HIV And Parasitic Infection (HAPI) Study (HAPI)
HIV Coinfection
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for HIV Coinfection focused on measuring parasitic infection, chronic immune activation, HIV coinfection, Malawi, sCD14, sCD163, I-FABP, intestinal damage
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age ≥ 18 years
- currently living in Malawi
- HIV-1 infection
- on ART ≥ 1 year with undetectable HIV RNA level at the last evaluation
- willingness to be treated with anti-parasitic therapy if infection with intestinal parasite is identified.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Use of antibiotics other than prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole within 60 days of screening
- Use of antiparasitic medication (ex- albendazole, praziquantel, metronidazole) in the last year
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Gastrointestinal tract malignancy
- Major intestinal surgery during prior 2 years
- Coinfection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding mother, or planning pregnancy.
Sites / Locations
- Lighthouse Clinic
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Active Comparator
No Intervention
Parasite-positive arm
Parasite-negative arm
Participants will be evaluated for intestinal parasitic infection by stool microscopy, stool PCR and Strongyloides IgG from plasma. If positive by either of these, the participant will be treated for the detected parasitic infection. The biomarker levels of this parasite-positive group will be compared to the parasite-negative group. Additionally the parasite-positive pre-treatment biomarker levels will be compared to the parasite-positive post-treatment levels.
Participants will be evaluated for intestinal parasitic infection by stool microscopy, stool PCR and Strongyloides IgG from plasma. If negative by all of these tests on the initial sample collection, the participants will not receive treatment and will be in the "parasite-negative"/no intervention arm.