Impact of anti-tuberculosis treatment on hematological parameters in newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients at Jimma town: a longitudinal prospective study.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant public health problem affecting one-third of the world's population. In 2021, 1.6 million people died from TB. TB is the 13th leading cause of death and the second leading cause of infectious death after coronavirus disease 2019. Most anti-TB drugs affect hematological parameters in patients. Methods: This longitudinal prospective study was conducted from 03 January to 30 December 2019. Patients who completed a course of TB treatment were candidates for analysis. Sputum and blood samples were collected from each study participant and analyzed by the Gene X-pert machine and a HumaCount 30 hematology analyzer (Human GmbH). SPSS version 20 and R programming software version 4.2.3 were used for data analysis. Friedman's test was used to assess statistical significance. P-values ​​less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 148 patients who completed the course of TB treatment correctly were a candidate for final analysis. Ninety-one (61.5%) study participants were male; the median age was 27.6±9.8 years. Moreover, most of the study participants (84.4%) had pulmonary TB. Most of the hematological parameters had changed in the phases of TB treatment. After anti-TB treatment, there is a significant difference in hematological parameters in red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit percentage, platelet count, and white blood cell count. Conclusion: Anemia and leucopenia are the most significant problems after TB treatment. Regular checking of these parameters is essential for the patient.

Intestinal helminth infections among inmates in Bedele prison with emphasis on soil-transmitted helminths.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal helminths infect more than two billion people worldwide. They are common in developing countries where sanitary facilities are inadequate. There is scarcity of documented data on the magnitude of intestinal helminths among inmates in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to determine prevalence of intestinal helminth infections among inmates in Bedele prison, south-western Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 234 inmates in Bedele prison was conducted in April 2012. Socio-demographic data was collected from each study participant using semi-structured questionnaire. Fresh stool specimens were collected and processed using modified McMaster technique. RESULTS: At least one species of intestinal helminth was identified in 111 (47.4 %) of the inmates. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most predominant parasite isolated, followed by the hookworms. Most of the cases of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) were light infections. Untrimmed hand fingernails was significantly associated with A. lumbricoides infection (AOR 0.383, 95 % CI 0.200-0.731). CONCLUSION: Intestinal helminths are common among the inmates in Bedele prison. Health information should be given to the inmates on proper personal hygiene practices with emphasis on trimming of hand fingernails. Monitoring helminth infections in the inmate population is required.