Biography
Dr Ananja van der Westhuizen is an early career clinician researcher working on improving tuberculosis diagnosis in Cape Town, South Africa. She is currently enrolled for a Masters in the Division of Molecular Biology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. She is passionate about HIV and TB care and has a special interest in implementation science and qualitative research. She is a core group member of the organisation TB PROOF and believes that nobody should have to die of a disease that is preventable.
Key Impacts
High diagnostic yield of sputum and non-sputum tuberculosis tests in an emergency centre in Cape Town, South Africa
Our findings underscore the high TB burden in emergency settings, the value of multiple sputum collection attempts and the synergistic benefits of different tests on non-sputum specimens, which could reduce invasive sampling. The incremental diagnostic yield of non-sputum-based tests provides key insights for integrated diagnostic algorithms to improve treatment.
Source: Conference 2024
Lessons from occupational screening for TB disease using chest radiography in health workers in South Africa
Occupational TB screening using CXR was feasible in our setting. Despite the low yield of TB disease, 10% had abnormal CXRs requiring review, highlighting the potential benefits and challenges of screening asymptomatic HWs. Occupational health services must be equipped to interpret and manage these findings, with clear referral pathways. This study provides practical insights into the design and resourcing needs for scaling up occupational TB screening.
Source: Conference 2024