Diversity of the gut, vaginal and oral microbiome among pregnant women in South Africa with and without pre-eclampsia.

Background: Changes in microbial communities are a known characteristic of various inflammatory diseases and have been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the taxonomic composition and/or diversity of microbial communities in pre-eclampsia. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of the gut, vaginal and oral microbiome in a cohort of South African pregnant women with and without pre-eclampsia.

Perioperative Management for Emergency Surgery in Pediatric Patients with COVID-19: Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: The first wave of COVID-19 in 2020 created massive challenges in providing safe surgery for pediatric patients with COVID-19. Inevitably, emergency surgery and the unknown nature of the disease place a burden on the heavily challenged surgical services for pediatrics in a developing country. Lessons from the pandemic are important for future disaster planning.

Adolescent retention in HIV care within differentiated service-delivery models in sub-Saharan Africa.

Adolescents and young people living with HIV are at risk of disengaging from HIV care at all stages of the care cascade. Differentiated models of care offer simplified HIV-service delivery options in the hope of improving treatment outcomes, including retention on antiretroviral therapy. However, it remains unclear how successful and widespread these models are for adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, where the burden of HIV is the greatest.

FCGR3A gene duplication, FcγRIIb-232TT and FcγRIIIb-HNA1a associate with an increased risk of vertical acquisition of HIV-1.

Background: Some mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) studies suggest that allelic variations of Fc gamma receptors (FcγR) play a role in infant HIV-1 acquisition, but findings are inconsistent. To address the limitations of previous studies, the present study investigates the association between perinatal HIV-1 transmission and FcγR variability in three cohorts of South African infants born to women living with HIV-1.

Methods: This nested case-control study combines FCGR genotypic data from three perinatal cohorts at two hospitals in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Prognostic factors and scoring systems associated with outcome in pediatric acute liver failure.

Background: Pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) is an uncommon, devastating illness with significant mortality. Liver transplantation remains the mainstay of treatment for irreversible PALF. The purpose of this study was to determine the etiology and prognostic factors associated with outcome of PALF in South Africa and to evaluate prognostic scoring systems used.

Evaluation of the diagnostic performance of colposcopy in the diagnosis of histologic cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ (CIN2+).

Background: Colposcopy is a tool for triaging screen positive women regardless of method used for cervical cancer screening. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of colposcopy in the diagnosis of histologic cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2+ (CIN 2+) at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH), Thimphu, Bhutan.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2021 to August 2021 among 299 women who availed colposcopy services at the colposcopy clinic of JDWNRH, Bhutan.

Uterine Factor Infertility, a Systematic Review.

Uterine factor infertility (UFI) is defined as a condition resulting from either a complete lack of a uterus or a non-functioning uterus due to many causes. The exact prevalence of UFI is currently unknown, while treatments to achieve pregnancy are very limited. To evaluate the prevalence of this condition within its different causes, we carried out a worldwide systematic review on UFI.

Mecomium peritonitis: A case report.

• Meconium peritonitis is an inflammatory peritonitis due to the discharge of meconium into the peritoneal cavity secondary to perforation of the fetal intestine. • It is accessible to antenatal diagnosis by obstetrical ultrasound. The clinical picture is not very specific.

Healthy dynamics of CD4 T cells may drive HIV resurgence in perinatally-infected infants on antiretroviral therapy.

In 2019 there were 490,000 children under five living with HIV. Understanding the dynamics of HIV suppression and rebound in this age group is crucial to optimizing treatment strategies and increasing the likelihood of infants achieving and sustaining viral suppression. Here we studied data from a cohort of 122 perinatally-infected infants who initiated antiretroviral treatment (ART) early after birth and were followed for up to four years.

Minimal Cross-resistance to Tenofovir in Children and Adolescents Failing ART Makes Them Eligible for Tenofovir-Lamivudine-Dolutegravir Treatment.

Background: Fixed-dose combination of dolutegravir (DTG) with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and lamivudine (3TC) likely improves adherence and has a favorable resistance profile. We evaluated predicted efficacy of TLD (TDF-3TC-DTG) in children and adolescents failing abacavir (ABC), zidovudine (AZT), or TDF containing regimens.

Methods: Drug resistance mutations were analyzed in a retrospective dataset of individuals <19 years of age, failing ABC (n = 293) AZT (n = 288) or TDF (n = 69) based treatment.

Intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) and CXC3L1 evaluation as biomarkers for patients at high-risk for coeliac disease in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Coeliac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder and one of the few gastroenteropathies with accurate serological testing. CD serology has decreased accuracy for patients on a gluten-free diet and for monitoring mucosal healing. New ancillary tests would, therefore, be useful.

Tuberculosis of the breast neoplastic-like about two report cases: A rare often unrecognized diagnosis.

Tuberculosis of the breast is a very rare infection; it occurs chiefly in women of childbearing potential, usually as an apparently primary infection and constitutes a diagnosis and therapeutic challenge. Administration of antituberculous agents is the mainstay of therapy. Surgery is required in some cases.

Clinical presentation and short-term outcomes of multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children in Lagos, Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case series.

Background: Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has increasingly been documented globally with the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant proportion of cases have been noted in children of Black descent. There has been a noticeable discrepancy in the presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in sub-Saharan Africa compared to the rest of the world. We documented the demography, clinical features, laboratory and imaging findings, therapeutic management, and short-term outcomes of paediatric patients with MIS-C diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lagos, Nigeria.

Acro-callous syndrome: A case report.

A malformative syndrome of unknown prevalence, the diagnosis is based on morphological ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging of the fetus. The transmission is genetic and autosomal recessive. Courtnes has established 4 diagnostic criteria to affirm the acrocal syndrome and to eliminate the amalgam with other polymalformative syndrome.

Efficacy and Safety of Ferric Carboxymaltose in the Management of Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Multi-Center Real-World Study from India.

Background: Parenteral iron preparations, like ferric carboxymaltose (FCM), are commonly used to manage moderate-to-severe iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Real-world data on efficacy and safety of FCM is limited in India.

Methods: A retrospective, observational and real-world study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of FCM in adolescents and adults with IDA across 269 centers in India.

Neutralising reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants by vaccination and infection history.

Background: The continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) with immune escape properties, such as Delta (B.1.617.

Acquired uterine arterio-venous malformation post molar pregnancy suction-curettage: 2 case reports.

Introduction: Acquired uterine AVM is an abnormal and non-functional connection between uterine arteries and veins. It is reported as a consequence of uterine trauma as curettage procedures, pelvic surgery.

Cases Presentation: The authors report 2 cases of uterine AVM post suction-curettage procedure on molar pregnancy incidentally discovered in ultrasound screening in the usual follow-up of this disease, diagnosed in the Department of Maternity of Mother and Child University Hospital Abderrahim Harouchi of Casablanca.

Amniotic band syndrome: A case report.

Amniotic band syndrome is a rare disorder, which consists of a combination of malformations in which the main feature is the existence of an amniotic band that can envelop the limbs, the body wall, and/or the viscera. We report a case of an antenatal diagnosis of amniotic band syndrome in a 21-year-old female patient at 20 SA + 1 day, who had a medical abortion.

Molecular Diagnosis of Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1 and Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis in Moroccan Patients With Nephrolithiasis and/or Nephrocalcinosis.

Nephrolithiasis (NL) and urolithiasis (UL) are usual reasons for hospitalization and presentation in pediatric outpatient departments and their incidence continues to rise worldwide. In Morocco, a previous epidemiological study done in the Fez region between January 2003 and November 2013 reported a prevalence of 0.83% of childhood UL.

Primary perimenarcheal ovarian leiomyosarcoma: A case report and review of the literature.

Introduction And Importance: Leiomyosarcomas of the ovary are extremely rare neoplasia usually occurring in perimenopausal patients.

Case Presentation: A 16-year-old female patient, with no particular pathological history, who presented with chronic pelvic pain. On imaging; presence of a suprauterine solid cystic formation of 12 cm long axis.

Optical Thermography Infrastructure to Assess Thermal Distribution in Critically Ill Children.

The temperature distribution at the skin surface could be a useful tool to monitor changes in cardiac output. The aim of this study was to explore infrared thermography as a method to analyze temperature profiles of critically ill children. Patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) were included in this study.

Adolescent experiences of mistreatment during childbirth in health facilities: secondary analysis of a community-based survey in four countries.

Introduction: Pregnancy and childbearing among adolescents-especially younger adolescents-is associated with health complications and lost opportunities for education and personal development. In addition to established challenges adolescents and young women face in sexual and reproductive healthcare, evidence suggests that they also face mistreatment during childbirth.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the WHO study 'How women are treated during facility-based childbirth' cross-sectional community survey in Ghana, Guinea, Myanmar and Nigeria.