Systemic constraints continue to limit coverage of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy in southeast Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Factors limiting coverage of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) in Tanzania were explored from the perspective of health workers, in order to make recommendations to improve service delivery. Recent data estimates coverage of the recommended two doses of IPTp at 26.3%, far short of the national target of 80%. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 health workers and 2 health managers during June 2011 in Ikwiriri, southeast Tanzania. RESULTS: Delivery of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) was severely constrained by drug shortages and widespread stock-outs, indicative of ongoing difficulties in the wider health system. While SP was well known and attitudes towards IPTp were positive, health workers were often not informed of up-to-date dosing schedules, limiting coverage. Recent literature suggests this could be due to inconsistent and conflicting national guidelines. In addition, it was found that two pills, instead of the recommended three pills, per dose of IPTp were frequently given to pregnant women, a finding previously unreported. CONCLUSION: To maximize IPTp coverage, sufficient and consistent supplies of SP to both public and private health facilities are a necessity, combined with effective communication of revised dosing schedules. Further research is warranted to investigate the aberrant administration of two pills per dose, as it may exacerbate drug resistance.

Staphylococcus aureus induces eosinophil cell death mediated by α-hemolysin.

Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen, exacerbates allergic disorders, including atopic dermatitis, nasal polyps and asthma, which are characterized by tissue eosinophilia. Eosinophils, via their destructive granule contents, can cause significant tissue damage, resulting in inflammation and further recruitment of inflammatory cells. We hypothesised that the relationship between S. aureus and eosinophils may contribute to disease pathology. We found that supernatants from S. aureus (SH1000 strain) cultures cause rapid and profound eosinophil necrosis, resulting in dramatic cell loss within 2 hours. This is in marked contrast to neutrophil granulocytes where no significant cell death was observed (at equivalent dilutions). Supernatants prepared from a strain deficient in the accessory gene regulator (agr) that produces reduced levels of many important virulence factors, including the abundantly produced α-hemolysin (Hla), failed to induce eosinophil death. The role of Hla in mediating eosinophil death was investigated using both an Hla deficient SH1000-modified strain, which did not induce eosinophil death, and purified Hla, which induced concentration-dependent eosinophil death via both apoptosis and necrosis. We conclude that S. aureus Hla induces aberrant eosinophil cell death in vitro and that this may increase tissue injury in allergic disease.