Comparison of the performance of rapid HIV tests using samples collected for surveillance in Mozambique.

Mozambique had low HIV prevalence until the mid-1990s, but recent data indicate increasing rates. There is little information on HIV-2. Therefore, HIV seroprevalence was assessed among pregnant women and field-ready HIV diagnostic strategies were evaluated. A total of 6,930 samples collected by three health centers from 2002 to 2005 were tested on site by nurses with two simple/rapid tests, Determine HIV-1/2 (Abbott Laboratories; screening) and Uni-Gold HIV (Trinity Biotech; confirmation), which is the national HIV testing strategy. The prevalence of HIV was 14.0% (2002), 17.8% (2003), 16.5% (2004), and 20.2% (2005). A subset of 888 samples collected 2003 was sent to the Central Microbiology Laboratory, Maputo for evaluation of tests and testing strategies. The assays included for comparison were Capillus HIV-1/HIV-2 (Trinity Biotech), DoubleCheckGold HIV-1&2 (Orgenics) and Enzygnost Anti-HIV-1/2 Plus (Behringwerke, reference ELISA). Confirmation of reactive samples was done by Uni-Gold HIV and ImmunoComb II HIV-1&2 BiSpot (for HIV type differentiation). The Capillus HIV-1/ HIV-2 + ImmunoComb II HIV-1&2 BiSpot combination was the gold standard. The sensitivity of the rapid/simple screening assays (Determine HIV-1/2, DoubleCheckGold HIV-1&2) was 100% (N = 160) and their (initial) specificities were 99.6% and 99.7%, respectively. Repeated testing and combinations of assays increased the specificity. Four suspected cases of recent seroconversion were found. Together with the increasing prevalence rates, this may indicate that Mozambique is a high-incidence area, although further studies are needed to confirm this. Testing strategies for on-site screening and confirmation based on the combination of Determine HIV-1/2, Uni-Gold HIV and DoubleCheckGold HIV-1&2 are well suited for local field use.

Low prevalence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in young women attending a youth counselling service in Maputo, Mozambique.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in a group of young women attending the Adolescent and Youth Friendly Service, in Maputo, Mozambique, and to evaluate their level of knowledge, practices and attitudes about STI. METHODS: A total of 445 women voluntarily participated in the study and filled in a self-administered knowledge, practices and attitudes (KAP) questionnaire; 435 of them underwent a laboratory examination for vaginosis, candidiasis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhoea, chlamydiosis, syphilis and HIV infection. RESULTS: Women had a high level of awareness and knowledge of STI and HIV. Candidiasis was the most prevalent reproductive tract infection (36%), followed by vaginosis (13%) and trichomoniasis (7.6%), and sexually transmitted diseases. HIV seroprevalence was 4%; 42% were negative in all tests. CONCLUSION: The low prevalence of STI and HIV may be related in part to the high level of awareness registered in the group.

Analysis of trauma admission data at an urban hospital in Maputo, Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is a major public health concern. Worldwide, injuries resulted in 4.8 million deaths in 2013, an increase of 11 % since 1990. The majority of deaths from trauma in low-and middle-income countries occur in a pre-hospital setting. Morbidity from trauma contributes significantly to disability in these countries. Mozambique has experienced a rise in injury-related morbidity and mortality. Efforts are underway to prioritize surgical and anesthesiology care in the post-2015 Global Surgery agenda that will build on momentum of the Millennium Development Goals. Injury surveillance remains vital to defining priorities and implementing policy changes. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study between June and September, 2010 at the Hospital Central de Maputo (HCM). Data were collected on all patients admitted to the HCM emergency surgical services with a diagnosis of trauma. We describe patient characteristics and mechanism of traumatic injury by calculating simple proportions (for dichotomous or categorical variables) or medians with interquartile ranges (IQR) for continuous variables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the mechanisms of trauma most associated with alcohol consumption. RESULTS: A total of 517 patients were approached for inclusion in this study. Of these, 441 (91.5 %) participants were followed from admission until discharge. Three hundred twenty-four participants (73.5 %) were male. The most common age group was 20-29 years old. The three principal mechanisms of injury were road traffic injury, fighting, and falls, accounting for 74 % of injuries recorded. Traumatic injury involving alcohol consumption was nine times more likely to occur at a recreation/sporting event (OR 9.0, 95 % CI 3.01-27.13, p ≤ 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: As Mozambique prepares to respond to the post-2015 international development agenda, urgent action is required to scale-up its national injury surveillance networks. Injury prevention efforts in Mozambique should focus attention on improving road safety regulations and their implementation, as well as on interventions targeting violence reduction and the reduction of alcohol consumption at sporting events.

Pathogenic enteric Escherichia coli in children with and without diarrhea in Maputo, Mozambique.

A study was conducted on the circulation of potentially diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in two groups of children, both under the age of seven. The first group (548 children) suffered from mild diarrhea and attended the Xipamanine Health Center of Maputo, in Mozambique. The second group (380 children) included randomly chosen, asymptomatic, children from the same population. A total of 503 E. coli strains were isolated from the two groups of children (n=375 and 128, respectively). All E. coli strains were genotypically and phenotypically screened. The presence of virulence-associated genes was assessed by a set of multiplex PCR specific for st and lt genes of enterotoxic Escherichia coli (ETEC), eae and bfpA genes of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), stx(1) and stx(2) of enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), ial of enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and the species-specific gene uidA. Adhesion and citotoxicity of isolated E. coli were evaluated in vitro on different cell cultures. A total of 37 isolates harbored virulence-associated genes: 18 were classified as ETEC, (15 from symptomatic, and three from asymptomatic children), 16 as EPEC (respectively, 13 and 3) and three EIEC in the symptomatic group. No stx(1) or stx(2) genes, associated with enterohemorrhagic E. coli were found. On the basis of the adhesion pattern on HeLa cells, 167 E. coli were classified as diffusely adhering, (125 in patients and 42 in controls) and 67 as enteroaggregative, (50 and 17, respectively). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature on the circulation of potentially diarrheagenic E. coli in Mozambique.

Sporadic methicillin resistance in community acquired Staphylococcus aureus in Mozambique.

This study reports the drug resistance and clonal relationship of 24 Staphylococcus aureus community acquired isolates from patients attending Maputo Central Hospital, Mozambique, during one year (2002-2003). All the isolates produced beta-lactamase, six strains were resistant to tetracycline alone, three were resistant to erythromycin alone and one was resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole; 11 were susceptible to all other drugs tested. Only one strain showed a multiple resistance pattern, including methicillin resistance. To investigate the clonal relationships we applied the ERIC AP-PCR and the SmaI PFGE RFLP methods. Overlapping drug resistances with these two molecular profiles, no significant correlation was obtained. The emergence of methicillin resistance in a multiple resistant strain is of great concern for resistance spreading surveillance in Mozambique.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to antituberculosis drugs in Mozambique.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the drug resistance profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Mozambique. METHODS: We analyzed secondary data from the National Tuberculosis Referral Laboratory, in the city of Maputo, Mozambique, and from the Beira Regional Tuberculosis Referral Laboratory, in the city of Beira, Mozambique. The data were based on culture-positive samples submitted to first-line drug susceptibility testing (DST) between January and December of 2011. We attempted to determine whether the frequency of DST positivity was associated with patient type or provenance. RESULTS: During the study period, 641 strains were isolated in culture and submitted to DST. We found that 374 (58.3%) were resistant to at least one antituberculosis drug and 280 (43.7%) were resistant to multiple antituberculosis drugs. Of the 280 multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases, 184 (65.7%) were in previously treated patients, most of whom were from southern Mozambique. Two (0.71%) of the cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis were confirmed to be cases of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis was most common in males, particularly those in the 21-40 year age bracket. CONCLUSIONS: M. tuberculosis resistance to antituberculosis drugs is high in Mozambique, especially in previously treated patients. The frequency of M. tuberculosis strains that were resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, and streptomycin in combination was found to be high, particularly in samples from previously treated patients.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to antituberculosis drugs in Mozambique / Resistência de Mycobacterium tuberculosis aos tuberculostáticos em Moçambique

OBJECTIVE: To determine the drug resistance profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Mozambique. METHODS: We analyzed secondary data from the National Tuberculosis Referral Laboratory, in the city of Maputo, Mozambique, and from the Beira Regional Tuberculosis Referral Laboratory, in the city of Beira, Mozambique. The data were based on culture-positive samples submitted to first-line drug susceptibility testing (DST) between January and December of 2011. We attempted to determine whether the frequency of DST positivity was associated with patient type or provenance. RESULTS: During the study period, 641 strains were isolated in culture and submitted to DST. We found that 374 (58.3%) were resistant to at least one antituberculosis drug and 280 (43.7%) were resistant to multiple antituberculosis drugs. Of the 280 multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases, 184 (65.7%) were in previously treated patients, most of whom were from southern Mozambique. Two (0.71%) of the cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis were confirmed to be cases of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis was most common in males, particularly those in the 21-40 year age bracket. CONCLUSIONS: M. tuberculosis resistance to antituberculosis drugs is high in Mozambique, especially in previously treated patients. The frequency of M. tuberculosis strains that were resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, and streptomycin in combination was found to be high, particularly in samples from previously treated patients. .

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o perfil de resistência de Mycobacterium tuberculosis aos tuberculostáticos em Moçambique. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados dados secundários do Laboratório Nacional de Referência da Tuberculose, em Maputo, Moçambique, e do Laboratório Regional de Referência da Tuberculose, na Beira, Moçambique. Os dados foram relativos a amostras positivas à cultura e submetidas ao teste de sensibilidade aos tuberculostáticos de primeira linha durante o período de janeiro a dezembro de 2011. Os resultados do teste de sensibilidade foram analisados, e sua frequência foi comparada com o tipo de paciente e sua proveniência. RESULTADOS: Foram analisadas 641 cepas, isoladas em cultura e submetidas ao teste de sensibilidade. Das 641 cepas, 374 (58,3%) foram resistentes a pelo menos um tuberculostático e 280 (43,7%) revelaram-se multirresistentes. Dos 280 casos de tuberculose multirresistente, 184 (65,7%) eram pacientes com tratamento prévio, a maioria dos quais era oriunda da zona sul do país. Confirmou-se que 2 (0,71%) dos casos de tuberculose multirresistente eram casos de tuberculose extensivamente resistente a drogas. O sexo masculino foi o mais afetado, particularmente na faixa etária de 21 a 40 anos. CONCLUSÕES: A resistência de M. tuberculosis aos tuberculostáticos é elevada em Moçambique, especialmente em indivíduos com tratamento prévio. A resistência de M. tuberculosis à combinação de isoniazida, rifampicina e estreptomicina foi elevada, especialmente em amostras provenientes de indivíduos com tratamento prévio. .

HIV-1 genetic diversity and transmitted drug resistance in health care settings in Maputo, Mozambique.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize HIV-1 diversity and transmitted drug resistance in persons with access to care and treatment in Maputo, Mozambique. METHODS: Samples were collected in 2002-2004 from 144 drug-naive patients attending public hospitals and private clinics. Plasma viremia, CD4, and CD8 cell counts were determined for each patient. The Stanford Algorithm was used for resistance genotyping on pol sequences. Subtyping was done by phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Most patients had high viral load (mean, 5.0 log copies/mL) and low CD4 cell counts (median, 260 CD4 cells/microL). Protease and/or reverse transcriptase sequences were obtained from 104 (72%) samples. Patients harbored subtypes C (80.8%), G (3.8%), CRF37_cpx (6.7%), untypable (U) (1.0%), and recombinant strains (7.7%) comprising the A, C, D, F, and U clades. There were no major protease inhibitor resistance mutations. Mutations conferring resistance to the nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors and/or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors were found in 4 (4/68; 5.9%) patients. Phylogenetic analysis suggested an imported origin for 2 resistant variants. CONCLUSIONS: The HIV-1 epidemic in Maputo is evolving rapidly in genetic complexity due to the recent introduction of all major subtypes and recombinant forms. Continued surveillance of drug resistance in treated and untreated populations is needed to prevent further transmission of HIV drug-resistant variants and maximize the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy in Maputo.

Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in women attending antenatal care in Tete province, Mozambique.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and syphilis in pregnant women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among women attending antenatal care clinics (ANCs). Blood samples were tested for syphilis using the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and treponemal haemagglutination (TPHA) tests; CT and NG were diagnosed using a manual polymerase chain reaction assay on first-void urine samples. A socio-demographic questionnaire was completed. Results were compared with previous published data on sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence in Mozambique. RESULTS: Blood and urine samples were collected from 1 119 and 835 women, respectively. The prevalence of CT was 4.1%, and that of NG 2.5%. The RPR test was positive in 5.2% of the women, and 7.1% had a positive TPHA test. Active syphilis was found in 4.7%. In univariate analysis, CT was associated with having had any level of education (p<0.05), reactive RPR and TPHA were associated with illiteracy (p<0.05), and TPHA was associated with age >25. Multivariate analysis did not show any significant association. In comparison with published data from 1993, a decline was observed for CT (p<0.05), NG and syphilis (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with available data, a decline of STI prevalence was observed in our setting. This might be the result of community-based education programmes focusing on changes to sexual behaviour, as well as the widespread use of the syndromic approach to managing STIs and the expansion of syphilis screening in primary health care settings. However, STI rates are still high, and the problem needs more concrete and sustained efforts for its control.