Publications by authors named "Linda Mary Oyella"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the incidence of acute rheumatic fever in northern and western Uganda, where it is often underdiagnosed despite high rates of rheumatic heart disease.
- Researchers set up clinics and health messaging campaigns to encourage the referral of children aged 3-17 with symptoms indicating acute rheumatic fever.
- The findings revealed a notable incidence rate, with 25 cases per 100,000 person-years in Lira and 13 cases in Mbarara, highlighting the need for better recognition and diagnosis of the condition in these regions.
Timely diagnosis of group A streptococcal (GAS) sore throat coupled with appropriate antibiotic treatment is necessary to prevent serious post-streptococcal complications, including rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Traditional medicine (TM) is a known common adjunct to formal medical care in sub-Saharan Africa. A better understanding of health-seeking behavior for sore throat both within and outside the formal medical system is critical to improving primary prevention efforts of RF and RHD.
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- A prospective epidemiologic survey was conducted in Lira, Uganda, to diagnose and understand acute rheumatic fever (ARF) in children, addressing the rarity of ARF diagnoses in sub-Saharan Africa despite high rheumatic heart disease rates.
- Of 201 children aged 3 to 17 years who participated, 25% were definitively diagnosed with ARF, while others were diagnosed with different conditions or had no conclusive diagnosis.
- The study aims to improve ARF detection and awareness in the community and healthcare system, while exploring potential links between malaria and ARF in regions affected by both diseases.
Objective: Despite substantial variation of streptococcal antibody titres among global populations, there is no data on normal values in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to establish normal values for antistreptolysin O (ASO) and antideoxyribonuclease B (ADB) antibodies in Uganda.
Design: This was an observational cross-sectional study.