Magnitude of infertility and associated factors among women attending selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization estimated that approximately 48 million couples and 186 million people are infertile worldwide. Although the problem of infertility is increasing worldwide, as well as in Ethiopia, there are limited studies done. Therefore, this study aims to determine the magnitude of infertility and the major risk factors in three governmental hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHOD: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was used to conduct the study. The participants were selected by using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected through an interview using a structured questionnaire. The data were entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Logistic regression was used to identify the predictor variables. Statistical significance was considered at a P < 0.05 with an adjusted odds ratio calculated at 95% CI. RESULT: The overall prevalence of infertility was 27.6% (95%CI = 23.2, 32.0). Of these, 14.4% had primary infertility, and 13.2% had secondary infertility. Those whose duration of marriage was less than 60 months [AOR = 3.85; 95%CI 1.39, 10.64], had a history of fallopian tube obstructions [AOR = 8.27; 95%CI 2.36, 28.91], had irregular frequency of coitus [AOR = 37.4; 95%CI 11.29, 124.114], had more than one sex partner [AOR = 3.51; 95%CI 1.64, 7.54], had an abortion greater than 3 times [AOR = 6.89; 95%CI 1.28, 37.09], and had partners who currently consumed alcohol [AOR = 1.31; 95%CI 1.11, 1.86] were more likely to be infertile than their counterparts. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, the prevalence of infertility was high compared to the global estimate of the World Health Organization. The government, health care providers, and researchers should emphasize developing appropriate strategies, research, education, and awareness creation of infertility and its potential causes.

Effect of starter cultures on properties of soft white cheese made from camel (Camelus dromedarius) milk.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of starter cultures on the physicochemical properties, texture, and consumer preferences of soft white cheese (SWC) made from camel (Camelus dromedarius) milk. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments [starter cultures; i.e., 1 thermophilic (STI-12), 2 blended (RST-743 and XPL-2), and 2 mesophilic (R-707 and CHN-22) cultures]. Starter cultures STI-12 and RST-743 were inoculated at 37°C, whereas XPL-2, R-707, and CHN-22 were inoculated at 30°C. Camel milk inoculated using STI-12 and RST-743 cultures resulted in faster acidification than XPL-2, R-707, and CHN-22 cultures. Camel milk SWC made using STI-12 and CHN-22 cultures gave lower pH (4.54) and titratable acidity (0.59), respectively, whereas R-707 culture resulted in high cheese yield (13.44 g/100 g). In addition, high fat (20.91 g/100 g), protein (17.49 g/100 g), total solids (43.44 g/100 g), and ash (2.40 g/100 g) contents were recorded for SWC made from camel milk made using RST-743 culture. Instrumental analysis of cheese texture revealed differences in resistance to deformation in which camel milk SWC made using RST-743 culture gave higher firmness (3.20 N) and brittleness (3.12 N). However, no significant difference was observed among camel milk SWC adhesiveness made using different starter cultures. Consumer preference for appearance, aroma, taste, and overall acceptances of SWC were affected by inoculation of starter cultures. Considering curd firmness, cheese yield, compositional quality, and textures using STI-12, RST-743, and R-707, these cultures were found to be better for the manufacture of camel milk SWC.

Functional and technological properties of camel milk proteins: a review.

This review summarises current knowledge on camel milk proteins, with focus on significant peculiarities in protein composition and molecular properties. Camel milk is traditionally consumed as a fresh or naturally fermented product. Within the last couple of years, an increasing quantity is being processed in dairy plants, and a number of consumer products have been marketed. A better understanding of the technological and functional properties, as required for product improvement, has been gained in the past years. Absence of the whey protein ß-LG and a low proportion of к-casein cause differences in relation to dairy processing. In addition to the technological properties, there are also implications for human nutrition and camel milk proteins are of interest for applications in infant foods, for food preservation and in functional foods. Proposed health benefits include inhibition of the angiotensin converting enzyme, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties as well as an antidiabetogenic effect. Detailed investigations on foaming, gelation and solubility as well as technological consequences of processing should be investigated further for the improvement of camel milk utilisation in the near future.

Production practice, microbial quality and consumer acceptability test of traditionally produced butter in North Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.

'The study was conducted to evaluate the production practices and microbial quality of butter produced in North Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The result of the study revealed that the educational status of households in the study area was 53.3% illiterate, 33.9% in elementary school, and 12.8% in high school. In the study area, 76.7% of the farmers dip their fingers into the milk during milking. Butter was taken to market by packing with plant leaves (30.6%), plastic sheet (11.1%), or plant and plastic sheet alternatively (58.3%). About 12.2% of the farmers do not treat the water. The practise of treating underground water with chlorine accounts for 82.9% of the study area. A total of 180 respondents were randomly selected for the survey from six purposefully selected kebeles in the Wachale district. A total of 34 butter samples (thirty from three open markets, equally ten from each, two butter samples from cooperatives, and two laboratory made butter samples) were collected and analyzed. The aerobic mesophilic bacteria count was significantly (P < 0.05) higher (6.48 log cfu/g) in butter samples from Muke Turi than Wabari (6.36 log cfu/g). The coliform count was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in laboratory made butter (2.96 log cfu/g) than others. The Escherichia coli count was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in butter sample collected from Muke Turi (3.46 log cfu/g) than Wabari (3.29 log cfu/g). Staphylococcus aureus was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in Gimbichu butter (5.46 log cfu/g) samples. Listeria monocytogenes was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in Gimbichu butter, whereas no count of this colony was found in the cooperative and prototype butter samples. The color and aroma of butter made in laboratory have a significantly (P < 0.05) higher score than butter collected from open market. The microbial qualities of butter from three open markets except Gimbichu were substandard. The butter sample from the prototype was relatively compliant with the microbial quality standard, an indication of possibilities for improvement.

Occurrence of Diarrheagenic Pathogens and Their Coinfection Profiles in Diarrheic Under Five Children and Tracked Human Contacts in Urban and Rural Settings of Eastern Ethiopia.

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Nontyphoidal Salmonella, and Shigella are common cause of childhood diarrhea in countries like Ethiopia, but data on their sources and coinfection profiles is limited. A cross sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to January 2023 to determine the prevalence, coinfection, and monthly occurrence rates of major diarrheagenic bacteria in diarrheic under five children and asymptomatic contacts at urban and rural settings in Ethiopia. A total of 345 stool samples were collected from; 262 diarrheic children visiting Hiwot Fana Hospital, Kersa, and Adelle Health Centers; and 83 caretakers and siblings through case based contact tracing. Samples were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures and the overall prevalence of enteric pathogens was 26.96%, with the highest isolation rate during the winter and peaks of 73.91% in February. The occurrence of the pathogens in children and tracked contacts was 27.86 and 24.09%, respectively. In our study, 8.53% coinfection and 23.66% single pathogen infection was recorded in diarrheic children. The study also showed 4.51 and 3.88% of diarrhea in children from urban and rural had attributed to bacterial coinfection, respectively. The most prevalent pathogen in diarrheic children was Diarrheagenic E. coli (10.31%), and followed by Campylobacter. On the other hand, Diarrheagenic E. coli was the second dominant bacteria following Shigella in the traced contacts, with prevalence of 8.43% and 9.64%, respectively. Based on the study site, the prevalence of Diarrheagenic E. coli and Nontyphoidal Salmonella was higher in children from urban than those from rural. However, the occurrence of each pathogen had no significant differences (P > .05) between settings. The high pathogens occurrence rate in the current study indicates the need for strong control strategies and better child carrying and treatment of diarrheal diseases at both urban and rural settings. Further studies on possible sources and factors attributing to the occurrence of enteric pathogens in children are also recommended.

Prevalence and epidemiological distribution of selected foodborne pathogens in human and different environmental samples in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Bacterial Foodborne Pathogens (FBP) are the commonest cause of foodborne illness or foodborne diseases (FBD) worldwide. They contaminate food at any stages in the entire food chain, from farm to dining-table. Among these, the Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC), Non typhoidal Salmonella (NTS), Shigella spp. and Campylobacter spp. are responsible for a large proportion of illnesses, deaths; and, particularly, as causes of acute diarrheal diseases. Though existing studies indicate the problem may be severe in developing countries like Ethiopia, the evidence is commonly based on fragmented data from individual studies. A review of published and unpublished manuscripts was conducted to obtain information on major FBP and identify the gaps in tracking their source attributions at the human, animal and environmental interface. A total of 1753 articles were initially retrieved after restricting the study period to between January 2000 and July 2020. After the second screening, only 51 articles on the humans and 43 on the environmental sample based studies were included in this review. In the absence of subgroups, overall as well as human stool and environmental sample based pooled prevalence estimate of FBP were analyzed. Since, substantial heterogeneity is expected, we also performed a subgroup analyses for principal study variables to estimate pooled prevalence of FBP at different epidemiological settings in both sample sources. The overall random pooled prevalence estimate of FBP (Salmonella, pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli), Shigella and Campylobacter spp.) was 8%; 95% CI: 6.5-8.7, with statistically higher (P <  0.01) estimates in environmental samples (11%) than in human stool (6%). The subgroup analysis depicted that Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli contributed to 5.7% (95% CI: 4.7-6.8) and 11.6% (95% CI: 8.8-15.1) respectively, of the overall pooled prevalence estimates of FBD in Ethiopia. The result of meta-regression showed, administrative regional state, geographic area of the study, source of sample and categorized sample size all significantly contributed to the heterogeneity of Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli estimates. Besides, the multivariate meta- regression indicated the actual study year between 2011 and 2015 was significantly associated with the environmental sample-based prevalence estimates of these FBP. This systematic review and meta-analysis depicted FBP are important in Ethiopia though majority of the studies were conducted separately either in human, animal or environmental samples employing routine culture based diagnostic method. Thus, further FBD study at the human, animal and environmental interface employing advanced diagnostic methods is needed to investigate source attributions of FBD in one health approach.

Milk Products from Minor Dairy Species: A Review.

Milk processing is one of the most ancient food technologies, dating back around 6000 BC. The majority of dairy products are manufactured from cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep; their production technologies are mostly standardized and have been widely investigated. Milk and dairy products from minor species are less important under the economic point of view, but they play a fundamental social role in many marginal and poor areas. Due to scarce interest of the dairy industry, their technological characteristics and related issues have been investigated less. Recently, the increasing interest toward ethnic foods and food biodiversity is helping these minor products to emerge from the "darkness" in which they have remained for long time. Some of them are increasingly seen as useful for the valorization of marginal areas, while others are recognized as innovative or healthy foods. The present review aims to resume the most recent knowledge about these less-known dairy products. The first part summarizes the main technological properties of equine, camel, and yak milk with a view to processing. The second is a survey on the related dairy products, both the traditional ones that have been manufactured for a long time and those that have been newly developed by food researchers.