Hepatitis B virus surface antigen and antibody markers in children at a major paediatric hospital after the pentavalent DTP-HBV-Hib vaccination.

Objectives: The knowledge about outcomes of infant vaccination against HBV infections using the DPT-HepB-Hib vaccine in Ghana is limited. This study therefore investigated the levels of immunity to HBV among children who received the DPT-HepB-Hib vaccine and HBsAg carriage in non-responders. Correlates for non-response or poor response were also investigated.

Short-term treatment outcomes in human immunodeficiency virus type-1 and hepatitis B virus co-infections.

Background: Co-infection of HIV with HBV is common in West Africa but little information is available on the effects of HBV on short-term therapy for HIV patients. A 28 day longitudinal study was conducted to examine short-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes in HIV infected individuals with HBV co-infection.

Methods: Plasma from 18 HIV infected individuals co-infected with HBV and matched controls with only HIV infection were obtained at initiation, and 7 and 28 days after ART.

Prevalence of severe acute rotavirus gastroenteritis and intussusceptions in Ghanaian children under 5 years of age.

Introduction: Vaccination is the most effective preventive strategy against rotavirus disease. Regional differences in prevalent rotavirus genotypes may affect vaccine efficacy. Pre-vaccine surveillance for burden of rotavirus disease, prevalent rotavirus genotypes, and association between rotavirus disease and intussusceptions helps in monitoring the impact of vaccination.

Prevalence and impact of hepatitis B and C virus co-infections in antiretroviral treatment naïve patients with HIV infection at a major treatment center in Ghana.

Data on the effects of the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients co-infected with these viruses and HIV in West Africa are conflicting and little information is available in Ghana. A cohort of 138 treatment naïve individuals infected with HIV was screened for HBV and HCV serologic markers; HBsAg positive patients were tested for HBeAg, anti-HBe, and anti-HBc IgM. The viral load of HIV-1 in the plasma was determined in 81 patients.

Viral decay rates are similar in HIV-infected patients with and without TB coinfection during treatment with an Efavirenz-based regimen.

Viral decay rates during efavirenz-based therapy were compared between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients without tuberculosis (n = 40) and those with tuberculosis coinfection who were receiving concurrent antituberculous therapy (n = 34). Phase I and II viral decay rates were similar in the 2 groups (P > .05).

Unexpected elevated alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase levels and hepatitis E virus infection among persons who work with pigs in accra, Ghana.

Background: Several studies have suggested that elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and asparte aminotransferase (AST) may be markers of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection. Thus, individuals with elevated ALT and AST may have ongoing subclinical infection of HEV. We estimated the prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies and serum ALT and AST levels among persons who work with pigs in Accra, Ghana.

Hepatitis E virus infection is highly prevalent among pregnant women in Accra, Ghana.

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is highly endemic in several African countries with high mortality rate among pregnant women. The prevalence of antibodies to HEV in Ghana is not known. Therefore we evaluated the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG and anti-HEV IgM among pregnant women seen between the months of January and May, 2008 at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.

Cost-effectiveness of HIV screening of blood donations in Accra (Ghana).

Objectives: Areas with high HIV-incidence rates compared to the developed world may benefit from additional testing in blood banks and may show more favorable cost-effectiveness ratios. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of adding p24 antigen, mini pool nucleic acid amplification testing (MP-NAT), or individual donation NAT (ID-NAT) to the HIV-antibody screening at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (Accra, Ghana), where currently only HIV-antibody screening is undertaken.

Methods: The residual risk of HIV transmission was derived from blood donations to the blood bank of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in 2004.

Variability of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 polymerase gene from treatment naïve patients in Accra, Ghana.

Background: Little is known about the HIV-1 drug resistance mutations in Ghana.

Objectives: To determine the background protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) mutations of HIV-1 from treatment naïve patients in Ghana.

Study Design: Twenty-five plasma samples randomly selected were analyzed for drug resistance mutations.