Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40069614›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2025

The vast majority of SARS-CoV-2 infections were asymptomatic in a clinic-based cohort of people with and without HIV in four African countries.

Rither Langat, Natalie Burns, Ibrahim Daud, Hannah Kibuuka, John Owuoth, Valentine Sing'oei, Jonah Maswai, Zahra Parker, Abdulwasiu Tiamiyu, Emmanuel Bahemana and 13 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

23 authors.

Rither LangatU.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa, HJF Medical Research International, Kericho, Kenya. rither.langat@usamru-k.org.
Natalie BurnsU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Ibrahim DaudU.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa, HJF Medical Research International, Kericho, Kenya.
Hannah KibuukaMakerere University Walter Reed Project, Kampala, Uganda.
John OwuothU.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa, HJF Medical Research International, Kisumu, Kenya.
Valentine Sing'oeiU.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa, HJF Medical Research International, Kisumu, Kenya.
Jonah MaswaiU.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa, HJF Medical Research International, Kericho, Kenya.
Zahra ParkerU.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc, Lagos, Nigeria.
Abdulwasiu TiamiyuU.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa, HJF Medical Research International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Emmanuel BahemanaU.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa, HJF Medical Research International, Mbeya, Tanzania.
Reginald GervasU.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Africa, HJF Medical Research International, Mbeya, Tanzania.
Nicole F DearU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Seth FrndakU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Ajay P ParikhU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Emma R DuffU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Michelle ImbachU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Badryah OmarU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Jaclyn HernU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Neha ShahU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Julie A AkeU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Trevor A CrowellU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
Matthew L RomoU.S. Military HIV Research Program, CIDR, , Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
AFRICOS Study Group

Funding

Understanding Pandemic Evolution through Networked Data (UPEND)RF1MH133442 · NIMH · HENRY M. JACKSON FDN FOR THE ADV MIL/MED · PI CROWELL, TREVOR ADAM · 2023 to 2023
$3.8M
cooperative agreement W81XWH-18-2-0040NIMH NIH HHS RF1 MH133442
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPersons living with HIV (PLWH) were prioritized for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa, however, SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 symptomatology have not been well characterized among PLWH. We described SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence and symptomatology, and examined factors associated with nasal swab RT-PCR positivity in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Nigeria.

methodsThe ongoing African Cohort Study (AFRICOS) follows PLWH and people living without HIV (PLWoH) in four African countries. All participants undergo clinical assessment and socio-behavioral questionnaire administration at enrollment and each six-monthly visits, with CD4 count and viral load collected for PLWH. Optional nasal swabs were collected for SARS-CoV-2 rapid RT-PCR testing at visits after 19 July 2022. Participants were asked if they had experienced COVID-19 symptoms. We used the Agresti-Coull method to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection at each participant's first nasal swab collection. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors potentially associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were estimated using multivariable robust Poisson regression.

resultsBetween 19 July 2022 and 1 March 2024, 1,187 participants underwent nasal swab collection with a valid SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR result; 1,032 (86.9%) were PLWH and 155 (13.1%) were PLWoH. A majority were female (57.2%), and the median age was 44.6 (interquartile range 34.4-52.2) years. Prevalence at first nasal swab of SARS-CoV-2 was 6.8% (95%CI 5.5%-8.4%). Most participants with positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR were asymptomatic (97.5%). SARS-CoV-2 was marginally more common among PLWoH as compared to PLWH (10.3% vs. 6.3%; p = 0.093). In the multivariable model, SARS-CoV-2 was significantly more common among participants who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as compared to participants who received no doses (aPR 1.66; 95%CI 1.05-2.62; p = 0.031) and during the omicron wave as compared to non-wave periods (aPR 2.15; 95%CI 1.42-3.25; p < 0.001). Among PLWH, CD4 and viral load were not associated with SARS-CoV-2 prevalence.

conclusionThe vast majority of people with positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR were asymptomatic. Universal screening may be needed to fully understand the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and future outbreaks of similar respiratory viruses, capture early infection, and plan for intervention.

Indexed as

Asymptomatic InfectionsCOVID-19HIV InfectionsAdultCD4 Lymphocyte CountCohort StudiesFemaleHumansKenyaMaleMiddle AgedNigeriaPrevalenceSARS-CoV-2TanzaniaUgandaAFRICOSHIVOmicronRT-PCRSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID40069614
PMCPMC11899316

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.