Isoniazid hair drug levels among TB patients as a tool to monitor adherence, exposure, and TB treatment outcomes and its acceptability in a multicultural setting. A narrative review.

Background: Accumulation of chemicals including drugs in hair has been used in forensic investigations. Studies have reported isoniazid drug levels in the hair of TB patients.

Objective: To review literature for evidence on isoniazid hair drug levels as a tool to monitor adherence, exposure, and TB treatment outcomes and the acceptability of using human hair for medical testing.

Assessment of Enrofloxacin Usage and Residue Levels of Enrofloxacin-Ciprofloxacin in Breast and Liver Tissues of Commercial Broilers Sold in Kampala-Uganda.

Background: Human exposure to veterinary drugs like fluoroquinolones occurs due to the presence of their residues in foods from animal sources in varying concentrations. The existence of antibiotic residues in foodstuffs can pose great public health problems to consumers. This study aimed to assess enrofloxacin use patterns and assess residue levels of enrofloxacin/ciprofloxacin in breast muscle and liver tissues of broiler chickens sold for consumption in Kampala capital city.

Impact of carbonization conditions and adsorbate nature on the performance of activated carbon in water treatment.

The physical and chemical structure of activated carbon (AC) varies with the carbonization temperature, activation process and time. The texture and toughness of the starting raw material also determine the morphology of AC produced. The Brunauer-Emmet-Teller surface area (S) is small for AC produced at low temperatures but increases from 500 to 700 °C, and generally drops in activated carbons synthesized > 700 °C.

A review of adsorption techniques for removal of phosphates from wastewater.

Phosphate is considered the main cause of eutrophication and has received considerable attention recently. Several methods have been used for removal of phosphates in water and these include biological treatment, membrane filtration processes, chemical precipitation, and adsorption. Adsorption technology is highly effective in the removal of phosphate from wastewater even at low phosphate concentrations.

Primary validation of Charm II tests for the detection of antimicrobial residues in a range of aquaculture fish.

The study carried out a primary validation of Charm II tests for the detection of antimicrobial residues in aquaculture fish. The validation was performed according to European Commission Decision 2002/657/ and the parameters determined included: detection capability, repeatability, reproducibility, specificity and robustness for the detection of antimicrobial residues in fish. Fish materials from different species including cat fish, trout, salmon, sea bass, tilapia, lingue and pangasius, were spiked with varying concentrations of selected antimicrobials including sulfonamides, β-lactams, macrolides, tetracyclines and aminoglycosides to determine the detection capabilities and other validation parameters of the Charm II tests.

Trimester-Specific Population Pharmacokinetics and Other Correlates of Variability in Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine Disposition Among Ugandan Pregnant Women.

Background: Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is widely used as an intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy (IPTp). However, pharmacokinetic studies in pregnancy show variable and often contradictory findings. We describe population and trimester-specific differences in SP pharmacokinetics among Ugandan women.

Chronic ethanol use in alcoholic beverages by HIV-infected patients affects the therapeutic window of stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine during the 9-month follow-up period: using chronic alcohol-use biomarkers.

Abstract Background: Chronic ethanol use is a global problem including among HIV-infected patients on stavudine/lamivudine/nevirapine (d4T/3TC/NVP) regimen. The study determined the effect of chronic ethanol use on the therapeutic window of d4T, 3TC and NVP in HIV-infected patients using alcohol-use biomarkers to screen patients for chronic ethanol use. Methods: A case-control study using repeated measures design with serial measurements was used to quantify drugs in plasma.

Comparable lumefantrine oral bioavailability when co-administered with oil-fortified maize porridge or milk in healthy volunteers.

Co-administration of artemether-lumefantrine with milk is recommended to improve lumefantrine (L) absorption but milk may not be available in resource-limited settings. This study explored the effects of cheap local food in Uganda on oral bioavailability of lumefantrine relative to milk. In an open-label, four-period crossover study, 13 healthy adult volunteers were randomized to receive a single oral dose of artemether-lumefantrine (80 mg artemether/480 mg lumefantrine) with water, milk, maize porridge or maize porridge with oil on separate occasions.

Validity of self-reported use of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine intermittent presumptive treatment during pregnancy (IPTp): a cross-sectional study.

Background: Malaria in pregnancy is a major health problem that can cause maternal anaemia, stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, low birth weight and intra-uterine stunting. The WHO recommends use of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) in endemic areas. Towards monitoring and assessing IPTp coverage in the population, the Roll Back Malaria Partnership recommends the use of self-reported data.

Significant pharmacokinetic interactions between artemether/lumefantrine and efavirenz or nevirapine in HIV-infected Ugandan adults.

Objectives: Co-administration of artemether/lumefantrine with antiretroviral therapy has potential for pharmacokinetic drug interactions. We investigated drug-drug interactions between artemether/lumefantrine and efavirenz or nevirapine.

Methods: We performed a cross-over study in which HIV-infected adults received standard six-dose artemether/lumefantrine 80/480 mg before and at efavirenz or nevirapine steady state.

Plasma drug level validates self-reported adherence but predicts limited specificity for nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy.

Introduction. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low-income countries is mainly assessed by self-reported adherence (S-RA) without drug level determination. Nonadherence is an important factor in the emergence of resistance to ART, presenting a need for drug level determination.

Field-adapted sampling of whole blood to determine the levels of amodiaquine and its metabolite in children with uncomplicated malaria treated with amodiaquine plus artesunate combination.

Background: Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) has been widely adopted as first-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria. In Uganda, amodiaquine plus artesunate (AQ+AS), is the alternative first-line regimen to Coartem(R) (artemether + lumefantrine) for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Currently, there are few field-adapted analytical techniques for monitoring amodiaquine utilization in patients.