Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510100
Host-Related Predictors of Persistence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Engy Mohamed El-Ghitany and Azza Galal Farghaly
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: November 16, 2019
Spontaneous clearance occurs in varying proportions in individuals infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, the factors associated with this clearance are debatable. Their recognition may lead to a better understanding of HCV natural history and eventually improve associated prediction and management models. Aim: This study was conducted to determine the host-related factors associated with persistence of HCV infection. Among 1059 HCV-antibody-positive individuals who denied receiving HCV a...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510098
Statistical Behavior of Hospital Admissions for Respiratory Diseases by Probability Distribution Functions
Amaury de Souza, Flavio Aristone, Widinei A Fernandes, Zaccheus Olaofe, Marcel Carvalho Abreu, Jose Francisco de Oliveira Junio, Guilherme Cavazzana and Cícero Manoel dos Santos
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: November 04, 2019
Climate change has a high impact on health and morbidity/ mortality in respiratory system diseases and remains poorly investigated in probability distribution modeling. The objective of this study was to analyze the adjustments of Burr (Bu), Inv Gausian 3P (IG3P), Lognormal (LN), Pert (Pe), Rayleigh 2P (Ra 2P) and Weibull 3P (W3P) distributions of the historical series of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases (total hospital admissions) for the period from 2004 to 2018, in Campo Grande, MS. ...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510097
Climate Variability and Its Impact on the Incidence by Dengue in Six Endemic States of the Mexican Republic
Perez Contreras Irma, Alvarado Bravo Krystel Mariel, Barragan Gonzales Alin and Velasco Perez Daniel Alejandro
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: November 04, 2019
Climate variables are one of the main drivers of dengue epidemics and the proliferation of their vectors. Significant relationships have been found between fluctuations in temperature, rainfall, and the incidence of dengue. The interaction between high levels of these variables significantly influences the increase in the incidence after at least one month of this event. The confirmed cases of dengue reported in the epidemiological bulletins of the Epidemiology General Directorate were collected...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510096
Hepatitis C in Adults and Children: A Cross-Sectional Review from a Tertiary Hospital, Northeast Nigeria during the Period 2008-2015
Isaac Warnow Elon, Ajani Ayomikun, Jalo Iliya, Alkali Yaya, Oyeniyi Christianah, Okolie Henry, Saidu Abubakar, Jibrin Bara, Aremu John, Kudi Ayuba, Danlami Halilu and Charanchi Musa
Article Type: Original Article | First Published: November 04, 2019
HCV is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure related deaths among children, adolescents and adults worldwide. Sub-Saharan Africa suffers disproportionately from lack of access to both screening for HCV and treatment services with a resultant high rate of chronic hepatitis C related morbidity and mortality. Nigeria is considered among countries with high Hepatitis C burden and the national prevalence average in 2013 was estimated to be 2.2%. Routine screen...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510095
Design and Validation of a Survey for the Study of Food and Nutritional Security to Climate Change Vulnerability
Carlos Matias Scavuzzo, Eliana Álvarez Di Fino, Alberto Ferral and Maria Daniela Defago
Article Type: Original Article | First Published: October 14, 2019
Human Security is a concept instituted by the United Nations and refers to the possibility that each person can satisfy basic needs of different kinds: Health, food, environment, education, economy, politics, institutional access, etc. Both WHO and FAO emphasize these concepts related to food and nutritional security (FNS), and relate it to the vulnerability derived from emergency and disaster situations. These are increasingly frequent and complex in a context of climate change, since they affe...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510076
Antifungal Resistance of Candida Species in Bacolod City, Philippines
Alain C Juayang, Joseph Peter T Lim, Zeith Ceve B de los Reyes, Mary Dane B Tuante, Zia Isabel P Batiles, Jan Frances Nichole V Guino-o, Francis Raphael A Villanueva and Gemma B de los Reyes
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: April 05, 2019
Candida species, a group of opportunistic infection-causing microorganisms, has shown an increasing pattern of resistance against certain antifungal drugs through time. Thus, this retrospective study was conducted to describe the antifungal resistance of Candida species isolated from a tertiary hospital in Bacolod City, Philippines from July 2017 to July 2018. A total of 184 Candida species were isolated from clinical specimens with C. albicans (61%) having the highest frequency followed by C. t...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510075
A Risk Factor Analysis for MRSA Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia to Guide Empiric Therapy in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Megan E Feeney, PharmD, BCCCP, David E Lindsey. MD, Daniel E Vazquez, MD, Kyle Porter, MAS and Claire V Murphy, PharmD, BCPS, FCCM
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: April 05, 2019
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is increasing in prevalence. Treatment of VAP has moved toward ensuring patients are adequately covered for MRSA and other MDROs while balancing the need for antimicrobial stewardship and appropriateness of empiric coverage of these organisms in the setting of increasing resistance rates. The objective of this study was to identify the incidence of and risk factors for MRSA VAP in surgical intensive care uni...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510073
Zoonotic Antimicrobial Resistance as a Result of Iatrogenic Disease in Companion Animals - Case Study Reports
Elaine Meade, Mark Anthony Slattery and Mary Garvey
Article Type: March 15, 2019 | First Published: March 15, 2019
Iatrogenic disease represents an ongoing issue for veterinarians where animals manifest with secondary conditions as a result of medical treatment. Similarly, zoonotic disease and specifically resistant zoonotic pathogens represent an ongoing issue for public health safety. As an increasing number of zoonotic microbial species are being recognised as emerging and re-emerging diseases in humans, the issues relating to their antimicrobial resistance becomes more evident. This study reports on two ...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510072
Incidence and Predictors of First Line Anti-Retroviral Therapy Failure among Adults Receiving HIV Care in North West Ethiopia: A Hospital-Based Follow-Up Study
Tsegaw Agezew, MSC, Abilo Tadesse, MD, Lemma Derseh, MPH and Mekonnen Yimer, MD
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: March 14, 2019
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) restores immune function and reduces HIV-related adverse outcomes. Patients on ART are recommended to periodic monitoring to ensure effective and durable treatment outcomes. Treatment failure is the main indication for ART switching and assessed by criteria used to define virologic, immunologic or clinical failure. A retrospective follow up study was conducted from June 1, to August 30, 2018 to determine the incidence and associated factors with first line ART failur...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3658/1510071
Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Molecular Epidemiology of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Tunisia: Results of a Multicenter Study
Senda Mezghani Maalej, Jihene Jdidi Trabelsi, Gustave Claude-alexandre, Ilhem Boutiba, Maha Mastouri, Sophia Besbes, Farouk Barguellil, Frederic Laurent and Adnene Hammami
Article Type: Original Article | First Published: March 11, 2019
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) as a major cause of infections in hospital and community settings is a global health concern. The purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility and the molecular characteristics of MRSA strains causing community-acquired (CA) and hospital-acquired (HA) infections in Tunisia. A total of 135 non-duplicate MRSA strains were consecutively collected from five Tunisian hospitals. Antimicrobial susceptibility was done by disc...