Articles

Virulence factors and antibiotic resistance properties of the Staphylococcus epidermidis strains isolated from hospital infections in Ahvaz, Iran

Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis strains are considered to be one of the major causes of human clinical infections in hospitals. The present investigation was done to study the pattern of antibiotic resistanc...

Authors: Roya Chabi and Hassan Momtaz

Epidemiology of animal bite in Iran during a 20-year period (1993–2013): a meta-analysis

Rabies is a fatal disease that still kills 2–6 people a year in Iran. A meta-analysis was conducted in order to generate accurate data on animal bite exposure, and to estimate the incidence of animal bite acro...

Authors: Maliheh Abedi, Amin Doosti-Irani, Fatemeh Jahanbakhsh and Amirhossein Sahebkar

A One Health perspective to identify environmental factors that affect Rift Valley fever transmission in Gezira state, Central Sudan

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic viral vector-borne disease that affects both animals and humans and leads to severe economic consequences. RVF outbreaks are triggered by a favorable environment and flood...

Authors: Rania Salah Eldien Bashir and Osama Ahmed Hassan

Prevalence and factors associated with HIV and syphilis infection among children aged 0–36 months in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: a community-based cross-sectional study

Childhood mortality is high in sub-Saharan Africa. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and congenital syphilis are among significant causes. Dual elimination of these two infections is one of the intern...

Authors: Nikolas A. S. Chotta, Melina Mgongo, Sia E. Msuya, Balthazar M. Nyombi, Jacqueline G. Uriyo, Babill Stray-Pedersen and Arne Stray-Pedersen

Outcomes and factors affecting mortality and successful tracing among patients lost to follow-up from antiretroviral therapy in Pawi Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Loss to follow-up (LTFU) is a major public health problem to antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Failure to account for patients’ LTFU outcomes (self-transfers and restarts) can result...

Authors: Moges Agazhe Assemie, Cheru Tesema Leshargie and Pammla Petrucka

Burden of hydrocoele assessed from medical and surgical records in a lymphatic filariasis endemic country, Samoa

Samoa is a Pacific Island country that has long been known to have a high burden of lymphatic filariasis. Little has been documented about the burden of disability due to the chronic complications of the disea...

Authors: Tile A. Ah Leong-Lui, Patricia M. Graves and Take Naseri

Factors influencing the choice of facility-based delivery in the ethnic minority villages of Lao PDR: a qualitative case study

Facility-based delivery has been promoted to improve maternal and child health care in Lao PDR and a free delivery policy was introduced at designated health care facilities (HCF) in 2013. However, according t...

Authors: Chika Sato, Khampheng Phongluxa, Noriko Toyama, Ernesto R. Gregorio Jr, Chiaki Miyoshi, Futoshi Nishimoto, Tomomi Takayama, Tiengkham Pongvongsa, Kenzo Takahashi, Sengchanh Kounnavong and Jun Kobayashi

A validation study of microscopy versus quantitative PCR for measuring Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia

Microscopy and 18S qPCR are the most common and field-friendly methods for quantifying malaria parasite density, and it is important that these methods can be interpreted as giving equivalent results. We compa...

Authors: Emma Ballard, Claire Y. T. Wang, Tran Tinh Hien, Nguyen Thanh Tong, Louise Marquart, Zuleima Pava, Joel Tarning, Peter O’Rourke and James S. McCarthy

Evaluating the efficacy of point-of-use water filtration units in Fiji

To develop and evaluate a strategy for reducing the prevalence and impact of waterborne disease, a water quality intervention was developed for Fiji by Give Clean Water, Inc. in partnership with the Fiji Minis...

Authors: Nathan Tintle, Adam Heynen, Kristin Van De Griend, Rachel Ulrich, Matthew Ojo, Emma Boven, Sarah Brokus, Randall Wade and Aaron A. Best

Editorial overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on health in the tropics

Authors: Nguyen Tien Huy, Heba Elhadad and Nguyen Hai Nam

A step by step guide for conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis with simulation data

The massive abundance of studies relating to tropical medicine and health has increased strikingly over the last few decades. In the field of tropical medicine and health, a well-conducted systematic review an...

Authors: Gehad Mohamed Tawfik, Kadek Agus Surya Dila, Muawia Yousif Fadlelmola Mohamed, Dao Ngoc Hien Tam, Nguyen Dang Kien, Ali Mahmoud Ahmed and Nguyen Tien Huy

Use of antibiotics for common illnesses among children aged under 5 years in a rural community in Indonesia: a cross-sectional study

The incidence of antimicrobial resistance has been increasing worldwide in the past decades, which includes resistance to bacteria that cause common childhood illnesses, such as acute respiratory infections an...

Authors: Raihana Nadra Alkaff, Taro Kamigaki, Mayuko Saito, Fajar Ariyanti, Dewi Utami Iriani and Hitoshi Oshitani

Analyzing spatial and space-time clustering of facility-based deliveries in Bangladesh

A spatial and temporal study of the distribution of facility-based deliveries can identify areas of low and high facility usage and help devise more targeted interventions to improve delivery outcomes. Develop...

Authors: Atique Iqbal Chowdhury, Abu Yousuf Md Abdullah, Rafiqul Haider, Asraful Alam, Sk Masum Billah, Sanwarul Bari, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Warren Christopher Jochem, Ashraf Dewan and Shams El Arifeen

Elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem from Tonga

Tonga was highly endemic for lymphatic filariasis (LF) caused by diurnally sub-periodic Wuchereria bancrofti transmitted by Aedes vector species. LF prevalence declined very appreciably as a result of chemotherap...

Authors: Reynold `Ofanoa, Tukia Ofa, E. A. Padmasiri and D. Ramaiah Kapa

Evaluation of the inhibitory effect of ivermectin on the growth of Babesia and Theileria parasites in vitro and in vivo

Treatment is the principle way to control and eliminate piroplasmosis. The search for new chemotherapy against Babesia and Theileria has become increasingly urgent due to parasite resistance to current drugs. Ive...

Authors: Gaber El-Saber Batiha, Amani Magdy Beshbishy, Dickson Stuart Tayebwa, Oluyomi Stephen Adeyemi, Naoaki Yokoyama and Ikuo Igarashi

Women’s overall satisfaction with health facility delivery services in Ghana: a mixed-methods study

Skilled birth delivery has increased up to nearly 74% in Ghana, but its quality has been questioned over the years. As understanding women’s satisfaction could be important to improving service quality, this s...

Authors: Kwame K. Adjei, Kimiyo Kikuchi, Seth Owusu-Agyei, Yeetey Enuameh, Akira Shibanuma, Evelyn Korkor Ansah, Junko Yasuoka, Kwaku Poku-Asante, Sumiyo Okawa, Margaret Gyapong, Charlotte Tawiah, Abraham Rexford Oduro, Evelyn Sakeah, Doris Sarpong, Keiko Nanishi, Gloria Quansah Asare…

Pharmacokinetic analysis of new synthetic antimalarial N-251

With the emergence and growing number of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum, a new drug for malaria control must be urgently developed. The new antimalarial synthetic compound N-251 was recently discovered. As ...

Authors: Kazuaki Okada, Akira Sato, Akiko Hiramoto, Rena Isogawa, Yuji Kurosaki, Kazutaka Higaki, Shin-Ichi Miyoshi, Kyung-Soo Chang and Hye-Sook Kim

Surveillance of Wuchereria bancrofti infection by anti-filarial IgG4 in urine among schoolchildren and molecular xenomonitoring in Sri Lanka: a post mass drug administration study

Surveillance of hidden foci or resurgence of the bancroftian filariasis has high priority to maintain the elimination status in Sri Lanka. For the surveillance, two methods were applied in Matotagama, Matara, ...

Authors: Hidekazu Takagi, Thishan C. Yahathugoda, Bumpei Tojo, Upeksha L. Rathnapala, Fumiaki Nagaoka, Mirani V. Weerasooriya and Makoto Itoh

Chagas disease: a report of 17 suspected cases in Japan, 2012–2017

There are no reports on the prevalence of Chagas disease in Japan. Furthermore, screening programs and access to diagnosis and treatment have not been established. This study aimed to clarify the prevalence of...

Authors: Kazuo Imai, Kazuhisa Misawa, Morichika Osa, Norihito Tarumoto, Jun Sakai, Kei Mikita, Yusuke Sayama, Yuji Fujikura, Akihiko Kawana, Takashi Murakami, Shigefumi Maesaki, Sachio Miura and Takuya Maeda

Giant filarial retroperitoneal cyst: a diagnostic dilemma

Filarial infections are common in most tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Lymphatic filariasis is caused by either Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, or Brugia timori. Extralymphatic filariasis pres...

Authors: Pawan Lal, Lovenish Bains, Gaurish Sawant, Rahul Saini and Shramana Mandal

Experiences of frontline nurses with adverse medical events in a regional referral hospital in northern Ghana: a cross-sectional study

Adverse medical events (AMEs) are threats to delivery of quality healthcare services, particularly in resource-poor settings such as Ghana. In sub-Saharan Africa, 30% of deaths are attributed to AMEs and a sig...

Authors: Robert Kaba Alhassan, Bilson Halilu, Saeed Mohammed Benin, Bentor Francis Donyor, Abubakar Yussuf Kuwaru, Dudu Yipaalanaa, Edward Nketiah-Amponsah, Martin Amogre Ayanore, Aaron Asibi Abuosi, Agani Afaya, Solomon Mohammed Salia and Japiong Milipaak

A commentary on the medicinal use of marijuana

Lately, the number of people using marijuana in the USA has dramatically increased. In 2018, many states have legalized marijuana use for both medical and recreational purposes, thus exploring the evidence beh...

Authors: Gehad Mohamed Tawfik, Mohammad Rashidul Hashan, Abdelaziz Abdelaal, Thuan Minh Tieu and Nguyen Tien Huy

A qualitative study on barriers and enablers to uptake of diabetic retinopathy screening by people with diabetes in the Western Province of Sri Lanka

Blindness and visual impairment from diabetic retinopathy (DR) are avoidable through early detection and timely treatment. The Western Province of Sri Lanka has the highest prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM)...

Authors: Mapa Mudiyanselage Prabhath Nishantha Piyasena, Gudlavalleti Venkata S. Murthy, Jennifer L. Y. Yip, Clare Gilbert, Tunde Peto, Mahesh Premarathna and Maria Zuurmond

Prevalence and the evaluation of culture, wet mount, and ELISA methods for the diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis infection among Ghanaian women using urine and vaginal specimens

The services of most clinical laboratories in Africa regarding the diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis are largely dependent on the urine direct wet-mount method. However, the exclusive use of urine-based detectio...

Authors: Collins Adjei, Richard Boateng, Albert Dompreh, Bismark Okyere and Eddie-Williams Owiredu

School health and nutrition program implementation, impact, and challenges in schools of Nepal: stakeholders’ perceptions

The School Health and Nutrition (SHN) program is a cost-effective intervention for resource-poor countries. SHN program aims to provide timely support and preventive measures to improve the health of school ch...

Authors: Rachana Manandhar Shrestha, Mamata Ghimire, Prakash Shakya, Rakesh Ayer, Rolina Dhital and Masamine Jimba

Examining health literacy on cholera in an endemic community in Accra, Ghana: a cross-sectional study

The periodic and seasonal outbreaks of cholera in Ghana make the disease a vital health concern. The country is cholera endemic with several communities within cholera hotspots. This study, therefore, assesses...

Authors: Raymond Asare Tutu, Sangeeta Gupta and Janice Desire Busingye

Pre-treatment loss to follow-up and treatment delay among bacteriologically-confirmed tuberculosis patients diagnosed in Mandalay Region, Myanmar

Pre-treatment loss to follow-up (PTLFU) among tuberculosis (TB) patients is a global public health problem, because such patients are highly infectious and experience high mortality. There is no published evid...

Authors: Ko Ko Htwe, Nang Thu Thu Kyaw, Ajay M. V. Kumar, Khine Wut Yee Kyaw, Myo Minn Oo, Thandar Thwin, Saw Saw and Si Thu Aung

Relation of childhood diarrheal morbidity with the type of tube well used and associated factors of Shigella sonnei diarrhea in rural Bangladesh site of the Global Enteric Multicenter Study

Diarrheal disease still remains a major public health threat and is often associated with fatal outcome especially in children with shigellosis mostly in developing countries. This study aimed to determine the...

Authors: Yasmin Jahan, Michiko Moriyama, Soroar Hossain, Md. Moshiur Rahman, Farzana Ferdous, Shahnawaz Ahmed, Sumon Kumar Das, Md. Iqbal Hossain, Abu Syed Golam Faruque, Tahmeed Ahmed and Mohammod Jobayer Chisti

Hematobium schistosomiasis control for health management of labor force generation at Nkhotakota and Lilongwe in the Republic of Malawi—assumed to be related to occupational risk

In Malawi, hematobium schistosomiasis is highly endemic. According to previous studies, countermeasures have been conducted mainly in school-aged children. In this study, we focused on the age groups, which ar...

Authors: Nobuyuki Mishima, Samuel K. Jemu, Tomoaki Kuroda, Koichiro Tabuchi, Andrew W. Darcy, Takaki Shimono, Pheophet Lamaningao, Mari Miyake, Seiji Kanda, Susan Ng’ambi, Yoshihiro Komai, Hirofumi Maeba, Hiroyuki Amano and Toshimasa Nishiyama

Modified Harada-Mori and simple wet mount to determine hookworm infections in Yo Island urban area, Songkhla, Southern Thailand

Hookworm was a previously dominant parasitic infection in Southern Thailand. The changing population to an aging society in Yo Island has never been investigated for intestinal parasites. This study aimed to e...

Authors: Sirima Kitvatanachai, Aree Taylor, Pochong Rhongbutsri and Walter R. J. Taylor

A high-intensity cluster of Schistosoma mansoni infection around Mbita causeway, western Kenya: a confirmatory cross-sectional survey

In Kenya, communities residing along the shores and islands of Lake Victoria bear a substantial burden of schistosomiasis. Although there is a school-based deworming program in place, the transmission of Schistos...

Authors: Evans Asena Chadeka, Sachiyo Nagi, Ngetich B. Cheruiyot, Felix Bahati, Toshihiko Sunahara, Sammy M. Njenga and Shinjiro Hamano

Virulence factor RNA transcript expression in the Leishmania Viannia subgenus: influence of species, isolate source, and Leishmania RNA virus-1

Leishmania RNA virus-1 (LRV1) is a double-stranded RNA virus identified in 20–25% of Viannia—species endemic to Latin America, and is believed to accelerate cutaneous to mucosal leishmaniasis over time. Our objec...

Authors: Ruwandi Kariyawasam, Avinash N. Mukkala, Rachel Lau, Braulio M. Valencia, Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas and Andrea K. Boggild

Complex malaria epidemiology in an international border area between Brazil and French Guiana: challenges for elimination

The epidemiological surveillance of malaria is a necessary intervention for eliminating the disease from the planet. The international border zones of the Amazon continue to be highly vulnerable to malaria sin...

Authors: Vivian da Cruz Franco, Paulo Cesar Peiter, José Joaquim Carvajal-Cortés, Rafael dos Santos Pereira, Margarete do Socorro Mendonça Gomes and Martha Cecilia Suárez-Mutis

Genetic structure of Anopheles gambiae s.s populations following the use of insecticides on several consecutive years in southern Benin

Several studies have reported the strong resistance of Anopheles gambiae s.l. complex species to pyrethroids. The voltage-dependent sodium channel (Vgsc) gene is the main target of pyrethroids and DDT. In Benin, ...

Authors: Arsène Jacques Y. H. Fassinou, Come Z. Koukpo, Razaki A. Ossè, Fiacre R. Agossa, Benoit S. Assogba, Aboubakar Sidick, Wilfrid T. Sèwadé, Martin C. Akogbéto and Michel Sèzonlin

Suicidal ideation, suicidal behaviors, and attitudes towards suicide of adolescents enrolled in the Alternative Learning System in Manila, Philippines—a mixed methods study

Globally, suicide is a significant cause of death among adolescents. Previous studies conducted in high-income countries suggest that students in alternative schools are more likely to engage in suicidal behav...

Authors: Crystal Amiel M. Estrada, Daisuke Nonaka, Ernesto R. Gregorio Jr., Cynthia R. Leynes, Ronald T. del Castillo, Paul Michael R. Hernandez, Tatsuro Hayakawa and Jun Kobayashi

Micro-stratification of malaria risk in Nepal: implications for malaria control and elimination

A significant reduction in malaria cases over the recent years in Nepal has encouraged the government to adopt a goal of “malaria-free nation by 2025.” Nevertheless, to achieve this goal, it is critical to ide...

Authors: Komal Raj Rijal, Bipin Adhikari, Nabaraj Adhikari, Shyam Prakash Dumre, Mayur Sharma Banjara, Upendra Thapa Shrestha, Megha Raj Banjara, Nihal Singh, Leonard Ortegea, Bibek Kumar Lal, Garib Das Thakur and Prakash Ghimire

Elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem in Niue under PacELF, 1999–2016

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a mosquito-borne parasitic disease which is targeted for elimination as a public health problem worldwide. Niue is a small self-governing South Pacific island nation with approxima...

Authors: Catherine N. Carlingford, Wayne Melrose, Grizelda Mokoia, Patricia M. Graves, Kazuyo Ichimori, Corinne Capuano, Sung Hye Kim, Padmasiri Aratchige and Manila Nosa

Frequency of quinolone resistance genes among extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli strains isolated from urinary tract infections

As an opportunistic pathogen, Escherichia coli (E. coli) is widely recognized as the main cause of nosocomial infections as well as some disorders especially those associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs)....

Authors: Ahmad FarajzadehSheikh, Hojat Veisi, Mojtaba Shahin, Muhammad Getso and Abbas Farahani

Upper gastrointestinal pathophysiology due to mouse malaria Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection

Epigastric pain, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal problems are among the most important symptoms of malaria infection as they suggest the possibility that the condition is serious. Pathophysiologies such a...

Authors: Mizuho Shimada, Yoshie Hirose, Kazuhiko Shimizu, Daisuke S. Yamamoto, Eri H. Hayakawa and Hiroyuki Matsuoka

Concurrence of CareStart™ Malaria HRP2 RDT with microscopy in population screening for Plasmodium falciparum infection in the Mount Cameroon area: predictors for RDT positivity

Malaria remains a diagnostic challenge in many endemic communities. Although rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are presently widely used for malaria diagnosis, there is a dearth of information on post-marketing su...

Authors: Rene Ning Teh, Irene Ule Ngole Sumbele, Gillian Asoba Nkeudem, Derick Ndelle Meduke, Samuel Takang Ojong and Helen Kuokuo Kimbi

Antibiotic prescription for under-fives with common cold or upper respiratory tract infection in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR

The irrational use of antibiotics has been identified as a major problem in healthcare, and it can lead to antimicrobial resistance, treatment failure, and increased healthcare costs. Although many studies wor...

Authors: Bounxou Keohavong, Manithong Vonglokham, Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Viengsakhone Louangpradith, Souphalak Inthaphatha, Tetsuyoshi Kariya, Yu Mon Saw, Eiko Yamamoto and Nobuyuki Hamajima

Bacterial contamination of mobile phones of health professionals in Eastern Ethiopia: antimicrobial susceptibility and associated factors

Mobile phones of health care professionals could harbor microbes which cause nosocomial infections to the patient, family members, and the community at large. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the p...

Authors: Dagne Bodena, Zelelam Teklemariam, Senthilkumar Balakrishnan and Tewodros Tesfa

Intestinal helminth infections in HIV-infected patients in Savannakhet after establishment of an HIV registration network in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

In Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), which borders China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, the number of HIV-infected patients has increased in recent years. HIV-infected patients diagnosed in L...

Authors: Yukako Kaneshiro, Khamphang Sourinphoumy, Naoki Imaizumi, Mangkhalar Rasaphon, Megumi Kuba-Miyara, Shugo Sakihama, Carmina Louise Hugo Guerrero, Ketsaphone Nhativong, Daisuke Nonaka, Tiengkham Pongvongsa, Jun Kobayashi, Sengchanh Kounnavong and Takuya Fukushima

Modified systemic inflammatory response syndrome and provider gestalt predicting adverse outcomes in children under 5 years presenting to an urban emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Tanzania

Modified systemic inflammatory response syndrome (mSIRS) criteria for the pediatric population together with the provider gestalt have the potential to predict clinical outcomes. However, this has not been stu...

Authors: Meera R. Nariadhara, Hendry R. Sawe, Michael S. Runyon, Victor Mwafongo and Brittany L. Murray

Women’s knowledge on common non-communicable diseases and nutritional need during pregnancy in three townships of Ayeyarwaddy region, Myanmar: a cross-sectional study

Health systems in many countries do not adequately address non-communicable diseases (NCDs) during pregnancy, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Myanmar, most studies on NCDs have investigated ...

Authors: Moe Moe Thandar, Junko Kiriya, Akira Shibanuma, Ken Ing Cherng Ong, Khaing Nwe Tin, Hla Hla Win and Masamine Jimba

Malaria prevalence, knowledge, perception, preventive and treatment behavior among military in Champasak and Attapeu provinces, Lao PDR: a mixed methods study

Malaria is a major health problem in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) with high transmission in remote and forest areas, particularly in the South. The military is at risk of malaria infection especi...

Authors: Phoutnalong Vilay, Daisuke Nonaka, Phosadeth Senamonty, Malayvanh Lao, Moritoshi Iwagami, Jun Kobayashi, Paul Michael Hernandez, Ketkesone Phrasisombath, Sengchanh Kounnavong, Bouasy Hongvanthong, Paul T. Brey and Shigeyuki Kano

Malaria among foreign migrant workers in Savannakhet Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Although mobile and migrant populations are considered an important group in malaria elimination settings, there is currently a lack of understanding about foreign migrant workers in the Lao People’s Democrati...

Authors: Tiengkham Pongvongsa, Daisuke Nonaka, Moritoshi Iwagami, Pheovaly Soundala, Phonepadith Khattignavong, Phonepadith Xangsayarath, Futoshi Nishimoto, Jun Kobayashi, Bouasy Hongvanthon, Paul T. Brey and Shigeyuki Kano

Prevalence of human and non-human primate Plasmodium parasites in anopheline mosquitoes: a cross-sectional epidemiological study in Southern Vietnam

Human malaria is a major threat in rural communities of central Vietnam. Anopheles dirus and Anopheles minimus species are critical malaria vectors in Vietnam, which transmit Plasmodium parasites. However, the en...

Authors: Vu Duc Chinh, Gaku Masuda, Vu Viet Hung, Hidekazu Takagi, Satoru Kawai, Takeshi Annoura and Yoshimasa Maeno

Virologic failure in HIV-positive adolescents with perfect adherence in Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Adolescents living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) die owing to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related causes more than adults. Although viral suppression protects people living with HIV fr...

Authors: Julian Natukunda, Peter Kirabira, Ken Ing Cherng Ong, Akira Shibanuma and Masamine Jimba

Possible pathogenicity of commensal Entamoeba hartmanni revealed by molecular screening of healthy school children in Indonesia

Although parasites are still endemic in developing areas, residents in those regions seem not to be affected by the presence of intestinal protozoans. This study aimed to investigate whether pathogenic and com...

Authors: Takahiro Matsumura, Joko Hendarto, Tetsushi Mizuno, Din Syafruddin, Hisao Yoshikawa, Makoto Matsubayashi, Taro Nishimura and Masaharu Tokoro