Spiritual Holy Water Sites in Ethiopia: Unrecognized High-Risk Settings for Transmission of Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Ethiopia is a high-tuberculosis (TB) burden country with 157 new cases per 100,000 people, with 23,800 TB-related deaths in 2020. In Ethiopia, TB patients have different healthcare-seeking behaviors. They frequently visit spiritual places, such as holy water sites (HWSs), to seek treatment for their illness spiritually.

Effect of a ward-based outreach team and adherence game on retention and viral load suppression.

Background: Only 66% of South African people living with HIV (PLWH) are virologically suppressed. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies to improve outcomes.

Objectives: Assess the effect of interventions on 12-month retention in care and virological suppression in participants newly initiated on antiretroviral therapy.

The empirical use of aminoglycosides in Ludwig's angina based on bacterial analysis of 63 cases.

Purposes: To determine if the empirical use of aminoglycosides is justified in Ludwig's angina based on microscopy, culture and sensitivity results.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was done on patients that presented with Ludwig's angina to the Maxillofacial and Oral surgery department at the University of Pretoria. Demographical data was extracted from patient files.

Perceived knowledge of scheme members and their satisfaction with their medical schemes: a cross-sectional study in South Africa.

Background: South Africa has a dual healthcare system comprising of private and public sectors covering 16% and 84% of the population, respectively. Medical schemes are the primary source of health insurance in the private sector. The aim of this study was to assess members of medical schemes' perceived knowledge and satisfaction with their medical schemes.

South African physiotherapists' perspectives on the competencies needed to work in special schools for learners with special needs.

Background: Investigation into, and description of competencies in the various sectors in which the physiotherapy profession is practised, contribute to the standardisation of practice, professional education, and guides research and administration, and is necessary in South Africa.

Objective: To identify the competencies implemented by physiotherapists working in an educational setting for learners with special needs and to determine physiotherapists' opinions on the identified competencies.

Methods: A sequential mixed method research design was implemented to explore the competencies that physiotherapists implement during their intervention for children with special needs through focus group discussions (FGDs).

When Do Nigerian Women of Reproductive Age Initiate and What Factors Influence Their Contraceptive Use? A Contextual Analysis.

Background: Contraceptive use initiation and continuation is one of the major interventions for reducing maternal deaths worldwide. Nigeria aimed to achieve a 27% prevalence rate of modern contraceptive uptake by 2020, however, this seems to have remained unachieved. The objective of this study was to investigate when Nigerian women initiate contraceptive use and its associated factors, using nationally representative data.

Non-vaccine serotype pneumococcal carriage in healthy infants in South Africa following introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Background: Pneumococcal carriage studies provide a baseline for measuring the impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). The advent of conjugate vaccines has led to reductions in vaccine serotypes (VTs) in pneumococcal carriage. However, increasing non-vaccine serotypes (NVTs) remain a significant concern, necessitating continued surveillance of serotypes in the 13-valent PCV vaccine (PCV13) era.

Hybrid Approach to Estimation of Underreporting of Tuberculosis Case Notification in High-Burden Settings With Weak Surveillance Infrastructure: Design and Implementation of an Inventory Study.

Background: The greatest risk of infectious disease undernotification occurs in settings with limited capacity to detect it reliably. World Health Organization guidance on the measurement of misreporting is paradoxical, requiring robust, independent systems to assess surveillance rigor. Methods are needed to estimate undernotification in settings with incomplete, flawed, or weak surveillance systems.

South African speech-language therapists' opinion of their training in cleft lip and palate and craniofacial deformities.

Background: Speech care of cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) and craniofacial deformities (CFD) is complex and lengthy and requires collaboration amongst different disciplines. Consequently, it is important to provide academic educational models that include didactics, online learning and clinical exposure in CLP and CFD treatment, and participation in established cleft palate multidisciplinary team management.

Objectives: To obtain information regarding: (1) the perceived adequacy of CLP and CFD academic education of speech-language therapists (SLTs); (2) the professional services that SLTs offer to CLP and CFD patients; and (3) the educational needs of SLTs in this field.

Reliability and validity of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale in patients with spinal cord injury.

Background: Measuring rehabilitation outcomes in patients with spinal cord injury (PWSCI) requires measurement tools that are valid and reliable and have been psychometrically tested in the population with spinal cord injury (SCI). The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS) has been found to be reliable and valid in adult surgical patients, post-partum mothers, parents of hospitalised children and geriatrics. However, the psychometric properties have not yet been tested in the population with SCI, furthermore, in a South African context.

Uptake of care and treatment amongst a national cohort of HIV positive infants diagnosed at primary care level, South Africa.

Background: Loss to follow-up after a positive infant HIV diagnosis negates the potential benefits of robust policies recommending immediate triple antiretroviral therapy initiation in HIV positive infants. Whilst the diagnosis and follow-up of HIV positive infants in urban, specialized settings is easier to institutionalize, there is little information about access to care amongst HIV positive children diagnosed at primary health care clinic level. We sought to understand the characteristics of HIV positive children diagnosed with HIV infection at primary health care level, across all provinces of South Africa, their attendance at study-specific exit interviews and their reported uptake of HIV-related care.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes, 'stillbirths and early neonatal deaths' in Mutare district, Zimbabwe (2014): a descriptive study.

Background: Perinatal deaths account for 7% of the global burden of disease, with developing countries contributing about 98% of deaths. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and factors contributing to adverse pregnancy outcomes, particularly perinatal death, among women at Sakubva hospital, Mutare district, Zimbabwe from January to June 2014.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 346 patient records, of women who delivered at Sakubva hospital and those referred from Mutare district facilities to Mutare Provincial Hospital, between January and June 2014.

Factors related to hospital readmissions in people with spinal cord injury in South Africa.

Background: People with spinal cord injury (PWSCI) face various challenges after being discharged from rehabilitation that can result in readmission to hospital. Little is known about readmission of PWSCI in South Africa (SA). Readmission is costly, interrupts community involvement and negatively affects quality of life.

Hydrochemical characteristics and quality assessment of groundwater from fractured Albian carbonaceous shale aquifers around Enyigba-Ameri, southeastern Nigeria.

Enyigba-Ameri area is known for its Pb-Zn mining activities and the mine water is usually discharged directly into nearby streams and surface runoff. In order to determine the impacts of mining activities on the quality of water in the area and the general hydrochemical characteristics, field measurements and laboratory tests were carried out on water samples collected from the area. Field measurements and laboratory analyses of physicochemical parameters were determined using standard methods.

Modelling the factor structure of the Child Depression Inventory in a population of apparently healthy adolescents in Nigeria.

Background: Childhood and adolescent depression is common and often persists into adulthood with negative implications for school performances, peer relationship and behavioural functioning. The Child Depression Inventory (CDI) has been used to assess depression among adolescents in many countries including Nigeria but it is uncertain if the theoretical structure of CDI appropriately fits the experiences of adolescents in Nigeria. This study assessed varying theoretical modelling structure of the CDI in a population of apparently healthy adolescents in Benue state, Nigeria.

High risk exposure to HIV among sexually active individuals who tested negative on rapid HIV Tests in the Tshwane District of South Africa-The importance of behavioural prevention measures.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of HIV risk behaviour among sexually active HIV sero-negative individuals in the Tshwane district of South Africa (SA).

Methods: Demographic and HIV risk behaviour data were collected on a questionnaire from participants of a cross-sectional study that screened for early HIV infection using pooled nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT). The study enrolled individuals who tested negative on rapid HIV tests performed at five HIV counseling and testing (HCT) clinics, which included four antenatal clinics and one general HCT clinic.

Adolescent Access to Care and Risk of Early Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission.

Purpose: Adolescent females aged 15-19 account for 62% of new HIV infections and give birth to 16 million infants annually. We quantify the risk of early mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV among adolescents enrolled in nationally representative MTCT surveillance studies in South Africa.

Methods: Data from 4,814 adolescent (≤19 years) and 25,453 adult (≥20 years) mothers and their infants aged 4-8 weeks were analyzed.

Detection of Acute and Early HIV-1 Infections in an HIV Hyper-Endemic Area with Limited Resources.

Background: Two thirds of the world's new HIV infections are in sub-Saharan Africa. Acute HIV infection (AHI) is the time of virus acquisition until the appearance of HIV antibodies. Early HIV infection, which includes AHI, is the interval between virus acquisition and establishment of viral load set-point.

The effect of HIV infection on the surgical, chemo- and radiotherapy management of breast cancer. A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer of women in the world. Twenty-five percent of people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reside in South Africa. The coincidence of breast cancer and HIV infection is therefore common in South Africa.

A radiological evaluation of alveolar bone regeneration between the left and right mandibles and maxillae of the Chacma baboon.

There is a lack of information in comparing the healing rate between the left and right sides of the maxilla and mandible. Osteogenesis of alveolar bone was evaluated with digital radiology by comparing differences in bone density (BD) at different time points within the left and right maxilla and mandible. Alveolar bone defects were created in five healthy Chacma baboons.

Molecular analysis of genetic mutations among cross-resistant second-line injectable drugs reveals a new resistant mutation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Mutations causing mono and cross-resistance among amikacin, kanamycin and capreomycin of second-line injectable drugs (SLIDs) namely are not well understood. We investigated 124 isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for mutations within rrs, eis, tlyA and efflux pump (Rv1258c and Rv0194) genes involved in resistance towards SLIDs. The distribution of mutations across these genes were significantly different in strains with mono-resistance or cross-resistance.

Cryptococcal meningitis in a tertiary hospital in Pretoria, mortality and risk factors - A retrospective cohort study.

Aim This retrospective cohort study analyzes the impact of possible risk factors on the survival chance of patients with cryptococcal meningitis. These factors include the patient's socio-economic background, age, gender, presenting symptoms, comorbidities, laboratory findings and, in particular, non-adherence versus adherence to therapy. Methods Data were collected from all adult patients admitted to Kalafong Hospital with laboratory confirmed cryptococcal meningitis over a period of 24 months.

Parainfluenza Virus Infection Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Children and Adults Hospitalized for Severe Acute Respiratory Illness in South Africa, 2009-2014.

Background.  Parainfluenza virus (PIV) is a common cause of acute respiratory tract infections, but little is known about PIV infection in children and adults in Africa, especially in settings where human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence is high. Methods.

A cross-sectional study on the relationship of age, gestational age and HIV infection to bacterial vaginosis and genital mycoplasma infection.

Objectives: Pregnant women are especially at risk of developing complications when infected with reproductive tract infections (RTIs). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and genital mycoplasmas in pregnant women and investigate the associations between BV, genital mycoplasmas, HIV infection, age and gestational age.

Design: Cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical components.

The impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy on the burden of bacterial lower respiratory tract infections in children.

Background: Respiratory diseases are common and associated with significant morbidity and mortality in children.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and outcome of bacterial lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in HIV-infected and uninfected children at a primary level hospital.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study of children aged 6 months-18 years was conducted.