Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Tuberculosis in HIV-infected Patients Managed in Health Centres in Ethiopia - Identification of a Screening Algorithm for Active Tuberculosis and Determination of Outcome of Combined Antituberculosis and Antiretroviral Treatment
Brief Summary: Background: Increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Africa will require decentralization to primary health care. For this purpose, adapted methods for management of patients co-infected with tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are needed. Improved detection of TB in patients starting ART, and assessment of co-administration of ART and TB treatment are priorities in this field.

Aims: To identify clinical predictors of TB in patients starting ART, and to construct screening algorithms for TB in this population; to assess ART outcomes in patients receiving TB treatment at health centre level.

Work plan: The project is performed in health centres providing ART in Ethiopia. A cohort of HIV positive patients initiating ART is prospectively followed. Baseline characteristics are registered; blood samples for CD4 cells, HIV RNA and immunological markers are collected, as well as sputum for TB culture and PCR. During ART, clinical data, CD4 cell counts and HIV RNA levels are followed. Patients with TB are compared to those without TB with regard to ART outcome. Baseline factors associated with TB will be used to construct TB screening algorithms.

Recruitment of the cohort was completed in March 2013; follow-up for determination of long term outcome of ART will be continued until 2016.

Significance: These studies give insight into TB-HIV co-infection at primary health care level in a Sub-Saharan region, and may impact future guidelines for management of such patients.


Options:
A: 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
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Men and women of ≥18 years of age
* Presence of cough, fever, night sweats or weight loss
* Ability and willingness to give written informed consent
* Documentation of positive HIV status (test conducted at GHESKIO)
* Acceptance of HIV diagnosis, defined as affirmative responses to two questions: "I believe that HIV and AIDS exist" and "I believe that the results of my HIV test show that I am infected".

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any use of ART in the past
* Treatment for TB in the year prior to screening visit
* Pregnancy or breastfeeding at the screening visit
* Active drug, alcohol use, or mental condition that would interfere with the ability to adhere to study requirements, in the opinion of the study physician
* Score of \<3 for any of the 7 questions on the ART readiness survey
* Planning to transfer care to another clinic during the study period
* Symptoms consistent with WHO stage 4 neurologic disease (cryptococcal meningitis, TB meningitis; central nervous system toxoplasmosis; HIV encephalopathy; progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy)
* Severe illness, classified as one of the WHO "danger signs" of temperature \>39 degrees Celsius, pulse \>120 beats/minutes, respiratory rate \>30, or inability to walk unaided.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* HIV infection
* Fulfills criteria for antiretroviral therapy (CD4 cell count below 350 cells/ml and/or WHO stage IV)
* Residence in study uptake area
* Written informed consent to participation and to tracing in case of defaulting

Exclusion Criteria:

* Ongoing or previous antiretroviral therapy
* Treatment for active tuberculosis for more than two weeks
D: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Community participant willing to complete community-based symptom screening, urine testing and/or undergo TB diagnostic tests at the local TB clinic.
2. Provision of informed consent.
3. HIV-negative adults (older than 18 years) with 1 or more of the following:

   * cough ≥ 2 weeks
   * loss of weight
   * persistent fever ≥ 2 weeks and/or
   * a single recorded temp \> 38°C
   * night sweats
   * generalized fatigue
   * hemoptysis or
   * chest pain
4. Any HIV+ve adult (older than 18 years).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Inability to provide informed consent (e.g. mentally impaired).
2. Patients self-presenting to the TB clinics.

Answer: C