Tropical Medicine and Health

Background: Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the main viral cause of severe lower respiratory tract disease in infants and young children. The aim of this study was to describe for the first time the genetic variability of HRSV in Cameroonian patients living in Yaounde for three consecutive epidemic seasons. Methods: HRSV-positive nasopharyngeal samples detected in children less than 15 years in Yaounde were collected from September 2011 to December 2013...

Background: Countries in the Southeast Asia region have a high prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth, such as roundworm, whipworm, and hookworms [ Ancylostoma duodenale , Necator americanus , Ancylostoma ceylanicum ]. Recent molecular-based surveys have revealed that A . ceylanicum , a zoonotic hookworm, is likely the second most prevalent hookworm species infecting humans in that part of the world, while others have noted that this infection is an emerging public health risk not only for indigenous people but also for visitors from other countries...

Background: Violence affects 15-75% of women across the globe and has a significant impact on their health, well-being, and rights. While quantitative research links it to poor mental health, there is a lack of qualitative enquiry in how women experience it, and how it is related to the mental disorders in Bangladesh. This information is important in understanding the situation and structuring a locally appropriate and culturally sensitive program. Methods: We adopted a phenomenological approach and conducted 16 in-depth interviews, three informal interviews, one focus group discussion, and one key informant interview...

Background: Multidrug-resistant Salmonella is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolates from patients and poultry feces. Methods: Salmonella strains were isolated from poultry and patients using standard bacteriological methods described in previous studies. The strains were serotype according to Kaufmann-White scheme and tested for antibiotic susceptibility to 12 different antimicrobial agents using the disk diffusion method...

Background: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) and low birth weight(LBW) are serious public health problems. In developing countries, the incidence of low birth weight is predominantly the result of FGR, and both low birth weight and FGR are associated with neonatal death and later growth and development. Fetal growth charts are important for assessing the size of the fetus during pregnancy. The aims of this study were to describe the fetal growth pattern of a population in rural Bangladesh where maternal undernutrition is prevalent and to compare the timing of FGR in that population with WHO and INTERGROWTH- 21st international reference values...

Background: Diarrhoea is a leading cause of child mortality in Tanzania. The association between optimal infant feeding practices and diarrhoea has been reported elsewhere, but the evidence has been limited to promote and advocate for strategic interventions in Tanzania. This study examined the association between infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices and diarrhoea in Tanzanian children under 24 months. Methods: The study used the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey data to estimate the prevalence of diarrhoea stratified by IYCF practices...

Background: Hepatosplenic lesion formation is one of the typical clinical symptoms of schistosomiasis japonica. Although it is established that circum-oval granuloma formation mediated by T lymphocytes is the key event triggering the formation of hepatic lesions, the time-course kinetics of disease progression remains to be fully elucidated. Methods: The real-time process of the pathophysiology of schistosomiasis japonica from the early to late clinical phase was non-invasively observed in a murine experimental infection model using high-resolution ultrasonography...

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a significant public health concern that is potentially blinding. Clinical practice guidelines recommend annual eye examination of patients with diabetes for early detection of DR. Our aim was to identify the demand-side factors that influence uptake of eye examination among patients already utilizing diabetes services in three counties of Kenya. Methods: We designed a clinic based cross-sectional study and used three-stage sampling to select three counties, nine diabetes clinics in these counties and 270 patients with diabetes attending these clinics...

Background: Schistosomiasis remains a parasitic infection of public health importance especially in Africa south of the Sahara including Cameroon. Chemotherapy using praziquantel has been the most effective and widespread control measure used. However, there are reports of reduced efficacy of the drug. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of praziquantel against Schistosoma haematobium among infected individuals in the Ikata-Likoko area of southwest Cameroon. Following a baseline study, S...

Background: Breast tuberculosis is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis with clinical and radiological misleading presentations. We report herein a retrospective study of clinicopathological features of five cases of breast tuberculosis collected at Hassan II University Hospital of Fès, Morocco, a country where tuberculosis is endemic. Case presentation: The mean age was 40.6 years (range of 21-59 years). Two patients presented with abscessed lesions, and three cases presented with breast lumps with a suspicion of malignancy on imaging techniques...

Background: Myanmar has a high burden of malaria with two-third of the population at risk of malaria. One of the basic elements of the Roll Back Malaria Initiative to fight against malaria is early diagnosis and treatment within 24 h of fever. Public awareness about malaria is a key factor in malaria prevention and control and in improving treatment-seeking behaviour. Methods: A large community-based survey was carried out in 27 townships of malaria endemic regions in Myanmar in 2015 which reported on the knowledge, behaviour and practices around malaria in the general population...

Background: Standard treatment of toxoplasmosis is accompanied by severe side effects and low tolerability; accordingly, alternative medicines are critically needed. Ketotifen (KET) as a cell membrane stabilizer could be an appropriate inhibitor of Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) parasite entrance into the host cells. Therefore, the focus of current study is characterization of the anti- Toxoplasma activity of KET in the acute phase of toxoplasmosis in murine model as pre-treatment and post-treatment (before and after infection with RH strain)...

Background: The mosquito Aedes aegypti has long been a vector for human illness in the Southeastern United States. In the past, it has been responsible for outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever and, very recently, the Zika virus that has been introduced to the region. Multiple studies have modeled the geographic distribution of Ae . aegypti as a function of climate factors; however, this ignores the importance of humans to the anthropophilic biter. Furthermore, Ae . aegypti thrives in areas where humans have created standing water sites, such as water storage containers and trash...

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis is a considerable public health burden on the Indian subcontinent. The disease is highly endemic in the north-central part of Bangladesh, affecting the poorest and most marginalized communities. Despite the fact that visceral leishmaniasis (VL) results in mortality, severe morbidity, and socioeconomic stress in the region, the spatiotemporal dynamics of the disease have largely remained unexplored, especially in Bangladesh. Methods: Monthly VL cases between 2010 and 2014, obtained from subdistrict hospitals, were studied in this work...

Background: Although there is increased attention on the role of trained traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in maternal care, most of the research has mainly focused on providing evidence of the relevance of trained TBAs to women in general without a specific focus on women who are HIV positive, despite them being most vulnerable. Therefore, the aim of this study is to fill this gap by assessing the relevance of trained TBAs to women living with HIV in resource-poor settings by using Zambia as a case study...

Background: In the Lao PDR, the incidence of malaria greatly differs among villages even within a subdistrict, and the reasons for this difference are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to identify differences in villagers' behavior and the household environment between villages with high incidences and those with low incidences of malaria in a rural district of the Lao PDR. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Xepon district, Savannakhet province...

Background: Myanmar is currently classified as a high burden dengue country in the Asian Pacific region. The Myanmar vector-borne diseases control (VBDC) program has collected data on dengue and source reduction measures since 1970, and there is a pressing need to collate, analyze, and interpret this information. The aim of this study was to describe the burden of hospital-based dengue disease, dengue control measures, and serotype patterns in Myanmar between 2011 and 2015. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using annual records from the Dengue Fever/Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Prevention and Control Project in Myanmar...

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Background: Dirofilaria ursi is a filarial nematode that parasitizes the subcutaneous tissues of the American black bear ( Ursus americanus ) and Japanese black bear ( Ursus thiabetanus japonicus ). D . ursi that has parasitized black bears has the potential to subsequently infect humans. In addition, extra-gastrointestinal anisakiasis is less common in Japan. Case presentation: We report a case of ventral subcutaneous anisakiasis and dorsal subcutaneous dirofilariasis that was acquired in Fukushima, in the northern part of Japan...

Background: Tropical medicine appeared as a distinct sub-discipline in the late nineteenth century, during a period of rapid European colonial expansion in Africa and Asia. After a dramatic drop after World War II, research on tropical diseases have received more attention and research funding in the twenty-first century. Methods: We used Apache Taverna to integrate Europe PMC and MapAffil web services, containing the spatiotemporal analysis workflow from a list of PubMed queries to a list of publication years and author affiliations geoparsed to latitudes and longitudes...