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Dr Fiona Cresswell

PhD MBChB BSc MRCP DTMH PGCert Epi DipHIV

Research Fellow
Academic Clinical Lecturer

LSHTM
Keppel Street
London
WC1E 7HT
United Kingdom

I am a Physician with a clinical and academic interest in HIV, particularly the prevention and management of advanced HIV disease. I'm an investigator in two clinical trials determining whether novel approaches to HIV treatment, such as injectable antiretroviral therapy, are safe and effective in sub-Saharan Africa (IMPALA and CARES studies). 

I completed a Wellcome Clinical PhD in 2021, the focus of which was improving diagnosis and treatment of HIV-associated TB meningitis. I am part of the International TB Meningitis Research Consortium and the HARVEST clinical trial consortium investigating high dose rifampicin for TB meningitis in Uganda, South Africa and Indonesia. 

  

Affiliations

Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases
Department of Clinical Research

Centres

TB Centre

Teaching

I have had the pleasure of being a tutor on the East African Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygeine since its inception in 2011. I do clinic-based teaching with undergraduate medical students at Brighton and Sussex University Hospital. 

Research

My research projects include:

  • Diagnostics: I am collaborating with neurologists at the University of California San Francisco who are using next generation sequencing technologies to better understand the aetiology of brain infections in advanced HIV disease. We have also recently investigated FujiLAM in TB meningitis.   
  • HIV treatment: I am keen to investigate long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy in stable HIV and in unstable populations in sub-Saharan Africa. 
  • TB meningitis treatment: As part of a collaboration with researchers in Indonesia, South Africa, Uganda, Netherlands and USA we are investigating higher dose of rifampicin through a phase III trial (Harvest).  
  • Transmission of HIV and STIs: I have been involved in molecular epidemiological studies of gonorrhoea transmission using whole genome sequencing. I am the chair of the writing group of the national HIV post exposure prophylaxis guidelines and more recently conducted a systematic review on HIV transmission of HIV through biting and spitting incidents. 
Research Area
Clinical care
Clinical guidelines
Clinical trials
Diagnostics
Drug discovery and development
Global Health
Medicines
Randomised controlled trials
Discipline
Molecular epidemiology
Epidemiology
Medicine
Microbiology
Pharmacology
Disease and Health Conditions
HIV/AIDS
Meningitis
Neurological disease
Tuberculosis
Syphilis
Country
United Kingdom
Tanzania
Uganda
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa (all income levels)

Selected Publications

Standardized Urine-Based Tuberculosis (TB) Screening With TB-Lipoarabinomannan and Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra in Ugandan Adults With Advanced Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disease and Suspected Meningitis.
Cresswell FV; Ellis J; Kagimu E; Bangdiwala AS; Okirwoth M; Mugumya G; Rutakingirwa M; Kasibante J; Quinn CM; Ssebambulidde K
2020
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra for the diagnosis of HIV-associated tuberculous meningitis: a prospective validation study.
Cresswell FV; Tugume L; Bahr NC; Kwizera R; Bangdiwala AS; Musubire AK; Rutakingirwa M; Kagimu E; Nuwagira E; Mpoza E
2020
The Lancet. Infectious diseases
Recent Developments in Tuberculous Meningitis Pathogenesis and Diagnostics.
Cresswell FV; Davis AG; Sharma K; Basu Roy R; Ganiem AR; Kagimu E; Solomons R; Wilkinson RJ; Bahr NC; Thuong NTT
2019
Wellcome Open Research
Erratum to: The Changing Epidemiology of HIV-Associated Adult Meningitis, Uganda 2015-2017.
Ellis J; Bangdiwala AS; Cresswell FV; Rhein J; Nuwagira E; Ssebambulidde K; Tugume L; Rajasingham R; Bridge SC; Muzoora C
2019
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
See more Publications