RETRACTED: Gradual emergence followed by exponential spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in Africa.

The geographic and evolutionary origins of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (BA.1), which was first detected mid-November 2021 in Southern Africa, remain unknown. We tested 13,097 COVID-19 patients sampled between mid-2021 to early 2022 from 22 African countries for BA.

Intestinal Helminth Infections in Ghanaian Children from the Ashanti Region between 2007 and 2008-A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Real-Time PCR-Based Assessment.

In spite of ongoing eradication programs, helminth infections are still a medical issue in Ghana. For follow-up assessments on the decline of regional helminth infections, historic baseline prevalence values obtained with standardized diagnostic procedures can be helpful. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, real-time PCR targeting the nematodes spp.

Genes associated with diagnosis and prognosis of Burkitt lymphoma.

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is one of the most aggressive forms of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas that affect children and young adults. The expression of genes and other molecular markers during carcinogenesis can be the basis for diagnosis, prognosis and the design of new and effective drugs for the management of cancers. The aim of this study was to identify genes that can serve as prognostic and therapeutic targets for BL.

New Clues to Prognostic Biomarkers of Four Hematological Malignancies.

Globally, one out of every two reported cases of hematologic malignancies (HMs) results in death. Each year approximately 1.24 million cases of HMs are recorded, of which 58% become fatal.

Epidemiology of Plasmids in and with Acquired Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Genes Isolated from Chronic Wounds in Ghana.

Little information is available on the local epidemiology of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids harboring acquired beta-lactamase genes in Western African Ghana. In the present study, we screened for plasmids in three and four isolates expressing extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) mediated by the gene from chronically infected wounds of Ghanaian patients. Bacterial isolates were subjected to combined short-read and long-read sequencing to obtain the sequences of their respective plasmids.

Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance: Development and Implementation of the Ghanaian National Action Plan (2017-2021).

In recent years, Ghana has been recognised as a leading player in addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa. However, based on our literature review, we could not ascertain whether the core elements of the national action plan (NAP) were implemented in practice. In this paper, we present a qualitative analysis of the development of AMR-related policies in Ghana, including the NAP.

Cytokine-induced transient monocyte IL-7Ra expression and the serum milieu in tuberculosis.

Bacterial components and cytokines induce IL-7 receptor (IL-7Rα) expression in monocytes. Aberrant low IL-7Rα expression of monocytes has been identified as a feature of tuberculosis immunopathology. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying IL-7Rα regulation of monocytes and tuberculosis serum effects on IL-7Rα expression.

Filarial Lymphedema Patients Are Characterized by Exhausted CD4 T Cells.

Worldwide, more than 200 million people are infected with filariae which can cause severe symptoms leading to reduced quality of life and contribute to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). In particular, lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by can lead to lymphedema (LE) and consequently presents a serious health problem. To understand why only a fraction of the infected individuals develop pathology, it is essential to understand how filariae regulate host immunity.

User experiences of a mobile phone-based health information and surveillance system (mHISS): A case of caregivers of children under-five in rural communities in Ghana.

Background: The rapid advancement of mobile technology has fueled the use of mobile devices for health interventions and for improving healthcare provision in underserved communities. Despite the potential of mHealth being used as a health information and surveillance tool, its scale-up has been challenging and, in most cases, unable to advance beyond the pilot stage of implementation. The purpose of this study was to explore user experiences of a mobile phone-based interactive voice response (IVR) system among caregivers of children under-five in rural communities in the Asante Akim North District of Ghana.

A qPCR to quantify Wolbachia from few Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae as a surrogate for adult worm histology in clinical trials of antiwolbachial drugs.

The filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus causes onchocerciasis (river blindness), a neglected tropical disease affecting 21 million people, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Targeting the endosymbiont Wolbachia with antibiotics leads to permanent sterilization and killing of adult worms. The gold standard to assess Wolbachia depletion is the histological examination of adult worms in nodules beginning at 6 months post-treatment.

Determining Viability of M. ulcerans by 16S rRNA RT Reverse Transcriptase Real-Time PCR.

To overcome drawbacks of M. ulcerans culture in terms of incubation time and low sensitivity for the detection of viable bacilli from clinical specimens, a highly sensitive and M. ulcerans-specific RNA-based viability assay was developed.

Highlighting the Relevance of CD8 T Cells in Filarial Infections.

The T cell immune responses in filarial infections are primarily mediated by CD4 T cells and type 2-associated cytokines. Emerging evidence indicates that CD8 T cell responses are important for anti-filarial immunity, however, could be suppressed in co-infections. This review summarizes what we know so far about the activities of CD8 T cell responses in filarial infections, co-infections, and the associations with the development of filarial pathologies.

Distinct Immune Profiles of Exhausted Effector and Memory CD8 T Cells in Individuals With Filarial Lymphedema.

CD8 T cells are crucial for the clearance of viral infections, and current research begins to highlight their importance in parasitic diseases too. In-depth research about characteristics of CD8 T-cell subsets and exhaustion remains uncertain, especially during filariasis, a chronic helminth infection. Lymphatic filariasis, elicited by , remains a serious health problem in endemic areas in Ghana, especially in those suffering from morbidity due to lymphedema (LE).

Antimicrobial Usage in Commercial and Domestic Poultry Farming in Two Communities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Poultry farming is a common practice in Ghana. Antibiotics are used, particularly in commercial poultry farming, as growth promoters and to prevent and cure infections. However, there is little information on antimicrobial usage in domestic poultry farming in Ghana.

A conceptual approach to the rationale for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine allocation prioritisation.

Currently vaccines protecting from COVID-19 are a scarce resource. Prioritising vaccination for certain groups of society is placed in a context of uncertainty due to changing evidence on the available vaccines and changing infection dynamics. To meet accepted ethical standards of procedural justice and individual autonomy, vaccine allocation strategies need to state reasons for prioritisation explicitly while at the same time communicating the expected risks and benefits of vaccination at different times and with different vaccines transparently.

Genomic and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 in Africa.

Since late 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has rapidly evolved to become a global pandemic. Each country was affected but with a varying number of infected cases and mortality rates. Africa was hit late by the pandemic but the number of cases rose sharply.

Cardiovascular disease risk assessment among patients attending two cardiac clinics in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and hypertension is the single most important modifiable risk. Assessment of an individual's "total" predicted risk of developing a CVD event in 5- or 10-years using risk scores has been identified as an accurate measure of CVD risk. Using the latest Framingham risk score we assessed the risk among patients attending two cardiac clinics in Kumasi.

Clonal Clusters, Molecular Resistance Mechanisms and Virulence Factors of Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from Chronic Wounds in Ghana.

Wound infections are common medical problems in sub-Saharan Africa but data on the molecular epidemiology are rare. Within this study we assessed the clonal lineages, resistance genes and virulence factors of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from Ghanaian patients with chronic wounds. From a previous study, 49 , 21 complex members and 12 were subjected to whole genome sequencing.

Molecular characterization of interactions between the D614G variant of SARS-CoV-2 S-protein and neutralizing antibodies: A computational approach.

The D614G variant of SARS-CoV-2 S-protein emerged in early 2020 and quickly became the dominant circulating strain in Europe and its environs. The variant was characterized by the higher viral load, which is not associated with disease severity, higher incorporation into the virion, and high cell entry via ACE-2 and TMPRSS2. Previous strains of the coronavirus and the current SARS-CoV-2 have demonstrated the selection of mutations as a mechanism of escaping immune responses.

A hepatitis B virus causes chronic infections in equids worldwide.

Preclinical testing of novel therapeutics for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) requires suitable animal models. Equids host homologs of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Because coinfections of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV occur in humans, we screened 2,917 specimens from equids from five continents for HBV.

At Least Seven Distinct Rotavirus Genotype Constellations in Bats with Evidence of Reassortment and Zoonotic Transmissions.

Bats host many viruses pathogenic to humans, and increasing evidence suggests that rotavirus A (RVA) also belongs to this list. Rotaviruses cause diarrheal disease in many mammals and birds, and their segmented genomes allow them to reassort and increase their genetic diversity. Eighteen out of 2,142 bat fecal samples (0.