Childhood Vaccinations and Associated Factors in 35 Sub-Saharan African Countries: Secondary Analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys Data from 358 949 Under-5 Children.

. We examined childhood vaccinations coverage and its associated factors in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. .

Implementation of malaria vector surveillance and insecticide resistance monitoring interventions in Nigeria.

Malaria vector surveillance is required to determine disease transmission dynamics, vector insecticide susceptibility status, suitable control strategies and impact of control interventions. However, capacity and resources for vector surveillance and insecticide resistance monitoring is often inadequate in most countries at risk of vector-borne diseases. Collaborations and linkages between malaria control policy makers and existing research institutions generating vector surveillance research data are often weak, thereby hindering the availability of data for decision-making.

The Trends, Clinicopathological Features, and Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Prostate Cancer in Lokoja, Nigeria.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) was the most common noncutaneous cancer among Nigerian men in 2020. Despite this high incidence, documented rates may be an underestimation.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the hospital incidence rate, trends, and characterise the clinicopathologic features, and treatment outcomes of patients with PCa in our institution.

Acceptance and Completion Rates of 3-Month Isoniazid-Rifampicin (3HR) Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment (TPT) Among Contacts of Bacteriologically Confirmed TB Patients-Patients' and Healthcare Workers' Perspectives.

Providing tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) to close contacts of persons with TB is a core strategy recommended by WHO for the prevention and control of TB. Nigeria rolled out the 3-month Isoniazid-Rifampicin (3HR) shorter regimen TPT as a pilot for use among eligible adult and child contacts. This study assesses acceptance and completion rates of 3HR TPT among contacts and determines the perspectives of healthcare workers (HCWs) and contacts on acceptance and completion of 3HR TPT in Nigeria.

Putting Trainees at the Center of the Family Medicine Research Workforce of Tomorrow.

The Family Medicine Research Summit culminated in a strategic action plan to enhance research in family medicine and expand the primary care research workforce. The strategic plan focuses on infrastructure, mentorship, and funding objectives needed for robust family medicine research. Trainees play a central role in the success of the strategic plan.

'Making abortion safe': abortion and post-abortion care providers' experiences of stigma in Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Background: Social stigma and the marginalisation of abortion care within medical settings can negatively affect abortion providers. While some research has evaluated stigma interventions in legally restrictive settings, little work has explored the experiences of healthcare professionals (HCPs) providing abortion and post-abortion care (PAC) outside the USA. This study, part of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' 'Making Abortion Safe' programme, aimed to understand providers' experiences of abortion stigma in four African countries with restrictive legislation.

Prostruc: an open-source tool for 3D structure prediction using homology modeling.

Introduction: Homology modeling is a widely used computational technique for predicting the three-dimensional (3D) structures of proteins based on known templates,evolutionary relationships to provide structural insights critical for understanding protein function, interactions, and potential therapeutic targets. However, existing tools often require significant expertise and computational resources, presenting a barrier for many researchers.

Methods: Prostruc is a Python-based homology modeling tool designed to simplify protein structure prediction through an intuitive, automated pipeline.

Global surgery is stronger when infection prevention and control is incorporated: a commentary and review of the surgical infection landscape.

Incorporating infection prevention and control (IPC) is crucial for strengthening global surgery, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This review article highlights the critical role IPC plays in ensuring equitable and sustainable surgical care, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3 and 10, which aim to promote health and reduce inequalities. Surgical site infections (SSIs) and other healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) disproportionately affect LMICs, where IPC infrastructure is often underdeveloped.

Breastfeeding support as predictors of sustainable breastfeeding practices of nursing mothers with common mental disorders in tertiary hospital nurseries in Nigeria: a cross sectional study.

Background: The postpartum period is associated with an increased risk of maternal mental disorders. The combined effect of having the mother's infant admitted to a tertiary hospital in a low-resource setting and the need to exclusively breastfeed the infant may exaggerate this risk. This study aimed to determine the breastfeeding support provided to mothers whose infants were hospitalised in Nigerian tertiary hospital nurseries and the prevalence of common mental health disorders among this population.

Unveiling the Potential of Natural Resources-Derived Therapeutics for Improved Malaria Management: Computational to Experimental Studies.

Malaria kills millions of people annually, and it is one of the major causes of preventable mortality in the world. Of the different plasmodium species that induce malaria, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax account for the most severe form of malarial disease in humans. This review focuses on understanding preventive measures, mutation-based disease evolution, malaria-related biomarkers, and potential plant bioactive components for the treatment and management of malaria.

Prevalence, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes of childhood tuberculosis in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a leading cause of infection-related deaths worldwide. Children with underdeveloped immune systems are particularly vulnerable, experiencing symptoms akin to common childhood illnesses. Early diagnosis and treatment typically yield positive outcomes.

Microbiome Differences in Colorectal Cancer Patients and Healthy Individuals: Implications for Vaccine Antigen Discovery.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer worldwide, with numerous risk factors contributing to its development. Recent research has illuminated the significant role of the gut microbiota in CRC pathogenesis, identifying various microbial antigens as potential targets for vaccine development.

Aim: This review aimed at exploring the potential sources of microbial antigens that could be harnessed to create effective CRC vaccines and understand the role of microbiome-CRC interactions in carcinogenesis.

Collaborative design of a care pathway for pharmacy-based PrEP delivery in Nigeria: insights from stakeholder consultation.

Background: HIV remains a significant public health problem, particularly in Africa, where two-thirds of global cases occur. Nigeria is among the three countries with the highest burden. Despite free access to pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP) in Nigerian hospitals, stigma, distance, and restrictive clinic hours hinder uptake, especially among vulnerable populations.

Assessment of the differences in Mean Age at Menarche (MAM) among adolescent girls in rural and urban Nigeria: a systematic review.

Introduction: Globally, there has been a decline in the age of menarche; the decline is higher in poorer countries than in richer ones. The measurement of the decline was based on the reported mean age at menarche (MAM) across the countries. There is a significant knowledge gap in investigating the generational decline in MAM in low- and median-income countries (LMC).

Evaluation of three rapigen biocredit point-of-care tests for malaria case management in Lagos, Nigeria.

Introduction: Histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) antigen kits are widely used for malaria diagnosis in tropical regions due to their heat stability. The Plasmodium Lactate Dehydrogenase (pLDH) used in BIOCREDIT® malaria test kit is claimed to be heat-stable. This study aimed to evaluate the heat stability and field performance of three BIOCREDIT® kits.

Defining the genetic profile of prostate cancer.

Several studies indicated that prostate cancer has a hereditary component. In particular, a significant risk of prostate cancer has been linked to a tight familial lineage. However, to provide insight into how prostate cancer is inherited, characterising its genetic profile is essential.

A review of the association between in vitro fertilization and children's neurocognitive development.

This review investigated the current research on the association between in vitro fertilization and children's neurocognitive development. Twenty studies were analyzed, encompassing over 23,000 children conceived through IVF, and compared to those conceived naturally. The findings on overall cognitive function were mixed, as measured by IQ.

Inducible clindamycin resistance among clinical Gram-positive cocci in a tertiary hospital in Niger Republic.

. Macrolide-induced resistance to clindamycin is a well-described mechanism leading to treatment failure. Herein, we determined the frequency and associated factors of inducible clindamycin resistance in Gram-positive cocci in a tertiary care hospital.

Modeling the Distribution of the Rare and Red-Listed Halophytic Moss Species Under Various Climate Change Scenarios in Serbia.

is a rare moss species of the salty grasslands in Serbia. It is threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction and loss, although it reproduces sexually. In this study, we tested different models predicting its distribution under several climate scenarios over the next 8 decades.

Finding the missed millions: innovations to bring tuberculosis diagnosis closer to key populations.

Current strategies to promptly, effectively, and equitably screen people with tuberculosis (TB) and link them to diagnosis and care are insufficient; new approaches are required to find the millions of people around the world with TB who are missed each year. Interventions also need to be designed considering how people interact with health care facilities and where appropriate should be suitable for use in the community. Here, the historical, new, and reemerging technologies that are being utilised for TB diagnosis globally are discussed, whilst highlighting that how we use and evaluate tests is just as important as the tests themselves.

Uptake and Acceptability of HIV Self-Testing Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Their Male Partners in Sub-Saharan Africa: Benefits, Challenges, and Delivery Strategies.

Background: HIV self-testing (HIVST) offers a novel solution for increasing HIV testing among pregnant and postpartum women and their male partners, especially in low-resource settings. These groups often face barriers such as stigma, fear, and limited access to traditional HIV-testing services.

Methods: We reviewed qualitative and quantitative studies focusing on HIVST implementation in both public and private healthcare settings among pregnant and postpartum women and male partners in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), analyzed uptake, male involvement, and barriers.

Impact of Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 Viral Shedding on COVID-19 Disease Outcome and Viral Dynamics.

This article aimed to review the current literature on the impact of continuous shedding of the COVID-19 virus in infected patients in relation to disease outcome variables and viral dynamics. Electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and MedlinePlus were searched using relevant keywords, restricting the selection to thirty-two peer-reviewed articles and four gray literatures from the WHO websites. Findings from this study showed that several variables such as sex, age, immune status, treatments, and vaccines were found to affect the outcomes associated with the COVID-19 virus shedding.