2564 research outputs found
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Investing in Knowledge for Those Most in Need: Preparing General and Visceral Surgeons in Hand Surgery for Humanitarian Surgical Aid
No full textWho Needs to Be Targeted for HIV Testing and Treatment in KwaZulu-Natal? Results From a Population-Based Survey
No full textIdentifying gaps in HIV testing and treatment is essential to design specific strategies targeting those not accessing HIV services. We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with being HIV untested, unaware, untreated, and virally unsuppressed in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Immune Responses to an Oral Cholera Vaccine in Internally Displaced Persons in South Sudan
No full textDespite recent large-scale cholera outbreaks, little is known about the immunogenicity of oral cholera vaccines (OCV) in African populations, particularly among those at highest cholera risk. During a 2015 preemptive OCV campaign among internally displaced persons in South Sudan, a year after a large cholera outbreak, we enrolled 37 young children (1-5 years old), 67 older children (6-17 years old) and 101 adults (≥18 years old), who received two doses of OCV (Shanchol) spaced approximately 3 weeks apart. Cholera-specific antibody responses were determined at days 0, 21 and 35 post-immunization. High baseline vibriocidal titers (>80) were observed in 21% of the participants, suggesting recent cholera exposure or vaccination. Among those with titers ≤80, 90% young children, 73% older children and 72% adults seroconverted (≥4 fold titer rise) after the 1(st) OCV dose; with no additional seroconversion after the 2(nd) dose. Post-vaccination immunological endpoints did not differ across age groups. Our results indicate Shanchol was immunogenic in this vulnerable population and that a single dose alone may be sufficient to achieve similar short-term immunological responses to the currently licensed two-dose regimen. While we found no evidence of differential response by age, further immunologic and epidemiologic studies are needed
Cross-Sectionally Estimated Age-Specific HIV Incidence Among Young Women in a Rural District of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
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Efficacy and Effectiveness of an rVSV-Vectored Vaccine in Preventing Ebola Virus Disease: Final Results from the Guinea Ring Vaccination, Open-Label, Cluster-Randomised Trial (Ebola Ça Suffit!)
No full textrVSV-ZEBOV is a recombinant, replication competent vesicular stomatitis virus-based candidate vaccine expressing a surface glycoprotein of Zaire Ebolavirus. We tested the effect of rVSV-ZEBOV in preventing Ebola virus disease in contacts and contacts of contacts of recently confirmed cases in Guinea, west Africa
Ebola Virus Disease in Pregnancy: Clinical, Histopathologic and Immunohistochemical Findings
No full textHere we describe clinicopathologic features of EVD in pregnancy. One woman infected with Sudan virus in Gulu, Uganda in 2000 had a stillbirth and survived, and another woman with Bundibugyo virus had a livebirth with maternal and infant death in Isiro, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2012. Ebolavirus antigen was seen in the syncytiotrophoblast and placental maternal mononuclear cells by immunohistochemistry, and no antigen was seen in fetal placental stromal cells or fetal organs. In the Gulu case, ebolavirus antigen localized to malaria pigment-laden macrophages. These data suggest trophoblast infection may be a mechanism of transplacental ebolavirus transmission
Improved Neonatal Mortality at a District Hospital in Aweil, South Sudan
No full textNeonatal deaths comprise a growing proportion of global under-five mortality. However, data from the highest-burden areas is sparse. This descriptive retrospective study analyses the outcomes of all infants exiting the Médecins sans Frontières-managed neonatal unit in Aweil Hospital, rural South Sudan from 2011 to 2014. A total of 4268 patients were treated over 4 years, with annual admissions increasing from 687 to 1494. Overall mortality was 13.5% (n = 576), declining from 18.7% to 11.1% (p for trend <0.001). Newborns weighing <2500 g were at significantly increased mortality risk compared with babies ≥2500 g (odds ratio = 2.27, 95% confidence interval = 1.9-2.71, p < 0.001). Leading causes of death included sepsis (49.7%), tetanus (15.8%), respiratory distress (12.8%) and asphyxia (9.2%). Tetanus had the highest case fatality rate (49.7%), followed by perinatal asphyxia (26.5%), respiratory distress (20.4%) and neonatal sepsis (10.5%). Despite increasing admissions, overall mortality declined, indicating that survival of these especially vulnerable infants can be improved even in a basic-level district hospital programme
HIV Testing, Antiretroviral Therapy, and Treatment Outcomes in New Cases of Tuberculosis in Brazil, 2011
No full textObjective To assess the implementation of HIV-related interventions for patients with tuberculosis (TB), as well as TB treatment outcomes in patients coinfected with HIV in Brazil in 2011. Methods This was a cross-sectional, operational research study of HIV-related interventions among TB cases and the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of TB-HIV coinfected patients. It also used a retrospective cohort design to determine the association between antiretroviral therapy (ART) and favorable TB treatment outcomes. The source of data was a linkage of 2011 administrative health databases used by the National TB and HIV/AIDS Programs. Results Of 73 741 new cases of TB reported, 63.6% (46 865 patients) were tested for HIV; 10.3% were positive. Of patients with HIV, 45.9% or 3 502 were on ART. TB favorable outcome was achieved in 63.1% or 2 205 coinfected patients on ART and in only 35.4% or 1 459 of those not on ART. On multivariate analysis, the relative risk for the association between ART and TB treatment success was 1.72 (95% Confidence Interval = 1.64-1.81). Conclusions The linkage between national TB and HIV datasets has created a convenient baseline for ongoing monitoring of HIV testing, ART use, and TB treatment outcomes among coinfected patients. The low rates of HIV screening and ART use in 2011 need to be improved. The association between ART and treatment success adds to the evidence supporting timely initiation of ART for all patients with TB-HIV coinfection