Masters Degrees (Medical Virology)
Recent Submissions
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Delays in HIV-1 infant PCR testing may leave children without confirmed diagnoses
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)Background The early diagnosis and confirmation of HIV infection in newborns is crucial for expedited antiretroviral therapy initiation. Confirmatory testing must be done for all children with a reactive HIV PCR result. ... -
A Simple Virus Recovery Assay to detect the Replication-Competent HIV-1 Reservoir in Children
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)Background and Introduction: The early initiation of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) in children has proved to significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality rate associated with ... -
Profiling cardiovascular viral pathogens in cases of sudden and unexpected death in infants (SUDI) at the Tygerberg Medico-legal Mortuary and the role of myocarditis as a possible cause of death
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University., 2020-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) is a heterogeneous group in which pathological changes, when observed, can either be an adequate or non-conclusive cause of death (COD). A non-conclusive ... -
A prospective study investigating the role of respiratory viral infections in Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) at Tygerberg Medico-legal Mortuary
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University., 2020-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: The current South African infant mortality rate is 22.1 per 1 000 live births with respiratory infections, pneumonia, influenza and interstitial lung infections being responsible for most ... -
Investigating HIV-1 DNA and HIV-1 RNA kinetics with ultrasensitive assays in very early treated infants and determining predictors associated with kinetics in older treated children
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12)Background The impact of early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on HIV-1 persistence has been characterised in adult cohorts and in well-suppressed children on continuous therapy. These studies have shown that ... -
Molecular characterisation of HIV-1 recombinants and non-subtype C viruses in South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: HIV/AIDS is a severe health burden, affecting 36.9 million people worldwide by the end of 2017. South Africa has the largest HIV-1 epidemic in the world, estimated at 7.2 million infected individuals ... -
Investigating the host range of Neoromicia capensis coronavirus in vitro
(2019-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Coronaviruses are known to cause disease in humans and animals. Two important human coronaviruses that have caused epidemics are severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East ... -
Dried plasma spot testing – the answer for making blood transfusion testing safer in africa?
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has a unique set of challenges pertaining to blood transfusion. Two of the largest contributing factors are: (1) the most common disease states in SSA require large amounts of ... -
Profiling Enterovirus and Parvovirus B19 in sudden and unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) at the Tygerberg Medico-legal Mortuary and the role of myocarditis as a possible cause of death
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03)ENGLISH SUMMARY: Background: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) remains one of the leading causes of death among infants. The Triple-Risk Model has contributed to identifying modifiable risk factors that may lead to a ... -
Respiratory infections and immune biomarkers of infection and inflammation in cases of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) at the Tygerberg Medico-legal Mortuary
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03)ENGLISH SUMMARY: infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of infant death in the post-neonatal stage in developing and developed countries. A diagnosis of SIDS is made after medico-legal investigations fail to ... -
HIV-1 molecular diversity and drug resistance mutations amongst immuno-competent, therapy naïve infants/children and adults in Yaounde, Cameroon
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12)Background: In Cameroon, HIV infections range between 550, 000 to 690, 000 for adults aged 15 to 49 years and a prevalence rate at 4.5%. In children of 0 – 14 years, HIV infections range between 34, 000 to 44, 000. The ... -
Prevalence and risk factors of acute respiratory infection by human respiratory syncytial virus in children at Provincial General Hospital of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV) is the major cause of acute respiratory infection in children (ARI) and it is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality, especially in younger children. ... -
Investigation of the HIV diversity in the Cape Winelands, Overberg and West Coast districts of the Western Cape Province of South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03)ENGLISH SUMMARY: The Western Cape Province of South Africa has a well-established program that monitors active combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) against HIV-1. The HIV-1 prevalence rate in the Province has increased ... -
Characterization of HIV-1 subtype B near full-length genome sequences identified at the start of HIV epidemic in South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03)ENGLISH SUMMARY: South Africa is home to approximately 20.0% of the global Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected population. The first reported cases of HIV-1 in the country were described in 1982 amongst the homosexual ... -
T lymphocyte inhibitory/exhaustion marker expression in chronic HIV-1 infection and the impact of TB co-infection
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction Chronic HIV-1 infection is driven by inflammation and immune activation which ultimately induces T lymphocyte exhaustion. Co-infection with TB is problematic as the HIV-impaired immune system ... -
Prevalence and risks of Hepatitis E virus infection in blood donors from the Western Cape, South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important cause of enterically transmitted acute hepatitis worldwide and is a locally acquired disease in both developing and developed nations. Different genotypes in these ... -
Investigating the fitness benefit of reverse transcriptase (RT) mutation A62V when co-occurring with M184V and K65R in HIV-1 subtype C
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background and Aims Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and lamivudine (3TC) or emtricitabine (FTC) combined with efavirenz is the predominant first-line antiretroviral regimen in the Southern African ... -
B lymphocyte activation and exhaustion in chronic HIV : novel surrogate markers of generalised immune activation and selective modulation of aberrant B cell responses using vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Chronic HIV-1 infection is characterized by immune activation and dysregulation of immune homeostasis, which impacts on multiple immune cell types. The B-cell compartment, which plays an ... -
Loop mediated isothermal amplification to detect respiratory syncytial virus in respiratory specimens
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-02-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the leading cause of severe lower respiratory tract infection in infants and children worldwide. Early diagnosis of RSV infection is associated with ... -
A study of the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus infection in the infants of HIV-positive mothers participating in P1041 in South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Despite the decreased rate of HBV horizontal transmission in South Africa (SA) due to the HB vaccine, the risk of perinatal transmission remains of concern, especially in HIV/HBV co-infected women. Loss ...