COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Effectiveness by Time since Vaccination in the Western Cape Province, South Africa: An Observational Cohort Study during 2020-2022.

There are few data on the real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and boosting in Africa, which experienced widespread SARS-CoV-2 infection before vaccine availability. We assessed the association between vaccination and severe COVID-19 in the Western Cape, South Africa, in an observational cohort study of >2 million adults during 2020-2022. We described SARS-CoV-2 testing, COVID-19 outcomes, and vaccine uptake over time.

COVID-19 vaccine uptake and effectiveness by time since vaccination in the Western Cape province, South Africa: An observational cohort study during 2020-2022.

Background: There are few data on the real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and boosting in Africa, which experienced high levels of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a mostly vaccine-naïve population, and has limited vaccine coverage and competing health service priorities. We assessed the association between vaccination and severe COVID-19 in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Methods: We performed an observational cohort study of >2 million adults during 2020-2022.

Academic help-seeking behaviour and barriers among college nursing students.

Background: First-year college student's smooth transition and academic success influenced by academic help-seeking behaviour. Academic help-seeking behaviour is largely affected by many factors, including demographic factors, self-esteem and the use of sources for academic learning.

Aim: The study investigated academic help-seeking behaviour and barriers among first-year college nursing students.

Prevention of vertical transmission of HIV in Khayelitsha, South Africa: A contemporary review of services after 20 years.

Background: The first vertical transmission of HIV prevention (VTP) programme in South Africa was launched in 1999 in Khayelitsha, Western Cape Province (WC). Since then, VTP guidelines have expanded in complexity and scope.

Objectives: To describe contemporary VTP uptake in Khayelitsha and quantify vertical transmission (VT) risk factors based on linked routine electronic health data.

Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during resurgence driven by Omicron lineages BA.4 and BA.5 compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Objectives: We aimed to compare the clinical severity of Omicron BA.4/BA.5 infection with BA.

Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during resurgence driven by Omicron lineages BA.4 and BA.5 compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Objective: We aimed to compare clinical severity of Omicron BA.4/BA.5 infection with BA.

Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Omicron-driven fourth wave compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Objectives: The objective was to compare COVID-19 outcomes in the Omicron-driven fourth wave with prior waves in the Western Cape, assess the contribution of undiagnosed prior infection to differences in outcomes in a context of high seroprevalence due to prior infection and determine whether protection against severe disease conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination was maintained.

Methods: In this cohort study, we included public sector patients aged ≥20 years with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis between 14 November and 11 December 2021 (wave four) and equivalent prior wave periods. We compared the risk between waves of the following outcomes using Cox regression: death, severe hospitalisation or death and any hospitalisation or death (all ≤14 days after diagnosis) adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, geography, vaccination and prior infection.

Outcomes of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Omicron-driven fourth wave compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Objectives: We aimed to compare COVID-19 outcomes in the Omicron-driven fourth wave with prior waves in the Western Cape, the contribution of undiagnosed prior infection to differences in outcomes in a context of high seroprevalence due to prior infection, and whether protection against severe disease conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination was maintained.

Methods: In this cohort study, we included public sector patients aged ≥20 years with a laboratory confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis between 14 November-11 December 2021 (wave four) and equivalent prior wave periods. We compared the risk between waves of the following outcomes using Cox regression: death, severe hospitalization or death and any hospitalization or death (all ≤14 days after diagnosis) adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, geography, vaccination and prior infection.

Voice bubbling therapy for vocal cord dysfunction in difficult-to-treat asthma - a pilot study.

Objective: Dysfunctional breathing often coexists with asthma and complicates asthma control, especially in difficult-to-treat asthma. Voice bubbling therapy (VBT) by a specialized speech therapist may influence the breathing pattern. This pilot study investigated the effect of voice bubbling therapy (VBT) in participants with difficult-to-treat asthma, who fulfilled criteria for dysfunctional breathing pattern.

The prevalence and bacterial distribution of peritonitis amongst adults undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis at Universitas hospital.

Background: Peritonitis is the leading cause of morbidity and technique failure in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) recommends each centre to monitor the peritonitis rates and the causative organisms in order to guide local empiric antibiotic protocols. The aim of this study was to report on the peritonitis rates and describe the causative microorganisms and the antibiotic susceptibility in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) adult patients at the Universitas Academic Hospital.

The development of hospital-based palliative care services in public hospitals in the Western Cape, South Africa.

With the recent approval of a South African (SA) National Policy Framework and Strategy for Palliative Care by the National Health Council, it is pertinent to reflect on initiatives to develop palliative care services in public hospitals. This article reviews the development of hospital-based palliative care services in the Western Cape, SA. Palliative care services in SA started in the non-governmental sector in the 1980s.

A three-tier framework for monitoring antiretroviral therapy in high HIV burden settings.

The provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low and middle-income countries is a chronic disease intervention of unprecedented magnitude and is the dominant health systems challenge for high-burden countries, many of which rank among the poorest in the world. Substantial external investment, together with the requirement for service evolution to adapt to changing needs, including the constant shift to earlier ART initiation, makes outcome monitoring and reporting particularly important. However, there is growing concern at the inability of many high-burden countries to report on the outcomes of patients who have been in care for various durations, or even the number of patients in care at a particular point in time.

[Treating voice problems in professional singers].

A 33-year-old male singer presented with a vocal fold polyp, a 20-year-old female singer with vocal fold submucosal bleeding, and an 18-year-old female singer with early vocal fold nodules. The vocal fold polyp was removed surgically. In the second patient vocal fold nodules were visible after resorption of the blood; they were removed surgically.

Improving a mother to child HIV transmission programme through health system redesign: quality improvement, protocol adjustment and resource addition.

Background: Health systems that deliver prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services in low and middle income countries continue to underperform, resulting in thousands of unnecessary HIV infections of newborns each year. We used a combination of approaches to health systems strengthening to reduce transmission of HIV from mother to infant in a multi-facility public health system in South Africa.

Methodology/principal Findings: All primary care sites and specialized birthing centers in a resource constrained sub-district of Cape Metro District, South Africa, were enrolled in a quality improvement (QI) programme.

[The maxillary sinus and odontogenic cysts].

An unilateral maxillary sinusitis is frequently caused by dental pathology. An odontogenic cyst in the maxillary sinus usually lacks accompanying symptoms of infection. In three patients, a 35-year-old man and two women aged 16 and 28, an odontogenic cyst in the maxillary sinus was diagnosed.