Prevalence and Factors Associated with Diarrhoea among Children between 6 and 59 Months of Age in Mwanza City Tanzania.

Background: Childhood diarrhoea is a global public health problem especially in unplanned settlements of low- and middle-income countries. Different studies have associated household settlement and childhood diarrhoea, but the prevalence and risk factors associated with childhood diarrhoea at the community level are not clearly known. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was performed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with diarrhoea in among 480 children between 6 and 59 months of age in Mwanza city from June to August 2016. Risk factors associated with childhood diarrhoea in Mwanza city were determined using univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results: The study showed a prevalence of diarrhoea of 20.4% and an association between type of settlement and childhood diarrhoea (p < 0.001) in a chi-square analysis. During bivariate analysis, and logistic regression, after controlling for other factors, unplanned settlement was significantly associated with childhood diarrhoea (odds ratio=3.475, p < 0.001 and AOR=3.469, p < 0.001). Other factors associated with childhood diarrhoea were behaviour of mother washing hands before preparing food (AOR = 0, 193, p < 0.001), mother washing hands after changing child's napkins (AOR = 0.544, p < 0.036) and the behaviour of the child washing hands after toilet (AOR = 0.447, p < 0.006). Conclusion: Risk factors associated with childhood diarrhoea in Mwanza city are unplanned settlement and behaviour of mother and child washing hands during critical time; hence, continuous community health promotion insisting on washing hands with soap and water during critically time is the best method for fighting childhood diarrhoea in Mwanza city.

Effect of community-based lifestyle education intervention to reduce cardiovascular diseases risk factors among vulnerable population in Dodoma city, Tanzania: a cluster randomized controlled trial study protocol.

Tanzania is experiencing the rise of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and associated risk factors including hypertension, obesity and diabetes mellitus. Health education and healthy lifestyle promotion is an effective approach toward primary prevention of the risk factors and can be achieved through community-based intervention. The objective of this protocol is to test the effectiveness of community-based lifestyle education intervention in reducing CVDs risk factors among vulnerable population in Dodoma City. This protocol is designed as a cluster-randomized controlled trial with a quantitative approach in which participants aged from 31 years will be assigned randomly to a control or intervention group. A total of 800 participants will be recruited in the study. The study will consist of six stages (baseline, first to fourth follow-up, and end-line surveys) in 6 months for both the intervention and the control group. The intervention will be implemented twice-monthly for the first 3 months, then monthly for the last 3 months. In each stage, participants from all groups will be measured for biological and behavioral CVDs risk factors. Health education and a healthy lifestyle promotion for prevention of CVDs risk factors will be provided to the intervention group only during each stage. The main outcome measures will be changes in body weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, dietary habits, and physical exercise in the intervention compared with the control group. Independent and paired t-tests will be employed to make comparisons between and within groups. P-values of less than 0.05 will be considered statistically significant.

Double superior vena cava presenting with anomalous jugular and azygous venous systems.

OBJECTIVE: To report on the double superior vena cava occurring with anomalous azygous vein and abnormal termination of the cardiac veins, which has not been reported before in one individual. RESULTS: Examination of the heart revealed the presence of both the right and left superior vena cava. The right superior vena cava terminated into the right atrium and received the right root of the azygous vein, and the left superior vena cava received the left root of the azygous vein before entering the dilated coronary sinus. The azygous vein ascended in the right chest, and at the level of the third thoracic vertebra, it divided into the right and left roots, which joined the respective superior vena cava. Observation of the left lung revealed the presence of both the oblique and horizontal fissures that demarcated the upper, middle, and lower lobes. Dissection of the neck revealed abnormal connection of the superficial veins. The left external and anterior jugular veins opened at the confluence of veins that was drained by the venous arch that passed to the right side of the neck to open into the right external jugular vein. CONCLUSION: The coexistence of double superior vena cava with azygous and superficial jugular venous anomalies is considered to be incidental finding. However, continued documentation of such anomalies is clinically important, and it remains to be important in medical science.

Prevalence and Correlates of Intestinal Parasites among Patients Admitted to Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital, Dodoma, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Neglected tropical diseases continue to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Psychiatric patients are among groups at risk for parasitic infection although control and monitoring programs largely overlook this population. This study aimed at determining prevalence and factors associated with intestinal parasitic infection among patients admitted to a psychiatric facility. METHOD: The study followed cross-sectional design; all the residing patients that met the inclusion criteria were included in the survey. Stool samples were collected and examined by direct wet preparation and formol-ether concentration. Data were analyzed with STATA version 12.1; Chi-square test was computed to determine the level of significance at p value < 0.05. RESULTS: Of all 233 patients who returned the stool samples, 29 (12.45%) screened were positive for an intestinal parasite. There was no significant association between parasite carriage and age, sex, or duration of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: The study shows that intestinal parasitic infection is common among patients in a psychiatric facility and highlights that parasitic infections that enter through skin penetration may be a more common mode of transmission than the oral route. Furthermore, the study underscores the need for surveillance and intervention programs to control and manage these infections.

Single right coronary artery with hypoplastic left coronary artery represented by only descending septal branch from the right sinus of Valsalva.

A case is presented with combined anomalies of coronary arteries: single dominant right coronary artery, ectopic origin of hypoplastic left coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva, anomalous interseptal course of the latter artery, absence of typical left descending and circumflex arteries from the left coronary artery and presence of myocardial bridging.

Morpho-physiological features associated with menopause: recent knowledge and areas for future work.

Menopause is the permanent cessation of menstruation resulting from loss of ovarian follicular activity which happens as a result of depletion of primary follicles which is basically an aging effect. Depletion of ovarian follicles is reflected as declined production of oestradiol which is currently known to be central to the morphologic and physiological changes that happen during the climacteric, menopause and post menopause periods. The cessation of oestradiol production is much more pronounced in tissues with oestrogen receptors such as bones, brain, blood vessels, central nervous system and the skin. But generally little is known on the subject and in particular the bioactive substances involved in the process such that there are some symptoms that menopause women experience which not only defy clinicians but also challenge the management of the condition. This article is presented to shade light to what is currently known, what is not known and stimulate future research which may reveal more understanding and advance our knowledge on management of women throughout the climacteric and menopausal periods.

The male circumcision: the oldest ancient procedure, its past, present and future roles.

Circumcision, a surgical removal of male prepuce has existed throughout human history, and it appears it shall exist until humanity ends. During its entire existence, there have been changing reasons or indications from cultural, traditional, religious and currently medical, and it has vehemently been criticized by some individuals for different reasons and in different countries. Emergency of new diseases particularly Human Immunodeficient virus (HIV) has brought the ancient procedure back on spot light, this has come as a result of recent studies which have demonstrated that it does not only reduces significantly the rate of HIV infection, as well as penile cancer and cervical cancer. This has lead to massive male circumcision campaigns in areas with low prevalence of circumcision. On the other hand the socio-cultural and sexual aspects of male circumcision have been studied but often ignored. This article will therefore increase awareness of male circumcision and the increasing roles with time, recommend up scaling of medical male circumcision and possible safe circumcision training to tradition circumcisers.

Double superior vena cava presenting with anomalous jugular and azygous venous systems.

OBJECTIVE: To report on the double superior vena cava occurring with anomalous azygous vein and abnormal termination of the cardiac veins, which has not been reported before in one individual. RESULTS: Examination of the heart revealed the presence of both the right and left superior vena cava. The right superior vena cava terminated into the right atrium and received the right root of the azygous vein, and the left superior vena cava received the left root of the azygous vein before entering the dilated coronary sinus. The azygous vein ascended in the right chest, and at the level of the third thoracic vertebra, it divided into the right and left roots, which joined the respective superior vena cava. Observation of the left lung revealed the presence of both the oblique and horizontal fissures that demarcated the upper, middle, and lower lobes. Dissection of the neck revealed abnormal connection of the superficial veins. The left external and anterior jugular veins opened at the confluence of veins that was drained by the venous arch that passed to the right side of the neck to open into the right external jugular vein. CONCLUSION: The coexistence of double superior vena cava with azygous and superficial jugular venous anomalies is considered to be incidental finding. However, continued documentation of such anomalies is clinically important, and it remains to be important in medical science.