Ecology and Transmission of Buruli Ulcer Disease: A Systematic Review

Buruli ulcer is a neglected emerging disease that has recently been reported in some countries as the second most frequent mycobacterial disease in humans after tuberculosis. Cases have been reported from at least 32 countries in Africa (mainly west), Australia, Southeast Asia, China, Central and South America, and the Western Pacific. Large lesions often result in scarring, contractual deformities, amputations, and disabilities, and in Africa, most cases of the disease occur in children between the ages of 4–15 years. This environmental mycobacterium, Mycobacterium ulcerans, is found in communities associated with rivers, swamps, wetlands, and human-linked changes in the aquatic environment, particularly those created as a result of environmental disturbance such as deforestation, dam construction, and agriculture. Buruli ulcer disease is often referred to as the “mysterious disease” because the mode of transmission remains unclear, although several hypotheses have been proposed. The above review reveals that various routes of transmission may occur, varying amongst epidemiological setting and geographic region, and that there may be some role for living agents as reservoirs and as vectors of M. ulcerans, in particular aquatic insects, adult mosquitoes or other biting arthropods. We discuss traditional and non-traditional methods for indicting the roles of living agents as biologically significant reservoirs and/or vectors of pathogens, and suggest an intellectual framework for establishing criteria for transmission. The application of these criteria to the transmission of M. ulcerans presents a significant challenge

User Satisfaction with Library Resources in Public Colleges of Education in Ghana

The focus of the study was to ascertain the level of users’ satisfaction with library resources in five (5) public Colleges of Education in Ghana. The survey method was employed and questionnaire was used as the main data collection instrument. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 368 respondents. The findings indicated that users were satisfied with the physical facilities of the libraries. However, the libraries generally lacked computer and internet facilities. Users were also dissatisfied with the library collections and services. The study recommends provision of updated collections, quality service delivery to enhance user satisfaction

Antioxidant Therapy-A Relevant Therapeutic Adjunct For Antiretroviral Therapy In Plwhas In Ghana

Abstract Background: Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) has been implicated in the stimulation of replication and progression of HIV infection. This study was aimed at investigating the levels of oxidative stress and the relevance of antioxidant therapy as an adjunct for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Ghana