Browsing by Author "Kabatereine, Narcis B."

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    Genetic diversity of Ascaris in southwestern Uganda
    (Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2012) Betson, Martha; Nejsum, Peter; Llewellyn-Hughes, Julia; Griffin, Claire; Atuhaire, Aaron; Arinaitwe, Moses; Adriko, Moses; Ruggiana, Andrew; Turyakira, Grace; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Stothard, Russell
    Despite the common occurrence of ascariasis in southwestern Uganda, helminth control in the region has been limited. To gain further insights into the genetic diversity of Ascaris in this area, a parasitological survey in mothers (n = 41) and children (n = 74) living in two villages, Habutobere and Musezero, was carried out. Adult Ascaris worms were collected from infected individuals by chemo-expulsion using pyrantel pamoate treatment. Genetic diversity within these worms was assessed by inspection of DNA sequence variation in a mitochondrial marker and length polymorphism at microsatellite loci. Overall prevalence of ascariasis was 42.5% in mothers and 30.4% in their children and a total of 98 worms was examined from 18 hosts. Sequence analysis of a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene revealed 19 different haplotypes, 13 of which had not been previously encountered. Microsatellite analysis using eight loci provided evidence for high gene flow between worm populations from the two villages but comparing these worms with others obtained in a prior study on Unguja, Zanzibar, confirmed little genetic exchange and mixing of worm populations between the two areas. By adding to our understanding of the genetic diversity of Ascaris in Africa, this study provides useful information for monitoring changes in parasite population structure in the face of ongoing and future control.
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    Hepatic schistosomiasis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and health related quality of life measurements from the Albert Nile Basin
    (Journal of patient-reported outcomes, 2021) Opio, Christopher K.; Kazibwe, Francis; Rejani, Lalitha; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Ocama, Ponsiano
    Health related quality of life measurements are vital elements of public health surveillance that uncover unmet health needs and predict the success of health interventions. We described health related quality of life measurements using the EuroQoL 5-dimension (EQ-VAS/EQ-5D) instrument and associated factors among patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) and hepatic schistosomiasis at a rural health facility in the Albert Nile Basin, Uganda. Methods and materials: This was a cross-sectional study at Pakwach Health Centre IV. Participants included adult inpatients and outpatients with a history of UGIB and ultrasound evidence of hepatic schistosomiasis. We evaluated and recorded each participant’s medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests results, ultrasound results, and endoscopy findings. We also recorded health related quality of life measurements using the EuroQoL 5-dimension instrument and derived disability weights from EQ-VAS and EQ-5D measurements. These were our dependent variables. Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated summarizing our findings. Results: We found 103 participants had a history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatosplenic schistosomiasis. Sixty percent were between the ages of 30–49 years, 59% were females, 74% were farmers, 92% had splenomegaly, 88% had varices at endoscopy, 22% were medical emergencies with acute variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and 62% had anemia. Measures of the different dimensions of health from 101 participants with patient reported outcomes revealed 77 (76%) participants experienced problems in self-care, 89 (88%) participants reported anxiety or depression, and 89 (88%) participants experienced pain or discomfort. The median EQ-VAS derived disability weights and median EQ-5D index-derived disability weights were 0.3 and 0.34, respectively. Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, praziquantel drug treatment, and age by decade predicted higher EQ-VAS derived disability weights (p value < 0.05). Under weight (Body mass index ≤ 18.5), acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, ascites, age by decade, female gender, and praziquantel drug treatment predicted higher EQ-5D index- derived disability weights (p value < 0.05). Conclusion: Adult patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatic schistosomiasis from this primary health facility experience poor health and considerable health loss. Several factors predicted increased health loss. These factors probably represent key areas of health intervention towards mitigating increased health loss in this population.
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    Neglected tropical diseases in Uganda: the prospect and challenge of integrated control
    (TRENDS in Parasitology, 2007) Kolaczinski, Jan H.; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Onapa, Ambrose W.; Ndyomugyenyi, Richard; Kakembo, Abbas S.L.; Brooker, Simon
    So-called ‘neglected tropical diseases’ (NTDs) are becoming less neglected, with increasing political and financial commitments to their control. These recent developments were preceded by substantial advocacy for integrated control of different NTDs, on the premise that integration is both feasible and cost-effective. Although the approach is intuitively attractive, there are few countrywide experiences to confirm or refute this assertion. Using the example of Uganda, this article reviews the geographical and epidemiological bases for integration and assesses the potential opportunities for, and operational challenges of, integrating existing control activities for several of these diseases under an umbrella vertical programme.
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    Praziquantel and Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Hepatic Schistosomiasis: A Quasi‑Experimental Study
    (Drugs-real world outcomes, 2021) Opio, Christopher Kenneth; Kazibwe, Francis; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Rejani, Lalitha; Ocama, Ponsiano
    There is a general consensus that widespread use of praziquantel in populations where schistosomiasis is endemic prevents development of hepatic schistosomiasis and its complications. However, a few studies have reported discordant findings linking praziquantel to the occurrence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in some patients with hepatic schistosomiasis and varices. Objective We explored if there was any causal association between recent praziquantel use (rPZQ) and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in hepatic schistosomiasis in rural Africa. Patients and Methods A quasi-experimental, retrospective case-controlled study was performed. It involved adult patients with past or acute UGIB, varices, periportal fibrosis, and/or cirrhosis. Cases had acute variceal bleeding while controls did not. The outcome was the frequency of lifetime episodes of UGIB and exposure was rPZQ (received praziquantel in the last 11 months from the date of enrollment). The data analysis included 2 × 2 tables, logistic regression, and propensity-score matching. Odds ratios (ORs), average treatment effects (ATEs), and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used for inference. Results Over 6 weeks, we enrolled 19 cases with 92 lifetime episodes of UGIB, and 66 controls with 192 lifetime episodes of UGIB. Cases were more likely to experience UGIB than controls following rPZQ (92% vs. 62%; OR 7.6; 95% CI 3.4–17). Factors predictive of more lifetime episodes of UGIB at multivariable analysis included rPZQ (adjusted OR 13; 95% CI 2.9–53), relative leukocytosis (adjusted OR 26; 95% CI 7.6–89), large varices (adjusted OR 5.0; 95% CI 1.7–15), a family member with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis (adjusted OR 19; 95% CI 7.4–51), advanced periportal fibrosis (adjusted OR 8.0; 95% CI 2.6–22), ascites (adjusted OR 14; 95% CI 4.3–47), and jaundice (adjusted OR 32; 95% CI 7.8–128). While the ATE following rPZQ among the treated was 0.40 (95% CI 0.33–0.48). Conclusions Our findings suggest the presence of a plausible causal association between recent praziquantel use and increased frequency of UGIB in our study population.
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    Schistosomiasis, Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding, and Health Related Quality of Life Measurements in Rural Africa
    (Research Square, 2020) Opio, Christopher Kenneth; Kazibwe, Francis; Rejani, Lalitha; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Ocama, Ponsiano
    Health related quality of life (HRQOL) measurements, which include disability weights, are important endpoints of health care delivery. These measurements are scarce for patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in rural sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where schistosomiasis is endemic. Methods and materials In 2014, we studied HRQOL measurements among patients with UGIB in SSA where schistosomiasis is endemic. Participants included adult inpatients and outpatients with a history of UGIB at a primary health facility. We measured HRQOL using the EuroQoL 5-dimension (EQ-VAS/EQ5D) instrument and derived disability weights from EQ-VAS and EQ5D measurements. We profiled each participant’s medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, imaging, and endoscopy findings. These were summarized through descriptive and inferential statistics. Results We studied 107 participants with a median age of 45 years. All participants experienced ≥1 lifetime episode of UGIB, 60% were females, while 22% had acute severe UGIB requiring admission, 98% hepatic schistosomiasis, 90% splenomegaly, 80% had esophageal varices, and 20% had peptic ulcers. Most (80%) had ever received praziquantel for schistosomiasis. No participant had ever had an endoscopy for UGIB or received propranolol for prevention of recurrent variceal UGIB. Measures of the 5 dimensions of health revealed a large proportion of participants had problems related to self-care (76%), anxiety/depression (88%), and pain/discomfort (89%). Few participants had problems with mobility(37%). The mean/median EQ-VAS derived disability weights and EQ5D derived disability weights were 0.38/0.30 and 0.38/0.34, respectively. Participants with ascites, acute UGIB, and severe anemia were found to have the highest EQ-VAS and EQ5D median disability weights. At linear regression age, female gender, ascites, and acute UGIB predicted EQ-VAS derived disability weights [F(4,100)=9.35, p<0.0000,Rsquared =0.27] and EQ5D derived disability weights [F(4,100)=23.24, p<0.0000, R-squared =0.44]. Within these models, all four factors were significantly predicted higher disability weights, P-value <0.05. Conclusions In our study, older age, female gender, those with ascites or acute UGIB had the highest disability weights, and the greatest probability of having higher disability weights among patients with a history of UGIB where schistosomiasis is endemic. These findings are unique and improve the definitions of different health states among patients with UGIB and schistosomiasis.