African health sciences
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African health sciences · Mar 2021
Risk factors for wound infection caused by Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus among hospitalized patients: a case control study from a tertiary care hospital in India.
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes infection in hospitals and communities. The prevalence and risk factors of MRSA infection is not homogenous across the globe. ⋯ Surgical treatment, prolonged and history of hospitalization, having tracheostomy for ventilation and pressure/venous ulcer were the key risk factors. Therefore, special attention has to be given to the preventable risk factors while caring for hospitalized patients to prevent MRSA infection.
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African health sciences · Mar 2021
Cytological physiognomies and genotype distribution of human papillomaviruses among HPV/HIV co-infected and HPV mono-infected women.
Co-infection of High Risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV) and HIV is thought to favour initiation of intraepithelial squamous cell lesion and subsequent progression to cervical carcinoma. ⋯ The predominance of HPV-16 and HPV-18/45 genotypes in the study setting is a consideration that would benefit targeted prophylactic vaccination programs. HPV testing and cervical cancer screening for young and older women on a regular basis ought to be reinforced.
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African health sciences · Mar 2021
Sonographic measurement of ear length among normal fetuses of pregnant Igbo women in port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Fetal ear length measurement has been associated with some clinical values: sonographic marker for chromosomal aneuploidy and for biometric estimation of fetal gestational age. ⋯ The result of this study provides normal baseline reference value for FEL. The study also showed good linear relationship and good correlation between FEL and fetal biometric measurements.
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African health sciences · Mar 2021
COVID-19: sitting is the new smoking; the role of exercise in augmenting the immune system among the elderly.
Like smoking, sedentary lifestyle is an issue of great concern because of its deleterious health challenges and implications. Given the global spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), social isolation regulations and laws have been implemented in many countries to contain the spread of the virus and this has caused a drastic shift from the usual physically demanding life to a sedentary lifestyle characterized by significantly reduced physical activities and prolong sitting. ⋯ The immune system changes with advancement in age which increases the likelihood of infectious disease morbidity and mortality in older adults. Several epidemiological studies have also shown that physical inactivity among geriatric population impacts negatively on the immune system. Evidences on the importance of exercise in priming the immune system of elderly individuals could be an effective therapeutic strategy in combating the virus as it may well be a case of "let those with the best immune system win".
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African health sciences · Mar 2021
Patient patronage and perspectives of traditional bone setting at an outpatient orthopaedic clinic in Northern Tanzania.
Much of Sub-Saharan Africa meets the rising rates of musculoskeletal injury with traditional bone setting, especially given limitations in access to allopathic orthopaedic care. Concern for the safety of bone setter practices as well as recognition of their advantages have spurred research to understand the impact of these healers on public health. ⋯ Our study found lower bone setting utilization than expected considering the reliance of Tanzanians on traditional care reported in the literature. This suggests patients utilizing traditional care for musculoskeletal injury are not seeking allopathic care; therefore, collaboration with bone setters could expand allopathic access to these patients. Patients were less likely to report bone setter utilization to a physician revealing the stigma of seeking traditional care, which may present an obstacle for collaboration.