Motivations and challenges of community-based surveillance volunteers in the northern region of Ghana.

Community health workers (CHWs) are an important element of many health systems and programmes for the promotion and delivery of a wide range of health interventions and disease surveillance. Understanding the motivation and retention of CHWs is recognized as essential but there are few data from sub-Saharan Africa. This qualitative study explored factors that motivate, and the challenges faced by community-based surveillance volunteers (CBSVs) in the Northern Region of Ghana through semi-structured interviews with 28 CBSVs, 12 zonal coordinators, nine Ghana Health Service (GHS) sub-district level staff, ten GHS district level staff and two GHS regional level staff in the administrative capital.

Why is dracunculiasis eradication taking so long?

The long time needed for global eradication of dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease) was not anticipated at the outset. The successful eradication of smallpox in 10 years compares with the target date set in 1985 for dracunculiasis eradication - 1995. Seventeen years after that date, transmission continues.

Molecular characterization of enteric viral agents from children in northern region of Ghana.

Viral gastrointestinal infections are among the most important causes of childhood morbidity and mortality, especially in non-industrialized countries. The objective of this study was the molecular characterization of rotaviruses, noroviruses, adenoviruses, astroviruses, and enteroviruses obtained from 367 children in the Northern Region of Ghana. One hundred and forty-two rotavirus-positive stool samples were examined.

High rate of resistance to locally used antibiotics among enteric bacteria from children in Northern Ghana.

Objectives: Information on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial pathogens is scarce in resource-poor settings. We determined the susceptibility of bacterial enteric pathogens and faecal Escherichia coli isolates obtained from children in urban Tamale, Northern Ghana, to antibiotics widely used in the that area [ampicillin or amoxicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT) and chloramphenicol] and to alternative drugs.

Methods: Five Shigella spp.

Field evaluation of a rota- and adenovirus immunochromatographic assay using stool samples from children with acute diarrhea in Ghana.

We evaluated the Rida Quick rotavirus/adenovirus Combi rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT) under field conditions with Ghanaian children with acute diarrhea. Compared to PCR results, sensitivities and specificities were 75% and 95% for rotavirus and 22% and 84% for adenovirus. In resource-poor settings, ICTs may help to overcome difficulties in the diagnosis of rotavirus infection.