Adherence to Self-Care Management of Sickle Cell Disease Among Caregivers

The self-care management of sickle cell disease (SCD) improves mortality rate; however, compliance with SCD self-care management remains a problem. The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge and factors that influence compliance with SCD self-care management recommendations among caregivers of children with SCD. The health belief model was used as the theoretical foundation of this study, theorizing that caregivers\u27 perceived susceptibility, severity, and benefits of SCD self-care management will influence compliance. The study used a quantitative research design. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 100 caregivers of children with SCD attending sickle cell clinics in Lagos, Nigeria using convenience sampling. Information was obtained from participants using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and binary logistic regression techniques. Findings confirmed a high adherence rate but low knowledge of SCD self-care management among the caregivers of children with SCD. There was no significant correlation between knowledge of SCD self-care management and adherence. However, the findings from the multivariate analysis identified knowledge as a predictor of adherence and religiosity and total number of barriers as barriers to adherence. Parental health beliefs did not influence adherence to SCD self-care management. These findings have social change implications by guiding the work of health educators, health care providers, and public health practitioners to incorporate group counseling on SCD self-care management at every sickle cell clinic

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Virulence and Resistance Characterization of Staphylococci-associated Urinary Tract Infection in Pregnant Women in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is the most prevalent bacterial infection in developing countries. UTI is sometimes asymptomatic. The occurrence of UTI in pregnancy can result in complications such as premature or low-birth-weight babies. Escherichia coli is the most common cause of UTI followed by Staphylococci species. However, E.coli associated UTI has been well studied while there is paucity of data on the virulence and resistance of Staphylococci-associated UTIs in women. This study aimed to characterize the virulence and resistance genes in Staphylococci species isolated from the urine of pregnant women. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic in Lagos State, Nigeria. Clean catch midstream urine specimens were collected from the women and cultured on appropriate agar. Bacteria were identified using both biochemical and molecular methods and evaluated for resistance to antibiotics. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mecA and blaZ resistance genes and the PVL and TSST virulence genes. Results: Staphylococci species were isolated from 21 (26.25%) of the 80 urine samples of which 7 (29%) were Staphylococcus aureus and 17 (71%) coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS). S. epidermidis and S. saprophyticus were the most commonly isolated CoNS. All the isolates tested were resistant to cotrimoxazole, cloxacillin, erythromycin, ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and tetracycline. Both blaZ and the mecA genes were detected in the isolates that were phenotypically susceptible to methicillin and cefoxitin. There was an occurrence of the mecA, blaZ and PVL genes in S. saprophyticus in patients who were co-infected with S. aureus. Conclusion: UTI caused by Staphylococci is common among pregnant women. There is a need to consider staphylococcal associated UTI screening in both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases of UTI in pregnant women

In vitro ethno-toxicology of Hunteria umbellata methanol seed and stem extracts against Vibrio parahaemolyticus and its molecular implication on swarming and adhesion genes

Abstract Background Hunteria umbellatta (HU) is a predominant plant with a share of therapeutic properties against various human diseases with no scientific report of its in vitro ethno-toxicology coupled with molecular implication in the literature. This study, therefore, evaluated in vitro toxicological activity and quantification of expression of specific swarming gene, lateral flagellar (Laf A) and adhesion gene (ExsE) of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) treated with methanol seed and stem extracts of HU at 500, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, 15.625, 7.8125, 3.90625 µg/µL concentrations. Results The toxicological results of all the eight tested concentrations from as low as 3.90625 µg/µL to as high as 500 µg/µL of HU seed and stem extracts revealed significantly (p ˂ 0.05) uninhibited bacterial growth in a dose-dependent manner compared to controls (positive and negative). The quantity of Laf A and ExsE genes’ expressions in VP was significantly higher (p ˂ 0.05) at 500 µg/µL of HU seed and stem compared to control while at 125 µg/µL of the same extract (seed and stem) showed significantly lowered (p ˂ 0.05) expression of swarming and adhesion genes in VP relative to control. Comparative to control, adhesion gene (ExsE) expression in VP significantly increased (p ˂ 0.05) at 250 µg/µL of HU seed and stem extracts. Conclusions The results obtained suggest toxicity at varying concentrations and higher concentration dosing of HU seed and stem is harmful as it could lead to increased expression of the gene colonization factor of VP as a major contributory agent of gastroenteritis