Epidemiological distribution of high-risk human papillomavirus genotypes and associated factors among patients with esophageal carcinoma at Bugando medical center in Mwanza, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal carcinoma is a growing concern in regions that have a high incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection such as East Africa. HPV, particularly the high-risk genotypes, is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for esophageal carcinoma. We set out to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of high-risk HPV in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks with esophageal carcinoma at Bugando Medical Center, a tertiary referral hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania, East Africa. METHODS: A total of 118 esophageal carcinoma FFPE tissue blocks, collected from January 2021 to December 2022, were analyzed. Genomic DNA was extracted from these tissues, and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect HPV using degenerate primers for the L1 region and type-specific primers for detecting HPV16, HPV18, and other high-risk HPV genotypes. Data were collected using questionnaires and factors associated with high-risk HPV genotypes were analyzed using STATA version 15 software. RESULTS: Of the 118 patients' samples investigated, the mean age was 58.3 ± 13.4 years with a range of 29-88 years. The majority of the tissue blocks were from male patients 81/118 (68.7%), and most of them were from patients residing in Mwanza region 44/118 (37.3%). Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) was the predominant histological type 107/118 (91.0%). Almost half of the tissue blocks 63/118 (53.3%) tested positive for high-risk HPV. Among these, HPV genotype 16 (HPV16) was the most common 41/63 (65.1%), followed by HPV genotype 18 (HPV18) 15/63 (23.8%), and the rest were other high-risk HPV genotypes detected by the degenerate primers 7/63 (11.1%). The factors associated with high-risk HPV genotypes were cigarette smoking (p-value < 0.001) and alcohol consumption (p-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A substantial number of esophageal carcinomas from Bugando Medical Center in Tanzania tested positive for HPV, with HPV genotype 16 being the most prevalent. This study also revealed a significant association between HPV status and cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. These findings provide important insights into the role of high-risk HPV in esophageal carcinoma in this region.

Evaluation of cross-neutralizing immunity following COVID-19 primary series vaccination during the Omicron surge in Tanzania.

COVID-19 vaccine became available in Tanzania during the first wave of the Omicron variant. During that time community seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was already at 50%-80%. To date, it remains largely unknown whether ongoing vaccination with the primary series vaccines has any meaningful immune-boosting effects against newer Omicron subvariants. Therefore, we tested cross-neutralizing capacity of antibodies elicited by infection, vaccination, or both against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants BA.1, and the newer subvariants BQ.1.1 and XBB.1.5. that were unexperienced by this population. Participants who were either SARS-CoV-2 infected-only (n = 28), infected vaccinated (n = 22), or vaccinated-only (n = 73) were recruited from Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, between April and December 2022. Plasma 50% neutralization titers (NT50) against SARS-CoV-2 wild-type strain and Omicron subvariants were quantified by a lentiviral-based pseudo-virus assay. Percentage of participants with neutralizing activity against WT and BA.1 was high (>85%) but was reduced against BQ.1.1 (64%-77%) and XBB.1.5 (35%-68%) subvariants. The low median cross-neutralization titer was slightly higher in the infected vaccinated group compared to vaccine-only group against BQ.1.1 (NT50 148 vs. 85, p = 0.032) and XBB.1.5 (NT50 85 vs. 37 p = 0.022) subvariants. In contrast, vaccine-boost among the infected vaccinated did not result to increased cross-neutralization compared to infected-only participants (BQ.1.1 [NT50 of 148 vs. 100, p = 0.501] and XBB.1.5 [NT50 86 vs. 45, p = 0.474]). We report severely attenuated neutralization titers against BQ.1.1 and XBB.1.5 subvariants among vaccinated participants, which marginally improved in the infected vaccinated participants. Our findings call for further studies to evaluate effectiveness of the primary series vaccines in preventing severe infection and mortality against the newer variants.

Serum gonadal hormones levels and hypogonadism in ART naïve newly diagnosed HIV infected adult males in Mwanza, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is an endemic chronic disease which is characterized with progressive depletion of CD4 T cells and increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections. Previous studies have associated HIV infection with increased hypogonadism. However, the prevalence of hypogonadism remained poorly defined and widely ranging in various studies. This study aims to evaluate the serum gonadal hormonal levels and hypogonadism in antiretroviral therapy (ART) naïve newly diagnosed HIV infected-males in Mwanza, Tanzania. METHODS: This was a comparison study involving 81 ART naïve newly diagnosed HIV-infected adult males as study group and 81 apparently healthy HIV-negative males as comparison group. The participants in the study group and comparison group were matched by body mass index and age. Serum hormones [Total testosterone (TT), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E) were estimated. Serum testosterone < 300 ng/dl, or testosterone > 300 ng/dl with high LH and FSH (compensatory hypogonadism) were taken as markers of hypogonadism. Data were analyzed using STATA version 15. RESULTS: The median serum testosterone level among ART naïve newly diagnosed HIV-infected adult males was significantly lower as compared to their comparison group (447 [259-534] versus 517 [396-605]; p = 0.0074) and shown to decrease with decreasing CD4 level. The median [IQR] serum FSH level among ART naïve newly diagnosed HIV-infected adult males was significantly higher than among their comparison group (3.8 [2.1-6.5] versus 2.6 [1.8-4.2]; p = 0.0086). The differences in serum LH and Estradiol were not statistically significant. Furthermore, the proportion of hypogonadism was significantly higher among ART naïve newly diagnosed HIV-infected adult males than in their comparison group (37.0% [30/81] versus 14.8% [12/81]; p = 0.0006). Out of these 30, 24 HIV-infected males had secondary hypogonadism, one had primary, and the remaining five had compensatory hypogonadism. CONCLUSION: Serum testosterone was lower and follicle stimulating hormone was higher among ART naïve HIV-infected males as compared to the HIV negative controls. Hypogonadism, mainly secondary, is common endocrine abnormality among ART naïve HIV-infected male patients in this study. HIV is associated with variations in gonadal hormones which may lead to sexual dysfunction in infected individuals.

Unraveling cervical cancer screening dilemmas: histopathological insights from VIA and LEEP at bugando medical centre, Mwanza.

BACKGROUND: The single-visit strategy, also known as the "screen-and-treat" approach, is widely used to screen for cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries. The screen-and-treat approach leads to unnecessary or inadequate treatment. Thus, a study was conducted to determine the histopathological patterns of aceto-white lesions on visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) in patients who underwent a Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) at Bugando Medical Centre between January 2016 and December 2020. METHOD: A 5-year retrospective cross-sectional case record review was conducted on 329 women who had LEEP at Bugando Medical Centre following a positive VIA cervical screening test. A standard data abstraction form was used to collect patient information. Missing client information records and LEEP without histopathological results were exclusion criteria. For statistical analysis, STATA version 15 was used; in descriptive statistics, frequency, mean, and standard deviation were used. The Chi2 and Fisher's exact tests were used to investigate the relationship between patient characteristics and histopathological patterns, and a P-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant in multinomial models. RESULTS: This study looked at 329 patients who had LEEP following a VIA positive but were not eligible for cryotherapy. Our study participants had a mean age of 40 ± 8.2 SD. There were 203 (61.7%) patients with benign lesions, including 4 with schistosomiasis and 2 with cervical tuberculosis. The precancerous lesions were discovered in 100 cases (30.4%), and 26 (7.9%) already had invasive cervical cancer. Out of 100 patients with precancerous lesions, 58 (17.6%) and 42 (12.8%) have high- and low-grade squamous intraepithelial (HSIL and LSIL) lesions, respectively. The presence of a precancerous lesion was found to be associated with age 31-40 years (P-value 0.042) and HIV positivity (P-value 0.004). CONCLUSION: Most patients in this study had benign cervical lesions, which do not require LEEP treatment. Nonetheless, a considerable percentage of invasive cervical malignancies and rare benign diseases such as schistosomiasis and cervical tuberculosis were identified. A screen-and-treat approach within well-equipped tertiary hospitals like Bugando Medical Centre should explore alternative options instead of relying solely on straight LEEP.

Unraveling virulence determinants in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli from East Africa using whole-genome sequencing.

Escherichia coli significantly causes nosocomial infections and rampant spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). There is limited data on genomic characterization of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli from African clinical settings. This hospital-based longitudinal study unraveled the genetic resistance elements in ESBL E. coli isolates from Uganda and Tanzania using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). A total of 142 ESBL multi-drug resistant E. coli bacterial isolates from both Tanzania and Uganda were sequenced and out of these, 36/57 (63.1%) and 67/85 (78.8%) originated from Uganda and Tanzania respectively. Mutations in RarD, yaaA and ybgl conferring resistances to chloramphenicol, peroxidase and quinolones were observed from Ugandan and Tanzanian isolates. We reported very high frequencies for blaCTX-M-15 with 11/18(61.1%), and blaCTX-M-27 with 12/23 (52.1%), blaTEM-1B with 13/23 (56.5%) of isolates originating from Uganda and Tanzania respectively all conferring resistance to Beta-lactam-penicillin inhibitors. We observed chloramphenicol resistance-conferring gene mdfA in 21/23 (91.3%) of Tanzanian isolates. Extraintestinal E. coli sequence type (ST) 131 accounted for 5/59 (8.4%) of Tanzanian isolates while enterotoxigenic E. coli ST656 was reported in 9/34 (26.4%) of Ugandan isolates. Virulence factors originating from Shigella dysenteriae Sd197 (gspC, gspD, gspE, gspF, gspG, gspF, gspH, gspI), Yersinia pestis CO92 (irp1, ybtU, ybtX, iucA), Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium str. LT2 (csgF and csgG), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (flhA, fliG, fliM) were identified in these isolates. Overall, this study highlights a concerning prevalence and diversity of AMR-conferring elements shaping the genomic structure of multi-drug resistant E. coli in clinical settings in East Africa. It underscores the urgent need to strengthen infection-prevention controls and advocate for the routine use of WGS in national AMR surveillance and monitoring programs.Availability of WGS analysis pipeline: the rMAP source codes, installation, and implementation manual can free be accessed via https://github.com/GunzIvan28/rMAP .

Comparison of Horizontal blaCTX-M Gene Transfer via Conjugation among Extended Spectrum ß-Lactamases Producing Escherichia coli Isolates from Patients with Urinary Tract Infection, Their Animals, and Environment.

Background: The dissemination of the extended spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBL) producing E. coli poses a significant public health problem. Understanding the efficiency and frequency of horizontal gene transfer via conjugation of ESBL producing E. coli is imperative towards devising prevention and control measures. This study compared the frequencies and efficiencies of horizontal blaCTX-M gene transfer via conjugation among Escherichia coli isolates from urine and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of patients with urinary tract infection (UTI), their animals and environment. Methods: Horizontal blaCTX-M gene transfer via conjugation by a broth mating experiment was performed using 50 confirmed ESBL producing E. coli isolates as donors and Escherichia coli J53 (F-, met, pro, Azr), as the recipient. The transconjugants were detected and their frequencies and efficiencies of conjugation were measured and compared between ESBL producing E. coli isolates multi-sourced from urine, GIT, animals and environment. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of all resulting transconjugants was performed. DNA was extracted from all transconjugants to confirm the presence and the acquisition of blaCTX-M gene. Results: Out of 50 ESBL producing E. coli isolates harboring blaCTX-M gene, 37 (74.0%) successfully exercised horizontal gene transfer through conjugation. All transconjugants were confirmed phenotypically and genotypically by PCR. Of note, all of the isolates from environment 100.0% (7/7) performed conjugation, exhibiting the highest transfer efficiency, followed by isolates from urine and animals, with the conjugation transfer efficiency of 77.8% (14/18) and 76.1% (10/13), respectively. The isolates from the environment conjugated with a significant more efficiency than those from the GIT [Two-sample test of proportions; p-value = 0.0119]. The overall conjugation transfer frequencies ranged from 0.4 × 10-14 - 5.5 × 10-11 per donor cells with the highest median conjugation transfer frequency observed among isolates from animal (3.23 × 10-12 [IQR: 0.70 × 10-12 - 7.22 × 10-12]) followed by that of isolates from the environment (1.60 × 10-12 [IQR: 0.30 × 10-12 - 5.0 × 10-12]). Conclusion: ESBL producing E. coli from human, animals and environment exercises horizontal blaCTX-M gene transfer efficiently with the highest occurrence among isolates from the environment and animals. The antimicrobial resistance control and prevention strategies should be widened up to explore strategies to prevent horizontal AMR gene transfer.

Failure to Attain HIV Viral Suppression After Intensified Adherence Counselling-What Can We Learn About Its Factors?

Background: Introduction and expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART) have turned the tide of HIV pandemic, thus helping people living with HIV (PLHIV) achieve viral suppression. This success may need to be complemented by intensified adherence counseling (IAC) to improve adherence to treatment. However, some PLHIV still face higher than acceptable viral loads despite being on treatment. Purpose: We investigated the factors associated with the failure to suppress HIV viral load after three months of IAC sessions. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed secondary data from PLHIV-attended care and treatment clinics in Mwanza between January 2018 and December 2019 who had unsuppressed VL after being on ART for at least six months. We identified PLHIV in first-line ART with viral load evaluation before receiving IAC and had viral load results done at 90 days after IAC. We conducted descriptive statistics to examine the magnitude of viral suppression. Wilcoxon signed-rank test used to compare the median viral load before and after IAC sessions, and logistic regressions predicted the factors associated with failure. Results: This study included 212 subjects. After intervention, most participants 85.9% (182) had significantly improved adherence compared to baseline. More than half 75.5% (160) of the participants had viral suppression after the intervention. Participants aged 18-25 years (AOR = 5.6, 95% CI, 1.1-29.6), unstable client during ART initiation (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI, 0.13-0.62), and poor adherence to ART (AOR = 4, 95% CI, 1.3-12.3) remained the main predictors of virological failure after IAC intervention. Conclusion: Even though virological suppression is influenced by ART adherence, the findings in this study have shown co-existence of other factors to be addressed. Unstable during ART initiation is a new factor identified in this study.

Metabolic syndrome among people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Mwanza, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: HIV and antiretroviral drugs, particularly protease inhibitors and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, may increase the risk of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) among people living with HIV (PLHIV). However, following the introduction of better drugs like dolutegravir, data on the burden of MetS are limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of MetS and associated factors among PLHIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Tanzania. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study among PLHIV aged ≥ 18 years on antiretroviral therapy for ≥ 1 year at Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza conducted in 2020. Demographic and healthy-lifestyle-related non-communicable disease risk factors data were collected. Additionally, data on lipid profile, blood glucose, blood pressure, and waist circumference were collected for analysis of MetS according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Factors associated with MetS were assessed using logistic regression. A P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Data for 223 participants were analyzed. The mean (SD) age was 44 (± 12) years and 79.8% (178) were females. A majority 78% (174) were on a tenofovir, lamivudine,and dolutegravir regimen. About 12.1% (27) were either current or past smokers, 45.3% (101) were past alcohol drinkers, 22.9% (51) were current drinkers, 12.1% (27) reported taking ≥ 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day and 5.8% (13) were physically inactive. The prevalence of MetS was 22.9%. The only factors that were associated with Mets were fat mass index and adequate intake of vegetables and fruits, (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.9, 95% CI 1.0, 7.9, P = 0.04) and (aOR1.2, 95% CI 1.0, 1.3, P = 0.02), respectively). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MetS remains high among PLHIV. Adiposity and adequate fruit and vegetable intake increased the risk. The introduction of new ART regimens shows no effect on MetS prevalence. Research is needed to understand how lifestyle changes could reduce MetS in PLHIV.

Molecular Characterizations of the Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Species Causing Urinary Tract Infection in Tanzania: A Laboratory-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing body of evidence on the potential involvement of coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) in causing urinary tract infections (UTIs). The aim of this study was to delineate virulence potential, antimicrobial resistance genes, and sequence types of CoNS isolated from patients with UTI symptoms and pyuria in Tanzania. METHODS: CoNS from patients with UTI symptoms and more than 125 leucocytes/µL were retrieved, subcultured, and whole-genome sequenced. RESULTS: Out of 65 CoNS isolates, 8 species of CoNS were identified; Staphylococcus haemolyticus, n = 27 (41.5%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis, n = 24 (36.9%), were predominant. The majority of S. haemolyticus were sequence type (ST) 30, with 8 new ST138-145 reported, while the majority of S. epidermidis were typed as ST490 with 7 new ST1184-1190 reported. Sixty isolates (92.3%) had either one or multiple antimicrobial resistance genes. The most frequently detected resistance genes were 53 (21%) dfrG, 32 (12.9%) blaZ, and 26 (10.5%) mecA genes conferring resistance to trimethoprim, penicillin, and methicillin, respectively. Out of 65 isolates, 59 (90.8%) had virulence genes associated with UTI, with a predominance of the icaC 47 (46.5%) and icaA 14 (13.9%) genes. Conclusion:S. haemolyticus and S. epidermidis harboring icaC, dfrG, blaZ, and mecA genes were the predominant CoNS causing UTI in Tanzania. Laboratories should carefully interpret the significant bacteriuria due to CoNS in relation to UTI symptoms and pyuria before labeling them as contaminants. Follow-up studies to document the outcome of the treated patients is needed to add more evidence that CoNS are UTI pathogens.

The efficacy of maternal health education and maternal screening on knowledge and the uptake of infant screening for sickle cell disease in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania; a quasi experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common genetic disease with high childhood mortality. Early identification of babies with SCD through newborn screening (NBS) and linking them to care are among the recommended interventions. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of maternal health education and maternal screening for SCD on knowledge and the uptake of infant screening for SCD among mother-infant pairs attending antenatal clinics at Government health facilities in Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania.  METHODS: This study was a pre-test post-test, quasi-experimental which involved pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at three hospitals; Mbagala hospital, Sinza hospital and Buguruni health center in Dar Es Salaam. A structured questionnaire was used in data collection. Knowledge on SCD was assessed for all participants before and after two sessions of health education. Participants in Mbagala and Buguruni were also screened for SCD using Sickle SCAN point-of-care test (BioMedomics Inc, USA). The efficacy for health education intervention was computed as the post-intervention minus baseline knowledge score. For proportions, a two-sample z-test was used. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the efficacy of health education intervention and also predictors of infant diagnosis.  RESULTS: For two sessions of health education intervention, a total of 467 pregnant women completed the sessions. During antenatal visits, a total of 218 were screened for SCD. The proportion of participants with good knowledge of SCD had significantly increased to 85.9% from 12.4% at baseline following the education intervention. In multivariate analysis, sharing the received education on SCD was an independent predictor of the efficacy of health education intervention. Maternal occupation, maternal SCD status as well as sharing the received education on SCD were independent predictors of the uptake of SCD infant diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated that maternal health education and maternal screening for SCD are feasible and efficacious interventions in raising knowledge and improving the uptake of infant diagnosis for SCD. These interventions are strongly recommended to be included in the comprehensive care package for pregnant women attending antenatal clinics, particularly in areas with a high burden of SCD.

Outcomes of Hydroxyurea Accessed via Various Means and Barriers Affecting Its Usage Among Children with Sickle Cell Anaemia in North-Western Tanzania.

Purpose: To assess clinical and haematological outcomes of Hydroxyurea accessed via various access means and uncover the barriers to its utilization in children with Sickle cell anaemia (SCA), North-western Tanzania. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted between October 2020 and April 2021 at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) through review of medical files to compare the clinical and haematological outcomes among children with SCA at baseline and followed up retrospectively for at least one year of hydroxyurea utilization, accessed via cash, insurance and projects. Subsequently, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among parents and caregivers to ascertain the barriers to access of hydroxyurea via the various means. The p-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: We identified 87 children with SCA who were on hydroxyurea for at least one year. The median age at baseline (before hydroxyurea) was 99 [78-151] months, and 52/87 (59.8%) were male. Compared to baseline, there was a significant reduction in proportion of patients reporting vaso-occlusive crisis, admissions and blood transfusions, a significant increase in Haemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume, conversely a significant reduction in absolute neutrophil and reticulocytes to both insurance and project participants. There was no significant change in most of these parameters among patients who accessed hydroxyurea via cash. Further, a total of 24/87 (27.6%) participants reported different barriers to access of hydroxyurea, where 10/24 (41.7%) reported hydroxyurea to be very expensive, 10/24 (41.7%) reported insurance challenges, and 4/21 (16.6%) reported unavailability of the drug. Conclusion: The paediatric patients utilizing hydroxyurea accessed via insurance and projects, but not cash, experienced significant improvement in the clinical and haematological outcomes. Several barriers for access to hydroxyurea were observed which appeared to impact these outcomes. These findings call for concerted efforts to improve the sustainable access to hydroxyurea among all patients with SCA.

Prevalence of Hemoglobin-S and Baseline Level of Knowledge on Sickle Cell Disease Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the single most important genetic cause of childhood mortality globally. Newborn screening (NBS) is the recommended intervention aimed at early identification of babies with SCD and their linkage to care. To ensure success of NBS, pregnant women need to have the required knowledge on SCD and therefore motivation to screen their babies. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hemoglobin-S and assess the baseline level of knowledge on SCD among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in urban settings in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between August 2020 and February 2021, involving 600 pregnant women at 20-28 weeks of gestation attending antenatal clinics at Buguruni Health Center, Mbagala Hospital, and Sinza Hospital in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. We administered a structured questionnaire to all participants to assess socio-demographic characteristics and baseline level of knowledge on SCD, where those scoring 7 or higher out of 10 questions were considered to have good knowledge. We screened for SCD a total of 300 participants from two centers (Buguruni Health Center and Mbagala Hospital) by using Sickle SCAN point-of-care test (BioMedomics Inc., United States). We used SPSS version 23 to analyze the data. On determining the association between level of knowledge and socio-demographic factors, we used Pearson's Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression in ascertaining the strength of associations. Results: Of the 600 participants, the majority were of the age between 26 and 35 years (51%), with the parity of 1-3 children (55.8%) and secondary level of education (43%), while 56% were self-employed. Only 14.7% had good knowledge on SCD. The majority of the participants had ever heard of SCD (81.3%), most of them heard from the streets (42.4%), and only 2.4% heard from hospitals. Of all 600 study participants, only 2 (0.3%) knew their SCD status while 7.7% declared having a family history of SCD. A proficient level of knowledge on SCD is associated with a high level of education, occupation, and knowing personal status of SCD. Among 300 participants who were screened for SCD, 252 were Hb-AA (84%), 47 were Hb-AS (15.7%), and 1 (0.3%) was Hb-SS. Conclusion: Despite the high prevalence of hemoglobin-S among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in urban settings in Tanzania, there is a poor level of knowledge on SCD and personal knowledge of SCD status. Maternal screening and health education on SCD should be included as part of the comprehensive package for health promotion at antenatal clinics.

High Fecal Carriage of Multidrug Resistant Bacteria in the Community among Children in Northwestern Tanzania.

Colonization of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria is associated with subsequent invasive infections in children with comorbidities. This study aimed to determine the resistance profile and factors associated with MDR pathogen colonization among HIV-and HIV+ children below five years of age in Mwanza, Tanzania. A total of 399 (HIV- 255 and HIV+ 144) children were enrolled and investigated for the presence of MDR bacteria. The median [IQR] age of children was 19 (10-36) months. Out of 27 Staphylococcus aureus colonizing the nasal cavity, 16 (59.5%) were methicillin resistant while 132/278 (47.2%) of Enterobacteriaceae from rectal swabs were resistant to third generation cephalosporins, with 69.7% (92/132) exhibiting extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) phenotypes. The proportion of resistance to gentamicin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and meropenem were significantly higher among HIV+ than HIV- children. A history of antibiotic use in the last month OR 2.62 [1.1, 6.9] (p = 0.04) and history of a relative admitted from the same household in the past three months OR 3.73 [1.1, 13.2] (p = 0.03) independently predicted ESBL rectal colonization. HIV+ children had significantly more fecal carriage of isolates resistant to uncommonly used antibiotics. There is a need to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) programs to prevent the emergence and spread of MDR pathogens in children.

Urinary Tract Infections and Associated Factors among Patients with Indwelling Urinary Catheters Attending Bugando Medical Centre a Tertiary Hospital in Northwestern Tanzania.

Complications of indwelling urinary catheterization (IUC) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, thus affecting patient's well-being. Understanding the magnitude and factors associated with complications is crucial in designing appropriate preventive strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Bugando Medical Centre, involving patients with long-term and short-term IUC from December 2016 to September 2017. The data were analyzed by STATA 13.0. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CA-UTI) was the leading (56.8%; 250/440) complication among patients with IUC. Gram-negative bacteria were predominantly isolated (98.1%, 252/257), whereas E. coli (30.7%, 79/257) and Klebsiella spp. (29.6%, 76/257) were the leading pathogens. CA-UTI was significantly higher among out-patients than in-patients (82.2% v 35.3%, p < 0.001). Older age (OR: 1.3, (95%CI: 1.1-1.5), p < 0.001), level of education (OR: 1.8, (95%CI: 1.1-3.1), p = 0.029) and catheter duration of ≥6 weeks (OR: 2.43, (95%CI: 1.1-5.5), p = 0.031) independently predicted CA-UTI among outpatients, while female gender (OR: 2.1, (95%CI: 1.2-3.7), p = 0.014), catheter bags not freely hanging (OR: 0.4, (95%CI: 0.2-0.7), p = 0.002) and residing outside Mwanza region (OR: 0.4, (95%CI: 0.2-0.6), p < 0.001) predicted CA-UTI among in-patients. CA-UTI is the common complication among patients with IUC, significantly higher in out-patients than in-patients. We recommend involving patients and carers in infection prevention and control measures in out-patients living with IUC.

Gastrointestinal Tract Colonization Rate of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Gram-Negative Bacteria and Associated Factors Among Orthopaedic Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Tanzania: Implications for Infection Prevention.

BACKGROUND: The dual burden of road traffic accidents and antimicrobial resistance in orthopaedic infections is challenging already strained health-care systems. Limited information exists in Tanzania on antimicrobial resistance surveillance to delineate the potential sources of multi-drug-resistant bacteria for specific mitigation strategies among orthopaedic patients. METHODS: A longitudinal study was conducted at Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza city between January and May 2020. It involved the collection of rectal swabs/stools, hand swabs, and environmental sampling to identify extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing gram-negative bacteria. Participants' data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed to determine factors associated with ESBL colonization among index orthopaedic patients and correlates with other ESBL sources using OR (95% CI) and a cut-off p-value of ≤0.05. RESULTS: We found that 47.2% (125/265) of index patients, 77.8% (14/18) of neighbouring patients, 8.3% (2/24) of health-care workers, 72.2% (13/18) of non-medical caregivers, and 31.4% (27/86) of samples taken from the hospital environment had ESBL producers. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. predominated among participants and Acinetobacter spp. predominated in the environmental samples. Patients with open fractures had increased odds of being colonized with ESBL producers [OR (95% CI): 2.08 (1.16-3.75); p=0.015]. The floor below patients' beds was commonly contaminated; however, the odds of environmental contamination decreased on the third round of sampling [OR (95% CI: 0.16 (0.04-0.67); p=0.012], apparently as a result of parallel infection prevention and control responsive measures against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). CONCLUSION: We found a high occurrence of ESBL colonization among participants and in the environmentat this tertiary hospital. The importance of routine ESBL surveillance among orthopaedic patients with open fractures on admission and strengthened decontamination of health-care premises is reiterated.

Schistosoma mansoni-related periportal fibrosis; can we use APRI and PSDR levels in the real-time selection of patients for targeted endoscopy in a resource-limited setting? A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Schistosoma mansoni related hepatic fibrosis is usually associated with hemodynamic alteration with increased mortality due to bleeding varices. The diagnosis of varices before bleeding imposes a big challenge in resource-limited countries using endoscopy. Published evidence on the utility of non-invasive clinical tools in predicting the presence of varices among patients with S. mansoni related periportal fibrosis is still inadequate including Aspartate to platelet ratio index (APRI) and Platelet to splenic diameter ratio (PSDR) levels. This study describes the determinants of portal varices and assesses the potential utility of the APRI and PSDR level in the discrimination of portal varices among patients with S. mansoni related periportal fibrosis (PPF). METHODS: A case-control study using cross-sectional data was done among patients with Schistosoma mansoni related periportal fibrosis at Bugando Medical Centre, in Mwanza Tanzania. The derivation cohort included patients enrolled between 2015 and 2019 and the validation cohort included patients enrolled from 2019 till March 2021. Socio-demographic, laboratory, ultrasound, and upper digestive endoscopic information were analyzed using STATA 13. The prevalence and determinants of varices were determined by logistic regression. The sensitivity and specificity of independent factors were determined to assess their utility in discriminating the presence of portal varices in patients with PPF. RESULTS: In total, 250 patients were included in the derivation cohort, 109 (43.6%; 95% CI 37.3-49.9) of them had varices. The odds of having varices were independently increased among patients with higher APRI levels than 1.51, (AOR: 5.8; 95% CI 3.1-11.1; p < 0.001) and PSDR levels that were lower than 5700 (AOR: 5.9; 95% CI 3.2-11.2; p < 0.001). Both APRI and PSDR levels had significantly high sensitivity and specificity in predicting the presence of esophageal varices. However, the combined values of APRI and PSDR had higher specificity than any of the two markers. Of the 200 patients in the validation cohort 94 (47.0%; 95% CI 40.0-54.2) had varices, the discriminative power of the final model and the predictive ability of both APRI, PSDR, and APRI-PSDR combined levels were highly maintained. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that varices are a common encounter among patients with S. mansoni related periportal fibrosis and it is independently associated with higher APRI and lower PSDR levels suggesting that these tools are potential discriminators of varices in this subgroup of patients. The reproducibility of these results should further be assessed longitudinally as potential non-invasive tools in selecting patients at high risk of having esophageal varices who could benefit from the targeted endoscopic intervention in a resource-limited setting like ours.

Predictors and outcome of first line treatment failure among under-five children with community acquired severe pneumonia at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances in management and preventive strategies, high rates of first line antibiotics treatment failure and case fatality for Severe Community Acquired Pneumonia (SCAP) continue to occur in children in low and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the predictors and outcome of first line antibiotics treatment failure among children under-five years of age with SCAP admitted at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) in Mwanza, Tanzania. METHODS: The study involved under-five children admitted with SCAP, treated with first line antibiotics as recommended by WHO. Patients with treatment failure at 48 hours were shifted to second line of antibiotics treatment and followed up for 7 days. Generalized linear model was used to determine predictors of first line antibiotics treatment failure for SCAP. RESULTS: A total of 250 children with SCAP with a median age of 18 [IQR 9-36] months were enrolled, 8.4% had HIV infection and 28% had acute malnutrition. The percentage of first line antibiotics treatment failure for the children with SCAP was 50.4%. Predictors of first line treatment failure were; presentation with convulsion (RR 1.55; 95% CI [1.11-2.16]; p-value 0.009), central cyanosis (RR 1.55; 95% CI [1.16-2.07]; p-value 0.003), low oxygen saturation (RR 1.28; 95% CI [1.01-1.62]; p-value 0.04), abnormal chest X-ray (RR 1.71; 95% CI [1.28-2.29]; p-value <0.001), HIV infection (RR 1.80; 95% CI [1.42-2.27]; p-value 0.001), moderate acute malnutrition (RR 1.48; 95% CI [1.04-2.12]; p-value = 0.030) and severe acute malnutrition (RR 2.02; 95% CI [1.56-2.61]; p-value<0.001). Mortality in children who failed first line treatment was 4.8%. CONCLUSION: Half of the children with SCAP at this tertiary center had first line antibiotics treatment failure. HIV infection, acute malnutrition, low oxygen saturation, convulsions, central cyanosis, and abnormal chest X-ray were independently predictive of first line treatment failure. We recommend consideration of second line treatment and clinical trials for patients with SCAP to reduce associated morbidity and mortality.

Patterns of viral pathogens causing upper respiratory tract infections among symptomatic children in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Upper-respiratory tract infections (URTI) are the leading causes of childhood morbidities. This study investigated etiologies and patterns of URTI among children in Mwanza, Tanzania. A cross-sectional study involving 339 children was conducted between October-2017 and February-2018. Children with features suggestive of URTI such as nasal congestion, dry cough, painful swallowing and nasal discharge with/without fever were enrolled. Pathogens were detected from nasopharyngeal and ear-swabs by multiplex-PCR and culture respectively. Full blood count and C-reactive protein analysis were also done. The median age was 16 (IQR: 8-34) months. Majority (82.3%) had fever and nasal-congestion (65.5%). Rhinitis (55.9%) was the commonest diagnosis followed by pharyngitis (19.5%). Viruses were isolated in 46% of children, the commonest being Rhinoviruses (23.9%). Nineteen percent of children had more than 2 viruses; Rhinovirus and Enterovirus being the commonest combination. The commonest bacteria isolated from ears were Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Children with viral pathogens had significantly right shift of lymphocytes (73%-sensitivity). Majority (257/339) of children were symptoms free on eighth day. Viruses are the commonest cause of URTI with Rhinitis being the common diagnosis. Rapid diagnostic assays for URTI pathogens are urgently needed in low-income countries to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions which is associated with antibiotic resistance.

Predictors of Toxoplasma gondii IgG Seropositivity and Cranial Ultrasound Patterns among Children with Hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy is associated with serious neonatal complications, including hydrocephalus. In many high-income countries, T. gondii screening and treatment during the antenatal period are routinely carried out to prevent associated complications, whereas in most low-income countries, there is no routine screening of T. gondii during pregnancy. Despite the parasite being common in Tanzania, there is a paucity of information on the prevalence of T. gondii and cranial ultrasound patterns among children with hydrocephalus. METHODS: An analytical cross-sectional hospital-based study involving 125 infants with hydrocephalus attending the Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) was conducted between May 2017 and February 2018. Sociodemographic and other relevant information was collected using a pretested data collection tool. Venous blood samples were collected, and sera were used for the detection of specific T. gondii antibodies by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as per manufacturer's instructions. Data were analysed using STATA version 13 software. RESULTS: The mean age of enrolled children was 4.8 ± 3.5 months. Out of 125 infants with hydrocephalus, 29 (23.2%, 95% CI: 21-36) were seropositive for T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies. By multiple generalized linear model analysis, being male (aRR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.9-1.5, p = 0.049), higher birth order (aRR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0-1.5, p = 0.023), consumption of fish meat (aRR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.3, p = 0.003), and using other methods of cooking meat than boiling (aRR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1-2.5, p = 0.015) were independent risk factors for T. gondii IgG seropositivity. Obstructive hydrocephalus was significantly more common among T. gondii-seronegative infants compared to IgG-seropositive infants (31.3% [30/96] vs. 13.8% [4/29]; p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of infants with nonobstructive hydrocephalus are T. gondii IgG seropositive, and this is predicted by male gender, increase of birth order, consuming fish, and using other methods of cooking meat than boiling. These facts highlight the importance of continuing health education for pregnant women regarding T. gondii transmission and the need to follow-up their infants so that appropriate counselling and management can be provided.

Renal abnormalities and its associated factors among school-aged children living in Schistosoma mansoni endemic communities in Northwestern Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, renal abnormalities are a major public health concern, especially in children living in Schistosoma haematobium endemic areas. However, there is a dearth of data on renal abnormalities among children living in Schistosoma mansoni endemic areas. The objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of renal abnormalities among school children in a Schistosoma mansoni endemic community in Northwestern Tanzania. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2017 among school children aged 6-13 years, attending three primary schools located along the shoreline of Lake Victoria. A single urine sample was collected from each child and screened for S. mansoni using circulating cathodic antigen and for S. haematobium eggs using a urine filtration technique. A urine dipstick was used to screen for urine protein levels, creatinine levels, microalbuminuria, and red blood cells. Venous blood was obtained for estimation of creatinine level and for malaria diagnosis. The primary outcomes were the prevalence of renal abnormalities, defined by the presence of low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria or microalbuminuria, and hematuria in urine. RESULTS: Of 507 children included in the final analysis, 49.9% (253/507) were male with a mean age of 8.51 ± 1.3 years. Overall, 64.0% (326/507) of the children were infected with S. mansoni, and 1.6% (8/507) of the children were infected with S. haematobium. A total of 71 (14%) of the children had proteinuria, 37 (7.3%) had hematuria, and 8 (1.6%) had a low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Overall prevalence of renal abnormalities was 22.9%. Renal abnormalities (proteinuria) were associated with S. mansoni infection (OR = 4.9, 95% CI 2.1-11.2, p < 0.001) and having red blood cells in urine (OR = 5.3, 95% CI 2.5-11.2, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Twenty-two percent of school children who participated in this study had renal abnormalities associated with S. mansoni infection. Given the high prevalence of S. mansoni, longitudinal epidemiological surveillance is warranted to measure the burden of renal abnormalities and assess the impact of the praziquantel treatment on these abnormalities.