African health sciences
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African health sciences · Sep 2020
Effective school-based preventive interventions for alcohol use in Africa: a systematic review.
Despite recognition of the risks of alcohol use and importance of prevention from an early age, the effectiveness of school-based interventions in Africa has not been clarified. ⋯ interventions had positive effects on students that were non-drinkers at baseline, especially girls. Although we could not find robust evidence that school-based interventions changed attitudes, frequency/quantity of drinking, and intentions to use alcohol, one intervention showed an increase in students' alcohol refusal self-efficacy.
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African health sciences · Sep 2020
ReviewHemorrhagic fever in Saudi Arabia: challenge to public health, effective management and future considerations.
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) refers to a group of febrile illnesses caused by different viruses that result in high mortality in animals and humans. Many risk factors like increased human-animal interactions, climate change, increased mobility of people and limited diagnostic facility have contributed to the rapid spread of VHF. ⋯ In summary, effective vector control, health education, possible use of vaccine and concerted synchronized efforts between different government organizations and private research institutions will help in planning effective outbreak-prevention and response strategies in future.
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African health sciences · Sep 2020
ReviewReview of phenotypic assays for detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamases and carbapenemases: a microbiology laboratory bench guide.
Infections caused by gram-negative antibiotic-resistant bacteria continue to increase. Despite recommendations by the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) with regards to detection of antibiotic degrading enzymes secreted by these bacteria, the true prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase producers remains a difficult task to resolve. Describing of previously designed phenotypic detection assays for ESBLs and carbapenemases in a single document avails a summary that allows for multiple testing which increases the sensitivity and specificity of detection. ⋯ Extended-spectrum β-lactamase and carbapenemase detection assays, once performed correctly, can precisely discriminate between bacteria producing these enzymes and those with other mechanisms of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics.