Tropical Medicine and Health最新文献

{"title":"Epidemiology of urinary tract infections in the Middle East and North Africa, 1990-2021.","authors":"Fatemeh Amiri, Saeid Safiri, Reza Aletaha, Mark J M Sullman, Kamaleddin Hassanzadeh, Ali-Asghar Kolahi, Shahnam Arshi","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00692-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00692-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This research reports the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, stratified by sex, age, and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) from 1990 to 2021.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were sourced from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study, encompassing all 21 countries in the region. Metrics such as absolute counts, age-standardised rates, and percentage changes from 1990 to 2021 are presented with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In 2019, the MENA region recorded an incidence rate of 4,033.4 per 100,000 (95% UIs: 3,553.7-4,548.7) and 7,687 deaths (95% UIs: 6,663-8,969). The DALY rate was 41.3 per 100,000 (95% UIs: 36.1-47.2), which was highest among older adults, reaching a peak in the 80-89 age range, and increasing with age, particularly from the 50 + age groups. A non-linear relationship was identified between the burden of UTIs and the SDI, with higher-than-expected rates in lower SDI countries such as Syria and Lebanon.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Despite a substantial increase in the total number of UTI cases and DALYs in the region from 1990 to 2021, the age-standardised rates remained stable. The larger burden in lower SDI countries highlights the urgent need for targeted public health interventions. Improving healthcare access and antibiotic stewardship is crucial to mitigating the growing burden of UTIs, particularly among older populations in the region.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"16"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11796260/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143256855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elucidating the knowledge, attitude, and stigma associated with tuberculosis: a community based descriptive study in Wau and Jur River, South Sudan.","authors":"Peter Michael Marin, Morten Tryland, Musso Munyeme, Ambrose Samuel Jubara, Enock Matovu, Peter Waiswa, Javier Sanchez Romano, Francis Mutebi, David Onafruo, Estella Kitale, Esther Sabbath, Kayla J Buhler, Clovice Kankya","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00696-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00696-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in South Sudan. Inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes and perceived stigma may complicate the prevention efforts. This study describes knowledge, attitude, and stigma associated with TB among communities in Wau and Jur River, South Sudan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From March to May 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 352 community members randomly selected from residential blocks. A validated structured questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 352 respondents, 51% (n = 180) were males and 49% (n = 172) were females. Majority 227 (64.5%) had poor knowledge about TB, meanwhile hearing about TB, age and level of education were associated factors. Fear of having TB was the major negative attitude (57.1%; n = 218), and most of the respondents (n = 327; 92.9%) had a perceived stigma towards TB, voicing that they disliked drinking or eating with people with TB and/or felt uncomfortable and kept their distance from people with TB.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Communities have little knowledge, negative attitude and perceived stigma towards people with TB. Hence, tailored health messages using local languages, training of community volunteers to reach villages without accessibility and communication network are essential to improve TB prevention and control in South Sudan.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11796033/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143190588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early discharge and international air transport of a traveler with exacerbating comorbidities and pneumomediastinum: a case report.","authors":"Miho Akimoto, Soichiro Saeki, Yuki Kiyomoto, Hirosane Takeshima, Naofumi Higuchi, Takako Mori, Yasuyo Osanai, Chihaya Hinohara, Takeshi Inagaki","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00684-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00684-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Air transport for medically complex patients presents unique challenges, particularly without specific guidelines for conditions such as pneumomediastinum or medical devices like peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC lines). Although organizations such as the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) provide general recommendations for medical air travel, these guidelines often lack the precision required to address such complex clinical scenarios. Consequently, healthcare teams frequently face difficult decisions under constraints of time and resources, navigating the interplay of patient safety, autonomy, and logistical considerations.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>This case involves a 30-year-old American woman with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and a recent history of pancreaticoduodenectomy, who was hospitalized in Japan with cellulitis and incidentally diagnosed with pneumomediastinum. She was treated with intravenous antibiotics and central venous nutrition administered via a PICC line. However, she requested an early discharge to return to the United States for family and financial reasons. Her travel insurer declined coverage, citing potential risks associated with pneumomediastinum. Ultimately, the patient discharged herself against medical advice; the PICC line was removed, and she transitioned to oral antibiotics for her journey home.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This case highlights the complexities of patient preferences, medical risks, and insurance limitations when evaluating air travel safety. The absence of specific guidelines for conditions such as pneumomediastinum and the use of medical devices highlights the need for condition-specific protocols. Effective communication and customized documentation, including modifications to the \"Against Medical Advice\" form proved essential in addressing both patient autonomy and the responsibilities of healthcare providers.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"14"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11786556/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143075558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of clinical and virological features in pediatric and adult dengue cases at Insein General Hospital during Myanmar's 2022 dengue season.","authors":"Htin Lin, Mya Myat Ngwe Tun, Yin Mon Wint Zin, Khin Theingi Myint, Win Kay Khine, Khine Mya Nwe, Aye Aye Thant, Thin Thin Shwe, Win Mar, Khin Sandar Aye, Khaing Moe Aung, Yuki Takamatsu, Wah Wah Aung, Yi Yi Kyaw, Takeshi Urano, Kouichi Morita, Hlaing Myat Thu","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00688-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00688-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Myanmar is one of the countries in Southeast Asia where serious dengue outbreaks occur and Yangon is among the regions with the highest number of cases in the country. Many infections including dengue are common in Yangon during the rainy season, and co-infections may also occur. Adults are more likely than children to experience co-infections of dengue and other diseases. Although pediatric dengue has been studied in Yangon for decades, research on adult dengue is scant. Therefore, this study compared the clinical and virological characteristics of pediatric and adult dengue cases in Yangon.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study was conducted at Insein General Hospital in Yangon, Myanmar, from June to September 2022. We recruited 221 suspected dengue patients (134 children and 87 adults), with or without other diseases, and tested their dengue serological markers using a serological method and their dengue virus (DENV) serotypes using conventional RT-PCR. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were conducted to assess significance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The dengue non-structural protein-1 antigen (NS1Ag) positivity was 37% in children and 32% in adults. DENV serotypes were identified in 80% of NS1Ag-positive patients. Among NS1Ag-positive cases, the DENV-1 serotype predominated (67%), followed by DENV-2 (17%), DENV-3 (9%), DENV-4 (5%), and mixed DENV-1 and DENV-2 (2%) serotypes. Shock was observed in 14% of children and 3% of adults. Anti-dengue IgG antibody positivity was positively correlated with dengue shock. Three pediatric dengue cases (6%) also had other infections including bronchiolitis, ear infection, and diarrhea. Seven adult dengue cases (25%) also had other diseases including advanced HIV infection, severe pneumonia, tonsillitis, thyroid disease, cholecystitis, drug poisoning, and thalassemia.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The serotype distribution and clinical presentations of pediatric and adult dengue cases were not significantly different, but adults were more likely to have dengue together with other diseases than children. This study provides information for the better management of febrile children and adults in hospital settings and provides a foundation for nationwide epidemiological studies on dengue serotypes and modifications of the national guidelines for dengue management in Myanmar.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"13"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11780819/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143068229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emergence and expansion of dengue in Paltas: possible implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and climatic variations.","authors":"Beatriz Quintero, Angélica X Ramón-Ochoa, Solbey Morillo-Puente, Daniel A Tenezaca-Ramón, Alejandra S Cevallos-Naranjo","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00689-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00689-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Dengue is one of the most widespread arboviruses in Latin America and is now affecting areas previously free of transmission. The COVID-19 pandemic and climatic variations appear to have affected the incidence of the disease, abundance of vectors and health programs related to dengue in some countries.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To analyze the epidemiology of dengue in Paltas, Ecuador (2016-2022), compare the periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, examine entomological reports and discuss the possible implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and climatic variations.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>In this observational, retrospective study, cases of dengue registered in the SIVE-Alert epidemiological surveillance system and the available larval indices were examined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No autochthonous cases were reported before 2016. Between 2016 and 2022, 182 cases without warning signs were reported, mostly in women (51.1%), people ≥ 20 years (68.7%) and people living in urban areas (78.6%). During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant decline in cases in urban areas, with displacement toward rural areas (p < 0.001). A clear pattern of dengue incidence was observed throughout the year, with a predominance (84.6%) in epidemiological weeks 16-39 (April-September), which coincided with the dry season in the region. In 2016 and 2018, larval rates were high in urban areas but decreased in 2019. Postpandemic incidence rates increased in urban and rural areas, even in areas without transmission of the disease.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There is a clear pattern of incidence of dengue in the dry season in the region. After the 2016 outbreak, larval cases and rates decreased, suggesting the effectiveness of vector control before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, during the pandemic there was a resurgence in dengue with expansion in rural and urban areas. The increase in larval rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, even in dengue-free areas, is worrisome. A critical challenge in the control of mosquito breeding sites is climatic variations, which increase the need to reserve water for domestic use.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"12"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11781008/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143068232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of flavivirus RNA stability and infectivity in various water environments.","authors":"Yuka Sano, Hawraa Al-Alawi, Misao Himeno, Ryuichi Majima, Kazumi Haga, Myo Thura Kyaw, Satoshi Taniguchi, Meng Ling Moi","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00686-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00686-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Flaviviruses such as dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), and Yellow fever virus (YFV) are mosquito-borne RNA viruses causing major public health threats in major parts of the world. While DENV and ZIKV have been detected in urine samples, data on the presence and stability of flaviviruses in the water environment are limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, we determined the stability and infectivity of flavivirus in different water environments by utilizing RT-qPCR and plaque assay to explore the feasibility of environmental detection and surveillance of flaviviruses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Viral RNA could be detected for up to 49-days, at 4 °C, 25 °C and 37 °C temperatures, and infectious particles could be detected for up to 7 days. While our findings showed that flaviviral RNA has higher stability and better detection rates at lower temperatures, the infectious capacity of flaviviruses was comparatively short at 7 days.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our results indicate that flaviviruses retains limited infectivity in general water environments and highlight the feasibility of detection and surveillance in various epidemiologic and environmental settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11763117/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143042272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and pattern of skin disorders among children living in orphanages in Fayoum and Giza governorates, Egypt.","authors":"Noha Ezzat Mohamed, Wafaa Yousif Abdel-Wahed, Shimaa Mohammed Gomaa, Mai Ashraf Hosny","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00685-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00685-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Childhood is a crucial period that shapes a person's growth and development. For orphans, a lack of familial support affects their upbringing, making orphanages crucial for care. Children living in orphanage centers are vulnerable to several conditions, including dermatological disorders, due to factors such as malnutrition, overcrowding, and poor hygiene. The current study was carried to determine the prevalence and patterns of skin disorders among orphan children in Egypt, and to identify associated risk factors among orphans in Egypt.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 415 children aged 1-18 years living in orphanage centers in Fayoum and Giza governorates, Egypt.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the children, 77.1% had at least one skin disorder, with noninfectious conditions being more prevalent than infectious conditions (67.4 vs. 24.3%). The most common noninfectious conditions were dermatitis/eczema, pigmentary disorders, skin appendage disorders, and psycho-cutaneous issues. Fungal infections were the most common infectious condition. There was a significant relationship between hygiene and the type of skin disorder.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The prevalence of skin diseases in orphanages in Egypt is relatively high and is dominated by noninfectious skin diseases, and the prevalence of psycho-cutaneous disorders is high among these children. Comprehensive care strategies focusing on improving hygiene and emotional support and preventing abuse are essential for reducing the incidence of skin disorders and enhancing the overall health of orphaned children.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"10"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11744936/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143012463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neurobrucellosis: a retrospective cohort of 106 patients.","authors":"Fatemeh Arazi, Mahboubeh Haddad, Fereshte Sheybani, Mohammad Taghi Farzadfard, Majid Khadem Rezaeian","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00680-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00680-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Neurobrucellosis, a serious central nervous system infection caused by Brucella species, presents significant challenges due to its diverse clinical manifestations and the risk of long-term complications and poor outcomes. Identifying predictors of adverse outcomes is critical for improving patient management and overall prognosis.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate the long-term morbidity and mortality associated with neurobrucellosis and to identify key predictors of adverse outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a retrospective cohort study of 106 neurobrucellosis patients treated at two major referral centers in Mashhad, Iran, from March 21, 2011, to March 20, 2022. We analyzed clinical, neuroimaging, and laboratory data, and estimated survival probabilities using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Long-term morbidity was evaluated using the Glasgow Outcome Scale.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median age of the cohort was 30 years (IQR: 21.8-46.3). The median length of hospital stay was 11 days (IQR: 7-19.8), with an in-hospital mortality rate of 4.7% (n = 5). Survival probabilities were 92.2% (SE = 0.027) at 1 month and 90.1% (SE = 0.030) at 6 months. The median follow-up duration was 52 months (IQR: 35-77). At follow-up, 23.5% (n = 20) of patients had an unfavorable outcome based on the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Predictors of mortality included older age, altered level of consciousness, seizures, elevated body temperature on admission, and white matter changes on neuroimaging.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Neurobrucellosis is associated with significant long-term morbidity and mortality. Key predictors of mortality include older age, altered level of consciousness, seizures, elevated body temperature on admission, and white matter changes. Identifying these predictors can help in targeting therapeutic strategies and improving patient outcomes through early intervention and close monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"9"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11737133/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143012462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sero-molecular prevalence of toxoplasmosis in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients in Markazi Province, Iran.","authors":"Hossein Sarmadian, Mana Shojapour, Fereshteh Chegeni, Mohammad Amin Tabatabaiefar, Farshid Haghverdi, Roham Sarmadian, Reza Ghasemikhah","doi":"10.1186/s41182-024-00676-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-024-00676-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Infectious diseases, particularly parasitic infections such as toxoplasmosis, contribute significantly to the morbidity and mortality of hemodialysis patients. Toxoplasma gondii infection poses serious risks, especially to immunocompromised individuals. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis in dialysis patients in Markazi Province, Iran.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 181 patients (168 hemodialysis and 13 peritoneal dialysis) were included in this cross-sectional study. Blood samples were collected and tested for anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies using ELISA, while PCR was used to detect T. gondii DNA. Data were analyzed using SPSS, with P < 0.05 considered significant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 181 patients, 123 (67.95%) were seropositive for IgG antibodies, with the highest prevalence in those aged over 60 years. No cases tested positive for IgM antibodies or T. gondii DNA. Age was significantly associated with higher seroprevalence (P < 0.05), but there were no significant differences regarding gender, dialysis type, or duration of dialysis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The high prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis in dialysis patients underscores the need for regular screening to prevent serious complications. Given the limitations of serological tests, molecular diagnostics like PCR should be considered for better detection in immunocompromised patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"7"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11730123/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142984973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the impact of the state of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic on childhood immunizations in Benguela Province, Angola.","authors":"Tadatsugu Imamura, Keiji Mochida, Balogun Olukunmi, Lino Tchicondingosse, Pedro Sapalalo, Ketha Rubuz Francisco, Ai Aoki, Akira Ishiguro, Kenji Takehara","doi":"10.1186/s41182-024-00668-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-024-00668-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The impact of public health measures against the coronavirus disease 2019 on the rate of childhood immunization has not yet been fully defined. Particularly, measures which directly affect health-seeking behaviors (e.g., the State of Emergency; SoE) drew public health attention. We aim to describe this impact in Benguela Province, Angola, by comparing the immunization rates between infants who had their immunizations before and after the SoE, which was declared on March 27, 2020.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively reviewed the epidemiological data of infants born between November 2019 and February 2020 in Benguela Province, Angola. Immunization rates (i.e., the number of immunized infants divided by the number of infants in the group of same months of birth and residential areas) were calculated for 11 vaccines that infants received from at birth to the 4th month after birth. The rates for the 2nd month vaccines were compared between infants immunized before the SoE (post-SoE), and after the SoE (pre-SoE).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 9,595 infants, the overall immunization rates were higher in the post-SoE (71.9-77.8%) than in the pre-SoE groups (66.0-73.8%). The overall immunization rates were higher in the post-SoE group than in the pre-SoE group in both urban and rural municipalities, although the rates were > 20% higher in urban than in rural municipalities. The immunization rates in the recommended month showed a similar trend, except for the stratified analysis for rural municipalities, where the rates were 2.3-4.1% lower in the post-SoE than in the pre-SoE groups. The most common reason for missing immunization was vaccine unavailability at health units (19.9%, 684/3,440). Less than 10% of missed immunizations were due to the SoE, which occurred mostly in infants born in rural municipalities in February 2020 (9.8%, 52/532). Less than 2% of missed immunizations were due to health units not being open, and was highest in rural municipalities in January 2020 (1.6%, 27/1,673).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study suggested that the disruptive impacts of public health measures against pandemics on rates of childhood immunization can be mitigated, and support is needed for areas with vulnerable health systems, such as rural areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"5"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11730145/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142979960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}