Phenotypic Characterization of Subtype A and Recombinant AC Transmitted/Founder Viruses from a Rwandan HIV-1 Heterosexual Transmission Cohort.

HIV-1 subtypes have distinct geographical distributions, with subtypes A, C, and D and inter-subtype recombinants circulating in sub-Saharan Africa. Historically, individuals living with subtype A viruses exhibit slower CD4 decline and progression to AIDS diagnosis. Despite this, there are few authentic infectious molecular clones (IMCs) of subtype A or AC recombinant transmitted founder (TF) viruses with which to investigate viral impacts on pathogenesis.

Synergistic and Antagonistic Effects of Mixed-Leaf Litter Decomposition on Nutrient Cycling.

Understanding decomposition patterns of mixed-leaf litter from agroforestry species is crucial, as leaf litter in ecosystems naturally occurs as mixtures rather than as separate individual species. We hypothesized that litter mixtures with larger trait divergence would lead to faster mass loss and more balanced nutrient release compared to single-species litter. Specifically, we expected mixtures containing nutrient-rich species to exhibit synergistic effects, resulting in faster decay rates and sustained nutrient release, while mixtures with nutrient-poor species would demonstrate antagonistic effects, slowing decomposition.

Diversity, Distribution, and Resistance Profiles of Bacterial Bloodstream Infections in Three Tertiary Referral Hospitals in Rwanda Between 2020 and 2022.

: The burden of bacterial bloodstream infections (BSIs) is rapidly increasing in Africa including Rwanda. : This is a retrospective study that investigates the diversity, distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of BSI bacteria in three tertiary referral hospitals in Rwanda between 2020 and 2022. : A total of 1532 blood culture tests were performed for visiting patients.

Identification of 2,4-Di--Butylphenol as an Antimicrobial Agent Against Bacteria from Rwandan Propolis.

Background/objectives: Acne is the most prevalent dermatological condition among humans, affecting approximately 80% of adolescents during puberty. To date, numerous compounds have been used for acne treatment, including erythromycin ointments and antiseptics, with varying degrees of success. The emergence of erythromycin-resistant strains has spurred the search for new antimicrobial agents, particularly from natural sources.

Prescription Practices and Usage of Antimicrobials in a Tertiary Teaching Hospital in Rwanda: A Call for Antimicrobial Stewardship.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem that results in high morbidity and mortality, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Inappropriate use of antimicrobials is a major driver of AMR. This study aimed to evaluate the rate and quality of antimicrobial prescription and use at the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), a tertiary-referral teaching hospital.

Patient satisfaction survey in a public hospital: Remera Rukoma District Hospital, Rwanda, 2023.

Background: Patient satisfaction is a crucial indicator of healthcare quality, influencing outcomes and providing insights for improvement. This study aims to assess patient satisfaction levels, and associated factors, and identify areas for enhancement at Remera Rukoma District Hospital (RRDH) in Rwanda, where such data was previously lacking.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using a mixed approach of data collection was conducted, involving 384 participants (164 inpatients, 220 outpatients).

Continuous Glucose Monitoring Among Patients with Type 1 Diabetes in Rwanda (CAPT1D) Phase I: Feasibility Study.

Background: The development of minimally invasive continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMs) has transformed diabetes management. CGMs have shown clinical significance by improving time in the euglycemic range, decreasing rates of hypoglycemia, and improving HbA1c. In Rwanda, CGMs are currently not in routine use, and no clinical studies of CGM use were identified in the literature.

African Schistosomiasis: A Framework of Indicators Assessing the Transmission Risk and Intervention Effectiveness.

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease with a complex transmission mechanism, requiring a snail intermediate host, is influenced by biology, the environment, human behavior and the prevailing socioeconomic situation. This study aimed to systematically investigate the importance and feasibility of indicators related to the factors influencing transmission and intervention measures for and . Based on a literature review and group discussions according to the Delphi method, a framework questionnaire was designed.

Germline sequence variation in cancer genes in Rwandan breast and prostate cancer cases.

Cancer genetic data from Sub-Saharan African (SSA) are limited. Patients with female breast (fBC), male breast (mBC), and prostate cancer (PC) in Rwanda underwent germline genetic testing and counseling. Demographic and disease-specific information was collected.

Evaluating practices toward dental health among primary school children in Rwanda.

Background: Dental diseases pose a global health problem that significantly affects overall well-being and quality of life. They are frequently neglected in many regions, despite the availability of preventive measures and it remains unclear whether these measures are effectively implemented in practice. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate dental health practices among primary school children in both rural and urban areas of Rwanda.

Understanding progress and challenges in women's health and wellbeing in exemplar countries: a time-series study identifying positive outliers.

Background: Women's health and wellbeing (WHW) forms a multidimensional continuum across the life course, with intersecting power dynamics including socioeconomic and ethnic positioning. The WHW Exemplars project uses robust quantitative approaches to identify best-performing low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) in improving WHW across the entire life course.

Methods: Using the life course approach, we created a list of 32 cross-sectional indicators belonging to nine dimensions based on a conceptual framework to assess progress in WHW.

Weight and Lipid Levels in People Living With HIV and Initiating a Dolutegravir-Based Regimen in a Resource Limited Setting: A Prospective Study.

Following the 2018 World Health Organization's (WHO) guidelines on HIV treatment and management, the Zimbabwean government has embraced dolutegravir (DTG)-based regimens as the preferred first-line treatment for people living with HIV (PLWH). Despite this implementation, there remains a paucity of knowledge on the potential associations between DTG-based regimens, body weight and blood lipid levels among PLWH in Zimbabwe. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate variances in body weight and blood lipid levels at two distinct timepoints-baseline and 6-month post-DTG initiation.

''Practices and factors affecting on-site medical equipment maintenance at Wau Teaching Hospital, South Sudan''.

Background Of The Study: Along with developments in the clinical domain, medical equipment is becoming more sophisticated, and it needs to function at peak efficiency. In this case, hospitals should priorities the prompt and effective maintenance of life-saving equipment. The purpose of the study was to determine medical equipment maintenance practices, to find out an important factor that influences on-site medical equipment maintenance practices and to suggest possible areas for improvement.

Challenges in institutional ethical review process and approval for international multicenter clinical studies in lower and middle-income countries: the case of PARITY study.

Background: One of the greatest challenges to conducting multicenter research studies in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) is the heterogeneity in regulatory processes across sites. Previous studies have reported variations in requirements with a lack of standardization in the Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes between centers, imposing barriers for approval, participation, and development of multicenter research.

Objectives: To describe the regulatory process, variability and challenges faced by pediatric researchers in LMICs during the IRB process of an international multicenter observational point prevalence study (Global PARITY).

Survey in ruminants from Rwanda revealed high diversity and prevalence of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Enterobacterales constitutes a significant threat to the health of both humans and animals and a socioeconomic problem. Enterobacterales, mainly Escherichia coli, carrying β-lactamases has become one of the main indicators to estimate the burden of AMR in animals within "One Health" approach.

Objectives: To assess the presence of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales associated with ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats) habituated in all five provinces of Rwanda and to perform in depth characterization of isolates.

Privacy guarantees for personal mobility data in humanitarian response.

Personal mobility data from mobile phones and other sensors are increasingly used to inform policymaking during pandemics, natural disasters, and other humanitarian crises. However, even aggregated mobility traces can reveal private information about individual movements to potentially malicious actors. This paper develops and tests an approach for releasing private mobility data, which provides formal guarantees over the privacy of the underlying subjects.

Transforming Africa's food systems: building resilience to deliver healthy diets.

Food systems in Africa are under pressure from climate change, conflicts, health pandemics such as COVID-19 and rising food prices. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted weaknesses in global food systems and indeed Africa's was not spared. Although COVID-19 mortality and morbidity in Africa were relatively low in comparison to other regions, the containment measures employed by countries amplified a rather dire situation.

Technological Barriers to Routine Genomic Surveillance for Vaccine Development Against SARS-CoV-2 in Africa: A Systematic Review.

The Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data, a public-access database for sharing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 genomic sequencing data, has received significantly less data from African countries compared to the global total. Furthermore, the contribution of these data was infrequent and, for some countries, non-existent. The primary aim of this review is to identify the technological barriers to routine genomic surveillance in Africa.