Dr. Kapiga’s main research interests are on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); the impact of infectious diseases on reproductive health outcomes in developing countries; development and assessment of community-based HIV/STD control programs; development and testing of interventions to reduce perinatal transmission of HIV; determinants of sexual behavior and condom use, family planning service utilization and cervical cancer.

Dr. Kapiga has examined the predictors of HIV seroconversion in a large cohort of women receiving family planning services in Tanzania, and assessed the associations between use of modern contraceptive methods and HIV infection. Within this cohort, he also assessed the validity of syndromic algorithms in the diagnosis of STDs and other genital infections. Dr. Kapiga is also a co-investigator in a number of NIH-funded studies examining the relationships between nutritional factors and use of antiretroviral drugs, and perinatal transmission and progression of HIV disease among HIV-seropositive pregnant women in Tanzania. Within these studies, Dr. Kapiga has examined the associations between abnormal cervical lesions and the clinical stage of HIV disease, and the predictors of viral load and CD4+ lymphocyte count.

More recently, Dr. Kapiga started developing a cohort of women working in hotels and bars in northern Tanzania. These women have been shown to be at highest risk of STDs, including HIV infection. Dr. Kapiga is planning to conduct studies to evaluate the impact of promising interventions on reducing the risk of HIV in this population. Some of the interventions to be tested include use of topical vaginal microbicides, control of other STDs as a strategy for HIV prevention, effectiveness of candidate HIV vaccines, and educational campaign to promote safer sexual practices, including condom use.

M.D., 1986, University of Dar-es-Salaam
M.P.H., 1990, Harvard School of Public Health
Sc.D., 1998, Harvard School of Public Health