Syphilis among pregnant women in Juba, Southern Sudan.

OBJECTIVE: Determine factors associated with syphilis among pregnant women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Antenatal clinics of Juba Teaching Hospital, Malakia National Health Insurance Centre and Munuki Primary Health Care Centre in Juba, Southern Sudan. SUBJECTS: Consenting pregnant women not on syphilis treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Socio-demographic and clinical data, knowledge and behavioural characteristics. RESULTS: Of the 231 pregnant women participants, 51 (22.1%) were positive for syphilis with the rapid plasma reagin test and 79 (34.2%) were positive with the treponema pallidum Haemagglutination assay. Risk factors for syphilis were: housewife (OR 2.808; P= 0.0116), abortion (OR 2.654; P= 0.0116) and partner travel (OR 2.149; P= 0.028). Attending antenatal clinic for previous pregnancy was protective (OR 0.281; P= 0.0004) for syphilis. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to determine the prevalence and associated factors in the three clinics in Juba, South Sudan. There is a high prevalence of syphilis in pregnant women attending the selected health facilities. Treponema Pallindum Haemagglulination Assay can be used as a field test for syphilis due to its high sensitivity and specificity. Health education, screening and treating positive expectant mothers can reduce the prevalence of syphilis.

Human rotavirus group a serotypes causing gastroenteritis in children less than 5 years and HIV-infected adults in Viwandani slum, Nairobi.

BACKGROUND: Rotavirus remains a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide with an estimated 2000 deaths each day in developing countries. Due to HIV/AIDS scourge in Kenya, it is possible that rotavirus-related gastroenteritis has been aggravated in adults. The Global Alliance for Immunizations has ranked rotavirus infection a priority for vaccine, and, to ensure its success, there is a need to document the local strain(s) circulating in different regions. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to document human rotavirus group A serotypes in children below 5 years and HIV-infected adults in Viwandani slum in Nairobi, Kenya. A total of 260 (128 from children and 132 from HIV infected adults) fecal specimen samples were analyzed from August 2012 to July 2013. Screening for rotavirus was done by antigen based enzyme immune-sorbent assay (ELISA), Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) was used to detect rotavirus electropherotypes and finally genotyping was done by RT-PCR using genotype-specific primer sets targeting VP4 and VP7 genes. RESULTS: Rotavirus was detected in 23% and 8% of children and adult, respectively. Prevalence was high in children of < 2 years and adults of > 48 years. Long electropherotypes accounted for 80% and 60% while short electropherotypes accounted for 20% and 40% in children and adult, respectively. The common globally distributed strains, G1 and G3, accounted for 60% detections while the unusual G9 strain accounted for 80% infection in adults. G1P[8] was the common genotypic combination in children, accounting for 40% infection, whereas G9 [P8] accounted for 60% of the infections in adults. CONCLUSION: This study shows the existence of strain diversity between rotavirus circulating in children and adults within this study group. It further shows that as currently constituted, the 2 vaccines recommended for rotavirus would cover the circulating strain in Viwandani slum. Finally, there is a need for continuous rotavirus strain surveillance in children and a further focus on HIV infected adults.