Bandim Health Project

Tuberculosis & HIV

Tuberculosis research

  • Short outline of the area(s) of research / research themes:

Since 1996 a surveillance system has detected all TB cases living in the Bandim Health Projects (Projecto Saude Bandim, PSB) study area, and long-term follow-up has been possible in 98% of identified cases. The epidemiology of TB in the study population in Bissau has been extensively described, the overall incidence of TB has declined over the past decade to 279/100,000 but the incidence of smear-positive TB has remained stable at 188/100,000. The PSBs TB group works closely with the health care centers in the study area and the national referral hospital for TB “Hospital Raoul Follereau” which is located next to the study area.

Various observational and intervention studies have been carried out during the last 30 years.

  • Current projects:
    • Increased Tuberculosis case detection – a cluster randomized trial combining available resources and novel strategies adopted for high endemic areas. (DiOpTB)
      • A multicenter trial also running in Gondar, Ethiopia, with the aim to improve case detection using improved diagnostic methods and AI.
    • BMI-free TBscore; Replacing body mass index with mid upper arm circumference as marker of nutritional status in the Bandim TBscore and TBscore II.
    • Saliva-based sOlution foR Tb diagnosiS (SORTS)
      • A field trial comparing an enzyme-based saliva and tongue-swap test with Xpert on sputum
    • Assessing the burden of tuberculosis among pregnant and postpartum women: Implications for integrating tuberculosis screening into routine antenatal care in Guinea-Bissau.
      • Using improved diagnostic measures (including AI) and clinical follow-up to diagnose TB during pregnancy.
      • Estimating TB infection and its implications for mother and child during pregnancy.
    • Breath and Sputum Biomarker Platform Development for Diagnosing Tuberculosis
    • Characteristics and Risk Factors Associated with Treatment Outcome and Delay in Patients with Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis in High-Incidence Country
  • Contact information: Associated Professor Frauke Rudolf, frauke.rudolf@clin.au.dk

HIV research

  • Short outline of the area(s) of research / research themes:
    • The Bissau HIV cohort was initiated in 2007 when antiretroviral treatment became available and was started as a clinical database at the HIV clinic at Simao Mendes hospital, but is now a nationwide cohort 1). Surveys of HIV in the study area have been conducted every 10 years showing markable changes in prevalence 2)
  • Current projects:
    • Mental and sexual health in a HIV survey in Bissau
    • HIV-2 reservoir and neutralizing antibodies.
    • Lifestyle and health behaviors by HIV-status in Guinea-Bissau
  • Contact information: Christian Wejse, wejse@clin.au.dk
  1. Dutschke A, Jespersen S, Medina C, Nanque JP, Rodrigues A, Wejse C, Hønge BL, Jensen MM; Bissau HIV Cohort Study Group. Cohort Profile Update: The Bissau HIV Cohort-a cohort of HIV-1, HIV-2 and co-infected patients. Int J Epidemiol. 2023 Aug 2;52(4):e232-e240.
  2. Olesen JS, Jespersen S, da Silva ZJ, Rodrigues A, Erikstrup C, Aaby P, Wejse C, Hønge BL. HIV-2 continues to decrease, whereas HIV-1 is stabilizing in Guinea-Bissau. AIDS. 2018 Jun 1;32(9):1193-1198.