Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Correction to \"Comprehensive Review on Viral RNA Extraction Strategies for Enhanced Molecular Diagnostics\".","authors":"","doi":"10.1155/ipid/9807879","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ipid/9807879","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/ipid/5579320.].</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9807879"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13096682/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147784249","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":"The Feasibility of Implementing Interprofessional Collaboration-Based Telecare Services for Patients With Tuberculosis: A Mixed Methods Study From Hospital Insight.","authors":"Devi Ristian Octavia, Andi Hermansyah, Yunita Nita, Fadli Asmani, Ibrahim Abdullah","doi":"10.1155/ipid/2070413","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ipid/2070413","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health challenge and is a leading cause of mortality in low- and middle-income countries. Indonesia continues to record one of the world's highest TB burdens. Persistent gaps in treatment adherence and continuity of care remain, despite various national initiatives. Achieving the national TB elimination target requires innovative, patient-centered approaches. These must be supported by interprofessional collaboration (IPC) and digital health interventions. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of implementing telecare-based IPC services to optimize TB management in hospital settings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;A mixed-methods exploratory sequential design was employed, comprising a quantitative cross-sectional survey followed by qualitative focus group discussions (FGDs). The study was conducted at Husada Prima Hospital, Surabaya, a regional TB referral center in Indonesia. In the quantitative phase, 77 healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses, completed the validated Indonesian version of the collaborative practice assessment tool (CPAT). Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney &lt;i&gt;U&lt;/i&gt; tests to examine differences in IPC perceptions across professional groups. The qualitative phase involved FGDs with 12 participants representing doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and hospital management. Discussions were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically to identify opportunities, barriers, and implementation strategies for telecare-based IPC. Rigor was maintained through data triangulation, participant validation, and information saturation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Result: &lt;/strong&gt;Quantitative analysis identified significant interprofessional differences in perceptions of IPC, particularly regarding team barriers (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.003), coordination and division of roles (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.008), decision-making and conflict management (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.025), and mission, goals, and objectives (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.034). Qualitative analysis produced four major themes and 13 subthemes, encompassing opportunities, barriers, implementation strategies, and organizational support for telecare-based IPC. While participants expressed optimism about the model's potential, they also highlighted challenges, including unclear task delineation, patient skepticism toward digital communication, and the absence of standard operating procedures. Integration of quantitative and qualitative findings indicated that clear leadership structures, sufficient digital infrastructure, and robust professional collaboration are essential for successful implementation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;Telecare-based interprofessional collaboration is feasible and has the potential to enhance TB care in hospital settings. However, successful adoption depends on adequate infrastructure, well-prepared human resources, and supportive policies. The model is adaptable to diverse healt","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"2070413"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13085901/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147724184","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":"British Red Squirrels (<i>S. vulgaris</i>) With Leprosy Develop Skeletal Lesions.","authors":"Elliot Elliott, Richard Thomas, Sarah A Inskip, Andrea Cooper, Andrew C Kitchener, Katie M Beckmann, Anna Meredith","doi":"10.1155/ipid/5785505","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ipid/5785505","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Leprosy, caused by <i>Mycobacterium lepromatosis</i> or <i>Mycobacterium leprae,</i> has been reported in red squirrels in Britain from Scotland to the south of England. However, there has been no attempt to determine whether lesions caused by leprosy can be detected in the skeletons of infected animals. Here, we present findings from three red squirrel skeletons (<i>Sciurus vulgaris</i> L., 1758) that had soft tissue lesions consistent with leprosy and were positive for <i>M. lepromatosis</i>. Three of six red squirrel specimens from Scotland that previously tested positive for <i>M. lepromatosis</i> were subjected to macro- and microscopic skeletal analyses. Erosive lesions, remodelling and porosity were found in multiple parts of the skeleton, including the podials, tarsals, distal tibiae, distal forelimbs and in the nasal bones. Additionally, porous lesions were found in the caudal vertebrae. These skeletal changes advance our knowledge of how this disease manifests in nonhuman mammals. Overall, these findings demonstrate that, despite the squirrel's significantly shorter lifespan and different metabolism, comparable patterns of skeletal lesions are observed in humans and red squirrels with leprosy.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5785505"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12976456/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147445373","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":"Identifying Early Signals From Emerging Public Health Events Using Natural Language Processing.","authors":"Kelly S Peterson, Christian Dalton, Andrea Kalvesmaki, JoAnn Vuong, Colton Gordon, Senthil Nachimuthu, Mary Jo Pugh, Makoto M Jones","doi":"10.1155/ipid/6176855","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ipid/6176855","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Timely detection of emerging public health threats is challenging because the surveillance infrastructure is not yet tuned to the emerging threat. We attempt to identify three nonspecific early signals that might be common across emerging events: public health authority communication, zoonotic exposure mentions, and other pathogen exposure mentions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs emergency department visits between 2004 and 2024 were used to construct training and validation sets from reportable or emerging infectious diseases identified by historical diagnoses and laboratories. Not all early signal types were extracted using the same method. Rule-based and transformer models were used in a way to minimize developer and chart reviewer time. We then extracted cases from historic documents among selected diseases.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Positive predictive values for public health authority communication, zoonotic exposure, and other pathogen exposure ranged from 0.615 to 1.0. Target concepts were extracted from over 33 million emergency department visits. Distributions of extracted exposures generally matched expectations for the identified pathogen.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Automated natural language processing methods allow surveillance scaling to large amounts of clinical documents to identify relevant cases. Initial validation compared to manual text review shows that accuracy is acceptable for initial feasibility exploration in biosurveillance efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"6176855"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12964168/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147379120","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":"Unmasking Malaria: Microscopy and nPCR Reveal the Hidden Misdiagnosis of <i>Plasmodium</i> Infections Among Febrile Pediatric in Northwest Ethiopia.","authors":"Sisay Getie, Gebeyaw Getnet Mekonnen, Ligabaw Worku, Meseret Birhanie, Aline Lamien Meda, Aberham Abere, Harald Noedl","doi":"10.1155/ipid/9983415","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ipid/9983415","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pediatric populations in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are particularly susceptible to malaria, contributing significantly to malaria-related mortality. Accurate diagnosis of <i>Plasmodium</i> infections is crucial for early detection and prompt treatment. Malaria diagnosis relies on the use of microscopic and malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) for the detection and identification of <i>Plasmodium</i> species. However, the performances of diagnostic methods are affected by epidemiology, study population, level of parasitemia, <i>Plasmodium</i> spp., and practical skills. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of <i>Plasmodium</i> infections. A diagnostic approach of microscopic and nested PCR reveals misdiagnosis of <i>Plasmodium</i> infections among febrile pediatric in Northwest Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 302 malaria-suspected participants from March to October 2015 in Northwest Ethiopia. Capillary blood samples were collected from each study participant to detect <i>Plasmodium</i> infections, and a structured questionnaire was administered to gather data on associated risk factors. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 23. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression analyses were used to compare categorical variables and assess risk factors. A <i>p</i> value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence of malaria was found to be 22.2% and 18.2% by microscopy and nPCR, respectively. Among those diagnosed by nPCR, 19.2% were males and 17.3% were females, with the highest prevalence (25.6%) observed in pediatric aged ≥ 5 years. Age, not using bed nets, and awareness of signs and symptoms of malaria were significantly associated with <i>Plasmodium</i> infections (<i>p</i> < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study emphasizes the complex challenges of malaria infections in pediatric populations, worsened by restricted access to universal health coverage, which impedes efforts to reduce new infections. Furthermore, immediate actions should prioritize enhancing routine microscopic practical skills, regular quality control, and strict adherence to standardized operating procedures (SOPs) for slide preparation and examination.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9983415"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12936388/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147327502","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":"Operationalizing a Hub-and-Spoke Telemedicine Model for Mpox Surveillance in a High-Alert, Zero-Prevalence Setting: An Observational Study, Real-World Experience From Iran.","authors":"Owrang Eilami, Nader Eilami, Alireza Heiran, Mehdi Nejat, Mehrab Sayadi","doi":"10.1155/ipid/9955516","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ipid/9955516","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The global monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak prompted heightened surveillance in regions with significant travel links. Fars Province, Iran, implemented a structured telemedicine response to manage patients presenting with Mpox-like symptoms.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to describe and evaluate the impact of a tiered, hub-and-spoke telemedicine model on the triage, differential diagnosis, and cost efficiency of managing suspected Mpox cases in a setting with no confirmed Mpox.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>In this observational study conducted from August 27 to September 22, 2024, 150 patients presenting with fever and vesiculopustular rash across Fars Province were managed via a mandated protocol. Cases unresolved by local physicians were escalated via asynchronous (store-and-forward) WhatsApp consultations to a central specialist hub. Diagnostic testing, including Orthopoxvirus (Mpox) PCR, varicella zoster virus PCR, and herpes simplex virus testing, was performed based on telemedicine triage. A cost-consequence analysis compared the implemented pathway to a hypothetical standard referral scenario.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 150 teleconsultations, 28 patients (18.7%) were triaged as high suspicion for Mpox; three had relevant international travel history. No Mpox cases were confirmed. Final diagnoses were varicella (56.7%), herpes zoster (27.3%), herpes simplex (8.0%), and other conditions (8.0%). The telemedicine model prevented 122 (81.3%) unnecessary in-person specialist referrals. The median consultation response time was 95 min. The cost analysis showed a 76% reduction in direct costs, saving an estimated 1,087,500,000 Iranian Rials compared to standard care.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A tiered telemedicine model proved effective for outbreak preparedness, enabling rapid expert triage, accurate differential diagnosis, and significant resource savings in a high-alert, zero-prevalence setting. This approach might yield a scalable blueprint for managing future alerts of emerging infectious diseases with cutaneous manifestations.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9955516"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12859729/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146107704","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":"The Landscape on Access to Maternal and Child Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Africa: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Delia Chikuse, Abebe Sorsa Badacho, Jeannine Uwimana-Nicol, Lynn Hendricks, Juliet Charity Yauka Nyasulu","doi":"10.1155/ipid/9065224","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ipid/9065224","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In early March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. In South Africa, the first case was confirmed in early March 2020. According to the WHO, disruptions in essential services due to the COVID-19 pandemic occurred worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic affected access to maternal and child health (MCH) services in many countries, including South Africa. The study aimed to map and describe the existing evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the access to and delivery of maternal, neonatal, and child health (MNCH) services in South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>This was a scoping review of studies published between 2020 and 2023. We searched databases such as PubMed, MEDLINE, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar. Data were exported to the Rayyan software, where screening, checking of duplicates, and selection of final studies for review were performed. The information from the identified studies was exported to ATLAS.ti 23.1 software for analysis. Content analysis was performed, and data were presented in predetermined themes using the MCH cascade.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results from 25 articles showed a mixed view, whereby some studies showed a decrease at the beginning of the pandemic in April 2020, in the uptake of family planning, antenatal care, labor and delivery, postnatal care, under-five immunizations, and cervical cancer screening services. However, other studies found increased uptake of family planning, antenatal care, labor and delivery, and under-five immunization services. Some studies showed resilience in the overall first antenatal visits, adolescents' visits to family planning, and postnatal care, as they remained constant.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings show both positive and negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on MNCH services in South Africa. While the pandemic significantly disrupted access to essential services, some areas demonstrated resilience, with increased visits for antenatal care, adolescent family planning, and postnatal services. These insights are critical for guiding decision-makers, health managers, and frontline healthcare workers in preparing for future public health emergencies. Ensuring continuity of MNCH services during crises must be a priority. Strengthening the health system and building resilience are essential to safeguard MCH, even in the face of disruptions.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9065224"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12854166/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146107739","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":"Family Experiences of Living With Frontline Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Kingdom: Perspectives From the Black and Asian Community.","authors":"Ufuomanefe Jones, Amanda Rodrigues Amorim Adegboye, Ranjit Khutan, Moses Murandu","doi":"10.1155/ipid/5200232","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ipid/5200232","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aim: </strong>Black and Asian healthcare workers (HCWs) faced heightened COVID-19 exposure early in the pandemic due to overrepresentation on the frontline compared to other ethnic groups. This study explored the experiences of Black and Asian household members in the United Kingdom living with these HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic, focussing on the impact of increased risks and challenges.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This study utilised one-on-one interviews with six HCWs' household members. Participants were recruited through a snowballing sampling strategy. The study employed interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore and interpret the meanings participants attributed to their experiences.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The findings highlighted emotional and mental impacts experienced by household members, linked to their ethnic background and living with HCWs. The research found that FMs feared contracting the virus from their HCWs, along with feelings of vulnerability, hopelessness and helplessness. While participants took precautions, they relied on faith and called for specific support, policy changes and reassurance to reduce anxiety.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study underscores the importance of healthcare organisations addressing the concerns of HCWs from Black and Asian communities and their household members in future pandemics. It recommends establishing platforms within healthcare settings for these workers to voice safety and protection concerns. The study highlights the need for representative channels to listen to their issues and suggests educational seminars to help families manage fears and emotional distress. Ultimately, the research aims to guide policy changes and interventions that offer comprehensive support, ensuring HCWs and their household members are prepared to face health crises with resilience and well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5200232"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12797149/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145971226","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":"Nasal Carriage of Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Among Paramedical Students at Pokhara University, Nepal.","authors":"Alina Sharma, Mandira Chhusyabaga, Bhawana Baral, Binita Dhakal, Sabina Bhurtyal, Suresh Jaiswal","doi":"10.1155/ipid/5571214","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ipid/5571214","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) has been the most common cause of community-acquired infections and nosocomial infections worldwide. A higher risk of nosocomial infections is associated with colonization of the anterior nares of paramedical trainees who are continuously exposed to MRSA. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the prevalence of MRSA nasal carriage in paramedical students, as well as the antibiogram and inducible clindamycin resistance patterns.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Nasal swabs were taken from 246 paramedical students enrolled in Pokhara University's School of Health and Allied Sciences in Nepal. Following the isolation of <i>S. aureus</i> from nasal swabs, bacteria were tested for antibiotic susceptibility using a modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test. A cefoxitin disc (30 μg) was used to identify MRSA, and the <i>D</i>-test was carried out in accordance with CLSI standards. SPSS version 25 was utilized for data collection and analysis.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>MRSA accounted for 80 (36.7%) of the 217 <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> isolates, while 137 (63.3%) were methicillin-sensitive <i>S. aureus</i> (MSSA). The total nasal carriage rate of MRSA was reported to be 32.5% (80/246), and males (46.0%) and those over 30 years old (55.6%) had rates of MRSA that were higher, respectively. There were 112 (51.6%) multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates, but all isolates were vancomycin-sensitive. Inducible clindamycin resistance was found in 17.1% of isolates according to the D-test.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>MRSA and <i>S. aureus</i> nasal carriage rates were high among paramedical students; therefore, care must be taken to prevent nosocomial infections brought on by MRSA nasal carriage.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2025 ","pages":"5571214"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12752854/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145879306","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":"Risk Factors of Childhood Tuberculosis in the Centre Region of Cameroon: An Unmatched Case-Control Study.","authors":"Thomas Achombwom Vukugah, Derick Akompab Akoku, Micheline Mekemnang Tchoupa, Edward Lambert","doi":"10.1155/ipid/7988364","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ipid/7988364","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Even though childhood tuberculosis (TB) is of public health significance in Cameroon, reports on childhood TB and its risk factors are limited. The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors for TB among children in the Centre Region, Cameroon.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An unmatched case-control study was conducted at ten health facilities in the Centre Region from February 12 to July 31, 2022. Children under 15 years who attended these health facilities for TB treatment were considered as cases. Controls were children attendees who presented in the outpatient department (OPD) of the same health facility for non-TB health problems. For each case, two consecutive controls were sampled systematically. Data were collected using pretested and structured questionnaires through face-to-face interviews with parents/guardians. Logistic regression analyses were employed to identify risk factors for TB.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 120 cases and 231 controls were enrolled in the study, and the median (interquartile range) age among both cases and control was 3 years (IQR = 1-3). The odds of TB were seven times (AOR = 7.24; 95% CI: 1.76-18.98) more likely among children with the absence of BCG vaccination compared with being vaccinated for BCG. A child's previous history of TB, family history with a TB patient, duration of contact with a TB patient, and child's HIV status were the other risk factors of childhood TB with AOR 20.01 (4.77-33.87), 4.90 (1.10-21.83), 4.76 (1.02-12.14), and 2.73 (1.55-19.10), respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The absence of BCG vaccination, the child's previous history of TB, family history with a TB patient, duration of contact with a TB patient, and HIV-positive status are the independent risk factors for childhood TB in the Centre Region. Contact tracing and contact screening should be enhanced and correctly implemented by the National TB Control Program.</p>","PeriodicalId":39128,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases","volume":"2025 ","pages":"7988364"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12752873/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145879224","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}