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J Trop Med 2019 7;2019:9303072. Epub 2019 Mar 7.

Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, P.O. Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda.

Background: infection affects more than half of the world's population. The infection is generally acquired during childhood but can remain asymptomatic, with long-term clinical sequelae including gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and stomach cancer.

Methods: The study was approved by Institutional Review Committee of Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Read More

J Trop Med 2019 28;2019:8248916. Epub 2019 Feb 28.

Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Thamar University, Dhamar, Yemen.

Leishmaniasis in Yemen is still not fully investigated nor well studied. Recently, outbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in western highland were declared. However, there are no reports concerning the disease and the circulating species in the region. Read More

J Trop Med 2019 3;2019:5954313. Epub 2019 Mar 3.

School of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.

Background: Medical laboratories play essential roles in measurement of analyte in clinical sample for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. Thus, data generated from the laboratory have to be reliable for which strict quality assurance is maintained.

Objective: To assess the coverage and quality of selected clinical chemistry tests among medical laboratories of health facilities in, Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia. Read More

J Trop Med 2019 3;2019:2917154. Epub 2019 Mar 3.

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka.

Background: Leptospirosis causes substantial morbidity and mortality in Sri Lanka. Health authorities have implemented a chemoprophylaxis programme for prevention of disease for farmers who are at a high risk of leptospirosis. Only 39% of general population is aware of chemoprophylaxis. Read More

J Trop Med 2019 26;2019:4610498. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitic Diseases, Sechenov University, 20, M.Pirogovskaya str., Moscow 119435, Russia.

Background: Imported cases of malaria from western Africa are reported annually in the Russian Federation. Infected native African people moving from western Africa for different purposes (students, businessmen, specialists, etc.) or Russian citizens (tourists, diplomats, businessmen, etc. Read More

J Trop Med 2019 18;2019:5738924. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Universidade da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro-Brasileira, Redenção, Ceará, Brazil.

Background: Leprosy is an infectious disease that can lead to physical disabilities and stigmatization. It remains an important public health problem, especially in Brazil.

Objective: To analyse sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with multibacillary leprosy in a hyperendemic region of the disease in northeastern Brazil. Read More

J Trop Med 2019 12;2019:2316375. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Institute of Health Research, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.

Introduction: Malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, requiring individual and environmental level controls to prevent its adverse morbidity effects. This study examined reproductive-aged women's knowledge and care-seeking practices for malaria prevention and control in Ghana.

Methods: The 2016 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey data for reproductive-age women was analysed (n=5,150). Read More

J Trop Med 2018 6;2018:9486905. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Center of Excellence in Pharmacology and Molecular Biology of Malaria and Cholangiocarcinoma, Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani 12121, Thailand.

Malaria remains a public health problem in tropical and subtropical regions. Resistance of to artemisinins in Southeast Asia is a great concern for disease control and research on discovery and development of new alternative antimalarial drugs is urgently required. In a previous study, the fruit of Hunt. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 4;2018:5019215. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of Insecticide Treated Bed-Nets and Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) as interventions in curbing malaria during pregnancy. However, increasing evidence shows a gap in coverage where not all pregnant women receive the recommended SP dose. This study evaluated the factors influencing uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women in Kumasi, Ghana. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 2;2018:4520185. Epub 2018 Dec 2.

Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka.

Introduction: Leptospirosis is an emerging infectious disease associated with multiorgan involvement and significant morbidity and mortality. Although pulmonary hemorrhage due to leptospirosis has a high fatality, specific treatment options are limited and their efficacy is not adequately proven. We opted to find out the current evidence on plasmapheresis and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in pulmonary hemorrhages due to leptospirosis. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 15;2018:1470459. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Aix-Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, MEPHI, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.

People living in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world face an enormous health burden due to mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and filariasis. Historically and today, targeting mosquito vectors with, primarily, insecticide-based control strategies have been a key control strategy against major mosquito-borne diseases. However, the success to date of such approaches is under threat from multiple insecticide resistance mechanisms while vector control (VC) options are still limited. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 6;2018:7218534. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

Division of Prison Health, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

In Swiss prisons, more than 70% of detained people are foreigners and over one-third originate from sub-Saharan Africa or Latin America. These two regions are endemic for various tropical diseases and viral infections, which persist after migration to nonendemic countries. Parasitic infections (schistosomiasis; strongyloidiasis) and cooccurrent viral infections (HIV, hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV)) are especially of concern for clinical care but have been neglected in empirical research. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 31;2018:8071081. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.

() is a gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the human stomach. Infection with this microaerophilic bacterium causes gastric and duodenal ulcer. This study sought to isolate , from gastric biopsy samples of dyspeptic patients in Ghana using a 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) dye incorporated medium method. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 11;2018:1025193. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

Institute of Integral Medicine Prof. Fernando Figueira, Universidade de Pernambuco, Brazil.

Background: Congenital syndrome of Zika virus (CSZV) is associated with neuromotor and cognitive developmental disorders, limiting the independence and autonomy of affected children and high susceptibility to complications, so palliative care needs to be discussed and applied.

Aim: To identify factors associated with emergency visits and hospitalizations of patients with CSZV and clinical interventions performed from the perspective of palliative care.

Design: This is a cross-sectional study with bidirectional longitudinal component. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 9;2018:4863607. Epub 2018 Oct 9.

Public Health Department, University of Illinois, Springfield, IL, USA.

About 22% of childhood deaths in developing countries are attributable to diarrhea. In poor resource settings, diarrhea morbidities are correlated with poverty and socio-contextual factors. Diarrhea rates in Ghana are reported to be high, with cases estimated at 113,786 among children under-five years in 2011. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 2;2018:5629109. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada.

The global health development community is increasingly examining the phenomenon of short-term experiences in global health (STEGH), with an aim to mitigate the negative impacts of such activities on host communities. Appropriate supervision is one strategy, but various barriers (e.g. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 12;2018:7875482. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

Department of Microbiology, School of Mathematical and Natural Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa.

Background: Human Bocavirus (HBoV) is an emerging virus discovered in 2005 from individuals suffering gastroenteritis and respiratory tract infections. Numerous studies related to the epidemiology and pathogenesis of HBoV have been conducted worldwide. This review reports on HBoV studies in individuals with acute gastroenteritis, with and without respiratory tract infections in Africa between 2005 and 2016. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 8;2018:9274127. Epub 2018 Aug 8.

Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.

Role of laboratory service in patient care is well recognized in developed compared to developing countries like Ethiopia where most medical decisions are based on clinical judgment. Laboratory based medical decisions save life and resources. Thus, health facilities (HFs) having capacitated laboratories provide better health care service. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 30;2018:6847498. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 582, Uppsala, Sweden.

Background: Infants born to mothers with placental malaria are prenatally exposed to antigens. However, the effect of that exposure to subsequent immune responses has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed at determining the effect of prenatal exposure to on Interleukin-10 and Interferon- responses during clinical malaria episodes in the first 24 months of life. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 30;2018:4320175. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, 94118 CA, USA.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently added snakebite envenoming to the priority list of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD). It is thought that ~75% of mortality following snakebite occurs outside the hospital setting, making the temporal gap between a bite and antivenom administration a major therapeutic challenge. Small molecule therapeutics (SMTs) have been proposed as potential prereferral treatments for snakebite to help address this gap. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 10;2018:6901751. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

Amoebic liver abscess (ALA) seen commonly in the tropics is predominantly confined to adult males, especially those who consume locally brewed alcohol, although intestinal amoebiasis occurs in all age groups and in both genders. Whether the role of alcohol in the development of ALA is incidental and casual or whether alcohol is causally implicated has been debated. It has been argued that socioeconomic factors and poor sanitary conditions are the primary culprits that casually link alcohol to ALA. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 9;2018:6359079. Epub 2018 Jul 9.

Mbale Clinical Research Institute, P.O. Box 1966, Mbale, Uganda.

Background: There is a paucity of data on asymptomatic carriage of parasite among adult population in Eastern Uganda, an area of perennial high transmission of malaria. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of parasites in donor blood units at Mbale Regional Blood Bank (Mbale RBB), a satellite centre of the Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS).

Method: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study in which 380 screened donor blood units were examined for the presence of parasites. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 18;2018:8159354. Epub 2018 Jul 18.

Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos (LITEB), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Introduction: The drought in the Brazilian semiarid region has affected the quality of water. This study assessed the relationships between enteric parasitoses, water management, and water quality, correlating them with pluviometric seasonality.

Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were carried out in four rural communities at the beginning of the dry season (n=151), at the end of the dry season (n=184), and in the rainy season (n=199), in order to collect sociodemographic data, human fecal samples, and samples of the water used for human consumption for physicochemical and microbiological analyses. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 18;2018:7465254. Epub 2018 Jul 18.

School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Health and Allied Health Sciences, Ho, Ghana.

Despite increased support from government and other stakeholders for malaria control over the past decade, malaria burden remains high in many endemic countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to assess patients' knowledge of antimalarial treatment (ACT) and its association with patient adherence. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed in this study. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 2;2018:8506534. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Malaria Group, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Calle 70 #52-21, Colombia.

Background: A screening for malaria parasites was conducted with asymptomatic residents in Colombia.

Methods: A descriptive study was carried out in December 2012 in four municipalities of Urabá region in Colombia. A convenience sample of 400 subjects was selected. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 2;2018:6139013. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (GFELTP), School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Ghana.

Background: A One-Health approach is advocated to ensure effective rabies surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa. Information is needed to assess the current state of dog bites and rabies in Ghana. We analyzed data on reported events in the Eastern Region of Ghana from 2013 to 2015 to generate information that can be used for rabies elimination in Ghana through the One-Health approach. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 26;2018:9579086. Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Teaching (General) Hospital-Kandy, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Reports on dengue outbreaks at hospitals are extremely rare. Here the authors analyze a dengue outbreak at the Teaching Hospital-Kandy (THK), Sri Lanka. Our hypothesis was that the present outbreak of dengue was due to nosocomial infections. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 19;2018:4054501. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Arthropod-Borne and Infectious Disease Laboratory, Colorado State University, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.

Dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika viruses transmitted by mosquitoes are major public health threats in the tropical and subtropical world. In México, construction of large tracts of "fraccionamientos" high density housing to accommodate population growth and urbanization has provided fertile ground for -transmitted viruses. We investigated the utility of pyrethroid-treated window curtains to reduce both the abundance of and to prevent dengue virus (DENV) transmission in fraccionamiento housing. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 30;2018:6574731. Epub 2018 May 30.

Laboratory Department, Krachi-West District Hospital, Ghana Health Service, Krachi, Volta Region, Ghana.

The study was aimed at comparing the estimation of the burden and trends (2012-2016) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Syphilis infections by the national Sentinel Survey vis-à-vis the use of population-based studies at a single urban site (Municipal Hospital) in Ho, the Volta Region of Ghana. Using blood donors as a proxy of the asymptomatic adult population, a retrospective analysis of secondary data on HIV and Syphilis testing was conducted using Ho Municipal Hospital's archives comprising 4,180 prospective blood donors. Published reports from the National Sentinel Survey for the Ho Sentinel Site comprising 2,452 pregnant women from 2012 to 2016 were used. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 5;2018:7675828. Epub 2018 Jun 5.

Laboratorio de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Parasitarias, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mexico.

In the state of Yucatan, Mexico, rickettsiosis has become a common vector-borne disease in the general population. Ectoparasite species such as and have been identified as vectors in Yucatan by studies focused on the wild animal population in rural areas. There have been studies that have tried to determine the presence of species in ectoparasites collected in Yucatan, but these studies did not include marginalized areas, where living in close contact with domestic and peridomestic animals that carry ectoparasites is a high-risk factor for acquiring rickettsial infection or many other vector-borne diseases. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 3;2018:6854835. Epub 2018 Jun 3.

Department of Surgery, Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

Background: is primarily used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of leprosy. Previous studies demonstrated that the clinical course of leprosy and the susceptibility to mycobacteria are recognized by the immune response of the host. The current study aims to investigate the effect of seed oil and extracts on the secretion of cytokines from PBMCs involved in immune regulation. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 31;2018:4650851. Epub 2018 May 31.

MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda.

Introduction: In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there is a significant burden of ischemic stroke (IS) and hemorrhagic stroke (HS), although data on risk factors for each type are sparse. In this systematic review we attempt to characterize the risk factors.

Methods: We systematically reviewed (PubMed, EMBASE, WHOLIS, Google Scholar, Wiley online, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL)) case-control studies and case series from 1980 to 2016 that reported risk factors for IS and/or HS in SSA. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 21;2018:1494957. Epub 2018 May 21.

Department of Pharmaceutics and Microbiology, University of Ghana School of Pharmacy, Legon, Accra, Ghana.

The quality of 68 samples of 15 different essential children's medicines sold in licensed medicine outlets in the Ashanti Region, Ghana, was evaluated. Thirty-two (47.1%) of the medicines were imported, mainly from India (65. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 16;2018:2025858. Epub 2018 May 16.

Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.

In 2005, Nigeria changed its antimalarial drug policy to Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs) for the treatment of malaria infection, and it is imperative for prescribers to strictly comply with this guideline to harmonize malaria management practices within the country. This study aims to evaluate prescribers' adherence with the National Antimalarial Treatment Guideline (NATG) in the treatment of malaria infections and to describe the determinants of antimalarial drugs coprescription with antibiotics at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. A cross-sectional, retrospective study of antimalarial drug prescriptions of one-year period of 2013 was conducted. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 15;2018:8167247. Epub 2018 May 15.

Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.

The current study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of visceral leishmaniasis in asymptomatic healthy children in a rural area of Fars province, Southern Iran. Blood samples were taken from 617 asymptomatic healthy children and serum samples along with buffy coat were separated from the blood. The serum samples were assessed for antibodies against by an indirect ELISA and the buffy coats were tested for the presence of DNA by molecular method. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 16;2018:5134670. Epub 2018 May 16.

Núcleo de Ensino, Pesquisa e Assistência em Filariose (NEPAF), Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.

Background: In endemic areas, lymphangiectasia is the fundamental alteration to live adult worms which, in adult males, are usually found in the lymphatic vessels of the spermatic cord; accordingly, hydrocele/filaricele is the most common clinical manifestation of bancroftian filariasis. The pathogenic role of the lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and the status of mesothelial cells (MCs) samples of the parietal layer (PL) of the tunica vaginalis testis were examined.

Methods: The PL of thirty-two patients, excised for different reasons, was examined by histology and immunohistochemistry using the D2-40 monoclonal antibody for identification of LECs and CK-7 antibody for recognition of mesothelial cells (MCs). Read More

J Trop Med 2018 2;2018:6913918. Epub 2018 May 2.

Department of Zoology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.

Urogenital schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease that causes severe morbidity among schoolchildren in many poor-resource communities in Nigeria. We investigated the prevalence, intensity, and risk factors of the infection in three communities of Kwara State to ascertain the current status of the disease. Of the 724 urine samples screened, using filtration method, 332 (45. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 23;2018:9682784. Epub 2018 Apr 23.

Department of Public Health, Mandala Waluya College, Kendari, Indonesia.

The objective of this research was to investigate serotype diversity pattern of dengue hemorrhagic fever virus by using real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. It was an explorative laboratory research in endemic dengue fever area in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, that is, Makassar municipality and Maros and Gowa region. Serological examination was carried out using real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method to determine the serotype of dengue virus. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 4;2018:6706413. Epub 2018 Apr 4.

Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia.

Background: Disease burden from soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) is mainly attributed to its chronic and insidious impact on health and quality of life. Strategy recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) to control it was previously focused on school-aged children, but now preschool-aged children are involved. This study was intended to determine STH infection risk factors in preschool children. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 22;2018:3954717. Epub 2018 Apr 22.

Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

The World Health Organization's policy on laboratory test of all suspected malaria cases before treatment has not yielded significant effects in several rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa due to inadequate diagnostic infrastructure, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. A cross-sectional randomized study was conducted to evaluate the validity of clinical malaria diagnosis through comparison with microscopy and rapid diagnostic test kits (RDTs) using 1000 consenting outpatients of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Physicians conducted clinical diagnosis, and blood samples were collected through venous procedure and analyzed for malaria parasites using Giemsa microscopy and RDT kits. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 16;2018:2048530. Epub 2018 Apr 16.

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.

commonly known as is a plant used in folklore medicine in the Philippines for the treatment of dengue. Though, has been extensively investigated for numerous bioactivities, limited studies have been conducted on the antidengue activity. Thus, the present study provides a comprehensive review of studies conducted on the antidengue activity of . Read More

J Trop Med 2018 26;2018:7659730. Epub 2018 Feb 26.

School of Health Sciences, Meru University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 972-60200, Meru, Kenya.

is a protozoan parasite and a major cause of diarrhea in children and immunocompromised patients. Current diagnostic methods for cryptosporidiosis such as microscopy have low sensitivity while techniques such as PCR indicate higher sensitivity levels but are seldom used in developing countries due to their associated cost. A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique, a method with shorter time to result and with equal or higher sensitivity compared to PCR, has been developed and applied in the detection of species. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 15;2018:8127093. Epub 2018 Feb 15.

Center for Infectious Diseases, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.

Dengue virus (DENV) infection is a major health issue in tropical and subtropical areas. Indonesia is one of the biggest dengue endemic countries in the world. In the present study, the phylogenetic analysis of DENV in Bangkalan, Madura Island, Indonesia, was performed in order to obtain a clearer understanding of its dynamics in this country. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 15;2018:6218303. Epub 2018 Feb 15.

Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The aim of this study is to explore the effect of topical application of on skin wound healing. Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150-200 grams were divided into four groups. All groups were anesthetized, shaved, and exposed to round full-thickness punch biopsy on the back: group I (control); group II (treated with 1% cream); group III (treated with 2% cream); and group IV (treated with madecassol®). Read More

J Trop Med 2018 30;2018:4239646. Epub 2018 Jan 30.

Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Allied and Health Sciences, P. O. Box 1440, Mwanza, Tanzania.

Hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world with high prevalence in most of sub-Saharan Africa countries. The complexity in its diagnosis and treatment poses a significant management challenge in the resource-limited settings including Tanzania, where most of the tests and drugs are either unavailable or unaffordable. This mini review aims at demonstrating the current status of the disease in the country and discussing the concomitant challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 31;2018:3815689. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical Development Institute, Ministry of Industry, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Chronic respiratory symptoms including chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest pain are manifestations of respiratory problems which are mainly evolved as a result of occupational exposures. This study aims to assess determinants of chronic respiratory symptoms among pharmaceutical factory workers.

Methods: A case control study was carried out among 453 pharmaceutical factory workers with 151 cases and 302 controls. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 15;2018:1673517. Epub 2018 Feb 15.

Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

Access to quality healthcare still remains a major challenge in the efforts at reversing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of established maternal health interventions, the health of the expectant mother and the unborn child remains poor due to low utilisation of interventions. The study examined the socioeconomic determinants of antenatal care utilisation in peri-urban Ghana using pregnant women who are in their third trimester. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 12;2018:6987435. Epub 2018 Feb 12.

Child Health and Development Centre, School of Medicine, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.

This study investigated unlicensed drug outlets' practices for the management of malaria in the rural district of Butaleja, Uganda. A qualitative design using semistructured interviews was used. Interviews were recorded, translated, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 12;2018:2538532. Epub 2018 Feb 12.

Hamdard Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hamdard University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Due to long duration of treatment and use of several agents, tuberculosis can lead to poor health related quality of life among patients. The present study was designed to assess health related quality of life among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Pakistan. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Read More

J Trop Med 2018 9;2018:9037616. Epub 2018 Jan 9.

Division of Livestock and Human Disease Vector Control, Tropical Pesticides Research Institute (TPRI), P.O. Box 3024, Arusha, Tanzania.

A study was conducted to assess efficacy of a new repellent brand TRIG (15% N-N Diethyl Benzamide) when compared to DEET (20% N-N Methyl Toluamide). The repellents were tested in laboratory and field. In the laboratory, the repellence was tested on human volunteers, by exposing their repellent-treated arms on starved mosquitoes in cages for 3 minutes at hourly intervals, while counting the landing and probing attempts. Read More