Cytokine gene polymorphisms implicated in the pathogenesis of infection outcome.

Cytokines play a critical role in the immune mechanisms involved in fighting infections including malaria. Polymorphisms in cytokine genes may affect immune responses during an infection with parasites and immunization outcomes during routine administration of malaria vaccines. These polymorphisms can increase or reduce susceptibility to this deadly infection, and this may affect the physiologically needed balance between anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Diarrhea-Causing Bacteria and Their Antibiotic Resistance Patterns Among Diarrhea Patients From Ghana.

Diarrheal disease remains a major global health problem particularly in children under 5 years and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of causative pathogens could slow control efforts, particularly in settings where treatment options are limited. This surveillance study conducted in Ghana aimed to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of diarrhea-causing bacteria. This was a cross-sectional study carried out in five health facilities in the Ga West Municipality of Ghana between 2017 and 2021.

Diagnosis of tuberculosis among COVID-19 suspected cases in Ghana.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19 pandemics are both diseases of public health threat globally. Both diseases are caused by pathogens that infect mainly the respiratory system, and are involved in airborne transmission; they also share some clinical signs and symptoms. We, therefore, took advantage of collected sputum samples at the early stage of COVID-19 outbreak in Ghana to conduct differential diagnoses of long-standing endemic respiratory illness, particularly tuberculosis.

Molecular epidemiology and drug susceptibility profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from Northern Ghana.

Objective: We conducted a cross-sectional study in the five administrative regions of Northern Ghana to determine the diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) sub/lineages and their susceptibility to isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF).

Methods: Sputum specimens were collected and cultured from 566 pulmonary tuberculosis patients reporting to 17 health facilities from 2015 to 2019. Mycobacterial isolates obtained from solid cultures were confirmed as members of the MTBC by PCR amplification of IS6110 and rpoß and assigned lineages and sub-lineages using spoligotyping.

Gut microbiota signature of pathogen-dependent dysbiosis in viral gastroenteritis.

Acute gastroenteritis associated with diarrhea is considered a serious disease in Africa and South Asia. In this study, we examined the trends in the causative pathogens of diarrhea and the corresponding gut microbiota in Ghana using microbiome analysis performed on diarrheic stools via 16S rRNA sequencing. In total, 80 patients with diarrhea and 34 healthy adults as controls, from 2017 to 2018, were enrolled in the study.

OMNIgene SPUTUM: A good transport and decontaminating reagent for tuberculosis testing.

Background: Sputum culture is limited to centralized facilities. Thus, samples require transportation from peripheral laboratories to these facilities, compromising specimen quality since it is difficult to maintain cold chain. We evaluated OMNIgene SPUTUM Reagent (OMS) for transporting sputum samples for tuberculosis (TB) testing.