Publications by authors named "Assefa G"

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB) develop resistance to many antimicrobials. To effectively manage infections caused by these organisms, novel agents and/or combinations of antimicrobials are required.

Objectives: Evaluated the in vitro efficacy of ceftazidime/avibactam in combination with other antimicrobials against CR-GNB.

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Background: Diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction are prevalent endocrine disorders that impose enormous burdens on patients and countries. However, access to essential medicines remains inadequate in many low-income countries. This study evaluated medications' availability, price, and affordability for these conditions.

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Background: Endemic African malaria vectors are poorly adapted to typical urban ecologies. However, Anopheles stephensi, an urban malaria vector formerly confined to South Asia and the Persian Gulf, was recently detected in Africa and may change the epidemiology of malaria across the continent. Little is known about the public health implications of An.

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Right-sided aortic arch, first documented by Fioratti and Aglietti in 1763, is a rare variant of the thoracic vascular anatomy present in about 0.1% of the adult population. In half of these cases the left subclavian artery is also aberrant.

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Introduction: Tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBLN) is an infection of the lymph node caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Histological diagnoses of presumptive patients are often accompanied by cytomorphological features. However, the sensitivities of these features are often precluded by the variable degrees of narrative similarities compared to other diagnostic modalities.

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Background: Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) offers an alternative to inpatient (hospital bed-based) treatment of infections that require intravenous administration of antimicrobials. This meta-analysis aimed to summarise the evidence available from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the efficacy and safety of OPAT compared to inpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy.

Methods: We searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Sciences databases for RCTs comparing outpatient versus inpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy.

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Background: Identifying individuals at increased risk for depression allows for earlier intervention and treatment, ultimately leading to better outcomes and potentially preventing severe symptoms. However, to date, no systematic reviews or meta-analyses have estimated the prevalence of depression among hypertensive patients. Thus, this review was initiated to determine the prevalence and factors associated with depression among patients with hypertension in Ethiopia.

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Background: Malaria remains a major global health problem although there was a remarkable achievement between 2000 and 2015. Malaria drug resistance, along with several other factors, presents a significant challenge to malaria control and elimination efforts. Numerous countries in sub-Saharan Africa have documented the presence of confirmed or potential markers of partial resistance against artemisinin, the drug of choice for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

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Background: Plasmodium vivax malaria is a leading cause of morbidity in Ethiopia. The first-line treatment for P. vivax is chloroquine (CQ) and primaquine (PQ), but there have been local reports of CQ resistance.

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Background: Small ruminants are the principal component of livestock production in Tigray region, Ethiopia. But their productivity is affected by various factors. According to farmers and expert observation, goat abortion is among the leading causes of production losses in Tanqua-Abergelle district.

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Background: Malaria is a major public health concern in Ethiopia, and its incidence could worsen with the spread of the invasive mosquito species Anopheles stephensi in the country. This study aimed to provide updates on the distribution of An. stephensi and likely household exposure in Ethiopia.

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Background: Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) indices are widely used for the selection of optimum antibiotic doses. For β-lactam antibiotics, fT>MIC, best relates antibiotic exposure to efficacy and is widely used to guide the dosing of β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI) combinations, often without considering any PK/PD exposure requirements for BLIs.

Objectives: This systematic review aimed to describe the PK/PD exposure requirements of BLIs for optimal microbiological efficacy when used in combination with β-lactam antibiotics.

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Background: Complementary use of medicinal plants with prescribed drugs is becoming more widespread concern among people with chronic disease like cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and hypertension. Consequently, the purpose of this review was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of herbal medicine use among patients suffering from chronic disease.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by searching articles from Cochrane library, Google scholar, PubMed and African journal online.

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Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) has been expanding in recent years and serves as a viable solution in reducing the shortage of hospital beds. However, the wider implementation of OPAT faces numerous challenges. This review aimed to assess implementation barriers and facilitators of OPAT services.

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Phycobilisomes (PBs) play an important role in cyanobacterial photosynthesis. They capture light and transfer excitation energy to the photosynthetic reaction centres. PBs are also central to some photoprotective and photoregulatory mechanisms that help sustain photosynthesis under non-optimal conditions.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A cohort study was conducted in 7 Ethiopian hospitals to evaluate the updated implementation strategy of the Clean Cut program, focusing on data collection and team organization over a 3-year period.
  • * Results showed a significant 34% reduction in surgical site infections (SSIs) post-implementation, highlighting the program's effectiveness in enhancing patient safety and surgical outcomes.
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The goal of the study is to determine the effect of genotype and environment on forage yield, forage nutritive value and to determine the relation between morphology and forage yield and nutritive value of lablab. Thirteen genotypes (one local and 12 improved) were replicated 3 times in a randomized complete block trial across three locations in Ethiopian lowlands namely, Bechi, Kite and Tepi. All forage samples were analyzed for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) using a combination of conventional nutritional analyses and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy.

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An investigation of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak was conducted between late October and mid-December 2019 in Tigray region. The outbreak investigation team collected epidemiological data from the six villages of Kafta Humera and Seharti Samre districts, including morbidity proportions, mortality proportions, and clinical signs, and cattle management and vaccination history were collected via participatory methods, including interviews and group discussions with local experts and farmers in Kafta Humera and reports from the district veterinarians in Seharti Samre. Twenty-two tissue samples were collected for laboratory confirmation.

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Acne necrotica is a rare disease, characterized by recurrent crops of inflammatory papules and papulo-pustules that rapidly become necrotic, leaving varioliform scars of varying extent. Here, I report the case of a 32-year-old male with early-stage disease and a 58-year-old male with late-stage acne necrotica. Both patients had a history of chronic, relapsing, umbilicated, and centrally necrotic erythematous papules and papulo-pustules involving the hairline and face.

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Article Synopsis
  • Progress in malaria control has stagnated, requiring national malaria control programs (NMCPs) to make data-driven decisions for effective vector control amid rising insecticide resistance.
  • There's a growing need for country-specific frameworks to integrate various data sources—like health systems data and vector control program data—to evaluate both existing and new interventions.
  • Key recommendations for improving evaluations include ensuring quality data collection, selecting key indicators for impact assessment, and considering multiple contextual factors to enhance decision-making processes in vector control strategies.
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Background: Early case detection and prompt treatment are important malaria control and elimination strategies. However, the emergence and rapid spread of drug-resistant strains present a major challenge. This study reports the first therapeutic efficacy profile of pyronaridine-artesunate against uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum in Northwest Ethiopia.

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Background: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) epidemic in high-TB-incidence countries, particularly Ethiopia, remains a significant challenge. As a result, we investigated the drug resistance, common gene mutation, and molecular characterization of mycobacterial isolates from patients with suspected tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBLN). .

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This study aims to explore the effects of voluntary family planning (FP) utilization on food security in selected districts of Ethiopia. Quantitative research methods were used to conduct a community-based study among a sample of 737 women of reproductive age. The data were analyzed using a hierarchical logistic regression constructed in three models.

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Granulosis rubra nasi is a rare autosomal dominant disease of the eccrine glands. It is clinically characterized by mid-face hyperhidrosis, most prominent at the tip of the nose, and dark erythematous papules on the nose, cheeks, chin, and upper lip. Although it commonly occurs in childhood, it can also occur in adults.

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