African health sciences最新文献

Background: The Mediterranean thistle Atractylis gummifera L. (Asteraceae; AG) has diterpenoid glucosides; atractyloside and carboxyatractyloside that interact with mitochondrial protein adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT) and resulted in ATP inhibition. Despite its well-known toxicity, acute poisonings still occur with this plant. Although most symptoms are attributed to ANT and diterpenoids interaction, in-depth investigation of the effects of AG extract on various cellular processes has not been performed.

Objective/method: We tested in vitro induction of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening in bovine liver mitochondria and evaluated its cytotoxicity and genotoxicity using Allium cepa test. Cell division, mitotic index (MI) and total chromosomal and mitotic aberrations (TAs), that all seem potentially affected by ATP shortage, were studied in root cells of Allium cepa exposed to Atractylis gummifera extract.

Results: With the two different doses of two purified AG fractions, stronger induction of MPTP was observed compared to the induction with the standard pure atracyloside. Aqueous AG extract exerted inhibition root growth in A. cepa at 6 different doses. The TAs was increased in a dose-dependent manner too, while mitotic index was decreased at the same doses. Evaluation of mitotic phases revealed mitodepressive effect of AG on A. cepa roots.

Conclusion: this work highlights cellular and mitochondrial adverse effects of Atractylis gummifera extracts. A purified fraction that likely corresponds to ATR derivatives induces MPTP opening leading to swelling of mitochondria and its dysfunction. Allium cepa test provides the evidence for A. gummifera genotoxicity and cytotoxicity.

Background: Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including rape and child sexual abuse, remains a significant challenge in post-conflict northern Uganda. Many victims have never sought help. Consequently, the scale of the problem is not known, and SGBV victims' injuries, both psychological and physical, remain hidden and unresolved.

Objectives: We aimed to explore whether health workers in rural Reproductive Health Services (RHS), following specific training, could provide a valuable resource for SGBV screening and subsequent referral to targeted services.

Methods: Our project had three elements. First, RHS workers were trained to use a questionnaire to screen subjects for past SGBV Second, the screening questionnaire was used by RHS workers over a 3-month period, and the data collected were analysed to explore whether the screening approach was an effective one in this setting, and to record the scale and nature of the problem. Third, victims detected were offered referral as appropriate to hospital services or to a dedicated SGBV ActionAid shelter.

Results: Of 1656 women screened, 778 (47%) had suffered SGBV: 123 rape, and 505 non-sexual violence. 1,254 (76%) had been directly or indirectly affected by conflict experiences; 1066 had lived in internally displaced persons camps. 145 (9%) requested referral to Gulu SGBV Shelter; 25 attended the shelter and received assistance, and 20 others received telephone counselling.

Conclusion: Undetected SGBV remains a significant problem in post-conflict northern Uganda. RHS workers, following specific training, can effectively screen for and identify otherwise unrecognised survivors of SGBV. This matters because without ongoing detection, survivors have no opportunity for resolution, healing or help.

This case report describes a pregnant patient with recent diagnosis of Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) infection initiated on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) in the second trimester, as well as high dose acyclovir high for large infected genital warts. She had no other HIV related opportunistic infections, and no prior anti tuberculosis treatment or preventive medication. Despite little response to acyclovir, patient was continuing on acyclovir for over 4 months. She subsequently developed recurrent anemia requiring frequent transfusion (14 units in total) over a 6-week period. On stopping acyclovir, the anemia subsided, a few weeks later she had a normal delivery, followed by surgical removal of the warts. At a follow-up 8 months later, she was well, with a healthy baby, and reported no other episodes of blood transfusion.

Introduction: Pharmacogenetic markers, such as the ATP Binding Cassette (ABCB1) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A5 enzymes, play a crucial role in personalized medicine by influencing drug efficacy and toxicity based on individuals' or populations' genetic variations.This study aims to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of CYP3A5 (rs776746) and ABCB1 (rs1045642) in the West Algerian population and compare the genotypes and allelic distributions with those of various ethnic groups.

Methods: The study involved 472 unrelated healthy subjects from the Western Algerian population. DNA genotyping was performed using TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. The variants in our population were compared to those in other ethnic groups available in the 1000 Genomes Project. Genotype and allele frequencies were calculated using the chi-square test and the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE).

Results: The minor allele frequencies were found to be 0.21 for CYP3A5 6986A and 0.34 for ABCB1 3435T. These frequencies were similar to those observed in North African populations, while notable differences were observed in comparison to certain Caucasian and African populations.

Conclusion: The difference in the allelic and genotypic distribution of these polymorphisms emphasize the need for dose adjustments in drugs metabolized by CYP3A5 and transported by ABCB1 to optimize treatments outcomes.

Background: Early detection of hearing loss and subsequent intervention leads to better speech, language and educational outcomes giving way to improved social economic prospects in adult life. This can be achieved through establishing newborn and infant hearing screening programs.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of hearing loss in newborns and infants in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods: A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted at the National hospital and at a sub county hospital immunization clinic. A total of 9,963 babies aged 0-3 years, were enrolled in the hearing screening program through convenient sampling over a period of nine months. A case history was administered followed by Distortion Product Oto-acoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) hearing screening.

Results: The screening coverage rate was 98.6% (9963/10,104). The referral rate for the initial screen was 3.6% (356/ 9,963), the return rate for follow-up rescreening was 72% (258 babies out of 356) with a lost to follow-up rate of 28% (98/356). The referral rate of the second screen was 10% (26/258). All the 26 babies referred from the second screen returned for diagnostic hearing evaluation and were confirmed with hearing loss, yielding a prevalence of 3/1000.

Conclusions: Establishing universal newborn and infant hearing screening programs is essential for early detection and intervention for hearing loss. Data management and efficient follow-up systems are an integral part of achieving diagnostic confirmation of hearing loss and early intervention.

Background: The School Feeding Programme if properly executed has the capacity to improve the nutritional status of the school children.

Objective: To assess the nutritional status of school children in Ondo State Nigeria given that the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) has been operational in the state for over five years.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Results: A total of 234 subjects from public schools and 227 subjects from private schools were enrolled in the study. Their mean age was 8.23 ± 1.92 years. Wasting, overweight, obesity, underweight, and stunting were noted in 19.4%, 11.4%, 0.4%, 5.0%, and 20.7% of the children, respectively. The prevalence of stunting (30.3%) and wasting (23.9%) was more among subjects from the public schools. A significant association was found between Weight-for-Age Z-score, Height-for-Age Z-score, and BMI-for-Age Z-score and the children's school type (p < 0.005).

Conclusion: Majority of the children showed normal growth, the rest were in both extremes of malnutrition, the subjects from private schools seem to present better nutritional status, although there is no baseline data to ratify this finding. A further study on this subject using the current finding as a baseline data is recommended.

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious health issue among couples which is recorded more among married partners. Dishearteningly, IPV among couples who are teachers is underreported due to shame, thereby increasing the prevalence of IPV in the area of the study.

Objectives: The study examined physical and psychological health consequences of IPV on married primary school teachers.

Methods: The design was a cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted on married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial zone of Delta State, Nigeria from 22nd February - 29th November, 2021. Three hundred and thirteen 313 (207 women and 106 men who have experienced various forms of IPV) who were identified as victims of IPV were used as participants in the study. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on physical and psychological health consequences of IPV on married teachers.

Conclusion: The researchers concluded that there are severe and serious physical and psychological health consequences associated with IPV among married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial zone of Delta State, Nigeria. Urgent interventions such as public enlightenment, campaigns, workshops, seminars, community health talk-shows should be organized by government stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, community leaders on the prevention of IPV and its dare consequences for marital stability.

Background: Mobile hospitals play a critical role in serving difficult to access populations. In 2011, they were introduced by the Zambian government to improve access to health care. However, little is known about and/or documented about their use in Zambia, and other similar settings where people rely on them to access critical health care, or have to travel long distances to the nearest health centre.

Objective: To understand the use of mobile hospitals in Zambia and share lessons on their implementation that may be useful for similar settings. It describes their design, implementation, and challenges.

Methods: The qualitative research employed document review, key informant interviews with 15 respondents, and observation of the operations of the mobile hospitals in the field.

Results: The research finds that while they help to reduce inequities associated with accessing health services, there needs to be careful resource planning and addressing of the major issues in health care such as human resources, infrastructure, and disease prevention before long term use.

Conclusion: The research not only highlights conditions that must be considered for the effective implementation of mobile hospitals, but also the need for engagement of various key stakeholders during agenda setting in order to build trust and buy in, which contribute to smoother implementation.

Background: Good oral health knowledge is considered to be crucial for health-related practices and better oral hygiene.

Objective: This study was aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices towards oral health among secondary student in Huye district.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 386 students from public secondary schools with advanced level. Boarding secondary schools were excluded. Stratified Clustering sampling technique was used for selecting study participants. A closed ended questionnaire was used for collecting data. Results were found on the basis of percentage and frequency using SPSS 21.0 version.

Results: The majority of participants, 222 (57.5%) were female and 164 (42.5%) were male. The majority of the participants, 168 (43.5%) were between 15-17 years old. Out of the total population of students 1.8% had good knowledge, 56.2% had average knowledge and 42% had poor knowledge about oral health. Moreover, 56.2% had negative and 43.8% had positive oral health attitudes and overall practice towards oral hygiene of students showed that 74.6 % had poor practice and 24.4% had good practices.

Conclusion: Oral hygiene has to be long life practice and oral health education have to be included as part of the school environment.

Background: Giving the existing formal education through the internet without a planned transition to distance education negatively affected the learning processes of the students.

Objectives: The study aims to identify the midwifery students' changing life conditions and e- learning experiences on the state of their anxiety and hopelessness during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods: Designed as cross-sectional research, the study was performed with the participation of 1,296 midwifery undergraduate students. The survey form comprised of questions that explored the students' demographic characteristics, life conditions changing during the Covid-19 pandemic and distance education experiences, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale were used in the data collection.

Findings: It was discerned that, of the participant midwifery students, 55.2% spent the period of the pandemic in the province center, 51.7% used smartphones to have access to the distance education, 50.3% had trouble in following up the courses due to the limited computer and internet access, 63.5% failed to follow up the courses because of the infrastructure problems related to the distance education. It was found that, of the participant midwifery students, 54.6% exhibited anxiety symptoms and 26.3% had hopelessness symptoms. It was identified that having trouble in following up the courses increased anxiety by 1.438 times (CI:1.103-1.875) and hopelessness by 1.980 times (CI:1.459-2.687), having tensions in the family relations increased anxiety by 2.362 times (CI:1.780-3.134) and hopelessness by 1.789 times (CI:1.235-2.594), and having psychological support for anxiety and worry increased anxiety by 2.914 times (CI:2.208-3.8477) and hopelessness by 1.875 times (CI:1.083-3.247). It was ascertained that hopelessness increased anxiety by 2.878 times (CI:2.075-3.991) whilst anxiety increased hopelessness by 2.755 times (CI:1.985-3.823) (p<0.05).

Conclusion: As well as the Covid-19 pandemic, health, social life, and economic changes; the digital separation that accompanies distance education also affects the students' mental health. Solving the technical problems experienced in distance education, facilitating the follow-up of the courses, and equipping the midwifery students with problem-solving and coping skills will be useful for reducing the midwifery students' hopelessness and anxiety levels.