Effectiveness of a Wilms tumour treatment guideline adapted to local circumstances in sub-Saharan Africa: A report from Wilms Africa Phase II-CANCaRe Africa.

Background: Wilms tumour (WT) is one of the cancer types targeted by the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC). The objective of this study was to describe the outcomes of Wilms Africa Phase II in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: Wilms Africa Phase II used a comprehensive WT treatment protocol in a multi-centre, prospective study conducted in eight hospitals in Ethiopia (2), Ghana (2), Malawi, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Uganda.

Impact of postpartum maternal fever or hypothermia on newborn and early infant illness and death in Southwestern Uganda.

Background: Deaths occurring during the neonatal period contribute close to half of under-five mortality rate (U5MR); over 80% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Poor maternal antepartum and perinatal health predisposes newborns to low birth weight (LBW), birth asphyxia, and infections which increase the newborn's risk of death.

Methods: The objective of the study was to assess the association between abnormal postpartum maternal temperature and early infant outcomes, specifically illness requiring hospitalisation or leading to death between birth and six weeks' age.

Differences in Mental Illness Stigma by Disorder and Gender: Population-Based Vignette Randomized Experiment in Rural Uganda.

Understanding and eliminating mental illness stigma is crucial for improving population mental health. In many settings, this stigma is gendered, from the perspectives of both the stigmatized and the stigmatizers. We aimed to find the differences in the level of stigma across different mental disorders while considering the gender of the study participants as well as the gender of the people depicted in the vignettes.

Health worker perspectives on barriers and facilitators of tuberculosis investigation coverage among index case contacts in rural Southwestern Uganda: a qualitative study.

Background: In 2012, the World Health Organization recommended screening and investigation of contacts of index tuberculosis patients as a strategy to accelerate detection of tuberculosis (TB) cases. Nine years after the adoption of this recommendation, coverage of TB contact investigations in Uganda remains low. The objective of this study was to examine health care providers' perceptions of factors influencing coverage of TB contact investigations in three selected rural health facilities in Mbarara district, southwestern Uganda.

Prevention and management of anaemia in pregnancy: Community perceptions and facility readiness in Ghana and Uganda.

Anaemia is one of the most common conditions in low- and middle-income countries, with prevalence increasing during pregnancy. The highest burden is in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where the prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy is 41.7% and 40%, respectively.

Clinical profiles, incidence and predictors of early neonatal mortality at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, south-western Uganda.

Background: The current neonatal mortality rate in Uganda is high at 22 deaths per 1000 live births, while it had been stagnant at 27 deaths per 1000 live births in the past decade. This is still more than double the World Health Organization target of < 12 deaths per 1,000 live births. Three-quarters of new born deaths occur within the first week of life, which is a very vulnerable period and the causes reflect the quality of obstetric and neonatal care.

Prevalence and correlates of frailty among older people with and without HIV in rural Uganda.

Background: The relationship between HIV and frailty, a predictor of poor outcomes in the face of stressors, remains unknown in older people in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: We analysed data from the Quality of Life and Ageing with HIV in Rural Uganda cohort study to estimate the prevalence and correlates of frailty among older people with HIV (PWH) on long-term antiretroviral therapy and among age and sex-similar HIV-uninfected comparators. Frailty was defined as a self-report of 3 or 4 (and pre-frailty as 1 or 2) of the following phenotypic variables: weight loss, exhaustion, low activity, and slowness.

Psychometric evaluation of the affiliate stigma scale for caregivers of people with mental illness in Uganda.

Background: Affiliate stigma is common among caregivers of people with mental illness and impacts negatively on the caregivers' quality of life and their ability to care for the patients. Although there is evidence of affiliate stigma in sub-Saharan Africa, the psychometric properties of commonly used tools are not available in the African context. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the factor structure of the affiliate stigma scale among caregivers of people with mental illness in southwestern Uganda.

Application of methylation in the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease, mainly characterized by perifibrocartilage osteitis of the sacroiliac joints and spinal enthesitis. To date, the exact pathogenesis of AS remains elusive. It is generally believed that AS is a multifactorial disease involving genetics, infection, environment, and immunity.

Point-of-care C-reactive protein measurement by community health workers safely reduces antimicrobial use among children with respiratory illness in rural Uganda: A stepped wedge cluster randomized trial.

Background: Acute respiratory illness (ARI) is one of the most common reasons children receive antibiotic treatment. Measurement of C-reaction protein (CRP) has been shown to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use among children with ARI in a range of clinical settings. In many resource-constrained contexts, patients seek care outside the formal health sector, often from lay community health workers (CHW).

FOXP3 serum concentration; a likely predictor of CIN and cervical cancer: Secondary analysis from a case control study at a clinic in South western Uganda.

Biomarkers including Forkhead/winged-helix transcription factor box P3 have been proposed in immunohistochemical techniques to diagnose cervical lesions, but can be objectively quantified and measured in blood using methods that can be standardised. In this study we quantified the serum FOXP3 concentrations and assessed their association with cervical lesions at the cervical cancer clinic of Mbarara Regional Hospital (MRRH) Southwestern Uganda. We performed secondary analysis on archived serum samples from a previous unmatched case control study in which we recruited 90 cervical cancer (CC) cases, 90 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) cases before any form of treatment and 90 controls.

Incidence of Acute Kidney Injury and Associated Mortality among Individuals with Drug-Susceptible Tuberculosis in Uganda.

Key Points: AKI is thought to be a rare complication in patients with tuberculosis (TB) infection and is mostly attributed to TB drugs. Our findings show AKI occurs more often than previously thought and approximately 33% of patients with drug-susceptible TB may have kidney dysfunction. According to our study findings, monitoring kidney function should be routine among patients diagnosed with TB even before treatment initiation.

Association between metabolic syndrome and cervical cancer among women in Southwestern Uganda: A case-control study.

Objective: To determine the association between MetS and its components with cervical cancer among women in South-western Uganda.

Methods: We conducted an unmatched case-control study on 470 participants in a 1:2 case-to-control ratio among women in southwestern Uganda. We recruited 157 women with cervical cancer as cases and 313 women without cervical cancer as controls at the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital Cervical Cancer Clinic.

Potential Impact of Current Agricultural Practices on Mycotoxin Occurrence and Mycotoxin Knowledge Along the Cassava Value Chain in Uganda.

Cassava is the second most important staple food crop for Uganda and is prone to contamination with mycotoxins. This study aimed at understanding the current agricultural practices, their potential influence on mycotoxin occurrence, as well as assessing mycotoxin knowledge among key cassava value chain actors, including farmers, wholesalers, and processors. Data were collected through individual interviews (210), key informant interviews (34), and 4 focus group discussions.

Exploring healthcare professionals' perspectives on neglected tropical diseases in Eastern Uganda: a qualitative study with a focus on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths.

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and schistosomiasis, continue to impose a heavy burden, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Uganda, despite being preventable. Integration of NTD management into primary healthcare has been inadequate. While researchers have explored community perspectives, there is a notable gap in understanding the viewpoints of healthcare workers (HCW), which is crucial for effective NTD control strategies.

Association between dyslipidemia and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: A case-control study in south-western Uganda.

Background: Altered lipid levels may be associated with the development of a number of malignancies, including cancer of the cervix. However, there is limited understanding of this relationship in the rural Ugandan context.

Objective: We investigated the connection between dyslipidaemias and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) among women attending the cervical cancer clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in south-western Uganda.

The epidemiology and risk factors for postnatal complications among postpartum women and newborns in southwestern Uganda: A prospective cohort study.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for two-thirds of the global burden of maternal and newborn deaths. Adverse outcomes among postpartum women and newborns occurring in the first six weeks of life are often related, though data co-examining patients are limited. This study is an exploratory analysis describing the epidemiology of postnatal complications among postpartum women and newborns following facility birth and discharge in Mbarara, Uganda.

Filicide in Africa: a systematic review.

Background: Filicide, the act of a parent or parental figure killing their child, has been reported in various African countries. However, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews on the prevalence and associated factors of filicide across the African continent, which is characterized by diverse cultural beliefs and practices. This review aims to examine the prevalence and risk factors of filicide in Africa.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Adverse Maternal Obstetrical Events Among Teenage Mothers Delivering in a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Southwestern Uganda.

Introduction: Many female teenagers in low-resource settings conceive, of which half are unplanned and end in many deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for the majority of the cases. Teenage pregnancy is associated sometimes with poor maternal, newborn, and child deaths.

Objectives:  The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence, maternal obstetric outcomes, and factors associated with poor maternal obstetric outcomes among teenage mothers delivering at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital.

Early contraceptive implant removal and associated factors among women attending public family planning clinics, Mbarara City, Southwestern Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Early implant removal not only results in method wastage and strains healthcare resources but also exposes women to the risk of unplanned pregnancies and associated complications if an alternative contraceptive is not promptly adopted. Studies have demonstrated that prevalence and factors associated with contraceptive use vary across different cultures and regions even within Uganda. We determined the prevalence and associated factors of early implant removal, among women attending public family planning clinics in Mbarara City, southwestern Uganda.

Gut-brain axis: A cutting-edge approach to target neurological disorders and potential synbiotic application.

The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) represents a sophisticated communication network between the brain and the gut, involving immunological, endocrinological, and neural mediators. This bidirectional interaction is facilitated through the vagus nerve, sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers, and is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Evidence shows that alterations in gut microbiota composition, or dysbiosis, significantly impact neurological disorders (NDs) like anxiety, depression, autism, Parkinson's disease (PD), and Alzheimer's disease (AD).