Antibiogram of uropathogens and associated risk factors among asymptomatic female college students in Dessie town, Northeast Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic urinary tract infection (asymptomatic bacteriuria and asymptomatic candiduria) may not be routinely detected in sexually active non-pregnant female population at the initial and reversible stages. This is mainly due to the fact that most women may not feel compelled to seek medical attention. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, and factors associated with urinary tract infection (UTI), and antibiogram of the uropathogen isolates among asymptomatic female college students. METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted at selected colleges in Dessie from January 2021-March 2021. A total of 422 reproductive age (15 to 49 years) non-pregnant female students were included. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics data were collected using structured questionnaires. Ten mLs of freshly voided mid-stream urine specimen was collected, transported and processed according to the standard operating procedures. Data were coded and entered for statistical analysis using SPSS version 22.0. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed and p-values <0.05 with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were considered statistically significant. RESULT: The overall prevalence of UTI was 24.6%. The prevalence of asymptomatic UTI bacteriuria and candiduria was 57 (13.5%) and 47 (11.1%), respectively. The predominant uropathogens were Staphylococcus saprophyticus 24 (23.1%), followed by Candida tropicalis 23 (22.1%), Candida albican 10 (9.6%), Candida krusei 9 (8.7%) and Escherichia coli 8 (7.7%). Gram negative bacterial isolates showed a higher level of resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid 24 (92.3%). Gram positive bacterial uropathogens showed high level of resistance to penicillin 28 (96.6%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 23 (79.3%). Gram positive bacterial isolates were sensitive to norfloxacin, clindamycin, and ciprofloxacin, accounting for 24 (82.7%), 20 (69.0%), and 19 (65.5%), respectively. Multidrug resistance was seen in 50 (87.7%) of bacterial uropathogens. Factors identified for acquisition of UTI were frequency of sexual intercourse (≥3 per week) (AOR = 7.91, 95% CI: (2.92, 21.42), and genital area washing habit (during defecation (AOR = 5.91, 95%CI: (1.86, 18.81) and every morning (AOR = 6.13, 95%CI: (1.60, 23.45)). CONCLUSION: A significant prevalence of uropathogens, and high resistance of bacterial isolates to the commonly prescribed drugs were detected. Therefore, routine UTI screening, regular health education on the risk of asymptomatic infectious diseases for reproductive age group females, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing should be practiced to avoid the progression of an asymptomatic infection into a symptomatic UTI.

The Escalating Magnitude of COVID-19 Infections among the Northeastern Ethiopia Region: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is lethal and extremely contagious, with a rapidly rising global prevalence. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a global pandemic; it is reported to have spread to nearly every country in the world. However, the prevalence varies across developed and developing countries, as well as within different regions of the same country. It is not hidden that estimating the magnitude of COVID-19 infection from the community surveys is critical for public health policymakers to make decisions to deal with the outbreak, optimize measures, and design mitigation plans. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 01 July to 31 August 2020 in the northeastern Ethiopia region. A simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants from the community survey, contact traces from confirmed cases, and infection suspects. After extraction of viral nucleic acid from oropharyngeal specimen, the real-time fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) kit was used for detecting novel coronavirus. RESULTS: A total of 8752 study participants were included in this study. About 63.6% were males and 36.4% were females. Out of the total 8752 study participants, 291 (3.3%) were found to be infected with the virus. The first laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 were detected in the fourth week of the study period, that is, from July 24 to July 31, 2020, and the peak prevalence was observed in the last two weeks. The COVID-19 infection was more prevalent among males and in the age group of 36-52 years. Participants tested via contact trace had 1.65 times (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.09-2.51, P=0.018) the likelihood of COVID-19 infection in comparison to the other forms of community surveys. CONCLUSION: The trend in the prevalence of COVID-19 infection in the northeastern region has shown increment, and increasing testing capacity has a greater benefit in identifying early infection for the prevention, treatment, and control of the international pandemic.

Asymptomatic malaria infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care in malaria endemic areas of North-Shoa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The effort to reduce the burden of malaria should target transmission in the community by accurate identification of asymptomatic infections. In malaria-endemic areas, asymptomatic malaria infection is still associated with complications. Malaria during pregnancy is characterized by anaemia and placental malaria, leading to low birth weight and perinatal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to provide reliable data on the burden of asymptomatic malaria among pregnant women in malaria endemic areas of North-Shoa, Ethiopia. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the prevalence and predictors of asymptomatic malaria in pregnant women from November 2018 to January 2019. Multistage sampling technique was employed to include 263 study participants. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical software. In all comparisons, p-values ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infection was 5.7% (15/263) and 3.4% (9/263) by using microscopy and RDTs, respectively. Plasmodium falciparum was a dominant species 9 (3.4%) and Plasmodium vivax accounted for 6 (2.3%) of Plasmodium infections as detected by microscopy. Multivariate analysis showed that ITN usage and haemoglobin level had a statistically significant association with Plasmodium infection after adjusting other possible factors. Compared to those who were using ITN always, the odds of Plasmodium infection was 18.16 times higher (95% CI 1.84-179.07) in pregnant women who were not using ITN, and 5.19 times higher (95% CI 0.55-49.21) in pregnant women who were using ITN sometimes. Asymptomatic malaria infected pregnant women were 3.78 times (95% CI 0.98-14.58) more likely to be anaemic compared to non-infected pregnant women. CONCLUSION: The present study showed asymptomatic malaria is prevalent in pregnant women and it has statistically significance association with the haemoglobin level of pregnant women. This indicates pregnant women have to be screened for asymptomatic malaria to avoid health consequences of malaria infection during pregnancy for the mother and fetus.