Position, shape and direction of opening of the mental foramen in dry mandibles of Tanzanian adult black males.

This study was aimed at documenting the location, shape, and direction of the opening of the mental foramen in dry mandibles of adult black Tanzanian population. A hundred mandibles were available for studying. In 45% the mental foramen was located below the apex of the second premolar, 35% between the second premolar and the first molar, 12% between the first premolar and second premolar and 8% below the first molar.

Peripheral nerve injury induced expression of mRNA for serine protease inhibitor 3 in the rat facial and hypoglossal nuclei but not in the spinal cord.

The current work has documented the expression of the mRNAs for serine protease inhibitor 3 (SPI-3) in the facial and hypoglossal nuclei following peripheral nerve transection by using the in situ hybridization method. The signals appeared 6 hour after nerve injury; they became stronger on day 1 of injury and persisted for 21 days. SPI-3 may be involved during early events of modulating the activities of serine proteases following nerve injury.

Difficult choices: infant feeding experiences of HIV-positive mothers in northern Tanzania.

Infant feeding represents a great challenge in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (pMTCT). The international guidelines informing infant feeding counselling suggest feeding methods that reduce the risk of HIV transmission, and discourage mixed feeding (combining breastfeeding with other fluids and solids). The feasibility and the social acceptability of the recommended feeding methods are hotly debated currently.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C viral co-infections among children infected with human immunodeficiency virus attending the paediatric HIV care and treatment center at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Background: With increased availability of antibiotics and antifungal agents hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are becoming a cause for significant concern in HIV infected children. We determined the seroprevalence and risk factors for HBV and HCV among HIV infected children aged 18 months to 17 years, attending the Paediatric HIV Care and Treatment Center (CTC) at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Methods: Investigations included; interviews, physical examination and serology for HBsAg, IgG antibodies to HCV and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.

Validation of the Radimer/Cornell food insecurity measure in rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to assess the construct validity, criterion-related validity and internal consistency of the Radimer/Cornell food insecurity measure for use in rural Tanzania.

Design: A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted from March to May 2005. Key adaptations to the nine-item Radimer/Cornell items included translation to Swahili, replacing the term 'balanced diet' with 'full meal' and constructing the items as questions rather than statements.

Assessing the performance, practices and roles of drug sellers/dispensers and mothers'/guardians' behaviour for common childhood conditions in Kibaha district, Tanzania.

In most third world countries, self-medication is common and pharmacies, drug stores and drug shops are important providers of health advice and inexpensive medicines. We used exit interviews to assess drug sellers'/dispensers' roles and consumers' behaviour in Kibaha district, Coast region, Tanzania. Exit interviews with mothers/guardians reported the following childhood conditions treated with or without prescriptions at drug shops: respiratory infections (34%), fever (21%), a combination of diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection (ARI) and fever (14%), diarrhoea alone (13%) and other conditions (17%).

Challenges for management of the diabetic foot in Africa: doing more with less.

Diabetes mellitus reached epidemic proportions in much of the less-developed world over a decade ago. In Africa, incidence and prevalence rates of diabetes are increasing and foot complications are rising in parallel. The predominant risk factor for foot complications is underlying peripheral neuropathy, although there is a body of evidence that confirm the increasing role of peripheral vascular disease.

Slow progression of HIV-1 infection in a cohort of antiretroviral naïve hotel workers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania as defined by their CD4 cell slopes.

Data on slow progression following HIV-1 infection in Africa are sparse. From a study on the natural history of HIV-1 infection in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, an analysis of immunological and clinical data from 237 HIV-1 seropositive individuals was performed. Annual CD4 cell determinations were carried out by flow cytometry.

Health workers perceptions on chloroquine and sulfadoxine/sulfalene pyrimethamine monotherapies: implications for the change to combination therapy of artemether/lumefantrine in Tanzania.

Objective: To describe, from health workers (HWs) perspectives, the potential and actual barriers to the implementation of the first change of policy from chloroquine (CQ) to Sulfadoxine / Sulfalane - Pyrimewthamine (SP) in preparation for the second change of policy to Artemisinin based Combination Therapies (ACTs).

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of HWs using questionnaire interviews was carried out in public and private health facilities in Songea Urban district. The interview concerned awareness and knowledge on the commonly used antimalarial drugs as given in the new policy, focusing on SP use and the associated side effects as well as perceptions on the potency and safety of SP versus CQ and the perceived alternative antimalarial drugs to non-response or reaction to SP.

Group premiums in micro health insurance experiences from Tanzania.

Objective: The main objective was to assess how group premiums can help poor people in the informal economy prepay for health care services.

Methods: A comparative approach was adopted to study four groups of informal economy operators (cobblers, welders, carpenters, small scale market retailers) focusing on a method of prepayment which could help them access health care services. Two groups with a total of 714 operators were organized to prepay for health care services through a group premium, while the other two groups with a total of 702 operators were not organized to prepay through this approach.

Knowledge, attitude and acceptability of spermicidal contraception among university students in Dar es Salaam.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, acceptability and attitude towards the use of spermicides among students of University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).

Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted over four-month period among UDSM students. A random sample of students was recruited from all three university campus namely University College of Land and Architectural Studies (UCLAS), Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences (MUCHS) and Mlimani Campus (MC).

Health seeking behavior among cancer patients attending Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Tanzania.

Objectives: To characterize cancer patients and to determine the associated health seeking behaviours.

Methods: Between September 2005 and February 2006, we collected data using structured and semi-structured interviews among new cancer patients attending the ORCI. Findings are summarized using univarite and bivariate analyses.

Assessing the impact of educational intervention for improving management of malaria and other childhood illnesses in Kibaha District-Tanzania.

Objective: The study was carried out to evaluate short term effects of one to one educational intervention approach, conducted with 40 drug sellers in order to improve the private sector's practices, compliance and performance in using the national treatment guidelines for malaria and other common childhood (diarrhoea, acute respiratory tract infection-ARI) illnesses in Kibaha district-Tanzania.

Methods: The training took place one month after baseline data collection. Data collection was undertaken eight months after training and the effects of training was evaluated.

Tooth and lip mutilation practices and associated tooth loss and oral mucosal lesions in the Makonde People of southeast Tanzania.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of tooth and lip mutilation (TLM) and the prevalence of tooth loss and the associated oral mucosal lesions among adults in south east Tanzania.

Design: A cross sectional, clinical study and questionnaire administration.

Setting: Rural population in southeast Tanzania.

Skinning the goat and pulling the load: transactional sex among youth in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Transactional sex has been associated with risk of HIV infection in a number of studies throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Urban young women are economically vulnerable and at heightened risk of HIV infection in Tanzania; yet there are few studies that have explored relationship dynamics, including transactional sex, in this setting. This paper sheds light on the broader context of sexual relationships among youth at risk for HIV, how transactional sex plays out in these relationships, and how the transactional nature of relationships affects women's risk for HIV.

Traditional health practitioner and the scientist: bridging the gap in contemporary health research in Tanzania.

Traditional health practitioners (THPs) and their role in traditional medicine health care system are worldwide acknowledged. Trend in the use of Traditional medicine (TRM) and Alternative or Complementary medicine (CAM) is increasing due to epidemics like HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases like cancer. Despite the wide use of TRM, genuine concern from the public and scientists/biomedical heath practitioners (BHP) on efficacy, safety and quality of TRM has been raised.

Ethnopharmacological survey of the Bunda district, Tanzania: plants used to treat infectious diseases.

An ethnobotanical study was carried out in six villages in the Bunda district, Mara Region, Tanzania, where the use of plants still has a special meaning to the society, in the treatment of various diseases. Information was obtained from the traditional healers and other experienced persons, having some knowledge on medicinal plants. Fifty-two plants were reported for use in the treatment of various infectious diseases.

Chewing problems and dissatisfaction with chewing ability: a survey of older Tanzanians.

This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of reported chewing problems and dissatisfaction with chewing ability. Discrepancy between reported chewing problems and satisfaction/dissatisfaction with chewing ability was examined. A household survey was conducted in Tanzania in 2004/2005.

Identification of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli isolated from infants and children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Background: Relatively few studies have been done in Tanzania to detect and classify diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) strains among children with diarrhea. This study aimed at investigating DEC among children in Dar es Salaam aged less than five years hospitalized due to acute/persistent diarrhea.

Methods: DEC were isolated from stool samples collected from two hundred and eighty children with acute/persistent diarrhea at Muhimbili National Hospital and Ilala and Mwananyamala Municipal Hospitals in Dar es Salaam.

Apocrine secretory processes in the goblet cells of rat colon following stimulation with carbamylcholine.

Goblet cells have been shown to secrete via apocrine process, but there are no detailed morphological features that show the types of apocrine release processes. The goblet cells of the colon of the male albino rats were stimulated with carbamylcholine (CCh) and examined by transmission and scanning electron microscopy for the purpose of studying the morphology of apocrine secretory processes. In the unstimulated control rats goblet cells secreted via exocytosis and apocrine mechanisms; but apocrine secretion was more commonly observed than exocytosis.

HIV and infant feeding counselling: challenges faced by nurse-counsellors in northern Tanzania.

Background: Infant feeding is a subject of worry in prevention of mother to child transmission (pMTCT) programmes in settings where breastfeeding is normative. Nurse-counsellors, expected to counsel HIV-positive women on safer infant feeding methods as defined in national/international guidelines, are faced with a number of challenges. This study aims to explore the experiences and situated concerns of nurses working as infant feeding counsellors to HIV-positive mothers enrolled in pMTCT programmes in the Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania.

Extent and outcome of self-medication by patients reporting to a private skin clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

A total of 350 patients (203 females and147 males) attending Meise private skin clinic in Dar es Salaam were interviewed to elicit information on various aspects of self-medication including skin conditions for which self medication is commonly used, type and source of medication, the appropriateness for the medication and the outcome of self-medication. Thirty percent of the patients could not ascertain the type of medication they used. The drugs commonly used for self-medication were anti-fungals (42%), antibiotics (25%), steroid containing drugs (10%), analgesics (44%), antihistamines 6(%) and others (13 %).

Maternal oral health status and preterm low birth weight at Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania: a case-control study.

Background: The study examined the relationship between oral health status (periodontal disease and carious pulpal exposure (CPE)) and preterm low-birth-weight (PTLBW) infant deliveries among Tanzanian-African mothers at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Tanzania.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted, involving 373 postpartum mothers aged 14-44 years (PTLBW--150 cases) and at term normal-birth-weight (TNBW)--223 controls), using structured questionnaire and full-mouth examination for periodontal and dentition status.

Results: The mean number of sites with gingival bleeding was higher in PTLBW than in TNBW (P = 0.

Microbiological quality assessment of natural therapeutic herbal drug products prepared locally in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

One hundred and eighty one liquid and 183 powder preparations were purchased from different herbalists practising in open air markets in Hala District Dar es Salaam Region and analysed for total viable aerobic plate counts. Isolated microorganisms were identified by conventional microbiological and biochemical methods. The study revealed that the level of bacterial contamination in both liquid and powder drug samples was significantly higher (P <0.

Shed some light on darkness: will Tanzania reach the millennium development goals?

Unlabelled: The overall picture of health in sub-Saharan Africa can easily be painted in dark colours. The aim of this viewpoint is to discuss epidemiological data from Tanzania on overall health indicators and the burden of malaria and HIV. Is the situation in Tanzania improving or deteriorating? Are the health-related millennium development goals (MDG) on reducing under-five mortality, reducing maternal mortality and halting HIV and malaria within reach?

Conclusion: Child mortality and infant mortality rates are decreasing quite dramatically.