Malaria among febrile patients suspected of Yellow fever during an outbreak in Ghana.

Between October 2021 and February 2022, there was an outbreak of Yellow fever that spread within several districts in the northern part of Ghana. Febrile illnesses such as Yellow fever are often misdiagnosed as malaria and vice versa, which delays appropriate management and treatment. Hence, the true burden of Yellow fever and malaria are mostly underestimated.

Resistance to protease inhibitors among persons living with HIV in Ghana: a case for viral load and drug resistance monitoring.

Objective: Routine viral load and drug resistance testing are well supported in most resource-rich settings and provide valuable benefits in the clinical care of PLWH in these communities. Undoubtedly, there exist financial and political constraints for the scale-up of viral load and drug resistance testing in Sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve the global UNAIDS 95/95/95 targets, there is the need to bridge this inequity in patient care and allow for a universal approach that leaves no community behind.

COVID-19 in patients presenting with malaria-like symptoms at a primary healthcare facility in Accra, Ghana.

Background: Malaria is a common and severe public health problem in Ghana and largely responsible for febrile symptoms presented at health facilities in the country. Other infectious diseases, including COVID-19, may mimic malaria due to their shared non-specific symptoms such as fever and headache thus leading to misdiagnosis. This study therefore investigated COVID-19 among patients presenting with malaria-like symptoms at Korle-Bu Polyclinic, Accra, Ghana.

Hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus infections within correctional facilities in Ghana.

Previous studies have suggested high Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence in prisons in Ghana. However, this study was part of a nationally representative bio-behavioural survey and determined the prevalence of HIV and HBV among prison inmates and identified factors associated with these infections. Both biomedical and behavioural data were collected from a total of 2,443 prison inmates from 19 prison stations during 2013 in Ghana; 12 male prisons and 7 female prisons selected across the country.

HIV virological non-suppression and its associated factors in children on antiretroviral therapy at a major treatment centre in Southern Ghana: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection require lifelong effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). The goal of ART in HIV-infected persons is sustained viral suppression. There is limited information on virological non-suppression or failure and its associated factors in children in resource limited countries, particularly Ghana.

Transmitted drug resistance mutations and subtype diversity amongst HIV-1 sero-positive voluntary blood donors in Accra, Ghana.

Background: Detection of HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance (TDR) and subtype diversity (SD) are public health strategies to assess current HIV-1 regimen and ensure effective therapeutic outcomes of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-1 patients. Globally, limited data exist on TDR and SD among blood donors. In this study, drug resistance mutations (DRMs) and SD amongst HIV-1 sero-positive blood donors in Accra, Ghana were characterized.

Drug resistance mutations and viral load in human immunodeficiency virus type 2 and dual HIV-1/HIV-2 infected patients in Ghana.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) and drug resistance studies worldwide have focused almost exclusively on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). As a result, there is limited information on ART and drug resistance in HIV-2 patients. In Ghana, the HIV epidemic is characterized by the domination of HIV-1, with cocirculating HIV-2.

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.

Severe acute rotavirus gastroenteritis in children less than 5 years in southern Ghana: 2006-2011.

Background: Rotavirus is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) globally. Local data on disease burden will guide recommendations for rotavirus vaccination and monitoring impact of the intervention.

Methods: Prospective surveillance for rotavirus gastroenteritis was conducted in 3 hospitals in southern Ghana during the period August 2006 to December 2011, as part of the African Rotavirus Surveillance Network.

Effectiveness of first-line antiretroviral therapy and correlates of longitudinal changes in CD4 and viral load among HIV-infected children in Ghana.

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) scale-up in resource-limited countries, with limited capacity for CD4 and HIV viral load monitoring, presents a unique challenge. We determined the effectiveness of first-line ART in a real world pediatric HIV clinic and explored associations between readily obtainable patient data and the trajectories of change in CD4 count and HIV viral load.

Methods: We performed a longitudinal study of a cohort of HIV-infected children initiating ART at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Pediatric HIV clinic in Accra, Ghana, aged 0-13 years from 2009-2012.

The effects of co-infection with human parvovirus B19 and Plasmodium falciparum on type and degree of anaemia in Ghanaian children.

Objective: To determin the extent to which parvovirus B19 (B19V) and co-infection of B19V and malaria contribute to risk of anaemia in children.

Methods: B19V DNA and malaria parasites were screened for 234 children at the PML Children's Hospital in Accra. The role of B19V and co-infection with B19V and malaria in anaemia was evaluated by analysing full blood cell counts, malaria and B19V DNA results from these children.

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.

CYP2B6, CYP2A6 and UGT2B7 genetic polymorphisms are predictors of efavirenz mid-dose concentration in HIV-infected patients.

Objective: UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 2B7 was recently identified as the main enzyme mediating efavirenz N-glucuronidation. In this study, we determined whether selected UGT2B7 polymorphisms could be used to enhance the prediction of efavirenz plasma concentrations from CYP2B6 and CYP2A6 genotypes.

Methods: Mid-dose efavirenz plasma concentrations were determined in 94 HIV-infected Ghanaian patients at 2-8 weeks of antiretroviral therapy.

Diagnosis of dual human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 infections in a resource-limited setting.

Background: The presence of dual HIV-1/HIV-2 infection in Ghana and the different drug requirements for the treatment of HIV-1 and HIV-2 presents difficulties for the treatment of dual infections with both viruses.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of the dual sero-positive profile in treatment naive patients at a principal ART Clinic in Accra, Ghana and to investigate if rapid screening assays could be useful for diagnosis.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Web interface-supported transmission risk assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis of postdonation screening: a global model applied to Ghana, Thailand, and the Netherlands.

Background: The goal of our research was to actively involve decision makers in the economic assessment of screening strategies in their region. This study attempted to accomplish this by providing an easy-to-use Web interface at http://www.bloodsafety.

Virological Characterization of Dual HIV-1/HIV-2 Seropositivity and Infections in Southern Ghana.

Summary Background: Dual HIV-1/HIV-2 seropositivity (dual seropositivity) is common in West African countries including Ghana. The diagnosis of dual HIV-1/HIV-2 infections is however complicated as HIV-2 DNA is more often not detected in dual seropositive individuals.

Objectives: To detect the presence of HIV-1 and HIV-2 pro-viral DNA in dual seropositives and to determine the correlation between HIV-2 antibody titers and presence of HIV-2 DNA.

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.

Cost-effectiveness of antenatal HIV-testing: reviewing its pharmaceutical and methodological aspects.

This paper reviews the pharmacoeconomic aspects of antenatal testing for HIV. HIV is a retrovirus which is transmitted among humans through sexual contact, infected blood or blood products (needle sharing or percutaneous accidents) and from mother to child (vertical transmission). Vertical transmission from the HIV-infected mother can occur in utero during and after delivery, through breastfeeding.