Establishing a cost-per-result of laboratory-based, reflex Cryptococcal antigenaemia screening (CrAg) in HIV+ patients with CD4 counts less than 100 cells/μl using a Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) at a typical busy CD4 laboratory in South Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Cryptococcal meningitis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in countries with high HIV prevalence, primarily affecting patients whose CD4 are < = 100 cells/μl. Routine Cryptococcal Antigen (CrAg) screening is thus recommended in the South African HIV treatment guidelines for all patients with CD4 counts < = 100 cells/μl, followed by pre-emptive anti-fungal therapy where CrAg results are positive. A laboratory-based reflexed CrAg screening approach, using a Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) on remnant EDTA CD4 blood samples, was piloted at three CD4 laboratories.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the cost-per-result of laboratory-based reflexed CrAg screening at one pilot CD4 referral laboratory.

Methods

CD4 test volumes from 2014 were extracted to esti

SUBMITTER: Cassim N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5293213 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature