Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases最新文献

{"title":"A study of the chest imaging findings of adult patients with COVID-19 on admission to a tertiary hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.","authors":"Ashleigh A Ord,&nbsp;Jarrod Zamparini,&nbsp;Liam Lorentz,&nbsp;Ashesh Ranchod,&nbsp;Halvani Moodley","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.449","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.449","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>South Africa has experienced multiple waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with little research documenting chest imaging features in an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) endemic region.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Describe the chest imaging features, demographics and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in an urban population.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Retrospective, cross-sectional, review of chest radiographs and computed tomographies (CTs) of adults admitted to a tertiary hospital with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, between 01 May 2020 and 30 June 2020. Imaging was reviewed by three radiologists. Clinical parameters and laboratory data were analysed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 113 adult patients with a mean age of 46 years and 10 months were included. A total of 113 chest radiographs and six CTs were read. Nineteen patients were HIV-positive (16.8%), 40 were hypertensive and diabetic (35.4%), respectively, and one had TB (0.9%). Common symptoms included cough (<i>n</i> = 69; 61.6%), dyspnoea (<i>n</i> = 60; 53.1%) and fever (<i>n</i> = 46; 40.7%). Lower zone predominant ground glass opacities (58.4%) and consolidation (29.2%) were most frequent on chest radiographs. The right lower lobe was most involved (46.9% ground glass opacities and 17.7% consolidation), with relative sparing of the left upper lobe. Bilateral ground glass opacities (66.7%) were most common on CT. Among the HIV-positive, ground glass opacities and consolidation were less common than in HIV-negative or unknown patients (<i>p</i> = 0.037 and <i>p</i> = 0.05, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>COVID-19 in South Africa has similar chest imaging findings to those documented globally, with some differences between HIV-positive and HIV-negative or unknown patients. The authors corroborate relative sparing of the left upper lobe; however, further research is required to validate this currently unique local finding.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"449"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9452920/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33461177","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":"Descriptive analysis of infections due to New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales in children at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital.","authors":"Leonore Greybe,&nbsp;James J C Nuttall,&nbsp;Adrian J Brink,&nbsp;Hafsah D Tootla","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.440","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.440","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The increased incidence and absence of antibiotic treatment options for New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infection are concerning. Recent reports have highlighted NDM-producing <i>Serratia marcescens</i>, as a specific concern, as it is an organism which is intrinsically resistant to colistin. In this study, a descriptive analysis of NDM-producing CRE infections was performed at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"440"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350446/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40675242","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":"Hepatitis B vaccination coverage amongst healthcare workers in a tertiary academic hospital in Gauteng province, South Africa.","authors":"Lufuno L Razwiedani,&nbsp;Ntlogeleng M Mogale,&nbsp;Muthuhadini P B Mawela","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.393","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.393","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major public health concern in South Africa. Hepatitis B virus is a highly infectious blood-borne virus causing liver disease. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of occupational exposure.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to investigate HBV vaccination amongst HCWs at a tertiary academic hospital in Gauteng province, South Africa.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from 500 consecutively sampled HCWs. Data were analysed using Stata version 12.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 460 HCWs participated in the study. Most were women (68.7%), < 40 years of age (66.9%) and worked for < 10 years (66.0%). Almost 50.0% were either doctors or medical students and 40.3% were nurses or student nurses. Most HCWs in the age group of < 30 years (79.4%) had received at least 1 dose of HB vaccine. Prevaccination immunity screening was conducted on 17.5% of the HCWs, and only 11.0% reported to be protected against HBV. About 49.0% of HCWs were fully vaccinated. Post-vaccination immunity testing was conducted on 15.1%, and 24.0% of HCWs paid for vaccinations. Nursing staff and those with > 10 years of work experience were 2.5 and 2.6 times more likely to be vaccinated, respectively. Cleaning staff were less likely to be vaccinated.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although not all HCWs were fully vaccinated, our study found a higher proportion of fully vaccinated HCWs than previously reported in Gauteng Province. It is recommended that HB vaccination be promoted and a local vaccination policy, aligned with the national policy, be developed and implemented for all HCWs at the tertiary academic hospital.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"393"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350537/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40687060","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":"Approach to the management of paediatric HIV spontaneous controllers.","authors":"Peter Zuidewind,&nbsp;Mark Cotton,&nbsp;Shaun Barnabas,&nbsp;Anita Janse Van Rensburg,&nbsp;Gert van Zyl,&nbsp;Carli Gordijn","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.399","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.399","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Paediatric HIV spontaneous controllers (HSCs) are a unique and understudied population with potential to inform alternative treatment options for patients living with HIV. As HSCs are so rare and often not recognised prior to antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation, it can be difficult for clinicians to optimally manage this group. We describe the diagnosis, history and management of three paediatric HSCs, two girls and a boy who were followed for 2, 1.25 and 10.4 years, respectively, before starting ART. All had low but detectable viral loads throughout follow-up but mostly marginally low CD4:CD8 ratios. The reason for starting ART in all was a gradual tendency to poorer virological control. This case series should assist in recognising paediatric HSCs. Clinical dilemmas arising in the management of paediatric HSCs include arriving at a correct HIV-positive diagnosis, correct diagnosis as an HSC, as well as whether to initiate ART. Decision-making for initiation of ART in paediatric HSCs should be individualised. Factors supporting ART initiation in these patients included increased frequency of viral load blips, increasing detectable viral load, CD4 percentage and CD4:CD8 ratio. Other factors included Hepatitis C serology and highly sensitive C-reactive protein. All three patients ultimately required ART, which supports universal initiation of ART in paediatric HSCs, but further research is required.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"399"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9257930/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40580335","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":"Corrigendum: Carriage of colistin-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in children from communities in Cape Town (Tuberculosis child multidrug-resistant preventive therapy trial sub-study).","authors":"Yolandi Snyman,&nbsp;Andrew C Whitelaw,&nbsp;Motlatji R B Maloba,&nbsp;Anneke C Hesseling,&nbsp;Mae Newton-Foot","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.409","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.409","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.4102/sajid.v36i1.241.].</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"409"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9257722/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40580336","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":"Helminthiasis, eosinophils, COVID-19 and vaccination.","authors":"Miles B Markus","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.423","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.423","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"423"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9257685/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40580337","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":"Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and mycobacterial culture in routine clinical care at a paediatric hospital.","authors":"Anthony K Enimil,&nbsp;James J C Nuttall,&nbsp;Chad M Centner,&nbsp;Natalie Beylis,&nbsp;Brian S Eley","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.398","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Microbiological confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children is a well-documented challenge. This study evaluated Xpert Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MTB)/Rifampicin (RIF) Ultra (Ultra) and mycobacterial cultures in routine clinical care at a tertiary paediatric hospital.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Children treated for PTB and who had at least one respiratory specimen investigated by Ultra and mycobacterial culture before tuberculosis (TB) treatment was commenced were included. The findings of this retrospective study were summarised using descriptive and inferential statistics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 174 children were included. The median age was 2.5 years. Microcytic anaemia, airway compression, cavitary disease and miliary TB were significantly observed in children with microbiologically confirmed TB (cTB). Tuberculosis was microbiologically confirmed in 93 (53.4%) children. The positive yield from testing the first respiratory specimens was 68/174 (39.1%) on Ultra and 82/174 (47.1%) on combined Ultra and mycobacterial culture. In the subset of children (<i>n</i> = 70) tested with Ultra on two sequential respiratory specimens, the incremental yield from the second specimen was 30.3%. In the subset of children (<i>n</i> = 16) tested with Ultra on three sequential respiratory specimens, the incremental yield from the second and third specimens was 16.7% and 0.0%, respectively. When Ultra and mycobacterial culture results were combined, the incremental yield in children who had two sequential respiratory specimens tested was 24.4% and 3.1% on Ultra and mycobacterial culture, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Ultra and mycobacterial culture on a single respiratory specimen resulted in a high microbiological yield. Ultra-testing on a second respiratory specimen increased the yield of microbiologically cTB. Additional diagnostic testing may require further study.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"398"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9257759/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40582794","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":"Limited syphilis testing for key populations in Zimbabwe: A silent public health threat.","authors":"Mathias Dzobo,&nbsp;Tafadzwa Dzinamarira,&nbsp;Grant Murewanhema,&nbsp;Roda Madziva,&nbsp;Helena Herrera,&nbsp;Godfrey Musuka","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.385","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.385","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this article, the authors discuss the problem of high prevalences of active syphilis amongst key populations (KPs) in Zimbabwe, in combination with low testing rates, partly because of a difficult legal and social environment for these populations. The article highlights the need to develop strategies to address the high prevalence of syphilis amongst KPs. The authors discuss requirements for addressing deficits in existing clinical services, predominantly primary care settings, in providing primary healthcare, including sexually transmitted infection (STI) management, to Zimbabwe's KP communities and utility of point-of-care testing and self-testing and other innovations to improve testing uptake.</p>","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":"385"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9257705/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40582792","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 clinical manifestations of Bancroftian filariasis in northern Taraba State, Nigeria","authors":"S. O. Elkanah, Deborah S. Elkanah, D. Akafyi, S. Kela, G. Anyanwu, A. Samaila","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.250","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.250","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43254841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vitamin D status and COVID-19 severity","authors":"Senrina Kalichuran, S. V. van Blydenstein, M. Venter, S. Omar","doi":"10.4102/sajid.v37i1.359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v37i1.359","url":null,"abstract":"Background Age, body mass index (BMI) and pre-existing comorbidities are known risk factors of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this study we explore the relationship between vitamin D status and COVID-19 severity. Methods We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional descriptive study. We enrolled 100 COVID-19 positive patients admitted to a tertiary level hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. Fifty had symptomatic disease (COVID-19 pneumonia) and 50 who were asymptomatic (incidental diagnosis). Following written informed consent, patients were interviewed regarding age, gender and sunlight exposure during the past week, disease severity, BMI, calcium, albumin, magnesium and alkaline phosphatase levels. Finally, blood was collected for vitamin D measurement. Results We found an 82% prevalence rate of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency among COVID-19 patients. Vitamin D levels were lower in the symptomatic group (18.1 ng/mL ± 8.1 ng/mL) than the asymptomatic group (25.9 ng/mL ± 7.1 ng/mL) with a p-value of 0.000. The relative risk of symptomatic COVID-19 was 2.5-fold higher among vitamin D deficient patients than vitamin D non-deficient patients (confidence interval [CI]: 1.14–3.26). Additional predictors of symptomatic disease were older age, hypocalcaemia and hypoalbuminaemia. Using multiple regression, the only independent predictors of COVID-19 severity were age and vitamin D levels. The patients exposed to less sunlight had a 2.39-fold increased risk for symptomatic disease compared to those with more sunlight exposure (CI: 1.32–4.33). Conclusion We found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and an increased risk for symptomatic disease in vitamin D deficient patients.","PeriodicalId":44007,"journal":{"name":"Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46499652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}