Francois Venter, MD, Clinical Director, Esselen Street Clinic and Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit and lecturer in the Dept of Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand.

Dr Venter is one of the few public sector HIV physicians in South Africa. He lectures extensively on HIV, and has expertise in the use of antiretroviral therapy in developing countries.

He supports a major academic hospital's HIV clinic, which treats several hundred patients on antiretrovirals and which is one of the first SA ARV rollout sites. He participated in the National and Provincial Department of Health's 2003 ARV rollout working groups developing guidelines on opportunistic illness and antiretroviral treatment, and is actively supporting the Gauteng and North-West Provinces in both training and treatment.

Education/Training

* University of KwaZulu-Natal, MB ChB, 1990, Medicine
* College of Medicine of South Africa, FCPath, 2000, Microbiology
* College of Medicine of South Africa, FCP, 2002, Medicine
* College of Medicine of South Africa, Diploma (HIV Man), 2004, HIV Medicine
* International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC), Galen Certificate, 2004, HIV Medicine

Research And Professional Experience:

Professional Experience

* 2004-2005: Specialist physician in private practice (Durban Medical Centre) Part-time physician in a research unit at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine (NRMSM) - [Durban-Columbia Adult Aids Clinical Trials Group-International Clinical trials unit].
* 2002-2003: Specialist physician, infectious disease division, department of Medicine, NRMSM, University of KwaZulu-Natal
* 2001-2002: Registrar, Medicine, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban
* 1997-2000: Registrar, Medical Microbiology, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban
* 1995-1996: Medical Officer, Medicine, Addington Hospital, Durban
* 1994 Registrar, Medicine, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban
* 1993 Registrar, Neurology, Wentworth Hospital, Durban
* 1992 Medical Officer, Cardiology, Wentworth Hospital, Durban
* 1991 Internship, King Edward Hospital, Durban

Honours And Experience

* Passed the FCPath (Microbiology) examination with distinction in March 2000.
* Nominated for the pathology post-graduate award for the year 2000 (college of medicine).
* Passed the FCP(Medicine) examination in March 2002
* Passed the Diploma in HIV Management in Sep 2004
* Obtained Certificate of Added Qualification in HIV Medicine - GALEN Certification Examination [ (hosted by International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC), and the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society (SAHIVS) in June 2005]
* Has been actively involved in the care and management of HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral treatment since 2001. Has garnered substantial expertise in the field of toxicity and virologic failure management in resource-limited settings
* spent six weeks in July- August 2001 at the infectious disease units (spending time in the outpatient HIV clinics, HIV/ TB inpatient services as well as academic meetings) headed by Dr Scott Hammer (Columbia University) and Dr Wafaa El-Sadr (Harlem Hospital).
* Convener and chairman of the MDR TB workshop and Antibiotic Update seminars held in January 2000 and November 2002 at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine. Attended by over 250 delegates from all over KZN.
* Faculty for the HIV Training Courses and Diploma in HIV Management offered by the NRMSM since 2001 up to the present. This includes the KZN HIV training Program, the Durban Chamber of Commerce HIV training program, the Diploma in HIV care, the Elizabeth Glazer Paediatric HIV training program, the ACTG Southern African HIV training Program
* Awarded Fogarty training scholarship in July - August 2001 to participate in the summer intensive course in Clinical Epidemiology offered by Weil-Cornell University in New York.
* Member of the Womens Health Committee and Outcomes Committee of the ACTG
* Member of the HIV Clinicians society of South Africa and the Infectious Disease Society of South Africa
* Co-investigator on the Durban-Columbia Adult Aids Clinical Trials Group (AACTG) -International Clinical Trials Unit. Has been responsible for overall clinical, administrative and regulatory oversight of the unit under the supervision of the PI (Prof Lalloo) since 2003 up to the present

Publications

# Amod F, Coovadia Y. PCA in the ventilated neonate. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal May 2000, 19(5):482-3.
# F Amod, I. Moodley, Peer AKC, et al.Ventriculitis due to hetero strain of vancomycin intermediate staphylococcal aureus (hVISA): successful treatment with linezolid in combination with intraventricular vancomycin. Journal of Infection (2005) 50, 252-257
# Lalloo UG, Amod F. HIV-associated TB and Cryptococcosis in resource limited settings. Current HIV/AIDS Reports 2005, 2:116-121.
# Robertson K, Kopnisky K, Amod F et al. Assessment of neuroAIDS in Africa. J Neurovirol 2005,11 Suppl 1:7-16

Steve Andrews graduated as a medical doctor at the University of Cape Town, and received postgraduate immunology training at Groote Schuur Hospital. He has postgraduate qualifications in family medicine through the South African College of Medicine and holds a Masters degree in bioethics from the University of Cape Town. He has been working in the HIV field since 1995, involved in the design and implementation of many HIV interventions in the public and private sectors. He is currently an elected member of the executive committee of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, and sits on the ARV and pre-ARV guidelines committees for the Southern African region.

He currently runs a part time private practice focused on the problems of multidrug resistant antiretroviral patients, as well as consulting to various public and private HIV interventions. He is a senior medical advisor to the Aid for AIDS disease management program, as well as an HIV bioethics consultant for Medscheme's Solutio ICU committee. He is the HIV clinical consultant to the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa, responsible for the design of management standards for HIV at district and Provincial level.

He is the Managing Director of an HIV consultancy with key competencies in direct and distance based modalities for HIV training of Health care workers; as well as workplace interventions for HIV specifically aimed at small and medium enterprises. Current clients include the Provincial Government of the Western Cape as well as various multinational companies.

Dr Andrews has been principal investigator on more than 25 phase 2 and phase 3 antiretroviral trials, and is widely published in the field.

Academic and Professional Qualifications

1. December 1979: MBChB - University of Cape Town
2. October 1982: Diploma of Child Health - College of Medicine of South Africa, Johannesburg.
3. May 1986: Fellow of College of Physicians (Paediatrics) College of Medicine of South Africa
4. December 1987: Master of Medicine (Paediatrics) - University of Witwatersrand
5. December 1987: Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - University of Witwatersrand
6. December 1995: Diploma, American Board of Pediatrics (Board Certification) (renewed October 2001).
7. December 2004: Ph.D - University of Stellenbosch

Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) registration number: MP 0218006
Relevant related work experience (brief) and current position

* Senior specialist (sub-speciality - infectious diseases) Associate Professor from December 2004
* Department of Paediatrics and Child Health
o Director of KID-CRU (Children's Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit)
o Director of Family Clinic for HIV
o Head: Paediatric Infectious Diseases Unit
o Head, Ithemba Ward for Infectious Diseases (G7 - Tygerberg Children's Hospital)

Participation in clinical trials research in the last three years

1. A randomised open label multi-centre trial to evaluate the pharmacokinetic, efficacy and safety parameters of nevirapine 150mg/m2 and nevirapine 4 or 7mg/kg when administered in combination with AZT and 3TC for 48 weeks in antiretroviral naïve paediatric patients - 2. (January 2002 - present). 40 patients enrolled. PI
3. Apoptosis as a marker of antiretroviral (ARV) efficacy: (funded through 'Secure the Future' Thirty children have been enrolled and are receiving antiretrovirals. Commenced 2002 till end 2005 after which patients will be transferred to 'Roll out'. PI
4. Comparison of 2 trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole prophylaxis regimens with and without concomitant isoniazid - impact on morbidity, mortality, bacterial resistance and incidence of tuberculosis. Rockefeller Foundation funded through the Rockefeller Foundation- PI
5. PACTG 369. A phase I/II open label study of nitazoxanide (NTZ) for the treatment of Cryptosporidium parvum in HIV-infected infants, children and adolescents (May 2004- present)
6. PACTG 1041. A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial to determine the efficacy of isoniazid (INH) in preventing tuberculosis disease and latent tuberculosis infection among South African infants with perinatal exposure to HIV (PACTG) - Investigator (to commence July 2005 )
7. CIPRA - Children with HIV Early antiretroviral therapy trial (CHER), A study of management of HIV infected infants with aggressive antiretroviral therapy in resource-constrained communites. Protocol Co-chair.

Publications in the past 5 years

1. Cotton MF, Wasserman E, Theron D, v Tubbergh D, Cambell G, Fang F, Barnes J. An outbreak of extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in a nursery:possible role of cockroaches J Hosp Infect 2000; 44:13-17
2. Uys R, Cotton MF, Wessels G, Hesseling PB, Bester R and Janse v Rensburg E. Viral isolates during febrile neutropenia in children with cancer J Trop Paediatr. 2000; 46: 21-24.
3. Pijnenberg M, Cotton MF Monotherapy for HIV-1-infected children in an era of combination therapy; is there a benefit? Ann Trop Paediatr 2000; 20: 185-192
4. Du Plessis JK, Muller JB, Poolman M, Viljoen K, Barnes JM, Cotton MF. Awareness of HIV infection among pregnant women attending Elsies River antenatal clinic S Afr Med J 2000, 90: 693-696.
5. Roux P, Henley L, Cotton MF, Eley B. Burden and cost for inpatient care for HIV-positive paediatric patients - status in the Cape Town Metropole during the second week of March 1999. S Afr Med J 2000; 90: 1008-1011.
6. Regensberg L, Pead C, Mahumapelo E, Cotton MF. Prevention of vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 virus in a managed care setting. S Afr Med J 2000; 90:1093-1094.
7. Schaaf HS, Gie RP, Seifart HI, Van Rie E, van Helden PD, Cotton MF. Second episode of pulmonary tuberculosis in an HIV-infected child: relapse or re-infection J Infect 2000; 45: 119-120.
8. Saczek KB, Schaaf HS, Voss M, Cotton MF and Moore SW. Diagnostic dilemmas in abdominal tuberculosis in children. Pediatr Surg Int 2001; 17: 111-115.
9. Roux W, Pieper C and Cotton MF. Thrombocytopoenia as a marker for HIV exposure in the neonate. J Trop Paediatr 2001; 47: 208-210.
10. Rabie H, Pieper CH, Robson B and Cotton MF. Postnatal zidovudine in prevention of vertical HIV-1 transmission in a service setting. J Trop Paediatr 2001; 47: 215-219.
11. Shipton S, Cotton MF, Wessels G, Wasserman E. Endocarditis due to extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing extended spectrum Klebsiella pneumoniae S Afr Med J 2001; 91: 321.
12. Cotton MF, Pieper C, Wasserman E, Theron D. Necrotising enterocolitis as an infectious disease: evidence from an outbreak of invasive disease due to extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing extended spectrum Klebsiella pneumoniae in a nursery. S Afr Med J 2001; 91: 133-135.
13. Pijnenberg M, Cotton MF. Necrotizing fasciitis in an HIV-1-infected infant S Afr Med J2001; 91: 500-501.
14. Weber HC, Cotton MF. Invasive group A streptococcal infections after chicken pox - new in South Africa? S Afr Med J2001; 91: 1044-1045.
15. Karim SSA, Coovadia, J, Adhikhari M, Hussy G, Cotton M. Vertical HIV transmission in South Africa: translating research into policy and practice. Lancet 2002, 359: 992-3
16. Cotton MF. Immunizations in HIV-infected children. SA Journal of CME 2001; 19: 399-401.
17. Cotton MF. Antiretroviral therapy: more about pharmacokinetics in infants and children. SA Journal of CME 2001; 19: 742-744.
18. Cotton MF. The evaluation of fever in neonates, infants and children - a personal viewpoint. M.A.N. Epistola 2001; 10: 11-12
19. Zar HJ, Cotton MF. Nosocomial pneumonia in Pediatric patients. Pediatr Drugs 2002; 4: 73-83.
20. Marais B, Cotton MF. Occupational exposure to human immunodeficiency virus in pediatricians: A previously undescribed high risk group. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2003, 22: 382-383.
21. Hesseling AC, Marais BJ and Cotton MF. A child with neurobrucellosis. Annals of Tropical Paediatrics 2003, 23: 145-148.
22. Hesseling AC, Schaaf HS, Hanekom WA, Beyers N, Cotton MF, Gie RP, Marais BJ, Van Helden P and Warren RM. Danish Bacille Calmette-Guerin Vaccine-Induced Disease in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Children. Clin Infect Dis 2003;37:1226-33.
23. Cotton MF. The varicella zoster vaccine. South African Journal of CME 2003; 21(6): 314-317
24. Schaaf HS, Cotton MF. Current Childhood Immunizations. SA Family Practice 2003; 45(9): 25-31.
25. Cotton MF, Rabie H, Schaaf HS, Jordaan HJ. What can you learn from rashes? An approach for children. SA Family Practice 2003; 45(10) : 28-34.
26. De Waal N, Bester R and Cotton MF. Mass needlestick exposure in children from the Western Cape J Trop Paediatr (in press)
27. Hiemstra R, Rabie H, Schaaf HS, Eley B Cameron N, Mehtar S, Janse van Rensburg A and Cotton MF. Unexplained HIV-1 infection in children: documenting cases and assessing risks. S Afr Med J 2004; 94: 188-193
28. Cotton MF, Schaaf HS, Hesseling AC and Madhi SA. HIV and childhood tuberculosis: the way forward. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2004; 8:675-682
29. NKM van Kooten Niekerk, MM Knies, J Howard, M Zeier, A van Rensburg, N Frans, HS Schaaf, MF Cotton. The first 5 years of the family clinic for HIV at Tygerberg Hospital: Family demographics, survival of children and early impact of antiretroviral therapy. J of Tropical Paediatrics, Oxford University Press, June 2005 Vol 51, Num 3

Date of last GCP training (as a participant or presenter): 4 February 2005

Professor Gary Maartens has a joint appointment as chief specialist physician and head of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur hospital. He is an infectious diseases physician actively treating patients with HIV/AIDS. He is an executive member and past-president of the Infectious Diseases Society of Southern Africa.