Defining interventions to reduce mortality in severe HIV-associated tuberculosis

Graeme is using his Fellowship to investigate pathogenic mechanisms and co-infections contributing to the high case fatality rate observed among hospitalised patients with HIV-associated tuberculosis (HIV-TB) in sub-Saharan Africa. A large prospective observational study (n=660) at Khayelithsa District Hospital in Cape Town will address what contribution sepsis syndrome, translocation of gastrointestinal bacteria and bacterial products, cytomegalovirus, compensatory anti-inflammatory signalling, and suboptimal exposure to anti-tubercular drugs make to mortality in HIV-TB. The broad aim of this study is to define interventions to reduce mortality in HIV-TB that will be tested in clinical trials.

This grant was awarded under the scheme's previous name of Intermediate Fellowships in Public Health and Tropical Medicine.