Effect of Bednets and a Water Purification Device on HIV Disease Progression Among ART naïve Patients in Kenya

In many areas of the world most severely affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, insect and water-borne diseases such as malaria and diarrheal disease are common causes of illness and death. In addition, diarrhea and malaria are more common and more severe among adults and children infected with HIV. These infections may modulate the immune system, affect the replication of the HIV virus and could result in more rapid HIV disease progression in co-infected individuals. Access to practical, inexpensive and easy to use interventions to prevent these diseases may be effective in delaying HIV progression. Current Kenya government and World Health Organization guidelines recommend the use of cotrimoxazole (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole \[TMP/SMX\]) to prevent co-infections, including malaria. Despite the provision of TMP/SMX to HIV-infected adults, infections with malaria and pathogens causing diarrhea remain common causes of morbidity and mortality in many resource-limited settings. In addition, TMP/SMX may not prevent all infections with malaria or other pathogens due to alternative mechanisms of action, antimicrobial resistance and non-compliance due to adverse events or other reasons. We propose a study to evaluate the impact of providing insecticide treated bednets and a simple water filtration device on markers of HIV disease progression among a cohort of ART naïve, HIV infected adults prescribed TMP/SMX in Kenya. In addition, we propose to evaluate the effect of these interventions on malaria and diarrheal disease incidence and on compliance with TMP/SMX.