Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

BACKGROUND: Chikungunya (CHIK) emerged in Brazil in 2014 and since then several epidemics have been observed. This study aims to describe the spatial, social and demographic characteristics of individuals affected by CHIK in Espírito Santo state. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed using data from individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of CHIK in Espírito Santo state, Brazil, from 2018 to 2020. Monthly incidence was calculated and annual spatial distribution maps were constructed...

BACKGROUND: Noma, an infectious disease, mainly affects impoverished children. This study retrospectively assessed noma's prevalence in Ethiopia using data from the Facing Africa database and the 2022 United Nations Development Programme poverty index report. METHODS: A thorough review of medical records spanning 2007 to 2019 identified a total of 235 noma cases. A standardized data extraction template was employed to systematically gather pertinent clinical and demographic data for subsequent analysis...

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BACKGROUND: Melioidosis is caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei. Direct molecular detection from unamplified blood remains insensitive. METHODS: Three different extraction methods-QIAamp UCP Pathogen Mini Kit, High Pure PCR template and MagNA Pure Pathogen Universal-were trialled using spiked human ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid blood. A type III secretion system 1 (TTSS-1) polymerase chain reaction was used for detection. RESULTS: The QIAamp UCP Pathogen Mini Kit performed best, with a limit of detection of 1...

Leakage of methyl isocyanate from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India, killed thousands and left deleterious trans-generational effects. Gas-exposed populations experience higher rates of lung and metabolic diseases, and immune dysregulation, all associated with adverse outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We used publicly available, official data from government sources to estimate COVID-19-associated crude mortality in populations with and without a history of gas exposure. Overall, there were 1240 deaths among patients hospitalized with known COVID-19 in Bhopal, of which 453 (36...

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is an endemic zoonosis in tropical areas that is mainly related to rural activities; nevertheless, human leptospirosis (HL) outbreaks differ among regions. In Colombia, HL notifications are mandatory. Our objective was to determine the spatiotemporal distribution of HL in Colombia during 2007-2018 and its relationship with the main hydroclimatic variables. METHODS: We determined the estimated incidence and lethality of HL according to department and year...

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important infectious disease and different genotypes have been reported. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of TB in the lower northern region of Thailand, where genotyping data are limited. METHODS: A total of 159 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) isolates from this region were genotyped by spoligotyping and the major spoligotypes were further subdivided by the mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) method...

BACKGROUND: Septic melioidosis is associated with high mortality in resource-limited settings. The current study aims to find 28-d all-cause mortality predictors within 24 h of admission in melioidosis patients presenting to an emergency department. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study (2018-2022) included melioidosis patients divided into two groups based on their primary outcomes (28-d mortality). All the clinically relevant factors significant in univariate analysis were selected for binary logistic regression analysis...

Mycetoma is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) with devastating morbidity and stigma. Despite increased awareness and international collaboration, the burden of mycetoma is largely unknown and diagnosis and treatment are difficult. Addressing mycetoma globally aligns with several United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Little progress has been made since the WHO's NTD roadmap publication in 2020. The Global Mycetoma Working Group proposes an enhanced mycetoma-control roadmap to meet the SDGs, stimulate progress and improve the lives of patients experiencing mycetoma...

BACKGROUND: Visceral leishmaniasis results from complex interactions among humans, dogs and environment. Brazil accounts for 97% of cases in the Americas. METHODS: Twenty years (2001-2020) of the endemic disease in the state of Rio de Janeiro were studied. Incidence, lethality, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were investigated, complemented with spatial methodologies (kernel and clusters). RESULTS: Ninety-seven human cases and 625 dogs were reported...

BACKGROUND: Genetic determinants are known to promote antibiotic resistance through horizontal gene transfer. METHODS: We molecularly characterized integrons, plasmid replicon types and metallo-β-lactamase-encoding genes of 38 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from clinical samples. RESULTS: The P. aeruginosa isolates displayed high resistance (97.4%) to β-lactams. Seventeen (44.74%) of them possessed plasmids. Of the 17 isolates that possessed plasmids, 11 (64...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine and compare the miRNA profile in the immune response with the parasite in pediatric patients with acute appendicitis caused by Enterobius vermicularis and in pediatric patients with enterobiasis. METHODS: A total of 30 tissue samples, which were operated with the diagnosis of pediatric acute appendicitis in the last 10 y and Enterobius vermicularis was detected by histopathological findings, were analyzed. In addition, blood samples were taken from 30 pediatric patients diagnosed with enterobiasis for this study...

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a significant public health issue in India. Despite 10-15 rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) in India, the global LF elimination target of 2030 appears challenging. To strengthen the program, community and provider perspectives on ways to bridge a gap in MDA are needed. Through the motivation-opportunity-ability-behaviour (MOAB) lens, we systematically reviewed the facilitators and barriers encountered in LF elimination in India. We followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines...

BACKGROUND: Podoconiosis is a non-infectious neglected tropical disease caused by long-term exposure to irritant volcanic soils. It results in severe physical, psychological and financial consequences. Heart and Sole Africa (HASA) is a non-governmental, community-based organization providing management to podoconiosis patients in Rwanda. We sought to analyze the impact of their program on the lives of patients. METHODS: Quantitative surveys recorded the participants' demographics, adherence to HASA's management recommendations and changes in quality of life (QOL)...

BACKGROUND: Podoconiosis is a progressive and debilitating form of tropical lymphoedema endemic to Rwanda. Although the physical and psychological consequences are well known, few studies have evaluated the financial burden of podoconiosis. METHODS: This cross-sectional, quantitative study aimed to characterize direct treatment costs and impacts on annual earnings among individuals living with podoconiosis. Participants from two highly endemic districts were invited to complete a survey focused on health-seeking history, insurance status, out-of-pocket costs and income changes...

BACKGROUND: Chagas disease has a varying latency period, the time between infection and onset of cardiac symptoms, due to multiple factors. This study seeks to identify and understand these factors to enhance our knowledge of the disease. METHODS: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted in Colombia on patients with indeterminate chronic Chagas disease. Medical files were examined to evaluate the disease latency time using time ratios (TRs) and the AFT Weibull model...

BACKGROUND: Control interventions recommended by the World Health Organization have successfully resulted in low-intensity schistosomiasis transmission areas. To achieve elimination of transmission, new diagnostic screening tools are needed to overcome less than adequate sensitivity of the currently used Kato-Katz faecal thick smear method. Ideally, in-house serological tests should be avoided due to not having a continuous supply of kits as would be necessary for large population studies...

Pesticide poisoning is a common medical emergency in the rural tropics, with significant associated mortality. Pesticide poisoning is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide variety of substances with differing clinical toxidromes and outcomes. Despite this, confirmation of the specific compound ingested is rarely performed. In this Lessons from the Field, we argue that pesticide-specific management is integral to optimise management. Using data from a quality improvement project in Chittagong, Bangladesh, we demonstrate that identifying the specific compound is possible in most patients through careful history taking and examination of the pesticide bottle...

BACKGROUND: In a rabies-endemic country like India, every animal bite is potentially taken as rabid exposure and timely and appropriate postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is crucial as rabies is an almost 100% fatal disease. METHODS: A retrospective record-based study was conducted at an anti-rabies clinic (ARC) in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. Data of the animal bite victims attending the ARC for PEP from January to December 2022 were extracted from the records. A semistructured questionnaire was used for collecting information regarding the interval between exposure and the initiation of anti-rabies PEP, age, gender, residence, the bite site on the body, category of exposure and other risk factors associated with the delay in PEP...

We aimed to estimate the associations between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination during pregnancy and the risks of adverse perinatal outcomes. We performed a literature search in PubMed, Web of Science and Embase to identify eligible studies published up to 24 September 2023, yielding 39 included studies. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with a random effects model. The pooled results showed that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy (any type or dose of COVID-19 vaccination during any trimester) was not associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes...