Factors Associated with Prenatal Anemia in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of Ghana

Anemia in pregnancy is a common public health problem and associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity in pregnant women as well as perinatal mortality. It is crucial to identify risk factors of prenatal anemia so interventions can be designed to address them

Effect of Winter Canola Cultivar on Seed Yield, Oil, and Protein Content

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is an oilseed crop that can produce healthy cooking oil and animal feed byproducts. Although it is a relatively new crop, approved for human consumption less than 40 yr ago, advances in breeding have allowed for its production as a winter crop in the southeastern United States. There is little published research, however, related to its performance and quality in this region. Therefore, a study was conducted during the 2014–2015 (Year 1) and 2015–2016 (Year 2) seasons in Tennessee. Twenty-three varieties were planted in a randomized complete block design with four replications across both years to determine seed yield, seed oil, and seed protein content. Differences in fertilizer application rates, planting, and harvest management and differences in weather conditions probably led to significant interactions between years. Cultivar yields ranged from 1269 to 2647 and 1494 to 4199 kg ha−1, seed oil content ranged from 44 to 48% and from 43 to 46%, and seed protein content ranged from 20 to 24% and from 19 to 23% for Years 1 and 2, respectively. In each year, open-pollinated cultivars had significantly lower yield and oil content but significantly greater protein content than hybrid cultivars. There was also a strong negative correlation between seed oil and seed protein and the linear models were significant (r = 0.88, p \u3c 0.0001 for Year 1; r = 0.85, p \u3c 0.0001 for Year 2). Recommended winter canola cultivars include Exp1302 and Hekip

Quality of Care: A Review Of Maternal Deaths In A Regional Hospital In Ghana

The government of Ghana and key stakeholders have put into place several interventions aimed at reducing maternal deaths. At the institutional level, the conduct of maternal deaths audit has been instituted. This also contributes to reducing maternal deaths as shortcomings that may have contributed to such deaths could be identified to inform best practice and forestall such occurrences in the future. The objective of this study was to review the quality of maternal care in a regional hospital. A review of maternal deaths using Quality of Care Evaluation Form adapted from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Maternal Death Audit Evaluation Committee was used. About fifty-five percent, 18 (55%) of cases were deemed to have received adequate documentation, senior clinicians were involved in 26(85%) of cases. Poor documentation, non-involvement of senior clinicians in the management of cases, laboratory related issues particularly in relation to blood and blood products as well as promptness of care and adequacy of intensive care facilities and specialists in the hospital were contributory factors to maternal deaths . These are common themes contributing to maternal deaths in developing countries which need to be urgently tackled. Maternal death review with emphasis on quality of care, coupled with facility gap assessment, is a useful tool to address the adequacy of emergency obstetric care services to prevent further maternal deaths. (Afr J Reprod Health 2015; 19[3]: 68-76). Keywords: Maternal death, Review, Quality of care, Sub-saharan Africa, Ghana Le gouvernement du Ghana et les principaux intervenants ont mis en place plusieurs interventions visant à réduire la mortalité maternelle. Au niveau institutionnel, l’on a mis en place le processus de vérification des décès maternels. Ceci contribue également à réduire la mortalité maternelle puisque les lacunes qui peuvent avoir contribué à ces décès pourraient être identifiées pour influencer les meilleures pratiques et prévenir de telles occurrences dans l'avenir. L'objectif de cette étude était d'évaluer la qualité des soins de santé maternelle dans un hôpital régional. Un examen des décès maternels a été effectué à l'aide du Formulaire d'Evaluation de la Qualité des Soins adapté du Comité de vérification des décès maternels du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Komfo Anokye (CHUKA). Il est estimé qu’environ cinquante-cinq pour cent, 18 (55%) des cas ont reçu une documentation adéquate ; des cliniciens chevronnés ont été impliqués dans 26 (85%) des cas. La documentation insuffisante, la non-implication des cliniciens expérimentés dans la gestion des cas, les problèmes relatifs au laboratoire surtout en ce qui concerne le sang et les produits sanguins ainsi que la rapidité des soins et de l'adéquation des services du soin intensif et des spécialistes à l'hôpital, ont été des facteurs contributifs à la mortalité maternelle. Ce sont des thèmes communs qui contribuent à la mortalité maternelle dans les pays en développement qui doivent être abordés d'urgence. L’examen de décès maternel, tout en mettant l'accent sur la qualité des soins, ajouté à l'évaluation de l'écart de l'installation, est un outil utile pour faire face à la pertinence des services de soins obstétricaux d'urgence pour prévenir d'autres décès maternels. (Afr J Reprod Health 2015; 19[3]: 68-76). Mots-clés: mortalité maternelle, critique, qualité des soins, Afrique subsaharienne, Ghan

Using health facility-based serological surveillance to predict receptive areas at risk of malaria outbreaks in elimination areas.

BACKGROUND: In order to improve malaria burden estimates in low transmission settings, more sensitive tools and efficient sampling strategies are required. This study evaluated the use of serological measures from repeated health facility-based cross-sectional surveys to investigate Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax transmission dynamics in an area nearing elimination in Indonesia. METHODS: Quarterly surveys were conducted in eight public health facilities in Kulon Progo District, Indonesia, from May 2017 to April 2018. Demographic data were collected from all clinic patients and their companions, with household coordinates collected using participatory mapping methods. In addition to standard microscopy tests, bead-based serological assays were performed on finger-prick bloodspot samples from 9453 people. Seroconversion rates (SCR, i.e. the proportion of people in the population who are expected to seroconvert per year) were estimated by fitting a simple reversible catalytic model to seroprevalence data. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with malaria exposure, and spatial analysis was performed to identify areas with clustering of high antibody responses. RESULTS: Parasite prevalence by microscopy was extremely low (0.06% (95% confidence interval 0.03-0.14, n = 6) and 0 for P. vivax and P. falciparum, respectively). However, spatial analysis of P. vivax antibody responses identified high-risk areas that were subsequently the site of a P. vivax outbreak in August 2017 (62 cases detected through passive and reactive detection systems). These areas overlapped with P. falciparum high-risk areas and were detected in each survey. General low transmission was confirmed by the SCR estimated from a pool of the four surveys in people aged 15 years old and under (0.020 (95% confidence interval 0.017-0.024) and 0.005 (95% confidence interval 0.003-0.008) for P. vivax and P. falciparum, respectively). The SCR estimates in those over 15 years old were 0.066 (95% confidence interval 0.041-0.105) and 0.032 (95% confidence interval 0.015-0.069) for P. vivax and P. falciparum, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate the potential use of health facility-based serological surveillance to better identify and target areas still receptive to malaria in an elimination setting. Further implementation research is needed to enable integration of these methods with existing surveillance systems

The shape of the iceberg: quantification of submicroscopic Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax parasitaemia and gametocytaemia in five low endemic settings in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The widespread presence of low-density asymptomatic infections with concurrent gametocytes may be a stumbling block for malaria elimination. This study investigated the asymptomatic reservoir of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections in schoolchildren from five settings in northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in June and November 2015, enrolling 551 students from five schools and 294 students from three schools, respectively. Finger prick whole blood and plasma samples were collected. The prevalence and density of P. falciparum and P. vivax parasitaemia and gametocytaemia were determined by 18S rRNA quantitative PCR (qPCR) and pfs25 and pvs25 reverse transcriptase qPCR. Antibodies against blood stage antigens apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) and merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-119) were measured for both species. RESULTS: Whilst only 6 infections were detected by microscopy in 881 slides (0.7%), 107 of 845 blood samples (12.7%) were parasite positive by (DNA-based) qPCR. qPCR parasite prevalence between sites and surveys ranged from 3.8 to 19.0% for P. falciparum and 0.0 to 9.0% for P. vivax. The median density of P. falciparum infections (n = 85) was 24.4 parasites/µL (IQR 18.0-34.0) and the median density of P. vivax infections (n = 28) was 16.4 parasites/µL (IQR 8.8-55.1). Gametocyte densities by (mRNA-based) qRT-PCR were strongly associated with total parasite densities for both P. falciparum (correlation coefficient = 0.83, p = 0.010) and P. vivax (correlation coefficient = 0.58, p = 0.010). Antibody titers against P. falciparum AMA-1 and MSP-119 were higher in individuals who were P. falciparum parasite positive in both surveys (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). DISCUSSION: This study adds to the available evidence on the wide-scale presence of submicroscopic parasitaemia by quantifying submicroscopic parasite densities and concurrent gametocyte densities. There was considerable heterogeneity in the occurrence of P. falciparum and P. vivax infections and serological markers of parasite exposure between the examined low endemic settings in Ethiopia

Sero-epidemiological evaluation of malaria transmission in The Gambia before and after mass drug administration.

BACKGROUND: As The Gambia aims to achieve malaria elimination by 2030, serological assays are a useful surveillance tool to monitor trends in malaria incidence and evaluate community-based interventions. METHODS: Within a mass drug administration (MDA) study in The Gambia, where reduced malaria infection and clinical disease were observed after the intervention, a serological sub-study was conducted in four study villages. Spatio-temporal variation in transmission was measured with a panel of recombinant Pf antigens on a multiplexed bead-based assay. Village-level antibody levels were quantified as under-15 sero-prevalence, sero-conversion rates, and age-adjusted antibody acquisition rates. Antibody levels prior to MDA were assessed for association with persistent malaria infection after community chemoprophylaxis. RESULTS: Seasonal changes in antibodies to Etramp5.Ag1 were observed in children under 15 years in two transmission settings-the West Coast and Upper River Regions (4.32% and 31.30% Pf prevalence, respectively). At the end of the malaria season, short-lived antibody responses to Etramp5.Ag1, GEXP18, HSP40.Ag1, EBA175 RIII-V, and Rh2.2030 were lower amongst 1-15 year olds in the West Coast compared to the Upper River, reflecting known differences in transmission. Prior to MDA, individuals in the top 50th percentile of antibody levels had two-fold higher odds of clinical malaria during the transmission season, consistent with previous findings from the Malaria Transmission Dynamics Study, where individuals infected before the implementation of MDA had two-fold higher odds of re-infection post-MDA. CONCLUSIONS: Serological markers can serve dual functions as indicators of malaria exposure and incidence. By monitoring age-specific sero-prevalence, the magnitude of age-stratified antibody levels, or identifying groups of individuals with above-average antibody responses, these antigens have the potential to complement conventional malaria surveillance tools. Further studies, particularly cluster randomised trials, can help establish standardised serological protocols to reliably measure transmission across endemic settings

Avidity of anti-malarial antibodies inversely related to transmission intensity at three sites in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: People living in malaria endemic areas acquire protection from severe malaria quickly, but protection from clinical disease and control of parasitaemia is acquired only after many years of repeated infections. Antibodies play a central role in protection from clinical disease; however, protective antibodies are slow to develop. This study sought to investigate the influence of Plasmodium falciparum exposure on the acquisition of high-avidity antibodies to P. falciparum antigens, which may be associated with protection. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were performed in children and adults at three sites in Uganda with varied P. falciparum transmission intensity (entomological inoculation rates; 3.8, 26.6, and 125 infectious bites per person per year). Sandwich ELISA was used to measure antibody responses to two P. falciparum merozoite surface antigens: merozoite surface protein 1-19 (MSP1-19) and apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1). In individuals with detectable antibody levels, guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl) was added to measure the relative avidity of antibody responses by ELISA. RESULTS: Within a site, there were no significant differences in median antibody levels between the three age groups. Between sites, median antibody levels were generally higher in the higher transmission sites, with differences more apparent for AMA-1 and in ≥5 year group. Similarly, median avidity index (proportion of high avidity antibodies) showed no significant increase with increasing age but was significantly lower at sites of higher transmission amongst participants ≥5 years of age. Using 5 M GuHCl, the median avidity indices in the ≥5 year group at the highest and lowest transmission sites were 19.9 and 26.8, respectively (p = 0.0002) for MSP1-19 and 12.2 and 17.2 (p = 0.0007) for AMA1. CONCLUSION: Avidity to two different P. falciparum antigens was lower in areas of high transmission intensity compared to areas with lower transmission. Appreciation of the mechanisms behind these findings as well as their clinical consequences will require additional investigation, ideally utilizing longitudinal data and investigation of a broader array of responses

Optimisation and standardisation of a multiplex immunoassay of diverse Plasmodium falciparum antigens to assess changes in malaria transmission using sero-epidemiology.

Background: Antibody responses have been used to characterise transmission and exposure history in malaria-endemic settings for over a decade. Such studies have typically been conducted on well-standardised enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). However, recently developed quantitative suspension array technologies (qSAT) are now capable of high-throughput and multiplexed screening of up to hundreds of analytes at a time. This study presents a customised protocol for the Luminex MAGPIX © qSAT using a diverse set of malaria antigens. The aim is to develop a standardised assay for routine serological surveillance that is implementable across laboratories and epidemiological settings. Methods: A panel of eight Plasmodium falciparum recombinant antigens, associated with long- and short-lived antibody responses, was designed for the Luminex MAGPIX © platform. The assay was optimised for key steps in the protocol: antigen-bead coupling concentration, buffer composition, serum sample dilution, and bead storage conditions. Quality control procedures and data normalisation methods were developed to address high-throughput assay processing.  Antigen-specific limits of quantification (LOQs) were also estimated using both in-house and WHO reference serum as positive controls. Results: Antigen-specific bead coupling was optimised across five serum dilutions and two positive controls, resulting in concentrations operational within stable analytical ranges. Coupled beads were stable after storage at room temperature (22?C) for up to eight weeks. High sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing positive and negative controls at serum sample dilutions of 1:500 (AUC 0.94 95%CI 0.91-0.96) and 1:1000 (AUC 0.96 95%CI 0.94-0.98) were observed. LOQs were also successfully estimated for all analytes but varied by antigen and positive control. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that developing a standardised malaria-specific qSAT protocol for a diverse set of antigens is achievable, though further optimisations may be required. Quality control and data standardisation methods may also be useful for future analysis of large sero-epidemiological surveys

Risk Factors for Malaria Infection and Seropositivity in the Elimination Area of Grand'Anse, Haiti: A Case-Control Study among Febrile Individuals Seeking Treatment at Public Health Facilities.

The island of Hispaniola aims to eliminate malaria by 2025; however, there are limited data to describe epidemiologic risk factors for malaria in this setting. A prospective case-control study was conducted at four health facilities in southwest Haiti, aiming to describe factors influencing the risk of current and past malaria infection. Cases were defined as individuals attending facilities with current or recent fever and positive malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT), while controls were those with current or recent fever and RDT negative. Serological markers of recent and cumulative exposure to Plasmodium were assessed using the multiplex bead assay from dried blood spots and used for alternate case definitions. Kuldorff's spatial scan statistic was used to identify local clusters of infection or exposure. Logistic regression models were used to assess potential risk factors for RDT positivity and recent exposure markers, including age-group, gender, and recruiting health facility as group-matching variables. A total of 192 cases (RDT positive) and 915 controls (RDT negative) were recruited. Consistent spatial clusters were identified for all three infection and exposure metrics, indicating temporal stability of malaria transmission at these sites. Risk factors included remoteness from health facilities and household construction, furthermore, insecticide-treated net ownership or use was associated with reduced odds of RDT positivity. These findings indicate the malaria risk in Grand'Anse is driven primarily by location. Travel, occupation, and other behavioral factors were not associated with malaria. These data can support the National Malaria Program to refine and target their intervention approaches, and to move toward elimination