Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health personnel in Yaounde, Cameroon

Background. Health care personnel constitute a group at high risk of contracting COVID-19. However, the vaccination rate in this group in our context remains low. The objective of our study was to determine the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health care workers in Yaounde. Methods.We conducted a cross-sectional study of 360 health personnel in three hospitals in the city of Yaounde from January to March 2022, i.e., 3 months. All health personnel who gave their free consent were included. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics and Research Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Yaounde I. A logistic regression was performed to search for factors associated with reluctance to vaccinate, with a significance level of 0.05. Results.The vaccination rate against COVID-19 was 34% (123). Factors associated with vaccine hesitancy were female gender (OR [95% CI] =3.5[2.2-5.5]; p<0.001), working outside a COVID-19 management unit (OR [95% CI]=6, [2.1-18.5]; p=0.001), fear of the harmfulness of COVID-19 vaccines (OR [CI 95%] =2.7[1.7-4.2]; p<0.001), and doubt of vaccine efficacy (OR [CI 95%] =4.0[2.5-6.4]; p<0.001). Conclusion:Health personnel are still reluctant to vaccinate in our context. Factors associated with hesitancy to vaccination against COVID-19 could help deconstruct apprehensions.

Introduction. La pandémie de la COVID-19 a ajouté un fardeau supplémentaire dans les pays aux systèmes de santé déjà fragiles. Objectif : déterminer la prévalence et la séroprévalence de la COVID-19 en cas de suspicion du paludisme au cours de la deuxième vagueà Yaoundé. Méthodologie. Une étude transversale descriptive a été menée au Centre Médical le Jourdain pendant 8 semaines du 19 Avril au 13 Juin 2021 soit durant la deuxième vague au Cameroun. Pour les 86 patients avec suspicion de paludisme, des prélèvements nasopharyngé et sanguins ont été réalisés pour la recherche d'antigène du SRAS- CoV 2 et des IgG et IgM anti-SARS-CoV-2 grâce aux kits STANDARDTM Q COVID-19 Ag de SD BIOSENSOR, Corée, 2020 et StandardTM Q COVID 19 Ac IgG/IgM de SD BIOSENSOR, Corée, 2020 respectivement. La confirmation du paludisme a été faite grâce à l'examen microscopique des étalements de sang colorés. Résultats. Le paludisme était confirmé dans 20,9% (18) des cas. Les prévalences de la COVID-19 et de la coïnfection COVID19/Paludisme étaient de 8,1% et de 0,9% respectivement. Sur les 25,6% (54) des patients avec des IgM anti-COVID-19, aucun cas de microscopie positive n'a été retrouvé. Par ailleurs un peu plus de la moitié des patients avaient des anticorps IgG anti-COVID-19 qu'ils aient une goutte épaisse positive ou pas soit 56,0% (42/75) et 52,2% (71/136) respectivement. Conclusion. En cas de suspicion du paludisme en zone impaludée, il parait non négligeable de considérer la COVID-19 comme un diagnostic différentiel.

A cluster of COVID-19 caused by a presymptomatic case in Haikou / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate a cluster of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)caused by latent infection in Haikou,so as to provide reference for the prevention and control of COVID-19 clusters. @*Methods@#An epidemiological investigation was conducted according to the COVID-19 Prevention and Control Program(Fourth Edition). The course of diagnosis and treatment,clinical characteristics and field investigation data were collected to analyze the transmission chain and the intergeneration between cases. @*Results @#Among 39 people involved,five confirmed cases and two asymptomatic infections were found,with an attack rate of 17.95%. The cases aged from 40 to 65 years and lived in the dormitories near the farm of Dongshan. The first case(named Case 1)closely contacted with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Chengmai from January 28 to February 10,was isolated on February 13 and developed symptoms on February 16. The other six cases(Case 2 to Case 7)shared the water source with Case 1 from January 28 to February 13(within the incubation period of Case 1). They needed to open the power switch outside Case 1's room and the water valve in Case 1's washroom before the use of water. They might be infected by contacting the doorknob and the water valve contacted by Case 1,or by the aerosol formed after Case 1 used the washroom,then infected each other when living together. The onset of Case 2 to Case 7 was earlier than Case 1,and they had no travelling history in Hubei Province 14 days before and contacted no confirmed cases except Case 1. Therefore,Case 1 was the source of the cluster during his incubation period of COVID-19. @*Conclusion@#This was a cluster of COVID-19 due to latent transmission by living in the same area and touching the same objects indirectly,which indicated that COVID-19 was infectious in the incubation period.

‘Houdini’s Pituitary:’ A case report of regression of pituitary mass to Empty Sella in a 58-year-old man with autoimmune Hypophysitis / Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies

@#A 58-year-old male presented with persistent severe headache, lethargy, decline libido and no neurological deficits. Besides quadruple anterior pituitary hormonal deficiencies, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated an enlarged ring-enhanced non-homogenous pituitary. Following hormonal replacement, these symptoms improved but empty sella evolved. The challenges of diagnosis and management were discussed. Awareness of the unclear etiologyand uncertain clinical course of autoimmune hypophysitis in a man in this age group is essential for prompt and appropriate management.

Histological observation of leptin receptor in skeletal muscle in obese rats with periodontitis / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To invesitgate the protein expression for leptin receptor in skeletal muscle in periodontitis and obese rat models, with the aim of exploring the effect of experimental periodontitis on adipokines receptors in insulin-targeting tissues and underlying mechanisms of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. @*Methods @#Forty natal SD male rats were randomly divided into four groups, respectively: obese rats with periodontitis (OB+ CP group), obese rats without periodontitis (OB group), normal rats with periodontitis (CP group) and normal rats without periodontitis (C group). Obese rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of sodium glutamate. Experimental periodontitis was induced by ligation and inoculation of periodontal pathogens. Immunohistochemical analysis of leptin receptor expression in skeletal muscle of four groups was employed. @*Results@#In the skeletal muscle, the protein for leptin receptor in the C group and CP group were popular and strong positive, and there was no statistically significant difference between the groups (P > 0.05). The protein expressions in the OB + CP group and OB group were decreased. Fewer protein expres⁃ sion was detected in the OB + CP group when compared with OB group (P < 0.05). A synergistic interaction between obesity and periodontitis was evident to the expression for the leptin receptor (P < 0.05).@*Conclusion@#Local infection induced by experimental periodontitis can barely down⁃regulate the protein expression for leptin receptor in the skeletal muscle. However, periodontitis can significantly down⁃regulate the protein expressions with the presence of obesity.

Telemedicine in Dermatology / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Telemedicine can be useful in dermatology in which there is a physical barrier between the dermatologist and patient or primary care giver. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose of this study is to examine a usefulness of teledermatology system in Korean situation. METHODS: We made store-and forward teledermatology system on world wide web for it's usefulness. We examined the difference of diagnostic accuracy, level of certainty, and quality of images of photographs and still digital images. RESULTS: The merits of our teledermatology system are summarized as follows1. It has more diagnostic accuracy than classic store-and forward system. 2. The real-time additional history taking and request of laboratory examinations are possible by chatting system between dermatologist and primary care giver. 3. Patient follow-up is easier than store-and forward system. The difference of diagnostic accuracy, level of certainty, and quality of images of photographs and still digital images are summarized as follows. 1. There is no difference of diagnostic accuracy between photographic readers and digital image readers. 2. There is no difference of level of certainty between photographic readers and digital image readers. 3. In assesment of quality of photographs, no difference was founded between photographic readers and digital image readers 4. The satisfaction of quality of photographs is very high in all groups. The average is 97.5%. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that our teledermatology system is useful in korean situation and still digital image can substitute historic photographs in teledermatology.

Design the Medical Related Web Database through Constructing Soonchunhyang University Hospital Homepage / 대한의료정보학회지

Thesedays, the computer network has become the most popular means of communicating and sharing of information. With the rapid growing of Internet usage, various kinds of medical-related Internet sites are appearing. Due to the popularity of World Wide Web, many hospitals and medical centers establish their own homepage. In Korea, the number of home pages about medicine and medical institutes is increasing. Although many medical-related sites in Korea are providing Internet services on WWW, the quality is still far behind from foreign countries. For constructing the homepage for each department in Soonchunhyang University Hospital Homepage, this paper first investigates the University Hospital's Internet Homepage. After rewiewing the homepage, the new homepage of Soonchunhyang University Hospital has een implemented. From the experience in implementing the homepage for Soonchunhyang University Hospital, this paper suggests the method to build and manage a homepage for other medical related sites.

Development of Internet-based Medical Educational Program / 한국의학교육

Current medicine is a living science which is developing rapidly. It seems that coming up with the rapid development of medicine by the conventional educational system has some limitation, since the development is too rapid. Development of internet-based medical educational program(IMEP) would be a kind of solution. To overcome the limitation, we developed an IMEP which could be used either on the File Transfer Protocol(FTP) or World Wide Web(WWW), and tested whether it would meet the requirements of our purpose. The IMEP of ours functioned satisfactorily. IMEP for WWW was accessed by far more frequently than IMEP for FTP by the visitors. Frame-typed HTML files were displayed 2 times faster than plain HTML files. HTML files which hid the graphic data behind were displayed more quickly than conventional HTML files. CGI programs were considered to be necessary tools for bidirectional communications between the host and clients on the IMEP. A small PC server worked properly as well as a large server when the access was confined to a small number of visitors. We concluded that IMEP was an excellent adjuvant method of education to make up the gap between the conventional educational system and the rapid development of medicine.

Development of Cardiology Education System Using World Wide Web / 대한내과학회지

OBJECTIVES: Few disciplines in medicine encompasses such wide diagnostic and treatment modalities as cardiology. A traditional text and education system is limited in its efficacy to convey such variety. In order to address this problem, a comprehensive computer-aided education system that compiles and links the current knowledge of cardiovascular diseases is proposed. An availability of such system through CD-ROM and world wide web will contribute undoubtedly to the promotion and betterment of current understandings of cardiology all over the world. METHODS AND RESULTS:1) The information about the cardiovascular diseases has been complied and organized. Multimedia medical information includes text, audio features that allow the users to study actual sounds, and visual aids (slides, real-time demonstration, and schematic illustrations).2) Cardiology education system can be approached according to "Disease module" or "Laboratory test module". One can readily look up the disease of interest and see the results of different tests. Or one can choose the laboratory test or physical examination and study the differences among the diseases. "Self test module" is also available to help user's self assessment of his/her understanding of cardiovascular diseases.3) This cardiology education program is conveniently stored in CD-ROM and can also be accessible through the world wide web (http://med.chungbuk.ac.kr/~mccho/ web-cardiology/alogo.html). CONCLUSION: A multimedia approach for the study of cardiovascular diseases has been developed and is now avaliable in CD-ROM. The same information can be obtained from our home page through the world wide web.

Construction and Evaluation of Soonchunhyang University Hospital"s Computer Information Network / 대한의료정보학회지

These days, the computer network has become the most popular and widely used source of information. There are two kinds of computer networks, the first one is multimedia internet world wide web site and the second one is text based commercial network (etc. Hitel, Chollian. Nownuri, Unitel). With the rapid development of internet, various kinds of medical-related sites are newly appearing on the internet. Even in Korea, several medical-related information sites are on service, however, there are very few compared with foreign sites. World wide web is popular, and creating the homepage for each hospital is becoming more important. In Korea, the number of homepage of about medicine and medical institutes, is increasing. For the construction of Soonchunhyang University Hospital's Computer Information Network, the authors first investigate Korean medical-related information sites available in internet and commercial network. After researching the authors then construct the Computer Information Network of Soonchunhyang University Hospital. This article is written with the intent of assisting those interested in creating and managing their own computer information network system by means of providing relevant data obtained during this process.