Knowledge and perceptions towards COVID-19 among final year undergraduate medical students and interns in Province 2, Nepal

Introduction: Corona Virus Disease-19, the COVID-19, has become a pandemic of public health concern, more so for developing countries like Nepal with an inadequate and vulnerable health system. Among all the seven provinces of the country, Province-2 seems to be at higher risk due to population density and open porous border with neighboring India. This survey was conducted among the undergraduate medical students of medical colleges in Province-2, Nepal to evaluate their knowledge and perception regarding the prevention and spread of the virus. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2020 among final-year undergraduate medical students and interns from Janaki Medical College in Janakpur and National Medical College in Birgunj of Province-2, Nepal. A structured 30-item questionnaire containing demographics (5 items), knowledge (15 items), and perception (10 items) regarding COVID-19 was used for an online survey via email. Ethical approval was taken. Descriptive analysis was performed. Result: A total of 200 out of 250 respondents (>95%) had an adequate level of knowledge on etiology, symptoms, hand hygiene, severity, vulnerability, precautionary measures, and treatment guidelines of COVID-19. More than 80% were ready to work in the hospital during the pandemic with support from their family and nearly half of them (49%) perceived that the preparedness and supplies were sufficient in their institutions. Conclusion: The survey revealed that the majority of the final-year medical students and interns in Province-2 Nepal had adequate knowledge and perception regarding COVID-19

Diagnostic performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay compared to conventional Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture for diagnosis of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis, Nepal

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a global health problem and major cause of death in resource-limited countries like Nepal. Timely diagnosis with sensitive testing methods could assist in early management of the disease. This study was conducted to compare the diagnostic performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF and conventional acid-fast staining with M. tuberculosis culture. The study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Shree Birendra Army Hospital, Nepal. Samples (n=500) were tested with a GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy. All samples were sent for M. tuberculosis conventional culture by the German-Nepal Tuberculosis Project, Kathmandu, Nepal (GENETUP). Out of a total 500 pulmonary and extrapulmonary samples tested, 97 samples were positive for M. tuberculosis by GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay. Out of the positive samples, only 95 samples were found positive by the culture method. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of AFB microscopy was 45.3%, 99.5%, 99.5% and 88.5%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of GeneXpert MTB/RIF was found to be 100%, 99.5%, 97.5% and 100%, respectively compared to the gold standard culture method. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF test was comparable with culture diagnosis of both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases

Diagnostic performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay compared to conventional Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture for diagnosis of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis, Nepal

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a global health problem and major cause of death in resource-limited countries like Nepal. Timely diagnosis with sensitive testing methods could assist in early management of the disease. This study was conducted to compare the diagnostic performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF and conventional acid-fast staining with M. tuberculosis culture. The study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Shree Birendra Army Hospital, Nepal. Samples (n=500) were tested with a GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy. All samples were sent for M. tuberculosis conventional culture by the German-Nepal Tuberculosis Project, Kathmandu, Nepal (GENETUP). Out of a total 500 pulmonary and extrapulmonary samples tested, 97 samples were positive for M. tuberculosis by GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay. Out of the positive samples, only 95 samples were found positive by the culture method. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of AFB microscopy was 45.3%, 99.5%, 99.5% and 88.5%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of GeneXpert MTB/RIF was found to be 100%, 99.5%, 97.5% and 100%, respectively compared to the gold standard culture method. The GeneXpert MTB/RIF test was comparable with culture diagnosis of both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases