The epidemiology and associated factors of non-exclusive breastfeeding: a comparative cross-sectional study of livelihood-secure and insecure areas.

Introduction: Regardless of national commitment, non-exclusive breastfeeding (NEBF) is a public health problem that worsens over time. It can be associated with sociodemographic, economic, and environmental factors and may vary depending on livelihood security. Hence, this study aimed to determine the magnitude of NEBF and identify its associated factors by considering two areas with varied degrees of livelihood security. Methods: This study represented a comparative cross-sectional survey of 1,060 under 6 months (u6m) infant-mother pairs. Both descriptive and analytic statistics were evaluated using STATA version 17 packages. A binary logistic regression was used to identify associated factors of NEBF. The odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to measure the significance of the association at a p-value of <0.05. Results: The pooled magnitude of 51% of NEBF mothers (95% CI: 48.0, 54.0) was 53.1% (95% CI: 49.2, 57.0) and 48.1% (95% CI: 43.4, 52.8) in livelihood-secure and livelihood-insecure areas, respectively. The lack of recollecting the infant's birth date by mothers (AOR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.15-4.40) had the highest odds of NEBF while household heads with tertiary education (AOR = 0.14; 95% CI = 0.01-0.54) and the poorest households (AOR = 0.43; 95%CI = 0.20-0.82) had the lowest odds of NEBF in livelihood-secure areas but not in livelihood-insecure areas. Moreover, mothers with male infants (AOR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.18-2.92) had high odds of NEBF in livelihood-insecure areas but not in livelihood-secure areas. Infants of 2 to less than 4-month-old (AOR = 8.5; 95% CI = 3.47-18.63) and 4 to less than 6-month-old (AOR = 22.2; 95% CI = 8.02-51.97) in livelihood-secure areas and infants of 2 to less than 4-month-old (AOR = 4.3; 95% CI = 1.29-11.67) and 4 to less than 6-month-old (AOR = 8.3; 95% CI = 2.44-22.39) in livelihood-insecure areas had high odds of NEBF. Conclusion: Over half of the mothers were practicing NEBF, which represents a failure to meet national and international targets. Area vulnerability to livelihood security modifies factors of NEBF. Male infants in insecure areas, infants of unknown age in secure areas, and infants aged 2 months or older, regardless of setting, were more vulnerable to NEBF. However, households with the lowest wealth and higher household head educational status in livelihood-secure areas were less vulnerable to NEBF. Hence, livelihood-based interventions targeting mothers of 2 to less than 6-month-old infants, with emphasis on these factors, may help address and reduce NEBF.

Neonatal Sepsis Due to Multidrug-resistant Bacteria at a Tertiary Teaching Hospital in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The burden of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in low-income countries is alarming. This study aimed to identify the bacterial etiologies and antibiotic resistance patterns among neonates in Jimma, Ethiopia. METHODS: An observational longitudinal study was conducted among 238 presumptive neonatal sepsis cases tested with blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid culture. The bacterial etiologies were confirmed using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. The antibiotic resistance patterns were determined using the automated disc diffusion method (Bio-Rad) and the results were interpreted based on the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing 2021 breakpoints. Extended-spectrum ß-lactamases were detected using a double disc synergy test and confirmed by Mast discs (Mast Diagnostica GmbH). RESULTS: A total of 152 pathogens were identified. Of these, Staphylococcus aureus (18.4%) was the predominant isolate followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (15.1%) and Escherichia coli (10.5%). All the isolates exhibited a high rate of resistance to first- and second-line antibiotics ranging from 73.3% for gentamicin to 93.3% for ampicillin. Furthermore, 74.4% of the Gram-negative isolates were extended-spectrum ß-lactamase producers and 57.1% of S. aureus strains were methicillin resistant. The case fatality rate was 10.1% and 66.7% of the deaths were attributable to infections by multidrug-resistant pathogens. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed a high rate of infections with multidrug-resistant pathogens. This poses a significant challenge to the current global and national target to reduce neonatal mortality rates. To address these challenges, it is important to employ robust infection prevention practices and continuous antibiotic resistance testing to allow targeted therapy.

Faster rehabilitation weight gain during childhood is associated with risk of non-communicable disease in adult survivors of severe acute malnutrition.

Nutritional rehabilitation during severe acute malnutrition (SAM) aims to quickly restore body size and minimize poor short-term outcomes. We hypothesized that faster weight gain during treatment is associated with greater cardiometabolic risk in adult life. Anthropometry, body composition (DEXA), blood pressure, blood glucose, insulin and lipids were measured in a cohort of adults who were hospitalized as children for SAM between 1963 and 1993. Weight and height measured during hospitalization and at one year post-recovery were abstracted from hospital records. Childhood weight gain during nutritional rehabilitation and weight and height gain one year post-recovery were analysed as continuous variables, quintiles and latent classes in age, sex and minimum weight-for-age z-scores-adjusted regression models against adult measurements. Data for 278 adult SAM survivors who had childhood admission records were analysed. Of these adults, 85 also had data collected 1 year post-hospitalisation. Sixty percent of participants were male, mean (SD) age was 28.2 (7.7) years, mean (SD) BMI was 23.6 (5.2) kg/m2. Mean admission age for SAM was 10.9 months (range 0.3-36.3 months), 77% were wasted (weight-for-height z-scores<-2). Mean rehabilitation weight gain (SD) was 10.1 (3.8) g/kg/day and 61.6 (25.3) g/day. Rehabilitation weight gain > 12.9 g/kg/day was associated with higher adult BMI (difference = 0.5 kg/m2, 95% CI: 0.1-0.9, p = 0.02), waist circumference (difference = 1.4 cm, 95% CI: 0.4-2.4, p = 0.005), fat mass (difference = 1.1 kg, 95% CI: 0.2-2, p = 0.02), fat mass index (difference = 0.32kg/m2, 95% CI: -0.0001-0.6, p = 0.05), and android fat mass (difference = 0.09 kg, 95% CI: 0.01-0.2, p = 0.03). Post-recovery weight gain (g/kg/month) was associated with lean mass (difference = 1.3 kg, 95% CI: 0.3-2.4, p = 0.015) and inversely associated with android-gynoid fat ratio (difference = -0.03, 95% CI: -0.07to-0.001 p = 0.045). Rehabilitation weight gain exceeding 13g/kg/day was associated with adult adiposity in young, normal-weight adult SAM survivors. This challenges existing guidelines for treating malnutrition and warrants further studies aiming at optimising these targets.

Mapping the range of policies relevant to care of small and nutritionally at-risk infants under 6 months and their mothers in Ethiopia: a scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence gaps limit management of small and/or nutritionally at-risk infants under 6 months and their mothers, who are at higher risk of death, illness, malnutrition and poor growth and development. These infants may be low birth weight, wasted, stunted and/or underweight. An integrated care model to guide their management (MAMI Care Pathway) is being tested in a randomised controlled trial in Ethiopia. Evaluating the extent to which an innovation is consistent with national policies and priorities will aid evidence uptake and plan for scale. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This review will evaluate the extent to which the MAMI Care Pathway is consistent with national policies that relate to the care of at-risk infants under 6 months and their mothers in Ethiopia. The objectives are to describe the range and characteristics, concepts, strategic interventions, coherence and alignment of existing policies and identify opportunities and gaps. It will be conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Eligible documents include infant and maternal health, nutrition, child development, food and social welfare-related policies publicly available in English and Amharic. The protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework Registry on 20 June 2022 (https://osf.io/m4jt6).Grey literature will be identified through government and agency websites, national and subnational contacts and Google Scholar, and published policies through electronic database searches (MEDLINE, EMBASE and Global and Health Information). The searches will take place between October 2023 and March 2024. A standardised data extraction tool will be used. Descriptive analysis of data will be undertaken. Data will be mapped visually and tabulated. Results will be described in narrative form. National stakeholder discussions will inform conclusions and recommendations. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required as data consist solely of publicly available material. Findings will be used to evidence national and international policy and practice.

Association of linear growth velocities between 0 and 6 years with kidney function and size at 10 years: A birth cohort study in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Risk of noncommunicable diseases accrues from fetal life, with early childhood growth having an important role in adult disease risk. There is a need to understand how early-life growth relates to kidney function and size. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the association of linear growth velocities among children between 0 and 6 y with kidney function and size among children aged 10 y. METHODS: The Ethiopian Anthropometric and Body Composition birth cohort recruited infants born at term to mothers living in Jimma with a birth weight of ≥1500 g and without congenital malformations. Participants were followed up with 13 measurements between birth and 6 y of age. The latest follow-up was at ages 7-12 y with measurement of serum cystatin C as a marker of kidney function and ultrasound assessment of kidney dimensions. Kidney volume was computed using an ellipsoid formula. Linear-spline multilevel modeling was used to compute linear growth velocities between 0 and 6 y. Multiple linear regression modeling was used to examine the associations of linear growth velocities in selected age periods with cystatin C and kidney size. RESULTS: Data were captured from 355 children, at a mean age of 10 (range 7-12) y. The linear growth velocity was high between 0 and 3 mo and then decreased with age. There was no evidence of an association of growth velocity ≤24 mo with cystatin C at 10 y. Between 24 and 48 and 48 and 76 mo, serum cystatin C was higher by 2.3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.6, 4.2] and 2.1% (95% CI: 0.3, 4.0) for 1 SD higher linear growth velocity, respectively. We found a positive association between linear growth velocities at all intervals between 0 and 6 y and kidney volume. CONCLUSIONS: Greater linear growth between 0 and 6 y of development was positively associated with kidney size, and greater growth velocity after 2 y was associated with higher serum cystatin C concentrations.

Associations of weight and body composition at birth with body composition and cardiometabolic markers in children aged 10 y: the Ethiopian infant anthropometry and body composition birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although birth weight (BW) has been associated with later cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, the role of birth fat mass (BFM) and birth fat-free mass (BFFM) on cardiometabolic health is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To examine associations of BW, BFM, and BFFM with later anthropometry, body composition, abdominal fat, and cardiometabolic markers. METHODS: Birth cohort data on standardized exposure variables (BW, BFM, and BFFM) and follow-up information at age 10 y on anthropometry, body composition, abdominal fat, and cardiometabolic markers were included. A linear regression analysis was used to assess associations of exposures with outcome variables, adjusting for maternal and child characteristics at birth and current body size in separate models. RESULTS: Among 353 children, mean (SD) age was 9.8 (1.0) y, and 51.5% were boys. In the fully adjusted model, 1-SD higher BW and BFFM were associated with 0.81 cm (95% CI: 0.21, 1.41 cm) and 1.25 cm (95% CI: 0.64, 1.85 cm) greater height at 10 y, respectively. The 1-SD higher BW and BFM were associated with 0.32 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.51 kg/m2) and 0.42 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.25, 0.59 kg/m2) greater fat mass index at 10 y, respectively. In addition, 1-SD higher BW and BFFM were associated with 0.22 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.09, 0.34 kg/m2) greater FFM index, whereas a 1-SD greater BFM was associated with a 0.05 cm greater subcutaneous adipose tissue (95% CI: 0.01, 0.11 cm). Furthermore, 1-SD higher BW and BFFM were associated with 10.3% (95% CI: 1.4%, 20.0%) and 8.3% (95% CI: -0.5%, 17.9%) greater insulin, respectively. Similarly, 1-SD higher BW and BFFM were associated with 10.0% (95% CI: 0.9%, 20.0%) and 8.5% (95% CI: -0.6%, 18.5%) greater homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: BW and BFFM rather than BFM are predictors of height and FFM index at 10 y. Children with higher BW and BFFM showed higher insulin concentrations and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance at 10 y of age. This trial was registered at ISRCTN as ISRCTN46718296.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of adolescent nutrition in Ethiopia: Transforming adolescent lives through nutrition (TALENT) initiative.

BACKGROUND: Ethiopia has undergone rapid economic growth over the last two decades that could influence the diets and nutrition of young people. This work systematically reviewed primary studies on adolescent nutrition from Ethiopia, to inform future interventions to guide policies and programs for this age group. METHOD: A systematic search of electronic databases for published studies on the prevalence of and interventions for adolescent malnutrition in Ethiopia in the English language since the year 2000 was performed using a three-step search strategy. The results were checked for quality using the Joanna Bridge Institute (JBI) checklist, and synthesized and presented as a narrative description. RESULTS: Seventy six articles and two national surveys were reviewed. These documented nutritional status in terms of anthropometry, micronutrient status, dietary diversity, food-insecurity, and eating habits. In the meta-analysis the pooled prevalence of stunting, thinness and overweight/obesity was 22.4% (95% CI: 18.9, 25.9), 17.7% (95% CI: 14.6, 20.8) and 10.6% (7.9, 13.3), respectively. The prevalence of undernutrition ranged from 4% to 54% for stunting and from 5% to 29% for thinness. Overweight/obesity ranged from 1% to 17%. Prevalence of stunting and thinness were higher in boys and rural adolescents, whereas overweight/obesity was higher in girls and urban adolescents. The prevalence of anemia ranged from 9% to 33%. Approximately 40%-52% of adolescents have iodine deficiency and associated risk of goiter. Frequent micronutrient deficiencies are vitamin D (42%), zinc (38%), folate (15%), and vitamin A (6.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The adolescent population in Ethiopia is facing multiple micronutrient deficiencies and a double-burden of malnutrition, although undernutrition is predominant. The magnitude of nutritional problems varies by gender and setting. Context-relevant interventions are required to effectively improve the nutrition and health of adolescents in Ethiopia.

Post-malnutrition growth and its associations with child survival and non-communicable disease risk: a secondary analysis of the Malawi 'ChroSAM' cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To explore patterns of post-malnutrition growth (PMGr) during and after treatment for severe malnutrition and describe associations with survival and non-communicable disease (NCD) risk 7 years post-treatment. DESIGN: Six indicators of PMGr were derived based on a variety of timepoints, weight, weight-for-age z-score and height-for-age z-score (HAZ). Three categorisation methods included no categorisation, quintiles and latent class analysis (LCA). Associations with mortality risk and seven NCD indicators were analysed. SETTING: Secondary data from Blantyre, Malawi between 2006 and 2014. PARTICIPANTS: A cohort of 1024 children treated for severe malnutrition (weight-for-length z-score < 70 % median and/or MUAC (mid-upper arm circumference) < 110 mm and/or bilateral oedema) at ages 5-168 months. RESULTS: Faster weight gain during treatment (g/d) and after treatment (g/kg/day) was associated with lower risk of death (adjusted OR 0·99, 95 % CI 0·99, 1·00; and adjusted OR 0·91, 95 % CI 0·87, 0·94, respectively). In survivors (mean age 9 years), it was associated with greater hand grip strength (0·02, 95 % CI 0·00, 0·03) and larger HAZ (6·62, 95 % CI 1·31, 11·9), both indicators of better health. However, faster weight gain was also associated with increased waist:hip ratio (0·02, 95 % CI 0·01, 0·03), an indicator of later-life NCD risk. The clearest patterns of association were seen when defining PMGr based on weight gain in g/d during treatment and using the LCA method to describe growth patterns. Weight deficit at admission was a major confounder. CONCLUSIONS: A complex pattern of benefits and risks is associated with faster PMGr. Both initial weight deficit and rate of weight gain have important implications for future health.

Depression among people with dyspepsia and H. pylori infection: A community based cross-sectional study in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Depression is the most common mental health problem, and frequently associated with physical illnesses. A link between depression, dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has previously been reported. However, there is limited data regarding the association between these conditions from sub-Saharan Africa where they are highly prevalent. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at elucidating the potential associations between depression, dyspepsia and H. pylori infection in Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a community based cross-sectional study involving urban and rural residents aged 13 years or older in Jimma Zone, southwest Ethiopia. A total of 871 participants were evaluated using a structured case reporting format for symptoms of dyspepsia and the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression. Additionally, participants were assessed for H. pylori infection using stool antigen and serology tests. A multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the association between depression, dyspepsia and H. pylori infection after controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: The prevalence of PHQ-9 scores indicative of probable case of depression among all participants was 10.9%. The prevalence of probable case of depression among patients who had at least one symptom of dyspepsia was 13.3% (X2 = 15.1 = p-value<0.001), while it was 11.9% (X2 = 1.23, p-value = 0.26) among patients who had H. pylori infection. Out of patients who took medications for their heartburn in the past 30 days, 14.9% (X2 = 3.6, p-value = 0.06) had probable case of depression. Dyspepsia symptoms such as epigastric discomfort (aOR = 2.59, 95%CI = 1.14, 5.87), postprandial fullness (aOR = 1.70, 95%CI = 1.48, 5.51), nausea (aOR = 1.71, 95%CI = 1.04, 2.82) excessive belching (aOR = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.31, 0.92) were associated with probable case of depression. However, being H. pylori test positive, gender, and age were not associated with probable case of depression. CONCLUSIONS: There was an increased prevalence of probable case of depression among patients who had dyspepsia symptoms and H. pylori infection. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine possible further determinants of association between symptoms of dyspepsia and probable case of depression.

Carers' and health workers' perspectives on malnutrition in infants aged under six months in rural Ethiopia: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Supporting small and nutritionally at-risk (potentially malnourished) infants under six months is a global health priority, albeit with a weak evidence-base. To inform policy and research in this area, we aimed to assess the perceptions and understanding of infant malnutrition and its management among carers, communities, and healthcare workers in rural Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted in-depth and key-informant interviews, from May-August 2020 in Jimma Zone and Deder District, Ethiopia. We used purposive sampling to recruit the participants. Interviews were transcribed into Amharic or Afaan Oromo and then translated into English. Atlas ti-7 was used to support data analysis. Findings were narrated based on the different themes arising from the interviews. RESULTS: Carers/community members and healthcare workers reported on five different themes: 1) Perceptions about health and well-being: an 'ideal infant' slept well, fed well, was active and looked 'fat'; 2)Perceptions of feeding: overall knowledge of key recommendations like exclusive breastfeeding was good but practices were suboptimal, notably a cultural practice to give water to young infants; 3)Awareness about malnutrition: a key limitation was knowledge of exactly how to identify small and nutritionally at-risk infants; 4) Reasons for malnutrition: levels of understanding varied and included feeding problems and caregiver's work pressures resulting in the premature introduction of complementary feeds; 5) Perceptions about identification & treatment: carers prefer treatment close to home but were concerned about the quality of community-based services. CONCLUSION: To succeed, research projects that investigate programes that manage small and nutritionally at-risk infants under six months should understand and be responsive to the culture and context in which they operate. They should build on community strengths and tackle misunderstandings and barriers. Interventions beyond just focusing on knowledge and attitude of the carers and health workers are necessary to tackle the challenges around infants under 6 months of age at risk of malnutrition. Moreover, stakeholders beyond the health sector should also be involved in order to support the infants under 6 months and their mothers as some of the key reasons behind the at-risk infants are just beyond the capacity of the health sector or health system. Our list of themes could be used to inform infant nutrition work not just in Ethiopia but also in many others.

A multi-country implementation research initiative to jump-start scale-up of outpatient management of possible serious bacterial infections (PSBI) when a referral is not feasible: Summary findings and implications for programs.

INTRODUCTION: Research on simplified antibiotic regimens for outpatient treatment of 'Possible Serious Bacterial Infection' (PSBI) and the subsequent World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines provide an opportunity to increase treatment coverage. This multi-country implementation research initiative aimed to learn how to implement the WHO guideline in diverse contexts. These experiences have been individually published; this overview paper provides a summary of results and lessons learned across sites. METHODS SUMMARY: A common mixed qualitative and quantitative methods protocol for implementation research was used in eleven sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Equateur province), Ethiopia (Tigray and Oromia regions), India (Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh states), Malawi (Central Region), Nigeria (Kaduna and Oyo states), and Pakistan (Sindh province). Key steps in implementation research were: i) policy dialogue with the national government and key stakeholders, ii) the establishment of a 'Technical Support Unit' with the research team and district level managers, and iii) development of an implementation strategy and its refinement using an iterative process of implementation, programme learning and evaluation. RESULTS SUMMARY: All sites successfully developed and evaluated an implementation strategy to increase coverage of PSBI treatment. During the study period, a total of 6677 young infants from the study catchment area were identified and treated at health facilities in the study area as inpatients or outpatients among 88179 live births identified. The estimated coverage of PSBI treatment was 75.7% (95% CI 74.8% to 78.6%), assuming a 10% incidence of PSBI among all live births. The treatment coverage was variable, ranging from 53.3% in Lucknow, India to 97.3% in Ibadan, Nigeria. The coverage of inpatient treatment ranged from 1.9% in Zaria, Nigeria, to 33.9% in Tigray, Ethiopia. The outpatient treatment coverage ranged from 30.6% in Pune, India, to 93.6% in Zaria, Nigeria. Overall, the case fatality rate (CFR) was 14.6% (95% CI 11.5% to 18.2%) for 0-59-day old infants with critical illness, 1.9% (95% CI 1.5% to 2.4%) for 0-59-day old infants with clinical severe infection and 0.1% for fast breathing in 7-59 days old. Among infants treated as outpatients, CFR was 13.7% (95% CI 8.7% to 20.2%) for 0-59-day old infants with critical illness, 0.9% (95% CI 0.6% to 1.2%) for 0-59-day old infants with clinical severe infection, and 0.1% for infants 7-59 days old with fast breathing. CONCLUSION: Important lessons on how to conduct each step of implementation research, and the challenges and facilitators for implementation of PSBI management guideline in routine health systems are summarised and discussed. These lessons will be used to introduce and scale-up implementation in relevant Low- and middle-income countries.

Stool-based Xpert MTB/RIF assay for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children at a teaching and referral hospital in Southwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in children is challenging mainly due to the difficulty of obtaining respiratory specimen and lack of sensitive diagnostic tests. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert here after) for the diagnosis of pulmonary TB (PTB) from stool specimen in children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among consecutively recruited children (less than 15 years old) with presumptive PTB at Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia. One pulmonary specimen (expectorated sputum or gastric aspirate) was collected from each participant and tested for TB by Xpert and Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) culture. In addition, one stool specimen per child was collected and tested by Xpert after a single step, centrifuge-free stool processing method adapted from KNCV TB Foundation. Diagnostic performance of Xpert was calculated with reference to LJ culture and to a composite reference standards (CRS) comprising of confirmed TB (positive by Xpert and/or culture) and unconfirmed TB (clinical diagnosis with improvement after anti-TB treatment). RESULTS: A total of 178 children were enrolled; 152 of whom had complete microbiological results. Overall, TB was diagnosed in 13.2% (20/152) of the children with presumptive TB. Of these, only ten had microbiologically confirmed TB (positive Xpert and/or culture) and the remaining ten were clinically diagnosed with positive response to anti-TB treatment and were classified as unconfirmed TB. Stool Xpert had sensitivity of 100% (95%CI: 66.4-100) and specificity of 99.3% (95%CI: 96.2-100) compared to culture; however, the sensitivity was decreased to 50% (95%CI: 27.2-72.8) when compared to CRS. The Xpert on gastric aspirate had sensitivity of 77.8% (95%CI: 40-97.2) compared to culture and 40% (95%CI: 19.1-64) compared to CRS. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity of Xpert for stool sample is comparable to that for gastric aspirate. Stool sample is a potential alternative to pulmonary specimen in the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in children using Xpert.

Omental Cyst Presenting as an Acute Abdomen in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Omental cysts are the rarest forms of intra-abdominal cystic lesions. They are usually asymptomatic but can also present as acute abdomen. The presentation is confusing in some cases, which may result in mismanagement, added costs, and trouble for the patient. A pre-operative diagnosis is challenging, especially in resource-limited settings, and requires a high level of suspicion and a cautious approach during emergency exploratory laparotomy to avoid complications. CASE DETAILS: This is a 4 year old male child who presented with high grade fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain of 2 days duration. He was tachypneic, tachycardic, and had diffuse abdominal tenderness. Emergency laparotomy revealed a large cyst with hemorrhagic content. Complete removal of the cyst was done, and the patient was discharged after improvement on the third post-operative day. CONCLUSION: Omental cysts are rare in children and have varieties of presentations. Even though preoperative diagnosis is challenging, esspecially in resource-limited settings, clinicians should consider omental cysts in a child presenting with an acute abdomen. It is important for surgeons to consider omental cysts when carrying out emergency laparotomy for an unidentified abdominal condition.

Variation of Ultrasonic Renal Volume between Hypertensive and Non-Hypertensive Individuals in Relation to Body Size Parameters.

BACKGROUND: Estimation of renal size is vital for the diagnosis of abnormal structural change on the kidneys due to the adverse effects of chronic diseases like hypertension. This study evaluated renal volume by ultrasound in relation to body size parameters, notably body mass index (BMI) and body surface area(BSA) in hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals. METHODS: A hospital-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from February to September 2018 at the Radiology department of the Jimma University Medical Center (JUMC). The study included consecutively selected samples of 85 ambulatory hypertensive patients and 60non-hypertensive controls recruited consecutively on voluntary basis. After receiving verbal consent, each subject underwent abdominal ultrasound examination and length, width and thickness of both kidneys were measured and used for estimation of renal volume. The statistical evaluation included independent samples t-tests for mean differences with regard to ultrasonic renal measurements between hypertensive and non-hypertensive groups. RESULTS: A total of 145 adults aged 16 - 80 years (mean ±SD=44 ±17) participated in the study. In the hypertensive group, mean renal volume of 97.7cm3 for the right kidney and104.4cm3 for the left kidney whereas in the control group, it was 101.1cm3 for the right and 111.8 cm3 for the left kidney. The mean right renal volume to BSA ratio was 58.2cm3/m2 in hypertensive group, while it was 62.6cm3/m2 among the control group (p=0.076). The mean left renal volume to BSA of the patients was 62.2cm3/m2 and significantly (p=0.012) lower than that of the non-hypertensive group, which was 69.3 cm3/m2. CONCLUSION: Slightly smaller bilateral renal volume among hypertensive patients as compared the controls was obtained.

Clinical Profile of Neonates Admitted with Sepsis to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Jimma Medical Center, A Tertiary Hospital in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Globally, over 3 million newborn die each year, one million of these attributed to infections. The objective of this study was to determine the etiologies and clinical characteristics of sepsis in neonates admitted to intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in Ethiopia. METHODS: A longitudinal hospital based cohort study was conducted from April 1 to October 31, 2018 at the neonatal intensive care unit of Jimma Medical Center, southwest Ethiopia. Diagnosis of sepsis was established using the World Health Organization's case definition. Structured questionnaires and case specific recording formats were used to capture the relevant data. Venous blood and cerebrospinal fluid from neonates suspected to have sepsis were collected. RESULTS: Out of 304 neonates enrolled in the study, 195 (64.1%) had clinical evidence for sepsis, majority (84.1%; 164/195) of them having early onset neonatal sepsis. The three most frequent presenting signs and symptoms were fast breathing (64.6%; 122/195), fever (48.1%; 91/195) and altered feeding (39.0%; 76/195). Etiologic agents were detected from the blood culture of 61.2% (115/195) neonates. Bacterial pathogens contributed for 94.8% (109/115); the rest being fungal etiologies. Coagulase negative staphylococci (25.7%; 28/109), Staphylococcus aureus (22.1%; 24/109) and Klebsiella species (16.5%; 18/109) were the most commonly isolated bacteria. CONCLUSION: Majority of the neonates had early onset neonatal sepsis. The major etiologies isolated in our study markedly deviate from the usual organisms causing neonatal sepsis. Multicentre study and continuous surveillance are essential to tackle the current challenge to reduce neonatal mortality due to sepsis in Ethiopia.

Compliance to kangaroo mother care best practice: an evidence-based implementation project.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide about 13 million babies are born prematurely every year. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a proven, acceptable and feasible method to decrease the mortality rate of premature infants. Reviewing current KMC practices, implementing in the context and auditing the compliance would benefit the promotion evidence-based practice (EBP), which was not well known in the study area. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of the study was to increase awareness of EBP for KMC in the neonatal care unit of a public hospital through identifying local barriers and facilitators, and to measure compliance with best practice recommendations. METHODS: The current KMC best practice quality improvement project was conducted between March and May 2018. The project team was established for this implementation project. Six KMC best practice audit criteria were used to evaluate the compliance at baseline and endline using the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice audit and feedback tool. All (20) clinical staff who were working in the neonatal care unit were included in the study. Based on the baseline audit result, gaps and barriers were identified and discussed, and implementation strategies specific to the local setting were developed to mitigate the gaps. Baseline results were compared with the final follow-up audit result to measure change in compliance. Again, these data were compared with other studies to identify the sustainability of the project in a clinical setting. RESULTS: A total of 80 cases (baseline 20 and implementation 60) were observed demonstrating KMC procedures. Study found that follow-up compliance rates for all criteria improved compared with baseline audit; for example, criterion 5 (assessment of infant's condition) improved from 20% during baseline to 90% during follow-up and criterion 3 (parent/family received counselling) improved from 30 to 95%. CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrated that EBP training and frequent supportive supervision translated in improved compliance to best available evidence to KMC in a resource-limited setting.

Implementation research on management of sick young infants with possible serious bacterial infection when referral is not possible in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia: Challenges and solutions.

INTRODUCTION: Of 2.5 million newborn deaths each year, serious neonatal infections are a leading cause of neonatal death for which inpatient treatment is recommended. However, manysick newborns in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia do not have access to inpatientcare. A World Health Organization (WHO) guideline recommends simplified antibiotic treatment atan outpatient level for young infants up to two months of age with possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI), when referral is not feasible.We implemented this guidelinein Ethiopia to increase coverage of treatment and to learn about potential facilitating factors and barriers for implementation. METHODS: We conducted implementation research in two districts (Tiro Afata and Gera) in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia, to learn about the feasibility of implementing the WHO PSBI guideline within a programme setting using the existing health care structure. We conducted orientation meetings and policy dialogue with key stakeholders and trained health extension workers and health centre staff to identify and manage sick young infants with PSBI signs at a primary health care unit. We established a Technical Support Unit (TSU) to facilitate programme learning, built health workers' capacity and provided support for quality control, monitoring and data collection.We sensitized the community to appropriate care-seeking and supported the health care system in implementation. The research team collected data using structured case recording forms. RESULTS: From September 2016 to August 2017, 6185 live births and 601 sick young infants 0-59 days of age with signs of PSBI were identified. Assuming that 25% of births were missed (total births 7731) and 10% of births had an episode of PSBI in the first two months of life, the coverage of appropriate treatment for PSBI was 77.7% (601/773). Of 601 infants with PSBI, fast breathing only (pneumonia) was recorded in 432 (71.9%) infants 7-59 days of age; signs of clinical severe infection (CSI) in 155 (25.8%) and critical illnessin 14 (2.3%). Of the 432 pneumonia cases who received oral amoxicillin treatment without referral, 419 (97.0%) were successfully treated without any deaths. Of 169 sick young infants with either CSI or critical illness, only 110 were referred to a hospital; 83 did not accept referral advice and received outpatient injectable gentamicin plus oral amoxicillin treatment either at a health post or health centre. Additionally, 59 infants who should have been referred, but were not received injectable gentamicin plus oral amoxicillin outpatient treatment. Of infants with CSI, 129 (82.2%) were successfully treated as outpatients, while two died (1.3%). Of 14 infants with critical illness, the caregivers of five accepted referral to a hospital, and nine were treated with simplified antibiotics on an outpatient basis. Two of 14 (14.3%) infants with critical illness died within 14 days of initial presentation. CONCLUSION: In settings where referral to a hospital is not feasible, young infants with PSBI can be treated on an outpatient basis at either a health post or health centre, which can contribute to saving many lives. Scaling-up will require health system strengthening including community mobilization. REGISTRATION: Trial is registered on Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12617001373369.

Malnutrition in Infants Aged under 6 Months Attending Community Health Centres: A Cross Sectional Survey.

A poor understanding of malnutrition burden is a common reason for not prioritizing the care of small and nutritionally at-risk infants aged under-six months (infants u6m). We aimed to estimate the anthropometric deficit prevalence in infants u6m attending health centres, using the Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF), and to assess the overlap of different individual indicators. We undertook a two-week survey of all infants u6m visiting 18 health centres in two zones of the Oromia region, Ethiopia. We measured weight, length, and MUAC (mid-upper arm circumference) and calculated weight-for-length (WLZ), length-for-age (LAZ), and weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ). Overall, 21.7% (95% CI: 19.2; 24.3) of infants u6m presented CIAF, and of these, 10.7% (95% CI: 8.93; 12.7) had multiple anthropometric deficits. Low MUAC overlapped with 47.5% (95% CI: 38.0; 57.3), 43.8% (95% CI: 34.9; 53.1), and 42.6% (95% CI: 36.3; 49.2) of the stunted, wasted, and CIAF prevalence, respectively. Underweight overlapped with 63.4% (95% CI: 53.6; 72.2), 52.7% (95% CI: 43.4; 61.7), and 59.6% (95% CI: 53.1; 65.9) of the stunted, wasted, and CIAF prevalence, respectively. Anthropometric deficits, single and multiple, are prevalent in infants attending health centres. WAZ overlaps more with other forms of anthropometric deficits than MUAC.

Dysglycemia in Critically Ill Children Admitted to Jimma Medical Centre, Southwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal blood glucose level is one of the most frequently encountered problems in children with severe illnesses. However, its magnitude and outcome have rarely been determined in Ethiopia. We aimed to determine the magnitude, associated factors and outcome of dysglycemia in critically ill children admitted to Jimma Medical Center. METHODS: Prospective longitudinal study was conducted on children aged 28 days to 14 years admitted with critical illnesses at the different units of the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health of Jimma Medical Center, Southwest Ethiopia, from June to August 2019. Data were collected by trained medical personnel using structured questionnaire and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) windows version 20.0. Dysglycemia was considered whenever the child had a random blood sugar >150mg/dl or <45mg/dl. RESULT: Dysglycemia was seen at admission in 139/481, 28.9% children; 24 (5.0%) had hypoglycemia whereas 115 (23.9%) had hyperglycemia. The factors associated with dysglycemia at admission were severe acute malnutrition (p=002, AOR=3.09, CI=1.18,7.77), impaired mental status (p=0.003, AOR=4.63, CI=1.68, 12.71), place of residence (p=0.01, AOR=1.85, CI=1.15-2.96) and presence of diarrhea on date of admission. Among the children who had dysglycemia at admission, 16/139, 11.5% died. CONCLUSION: Dysglycemia is a common problem in critically ill children in the setting. Blood glucose level should be determined for all critically ill children, and routine empirical administration of dextrose should be minimized since most of the children with dysglycemia had hyperglycemia than hypoglycemia.

Inequitable Utilization of Neonatal Health Services in Southwest Ethiopia: The Effects of Socioeconomic Disparities.

Low levels of neonatal health services utilization and high neonatal deaths are often concentrated among socially and economically disadvantaged groups, especially in low-income countries. Therefore the aim of this study was to assess inequity in the use of neonatal health services in Southwest Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 8 districts located in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia from 19 March to 28 April 2018. A total of 835 mothers were included in the study with systematic random sampling. Principal component analysis was conducted to develop wealth quintiles of the households. Equity in neonatal health services was measured using rate-ratio, concentration curve, concentration index, and analyzed by binary logistic regression. Neonates from richer families were 1.25 times more likely to use neonatal health services than the poorer households with a concentration index value of 0.07. Neonates from highly educated mothers have better used the services and the corresponding concentration index value of 0.03. Neonatal service utilization was 1.32 times higher in the highest wealth quintile in rural settings. Similarly, services delivered at health posts and hospitals were used 2.4 and 2 times more by the wealthy, whereas services given at health centers are more utilized by the poorest. Outputs of binary logistic regression analysis indicated that neonates from middle quintile wealth households were found to be better neonatal health service users [AOR_1.72, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.82]. Neonate born from a secondary school attended mother [AOR_3.56, 95% CI: 1.90, 6.69] were more likely to use neonatal health services. Neonatal health service utilization in Southwest Ethiopia is more common among neonates from richer households and more educated mothers. There is a big difference among the wealthy and poorer in a rural setting and among those who used health posts. Working on the social-determinants of health will facilitate eliminating inequity.