Experiences of the International In-Training Examination (I-ITE) by Rwandan pediatric residents – a mixed-methods description of candidate feedback
Peter Thomas Cartledge,Christian Umuhoza,Natalie McCall
ABP: American Board of Pediatrics; CBA: computer-based assessment; HRH: Human Resources for Health; I-ITE: International In-Training Examination; IRB: institutional review board; ITE: In-Training Examination; LMICs: low- and middle-income countries; MCQs: multiple-choice questions; PBA : paper-based assessments; PI: Principal In....
A Journey of Hope: giving research participants a voice to share their experiences and improve community engagement around advanced HIV disease in Uganda
Fiona V. Cresswell,John Kasibante,Emily M. Martyn,Lillian Tugume,Gavin Stead,Kenneth Ssembambulidde,Morris K. Rutakingirwa,Enock Kagimu,Laura Nsangi,Carol Namuju,Jane F. Ndyetukira,Cynthia Ahimbisibwe,Florence Kugonza,Alisat Sadiq,Alice Namudde,Joanna Dob
Substantial progress has been made in the treatment and prevention of HIV in the last decade thanks largely to the widespread roll out of antiretroviral treatment (ART) and recommendation to treat all people living with HIV (PLHIV) regardless of CD4 cell count. The ambitious UNAIDS “90-90-90” target states that, by 2020, 90% of....
The Collaborative African Genomics Network (CAfGEN): Applying Genomic technologies to probe host factors important to the progression of HIV and HIV-tuberculosis infection in sub-Saharan Africa
Gerald Mboowa,Savannah Mwesigwa,Eric Katagirya,Gaone Retshabile,Busisiwe C. Mlotshwa,Lesedi Williams,Adeodata Kekitiinwa,David Kateete,Eddie Wampande,Misaki Wayengera,Betty Nsangi Kintu,Grace P. Kisitu,Samuel Kyobe,Chester W. Brown,Neil A. Hanchard
In 2011, a group of scientists came together and conceived the white paper “. The clinically important research goals of. The completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 catapulted efforts to use genomics to enhance our understanding of human diseases. Genetics and genomics have a particularly important role to play in biomed....
Evaluating community’s knowledge on integrated malaria, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections in a Lake Victoria island, Kenya: A mixed method approach
Jesse Gitaka,Peter Mwaura,Kevin Oware,James Kongere,Job Wasonga,Sultani Matendechero
In most developing countries, the problem of malaria, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminth (STH) poses a considerable challenge and contributes to the high burden of diseases. These parasitic infections, grouped under Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) including malaria have been found to affect millions of people in su....
Case Report: A forty year-survivor of Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia and chronic pediatric shunt thrombosis; findings from cardiac CT scan
Asma Achour,Walid Mnari,Mabrouk Abdelali,Ahmed Zrig,Ahmed Miladi,Mejdi Ben Messaoud,Badii Hmida,Mezri Maatouk
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most frequent form of cyanotic congenital heart disease. Only a few patients come of age without surgical intervention mainly in the extreme form with pulmonary atresian
Case Report: Recurrent retinal vein occlusion as the first clinical manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus in a male patient
Marwa Ben Brahim,Sondes Arfa,Fadia Boubaker,Jihen Chelly,Wafa Ammari,Sonia Hammami,Fatma Arbi,Olfa Berriche
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a common retinal vascular disorder that, if left untreated, can lead to vision lossn
Zika virus reservoirs: Implications for transmission, future outbreaks, drug and vaccine development
Raj Kalkeri,Krishna K. Murthy
After the recent outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in Brazil and other countries, multiple studies have been published regarding various tissue reservoirs, including the eyes, nervous system, genitourinary tracts and placenta (n
Impact of 1.5 oC and 2 oC global warming scenarios on malaria transmission in East Africa
Obed Matundura Ogega,Moses Alobo
Malaria is an illness caused by. Malaria transmission is affected by, among other things, climatic factors such as temperature, rainfall, and humidity that influence the abundance and survival of mosquitoes (n
Case Report: Xanthogranulomatous prostatitis, a difficult differential diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma
Reda El Moussaoui,Ali El Moussaoui,Mohamed Dakir,Amal Benkirane
A variety of benign conditions of the prostate can clinically mimic prostatic adenocarcinoma, thus raising a diagnostic problem. Xanthogranulomatous prostatitis, a rare form of non-specific granulomatous prostatitis, is considered among those pathologies that can clinically, biochemically and even radiologically behave as a pros....
Risk assessment for the implementation of controlled human Schistosoma mansoni infection trials in Uganda
Jan Pieter Koopman,Moses Egesa,Anne Wajja,Moses Adriko,Jacent Nassuuna,Gyaviira Nkurunungi,Emmanuella Driciru,Gijsbert van Willigen,Stephen Cose,Maria Yazdanbakhsh,Pontiano Kaleebu,Narcis Kabatereine,Edridah Tukahebwa,Meta Roestenberg,Alison M. Elliott
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection affecting approximately 230 million people worldwide. Controlled human infection (CHI) studies are an important tool for vaccine development. They provide a platform to safely and swiftly test vaccine candidates for the pathogen in question. Furthermore, they can contribute to understandi....
Integrating environmental health and genomics research in Africa: challenges and opportunities identified during a Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium workshop
Bonnie R. Joubert,Kiros Berhane,Jonathan Chevrier,Gwen Collman,Brenda Eskenazi,Julius Fobil,Cathrine Hoyo,Chandy C. John,Abera Kumie,Mark Nicol,Michèle Ramsay,Joshua Smith,Adrie Steyn,Desire Tshala-Katumbay,Kimberly McAllister
The Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) initiative began as a joint effort of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund Global Health Program and the Wellcome Trust, in partnership with the African Society of Human Genetics. H3Africa aims to support the establishment of a sustainable African research infrast....
Description and comparison of physical activity from self-reports and accelerometry among primary school children in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: a pilot study
Mary Vincent Mosha,Elizabeth Kasagama,Philip Ayieko,Jim Todd,Sia E. Msuya,Heiner Grosskurth,Suzanne Filteau
Physical activity in children is the key to better health. Active children gain health benefits, including cardiorespiratory, muscular fitness and bone health. Physical activity plays a vital role in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and avoiding weight gain. Physical activity is a complex behaviour that includes day-t....
Impact of livestock interventions on maternal and child nutrition outcomes in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
Josphat Muema,Julius Oyugi,Zipporah Bukania,Mutono Nyamai,Christine Jost,Tewoldeberhan Daniel,Joseph Njuguna,Samuel Mwangi Thumbi
Undernutrition (stunting and wasting) remains a serious public health concern in Africa. Agriculture including livestock plays a key role as a source of food and nutrition security and livelihoods for a majority of rural households in sub-Saharan Africa. The impact pathways through which livestock interventions may influence hum....
High infectious disease burden as a basis for the observed high frequency of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections in sub-Saharan Africa
Kwadwo Asamoah Kusi,Augustina Frimpong,Frederica Dedo Partey,Helena Lamptey,Linda Eva Amoah,Michael Fokuo Ofori
The 2019 novel human coronavirus, named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is one of seven coronaviruses that cause respiratory and intestinal diseases in humans. COVID-19 has exposed weaknesses in health systems globally and pointed to the need to strengthen these health systems and also put a signifi....
Ethical challenges in community engagement practices in research during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
Paulina O. Tindana,Jantina De Vries,Dorcas Kamuya
When the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a global health pandemic (. Following recommendations from WHO, many African countries including Ghana, Kenya and South Africa have responded to the pandemic by implementing strict measures to stop the importation of new cases and to curb community s....
Prices and sold amount dynamics, endogenous knowledge and distribution of Picralima nitida (Stapf) T. Durand and H. Durand across in the Dahomey Gap and Guinea-Congolese regions
Ghislain Comlan Akabassi,Elie Antoine Padonou,Achille Ephrem Assogbajo,Noël Zirihi Guede
is one of the most important medicinal plant species in the West and Central African folk medicine (. As a result of the above, the plant species are under threats at various levels management and based on data on the International Union Conservation for Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened plant species, there are no conservati....
COVID-19 and the HIV care continuum in Uganda: minimising collateral damage
Enock Kagimu,Emily M. Martyn,Jane Gakuru,John Kasibante,Morris K Rutakingirwa,Richard Kwizera,Kenneth Ssebambulidde,Darlisha Williams,Jayne Ellis,Fiona V Cresswell,David B. Meya
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first described in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and to date there have been more than 106,375,662 confirmed cases, with at least 2,321,294 deaths, globallyn
Case Report: Swallowed toothbrush in the stomach of a 56 year female at St Mary’s Hospital Lacor, Uganda
Derrick Amone,Christopher Okot,Patrick Mugabi,Tom Richard Okello,David Martin Ogwang
Toothbrush swallowing is a rare occurrencen
Effect of birth weight, exclusive breastfeeding and growth in infancy on fat mass and fat free mass indices in early adolescence: an analysis of the Entebbe Mother and Baby Study (EMaBs) cohort
Jonathan Nsamba,Swaib A. Lule,Benigna Namara,Christopher Zziwa,Hellen Akurut,Lawrence Lubyayi,Florence Akello,Josephine Tumusiime,Alison M. Elliott,Emily L. Webb
BMI - Body mass index. CI - Confidence interval. EMaBS- Entebbe Mother and Baby Study. FM - Fat mass. FMI - Fat mass index. FFM - Fat free mass. FFMI - Fat free mass index. NCDs - Non-communicable diseases. SD - Standard deviation
Organizing and running bioinformatics hackathons within Africa: The H3ABioNet cloud computing experience
Azza E. Ahmed,Phelelani T. Mpangase,Sumir Panji,Shakuntala Baichoo,Yassine Souilmi,Faisal M. Fadlelmola,Mustafa Alghali,Shaun Aron,Hocine Bendou,Eugene De Beste,Mamana Mbiyavanga,Oussema Souiai,Long Yi,Jennie Zermeno,Don Armstrong,Brian D. O'Connor,Liudmi
As an inherently interdisciplinary science, bioinformatics depends upon complementary expertise from biomedical scientists, statisticians and computer scientists. On the African continent, there is generally limited access to such events. However, with the growing capacity for Africans to generate genomic data, the need to analy....
A hundred years of rabies in Kenya and the strategy for eliminating dog-mediated rabies by 2030
Austine O Bitek,Eric Osoro,Peninah M Munyua,Mark Nanyingi,Yvonne Muthiani,Stella Kiambi,Mathew Muturi,Athman Mwatondo,Rees Muriithi,Sarah Cleaveland,Katie Hampson,M. Kariuki Njenga,PM Kitala,Samuel Mwangi Thumbi
Every year rabies is estimated to kill around 59,000 (95% CI: 25-159,000) people globally, with the vast majority of rabies deaths occurring in rural Africa and Asia. In Kenya, rabies has been a public health problem since the first case was reported in a dog in the outskirts of Nairobi in 1912, and in a woman from the Lake Vict....
Screening tools for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders among adults living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
Patrick N. Mwangala,Charles R. Newton,Melanie Abas,Amina Abubakar
With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the 25 million people living with HIV-1/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) now have the potential for a near-normal life expectancy. The prevalence of HAND is estimated to be high across regions, occurring in as many as 50% of all adults living with HIV, including th....
Environmental and biological monitoring in the workplace: A 10-year South African retrospective analysis
Puleng Matatiele,Lerato Mochaki,Bianca Southon,Boitumelo Dabula,Poobalan Poongavanum,Boitumelo Kgarebe
Humans are exposed to hazardous chemicals in a variety of ways; mainly through diet and through the air that we breathe (indoor, outdoor and occupational). Occupational exposure can occur through inhalation, absorption through the skin or ingestion, with the inhalation of vapours, dusts, fumes or gases being the route of highest....
Case Report: Biloma gastrostomy after failed sonogram-guided percutaneous aspiration, pigtail catheter insertion and surgical drainage
Tom R. Okello,Davidson Ocen,Jimmy Okello,Irene Pecorella,Derrick Amone
Biloma is a rare but challenging condition in Uganda and Sub-Saharan Africa. The term biloma was introduced in 1979 by Gould and Pater to describe a loculated bile collection located outside the biliary treen
Institutionalizing research capacity strengthening in LMICs: A systematic review and meta-synthesis
Marta Vicente-Crespo,Ojo Agunbiade,John Eyers,Margaret Thorogood,Sharon Fonn
There has been a growth in investment for research capacity development in institutions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the long-term success and sustainability of increased research capacity depend on the degree to which successful interventions are mainstreamed within the routine functioning of institutio....