Genotypic and phenotypic drug resistance patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Ethiopia: A multicenter study.

Background: The emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) has been a major obstacle to global tuberculosis control programs, especially in developing countries, including Ethiopia. This study investigated drug resistance patterns and associated mutations of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex (MTBC) isolates from the Amhara, Gambella, and Benishangul-Gumuz regions of Ethiopia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using 128 MTBC isolates obtained from patients with presumptive tuberculosis (TB).

Brain functional connectivity in hyperthyroid patients: systematic review.

Introduction: Functional connectivity (FC) is the correlation between brain regions' activities, studied through neuroimaging techniques like fMRI. It helps researchers understand brain function, organization, and dysfunction. Hyperthyroidism, characterized by high serum levels of free thyroxin and suppressed thyroid stimulating hormone, can lead to mood disturbance, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric symptoms.

Population structure and spatial distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is one of the countries with a high tuberculosis (TB) burden, yet little is known about the spatial distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) lineages. This study identifies the spoligotyping of 1735 archived Mtb isolates from the National Drug Resistance Survey, collected between November 2011 and June 2013, to investigate Mtb population structure and spatial distribution. Spoligotype International Types (SITs) and lineages were retrieved from online databases.

A smooth tubercle bacillus from Ethiopia phylogenetically close to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) includes several human- and animal-adapted pathogens. It is thought to have originated in East Africa from a recombinogenic Mycobacterium canettii-like ancestral pool. Here, we describe the discovery of a clinical tuberculosis strain isolated in Ethiopia that shares archetypal phenotypic and genomic features of M.

Electrocardiogram Abnormalities and Associated Factors Among People with and without Epilepsy Attending the Outpatient Department at Referral Hospitals in Amhara Regional State, Northern Ethiopia, 2022: Institutional-Based Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Epilepsy is a brain disease that is associated with electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities. However, this evidence is limited in Ethiopia. Studying ECG abnormality in epileptic patients could help minimize the cardiac problems and death of epileptic patients by early screening.

Effect of sputum quality and role of Xpert MTB/ RIF assay for detection of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in same-day diagnosis strategy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: There is limited information on the performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF test for diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPT) and rifampicin resistance (RR) in the same-day diagnosis approach. The effects of sputum quality and other factors affecting the Xpert performance are also under-investigated.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF test for detection of SNPT and RR in the same-day diagnosis strategy and the effect of sputum quality and other factors on its performance.

Quality assurance practices in tuberculosis diagnostic health facilities in Ethiopia.

Introduction: The quality of tuberculosis laboratory services in health facilities is a mandatory component of detecting active pulmonary TB cases and treatment follow-up. However, ensuring the quality of laboratory test results is a concern. This study aimed to assess the quality assurance practices in the tuberculosis diagnostic health facilities of Ethiopia.

Diagnostic accuracy of Truenat Tuberculosis and Rifampicin-Resistance assays in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Rapid and sensitive Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis closer to patients is a key global TB control priority. Truenat assays (MTB, MTB Plus, and MTB-RIF Dx) are new TB molecular diagnostic tools for the detection of TB and Rifampicin (RIF)-resistance from sputum samples. The diagnostic accuracy of the assays is needed prior to implementation in clinical use in Ethiopia.

National treatment outcome and predictors of death and treatment failure in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Ethiopia: a 10-year retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: Treatment success rate in patients treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is low, but predictors of treatment failure and death have been under-reported. Thus, we aimed to determine the national proportion of treatment success rate in the past 10 years and factors that predict treatment failure and death in patients with MDR-TB in Ethiopia.

Setting: A retrospective cohort study with a 10-years follow-up period was conducted in 42 MDR-TB treatment-initiating centres in Ethiopia.

The Simple One-Step (SOS) Stool Processing Method for Use with the Xpert MTB/RIF Assay for a Child-Friendly Diagnosis of Tuberculosis Closer to the Point of Care.

Young children cannot easily produce sputum for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Alternatively, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacilli can be detected in stool by using the Xpert MTB/RIF (Ultra) assay (Xpert). Published stool processing methods contain somewhat complex procedures and require additional supplies.

A prospective multicentre diagnostic accuracy study for the Truenat tuberculosis assays.

Background: Bringing reliable and accurate tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis closer to patients is a key priority for global TB control. Molbio Diagnostics have developed the Truenat point-of-care molecular assays for detection of TB and rifampicin (RIF) resistance.

Methods: We conducted a prospective multicentre diagnostic accuracy study at 19 primary healthcare centres and seven reference laboratories in Peru, India, Ethiopia and Papua New Guinea to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of the point-of-care Truenat MTB, MTB Plus and MTB-RIF Dx assays for pulmonary TB using culture and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing as the reference standard, compared with Xpert MTB/RIF or Ultra.

Health care seeking behavior among presumptive tuberculosis patients in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Health seeking behavior is one of the challenges affecting tuberculosis (TB) control program because of its high risk to prolonged diseases transmission and poor treatment outcome. Although there are few primary studies that reported diversified magnitudes of health seeking behavior among presumptive TB patients in Ethiopia, there is no review study that attempted to summarize the available evidence. Thus, this review was aimed to estimate the proportion of health care seeking behavior from health facility and to summarize the reasons why individuals with presumptive TB are not seeking health care in Ethiopia.

Low enrollment and high treatment success in children with drug-resistant tuberculosis in Ethiopia: A ten years national retrospective cohort study.

Background: Limited evidence exists on the treatment outcome and factors that are associated with the duration from the initiation of treatment to death or treatment failure in children with drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). Thus, we aimed to determine the proportion of treatment enrollment, status of treatment outcome and determine factors that are associated with the duration from treatment initiation to death or treatment failure in children treated for DR-TB in Ethiopia.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in children younger than 15 years old who were treated for DR-TB from February 2009 to February 2019 in Ethiopia.

Low Prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis in Tuberculosis Patients, Ethiopia.

An estimated 17% of all tuberculosis cases in Ethiopia are caused by Mycobacterium bovis. We used M. tuberculosis complex isolates to identify the prevalence of M.

Intermittent treatment interruption and its effect on multidrug resistant tuberculosis treatment outcome in Ethiopia.

Treatment interruption is one of the main risk factors of poor treatment outcome and occurrence of additional drug resistant tuberculosis. This study is a national retrospective cohort study with 10 years follow up period in MDR-TB patients in Ethiopia. We included 204 patients who had missed the treatment at least for one day over the course of the treatment (exposed group) and 203 patients who had never interrupted the treatment (unexposed group).

MDR/XDR-TB Colour Test for drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Northwest Ethiopia.

Background: Appropriate technology tests are needed for Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug-susceptibility testing (DST) in resource-constrained settings. This study was performed to evaluate the MDR/XDR-TB Colour Test (a colour platethin-layer agar test; TB-CX) for M. tuberculosis DST by directly testing sputum at University of Gondar Hospital.

Prevalence of tuberculosis, multidrug resistant tuberculosis and associated risk factors among smear negative presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: The diagnoses of active smear negative PTB, remains difficult. As a result, treatment is often carried out empirically relaying on clinical criteria. The distribution and magnitude of smear negative PTB, smear negative MDR-TB and associated factors in the same day diagnosis strategy are not clearly known in the study area.

Is hypothyroidism rare in multidrug resistance tuberculosis patients on treatment? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Hypothyroidism is one of the adverse drug reactions that associated with Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) medications. Extremely variable magnitude of hypothyroidism in MDR-TB patients has been reported from different parts of the world. However, there is no evidence that tried to estimate the pooled prevalence of hypothyroidism to confirm the rareness of hypothyroidism in MDR-TB patients on treatment.

Intestinal parasites co-infection and associated factors among active pulmonary tuberculosis patients in selected health centers, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: unmatched case control study.

Background: In co-endemic areas, rate of intestinal parasites and tuberculosis (TB) co-infection thought to be high. However, there are limited studies on the epidemiology of this co-infection in Ethiopia. Therefore, the present study aimed to generate evidence on intestinal parasites co-infection rate and associated factors among pulmonary tuberculosis patients (PTB) and their household contacts in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Drug-resistance patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains and associated risk factors among multi drug-resistant tuberculosis suspected patients from Ethiopia.

Background: Multidrug drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a major health problem and seriously threatens TB control and prevention efforts globally. Ethiopia is among the 30th highest TB burden countries for MDR-TB with 14% prevalence among previously treated cases. The focus of this study was on determining drug resistance patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis among MDR-TB suspected cases and associated risk factors.