Aneugenicity and clastogenicity in freshwater fish Oreochromis niloticus exposed to incipient safe concentration of tannery effluent.

Conventional effluent bioassays mostly rely on overt responses or endpoints such as apical and Darwinian fitness. Beyond the empirical observation, laboratory toxicity testing needs to rely on effective detection of prognostic biomarkers such as genotoxicity. Indeed, characterization of tannery effluent requires slotting in of genotoxic responses in whole effluent toxicity testing procedures. Hence, the prime objective of the present experimental investigation is to apply the technique of biological assay as a tool of toxicity testing to evaluate the induction of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral erythrocytes, and exfoliated cells of gill and kidney of O.niloticus exposed to Maximum tolerable concentrations (MTCs) of composite Modjo tannery effluent (CMTE) and to compare the sensitivity of each cells origin to the induction of MN. After 72h of exposure, cellular aberrations were detected using MN and nuclear abnormality (NA) tests. The induction of MN was significantly higher in exposed groups (P<0.05) when compared to the control group; moreover the tissue specific MN response was in the order, gill cells>peripheral erythrocyte>kidney. Total NA was found to increase significantly (P<0.05), when compared to the non-exposed group. NA was also further ramified as blebbed (BL), bi-nucleated (BN), lobbed (LB) and notched (NT) abnormalities. The result of each endpoint measured has demonstrated that at a concentration of total chromium (0.1, 0.73 and 1.27mg/L), a perceptible amount cellular aberration was measured, further implicating somber treat of genotoxicity to fishes, if exposed to water contaminated with tannery effluent. This further highlight that conventional effluent monitoring alone cannot reveal the effects expressed at cellular and genetic levels further demanding the incorporation of effluent bioassays in risk assessment and risk management/abatement programs.

Prevalence and Predictors of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Sub-Saharan Africa: A 10-Year Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains a global public health problem, which affects the well-being of mothers and their children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Studies conducted in different geographical areas provide varied results on its prevalence and predictors. Understanding the extent and predictors of GDM in SSA is important for developing effective interventions and policies. Thus, this review aimed to investigate the prevalence of GDM and its predictive factors in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards in this review. An extensive search of the PubMed, Web of Sciences and EMBASE databases was carried out covering papers from 2012 to 2022 to assess the prevalence and predictors of GDM. Microsoft Excel 2019 was utilised for study management. GraphPad Prism Version 8.0 and the MedCalc statistical software were employed for data analysis. The findings were analysed using textual descriptions, tables, forest plots and heat maps. RESULTS: Using 30 studies with 23,760 participants that satisfied the inclusion criteria, the review found the overall prevalence of GDM in SSA to be 3.05% (1.85%-4.54%). History of preterm delivery, alcohol consumption, family history of diabetes, history of stillbirths, history of macrosomia, overweight or obesity and advanced mother age were all significant predictors of gestational diabetes. Additionally, various biomarkers such as haemoglobin, adiponectin, leptin, resistin, visfatin, vitamin D, triglycerides and dietary intake type were identified as significant predictors of GDM. CONCLUSION: In sub-Saharan Africa, there is a high pooled prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus. In the light of the predictors of GDM identified in this review, it is strongly recommended to implement early screening for women at risk of developing gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. This proactive approach is essential for enhancing the overall well-being of both mothers and children.

Adherence to infection prevention and control measures and risk of exposure among health-care workers: A cross-sectional study from the early period of COVID-19 pandemic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background and Aim: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are considered a high-risk group for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposure, ascribed to the amount of time they spend in health-care facilities (HCFs). This study aimed to assess HCWs' compliance with Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) procedures and the risk of exposure during the early period of the pandemic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to September 2020. With a response rate of 79.2%, a standardized questionnaire was administered among 247 HCWs, working in eight HCFs. Descriptive and multivariate regression analysis was carried out in STATA version 16. Results: About 22.5% (55) of the HCWs had proper adherence to IPC procedures. Of the total participants, 28.2% (69) had proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), 40% (98) had proper hand hygiene practices, and 33.1% (81) had frequently cleaned their working environment. HCWs who received training on IPC protocols were four times more likely to follow IPC standards than those with no training (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.46, 10.58). Besides, HCWs working in treatment centers were four times more likely to follow IPC standards than those working in conventional hospitals (AOR = 3.61; 95% CI:1.63, 8.02). Nurses were four times more likely to have adherence to IPC measures than cleaners and runners (AOR = 4.37; 95% CI: 1.38-13.88). Conclusion: The nature and magnitude of the pandemic did not introduce the required degree of adherence to IPC procedures, per se does not match the level of diligence needed to halt SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Our finding suggested that providing periodic training of HCWs with particular emphasis on nonclinical staff is commendable. Furthermore, it is necessary to maintain resilent IPC in HCF through continous follow up and safety drills, to assess the readiness of HFCs' adherance to IPC measures under normal circumstances, which could improve prepardeness for an effective response during epidemics.

Physicochemical quality and health implications of bottled water brands sold in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Water bottling companies often assert that their products are of the highest quality and are conforming to the standards. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess the physicochemical quality of bottled waters consumed in Ethiopia and to compare the findings with the national and international water quality standards. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven domestic and two imported bottled water brands were randomly purchased in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at three different occasions from July 2013 to May 2014. A total of 39 composite samples were examined for aggregate parameters, major anions, and common cations in accordance with the procedures described in the standard methods. RESULTS: We found that 7.7% of the samples were containing higher levels of alkalinity, hardness, total dissolved solids, pH, HCO3-, Na+, and Ca2+ than the national standards and the WHO guidelines. However, the deviations from standards for all the above parameters were not statistically significant (one-sample t-test, P>0.05). Conversely, in some of the brands, some of the essential elements like Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, and F- were found at very low concentrations. The rest of the parameters, including CO3(2-), SO4(2-), PO4(3-) (orthophosphates), Cl-, F-, NO3-, NO2-, K+, Mg2+, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb were within the acceptable ranges in all the brands. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Bottled water brands containing very high concentrations of dissolved substances may pose health risks for individuals living with heart and kidney related problems. On the other hand, brands having chemicals lower than the optimum level may also harm the health of consumers who choose those brands as a sole source of drinking water. Thus, we suggest those responsible authorities to ensure regular monitoring and testing for chemical compositions of bottled water.