ABSTRACT
Toxoplasmosis is a major public health problem among immuno-compromised individuals. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection among pregnant women with and out HIV infections. This cross sectional study was conducted among consecutive 385 pregnant women attended Antenatal Clinic from May 2010 to October 2011 at the Gondar University Teaching Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Venous blood was collected from each pregnant woman for testing HIV-1/2 and anti- Toxoplasmaantibodies using rapid test kits. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20 statistical package. The overall magnitude of T. gondii and HIV was 88.6% [341/385] and 11.2% [43/385], respectively. The seroprevalence of T. gondii was not different among HIV infected and non-infected pregnant women [88.4%, 38/ 43 vs. 88.6%, 303/342]. Keeping cats in house showed statistically significant association with seropositivity of toxoplasmosis [P<0.05]. Irrespective of HIV infection, high rate of T. gondii was detected among pregnant women. These high prevalences indicate the need for an intensified public health awareness to reduce both infections
ABSTRACT
In the majority of health centers in Ethiopia, the severity of falciparum malaria has been determined by parasitemia alone. However, it has been suggested that the use of peripheral infected RBC counts as an indicator of disease severity by itself is insufficient. Therefore, this study was performed to assess the severity of falciparum malaria infection in three Ethiopian localities with epidemic malaria and to compare the usual severe malaria determination technique [parasitemia] used in Ethiopia with other malaria severity determination parameters: circulatory collapse, cerebral malaria and severe anemia. Blood samples were collected from 400 individuals to examine the presence of falciparum malaria in the Awash, Metehara and Ziway areas of Ethiopia. Data on cerebral malaria, circulatory collapse and severe anemia were collected from 210 falciparum malaria patients. Of the 400 individuals examined, 210 were positive for falciparum malaria, and 190 were negative and served as healthy controls [HC]. Severe anemia [18 patients, 8.57%] and circulatory collapse [25 patients, 11.90%] were the common features associated with severe falciparum malaria. Additionally, the detection of severe malaria was comparable using parasitemia, circulatory collapse or anemia. The findings of this study demonstrated comparable capacity for detecting severe falciparum malaria using circulatory collapse, severe anemia or parasitemia. Therefore, in addition to parasitemia, assessing severity of falciparum malaria using circulatory collapse and severe anemia will facilitate the diagnosis and management of malaria in Ethiopia
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Male , Malaria, Falciparum/diagnosis , Plasmodium falciparum , Severity of Illness Index , Malaria, Falciparum/therapyABSTRACT
Objective: To assess the prevalence of anemia in children with urinary schistosomiasis, malaria and concurrent infections by the two diseases. Methods: Urine and blood samples were collected from 387 children (216 males and 171 females) to examine urinary schistosomiasis and malaria and to determine hemoglobin concentration at Hassoba and Hassoba Buri village in Amibara woreda, Afar region, Ethiopia. Results: The overall prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis and Plasmodium falciparum malaria was 24.54% and 6.20% respectively. Only 2.84% of children carried concurrent infections of both parasites. There was high percentage of anemic patients (81.81%) in the coinfected cases than in either malaria (33.3%) or schistosomiasis (38.94%) cases. There was significantly low mean hemoglobin concentration in concurrently infected children than non-infected and single infected (P0.05). The level of hemoglobin was negatively correlated with the number of S. haematobium eggs/10 mL urine (r=-0.6) and malaria parasitemia (r=-0.53). Conclusions: The study showed that anemia is higher in concurrently infected children than non-infected and single infected. Furthermore, level of hemoglobin was negatively correlated with the number of S. haematobium eggs and malaria parsitemia. Therefore, examination of hemoglobin status in patients co-infected with malaria and schistosomiasis is important to reduce the risk of anemia and to improve health of the community.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the prevalence of anemia in children with urinary schistosomiasis, malaria and concurrent infections by the two diseases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Urine and blood samples were collected from 387 children (216 males and 171 females) to examine urinary schistosomiasis and malaria and to determine hemoglobin concentration at Hassoba and Hassoba Buri village in Amibara woreda, Afar region, Ethiopia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis and Plasmodium falciparum malaria was 24.54% and 6.20% respectively. Only 2.84% of children carried concurrent infections of both parasites. There was high percentage of anemic patients (81.81%) in the coinfected cases than in either malaria (33.3%) or schistosomiasis (38.94%) cases. There was significantly low mean hemoglobin concentration in concurrently infected children than non-infected and single infected (P<0.05). The mean hemoglobin concentration between Plasmodium falciparum and S. haematobium infected children showed no significant difference (P>0.05). The level of hemoglobin was negatively correlated with the number of S. haematobium eggs/10 mL urine (r=-0.6) and malaria parasitemia (r=-0.53).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The study showed that anemia is higher in concurrently infected children than non-infected and single infected. Furthermore, level of hemoglobin was negatively correlated with the number of S. haematobium eggs and malaria parsitemia. Therefore, examination of hemoglobin status in patients co-infected with malaria and schistosomiasis is important to reduce the risk of anemia and to improve health of the community.</p>