Modelling of Hepatitis B Virus vertical transmission dynamics in Ethiopia: a compartmental modelling approach.

Background: Hepatitis B (HB) is a virus which causes a potentially fatal liver infection. It is a DNA virus belonging to the Hepadnaviridae virus family. Africa, after Asia, has the second highest number of chronic HBV carriers and is considered a high-endemic region.

Revisiting the Natural History of Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Bayesian Estimation of Natural Recovery and Mortality Rates.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) natural history remains poorly characterized, and new investigations are impossible as it would be unethical to follow up TB patients without treatment.

Methods: We considered the reports identified in a previous systematic review of studies from the prechemotherapy era, and extracted detailed data on mortality over time. We used a Bayesian framework to estimate the rates of TB-induced mortality and self-cure.

Heterogeneous infectiousness in mathematical models of tuberculosis: A systematic review.

TB mathematical models employ various assumptions and approaches in dealing with the heterogeneous infectiousness of persons with active TB. We reviewed existing approaches and considered the relationship between them and existing epidemiological evidence. We searched the following electronic bibliographic databases from inception to 9 October 2018: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Biosis, Global Health and Scopus.

The role of super-spreading events in Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission: evidence from contact tracing.

Background: In current epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB), heterogeneity in infectiousness among TB patients is a challenge, which is not well studied. We aimed to quantify this heterogeneity and the presence of "super-spreading" events that can assist in designing optimal public health interventions.

Methods: TB epidemiologic investigation data notified between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015 from Victoria, Australia were used to quantify TB patients' heterogeneity in infectiousness and super-spreading events.

The Importance of Heterogeneity to the Epidemiology of Tuberculosis.

Although less well-recognized than for other infectious diseases, heterogeneity is a defining feature of tuberculosis (TB) epidemiology. To advance toward TB elimination, this heterogeneity must be better understood and addressed. Drivers of heterogeneity in TB epidemiology act at the level of the infectious host, organism, susceptible host, environment, and distal determinants.

Sick at work: prevalence and determinants among healthcare workers, western Ethiopia: an institution based cross-sectional study.

Background: Going to work despite feeling sick also known as sickness presenteeism is one of the emerging global occupational health challenges. Sickness presenteeism negatively affects both health of work forces and productivity of organizations in general. However, there is insufficient research exploring this situation in majority of the Sub-Saharan African countries, including Ethiopia.

Exclusive breastfeeding and mothers' employment status in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study.

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as feeding an infant breast milk only, for the first six months. In Ethiopia, more than half of infants do not receive exclusive breastfeeding. Workplace barriers contribute to these low rates of exclusive breastfeeding practices.

Peripheral Sensory Neuropathy and associated factors among adult diabetes mellitus patients in Bahr Dar, Ethiopia.

Background: Diabetic sensory neuropathy is a common form of microvascular complication among diabetic patients. The swiftly growing population of people living with diabetes in Ethiopia and lack of elaborated scientific data on peripheral sensory neuropathy among diabetic population in Ethiopia prompted this work. This study was set out to assess the enormity and associated factors of peripheral sensory neuropathy among diabetes patients attending chronic illness clinic of Felege Hiwot Regional Referral Hospital, Bahr Dar, Northwest Ethiopia.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and associated risk factors among HIV-infected women within reproductive age group at Mizan Aman General Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia: a cross sectional study.

Background: Toxoplasmosis is serious in the case of immune suppression and prenatal transmission. In immunocompromised hosts, it is manifested primarily as a life-threatening condition, toxoplasmic encephalitis. Congenital toxoplasmosis results in abortion or congenitally acquired disorders which primarily affect the central nervous system.

Maternal health care service seeking behaviors and associated factors among women in rural Haramaya District, Eastern Ethiopia: a triangulated community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Regular utilization of maternal health care services reduces maternal morbidity and mortality. This study assessed the maternal health care seeking behavior and associated factors of reproductive age women in rural villages of Haramaya district, East Ethiopia.

Methods: Community based cross sectional study supplemented with qualitative data was conducted in Haramaya district from November 15 to Decemeber 30, 2015.