Outcomes and Toxicities After Treatment for Men Diagnosed With Localized Prostate Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Current management for clinically localized prostate cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) includes surgery, external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), and brachytherapy either alone or in combination, with plus or minus hormone therapy. The toxicity profiles and oncological outcomes of these treatment modalities vary. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of treatment-related outcomes and toxicities for men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer in LMICs.

Burden of scabies in a Ghanaian penitentiary.

Background: There is a dearth of information concerning the epidemiology of human scabies in prisons. Therefore, we aimed to assess the burden of scabies and ascertain if prevalence was high enough to warrant mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin in a medium security prison in central Ghana.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in December 2022 and recruited inmates at the Kumasi central prison in Ghana.

Improving experiences of neglected tropical diseases of the skin: Mixed methods formative research for development of a complex intervention in Atwima Mponua District, Ghana.

Integrated approaches to managing co-endemic neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) of the skin within primary healthcare services are complex and require tailoring to local contexts. We describe formative research in Atwima Mponua District in Ghana's Ashanti Region designed to inform the development of a sustainable intervention to improve access to skin NTD care. We employed a convergent, parallel, mixed-methods design, collecting data from February 2021 to February 2022.

Stigma experiences, effects and coping among individuals affected by Buruli ulcer and yaws in Ghana.

Background: Stigma related to skin neglected tropical diseases like Buruli ulcer (BU) and yaws has remained underexplored and existing studies are limited to individual diseases despite the WHO call for integration in disease management. Within two districts in central Ghana, we explored stigma associated with BU and yaws to understand overlaps and disease-specific nuances to help guide integrated interventions.

Methodology/principal Findings: In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 current or formerly affected individuals to assess the experiences, effects and coping strategies adopted to manage disease related stigma.

Implementation of an integrated control programme for neglected tropical diseases of the skin in Ghana: The essential role of the laboratory.

Introduction: In this study, we report on findings from approaches used, the outcomes and the lessons learnt from the laboratory support provided for integrated control of skin NTDs including Buruli ulcer (BU), and yaws in seven selected districts in Ghana.

Methods: Actions implemented from July 2018 to October 2022 included; training district-level health workers on specimen collection, storage, and transport to laboratories, integrated case searches, continual monitoring and supervision for trained health workers, laboratory confirmation of BU and yaws samples and providing results of the analysed samples to guide decision making. Descriptive analysis of data was performed.

Traditional healers' perception on scabies causation and management in Ghana.

Introduction: Scabies is an underdiagnosed skin infestation caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. The infection causes severe itching and a skin rash but can be effectively treated using topical or systemic drugs. Scabies outbreaks are commonly reported in resource-poor countries, including Ghana.

Clinical epidemiology, determinants, and outcomes of viral encephalitis in Ghana; a cross-sectional study.

Viral encephalitis is a rare, yet severe neurological disorder. It poses a significant public health threat due to its high morbidity and mortality. Despite the disproportionate burden of the disease in impoverished African countries, the true extent of the problem remains elusive due to the scarcity of accurate diagnostic methods.

Clinical and microbiological predictors of healing in Buruli ulcer disease.

Introduction: Wound measurements are relevant in monitoring the rate of healing (RoH) and may predict time to healing. Predicting the time to healing can help improve the management of Buruli ulcer. We examine three methods for the determination of RoH and their use as predictors of time to healing.

Development of an integrated and decentralised skin health strategy to improve experiences of skin neglected tropical diseases and other skin conditions in Atwima Mponua District, Ghana.

Integrated strategies are recommended to tackle neglected tropical diseases of the skin (skin NTDs), which pose a substantial health and economic burden in many countries, including Ghana. We describe the development of an integrated and decentralised skin health strategy designed to improve experiences of skin NTDs in Atwima Mponua district in Ashanti Region. A multidisciplinary research team led an iterative process to develop an overall strategy and specific interventions, based on a theory of change informed by formative research conducted in Atwima Mponua district.

Memory B-cells are enriched in the blood of patients with acute Buruli ulcer disease: a prospective observational study.

Background: Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) caused by Mycobacterium (M.) ulcerans is characterized by necrotic skin lesions. As for other mycobacterial infections, e.

Role and capacity needs of community based surveillance volunteers in the integrated management of skin neglected tropical diseases (skin NTDs): a qualitative study from central Ghana.

Background: Community Based Surveillance Volunteers (CBSVs) have been instrumental in the management of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) but a concern that their services in scale up programmes may be affected due to high attrition rates has been widely acknowledged. We explored the roles and capacity needs of existing CBSVs to inform for a successful integrated NTD management programme in Ghana and similar contexts.

Methods: We conducted qualitative interviews with 50 CBSVs, 21 Community Nurses, 4 Disease control officers, 7 skin NTD researchers, 2 skin NTD patients and a Director of District Health Services in Central Ghana.

Buruli-RifDACC: Evaluation of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose rifampicin on outcomes in disease, a protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Ghana.

Background: Buruli ulcer (BU) can lead to disfiguring ulcers and permanent disability. The 2030 World Health Organization (WHO) road map for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) calls for major scaling up in diagnosis and management to eliminate disability due to the disease. Current treatment for BU is with daily oral rifampicin (10mg/kg dose) and clarithromycin (15mg/kg dose) for eight weeks, combined with standard gauze wound dressings.

Beliefs, attitudes and practices towards scabies in central Ghana.

Background: Scabies commonly affects poor populations in low-middle-income countries. The WHO has advocated for country-driven and country-owned control strategies. Knowledge of context specific issues will be important for design and implementation of scabies control interventions.

Assessing the Quality of the World Health Organization's Skin NTDs App as a Training Tool in Ghana and Kenya: Protocol for a Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect over 1.5 billion people worldwide, the majority of them belonging to impoverished populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Skin NTDs are a subgroup of NTDs that manifest primarily as skin lesions.

Genetic characterization of varicella-zoster and HIV-1 viruses from the cerebrospinal fluid of a co-infected encephalitic patient, Ghana.

Background: Encephalitis is a serious disease of the brain characterized by prodromal and specific neurological symptoms. HIV infections offer opportunistic viruses, such as Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the chance to cause encephalitis in patients. There is a lack of information on the genetic diversity of VZV in Ghana and other parts of Africa which requires sequencing and characterization studies to address.

Fasting blood glucose in a Ghanaian adult is causally affected by malaria parasite load: a mechanistic case study using convergent cross mapping.

Background: Adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) in malaria-endemic areas might be more susceptible to Plasmodium infection than healthy individuals. Herein, the study was aimed at verifying the hypothesis that increased fasting blood glucose (FBG) promotes parasite growth as reflected by increased parasite density.

Methods: Seven adults without DM were recruited in rural Ghana to determine the relationships between FBG and malaria parasite load.

Overview of preparedness and response to COVID-19 in Ghana.

Unlabelled: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Ghana is part of an ongoing pandemic caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first two cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Ghana on 12th March 2020. COVID-19 was consequently declared a Public Health Emergency of National Concern, triggering several response actions, including enhanced surveillance, case detection, case management and contact tracing, closure of borders, suspension of international flights, ban on social gatherings and closure of schools.

Rabies is still a fatal but neglected disease: a case report.

Background: Rabies, caused by a lyssavirus, is a viral zoonosis that affects people in many parts of the world, especially those in low income countries. Contact with domestic animals, especially dogs, is the main source of human infections. Humans may present with the disease only after a long period of exposure.

Mental health and quality of life burden in Buruli ulcer disease patients in Ghana.

Background: Buruli ulcer disease (BUD) is a necrotic skin neglected tropical disease (NTD) that has both a mental and physical health impact on affected individuals. Although there is increasing evidence suggesting a strong association between neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and mental illness, there is a relative lack of information on BUD's impact on the mental health and quality of life (QoL) of affected individuals in Ghana. This study is to assess the impact of BUD on mental health and quality of life of patients with active and past BUD infection, and their caregivers.