Causes and contributing factors of maternal mortality in Bosaso District of Somalia. A retrospective study of 30 cases using a Verbal Autopsy approach.

Background: Somali women suffer from one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Somalia characterises a specific low-income country situation with a mix of newly urbanized and nomadic culture combined with a frail health care infrastructure set in a post-conflict era. Very little is known about the effects that these contextual factors can have on maternal mortality. Objectives: To explore and describe causes and contributing factors concerning maternal deaths in the Bosaso District, Puntland State of Somalia. Methods: Data was collected using an adapted Verbal Autopsy tool. In 2017 30 cases of maternal deaths occurring in 2016 in the Bosaso District were reviewed. Information was assessed by three independent reviewers who classified the cause of death and the contributing factors. The Three Delay Model was employed to identify socio-cultural and economic and health system factors that may have contributed to these maternal deaths. Results: Direct obstetric deaths accounted for 28 cases. Among these, haemorrhage was the leading cause, followed by eclampsia, sepsis and obstructed labour. Two cases were indirect obstetric deaths, caused by anaemia. All three types of delay were frequent among the studied cases. Delay in deciding to seek care was found in 25 cases, delay in reaching care in 22 cases and delay in receiving health care in 24 cases. Lack of knowledge, money, transportation, poor access and availability of adequate services, as well as substandard management by health care providers, were all underlying the delays. Conclusion: A comprehensive intervention programme is needed in order to decrease maternal mortality among Somali women. Such a programme must include health education, improved referral systems and strategic upgrading of care services.

Seroprevalence of measles vaccine antibody response in vertically HIV-infected children, in Morocco.

BACKGROUND: The widespread use of an effective and safe vaccine to measles has substantially decreased morbidity and mortality from this epidemic. Nevertheless, HIV-infected children vaccinated against measles may develop an impaired vaccine response and remain susceptible to this disease. In Morocco, infants are routinely vaccinated against measles, regardless of their HIV serostatus. An evaluation of the immunization of these children may be of paramount importance to implement timely measures aimed at preventing measles transmission. METHODS: In this study, we have enrolled 114 children vaccinated against measles, 50 children prenatally infected with HIV and 64 HIV-uninfected children. For all children, blood samples were taken to measure anti-measles IgG by EIA and CD4 count by flow cytometry. Additionally, HIV viral load was determined by automated real time PCR, for HIV-infected children. RESULTS: The seroprotective rate of IgG anti-measles antibodies was significantly lower among HIV-infected children (26%) compared with HIV-uninfected children (73%) (p < 0.001). Within HIV-infected children group, the comparison of variables between children without seroprotective seroconversion to measles and those with seroprotective immunity, displayed that sex and age were not statistically different, p > 0.999 and p = 0.730, respectively. However, CD4 count was lower among children with negative serostatus to measles (23% versus 32%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, viral load was higher, with 2.91 log10 ± 2.24 versus 1.7 log10 ± 1.5 (p = 0.042). Finally, 62% of children with a negative vaccine response to measles were under HAART therapy, versus 92% (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: The majority of HIV-infected children vaccinated against measles develop a suboptimal seroprotective titer, and therefore remain at risk for this highly infectious disease. These data in combination with international recommendations, including recent WHO guidance on vaccination of HIV-infected children, suggest there is a need for national measures to prevent these children from measles.