Neurocysticercosis and cognitive impairment among people with epilepsy in Taenia solium endemic regions of rural southern Tanzania: A hospital-based cross-sectional study in mental health clinics of selected sites in Tanzania.

Background: Epilepsy poses a significant public health problem in many parts of the world. The majority of people with epilepsy (PWE) are from low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Taenia solium neurocysticercosis (NCC) is estimated to cause 30% of preventable epilepsy in PWE in areas of T.

Prevalence and risk factors for extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing antimicrobial-resistant in urinary tract infections among inpatients in the tertiary hospitals in Zanzibar (Tanzania): a prospective cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production among Enterobacteriaceae, such as E. coli, has been increasing worldwide, which causes treatment failure for urinary tract infections. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for the production of ESBL in E.

Prevalence of cysticercosis in domestic pigs following albendazole deworming intervention in rural communities of Mbulu district, Tanzania.

Taeniosis and cysticercosis are infections caused by cestodes, is among them. neurocysticercosis accounts for 30% of acquired epilepsy in human in developing countries. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of cysticercosis among domestic pigs in Mbulu district following deworming intervention.

Evaluating the modulation of peripheral immune profile in people living with HIV and (Neuro)cysticercosis.

Background: The parasitic infection caused by Taenia solium represents a significant public health concern in developing countries. Larval invasion of body tissues leads to cysticercosis (CC), while central nervous system (CNS) involvement results in neurocysticercosis (NCC). Both conditions exhibit diverse clinical manifestations, and the potential impact of concomitant HIV infection especially prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa on peripheral and CNS immune responses remains poorly understood.

Knowledge of Tuberculosis preventive treatment among people living with HIV: A cross-sectional survey in selected regions of Tanzania.

Background: Tuberculosis remains a significant global health concern, especially for People Living with HIV, who are at an increased risk of severe TB disease. Despite the availability of TB Preventive Treatment, knowledge gaps persist among People Living with HIV regarding its importance, accessibility, and administration. The study aimed to assess TPT knowledge levels and determinants among People Living with HIV in Tanzania.

Perceived benefits, challenges, and recommendations for HIV research dissemination and implementation science efforts in Tanzania: Findings from the HIV/AIDS Research Forum brainstorming session.

Although several international and national HIV/AIDS conferences exist, there was not a national conference in Tanzania focusing on HIV/AIDS disseminating and implementation research conducted in the country and abroad. This created a missed opportunity for researchers to share their research findings with local policymakers and HIV program implementers who can influence the adoption and implementation of promising research in public health and clinical practice settings. In response, the first HIV/AIDS D&I Research Forum designed to enhance local D&I efforts for HIV research, was organized in Tanzania in 2018.

Sharing food with infants in Hadza communities in Tanzania.

By analyzing mealtime interactions of Tanzanian Hadza infants with their interactional partners, we explored how two foundational schemas, namely giving/sharing and autonomy are realized and fostered in infants. We focused on three aspects of the mealtime interactions, namely how the infants' share was protected, whether independent eating was fostered by the infants' interactional partners, and how infants were encouraged to share food. To answer these questions, we also considered the settings that were created for infant eating, persons involved, and characteristics of the foods.

Implementing tuberculosis patient cost surveys in resource-constrained settings: lessons from Tanzania.

Tuberculosis (TB) disproportionally affects persons and families who are economically and socially disadvantaged. Therefore, a patient cost survey was conducted in Tanzania to evaluate the costs incurred by patients and their households before and after the diagnosis of TB. It was the first survey in Tanzania to ascertain baseline information and experience for subsequent surveys.

Barriers to the implementation, uptake and scaling up of the healthy plate model among regular street food consumers: a qualitative inquiry in Dar-es-Salaam city, Tanzania.

Introduction: The healthy plate model is considered one of the practical approaches to reduce the average portion of staple food in main meals, consequently reducing the risks associated with diabetes and other Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs). Despite its potential benefits, studies on the implementation of the healthy plate model are limited in Africa. An inquiry explored barriers to implementation, uptake, and scaling up of the healthy plate model among street food vendors and consumers in three districts of Dar-es-Salaam city in Tanzania.

The second national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Tanzania, 2017-2018.

Objective: To determine the levels and patterns of resistance to first- and second-line anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs among new and previously treated sputum smear positive pulmonary TB (PTB) patients.

Methods: We conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional facility-based survey in June 2017-July 2018 involving 45 clusters selected based on probability proportional to size. The survey aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-TB drug resistance and associated risk factors among smear positive PTB patients in Tanzania.

Phylogenetic lineages of tuberculosis isolates and their association with patient demographics in Tanzania.

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis presents several lineages each with distinct characteristics of evolutionary status, transmissibility, drug resistance, host interaction, latency, and vaccine efficacy. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has emerged as a new diagnostic tool to reliably inform the occurrence of phylogenetic lineages of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and examine their relationship with patient demographic characteristics and multidrug-resistance development.

Methods: 191 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates obtained from a 2017/2018 Tanzanian drug resistance survey were sequenced on the Illumina Miseq platform at Supranational Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory in Uganda.

Economic burden of tuberculosis in Tanzania: a national survey of costs faced by tuberculosis-affected households.

Background: Although tuberculosis (TB) care is free in Tanzania, TB-associated costs may compromise access to services and treatment adherence resulting in poor outcomes and increased risk of transmission in the community. TB can impact economically patients and their households. We assessed the economic burden of TB on patients and their households in Tanzania and identified cost drivers to inform policies and programs for potential interventions to mitigate costs.

Developing national strategies for reaching men with HIV testing services in Tanzania: results from the male catch-up plan.

Background: According to the 2016-2017 Tanzania HIV Impact Survey, 55% of men diagnosed with HIV during the survey self-reported that they were unaware of their HIV status. As a response, the Government of Tanzania launched a Test and Treat campaign in June 2018 with a focus on reaching men and developed the 2018-2020 Male Catch-Up plan. This article reports (1) the enablers and barriers of HIV testing services (HTS) uptake among men (2) and describes the strategies that were proposed as part of the Male Catch-Up Plan to address some of these barriers.

Knowledge and perception on type2 diabetes and hypertension among HIV clients utilizing care and treatment services: a cross sectional study from Mbeya and Dar es Salaam regions in Tanzania.

Background: Type2 Diabetes and Hypertension (T2DM/HTN) have become serious threats to the health and socio-economic development in the developing countries. People living with HIV (PLHIV) infection are more vulnerable of developing T2DM/HTN due to HIV infection itself and antiretroviral treatments. The situation is worse when behavioral and biological risk factors are pervasive to PLHIV.

Performance of health laboratories in provision of HIV diagnostic and supportive services in selected districts of Tanzania.

Background: Roll-out and implementation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) necessitated many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen their national health laboratory systems (NHLSs) to provide high quality HIV diagnostic and supportive services. This study was conducted to assess the performance of health laboratories in provision of HIV diagnostic and supportive services in eight districts (from four regions of Iringa, Mtwara, Tabora and Tanga), after nine years of implementation of HIV/AIDS care and treatment plan in Tanzania.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, checklists and observations were utilized to collect information from health facilities (HFs) with care and treatment centres (CTCs) for HIV/AIDS patients; on availability of laboratories, CTCs, laboratory personnel, equipment and reagents.

Who Has Mycobacterial Disease? A Cross Sectional Study in Agropastoral Communities in Tanzania.

Objective: To determine and describe clinical symptoms, demographic characteristics and environmental exposures as determinants of pulmonary mycobacterial diseases among patients examined for tuberculosis in agropastoral communities in Northern Tanzania.

Methods: This was a cross sectional study. Sputum samples were collected from patients attending three hospitals in Tanzania, and were investigated for pulmonary tuberculosis by microscopy between November 2010 and June 2012.

The readiness of the national health laboratory system in supporting care and treatment of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.

Background: Strong health laboratory systems and networks capable of providing high quality services are critical components of the health system and play a key role in routine diagnosis, care, treatment and disease surveillance. This study aimed to assess the readiness of the national health laboratory system (NHLS) and its capacity to support care and treatment of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.

Methods: A documentary review was performed to assess the structure of the health system with reference to the status and capacity of the NHLS to support HIV diagnosis.

Experienced and Perceived Risks of Mycobacterial Diseases: A Cross Sectional Study among Agropastoral Communities in Northern Tanzania.

Objective: The current study was conducted to assess experienced risk factors and perceptions of mycobacterial diseases in communities in northern Tanzania.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Arusha and Manyara regions in Northern Tanzania. We enrolled tuberculosis (TB) patients attending Mount Meru Hospital, Enduleni Hospital and Haydom Lutheran Hospitals in Arusha municipality, Ngorongoro and Mbulu districts, respectively.

Magnitude and risk factors of non-communicable diseases among people living with HIV in Tanzania: a cross sectional study from Mbeya and Dar es Salaam regions.

Background: HIV and Non communicable diseases (NCDs) are major problem of public health importance in developing countries. This study was conducted to explore and establish information on the magnitude, distribution of NCDs risk factors among people living with HIV (PLWHIV) which is scarce in Tanzania.

Method: A cross sectional study was conducted to PLWHIV from 12 care and treatment clinics in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya regions from October 2011 to February 2012.

Magnitude of HIV infection among older people in Mufindi and Babati districts of the Tanzania mainland.

Introduction: According to the 2011-2012 HIV and Malaria Indicator Survey, the prevalence of HIV infection in Tanzania is 5.1%, with limited information on its magnitude among older people, as the community believes that the elderly are not at risk. Consequently, little attention is given to the fight against HIV and AIDS in this group.

High prevalence of tuberculosis diagnosed during autopsy examination at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The primary aims of tuberculosis (TB) control programmes is early diagnosis and prompt treatment of infectious cases to limit transmission. Failure to diagnose and adequately treat TB could lead to premature death and unrecognized transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The proportion of missed TB cases has not been reported in Tanzania.

Anti-tuberculosis drug resistance pattern among pulmonary tuberculosis patients with or without HIV infection in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Anti-tuberculosis drug resistance is a major problem in tuberculosis (TB) control, particularly multi-drug resistance TB (MDR-TB). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of primary and acquired anti-TB drug resistance among newly diagnosed pulmonary TB (PTB) and relapse cases. Sputa were collected from newly diagnosed and relapse PTB patients.

Evaluation of the KEMRI Hep-cell II test kit for detection of hepatitis B surface antigens in Tanzania.

Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is one of the most important serological markers used to diagnose acute and chronic hepatitis B infection. The objective of the current evaluation was to assess the operational characteristics of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Hep-cell II against an ELISA Exsym HBsAg in the detection of hepatitis B surface antigens. To evaluate the Hep-cell II test, blood samples were collected from blood donors and processed for detection of HBsAg using Hep-cell II based on the test principle and procedure outlined by the manufacturer.