The use of real-time PCR to identify Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar infections in prisoners and primary-school children in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, it is generally unknown what proportion of the amoebic infections commonly found, by microscopy, in humans are caused by non-invasive Entamoeba dispar rather than the potentially invasive E. histolytica. Faecal samples were therefore collected from 363 primary-school students and 409 prisoners from various regions of Ethiopia. Each of these samples was checked for Entamoeba infection by the microscopical examination of formol-ether concentrates. DNA was then extracted from the 213 samples (27.6%) found Entamoeba-positive, and run in a real-time PCR with primers, based on the SSU-rRNA gene sequences of E. histolytica and E. dispar, that allow DNA from the two species to be distinguished. Although E. dispar DNA was identified in 195 (91.5%) of the 213 samples checked by PCR, no E. histolytica DNA was detected. This finding is consistent with the conclusion of a previous, smaller investigation: that many amoebic infections in Ethiopia are incorrectly attributed to E. histolytica and then treated, unnecessarily, with amoebicidal drugs.     

HIV/AIDS prevention practices among military personnel in Northwest Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

The spread of HIV/AIDS is a major public health problem in military personnel in Africa. However, the epidemiological evidence regarding HIV/AIDS prevention practices among military personnel in Ethiopia remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate HIV/AIDS prevention practices among military personnel in Northwest Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study among military personnel (n?=?410) was conducted in Northwest Ethiopia in 2015. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to ascertain factors influencing participation in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. About one-fourth (24.6%) of the military personnel had multiple sexual partners, of whom 24.7% failed to use condoms regularly when having sex with non-regular sexual partners. Majority of the sample (n?=?355, 86.6%) participated in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Military personnel who had multiple sexual partners were 6.3 times more likely to report history of non-participation in HIV/AIDS prevention programs (AOR?=?6.3, CI₉₅?=?3.5–11.54). A considerable proportion of military personnel had multiple sexual partners with lower levels of condom utilization with non-regular sexual partners. The study further demonstrated misconceptions about HIV/AIDS in Ethiopian military personnel, which reduce their likelihood of participation in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Health authorities need to strengthen and accelerate HIV/AIDS prevention programs focusing towards military personnel.     

SORCS1 is necessary for normal insulin secretory granule biogenesis in metabolically stressed β cells

We previously positionally cloned Sorcs1 as a diabetes quantitative trait locus. Sorcs1 belongs to the Vacuolar protein sorting-10 (Vps10) gene family. In yeast, Vps10 transports enzymes from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to the vacuole. Whole-body Sorcs1 KO mice, when made obese with the leptin^ob mutation (ob/ob), developed diabetes. β Cells from these mice had a severe deficiency of secretory granules (SGs) and insulin. Interestingly, a single secretagogue challenge failed to consistently elicit an insulin secretory dysfunction. However, multiple challenges of the Sorcs1 KO ob/ob islets consistently revealed an insulin secretion defect. The luminal domain of SORCS1 (Lum-Sorcs1), when expressed in a β cell line, acted as a dominant-negative, leading to SG and insulin deficiency. Using syncollin-dsRed5TIMER adenovirus, we found that the loss of Sorcs1 function greatly impairs the rapid replenishment of SGs following secretagogue challenge. Chronic exposure of islets from lean Sorcs1 KO mice to high glucose and palmitate depleted insulin content and evoked an insulin secretion defect. Thus, in metabolically stressed mice, Sorcs1 is important for SG replenishment, and under chronic challenge by insulin secretagogues, loss of Sorcs1 leads to diabetes. Overexpression of full-length SORCS1 led to a 2-fold increase in SG content, suggesting that SORCS1 is sufficient to promote SG biogenesis.     

Pattern of admissions to the medical intensive care unit of Addis Ababa University Teaching Hospital

A case-series study of all admissions using patient registers was carried out to analyse patterns of medical admissions into the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) of the Addis Ababa University Teaching Hospital, and evaluate for any changes in that pattern over a study period. All patients admitted to the MICU of a 500-bed Teaching Hospital in Addis Ababa between 1985-2000 were the study subjects. Demographic variables, specific categories of diagnoses and their outcomes were recorded A total of 3548 patients (male to female ratio of 1.4:1, mean age 37.10 +/- 17.29) were admitted from September 1985 to August 2000. Acute infectious and cardiovascular diseases accounted for half of the entire critical care admissions with infectious diseases accounting for 30%. Among specific diagnoses, diabetic ketoacidosis was the leading cause of admission followed by acute myocardial infarction and severe and complicated malaria, each accounting for 10.7, 9.8 and 9.3% of all admissions respectively. Trends of admissions over the sixteen-year period showed steady increase in relative frequency of acute complications of non-communicable diseases consisting of diabetes, acute myocardial infarction and stroke while infectious diseases showed interspersed peaks of admissions coinciding with epidemics. The overall mortality of the MICU was 32%, with proportionally more female deaths, 34.8 versus 29% (P = 0.0002). Severe and complicated malaria was the leading cause of death (10.3%) followed by tetanus (6.4%) and acute myocardial infarction (6.3%). The increase in relative and absolute frequency of acute complications of non-communicable diseases most probably heralds an emerging epidemic of non-communicable diseases related to life style changes in the urban well to do in addition to existing problems of infectious diseases of poverty.     

Emergency contraception: knowledge and practice of Gondar University students, northwest Ethiopia

OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge and practice of Gondar University students regarding emergency contraceplion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A university based cross-sectional study was conducted in the University of Gondar in May 2004. All undergraduate students of the university were included in the study. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was used for data collection. RESULTS: A total of 2323 students (1764 males & 559 females) responded to the questionnaire. Five hundred fifty eight students (24.0%) thought that there are methods that can be used to prevent pregnancy when a woman had unprotected sex. Overall, 437 students (18.8%) knew the correct methods of emergency contraception (pill or IUCD). Of those who mentioned pill as the only method of emergency contraception, 285 (73.3%) said the pill should be used within 72 hours after unprotected sex. Only one student used pill as emergency contraceptive. Students in the health field have 6.8 times higher knowledge on emergency contraception compared to students of FBE. Generally, there was an increasing trend in the knowledge of students when their age and year of study increases. Married or divorced students had 3.36 times higher knowledge when compared with never married students. CONCLUSION: In general, except students in the health field, other students have low awareness about emergency contraception. Emergency contraceptive user rate is very low. Even in those who are aware of emergency contraception, the information they have regarding the methods that can be used and the timing of emergency contraception was not sufficient. Students should be provided with appropriate information regarding emergency contraception and access to emergency contraception should be improved in the university.     

Home and community based care program assessment for people living with HIV/AIDS in Arba Minch, Southern Ethiopia

Background

Homeless populations have complex and diverse end-of-life care needs. However, they typically die outside of the end-of-life care system. To date, few studies have explored barriers to the end-of-life care system for homeless populations. This qualitative study involving health and social services professionals from across Canada sought to identify barriers to the end-of-life care system for homeless populations and generate recommendations to improve their access to end-of-life care.

Methods

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 54 health and social services professionals involved in end-of-life care services delivery to homeless persons in six Canadian cities (Halifax, Hamilton, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Toronto and Winnipeg). Participants included health administrators, physicians, nurses, social workers, harm reduction specialists, and outreach workers. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.

Results

Participants identified key barriers to end-of-life care services for homeless persons, including: (1) insufficient availability of end-of-life care services; (2) exclusionary operating procedures; and, (3) poor continuity of care. Participants identified recommendations that they felt had the potential to minimize these barriers, including: (1) adopting low-threshold strategies (e.g. flexible behavioural policies and harm reduction strategies); (2) linking with population-specific health and social care providers (e.g. emergency shelters); and, (3) strengthening population-specific training.

Conclusions

Homeless persons may be underserved by the end-of-life care system as a result of barriers that they face to accessing end-of-life care services. Changes in the rules and regulations that reflect the health needs and circumstances of homeless persons and measures to improve continuity of care have the potential to increase equity in the end-of-life care system for this underserved population.     

Monosomal karyotype in primary myelofibrosis is detrimental to both overall and leukemia-free survival

Survival in cytogenetically high-risk patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes is significantly worse in the presence of a monosomal karyotype (MK). The objective of the present study was to determine whether the same held true for primary myelofibrosis. Among 793 primary myelofibrosis patients seen at our institution, 62 displayed an unfavorable karyotype by way of complex karyotype (n = 41) or sole trisomy 8 (n = 21). Seventeen (41%) of the 41 patients with complex karyotype were classified as having an MK. Median survival was 6, 24, and 20 months in patients with MK, complex karyotype without monosomies, and sole trisomy 8, respectively (P < .0001). The corresponding 2-year leukemic transformation rates were 29.4%, 8.3%, and 0 (P < .0001); hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 6.9 (1.3-37.3) and 14.8 (1.7-130.8). The prognostic relevance of MK was not accounted for by the Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System. We conclude that MK in primary myelofibrosis is associated with extremely poor overall and leukemia-free survival.     

Tuberculosis after HAART initiation in HIV-positive patients from five countries with a high tuberculosis burden

BACKGROUND: HAART reduces tuberculosis (TB) incidence in people living with HIV/AIDS but those starting HAART may develop active TB or subclinical TB may become apparent in the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. OBJECTIVE: To measure the incidence rate of notified TB in people receiving HAART in five HIV programmes occurring in low-resource countries with a high TB/HIV burden. METHODS: A retrospective review in five Médecins Sans Frontières programmes (Cambodia, Thailand, Kenya, Malawi and Cameroon) allowed incidence rates of notified TB to be calculated based on follow-up time after HAART initiation. RESULT: Among 3151 patients analysed, 90% had a CD4 cell count of < 200 cells/mul. Median follow-up time ranged from 3.7 months in Thailand or Kenya to 11.1 months in Cambodia. Incidence rates were 7.6, 10.4, 17.6, 14.3 and 4.8/100 person-years for pulmonary TB and 12.7, 4.3, 6.9, 2.1 and 0/100 person-years for extra-pulmonary TB in the programmes in Cambodia, Thailand, Kenya, Malawi and Cameroon, respectively. Overall, 62.3% of pulmonary TB and 54.9% of extra-pulmonary TB were diagnosed within 3 months after HAART initiation. CONCLUSION: High incidence rates of notified TB under HAART in programmes held in poor-resource countries were observed; these were likely to include both undiagnosed prevalent TB at HAART initiation and subclinical TB developing during the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. This raises operational issues concerning TB diagnosis and treatment of TB/HIV-coinfected patients and prompts for urgent TB and HIV care integration.     

Measles control and elimination in Somalia: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Despite enormous challenges, Somalia has been successfully implementing accelerated measles control activities since 2005. Through innovative strategies and with the support of local and international partners, the country has shown potentials of implementing measles mortality reduction activities in complex emergencies. Measles incidence has been reduced by >80% after the measles catch-up campaigns of 2005-2007, and national reported measles routine immunization coverage with first dose measles containing vaccine has reached 59% for the first time in 2009. However, the near collapse of the health care system and the ongoing insecurity continue to hamper the implementation of recommended measles control and elimination strategies in some parts of the country, making these achievements fragile. Somalia exemplifies the challenges in meeting measles elimination goals in the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean region. As the region is entering its 2010 measles elimination goals, it appears necessary to establish realistic and flexible interim goals for measles control in Somalia that will take into consideration the specificities of the country. Maintaining flexibility in conducting field operations, securing financial resources, multiplying opportunities for measles vaccination, and improving disease monitoring systems will remain vital to sustain and improve current achievements.     

Ultrasound evaluation of abdominal masses in Ethiopian child patients

The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of abdominal masses and evaluate the value of ultrasound in paediatric abdominal masses. We used a cross-sectional study of abdominal masses in children attending a university teaching hospital. The common abdominal masses were: Wilms' tumour, 12 (14.8%); lymphoma, 11 (13.6%); appendiceal mass/abscess, 11 (13.6%); neuroblastoma, 7 (8.6%); TB, 6 (7.4%); hydronephrosis, 5 (6.2%); abdominal wall abscess, 6 (7.4%); hydatidcyst, 4 (4.9%); mesenteric cyst, 3 (3.7%); and intussusceptions, 3 (3.7%). Identification of a purely cystic mass was suggestive of benign lesion (odds ratio [OR] = 118, P = 0.0001) and masses found in the <5 years age group tend to be malignant (OR = 2.77). The most common sites of origin were kidneys, retroperitoneal extra renal and gastrointestinal tract. The overall diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound was 88.9%.