Basic ENT training for enhanced healthcare worker knowledge, attitudes and practices in a resource-limited setting: a pre-post and post-post cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Diagnostic errors in ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases are prevalent among healthcare workers (HCWs) in resource-limited settings, yet comprehensive data that describe HCW knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding ENT disease management remains scarce. Further, the impact of basic ENT training on HCW KAP in such settings is largely undetermined.

Objective: We assessed HCW KAP before and after basic training in ENT disease management.

"The COVID-19 pandemic in BRICS: Milestones, interventions, and molecular epidemiology".

Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) are a group of developing countries with shared economic, healthcare, and scientific interests. These countries navigate multiple syndemics, and the COVID-19 pandemic placed severe strain on already burdened BRICS' healthcare systems, hampering effective pandemic interventions. Genomic surveillance and molecular epidemiology remain indispensable tools for facilitating informed pandemic intervention.

SARS-CoV-2 Infections in a Triad of Primary School Learners (Grades 1-7), Their Parents, and Teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Protocol for a Cross-Sectional and Nested Case-Cohort Study.

Background: In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as South Africa, there is paucity of data on SARS-CoV-2 infections among children attending school, including seroprevalence and transmission dynamics.

Objective: This pilot study aims to assess (1) the prevalence of self-reported or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 prior infections, COVID-19 symptoms (including long COVID), seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and general/mental health, (2) longitudinal changes in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, and (3) SARS-CoV-2 acute infections, immune responses, transmission dynamics, and symptomatic versus asymptomatic contacts in a unique cohort of unvaccinated primary school learners, their parents, teachers, and close contacts in semirural primary school settings.

Methods: Learners (grades 1-7) from primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, their parents, and teachers will be invited to enroll into the COVID kids school study (CoKiDSS).

Herpes simplex virus type 2 in sub-Saharan Africa and the potential impact of helminth immune modulation.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and helminth infections are among the most widespread infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Helminths are known to modulate host immune responses and consequently impact the severity and outcomes of unrelated diseases, including allergies, autoimmune conditions, and infectious diseases. In this way, helminths may modulate essential immune responses against HSV-2 during co-infection and may alter susceptibility to and pathology of HSV-2.

Evaluation of Treatment Outcomes Among Individuals on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Despite access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), South Africa has a high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) burden. Treatment outcomes among individuals on highly active ART (HAART) in KwaZulu-Natal, with a higher incidence of HIV, are not fully known. This study evaluated the impact of HAART outcomes and identified and analyzed the factors associated with the outcomes in people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in the high-incidence region of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

Immunogenicity and safety following a homologous booster dose of a SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike protein vaccine with Matrix-M adjuvant (NVX-CoV2373) versus a primary series in people living with and without HIV-1 infection in South Africa: A randomized crossover phase 2a/2b trial.

COVID-19 remains a global public health issue and an improved understanding of vaccine performance in immunocompromised individuals, including people living with HIV (PLWH), is needed. Initial data from the present study's pre-crossover/booster phase were previously reported. This phase 2a/b clinical trial in South Africa (2019nCoV-501/NCT04533399) revisits 1:1 randomly assigned HIV-negative adults (18-84 years) and medically stable PLWH (18-64 years) who previously received two NVX-CoV2373 doses (5 μg recombinant Spike protein with 50 μg Matrix-M™ adjuvant) or placebo.

Treatment Outcomes for Dermatosis Papulosa Nigra Using Low-Intensity Electrodesiccation Device in African Patients.

Objective: We aimed to document the treatment outcomes of African patients treated with low-intensity electrodesiccation for DPN's. Other treatment options for DPN's include snip excision, light curettage, cryotherapy, and lasers devices such as PDL, Nd: YAG, KTP, and CO2, which are generally unsafe for darker skin types and come with high costs.

Methods: Nonprobability convenience sampling of patient records was used to extract retrospective data on demographics and treatment outcomes according to the inclusion criteria.

Off-label use of medicines in South Africa: a review.

Background: Off-label use of medicinal products has become an important part of mainstream and legitimate medical practice worldwide. This practice is common in oncology, obstetrics, paediatrics, and in the management of infectious diseases (notably HIV), and inflammatory conditions as well as in rare and/or orphan diseases. However, the off-label use of medicines recently-raised many clinical and legal difficulties, not only among medical practitioners but also among pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.

Evaluating compliance with quality indicators of HIV and AIDS clinical care and analyzing those associated with mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background: Since human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) infection have been identified, significant improvements have been made concerning its diagnosis and treatment. Few contributions have been made in the area of quality indicators in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). To address this gap, a recent study conducted in the said area in 2023 resulted in the development of a comprehensive list of 88 indicators for assessing the quality of clinical care for HIV and AIDS.

Engagement and learning approaches among medical students in an online surgical teaching programme: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the transition of all teaching and learning of final-year General Surgery students to an online platform. Despite the utility of online methods, challenges exist such as a sense of impersonal learning, and poor student engagement. Student engagement with course content is important for deep learning.

Immunoexpression of placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) in the placental bed of preeclamptic women of African ancestry living with HIV infection.

Preeclampsia, a severe pregnancy complication linked to defective placentation, poses significant maternal risks and is characterized by dysregulated angiogenic factors, including placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1). Women with HIV/AIDS and receiving ART may face an increased susceptibility to preeclampsia development due to immunological and angiogenic imbalance. This study investigates the immunoexpression of these factors in the context of HIV-associated preeclampsia, utilizing morphometric image analysis.

Dynamics and ecology of a multi-stage expansion of Oropouche virus in Brazil.

In March 2024, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert in response to a rapid increase in Oropouche fever cases across South America. Brazil has been particularly affected, reporting a novel reassortant lineage of the Oropouche virus (OROV) and expansion to previously non-endemic areas beyond the Amazon Basin. Utilising phylogeographic approaches, we reveal a multi-scale expansion process with both short and long-distance dispersal events, and diffusion velocities in line with human-mediated jumps.

Computational and theoretical insights into the cytotoxic prospects of compounds isolated from against Leukemia.

The present study investigated the cytotoxic prospects of isolated compounds from against leukemia, using computational tools. Comprehensive literature searches revealed only buchaninoside, mutangin, methyl 3β-acetoxy-11α, 19α, 28-trihydroxyurs-12-en-23-oic acid, 3β, 11α, 19α-trihydroxyurs-12-en-23, 28-dioic acid, 3β-acetoxy-19α, 24, 28-trihydroxyurs-12-ene, 3-oxo-19α,28-dihydroxyurs-12-en-24-oic acid, and elabunin have been isolated from . The compounds were subjected to Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) analyses, with Fms-like tyrosine kinase (FLT3) and catalytic binding sites of Murine Leukemia Virus (MLV) as the target proteins in lukemia.

The impact of COVID-19 on patients affected by rare diseases and congenital disorders in South Africa: A scoping review.

Rare diseases (RDs) are individually rare but collectively common, affecting an estimated 1 in 15 individuals in South Africa (SA). Patients with an RD often face a long diagnostic odyssey (>5 years on average) and many obstacles in accessing healthcare. A scoping review was conducted to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SA RD community.

Graduate reflections on Community Service: a view of roles in practice.

Background: In South Africa, newly qualified physiotherapists transition to the workplace during community service, often in diverse healthcare settings, attending to patients with complex ailments. The transition is complicated by the shortage of rehabilitation personnel, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. While higher education curricula should prepare students for the workplace, the roles and expectations of new therapists remain unclear.

Treatment of HIV Infection in Children Across the Age Spectrum: Achievements and New Prospects.

Despite advances in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, new pediatric HIV infections continue, necessitating optimized and simplified antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimens tailored for children. Advances in treatment options have been made possible by the availability of child-friendly fixed-dose formulations with decreased dosing frequency, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Ongoing work to improve ART options for neonates and supporting the shift toward long-acting ART for children and adolescents remains a priority.

India's role in the odyssey of medical training in South Africa.

Apartheid had a devastating impact on medical education in South Africa. Until the development of the University of Natal Medical School in 1951, there were minimal opportunities for blacks (collectively Africans, Indians and so-called coloureds) to undertake undergraduate and postgraduate medical training in South Africa. At the height of apartheid (1968-1977), whites who had constituted 17% of the population, accounted for up to 87% of all medical graduates.

Nasal Light Reflex: A Useful Intraoperative Tool in Correction of Cleft Lip Nasal Deformity.

Background: The correction of a unilateral cleft lip nasal deformity remains a challenge to cleft surgeons. It is difficult to obtain a routinely predictable outcome. This is in part due to there being no objective intraoperative method to assess the correction.

Evaluation of the Human Placental Microbiota in Early- and Late-Onset Pre-Eclampsia.

Introduction: Despite many decades of research, the exact etiology of pre-eclampsia (PE) remains unknown. Several etiopathologies have been suggested, including the role of the placental microbiota. However, the existence of placental microbiota and its possible contribution to pregnancy complications, particularly PE has remained controversial.

Phylogenetic evidence of extensive spatial mixing of diverse HIV-1 group M lineages within Cameroon but not between its neighbours.

From the perspective of developing relevant interventions for treating HIV and controlling its spread, it is particularly important to comprehensively understand the underlying diversity of the virus, especially in countries where the virus has been present and evolving since the cross-species transmission event that triggered the global pandemic. Here, we generate and phylogenetically analyse sequences derived from the (2010 bp;  = 115), partial (345 bp;  = 36), and (719 bp;  = 321) genes of HIV-1 group M (HIV-1M) isolates sampled between 2000 and 2022 from two cosmopolitan cities and 40 remote villages of Cameroon. While 52.

Changes in patient-reported outcomes during admission to a South African psychiatric facility.

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are used as part of clinical practice to determine the impact of the condition and treatment interventions on a patient's health and quality of life. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a self-administered diagnostic tool that has been widely adopted for the detection and monitoring of depression.

Aim: This analysis reports the change in PHQ-9 scores from admission to discharge in patients admitted for depression to a South African acute psychiatric facility and aims to quantify the treatment effect of the admission using the PHQ-9 as the measurement tool.

A Capacity Audit of Medical Geneticists and Genetic Counsellors in South Africa, 2024: A National Crisis.

Community genetic services were introduced in South Africa almost seven decades ago, with medical geneticists and genetic counsellors being formally recognized for the past 30 years. Initial training platforms were established at academic centres countrywide, and posts for relevant healthcare professionals, including medical geneticists and genetic counsellors were created in the public sector. Despite these early advances, the number of these specialists required to address the rising burden of congenital disorders in the country remains far below required targets established by the National Department of Health.