Estimated health benefits, costs and cost-effectiveness of eliminating industrial trans-fatty acids in Nigeria: cost-effectiveness analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Nigeria is committed to reducing industrial trans-fatty acids (iTFA) from the food supply, but the potential health gains, costs and cost-effectiveness are unknown. METHODS: The effect on ischaemic heart disease (IHD) burden, costs and cost-effectiveness of a mandatory iTFA limit (≤2% of all fats) for foods in Nigeria were estimated using Markov cohort models. Data on demographics, IHD epidemiology and trans-fatty acid intake were derived from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study. Avoided IHD events and deaths; health-adjusted life years (HALYs) gained; and healthcare, policy implementation and net costs were estimated over 10 years and the population's lifetime. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios using net costs and HALYs gained (both discounted at 3%) were used to assess cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: Over the first 10 years, a mandatory iTFA limit (assumed to eliminate iTFA intake) was estimated to prevent 9996 (95% uncertainty interval: 8870 to 11 118) IHD deaths and 66 569 (58 862 to 74 083) IHD events, and to save US$90 million (78 to 102) in healthcare costs. The corresponding lifetime estimates were 259 934 (228 736 to 290 191), 479 308 (95% UI 420 472 to 538 177) and 518 (450 to 587). Policy implementation costs were estimated at US$17 million (11 to 23) over the first 10 years, and US$26 million USD (19 to 33) over the population's lifetime. The intervention was estimated to be cost-saving, and findings were robust across several deterministic sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: Our findings support mandating a limit of iTFAs as a cost-saving strategy to reduce the IHD burden in Nigeria.

Estimated health benefits, costs and cost-effectiveness of eliminating dietary industrial trans fatty acids in Kenya: cost-effectiveness analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To model the potential health gains and cost-effectiveness of a mandatory limit of industrial trans fatty acids (iTFA) in Kenyan foods. DESIGN: Multiple cohort proportional multistate life table model, incorporating existing data from the Global Burden of Disease study, pooled analyses of observational studies and peer-reviewed evidence of healthcare and policy implementation costs. SETTING: Kenya. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged ≥20 years at baseline (n=50 million). INTERVENTION: A mandatory iTFA limit (≤2% of all fats) in the Kenyan food supply compared with a base case scenario of maintaining current trans fat intake. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Averted ischaemic heart disease (IHD) events and deaths, health-adjusted life years; healthcare costs; policy implementation costs; net costs; and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. RESULTS: Over the first 10 years, the intervention was estimated to prevent ~1900 (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 1714; 2148) IHD deaths and ~17 000 (95% UI: 15 475; 19 551) IHD events, and to save ~US$50 million (95% UI: 44; 56). The corresponding estimates over the lifespan of the model population were ~49 000 (95% UI: 43 775; 55 326) IHD deaths prevented, ~113 000 (95% UI: 100 104; 127 969) IHD events prevented and some ~US$300 million (256; 331) saved. Policy implementation costs were estimated as ~US$9 million over the first 10 years and ~US$20 million over the population lifetime. The intervention was estimated to be cost saving regardless of the time horizon. Findings were robust across multiple sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support policy action for a mandatory iTFA limit as a cost-saving strategy to avert IHD events and deaths in Kenya.

The health and economic impact and cost effectiveness of interventions for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya: a stakeholder engaged modelling study.

BACKGROUND: The global increase in mean body mass index has resulted in a substantial increase of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including in many low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya. This paper assesses four interventions for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya to determine their potential health and economic impact and cost effectiveness. METHODS: We reviewed the literature to identify evidence of effect, determine the intervention costs, disease costs and total healthcare costs. We used a proportional multistate life table model to quantify the potential impacts on health conditions and healthcare costs, modelling the 2019 Kenya population over their remaining lifetime. Considering a health system perspective, two interventions were assessed for cost-effectiveness. In addition, we used the Human Capital Approach to estimate productivity gains. RESULTS: Over the lifetime of the 2019 population, impacts were estimated at 203,266 health-adjusted life years (HALYs) (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 163,752 - 249,621) for a 20% tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, 151,718 HALYs (95% UI 55,257 - 250,412) for mandatory kilojoule menu labelling, 3.7 million HALYs (95% UI 2,661,365-4,789,915) for a change in consumption levels related to supermarket food purchase patterns and 13.1 million HALYs (95% UI 11,404,317 - 15,152,341) for a change in national consumption back to the 1975 average levels of energy intake. This translates to 4, 3, 73 and 261 HALYs per 1,000 persons. Lifetime healthcare cost savings were approximately United States Dollar (USD) 0.14 billion (USD 3 per capita), USD 0.08 billion (USD 2 per capita), USD 1.9 billion (USD 38 per capita) and USD 6.2 billion (USD 124 per capita), respectively. Lifetime productivity gains were approximately USD 1.8 billion, USD 1.2 billion, USD 28 billion and USD 92 billion. Both the 20% tax on sugar sweetened beverages and the mandatory kilojoule menu labelling were assessed for cost effectiveness and found dominant (health promoting and cost-saving). CONCLUSION: All interventions evaluated yielded substantive health gains and economic benefits and should be considered for implementation in Kenya.

Prevalence and factors associated with potentially inappropriate medication and medication complexity for older adults in the emergency department of a secondary teaching hospital in Indonesia

Background: Older adults experience progressive decline in various organs and changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drugs in the body which lead to an increased risk of medication-related problems. Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and medication complexity are key factors contributing to adverse drug events in the emergency department (ED). Objective: To estimate the prevalence and investigate the risk factors of PIMs and medication complexity among older adults admitted to the ED. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted among patients aged > 60 years admitted to the ED of Universitas Airlangga Teaching Hospital in January - June 2020. PIMs and medication complexity were measured using the 2019 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® and Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI), respectively. Results: A total of 1005 patients were included and 55.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52 – 58%) of them received at least one PIM. Whereas, the pharmacological therapy prescribed to older adults had a high complexity index (mean MRCI 17.23 + 11.15). Multivariate analysis showed that those with polypharmacy (OR= 6.954; 95% CI: 4.617 – 10.476), diseases of the circulatory system (OR= 2.126; 95% CI: 1.166 – 3.876), endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (OR= 1.924; 95% CI: 1.087 – 3.405), and diseases of the digestive system (OR= 1.858; 95% CI: 1.214 – 2.842) had an increased risk of receiving PIM prescriptions. Meanwhile, disease of the respiratory system (OR = 7.621; 95% CI: 2.833 – 15.150), endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (OR = 6.601; 95% CI: 2.935 – 14.847), and polypharmacy (OR = 4.373; 95% CI: 3.540 – 5.401) were associated with higher medication complexity. (AU)

Prevalence and factors associated with potentially inappropriate medication and medication complexity for older adults in the emergency department of a secondary teaching hospital in Indonesia.

Background: Older adults experience progressive decline in various organs and changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drugs in the body which lead to an increased risk of medication-related problems. Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and medication complexity are key factors contributing to adverse drug events in the emergency department (ED). Objective: To estimate the prevalence and investigate the risk factors of PIMs and medication complexity among older adults admitted to the ED. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted among patients aged > 60 years admitted to the ED of Universitas Airlangga Teaching Hospital in January - June 2020. PIMs and medication complexity were measured using the 2019 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® and Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI), respectively. Results: A total of 1005 patients were included and 55.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52 - 58%) of them received at least one PIM. Whereas, the pharmacological therapy prescribed to older adults had a high complexity index (mean MRCI 17.23 + 11.15). Multivariate analysis showed that those with polypharmacy (OR= 6.954; 95% CI: 4.617 - 10.476), diseases of the circulatory system (OR= 2.126; 95% CI: 1.166 - 3.876), endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (OR= 1.924; 95% CI: 1.087 - 3.405), and diseases of the digestive system (OR= 1.858; 95% CI: 1.214 - 2.842) had an increased risk of receiving PIM prescriptions. Meanwhile, disease of the respiratory system (OR = 7.621; 95% CI: 2.833 - 15.150), endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (OR = 6.601; 95% CI: 2.935 - 14.847), and polypharmacy (OR = 4.373; 95% CI: 3.540 - 5.401) were associated with higher medication complexity. Conclusion: In our study, over one in every two older adults admitted to the ED had PIMs, and a high medication complexity was observed. Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic disease was the leading risk factors for receiving PIMs and high medication complexity.

Stakeholder-engaged research: strategies for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: This study was done as part of a larger study that aims to identify the most impactful and cost-effective strategies for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya. Our objective was to involve stakeholders in the identification of the strategies that would be included in our larger study. The results from the stakeholder engagement are analyzed and reported in this paper. DESIGN: This was a qualitative study. A one-day stakeholder workshop that followed a deliberative dialogue process was conducted. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of stakeholders who participate in the national level policymaking process for health in Kenya. OUTCOME MEASURE: Strategies for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya. RESULTS: Out of the twenty-three stakeholders who confirmed attendance, fifteen participants attended the one-day workshop. The stakeholders identified a total of 24 strategies for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya. From the ranking process carried out the top six strategies identified were: a research-based strategy for the identification of the nutritional value of indigenous foods, implementation of health promotion strategies that focus on the creation of healthy environments, physical activity behavior such as gym attendance, jogging, walking, and running at the individual level, implementation of school curricula on nutrition and health promotion, integration of physical education into the new Competency-Based Education policy, and policies that increase use of public transport. CONCLUSION: The stakeholders identified and ranked strategies for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya. This informs future overweight and obesity prevention research and policy in Kenya and similar settings.

The impact of approaches in improving male partner involvement in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV on the uptake of safe infant feeding practices by HIV positive women in sub-Saharan Africa. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The low level of male partner involvement in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV services such as safe infant feeding practices poses a serious challenge to the implementation of guidelines on safe infant feeding and may undermine efforts towards elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV in sub Saharan Africa(SSA). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the approaches that have been utilized to improve male partner involvement in PMTCT services as well as their impact on the uptake of safe infant feeding practices by HIV positive mothers in SSA. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, Ovid Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane library, ClinicalTrials.gov, Web of Science and Current Controlled Trials were searched. Only studies performed in SSA that reported an approach that specifically involved male partners and its impact on the uptake of safe infant feeding practices (irrespective of the language and date of publication) were included. Odds ratios were extracted or calculated from studies and combined in a meta-analysis using the statistical package Stata version 11.0. Forest plots were generated using the random effect model. RESULTS: From an initial 2416 non-duplicate articles, 06 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The overall pooled unadjusted OR was 3.08[95%CI: 2.58-3.68], while the effect sizes for interventions aimed at promoting male partner involvement such as verbal encouragement, complex community intervention and enhanced psychosocial interventions were 1.93[95%CI: 1.34-2.79], 3.45[95%CI: 2.79-4.25] and 5.14[95%CI: 2.42-10.90] respectively. Using only adjusted odd ratios, the pooled adjusted OR = 1.78[95%CI: 1.35-2.34]. The I2 = 60.1% p = 0.057 using adjusted ORs. CONCLUSION: Interventions aimed at promoting male partner involvement such as enhanced psychosocial interventions, verbal encouragement and complex community interventions increase the uptake of safe infant feeding options. The heterogeneity was moderate among studies. More studies including randomised trials that will recruit larger, representative samples of patients are needed in the future. Prospero registration number: 42016032673.

Global, Regional, and Country-Specific Lifetime Risks of Stroke, 1990 and 2016.

BACKGROUND: The lifetime risk of stroke has been calculated in a limited number of selected populations. We sought to estimate the lifetime risk of stroke at the regional, country, and global level using data from a comprehensive study of the prevalence of major diseases. METHODS: We used the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2016 estimates of stroke incidence and the competing risks of death from any cause other than stroke to calculate the cumulative lifetime risks of first stroke, ischemic stroke, or hemorrhagic stroke among adults 25 years of age or older. Estimates of the lifetime risks in the years 1990 and 2016 were compared. Countries were categorized into quintiles of the sociodemographic index (SDI) used in the GBD Study, and the risks were compared across quintiles. Comparisons were made with the use of point estimates and uncertainty intervals representing the 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles around the estimate. RESULTS: The estimated global lifetime risk of stroke from the age of 25 years onward was 24.9% (95% uncertainty interval, 23.5 to 26.2); the risk among men was 24.7% (95% uncertainty interval, 23.3 to 26.0), and the risk among women was 25.1% (95% uncertainty interval, 23.7 to 26.5). The risk of ischemic stroke was 18.3%, and the risk of hemorrhagic stroke was 8.2%. In high-SDI, high-middle-SDI, and low-SDI countries, the estimated lifetime risk of stroke was 23.5%, 31.1% (highest risk), and 13.2% (lowest risk), respectively; the 95% uncertainty intervals did not overlap between these categories. The highest estimated lifetime risks of stroke according to GBD region were in East Asia (38.8%), Central Europe (31.7%), and Eastern Europe (31.6%), and the lowest risk was in eastern sub-Saharan Africa (11.8%). The mean global lifetime risk of stroke increased from 22.8% in 1990 to 24.9% in 2016, a relative increase of 8.9% (95% uncertainty interval, 6.2 to 11.5); the competing risk of death from any cause other than stroke was considered in this calculation. CONCLUSIONS: In 2016, the global lifetime risk of stroke from the age of 25 years onward was approximately 25% among both men and women. There was geographic variation in the lifetime risk of stroke, with the highest risks in East Asia, Central Europe, and Eastern Europe. (Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.).

Global, regional, and national prevalence of hepatitis B infection in the general and key populations living with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B causes death mainly due to liver disease worldwide. Human immunodeficiency virus increases the pathological effect of hepatitis viruses and potentiates re-activation of latent hepatitis infections as a result of reduced immunity. Because of the same modes of transmission shared by the two infections, HBV represents an important cause of co-morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV; hence, the aim of this review is to determine the prevalence of HBV among people living with HIV. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis will include cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies of patients positive for HBV and HIV irrespective of their countries. All pertinent articles published on hepatitis B in people living with HIV from January 1, 1990, to July 31, 2017, without any language restriction will be searched in PubMed/MEDLINE, Global Index Medicus Web of Science, and Excerpta Medica Database. Two review authors will independently assess the relevance of all titles and abstracts identified from the electronic searches. The study-specific estimates will be pooled through a random-effects meta-analysis model to obtain an overall summary estimate of the prevalence of HBV across studies. We will assess statistical heterogeneity and pool clinically homogeneous studies. On the other hand, we will evaluate statistical heterogeneity by the chi-squared test on Cochrane's Q statistic. Symmetry of funnel plots and Egger's test will be used to detect the presence of publication and selective reporting bias. In the case of publication bias, we will report estimates after adjustment on publication bias using the trim-and-fill method. We will assess inter-rater agreement between investigators for study inclusion, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment using Kappa Cohen's coefficient. This protocol will comply with the guidelines for meta-analyses and systematic reviews of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis protocol to report the prevalence of HBV in people living with HIV. We believe its outcomes will be of utility in providing insights on the characteristics of HBV epidemic in people living with HIV, and draw more attention of public health services to this association. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42017073124.

Acute blindness as a presenting sign of childhood endemic Burkitt's lymphoma in Cameroon: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Endemic Burkitt's lymphoma is found predominantly in malaria holoendemic zones, typically in the tropical rain forest of Africa. It usually presents as an extra-nodal tumour in children and young adults with predilection for jaws and soft tissues of the abdomen. Clinical features depend on the primary tumour site, extent of the disease and histologic subtype. Acute blindness as a presentation sign is rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A 13 year old African female presented to our facility with a 3 week history of painful abdominal distention, and loss of vision of the left eye. On examination, there was a huge abdominopelvic mass, left breast mass and complete blindness of the left eye associated with mydriatic pupils non-responsive to light. An abdominal ultrasound showed a huge hypoechoic mass arising from the pelvis and protruding into the abdomen. The jaws, teeth and maxilla were all normal. A fine needle aspiration done was negative for malignant cells. A presumptive diagnosis of Burkitt's lymphoma was made on clinical grounds and abdominal ultrasound findings. The patient was immediately placed on chemotherapy and responded well to treatment with remission of the tumour but persistence of left eye blindness. CONCLUSION: Acute blindness can be the presenting sign of Burkitt's lymphoma in a patient with neither jaw nor maxillary swelling. Primary healthcare providers in low income settings require a high index of suspicion when faced with such atypical presentations. This emphasizes the need for thorough physical examination, and when possible, the clinical utility of ultrasonography for suspicious abdominal masses in the absence of state-of the art diagnostic tools for early diagnosis and treatment, which is critical for survival and to improve quality of life.

Male partner involvement in increasing the uptake of infant antiretroviral prophylaxis/treatment in sub Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Infant antiretroviral prophylaxis plays an important role towards ensuring the reduction of HIV transmission from mother to child in the postpartum period. However in sub Saharan Africa (SSA), the low level of involvement of male partners may hinder the uptake of such services by HIV positive mothers. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the impact of male partner involvement approaches on the uptake of infant antiretroviral prophylaxis in SSA. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, Ovid Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane library, ClinicalTrials.gov, Web of Science and Current Controlled Trials were searched from 1st December 2015 up until 30th March 2016. Only studies carried out in SSA that reported an approach used in involving male partners and the impact on the uptake of infant antiretroviral prophylaxis irrespective of the Language and date of publication were included. Odds ratios were extracted or calculated from studies and combined in a meta-analysis using the statistical package Stata version 11.0. Forest plots were generated using the random effect model. RESULTS: From an initial 2316 non-duplicate articles, 09 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled unadjusted odds ratio was 2.09(95% CI: 1.31 to 3.36) while the unadjusted odds ratios for enhanced psychosocial interventions (02 studies pooled), complex community interventions (02 studies pooled), verbal encouragement (02 studies pooled) and invitation letters(03 pooled studies) were 3.48(95% CI: 1.42 to 8.53), 1.85(95%CI: 0.85 to 4.03), 2.37(95%CI: 1.22 to 4.61) and 1.81(95%CI: 0.64 to 5.14) respectively. I squared was 89.5%, p < 0.001 and the heterogeneity was not explained by any of the variables in meta-regression. CONCLUSION: There was stronger evidence for enhanced psychosocial intervention and verbal encouragement in increasing the uptake of infant prophylaxis. The high heterogeneity suggests more studies are needed to draw a definite inference from the meta-analysis. More studies with larger sample sizes that are conducted using similar methods are needed in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Prospero registration number: 42016032673 .

Prevalence of elevated blood pressure in children and adolescents in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite substantial attention paid to the threat of elevated blood pressure in children and adolescents in high-income countries and the epidemic of hypertension in African adult populations, data on the burden of elevated blood pressure in African children and adolescents have not yet been synthesised. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide estimates of the prevalence of elevated blood pressure and assess associated factors among children and adolescents in Africa. METHODS: We searched Embase, PubMed, African Journals Online, and African Index Medicus to identify articles published from Jan 1, 1996, to Feb 2, 2017, and searched the reference list of retrieved articles. Each study was independently reviewed for methodological quality. We used a random-effects model to estimate the prevalence of elevated blood pressure across studies and heterogeneity (I2) was assessed via the χ2 test on Cochran's Q statistic. This review is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42015019029. FINDINGS: We included 51 studies in qualitative synthesis and 25 in the meta-analysis reporting data of a pooled sample of 54 196 participants aged 2-19 years. Study quality was high with only four medium-quality studies and no low-quality studies. Prevalence of elevated blood pressure varied widely across studies (range 0·2-24·8%). The pooled prevalence of elevated blood pressure (systolic or diastolic blood pressure ≥95th percentile) was 5·5% (95% CI 4·2-6·9), whereas that of slightly elevated blood pressure (systolic or diastolic blood pressure ≥90th percentile and <95th percentile) was 12·7% (2·1-30·4). The prevalence of elevated blood pressure was largely associated with body-mass index (BMI), with a prevalence of elevated blood pressure six times higher in obese (30·8%, 95% CI 20·1-42·6) versus normal-weight children (5·5%, 3·1-8·4; p<0·0001). INTERPRETATION: This study suggests a high prevalence of elevated blood pressure among children and adolescents in Africa, with overweight and obesity being an important risk factor. Efforts to address this burden of elevated blood pressure in children and adolescents should mainly focus on primary prevention at the community level, by promoting healthy lifestyles and avoiding other cardiovascular risk factors, especially overweight and obesity. This study also stresses the need for more elaborate studies using uniform and reliable diagnostic methods to reliably map the burden of elevated blood pressure in children and adolescents in Africa. FUNDING: None.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis in a severely immunocompromised HIV patient in Kumbo, Northwest region of Cameroon: case report.

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is a rising opportunistic infection in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Cases of leishmania and HIV co-infection have been documented in several countries in the world with most reporting on the association between visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and HIV. We herein report the case of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) occurring in an HIV seropositive patient. CASE PRESENTATION: A 28 year old Cameroonian female diagnosed with HIV for 6 months earlier, presented to our facility with a 3 months history of non-painful rash. Clinical examination revealed non prurigeneous papulo-nodular lesions on the face and thighs which later became crusty ulcerative lesions. Giemsa staining with examination under oil objective immersion identified amastigotes and a diagnosis of CL was made which was managed with amphotericine B (1 mg/kg of body weight) for 14 days with mild improvement of lesions. Patient developed hypokalemia due to the amphotericine B during admission which was corrected and died 1 month after discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence suggest higher incidence of VL in HIV, however we report the occurrence of CL in HIV. A high index of suspicion for CL is warranted among clinicians in Africa when faced with HIV patients with inconsistent cutaneous rash.

Takayasu's arteritis in an adult female from Cameroon: diagnosis via Doppler echocardiography.

Takayasu arteritis is rare in black people. Doppler echocardiography may assist in its diagnosis with good response to steroids.

Hepatitis B infection awareness, vaccine perceptions and uptake, and serological profile of a group of health care workers in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Cameroon is one of the countries in Africa with the highest burden of Hepatitis B infection. Health care workers are known to be at risk of occupational exposure to blood and other infectious bodily fluids. The aim of this study was to assess the profile of serological markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, knowledge and perceptions regarding HBV infection among health care workers in a health area in Yaoundé. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Mvog-Ada Health Area of the Djoungolo Health District from March 1 to November 31, 2014. All consenting health care workers were included in the study. Serological markers of HBV (HBs Ag, Hbe Ag, anti-HBs Ab, anti-HBe Ab, anti-HBc Ab) were qualitatively tested using Biotech®(OneHBV-5 parameter rapid test website) in each participant and the anti-HBs antibodies were quantified by ELISA (Biorex) among those who were positive with the qualitative test. Chi square test or its equivalents were used to compare qualitative variables and a p-value less than or equal to 0.05 was considered significant. RESULT: A total of 100 participants were retained for the study out of 163 in the health area giving a response rate of 61.34 %; the mean age was 30.5 (SD 6.8) years and 71 % of participants were women. Forty seven percent (47 %) of workers had good level of knowledge of HBV infection. The men were 3.20 times (95 % CI: 1.02-9.19, p = 0.04) more likely to have a good level of knowledge than women. Participants with a university study level were more (95 % CI: 3.17-25, p < 0.0001) likely to have a good level of knowledge than those with a high school study level. Ninety-six percent of participants thought that they were at a greater risk of becoming infected with HBV than the general population, 93 % felt that the vaccine should be compulsory and all (100 %) were willing to recommend it to others. However, only 19 % had received at least one dose of the vaccine. The proportion of HBs Ag was 11 %. The different serological profiles with regard to HBV infection were naive subjects (62 %), chronic carriers (11 %), vaccinated (19 %) and subjects naturally immunized (8 %). Three out of the 19 participants who received at least one dose of the vaccine, only 9 (47.4 %) of whom had titers ≥100 IU/l indicating a good response to vaccination. Among those who received three doses of the vaccine (n = 12, 63 %), 2 (16, 66 %) had poor response to vaccination (HBs Ab titers < 100 IU/l). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HBs Ag among health care workers in the Mvog-Ada Health Area is high (11 %). These workers are at high risk of HBV infection because of very low vaccine uptake and poor post-exposure practices. Their knowledge of HBV infection is non-optimal.

Delayed entry into HIV care after diagnosis in two specialized care and treatment centres in Cameroon: the influence of CD4 count and WHO staging.

BACKGROUND: Delayed entry into HIV care has complicated the challenges faced in sub-Saharan Africa due to the high HIV burden. A clear knowledge of the factors affecting delayed entry will be essential in directing interventions towards reducing delayed entry into HIV care. There exist very limited data on delayed entry in Cameroon despite its relevance; hence this study was conducted to determine the rate of delayed entry and its associated factors in HIV programmes in Cameroon. METHODS: Data used for this study was routine data obtained from the files of HIV patients who were diagnosed between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015 at Limbe and Buea regional hospital HIV centers in the South West region of Cameroon. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: Of the 223 patients included in the study, nearly one-quarter of patients (22.4 %) delayed to enter HIV care within 3 months. Those who delayed to enter care were less likely to present at first diagnosis (using HIV rapid test) with symptoms such as fever > 1 month (5 % versus 30 %, p = 0.01) and weight loss > 10 % (13 % versus 48 %, p < 0.001). Alcohol consumption, WHO stage and CD4 count levels were also associated with delayed entry in bivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis only CD4 count greater than 500cells/µl and WHO stages I and II were independently associated with delayed entry into HIV care within 3 months. CONCLUSION: In the South West region of Cameroon, approximately 1 out of 4 patients delay to enter HIV care. This high proportion of patients who delay to enter care correlates to the findings recorded by other studies in sub Saharan Africa. Interventions tackling delayed entry into HIV care might need to be favorably directed towards patients that have high CD4 counts and are at very early WHO clinical stages.

Foreign body in the appendix presenting as acute appendicitis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Foreign bodies are a rare cause of appendicitis. In most instances, ingested foreign bodies pass through the alimentary tract asymptomatically. However, those that enter the lumen of the vermiform appendix may not be able to re-enter the colon and may initiate an inflammatory process. We report a case of acute appendicitis induced by an unusual foreign body. CASE PRESENTATION: A 26-year-old Sub-Saharan woman presented with right iliac fossa pain and tenderness. She underwent an open appendectomy which revealed a condom fragment within the appendiceal lumen. A detailed retrospective history confirmed accidental ingestion of the condom 2 weeks prior to onset of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Although a rare finding, a variety of foreign bodies can be lodged in the appendix and may instigate an inflammatory process. There is a need to increase awareness of the potential dangers of ingested foreign bodies.

Prevalence and correlates of HIV-risky sexual behaviors among students attending the Medical and Social Welfare Center of the University of Maroua, Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Data on sexual behaviors in Cameroonian youths are needed to design and implement effective preventive strategies against HIV/AIDS. This study aimed at assessing sociodemographic and religious factors associated with sexual behaviors among university students in Cameroon. METHODS: In 2011, 411 university students were surveyed by a self-administered questionnaire at the Medical and Social Welfare Center of the University of Maroua. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine correlates of sexual behaviors. RESULTS: 80.8 % of students were sexually active. The mean age at sexual debut was 18.1 years (SD = 3.1). The frequency of premarital sex was 92.8 %. Pornography viewing [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 4.0, 95 % CI 2.1-7.6; p < 0.0001] and an increased age of 1 year (aOR: 1.3, 95 % CI 2.0-7.6; p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with having previously had sex. The likelihood to have a lower (<18) age at sexual debut was increased by male gender (aOR: 2.5, 95 % CI 1.7-5; p < 0.001), and urban origin (aOR: 2.9, 95 % CI 1.5-5.7; p < 0.01). The probability to have a high number (#3) of lifetime sexual partners was increased by age (aOR: 1.1, 95 % CI 1.0-1.2; p < 0.001), pornography viewing (aOR: 4.3, 95 % CI 1.9-9.5; p < 0.001), an early sexual debut (aOR: 2.8, 95 % CI 1.6-5.0; p < 0.001), having had occasional sexual partners (aOR: 7.0, 95 % CI 3.7-13.1; p < 0.0001), and was decreased by Muslim religious affiliation (aOR: 0.2, 95 % CI 0.1-0.9; p < 0.05). Having had casual sexual partners was associated with less inconsistent condom use (aOR: 0.5, 95 % CI 0.2-0.9; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that there is an alarming level of risky sexual behaviors among the study population. Strong and efficient measures should be undertaken to handle such harmful behaviors, this for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and other STIs in this vulnerable population.

Hypertension prevalence, incidence and risk factors among children and adolescents in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

INTRODUCTION: The African adult population is facing a growing epidemic of hypertension. Establishment of accurate epidemiological data on hypertension in African children and adolescents may have important implications for hypertension preventive strategies in Africa. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This systematic review and meta-analysis will follow the MOOSE Guidelines. Relevant abstracts published in English/French from 1 January 1985 to 31 July 2015 will be searched in PubMed, Google Scholar and Online African journals. Full texts of eligible studies will then be accessed through PubMed, Google Scholar, HINARI and the respective journals' websites. Relevant unpublished papers and conference proceedings will also be checked. Data will be analysed using R statistical software. The study-specific estimates will be pooled through a random-effects meta-analysis model to obtain an overall summary estimate of the prevalence/incidence of hypertension across studies. Also, we will assess the association between risk factors and hypertension. Heterogeneity of studies will be evaluated by the χ(2) test on Cochrane's Q statistic. Funnel plots analysis and Egger's test will be done to detect publication bias. Results will be presented by geographic region (central, eastern, northern, southern and western Africa). A p value less than 0.05 will be considered significant for factors that predicted hypertension. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The current study is based on published data, and thus ethical approval is not required. This systematic review and meta-analysis is expected to serve as input for designing early life preventive and control strategies, and as a guide for future research based on existing gaps. The final report of the systematic review in the form of a scientific paper will be published in peer-reviewed journals. Findings will further be presented at conferences and submitted to relevant health authorities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42015019029.

Oesophageal atresia with tracheo-oesophageal fistula in a preterm neonate in Limbe, Cameroon: case report & brief literature review.

BACKGROUND: Oesophageal atresia is a congenital anomaly in which there is interruption of the oesophageal lumen resulting in an upper and lower segment. We present the case of a rare sub-type of Oesophageal atresia with proximal trachea-oesophageal fistula associated with Meconium Aspiration Syndrome. This is the first case reported in literature in the South West Region of Cameroon. CASE PRESENTATION: A 2 day old preterm male baby who presented as an emergency with difficulty breathing, fever and refusal to feed. Initially managed as early onset neonatal sepsis from meconium aspiration syndrome in which a diagnosis of oesophageal atresia was finally made. CONCLUSION: A high index of suspicion for Oesophageal atresia/trachea-oesophageal fistula should prevail when faced with a neonate with the triad: respiratory distress during feeds, regurgitation and persistent frothy salivation. The case discusses the diagnostic dilemma and management difficulties in a preterm neonate with the above association in a low income setting.