The Curative and Prophylactic Effects of Xylopic Acid on Plasmodium berghei

Efforts have been intensified to search for more effective antimalarial agents because of the observed failure of some artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) treatments of malaria in Ghana. Xylopic acid, a pure compound isolated from the fruits of the Xylopia aethiopica, was investigated to establish its attributable prophylactic, curative antimalarial, and antipyretic properties. The antimalarial properties were determined by employing xylopic acid (10–100 mg/kg) in ICR mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. Xylopic acid exerted significant (P<0.05) effects on P. berghei infection similar to artemether/lumefantrine, the standard drug. Furthermore, it significantly (P<0.05) reduced the lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced fever in Sprague-Dawley rats similar to prednisolone. Xylopic acid therefore possesses prophylactic and curative antimalarial as well as antipyretic properties which makes it an ideal antimalarial agent

SARS-CoV-2 detection among international air travellers to Ghana during mandatory quarantine

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 detection among international travellers to Ghana during mandatory quarantine.Design: A retrospective cross-sectional study.Setting: Air travellers to Ghana on 21st and 22nd March 2020.Participants: On 21st and 22nd March 2020, a total of 1,030 returning international travellers were mandatorily quarantined in 15 different hotels in Accra and tested for SARS-CoV-2. All of these persons were included in the study.Main outcome measure: Positivity for SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction.Results: The initial testing at the beginning of quarantine found 79 (7.7%) individuals to be positive for SARS-CoV-2. In the exit screening after 12 to 13 days of quarantine, it was discovered that 26 of those who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 in the initial screening subsequently tested positive.Conclusions: Ghana likely averted an early community spread of COVID-19 through the proactive approach to quarantine international travellers during the early phase of the pandemic

Molecular diagnosis for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: lessons learnt from the Ghana experience

Background: A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 is currently causing a worldwide pandemic. The first cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were recorded in Ghana on March 12, 2020. Since then, the country has been combatting countrywide community spread. This report describes how the Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) is supporting the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to diagnose infections with this virus in Ghana.Methods: The National Influenza Centre (NIC) in the Virology Department of the NMIMR, adopted real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) assays for the diagnosis of the SARS-CoV-2 in January 2020. Samples from suspected cases and contact tracing across Ghana were received and processed for SARS-CoV-2. Samples were ‘pooled’ to enable simultaneous batch testing of samples without reduced sensitivity.Outcomes: From February 3 to August 21, the NMIMR processed 283 946 (10%) samples. Highest number of cases were reported in June when the GHS embarked on targeted contact tracing which led to an increase in number of samples processed daily, peaking at over 7,000 samples daily. There were several issues to overcome including rapid consumption of reagents and consumables. Testing however continued successfully due to revised procedures, additional equipment and improved pipeline of laboratory supplies. Test results are now provided within 24 to 48 hours of sample submission enabling more effective response and containment.Conclusion: Following the identification of the first cases of SARS-CoV-2infection by the NMIMR, the Institute has trained other centres and supported the ramping up of molecular testing capacity in Ghana. This provides a blueprint to enable Ghana to mitigate further epidemics and pandemics

Unwillingness of patients in Ghana to interrupt antiretroviral therapy for HIV cure research

OBJECTIVES: Though antiretroviral therapy (ART) has reduced HIV infection into a manageable chronic disease, it does not provide for a cure. HIV cure trials may carry risks for patients who are generally doing well on ART, making it imperative that their input is sought as various types of cure methods and trials are designed. Few studies have sought the views of African patients on HIV cure studies. The objective of this study was to determine the views and preferences of people living with HIV (PLWH) in Ghana on cure research. METHODS: We used a questionnaire to interview 251 PLWH in Ghana about their willingness to engage in HIV cure research. We investigated their motivations, the types of cure they would prefer and which risks were acceptable to them. RESULTS: Most participants were enthusiastic about participating in cure research and driven by both altruistic and personal motives. Patients preferred a cure where they would continue follow-up with their doctor (88%) compared to being assured that they have been completely cured and did not need further follow-up (11%). The vast majority of the respondents were risk averse. Most patients (67%) would decline to interrupt ART as part of a protocol for HIV cure research. In bivariate analysis, participants above the age of 40 years were more likely to agree to treatment interruption during cure studies (OR 2.77; 95% CI 1.21-.6.34. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that preferred cure modalities and risk tolerance for patients in Africa may be different from those of other parts of the world. Extensive social science and behavioural studies are needed on the continent to help inform future cure trials

SARS-CoV-2 infections among asymptomatic individuals contributed to COVID-19 cases: A cross-sectional study among prospective air travelers from Ghana

BackgroundThe spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by asymptomatic individuals has been reported since the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in various parts of the world. However, there are limited data regarding SARS-CoV-2 among asymptomatic individuals in Ghana. The aim of the study was to use test data of prospective travelers from Ghana as a proxy to estimate the contribution of asymptomatic cases to the spread of COVID-19.MethodsThe study analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 PCR test data of clients whose purpose for testing was classified as “Travel” at the COVID-19 walk-in test center of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) from July 2020 to July 2021. These individuals requesting tests for travel generally had no clinical symptoms of COVID-19 at the time of testing. Data were processed and analyzed using Microsoft Excel office 16 and STATA version 16. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data on test and demographic characteristics.ResultsOut of 42,997 samples tested at the center within that period, 28,384 (66.0%) were classified as “Travel” tests. Of these, 1,900 (6.7%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The majority (64.8%) of the “Travel” tests were requested by men. The men recorded a SARS-CoV-2 positivity of 6.9% compared to the 6.4% observed among women. Test requests for SARS-CoV-2 were received from all regions of Ghana, with a majority (83.3%) received from the Greater Accra Region. Although the Eastern region recorded the highest SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate of 8.35%, the Greater Accra region contributed 81% to the total number of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases detected within the period of study.ConclusionOur study found substantial SARS-CoV-2 positivity among asymptomatic individuals who, without the requirement for a negative SARS-CoV-2 result for travel, would have no reason to test. These asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals could have traveled to other countries and unintentionally spread the virus. Our findings call for enhanced tracing and testing of asymptomatic contacts of individuals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2

Risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes in imprisoned pregnant women: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Imprisoned pregnant women constitute an important obstetric group about whom relatively little is known. This systematic review was conducted to identify the risk factors associated with adverse pregnancy outcome present in this group of women. METHODS: The review was conducted according to a prespecified protocol. Studies of any design were included if they described information on any of the pre-specified risk factors. We calculated the results as summary percentages or odds ratios where data was available on both cases and population controls. RESULTS: The search strategy identified 27 relevant papers of which 13 met the inclusion criteria, involving 1504 imprisoned pregnant women and 4571 population control women. Imprisoned women are more likely to be single, from an ethnic minority, and not to have completed high school. They are more likely to have a medical problem which could affect the pregnancy outcome and yet less likely to receive adequate antenatal care. They are also more likely to smoke, drink alcohol to excess and take illegal drugs. CONCLUSION: Imprisoned women are clearly a high risk obstetric group. These findings have important implications for the provision of care to this important group of women