Articles

Intestinal schistosomiasis of Ijinga Island, north-western Tanzania: prevalence, intensity of infection, hepatosplenic morbidities and their associated factors

Intestinal schistosomiasis is highly endemic in Tanzania and mass drug administration (MDA) using praziquantel is the mainstay of the control program. However, the MDA program covers only school aged children ...

Authors: Andreas Mueller, Antje Fuss, Uwe Ziegler, Godfrey M. Kaatano and Humphrey D. Mazigo

Past history of stage I/II solid tumor malignancy impacts considerably on sepsis mortality: a propensity score matching analysis from the hellenic sepsis study group

Whether past history of solid stage I/II inactive cancer has an impact on 28-day mortality of sepsis remains unclear. We aimed to determine the impact of history of stage I or II solid tumor malignancy in comp...

Authors: George Dimοpoulos, Nikoletta Rovina, Maria Patrani, Eleni Antoniadou, Dimitrios Konstantonis, Konstantina Vryza, Glykeria Vlachogianni, Miltiades Kyprianou, Christina Routsi and Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis

Risk factors and survival of patients infected with carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in a KPC endemic setting: a case-control and cohort study

Many gaps in the burden of resistant pathogens exist in endemic areas of low- and middle-income economies, especially those endemic for carbapenem resistance. The aim of this study is to evaluate risk factors ...

Authors: Astrid V. Cienfuegos-Gallet, Ana M. Ocampo de Los Ríos, Patricia Sierra Viana, Faiver Ramirez Brinez, Carlos Restrepo Castro, Gustavo Roncancio Villamil, Helena del Corral Londoño and J. Natalia Jiménez

Multiple sequence types responsible for healthcare-associated Acinetobacter baumannii dissemination in a single centre in Egypt

Acinetobacter baumannii is an increasingly worrying organism in the healthcare setting, due to its multidrug resistance and persistence. Prolonged hospitalisation, immunocompromised patients and excessive antibio...

Authors: Leena Al-Hassan, Mai M. Zafer and Hadir El-Mahallawy

Forecasting incidence of hand, foot and mouth disease using BP neural networks in Jiangsu province, China

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a rising public health problem and has attracted considerable attention worldwide. The purpose of this study was to develop an optimal model with meteorological factors t...

Authors: Wendong Liu, Changjun Bao, Yuping Zhou, Hong Ji, Ying Wu, Yingying Shi, Wenqi Shen, Jing Bao, Juan Li, Jianli Hu and Xiang Huo

Four-color multiplex real-time PCR assay prototype targeting azithromycin resistance mutations in Mycoplasma genitalium

The worldwide expansion of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) in cases of genital infections has led to an increased recurrence rate of these infections after first-line azithromycin treatment. By det...

Authors: Olivier Thellin, Benaïssa Elmoualij, Willy Zorzi, Jorgen S. Jensen, Renaud Close, Valerie Deregowski, Muriel Le Guern Fellous and Pascale Quatresooz

Association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and thyroid dysfunction: a case-control seroprevalence study

The association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and thyroid disease has been poorly studied. Therefore, we sought to determine the association between T. gondii seropositivity and thyroid dysfunction.

Authors: Cosme Alvarado-Esquivel, Agar Ramos-Nevarez, Carlos Alberto Guido-Arreola, Sandra Margarita Cerrillo-Soto, Alma Rosa Pérez-Álamos, Sergio Estrada-Martínez, Verónica Dayali Gutierrez-Martinez, Antonio Sifuentes-Alvarez, Eda Guadalupe Ramírez-Valles and Edith Contreras-Cisneros

Detecting influenza and emerging avian influenza virus by influenza and pneumonia surveillance systems in a large city in China, 2005 to 2016

Detecting avian influenza virus has become an important public health strategy for controlling the emerging infectious disease.

Authors: Xiaorong Guo, Dong Yang, Ruchun Liu, Yaman Li, Qingqing Hu, Xinrui Ma, Yelan Li, Heng Zhang, Xixing Zhang, Benhua Zhao and Tianmu Chen

An exploratory pilot study evaluating the supplementation of standard antibiotic therapy with probiotic lactobacilli in south African women with bacterial vaginosis

To reduce acquisition and relapse of bacterial vaginosis (BV), lactobacilli must be maintained in the vaginal microbiome. Probiotic lactobacilli may aid this purpose. We investigated whether vaginal probiotics...

Authors: Harold Marcotte, Per Göran Larsson, Kasper Krogh Andersen, Fanglei Zuo, Lasse Sommer Mikkelsen, Erik Brandsborg, Glenda Gray, Fatima Laher and Kennedy Otwombe

Bacterial resistance trends among intraoperative bone culture of chronic osteomyelitis in an affiliated hospital of South China for twelve years

The purpose of this study was to gather temporal trends on bacteria epidemiology and resistance of intraoperative bone culture from chronic ostemyelitis at an affiliated hospital in South China.

Authors: Xianghong Zhang, Qiong Lu, Tang Liu, Zhihong Li and Weiliang Cai

A cluster-randomised controlled trial comparing school and community-based deworming for soil transmitted helminth control in school-age children: the CoDe-STH trial protocol

Current guidelines and targets for soil-transmitted helminth (STH) control focus on school-based deworming for school-age children, given the high risk of associated morbidity in this age group. However, expan...

Authors: Naomi E. Clarke, Dinh Ng-Nguyen, Rebecca J. Traub, Archie C. A. Clements, Kate Halton, Roy M. Anderson, Darren J. Gray, Luc E. Coffeng, John M. Kaldor and Susana Vaz Nery

Screening HIV-positive men who have sex with men for hepatitis C re-infection risk: is a single question on condom-use enough? A sensitivity analysis

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common in men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV. The Swiss HCVree Trial targeted a micro-elimination by using a treat and counsel strategy. Self-reported condomless anal intercour...

Authors: Patrizia Künzler-Heule, Sandra Engberg, Manuel Battegay, Axel J. Schmidt, Katharina Fierz, Huyen Nguyen, Agnes Kocher, Christiana Nöstlinger, Benjamin Hampel, Marcel Stöckle, Charles Béguelin, Julie Delaloye, Patrick Schmid, Markus Flepp, Mathieu Rougement, Dominique Laurent Braun…

Association between lipodystrophy and length of exposure to ARTs in adult HIV-1 infected patients in Montreal

The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of lipodystrophy and its association to cumulative exposure to antiretroviral drugs.

Authors: Ahmad Alikhani, Helene Morin, Stephanie Matte, Pouriya Alikhani, Cécile Tremblay and Madeleine Durand

Nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from specimens of pulmonary tuberculosis suspects, Northern Tunisia: 2002–2016

Reports on the worldwide ascending trend of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolation rates and their effective role in respiratory tract infections are compelling. However, as yet, there are no su...

Authors: Reem Gharbi, Besma Mhenni, Saloua Ben Fraj and Helmi Mardassi

Intensive phase treatment outcome and associated factors among patients treated for multi drug resistant tuberculosis in Ethiopia: a retrospective cohort study

Multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is resistant to at least Rifampicin and Isoniazid drugs. The treatment success rate for MDR-TB cases is lower than for dru...

Authors: Teklu Molie, Zelalem Teklemariam, Eveline Klinkenberg, Yadeta Dessie, Andargachew Kumsa, Hussen Mohammed, Adisalem Debebe, Dawit Assefa, Abebe Habte, Ahmed Bedru, Daniel Fiseha and Berhanu Seyoum

Incidence and predictors of lost to follow-up among drug-resistant tuberculosis patients at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a retrospective follow-up study

The emergence of Drug-Resistance Tuberculosis (DR-TB) is an increasing global public health problem. Lost to Follow-up (LTFU) from DR-TB treatment remains a major barrier to tuberculosis epidemic control and b...

Authors: Getahun Molla Kassa, Alemayehu Shimeka Teferra, Haileab Fekadu Wolde, Atalay Goshu Muluneh and Mehari Woldemariam Merid

Infections due to Cellulosimicrobium species: case report and literature review

Cellulosimicrobium species, formely known as Oerskovia species, are gram-positive bacilli belonging to the order Actinomycetales. They rarely cause human infections. The genus comprises two pathogenic species in ...

Authors: María Rivero, Javier Alonso, María Fernanda Ramón, Nancy Gonzales, Ana Pozo, Itxaso Marín, Ana Navascués and Regina Juanbeltz

Rapid development of HIV elite control in a patient with acute infection

Elite controllers (EC), a small subset of the HIV-positive population (< 1%), suppress HIV viremia below the limit of quantification of clinical viral load assays in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (ART)...

Authors: Deirdre Morley, John S. Lambert, Louise E. Hogan, Cillian De Gascun, Niamh Redmond, Rachel L. Rutishauser, Cassandra Thanh, Erica A. Gibson, Kristen Hobbs, Sonia Bakkour, Michael P. Busch, Jeremy Farrell, Padraig McGetrick and Timothy J. Henrich

Community-led delivery of HIV self-testing to improve HIV testing, ART initiation and broader social outcomes in rural Malawi: study protocol for a cluster-randomised trial

Prevention of new HIV infections is a critical public health issue. The highest HIV testing gaps are in men, adolescents 15–19 years old, and adults 40 years and older. Community-based HIV testing services (HT...

Authors: Pitchaya P. Indravudh, Katherine Fielding, Moses K. Kumwenda, Rebecca Nzawa, Richard Chilongosi, Nicola Desmond, Rose Nyirenda, Cheryl C. Johnson, Rachel C. Baggaley, Karin Hatzold, Fern Terris-Prestholt and Elizabeth L. Corbett

Rubella transmission and the risk of congenital rubella syndrome in Liberia: a need to introduce rubella-containing vaccine in the routine immunization program

Rubella is an RNA virus in the genus Rubivirus within the Matonaviridae family. Rubella remains a leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects. Most African countries including Liberia do not currently prov...

Authors: Abyot Bekele Woyessa, Mohammed Seid Ali, Tiala K. Korkpor, Roland Tuopileyi II, Henry T. Kohar, John Dogba, April Baller, Julius Monday, Suleman Abdullahi, Thomas Nagbe, Gertrude Mulbah, Mohammed Kromah, Jeremy Sesay, Kwuakuan Yealue, Tolbert Nyenswah and Mesfin Zbelo Gebrekidan

Molecular characteristics of group B Streptococcus isolates from infants in southern mainland China

Invasive group B Streptococcus (GBS) disease in Chinese infants has gradually gained attention in recent years, but the molecular epidemiology of the pathogen is still not well known.

Authors: Juan Li, Wenjing Ji, Kankan Gao, Haijian Zhou, Lihua Zhang, Xiaoping Mu, Chunlei Yuan, Xiaoshan Guan, Qiulian Deng, Lian Zhang, Huamin Zhong, Xiurong Gao, Fei Gao, Yan Long, Chien-Yi Chang, David J. McIver…

Hepatitis B infection in the general population of China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health problem in China. Over a decade has passed since the last National Hepatitis Seroepidemiological Survey was conducted in 2006. The lack of updated dat...

Authors: Huai Wang, Peixuan Men, Yufeng Xiao, Pei Gao, Min Lv, Qianli Yuan, Weixin Chen, Shuang Bai and Jiang Wu

Use of a mobile application for Ebola contact tracing and monitoring in northern Sierra Leone: a proof-of-concept study

The 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa was the largest Ebola epidemic to date. Contact tracing was a core surveillance activity. Challenges with paper-based contact tracing systems include incomplete iden...

Authors: Lisa O. Danquah, Nadia Hasham, Matthew MacFarlane, Fatu E. Conteh, Fatoma Momoh, Andrew A. Tedesco, Amara Jambai, David A. Ross and Helen A. Weiss

Uptake of care and treatment amongst a national cohort of HIV positive infants diagnosed at primary care level, South Africa

Loss to follow-up after a positive infant HIV diagnosis negates the potential benefits of robust policies recommending immediate triple antiretroviral therapy initiation in HIV positive infants. Whilst the dia...

Authors: Elelwani Mathivha, Steve Olorunju, Debra Jackson, Thu-Ha Dinh, Nicolette du Plessis and Ameena Goga

Longitudinal adherence to maternal antiretroviral therapy and infant Nevirapine prophylaxis from 6 weeks to 18 months postpartum amongst a cohort of mothers and infants in South Africa

Despite improved policies to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT), adherence to maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART) and infant Nevirapine prophylaxis (NVP) is low in South Africa. We describe ART ...

Authors: Anna Larsen, Vuyolwethu Magasana, Thu-Ha Dinh, Nobubelo Ngandu, Carl Lombard, Mireille Cheyip, Kassahun Ayalew, Witness Chirinda, Gurpreet Kindra, Debra Jackson and Ameena Goga

Factors associated with non-attendance at scheduled infant follow-up visits in an observational cohort of HIV-exposed infants in South Africa, 2012–2014

Since 2001 the South African guidelines to improve child health and prevent vertical HIV transmission recommended frequent infant follow-up with HIV testing at 18 months postpartum. We sought to understand non...

Authors: Nobubelo Kwanele Ngandu, Debra Jackson, Carl Lombard, Duduzile Faith Nsibande, Thu-Ha Dinh, Vuyolwethu Magasana, Mary Mogashoa and Ameena Ebrahim Goga

Prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance amongst newly diagnosed HIV-infected infants age 4–8 weeks, enrolled in three nationally representative PMTCT effectiveness surveys, South Africa: 2010, 2011–12 and 2012–13

South Africa (SA) has expanded efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) to less than 2% at six weeks after birth and to less than 5% at 18 months postpartum by 2016. Despite improved antire...

Authors: Gillian M. Hunt, Johanna Ledwaba, Anna Salimo, Monalisa Kalimashe, Thu-Ha Dinh, Debra Jackson, Gayle Sherman, Adrian Puren, Nobubelo K. Ngandu, Carl Lombard, Lynn Morris and Ameena Goga

National surveillance using mobile systems for health monitoring: complexity, functionality and feasibility

Although the use of technology viz. mobile phones, personalised digital assistants, smartphones, notebook and tablets to monitor health and health care (mHealth) is mushrooming, only small, localised studies h...

Authors: Yages Singh, Debra Jackson, Sanjana Bhardwaj, Natasha Titus and Ameena Goga

Infrastructural and human-resource factors associated with return of infant HIV test results to caregivers: secondary analysis of a nationally representative situational assessment, South Africa, 2010

In June 2015, South Africa introduced early infant HIV diagnosis (EID) at birth and ten weeks postpartum. Guidelines recommended return of birth results within a week and ten weeks postpartum results within fo...

Authors: Nobubelo Kwanele Ngandu, Vincent Maduna, Gayle Sherman, Nobuntu Noveve, Witness Chirinda, Vundli Ramokolo, Carl Lombard and Ameena Ebrahim Goga

An approach for evaluating early and long term mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) in low and middle income countries: a South African experience

Eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV is a global public health target. Robust, feasible methodologies to measure population level impact of programmes to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV ...

Authors: Debra J. Jackson, Thu-Ha Dinh, Carl J. Lombard, Gayle G. Sherman and Ameena E. Goga

What will it take for the Global Plan priority countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV?

The 2016 ‘Start Free, Stay Free, AIDS Free’ global agenda, builds on the 2011-2015 ‘Global Plan’. It prioritises 22 countries where 90% of the world’s HIV-positive pregnant women live and aims to eliminate ver...

Authors: Ameena E. Goga, Thu-Ha Dinh, Shaffiq Essajee, Witness Chirinda, Anna Larsen, Mary Mogashoa, Debra Jackson, Mireille Cheyip, Nobubelo Ngandu, Surbhi Modi, Sanjana Bhardwaj, Esnat Chirwa, Yogan Pillay and Mary Mahy

Moving towards elimination: findings from the South Africa prevention of mother to child transmission evaluation (SAPMTCTE)

Authors: Louise Kuhn and Ameena E. Goga

Characterization of the hepatitis C virus epidemic in Pakistan

With one in every 20 Pakistanis already infected, Pakistan has the second largest number of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections globally. The aim of this study was to present a quantitative and analytical chara...

Authors: Sarwat Mahmud, Zaina Al Kanaani and Laith J. Abu-Raddad

“Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Cryptosporidium: a cross-sectional study conducted throughout Thailand”

Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp. are prevalent zoonotic parasites associated with a high burden among children. To date only limited molecular epidemiological data on E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidi...

Authors: Rapeepun Prasertbun, Hirotake Mori, Yaowalark Sukthana, Supaluk Popruk, Teera Kusolsuk, Katsuro Hagiwara and Aongart Mahittikorn

What happens after HIV self-testing? Results from a longitudinal cohort of Chinese men who have sex with men

HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a promising approach to expand HIV testing. HIVST is a process in which a person performs an HIV test and interprets the result. Negative HIVST results may encourage men who have se...

Authors: Weiming Tang, Wenting Huang, Haidong Lu, Bolin Cao, Dan Wu, Jason Ong, Hongyun Fu, Ye Zhang, Bin Yang, Cheng Wang, Wei Ma, Chongyi Wei and Joseph D. Tucker

A rare case of Colistin-resistant Salmonella Enteritidis meningitis in an HIV-seropositive patient

Non-typhoidal salmonellae (NTS) have been associated with invasive disease, notably meningitis, in immunocompromised individuals. Infections of this nature carry high rates of morbidity and mortality. Colistin...

Authors: Roxanne Rule, Nontombi Mbelle, John Osei Sekyere, Marleen Kock, Anwar Hoosen and Mohamed Said

Vaccination uptake among Australian early childhood education staff: assessing perceptions, behaviours and workplace practices

Early Childhood Education Centre (ECEC) staff are strongly recommended to receive several immunizations including influenza and pertussis. However, evidence regarding the uptake is either old or lacking across...

Authors: Holly Seale, Stephanie Dwyer, Alamgir Kabir and Rajneesh Kaur

Environmental factors affecting childhood diarrheal disease among under-five children in Jamma district, South Wello zone, Northeast Ethiopia

Globally, diarrhea is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among less than 5 years old children and it contributes to the deaths of approximately one million children every year. In Ethiopia, diarrhea ...

Authors: Getachew Yismaw Workie, Temesgen Yihunie Akalu and Adhanom Gebreegziabher Baraki

Prevalence of scabies and impetigo in the Solomon Islands: a school survey

Scabies, a parasitic disease of the skin, is a major public health problem, largely affecting children. Scabies is often complicated by impetigo which can result in serious complications including invasive inf...

Authors: Millicent H. Osti, Oliver Sokana, Sophie Phelan, Michael Marks, Margot J. Whitfeld, Christina Gorae, John M. Kaldor, Andrew C. Steer and Daniel Engelman

Inhibition of replication of hepatitis B virus using transcriptional repressors that target the viral DNA

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a serious global health problem. Persistence of the virus occurs as a result of stability of the replication intermediate comprising covalently closed circular...

Authors: Kristie Bloom, Haajira Kaldine, Toni Cathomen, Claudio Mussolino, Abdullah Ely and Patrick Arbuthnot

Changing epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance in Vibrio cholerae: AMR surveillance findings (2006–2016) from Nepal

In Nepal, cases of Cholera occur annually either as sporadic or as outbreaks claiming the lives of many in rural areas. The present study is a laboratory based surveillance which aims to analyze the changing e...

Authors: Nisha Rijal, Jyoti Acharya, Shailaja Adhikari, Bishnu Psd Upadhaya, Geeta Shakya, Palpasa Kansakar and Piyush Rajbhandari

Testing a pyriproxyfen auto-dissemination station attractive to gravid Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto for the development of a novel attract-release -and-kill strategy for malaria vector control

Larviciding is an effective supplementary tool for malaria vector control, but the identification and accessibility of aquatic habitats impedes application. Dissemination of the insect growth regulator, pyripr...

Authors: Oscar Mbare, Steven W. Lindsay and Ulrike Fillinger

High prevalence and heterogeneity of Dysglycemia in patients with tuberculosis from Peru: a prospective cohort study

The accuracy of different laboratory tests for diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) and prediabetes (preDM) in populations exposed to tuberculosis (TB) remains poorly understood. Here, we examined the prevalenc...

Authors: Roger I. Calderon, Maria B. Arriaga, Kattya Lopez, Nadia N. Barreda, Oswaldo M. Sanabria, José F. Fróes Neto, Davi Neri Araújo, Leonid Lecca and Bruno B. Andrade

Pooled analysis of T2 Candida for rapid diagnosis of candidiasis

The present meta-analysis examined the diagnostic accuracy of T2 Candida for candidiasis.

Authors: Dong-Lan Tang, Xiao Chen, Chang-Guo Zhu, Zhong-wei Li, Yong Xia and Xu-Guang Guo

High-volume workflow and performance comparisons for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae testing using automated molecular platforms

The global burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is high and there have been reports of increasing chlamydial and gonorrheal infections. High-volume screening programs for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) an...

Authors: André Frontzek, Gudrun Aretzweiler, Daniela Winkens, Dana Duncan and Elizabeth M. Marlowe

A case with neurological abnormalities caused by Rickettsia raoultii in northwestern China

The number of new rickettsial species are rapidly increasing, and increasing numbers of Rickettsia raoultii (R. raoultii) infection cases have been detected in humans. However, neurological abnormalities caused b...

Authors: Zhihui Dong, Yicheng Yang, Qian Wang, Songsong Xie, Shanshan Zhao, Wenbo Tan, Wumei Yuan and Yuanzhi Wang

Achromobacter spp. healthcare associated infections in the French West Indies: a longitudinal study from 2006 to 2016

Bacteria of the Achromobacter genus, more particularly xylosoxidans species, are responsible for various healthcare associated infections (HAI) which are increasingly described since the last decade. Cystic fibro...

Authors: Karine Marion-Sanchez, Karine Pailla, Claude Olive, Xavier Le Coutour and Christian Derancourt

Estimating the impact of a novel drug regimen for treatment of tuberculosis: a modeling analysis of projected patient outcomes and epidemiological considerations

Regimens that could treat both rifampin-resistant (RR) and rifampin-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) while shortening the treatment duration have reached late-stage clinical trials. Decisions about whether and ho...

Authors: Emily A. Kendall, Shelly Malhotra, Sarah Cook-Scalise, Claudia M. Denkinger and David W. Dowdy

HLA-B*57:01 allele prevalence in treatment-Naïve HIV-infected patients from Colombia

The HLA-B*57:01 allele is associated with a hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir. Due to the lack of knowledge of HLA-B*57:01 prevalence in Colombia, routine screening is not performed and is not recommended ...

Authors: Ernesto Martínez Buitrago, José Millán Oñate, José Fernando García-Goez, Jorge Álvarez, William Lenis, Luz Marina Sañudo and Luisa Consuelo Rubiano

Microbiological and clinical characteristics of Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus infection in China

Infections by Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus (SGSP) is often underestimated. Herein, the epidemiological features and resistant characteristics of SGSP in mainland China are characterized to enabl...

Authors: Yi Li, Xingchun Chen, Zhijun Zhang, Lijun Wang, Junrui Wang, Ji Zeng, Junwen Yang and Binghuai Lu