African health sciences
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African health sciences · Sep 2015
Evaluating the use of cell phone messaging for community Ebola syndromic surveillance in high risked settings in Southern Sierra Leone.
Most underdeveloped countries do not meet core disease outbreak surveillance because of the lack of human resources, laboratory and infrastructural facilities. The use of cell phone technology for disease outbreak syndromic surveillance is a new phenomenon in Sierra Leone despite its successes in other developing countries like Sri Lanka. In this study we set to evaluate the effectiveness of using cell phone technology for Ebola hemorrhagic fever syndromic surveillance in a high risked community in Sierra Leone. ⋯ Our study suggests some form of underreporting by the traditional sentinel Ebola hemorrhagic fever disease surveillance system in Moyamba District southern Sierra Leone for August-September 2014. Cell phone messaging technology can be effectively use as a tool for community epidemic surveillance from peripheral health care facilities to higher levels.
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African health sciences · Sep 2015
Association of waist and hip circumferences with the presence of hypertension and pre-hypertension in young South African adults.
Obesity is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) including hypertension (HT) which is itself a risk factor for CVDs. Recent studies suggest that waist circumference (WC) may be more sensitive than Body Mass Index (BMI) in determining individual risk scores for CVDs. ⋯ Increased WC and HC were associated with HT and pre-HT in young adult females in the Walter Sisulu University.
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African health sciences · Sep 2015
Risk factors for placental malaria and associated adverse pregnancy outcomes in Rufiji, Tanzania: a hospital based cross sectional study.
Prevention and treatment of malaria during pregnancy is crucial for reduction of malaria in pregnancy and its adverse outcomes. The spread of parasite resistance to Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) used for Intermittent Preventive Treatment for malaria in pregnancy (IPTp), particularly in East Africa has raised concerns about the usefulness and the reliability of the IPTp regimen. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of two doses of SP in treating and preventing occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. ⋯ Two doses of SP for IPTp regime are ineffective in preventing and treating PM and adverse pregnancy outcome. Hence a review to the current IPTp regimen should be considered with possibility of integrating it with other malaria control strategies.
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African health sciences · Sep 2015
Prevalence of CKD-MBD in pre-dialysis patients using biochemical markers in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.
As kidney function declines, there is a progressive deterioration in mineral homeostasis with disruption of normal serum and tissue concentration of phosphorus and calcium, and changes in circulating levels of hormones-parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitriol (1,25(OH)2 D), and Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23). ⋯ Low 25 (OH) D levels (insufficiency/deficiency), hyperparathyroidism, and hyper-phosphatemia were the obvious markers of CKD-MBD in our pre-dialysis patients. These should be evaluated at presentation in these patients.
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African health sciences · Sep 2015
Relationship between soil cobalt and vitamin B12 levels in the liver of livestock in Saudi Arabia: role of competing elements in soils.
This study aimed to analyze the agricultural soils from different regions in Saudi Arabia for cobalt and related metals as Cu(2+), Ni(2+), Cr(3+), Zn(2+) and Pb(2+). ⋯ It was recommended that survey of heavy metals in grazing fields of cattle should consider inclusion of multiple elements that compete with the bioavailability of essential elements in plants and animals for the prevention of deficiency of essential elements such as Co.