Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Feasibility, Accuracy, and Effect of Polyvalent Point-of-care Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and Xpert HIV-1 Viral Load Testing in HIV-positive Patients Initiating ART: a Randomised Controlled Trial
Brief Summary: TB is increasingly diagnosed using the GeneXpert platform, which can be used for a variety of tests (not just TB). HIV viral load monitoring is required at least annually in patients on ART to detect failure of virologic suppression, however, most HIV VL testing is done centrally. A patient with virologic failure is more likely to get TB.

The investigators wish to see if Xpert done at the clinic results in faster patient TB diagnosis and treatment initiation compared to sending specimens away for central testing. In a different patient group (PLHIV returning for HIV treatment monitoring), the investigators wish to see if POC Xpert HIV-1 viral load (Xpert VL) testing results in faster patient viral load quantification compared to centralised testing. Both POC tests will use the same testing hardware. This polyvalent utility of the GeneXpert system is hitherto uninvestigated in this local setting.

Newly diagnosed pre-ART HIV positive patients will be approached and asked to be a part of this study. Patients will be randomly assigned to Ultra done at the clinic or the normal off-site laboratory TB testing. The time taken for patients to get diagnosed and time-to-treatment will be recorded. We will also do exploratory diagnostic accuracy evaluations including but not limited to, Ultra when done on mouth samples, the new SILVAMP FujiLAM on urine, and host RNA blood signatures for active TB. Additionally, a different group of HIV positive patients (on ART) returning to the clinic for annual follow-up visits will also be asked to join the study. These patients will be randomly selected for either Xpert VL testing done at the clinic or the normal off-site testing. The time taken for patients to receive viral load results will be recorded. Should the patient's viral loads be found to be higher than anticipated and considered by the clinical to indicate a lack of viral suppression, the time taken for patients to have ART regimen adjusted, receive adherence counselling or received HIV drug susceptibility testing will be recorded.

This project will confirm if Ultra TB testing performs well in PLHIV irrespective of symptoms and may produce evidence that supports universal TB testing in this important and vulnerable patient group, including using novel diagnostics on non-traditional specimen types. The investigators will also assess whether POC placement of Ultra and Xpert VL has benefits (e.g., more patients diagnosed for TB or VL monitored during the same day visit).


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients suspected of having pulmonary TB
* Cough ≥ 2 weeks
* At least one other TB clinical symptom

  * Fever
  * Unexplained weight loss
  * Loss of appetite
  * Hemoptysis
  * Shortness of breath
  * Chest pain
  * Night sweats
  * Fatigue
* Suggestive TB on chest x-ray based on pulmonologist or internist consultant of pulmonology opinion
* Age ≥ 18 years' old
* Willing to be treated or evaluated at study site
* Willing to have specimens stored for use in future studies
* Patient denies having TB treatment for more than 7 days in the last 1 month (30 days).

Exclusion Criteria:

Pregnancy or any serious condition includes, but not limited to, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and psychiatric illness that might interfere with study compliance (based on the clinician judgment).
B: HIV-positive viral load monitoring patients

Inclusion Criteria:

* Informed consent obtained from patient
* Patient is more than 18 years old
* Patient is HIV positive
* Patient is receiving follow-up ART
* Patient is willing to provide blood specimens for study

Exclusion Criteria:

* Informed consent not obtained from patient
* Patient is less than 18 years old
* Patient is HIV negative or has unknown HIV status
* Patient is coming into clinic for first time ART
* Patient is not willing to provide blood specimens for study

TB patients

Inclusion Criteria:

* Informed consent obtained from patient
* Patient is more than 18 years old
* Patient is HIV positive
* Patient is coming into clinic for first ART visit
* Patient is willing to provide sputum and urine (blood is desirable, but not mandatory) specimens for study

Exclusion Criteria:

* Informed consent not obtained from patient
* Patient is less than 18 years old
* Patient is HIV negative or has unknown HIV status
* Patient is not coming into clinic for first time ART
* Patient has been on TB treatment within the last 60 days
* Patient is not willing to provide sputum and urine specimens for study
C: Inclusion Criteria:

-

Program Implementation:

Inclusion criteria:

* Any adult or child with TB symptoms (weight loss, chest pain, shortness of breath, fever, cough, hemoptysis, night sweats)
* Ability to produce sputum
* Verbal consent of parent or guardian if \< 18 years old

Operations Research:

Inclusion criteria

* Adults (18 years and older)
* TB symptoms (weight loss, chest pain, shortness of breath, fever, cough, hemoptysis, night sweats)
* Ability to provide a sputum sample
* Willing to provide written informed consent
* Willing to undergo full clinical evaluation
* Willing to undergo a CXR
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* HIV-positive
* 18 years and above
* Able to give informed consent
* Admitted at the wards attached to the research site ART/HIV-clinic
* Eligible for LF-LAM testing (defined by WHO in the LF-LAM policy update 2019): CD4-cell-count ≤200 cells/μL (the last measured CD4-cell-count); or a WHO clinical stage 3 or 4 event at presentation for care; or seriously ill defined by WHO (respiratory rate \> 30/min, temperature \> 39°C, heart rate \> 120/min or unable to walk unaided); or a positive WHO TB symptom screening including one of the following symptoms: current cough, fever, weight loss, or night sweats

Exclusion Criteria:

* Anti-tuberculous treatment including preventive treatment with Isoniazide within the last 60 days
* Earlier participation in the same study

Answer: B