Browsing by Author "Thwaites, Guy"
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Item Open Access A Trial of Itraconazole or Amphotericin B for HIV-Associated Talaromycosis.(N Engl J Med, 2018-03-16) Le, Thuy; Kinh, Nguyen Van; Cuc, Ngo TK; Tung, Nguyen LN; Lam, Nguyen T; Thuy, Pham TT; Cuong, Do D; Phuc, Pham TH; Vinh, Vu H; Hanh, Doan TH; Tam, Vu Van; Thanh, Nguyen T; Thuy, Tran P; Hang, Nguyen T; Long, Hoang B; Nhan, Ho T; Wertheim, Heiman FL; Merson, Laura; Shikuma, Cecilia; Day, Jeremy N; Chau, Nguyen VV; Farrar, Jeremy; Thwaites, Guy; Wolbers, Marcel; IVAP InvestigatorsBACKGROUND: Talaromyces marneffei infection is a major cause of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related death in South and Southeast Asia. Guidelines recommend initial treatment with amphotericin B deoxycholate, but this drug has substantial side effects, a high cost, and limited availability. Itraconazole is available in oral form, is associated with fewer unacceptable side effects than amphotericin, and is widely used in place of amphotericin; however, clinical trials comparing these two treatments are lacking. METHODS: In this open-label, noninferiority trial, we randomly assigned 440 HIV-infected adults who had talaromycosis, confirmed by either microscopy or culture, to receive either intravenous amphotericin B deoxycholate (amphotericin) (219 patients), at a dose of 0.7 to 1.0 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, or itraconazole capsules (221 patients), at a dose of 600 mg per day for 3 days, followed by 400 mg per day, for 11 days; thereafter, all the patients received maintenance therapy with itraconazole. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at week 2. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality at week 24, the time to clinical resolution of talaromycosis, early fungicidal activity, relapse of talaromycosis, development of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), and the side-effect profile. RESULTS: The risk of death at week 2 was 6.5% in the amphotericin group and 7.4% in the itraconazole group (absolute risk difference, 0.9 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -3.9 to 5.6; P<0.001 for noninferiority); however, the risk of death at week 24 was 11.3% in the amphotericin group and 21.0% in the itraconazole group (absolute risk difference, 9.7 percentage points; 95% CI, 2.8 to 16.6; P=0.006). Treatment with amphotericin was associated with significantly faster clinical resolution and fungal clearance and significantly lower rates of relapse and IRIS than itraconazole. The patients who received amphotericin had significantly higher rates of infusion-related reactions, renal failure, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, and anemia than patients in the itraconazole group. CONCLUSIONS: Amphotericin was superior to itraconazole as initial treatment for talaromycosis with respect to 6-month mortality, clinical response, and fungicidal activity. (Funded by the Medical Research Council and others; IVAP Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN59144167 .).Item Open Access Adjunctive Dexamethasone in HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis(New England Journal of Medicine, 2016-02-11) Beardsley, Justin; Wolbers, Marcel; Kibengo, Freddie M; Ggayi, Abu-Baker M; Kamali, Anatoli; Cuc, Ngo Thi Kim; Binh, Tran Quang; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Farrar, Jeremy; Merson, Laura; Phuong, Lan; Thwaites, Guy; Van Kinh, Nguyen; Thuy, Pham Thanh; Chierakul, Wirongrong; Siriboon, Suwatthiya; Thiansukhon, Ekkachai; Onsanit, Satrirat; Supphamongkholchaikul, Watthanapong; Chan, Adrienne K; Heyderman, Robert; Mwinjiwa, Edson; van Oosterhout, Joep J; Imran, Darma; Basri, Hasan; Mayxay, Mayfong; Dance, David; Phimmasone, Prasith; Rattanavong, Sayaphet; Lalloo, David G; Day, Jeremy NItem Open Access Cost-Effectiveness of Amphotericin B Deoxycholate Versus Itraconazole for Induction Therapy of Talaromycosis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Adults in Vietnam.(Open forum infectious diseases, 2021-07-05) Buchanan, James; Altunkaya, James; Van Kinh, Nguyen; Van Vinh Chau, Nguyen; Trieu Ly, Vo; Thi Thanh Thuy, Pham; Hai Vinh, Vu; Thi Hong Hanh, Doan; Thuy Hang, Nguyen; Phuong Thuy, Tran; van Doorn, Rogier; Thwaites, Guy; Gray, Alastair; Le, ThuyBackground
Talaromycosis (penicilliosis) is an invasive fungal infection and a major cause of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related deaths in Southeast Asia. Guidelines recommend induction therapy with amphotericin B deoxycholate; however, treatment with itraconazole has fewer toxic effects, is easier to administer, and is less expensive. Our recent randomized controlled trial in Vietnam found that amphotericin B was superior to itraconazole with respect to 6-month mortality. We undertook an economic evaluation alongside this trial to determine whether the more effective treatment is cost-effective.Methods
Resource use, direct and indirect costs, and health and quality-of-life outcomes (measured using quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs]) were evaluated for 405 trial participants from 2012 to 2016. Both a Vietnamese health service and a broader societal costing perspective were considered. Mean costs and QALYs were combined to calculate the within-trial cost-effectiveness of amphotericin vs itraconazole from both perspectives.Results
From a Vietnamese health service perspective, amphotericin increases costs but improves health outcomes compared to itraconazole, at a cost of $3013/QALY gained. The probability that amphotericin is cost-effective at a conventional (World Health Organization CHOICE) threshold of value for money is 46%. From a societal perspective, amphotericin is cost-reducing and improves outcomes compared to itraconazole, and is likely to be a cost-effective strategy at any value for money threshold greater than $0.Conclusions
Our analysis indicates that induction therapy with amphotericin is a cost-effective treatment strategy for HIV-infected adults diagnosed with talaromycosis in Vietnam. These results provide the evidence base for health care providers and policy makers to improve access to and use of amphotericin.Item Open Access Detection and Characterization of Human Pegivirus 2, Vietnam.(Emerging infectious diseases, 2018-11) Anh, Nguyen To; Hong, Nguyen Thi Thu; Nhu, Le Nguyen Truc; Thanh, Tran Tan; Anscombe, Catherine; Chau, Le Ngoc; Thanh, Tran Thi Thanh; Lau, Chuen-Yen; Limmathurotsakul, Direk; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Rogier van Doorn, H; Deng, Xutao; Rahman, Motiur; Delwart, Eric; Le, Thuy; Thwaites, Guy; Van Tan, Le; Southeast Asia Infectious Disease Clinical Research NetworkWe report human pegivirus 2 (HPgV-2) infection in Vietnam. We detected HPgV-2 in some patients with hepatitis C virus/HIV co-infection but not in patients with HIV or hepatitis A, B, or C virus infection, nor in healthy controls. HPgV-2 strains in Vietnam are phylogenetically related to global strains.Item Open Access Development and evaluation of a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the rapid detection of Talaromyces marneffei MP1 gene in human plasma(Mycoses, 2016-12-01) Hien, Ha Thuc Ai; Thanh, Tran Tan; Thu, Nguyen Thi Mai; Nguyen, Ashley; Thanh, Nguyen Tat; Lan, Nguyen Phu Huong; Simmons, Cameron; Shikuma, Cecilia; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Thwaites, Guy; Le, Thuy© 2016 The Authors. Mycoses Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH Penicilliosis caused by Talaromyces marneffei is a common AIDS-defining illness in South and Southeast Asia. Diagnosis is based on culture which can take up to 14 days for identification, leading to treatment delay and increased mortality. We developed a TaqMan real-time PCR assay targeting the MP1 gene encoding an abundant cell wall protein specific to T. marneffei. The assay's performance was evaluated in MP1-containing plasmids, clinical isolates, and plasma from HIV-infected patients with and without penicilliosis. The assay consistently detected 10 copies of MP1-containing plasmids per reaction and 100 T. marneffei yeast cells per millilitre plasma. There were no amplification with seven other Penicillium species and six other HIV-associated fungal pathogens tested. The assay was evaluated in 70 patients with AIDS: 50 patients with culture-confirmed penicilliosis and 20 patients with opportunistic infections other than penicilliosis. The diagnostic sensitivity was 70.4% (19/27, 95% CI: 51.5–84.1%) and 52.2% (12/23, 95% CI: 33.0–70.8%) in plasma samples collected prior to and within 48 h of antifungal therapy respectively. The diagnostic specificity was 100% (20/20, 95% CI: 83.9–100%). This assay provides a useful tool for the rapid diagnosis of T. marneffei infection and has the potential to improve the management of patients with penicilliosis.Item Open Access Differential prevalence and geographic distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in acute and chronic hepatitis C patients in Vietnam.(PloS one, 2019-01) Le Ngoc, Chau; Tran Thi Thanh, Thanh; Tran Thi Lan, Phuong; Nguyen Mai, Trinh; Nguyen Hoa, Trang; Nghiem My, Ngoc; Le Van, Tan; Le Manh, Hung; Le Thanh, Phuong; Nguyen Van Vinh, Chau; Thwaites, Guy; Cooke, Graham; Heilek, Gabrielle M; Shikuma, Cecilia; Le, Thuy; Baker, Stephen; Rahman, Motiur; VIZIONS consortiumBACKGROUND:The highest burden of disease from hepatitis C virus (HCV) is found in Southeast Asia, but our understanding of the epidemiology of infection in many heavily burdened countries is still limited. In particular, there is relatively little data on acute HCV infection, the outcome of which can be influenced by both viral and host genetics which differ within the region. We studied HCV genotype and IL28B gene polymorphism in a cohort of acute HCV-infected patients in Southern Vietnam alongside two other cohorts of chronic HCV-infected patients to better understand the epidemiology of HCV infection locally and inform the development of programs for therapy with the increasing availability of directly acting antiviral therapy (DAAs). METHODS:We analysed plasma samples from patients with acute and chronic HCV infection, including chronic HCV mono-infection and chronic Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-HCV coinfection, who enrolled in four epidemiological or clinical research studies. HCV infection was confirmed with RNA testing. The 5' UTR, core and NSB5 regions of HCV RNA positive samples were sequenced, and the genotype and subtype of the viral strains were determined. Host DNA from all HCV positive patients and age- and sex-matched non-HCV-infected control individuals were analysed for IL28B single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs12979860 and rs8099917). Geolocation of the patients were mapped using QGIS. RESULTS:355 HCV antibody positive patients were analysed; 54.6% (194/355) and 46.4% (161/355) were acute and chronic infections, respectively. 50.4% (81/161) and 49.6.4% (80/161) of chronic infections had HCV mono-infection and HIV-HCV coinfection, respectively. 88.7% (315/355) and 10.1% (36/355) of the patients were from southern and central regions of Vietnam, respectively. 92.4% (328/355) of patients were HCV RNA positive, including 86.1% (167/194) acute and 100% (161/161) chronic infections. Genotype could be determined in 98.4% (322/328) patients. Genotypes 1 (56.5%; 182/322) and 6 (33.9%; 109/322) predominated. Genotype 1 including genotype 1a was significantly higher in HIV-HCV coinfected patients compared to acute HCV patients [43.8% (35/80) versus 20.5% (33/167)], (p = <0.001), while genotype 6 was significantly higher in chronic HCV mono-infected patients [(44.4% (36/81) versus 20.0% (16/80)] (p = < 0.004) compared to HIV-HCV coinfected patients. The prevalence of IL28B SNP (rs12979860) homozygous CC was 86.46% (83/96) in control individuals and was significantly higher in acutely-infected compared to chronically-infected patients [93.2 (82/88) versus 76.1% (35/46)] (p = < 0.005). CONCLUSION:HCV genotype 6 is highly prevalent in Vietnam and the high prevalence in treatment naïve chronic HCV patients may results from poor spontaneous clearance of acute HCV infection with genotype 6.Item Open Access Population Pharmacodynamics of Amphotericin B Deoxycholate for Disseminated Infection Caused by Talaromyces marneffei.(Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2019-02) Le, Thuy; Ly, Vo Trieu; Thu, Nguyen Thi Mai; Nguyen, Ashley; Thanh, Nguyen Tat; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Thwaites, Guy; Perfect, John; Kolamunnage-Dona, Ruwanthi; Hope, WilliamAmphotericin B deoxycholate (DAmB) is a first-line agent for the initial treatment of talaromycosis. However, little is known about the population pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of DAmB for talaromycosis. Pharmacokinetic data were obtained from 78 patients; among them, 55 patients had serial fungal CFU counts in blood also available for analysis. A population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model was fitted to the data. The relationships between the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)/MIC and the time to blood culture sterilization and the time to death were investigated. There was only modest pharmacokinetic variability in the average AUC, with a mean ± standard deviation of 11.51 ± 3.39 mg·h/liter. The maximal rate of drug-induced kill was 0.133 log10 CFU/ml/h, and the plasma concentration of the DAmB that induced the half-maximal rate of kill was 0.02 mg/liter. Fifty percent of patients sterilized their bloodstreams by 83.16 h (range, 13 to 264 h). A higher initial fungal burden was associated with a longer time to sterilization (hazard ratio [HR], 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36 to 0.70; P < 0.001). There was a weak relationship between AUC/MIC and the time to sterilization, although this did not reach statistical significance (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.06, P = 0.091). Furthermore, there was no relationship between the AUC/MIC and time to death (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.08; P = 0.607) or early fungicidal activity {slope = log[(0.500 - 0.003·(AUC/MIC)]; P = 0.319} adjusted for the initial fungal burden. The population pharmacokinetics of DAmB are surprisingly consistent. The time to sterilization of the bloodstream may be a useful pharmacodynamic endpoint for future studies. (This study has been registered at the ISRCTN registry under no. ISRCTN59144167.).Item Open Access Second-Line HIV Therapy Outcomes and Determinants of Mortality at the Largest HIV Referral Center in Southern Vietnam.(Medicine (Baltimore), 2015-10) Thao, Vu Phuong; Quang, Vo Minh; Wolbers, Marcel; Anh, Nguyen Duc; Shikuma, Cecilia; Farrar, Jeremy; Dunstan, Sarah; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Day, Jeremy; Thwaites, Guy; Le, ThuyThe growing numbers of HIV-infected patients requiring second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Vietnam make essential the evaluation of treatment efficacy to guide treatment strategies.We evaluated all patients aged ≥15 years who initiated second-line ART after documented failure of first-line therapy at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City. The primary outcome was time from second-line ART initiation to death, or to a new or reoccurrence of a WHO-defined immunological or clinical failure event, whichever occurred first. Risks of treatment failure and death were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards modeling.Data from 326 of 373 patients initiating second-line ART between November 2006 and August 2011 were included in this analysis. The median age was 32 years (IQR: 28-36). Eighty one percent were men. The median CD4 count was 44 cells/μL (IQR: 16-84). During a median follow-up of 29 months (IQR: 15-44), 60 (18.4%) patients experienced treatment failure, including 12 immunological failures, 4 WHO stage IV AIDS events, and 44 deaths (13.5%). Sixty percent of deaths occurred during the first 6-12 months. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of treatment failure after 1, 2, 3, and 4 years were 13.1% (95% CI: 9.2-16.8), 18.6% (95% CI: 14.0-23.1), 20.4% (95% CI: 15.4-25.1), and 22.8% (95% CI: 17.2-28.1), respectively. Older age, history of injection drug use, lower CD4 count, medication adherence <95%, and previous protease inhibitor use independently predicted treatment failure.While treatment efficacy was similar to that reported from other resource-limited settings, mortality was higher. Early deaths may be averted by prioritizing second-line therapy for those with lower CD4 counts and by improving treatment adherence support.Item Open Access Superiority of a novel Mp1p antigen detection enzyme immunoassay compared to standard BACTEC blood culture in the diagnosis of talaromycosis.(Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 2020-06-21) Thu, Nguyen TM; Chan, Jasper FW; Ly, Vo Trieu; Ngo, Hoa T; Hien, Ha TA; Lan, Nguyen PH; Chau, Nguyen VV; Cai, Jian-Piao; Woo, Patrick CY; Day, Jeremy N; van Doorn, Rogier; Thwaites, Guy; Perfect, John; Yuen, Kwok; Le, ThuyBACKGROUND:Talaromycosis is an invasive mycosis endemic in Southeast Asia and causes substantial morbidity and mortality in individuals with advanced HIV disease. Current diagnosis relies on isolating Talaromyces marneffei in cultures, which takes up to 14 days and is detectable only during late-stage infection, leading to high mortality. METHODS:In this retrospective case-control study, we assessed the accuracy of a novel Mp1p antigen-detecting enzyme immunoassay (EIA) in stored plasma samples of 372 patients who had culture-proven talaromycosis from blood or sterile body fluids(reference standard) and of 517 individuals without talaromycosis (338 healthy volunteers; 179 with other infections). All participants were recruited between 2011-2017 in Vietnam. RESULTS:66.1% and 75.4% of cases and controls were male; the median age was 33 and 37, respectively. All cases were HIV-infected; median CD4 count was 10 cells/mm3. At an optical density cut-off of 0.5, the specificity was 98.1% (95% CI: 96.3%-99.0%); the sensitivity was superior to blood culture, 86.3% (95% CI: 82.3%-89.5%) versus 72.8% (95% CI: 68.0%-77.2%), P<0.001, McNemar test. The time-to-diagnosis was 6 hours versus 6.6 ± 3.0 days for blood culture. Paired plasma and urine testing in the same patients (N=269) significantly increased sensitivity compared to testing plasma alone P<0.001, or testing urine alone P=0.02, McNemar tests. CONCLUSIONS:The Mp1p EIA is highly specific and is superior in sensitivity and time-to-diagnosis compared to blood culture for the diagnosis of talaromycosis. Paired plasma and urine testing further increases sensitivity, introducing a new tool for rapid diagnosis, enabling early treatment and potentially reducing mortality.