Going paperless: the strengths and limitations of electronic research ethics information management system in a health training institution in Tanzania.

Background: Over the years, the processing of research proposals for ethical approvals have been done manually through a review of hard copies. Longer turn-around-time, increased financial costs to researchers and cumbersome submission processes are few of the challenges inherent to paper-based review of research proposals. This has necessitated the shift to electronic management of research proposals, Research Ethics Information Management Systems (REIMS).

Factors associated with adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-positive adolescents and young adult patients attending HIV care and treatment clinic at Bombo Hospital in Tanga region-Tanzania.

Background: Adherence to HIV treatment regimens involves the consistent and correct intake of all prescribed medications. The implementation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) program has significantly reduced mortality among adolescents living with HIV. However, adherence to ART is lower among adolescents compared to other sub-populations and even lower in sub-Saharan Africa.

Technical and management coaching for government institutions: Lessons learned and health systems transformations across 8 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and India.

Traditional engagement with local governments often relies on financial and human resources from international or local partners, leading to direct implementation by organizations, which can hinder sustainability. While some organizations include sustainability indicators, few focus on transferring technical and financial ownership to governments. The Challenge Initiative (TCI) uses a phased coaching model-lead, assist, observe, and monitor-to build local government capacity for scaling family planning (FP) and adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health (AYSRH) programs.

Projected changes in climate extremes over Tanzania.

Understanding projected changes in climate extremes at local and regional scales is critical for reducing society's vulnerability to such extremes, as it helps to devise informed adaptation strategies and contributes to informed decision-making processes. In this paper, we analysed projected changes in climate extremes across regions in Tanzania using outputs of high-resolution regional climate models from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment program (CORDEX-Africa). The indices analysed here are those recommended by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) to characterise climate extremes over different regions.

Machine learning derived retinal pigment score from ophthalmic imaging shows ethnicity is not biology.

Few metrics exist to describe phenotypic diversity within ophthalmic imaging datasets, with researchers often using ethnicity as a surrogate marker for biological variability. We derived a continuous, measured metric, the retinal pigment score (RPS), that quantifies the degree of pigmentation from a colour fundus photograph of the eye. RPS was validated using two large epidemiological studies with demographic and genetic data (UK Biobank and EPIC-Norfolk Study) and reproduced in a Tanzanian, an Australian, and a Chinese dataset.

Molecular xenomonitoring of Schistosoma mansoni infections in Biomphalaria choanomphala at Lake Victoria, East Africa: Assessing roles of abiotic and biotic factors.

Lake Victoria is a well-known hot spot for intestinal schistosomiasis, caused by infection with the trematode Schistosoma mansoni. The snail intermediate hosts of this parasite are Biomphalaria snails, with Biomphalaria choanomphala being the predominant intermediate host within Lake Victoria. The prevalence of S.

Comparing between newly diagnosed, ART-naive people living with HIV and HIV-uninfected adults in Tanzania: clues for cardiovascular disease prevention.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a major cause of premature mortality in people living with HIV (PLWH). There is a need to characterize the cardiovascular health profiles of PLWH to appropriately guide primary prevention efforts, particularly in settings like Sub-Saharan Africa, where there is a high burden of HIV and limited resources. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on a cohort of newly diagnosed PLWH and HIV-uninfected adults recruited from three HIV clinics in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Comparing fresh root yield and quality of certified and farmer-saved cassava seed.

Formal systems supporting the delivery of high-quality cassava seed are being established in several key cassava producing countries in Africa. Questions remain, however, about the value of certified cassava seed when compared to seed which is recycled multiple times, which is standard farmer practice. A study was therefore conducted to compare fresh cassava root yields of high-quality seed (HQS) versus farmer-saved (recycled) seed (FSS) for three widely grown improved cassava varieties in Tanzania namely: , and .

Influence of government policies on handwashing and vaccine uptake in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to prevent and control COVID-19: a systematic review.

Introduction: The government's role in influencing policies related to Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine distribution and handwashing practices is essential in controlling the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Methods: This study aimed to systematically review published studies to explore the influence of government policies on handwashing and vaccine uptake in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to prevent and control COVID-19. A comprehensive search strategy was applied across three databases, and eligibility was determined using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Comparison of Paired Immunofluorescent Antibody Serology and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing for the Detection of Acute Q Fever among Febrile Patients in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, 2012-2014.

Acute Q fever diagnosis via paired serology is problematic because it requires follow-up for convalescent sample collection; as such, it cannot provide a diagnosis to inform a treatment decision at the time of acute presentation. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may be a useful approach for the diagnosis of acute Q fever in endemic settings. Among febrile patients enrolled in a sentinel surveillance study for Q fever at two referral hospitals in Moshi, Tanzania, from 2012 to 2014, we analyzed those with paired sera for IgG to Coxiella burnetii (C.

Subsequent pregnancies in the IMPAACT 2010/VESTED Trial: high rate of adverse outcomes in women living with HIV.

Introduction: Women with HIV (WHIV) have higher risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes, particularly in the absence of antiretroviral treatment(ART), and timing of ART may impact risk.

Methods: In IMPAACT 2010 (VESTED), 643 pregnant WHIV in 9 countries were randomized 1:1:1 to initiate ART: dolutegravir (DTG)+emtricitabine(FTC)/tenofovir alafenamide(TAF); DTG+FTC/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) or efavirenz (EFV)/FTC/TDF. We describe adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with a subsequent pregnancy during 50 weeks of postpartum follow-up: spontaneous abortion (<20 weeks), stillbirth (≥20 weeks), preterm delivery (<37 weeks) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA).

Management Outcomes of Variceal Bleeding in Northern Tanzania: Insights From a Single-Center Retrospective Analysis.

Aims: Due to the expensiveness and unavailability of endoscopy management in Tanzania, the management outcomes of variceal bleeding are unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the management outcomes of patients with variceal bleeding.

Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted between April 2012 and April 2022.

Quality intrapartum care and associated factors in East Africa: multilevel analysis of recent demographic and health survey.

Background: The time during labor and delivery is crucial for the survival of both women and their infants, as complications that occur during this period can significantly increase the risk of morbidity and mortality. In developing nations, women of reproductive age and their infants are still at risk of morbidity and death from complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Morbidity and death from complications of pregnancy and childbirth can be prevented through the utilization of quality care during labor and delivery.

Caregivers' Perceived Threat Of Sickle Cell Disease Complications And Its Association With Hydroxyurea Use Among Children With Sickle Cell Disease In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Purpose: Tanzania is the fifth country with the highest sickle cell disease (SCD) prevalence globally. Although hydroxyurea (HU) is available, only 25% of persons with SCD are reported to use it in Tanzania. Perceived disease threat is associated with medication usage in patients with chronic diseases.

Using waist circumference as a predictor of hypertension in Manzese, Dar es Salaam: a community-based cross-sectional study, 2023.

Introduction: It is estimated that 1.3 billion people in the world have hypertension and a large proportion of them are unaware. Waist circumference has emerged as Potential predictor of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) risk; however, fewer studies in Tanzania have evaluated its role in screening for CVD risk.

Innovative nanocomposites for pollutant capture: Adsorption of rhodamine B dye using polyaniline-coated chitosan trisodium citrate nanocomposites.

Wastewater contamination by organic dyes, especially Rhodamine B (RhB), possess a significant environmental challenge. This study explores a novel bio sorbent for the removal of RhB dye from contaminated water, using chitosan trisodium citrate-modified magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@CSTSC@PANI) coated with polyaniline. The nanocomposite was characterized by FT-IR, XRD, HRTEM, SEM, BET surface analysis.

Facilitating and Constraining Factors for Achievement of Strategic Health Sector Results: Findings From a Qualitative Study of 15 Councils in Tanzania.

Strategic planning and strategic plans have gained popularity in the public sectors, including the health sector. However, the factors that facilitate and constrain the achievement of strategic planning outcomes have remained key research questions in the public sector and the health sector. From the perspectives of the council health managers, we explored the factors that facilitated or constrained the achievement of strategic results set out in the 2015-2020 Health Sector Strategic Plan in Tanzania Mainland.

A matter of timing: Biting by malaria-infected Anopheles mosquitoes and the use of interventions during the night in rural south-eastern Tanzania.

Knowing when and where infected mosquitoes bite is required for estimating accurate measures of malaria risk, assessing outdoor exposure, and designing intervention strategies. This study combines secondary analyses of a human behaviour survey and an entomological survey carried out in the same area to estimate human exposure to malaria-infected Anopheles mosquitoes throughout the night in rural villages in south-eastern Tanzania. Mosquitoes were collected hourly from 6PM to 6AM indoors and outdoors by human landing catches in 2019, and tested for Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite infections using ELISA.

How and why does mode of birth affect processes for routine data collection and use? A qualitative study in Bangladesh and Tanzania.

The World Health Organization recognises Routine Health Information System (RHIS) data as integral to data-driven health systems; needed to improve intrapartum outcomes for maternal and newborn health worldwide. However, research in Bangladesh and Tanzania suggests that mode of birth affects register data accuracy, but little is known about why. To address this gap, we undertook qualitative research in these two public-sector health systems.

TaqMan Array Card real-time polymerase chain reaction panel to detect pathogens in whole blood of febrile inpatients in northern Tanzania, 2016-2019.

Background: Acute febrile illness is a common reason for seeking healthcare in low- and middle-income countries. We describe the diagnostic utility of a TaqMan Array Card (TAC) real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panel for pathogen detection in paediatric and adult inpatients admitted with febrile illness.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we screened medical admissions for a tympanic temperature ≥38.

Insights into the biology and insecticide susceptibility of the secondary malaria vector Anopheles parensis in an area with long-term use of insecticide-treated nets in northwestern Tanzania.

Background: The Anopheles funestus group includes at least 11 sibling species, with Anopheles funestus Giles being the most studied and significant malaria vector. Other species, like Anopheles parensis, are understudied despite their potential role in transmission. This article provides insights into the biology and insecticide susceptibility of An.

Morphological diversity of the genus Telmatochromis from the Lake Tanganyika drainage with the description of a new riverine species and the generic reassignment of the Malagarasi River lamprologine.

The lamprologine cichlid genus Telmatochromis was long considered primarily lacustrine and endemic to Lake Tanganyika until an undescribed Telmatochromis species was reported from the Lufubu River (Lake Tanganyika drainage, Zambia). A phylogenomic study in 2021 confirmed the association of Telmatochromis sp. "lufubu" with Telmatochromis along with another riverine species, Neolamprologus devosi (Malagarasi drainage, Tanzania).

Observational study of the third delay in emergency obstetric triage at the referral national hospital in Tanzania: Baseline survey.

Aim: This study aimed to grasp the third delay using an observational method of actual nurses/midwives' practice overtime during care provision to emergency obstetric patients in a tertiary referral national hospital.

Methods: A prospective quantitative design was employed to observe the 24-h obstetric triage process from February 4 to March 7, 2023.

Results: This study involved observations of 120 obstetric patients with mean maternal age of 29.

Dynamical modeling of Salmonellosis in humans and dairy cattle with temperature and pH effects.

Approximately 20 million cases and 0.15 million human fatalities worldwide each year are caused by Salmonellosis. A mechanistic compartmental model based on ordinary differential equations is proposed to evaluate the effects of temperature and pH on the transmission dynamics of Salmonellosis.