COVID-19 Infection among People with HIV/AIDS in Africa: Knowledge Gaps, Public Health Preparedness and Research Priorities
The emergence of novel virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 has complicated Africa’s public health challenges, especially with the pre-existing epidemics such as HIV/AIDS. We highlight the known evidence related to COVID-19 infections among people with HIV (PWH) with specific reference to Africa. T...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Global Health and Education Projects, Inc.
2021-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS |
| Online Access: | https://mchandaids.org/index.php/IJMA/article/view/461 |
| _version_ | 1818787319173349376 |
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| author | Ekere James Essien Osaro Mgbere Sorochi Iloanusi Susan V. Abughosh |
| author_facet | Ekere James Essien Osaro Mgbere Sorochi Iloanusi Susan V. Abughosh |
| author_sort | Ekere James Essien |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The emergence of novel virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 has complicated Africa’s public health challenges, especially with the pre-existing epidemics such as HIV/AIDS. We highlight the known evidence related to COVID-19 infections among people with HIV (PWH) with specific reference to Africa. The knowledge gaps, level of public health preparedness and the potential research priorities are also outlined. Although the epidemiology and clinical course of COVID-19 in HIV patients are evolving, existing evidence indicate that the disease outcomes are comparable to that of the general population. However, PWH with low CD4 cell counts may have worse outcomes than individuals with restored immunity, whereas old age and co-morbidities such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes can further increase their overall risk. While there may be slight disruption of HIV service delivery in selected African countries, the resilience and resourcefulness of others have helped to sustain HIV service delivery and enhanced the level of public health preparedness and fight against the pandemic. The paucity of data and research studies on HIV-COVID-19 coinfection in Africa, call for concerted efforts to address these limitations.
Keywords: • COVID-19 • SARS-CoV-2 • HIV • PWH • Public Health • Research • Africa
Copyright © 2021 Essien, et al. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in this journal, is properly cited. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T14:05:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dec2dc00081b451ea32a6d11360bff4d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2161-8674 2161-864X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T14:05:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS |
| spelling | doaj.art-dec2dc00081b451ea32a6d11360bff4d2022-12-21T21:05:15ZengGlobal Health and Education Projects, Inc.International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS2161-86742161-864X2021-03-0110110.21106/ijma.461COVID-19 Infection among People with HIV/AIDS in Africa: Knowledge Gaps, Public Health Preparedness and Research PrioritiesEkere James Essien0Osaro Mgbere1Sorochi Iloanusi2Susan V. Abughosh3Institute of Community Health, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA; Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas, USAInstitute of Community Health, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA; Disease Prevention and Control Division, Houston Health Department, Houston, Texas, USADepartment of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USAInstitute of Community Health, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, Texas, USAThe emergence of novel virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 has complicated Africa’s public health challenges, especially with the pre-existing epidemics such as HIV/AIDS. We highlight the known evidence related to COVID-19 infections among people with HIV (PWH) with specific reference to Africa. The knowledge gaps, level of public health preparedness and the potential research priorities are also outlined. Although the epidemiology and clinical course of COVID-19 in HIV patients are evolving, existing evidence indicate that the disease outcomes are comparable to that of the general population. However, PWH with low CD4 cell counts may have worse outcomes than individuals with restored immunity, whereas old age and co-morbidities such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes can further increase their overall risk. While there may be slight disruption of HIV service delivery in selected African countries, the resilience and resourcefulness of others have helped to sustain HIV service delivery and enhanced the level of public health preparedness and fight against the pandemic. The paucity of data and research studies on HIV-COVID-19 coinfection in Africa, call for concerted efforts to address these limitations. Keywords: • COVID-19 • SARS-CoV-2 • HIV • PWH • Public Health • Research • Africa Copyright © 2021 Essien, et al. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in this journal, is properly cited.https://mchandaids.org/index.php/IJMA/article/view/461 |
| spellingShingle | Ekere James Essien Osaro Mgbere Sorochi Iloanusi Susan V. Abughosh COVID-19 Infection among People with HIV/AIDS in Africa: Knowledge Gaps, Public Health Preparedness and Research Priorities International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS |
| title | COVID-19 Infection among People with HIV/AIDS in Africa: Knowledge Gaps, Public Health Preparedness and Research Priorities |
| title_full | COVID-19 Infection among People with HIV/AIDS in Africa: Knowledge Gaps, Public Health Preparedness and Research Priorities |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 Infection among People with HIV/AIDS in Africa: Knowledge Gaps, Public Health Preparedness and Research Priorities |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 Infection among People with HIV/AIDS in Africa: Knowledge Gaps, Public Health Preparedness and Research Priorities |
| title_short | COVID-19 Infection among People with HIV/AIDS in Africa: Knowledge Gaps, Public Health Preparedness and Research Priorities |
| title_sort | covid 19 infection among people with hiv aids in africa knowledge gaps public health preparedness and research priorities |
| url | https://mchandaids.org/index.php/IJMA/article/view/461 |
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