Jennifer Hughes is a clinician and researcher at the Desmond Tutu TB Centre in Stellenbosch University. She has been working in the field of drug-resistant tuberculosis in South Africa over the past 15 years. She is involved in development and implementation of tuberculosis treatment guidelines and has a special research interest in treatment of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis in pregnant women and children.
Inclusion of pregnancy status in the national RR-TB treatment register facilitated analysis of routine data from pregnant women and demonstrated improved access to BDLLC regimens following updated guideline implementation. Initiation of BDLLC regimens for pregnant women is expected to increase and treatment outcomes can now be routinely monitored as updated guidelines are implemented and when new regimens are recommended in future.
Source: Conference 2024Clofazimine exposures during pregnancy were within the range previously reported among non-pregnant adult women receiving treatment for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis. Maternal exposures in the two months after delivery were lower than during pregnancy, possibly due to hormonal changes and the effect on enzyme regulation and drug metabolism.
Source: Conference 2024Impact details available upon request.
Source: Conference 2024