Understanding brucellosis: knowledge, perceptions, and self-reported prevalence among agro-pastoralists in Nakasongola, Uganda.

Background: Brucellosis is an infectious zoonotic disease that poses serious health threats around the world including Uganda. Brucellosis is caused by Brucella spp., the bacteria being transmitted via contact through skin breaks, via inhalation, or orally through the consumption of raw milk and other dairy products.

Prevalence, resistance profiles and factors associated with skin and soft-tissue infections at Jinja regional referral hospital: A retrospective study.

Skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTI) are common cases of hospital-acquired infections with aetiological agents exhibiting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This is a global public health predicament responsible for a high burden of infectious diseases and threatens the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in Low- and Middle-Income countries (LMICs). This study determined the prevalence of SSTI, proportion of laboratory-investigated cases, AMR-profiles, and factors associated with SSTI and multi-drug resistance (MDR).

Descriptive analyses of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding rabies transmission and prevention in rural communities near wildlife reserves in Uganda: a One Health cross-sectional study.

Background: Despite urban (domestic dog) rabies cycles being the main target for rabies elimination by 2030, sylvatic (wildlife) rabies cycles can act as rabies spillovers especially in settlements contiguous to wildlife reserves. Rural communities next to wildlife reserves are characterized by unique socio-demographic and cultural practices including bat consumption, hunting for bushmeat, and non-vaccination of hunting dogs against rabies among others. This study aimed to compare the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) related to rabies transmission and prevention in the three districts of Uganda; (1) Nwoya, neighboring Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP) in the north, (2) Kamwenge neighboring Kibaale National Park (KNP), Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) and Katonga Game Reserve (KGR) in the west, and (3) Bukedea, neighboring Pian Upe Game Reserve (PUGR) in the east of Uganda.

Sero-prevalence of syphilis and associated risk factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at an urban-poor health centre in Kampala, Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: syphilis and its outcomes remain a healthcare system burden with adverse consequences such as stillbirths, neonatal deaths and spontaneous abortions among others. The situation might have worsened because the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major attention drift from other diseases. Additionally, much as testing for syphilis is a routine practice among pregnant mothers, its proportion is not known in urban health care setting.

Mastitis on selected farms in Wakiso district, Uganda: Burden, pathogens and predictors of infectivity of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in dairy herds.

Background: Mastitis and associated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are major challenges to the dairy industry worldwide.

Objective: This study aimed to expose the mastitis burden, causative bacteria and drivers for mastitis-causing multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Staphylococci infectivity in cows on dairy farms in Wakiso district, Uganda.

Methods: On 22 farms, practices were documented using questionnaires, and 175 cows were screened by the California mastitis test.

High burden of pulmonary tuberculosis and missed opportunity to initiate treatment among children in Kampala, Uganda.

Background: There is uncertainty about the actual burden of childhood TB in Uganda, but underestimation is acknowledged. We aimed at determining prevalence, factors associated with PTB among children attending PHC facilities in Kampala.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 255 children, with presumed TB, attending six health facilities in Kampala, Uganda, in March 2015.

Predictors of Premature Rupture of Membranes among Pregnant Women in Rural Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Teaching Hospital.

Background: Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) is a common condition in developed and developing countries and poses a serious threat to the maternal and fetal well-being if not properly managed. This study delineated the prevalence and predictors of PROM in the western part of Uganda so as to guide specific preventive measures.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted in the months of September 2019 to November 2019.

Inorganic pollutants in edible grasshoppers () of Uganda and their major public health implications.

Background: Inorganic contamination of food products is associated with adverse health effects, however, information on grasshoppers in Africa is sparse. The objective of the study was to determine antioxidant, heavy metal and food safety status of edible grasshoppers of Uganda.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in central and southwestern Uganda, in which a questionnaire was administered to grasshopper harvesters.

Contamination of microbial pathogens and their antimicrobial pattern in operating theatres of peri-urban eastern Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Microbial contamination of hospital environment, especially in operating theatres (OT) and other specialized units has greatly contributed to continuous and multiple exposure to nosocomial infections by patients and the public. We purposed to assess microbial contamination of operating theatres and antibacterial sensitivity pattern of bacteria isolated from theatres of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Eastern Uganda.

Methods: We employed a laboratory based cross-sectional study design.

Prevalence and associated factors of protein- energy wasting among patients with chronic kidney disease at Mulago hospital, Kampala-Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is global health concern and priority. It is the 12th leading cause of death worldwide. Protein Energy Wasting occurs in 20-25% of patients with chronic kidney disease and can lead to a high morbidity and mortality rate.

Sputum quality and diagnostic performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF among smear-negative adults with presumed tuberculosis in Uganda.

Background: Introduction of GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay has constituted a major breakthrough for tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics. Several patient factors may influence diagnostic performance of Xpert including sputum quality.

Objective: We carried out a prospective, observational, cross-sectional study to determine the effect of sputum quality on diagnostic performance of Xpert among presumed TB patients in Uganda.

Risk factors, person, place and time characteristics associated with Hepatitis E Virus outbreak in Napak District, Uganda.

Background: Hepatitis E is self-limiting, but can cause death in most at risk groups like pregnant women and those with preexisting acute liver disease. In developing countries it presents as epidemic, in 2014 Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) outbreak was reported in Napak district Uganda. The role of factors in this setting that might have propagated this HEV epidemic, including host, agent, and environmental characteristics, were still not clear.

Milk Hygiene in Rural Southwestern Uganda: Prevalence of Mastitis and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Bacterial Contaminants of Milk and Milk Products.

Mastitis and antimicrobial resistance are a big challenge to the dairy industry in sub-Saharan Africa. A study was conducted in Kashongi and Keshunga subcounties of Kiruhura District (in Uganda) where the government and private sector have deliberate programs to improve production efficiency, quality, and safety of milk and its products. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of mastitis, its common causative agents, antimicrobial sensitivity of mastitis causing organisms, and contaminants of processed milk products: yoghurt and ghee.