledge of family planning (FP) is a key determinant of contraceptive use which ultimately plays a role in attainment of good health and in conduct of clinical research. People living in fishing communities (FCs) have limited access to health services including FP and are targeted for future clinical research but their knowledge of FP...

Introduction: fishing communities in Uganda are key populations for HIV, with persistently higher prevalence and incidence than the general population. Methods: between March and August 2014, a cross sectional survey was conducted in 10 fishing communities of Lake Victoria in Uganda. Data was collected on socio-behavioural characteristics using...

Introduction: Family planning (FP) is a key element in the conduct of research and is essential in managing family sizes. Although fishing communities (FCs) are targeted populations for HIV prevention research, their FP practices are poorly understood. We explored barriers and facilitators of FP use in FCs of Lake Victoria in Uganda. Methods: We em...

Introduction Intramuscular electroporation (IM/EP) is a vaccine delivery technique that improves the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines. We evaluated the acceptability and tolerability of electroporation among healthy African study participants. Methods Forty-five participants were administered a DNA vaccine (HIV-MAG) or placebo by electroporation at...

Background Family planning (FP) is a key component in the conduct of HIV prevention trials and FP knowledge is a determinant of modern contraceptive use. Although fishing communities (FCs) participate in HIV prevention trials, knowledge about FP in this population is scarcely known. We determined correlates of FP knowledge in FCs of L. Victoria in...

Background Knowledge of family planning (FP) is a key determinant of contraceptive use which ultimately plays a role in attainment of good health and in conduct of clinical research. People living in fishing communities (FCs) have limited access to health services including FP and are targeted for future clinical research but their knowledge of FP...

Background Knowledge of family planning (FP) is a key determinant of contraceptive use which ultimately plays a role in attainment of good health and in conduct of clinical research. People living in fishing communities (FCs) have limited access to health services including FP and are targeted for future clinical research but their knowledge of FP...

Background: Knowledge of family planning (FP) is a key determinant of contraceptive use which ultimately plays a role in attainment of good health and in conduct of clinical research. People living in fishing communities (FCs) have limited access to health services including FP and are targeted for future clinical research but their knowledge of FP...

Knowledge of family planning (FP) is a key determinant of contraceptive use which ultimately plays a role in attainment of good health and in conduct of clinical research. People living in fishing communities (FCs) have limited access to health services including FP and are targeted for future clinical research but their knowledge of FP and its cor...

Background: The foreskin is the main site of HIV acquisition in a heterosexual uncircumcised man, but many men in endemic countries are reluctant to undergo penile circumcision (PC). Observational studies suggest that proinflammatory anaerobic bacteria are enriched on the uncircumcised penis, where they may enhance HIV susceptibility through incre...

Problem Biological mechanisms of foreskin HIV acquisition are poorly defined. The inner foreskin is preferentially infected in explant models, so we hypothesized that this site would be enriched for HIV susceptible CD4⁺ T cells and pro‐inflammatory /chemoattractant cytokines. Method of study 42 HIV‐uninfected Ugandan men without genital symptoms p...

Introduction Fishing communities are a new “Most at Risk Population for HIV in sub-Saharan Africa”. If they are to successfully participate in HIV prevention trials, researchers must demonstrate that they can recruit and retain them in these trials. We assessed the recruitment and retention rates of the first phase 1 HIV vaccine trial among fishing...

Uganda is among the most HIV/AIDS-afflicted countries, and many HIV-infected persons live in remote areas with poor access to health care. The success of HIV care programs relies in part on patient monitoring using CD4 T cell counts. We conducted an evaluation of the point-of-care PIMA test using BD FACSCount as a gold standard. One hundred fifty-o...

Background High retention (follow-up) rates improve the validity and statistical power of outcomes in longitudinal studies and the effectiveness of programs with prolonged administration of interventions. We assessed participant retention in a potential HIV vaccine trials population of fishing communities along Lake Victoria, Uganda. Methods In a...

Background In May 2009, EDCTP supported the establishment of the East African Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR) involving 35 regional institutions and 6 northern partners to promote capacity development for collaborative multi-site clinical trials and research. EACCR aims to contribute to overcoming a situation of: under-funded, fragmented a...

Background These two trials under Europe-Africa collaborations aim at addressing two factors relevant for Africa i.e helminth infections and HIV-1 diversity. EV06 used a novel combination of DNA expressing clade C Env, Gag and Pol-nef co-administered with AIDSVAX®B/E Env protein to study the effect of S. mansoni on vaccine responses. GREAT is a rec...

Link to conference slides (slides+voice) : http://webcasts.hivr4p.org/console/player/33019?mediaType=slideVideo&

Background: Fishing communities are potentially suitable for Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) efficacy trials due to their high risk profile. However, high mobility and attrition could decrease statistical power to detect the impact of a given intervention. We report dropout and associated factors in a fisher-folk observational cohort in Uganda....

Introduction Fishing communities (FCs) in Uganda have high HIV infection rates but poor access to health services including family planning (FP). Although FP is a cost-effective public health intervention, there is a paucity of data on knowledge and use of modern FP in FCs. This study determined knowledge and use of modern FP methods in FCs of Ugan...

Schistosoma mansoni infection has been associated with an increased HIV prevalence in humans and SHIV incidence in primate models. We hypothesized that immune activation from this gastrointestinal mucosa infection would increase highly HIV-susceptible CD4 T cell subsets in the blood and the foreskin through common mucosal homing. Foreskin tissue an...

Background: Strategies to enhance the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines in humans include i) co-administration of molecular adjuvants, ii) intramuscular administration followed by in vivo electroporation (IM/EP) and/or iii) boosting with a different vaccine. Combining these strategies provided protection of macaques challenged with SIV; this clinical...

Introduction Women in fishing communities in Uganda are more at risk and have higher rates of HIV infection. Socio-cultural gender norms, limited access to health information and services, economic disempowerment, sexual abuse and their biological susceptibility make women more at risk of infection. There is need to design interventions that cater...

Fishing communities (FCs) in Uganda have high HIV infection rates but poor access to health services including family planning (FP). Although FP is a cost-effective public health intervention, there is a paucity of data on knowledge and use of modern FP in FCs. This study determined knowledge and use of modern FP methods in FCs of Uganda.Data were...

Introduction: Fishing communities (FCs) in Uganda have high HIV infection rates but poor access to health services including family planning (FP). Although FP is a cost-effective public health intervention, there is a paucity of data on knowledge and use of modern FP in FCs. This study determined knowledge and use of modern FP methods in FCs of Ug...

Background: An effective HIV vaccine is still elusive. Of the 9 HIV preventive vaccine efficacy trials conducted to-date, only one reported positive results of modest efficacy. More efficacy trials need to be conducted before one or more vaccines are eventually licensed. We assessed the suitability of fishing communities in Uganda for future HIV v...

Background: Defining the parameters that modulate vaccine responses in African populations will be imperative to design effective vaccines for protection against HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and dengue virus infections. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of the patient-specific immune microenvironment to the response to the licensed yell...

Background High HIV-1 incidence rates were reported among persons in fisherfolk communities (FFC) in Uganda who were selected for high risk behaviour. We assessed the incidence of HIV-1 and associated risk factors in a general population FFC to determine population-wide HIV rates. Methods A community-based cohort study was conducted among a random...

To evaluate and determine the value of monitoring models developed by the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Research Unit and the East African Consortium for Clinical Research, consider how this can be measured and explore monitors' and investigators' experiences of and views about the nature, purpose and practice of monitoring. A case study approach was use...

Long-term safety is critical for the development and later use of a vaccine to prevent HIV/AIDS. Likewise, the persistence of vaccine-induced antibodies and their impact on HIV testing must be established. IAVI has sponsored several Phase I and IIA HIV vaccine trials enrolling healthy, HIV-seronegative African volunteers. Plasmid DNA and viral vect...

Introduction HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa are generalized, but high-risk subgroups exist within these epidemics. A recent study among fisher-folk communities (FFC) in Uganda showed high HIV prevalence (28.8%) and incidence (4.9/100 person-years). However, those findings may not reflect population-wide HIV rates in FFC since the study populat...

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) prevalence in the fishing communities on Lake Victoria in Uganda is 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 naïve, recently infected individuals, abo...

Background: With a number of preventive HIV vaccine candidates under pre-clinical and early-phase human studies, it is critical to intensify efforts to identify and prepare populations for potential efficacy trials. Willingness to participate (WTP) in HIV vaccine trials in most at risk populations for HIV infection is unknown especially in Sub-Saha...

Background A recent study reported HIV prevalence of 28.8% among high risk persons in fishing communities (FC) of Uganda, indicating that FC may be another most-at-risk-population (MARP). However, these findings do not reflect the population-based HIV prevalence in FC. We conducted a community-based study to determine the population representative...

Background HIV has adversely affected fishing communities (FC), with prevalence ranging between 25-30% on Lake Victoria. To better characterize the HIV prevalence among FC and explore potential for HIV vaccine efficacy trials, we conducted a pilot study on HIV prevalence, sexual risk behavior, alcohol and drug use in these communities. Methods A cr...