A Review on Staphylococcal Food Poisoning

Foodborne diseases are of major concern worldwide. Staphylococcal food poisoning is one of the most common foodborne diseases in both humans and animals globally, resulting from the ingestion of staphylococcal enterotoxins preformed in food by enterotoxigenic strains of coagulase-positive staphylococci, mainly S. aureus. Staphylococci survive desiccation and tolerate high levels of salt. Staphylococcal cells are destroyed by heat but if they have already produced enterotoxins in a food, the toxins will survive approved doses of irradiation and some thermal processes, including pasteurization. Any food that provides a good medium for the growth of staphylococci may be implicated in this type of foodborne illness. The foods involved in different countries vary with the diet as well as the local conditions. Staphylococcal toxins could be used as a biological agent (bioterrorist attack). Humans and animals are the primary reservoirs. The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, retching, Diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and prostration and in more severe cases, headache, muscle cramping, and transient changes in blood pressure and pulse rate may occur. The enterotoxins are identified by specific antibodies, which are the basis of the detection methods. There is no effective long term decolonization therapy for S. aureus carrier. Keywords: Enterotoxin, Foodborne, Staphylococci, Food poisoning, S. aureu

Prevalence of abomasal nematodes in sheep and goats slaughtered at Haramaya municipal abattoir, eastern Hararghe, Ethiopia

The study was conducted from November 2009 to March 2010 in Haramaya district, eastern Hararghe zone of Oromiya region, Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of abomasal nematodes of small ruminants slaughtered at Haramaya municipal abattoir. During the study period a total of 384 abomasums of small ruminants (181 sheep and 203 goats) were examined.  Three genera of nematodes were identified in both sheep and goats abomasa with overall prevalence of 95.8%.   The prevalence in sheep and goats were 94.5% and 97% respectively. The prevalence in both animal species was 85.7% Haemonchus contortus, 82.3% Trichostrongylus axei and 79.9% Teladorsagia. The specific prevalence observed were 90% for Haemonchus contortus, 75.7 % for Trichostrongylus axei, and 80.7 % for Teladorsagia spp. in sheep and 81.8 % for Haemonchus contortus, 88.2 % for Trichostrongylus axei and 79.3 % for Teladorsagia spp. in goats. Statistically significant differences (P<0.05) in nematode species except Teladorsagia species was observed. There was no statistically significant differences (P>0.05) among the risk factors of age and sex considered in relation to the prevalence of abomasal nematodes. Generally, a high infection rate of small ruminants with abomasal nematodes was observed during the study period. Keywords: Small ruminants, Abomasal nematodes, Prevalence, Haramaya, Abattoi

The Prevalence of Mange Infestations in Small Ruminants in Three Agro-Ecological Zones of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study of small ruminant’s mange mites was conducted in the three agro-ecological zones of Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia from November 2011-April 2012. The study aimed to determine the mange mite prevalence and to identify the main species infesting small ruminants. A total of 300 small ruminants (155 goats and 145 sheep) were examined for mange mite infestation, by using simple random sampling method. From these, 14 animals (9 goats with the prevalence of 5.8% and 5 sheep with the prevalence of 3.45%) were positive for mange mites with the overall prevalence of 4.67%. The species of mange mites identified in the current study were Sarcoptes (2.67%), Demodex (1.33%), and mixed (Sarcoptes and Demodex) 0.67%. The prevalence of Sarcoptes was higher in goats and in lowland than in sheep and midlands and highlands. However, the prevalence of mange mites across risk factors like agro-ecology,  sex, species, age group, body conditions and body sites was not statistically significantly different (p>0.05). Keywords: Agro-ecology, Goat, Mite, Prevalence, Sheep, Wolaita

Impact of COVID-19 on Care Seeking Behavior of Patients at Tertiary Care Chronic Follow-up Clinics in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Telephone Survey.

AbstractBackground: Health service delivery and the uptake of health services were greatly affected by COVID-19. The current study assessed the change in patients' care-seeking behavior after the first COVID-19 case was reported in Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients who were appointed at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), between mid-March to mid-June 2020. Data was collected through telephone, using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 25. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression models were used to describe the data and assess factors associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU).Results: Among 644 interviewed patients, 70% were lost to follow-up. Fear of COVID-19 infection (87.1%) and transportation problem due to lockdown (82.7%) were among the main reasons for loss to follow-up. Patients aged ≥60 years had highest odds of missing a follow-up in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. The odds of loss to follow up (LTFU) for the fear of COVID-19 was 13 times higher than among patients who did not have fear (AOR=13.39, 95% CI: 7.96-22.50). The odds of loss to follow up among patients who reported transportation problems were 3.6 times higher than among those who did not have transport problems (AOR=3.64, 95% CI: 1.93-6.88,). The odds of loss to follow up among patients with severe and very severe illness were about three times higher (AOR=2.7, 95% CI: 1.48-5.01).Conclusion: Patient’s care-seeking behavior with chronic medical conditions at the chronic care clinics of TASH were seriously compromised during COVID-19. Patient’s age (>60 years), chronic disease severity, fear of COVID 19 and transportation problems significantly predicted LTFU. Strategies such as task shifting and establishment of telemedicine services should be explored to meet the ongoing health needs of chronically ill patients on established follow up care. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2021; 35(3):200-207]Keywords: Care-seeking behavior, chronic disease, COVID-19, Ethiopia, Loss to follow u

Effectiveness of Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (BCPAP) for Treatment of Children Aged 1–59 Months with Severe Pneumonia and Hypoxemia in Ethiopia: A <i>Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial</i>

Despite the beneficial effect of bubble continuous positive airway pressure (BCPAP) oxygen therapy for children with severe pneumonia under the supervision of physicians that has been shown in different studies, effectiveness trials in developing country settings where low-flow oxygen therapy is the standard of care are still needed. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of bubble CPAP oxygen therapy compared to the WHO standard low-flow oxygen therapy among children hospitalized with severe pneumonia and hypoxemia in Ethiopia. This is a cluster randomized controlled trial where six district hospitals are randomized to BCPAP and six to standard WHO low-flow oxygen therapy. The total sample size is 620 per arm. Currently, recruitment of the patients is still ongoing where the management and follow-up of the enrolled patients are performed by general physicians and nurses under the supervision of pediatricians. The primary outcome is treatment failure and main secondary outcome is death. We anticipate to complete enrollment by September 2022 and data analysis followed by manuscript writing by December 2022. Findings will also be disseminated in December 2022. Our study will provide data on the effectiveness of BCPAP in treating childhood severe pneumonia and hypoxemia in a real-world setting