African health sciences
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African health sciences · Dec 2017
Assessing regional variations in the effect of the removal of user fees on facility-based deliveries in rural Zambia.
Maternal health remains a concern in sub-Saharan Africa, where maternal mortality averages 680 per 100,000 live births and almost 50% of the approximately 350,000 annual maternal deaths occur. Improving access to skilled birth assistance is paramount to reducing this average, and user fee reductions could help. ⋯ Although user fees matter, to a degree, service quality is a relatively more important contributor to the promotion of facility-based deliveries. Thus, in the short-term, strengthening and improving community-based interventions could lead to further increases in facility-based deliveries.
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African health sciences · Dec 2017
Evaluation and improvement of LAMP assays for detection of Escherichia coli serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157.
Escherichia coli serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 are the causative agents of human diseases, and LAMP assays have been developed for detection of the seven leading STEC serogroups.
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Hepatitis E (HE) caused by Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging global public health threat. It has been identified as potentially zoonotic and swine act as main reservoirs. ⋯ There is silent HE virus infection in abattoir workers at Wambizi as reflected by presence anti HEV IgM in 13% of the tested serum. However, no single case of HE has ever been reported in swine abattoir workers or general population in Kampala city. This silent maintenance of HEV infection amongst swine abattoir workers is an occupational risk that could challenge public health systems.
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African health sciences · Dec 2017
Analysis of SNPs of MC4R, GNB3 and FTO gene polymorphism in obese Saudi subjects.
The goal of this study was to analyze the association between the FTO rs17817449 (G>T), G protein beta3 subunit (GNB3) C825T and Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) A822G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with obesity in Saudi subjects. ⋯ The polymorphism of FTO gene rs17817449 and GNB3 gene rs5443 (C825T) may be a genetic determinant of obesity in Saudi population whereas impact of MC4R Asn274Ser change could not be detected.
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African health sciences · Dec 2017
Characteristics of astigmatism in Black South African high school children.
Astigmatism impairs vision at various distances and causes symptoms of asthenopia which negatively impacts reading efficiency. ⋯ The prevalence of astigmatism is relatively low in this population studied. Older children and those in high school grade levels were more likely to have with-the-rule or against-the-rule astigmatism. The prevalence of astigmatism were comparable within but not across regions.