Nevin Manimala

Afr J Reprod Health. 2024 Dec 31;28(12):116-126. doi: 10.29063/ajrh2024/v28i12.13.

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the professional values of midwifery students and the factors influencing these values. Conducted from January 6 to March 6, 2021, it involved 715 midwifery students who participated voluntarily. Data was collected using a Descriptive Data Sheet and the Professional Values of Midwives Scale. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, two-way ANOVA, Independent Samples T Test, and Bonferroni Correction. The mean age of participants was 20.63 years; 99.2% were single, and 29.7% were second-year students. Participants mostly graduated from the following schools to Anatolian high schools (57.5%) and predominantly lived in cities (55.1%), with 81.1% from nuclear families. A significant number of parents had a primary education (mothers: 50.8%, fathers: 35.4%). The mean score on the Professional Values of Midwives Scale was high. Significant differences in scores were noted based on age, high school type, long-term residence, family type, parental education, and interest in midwifery. However, the difference was not significant found. related to academic year, willingness to choose midwifery, preference ranking, self-suitability for the profession, or shifts in perspective before and after education. These findings emphasize the multifaceted nature of professional values in midwifery students and the various factors shaping their attitudes.

PMID:39772303 | DOI:10.29063/ajrh2024/v28i12.13

Vet Ital. 2024 Sep 30;60(3). doi: 10.12834/VetIt.2572.25516.2.

ABSTRACT

This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence and the potential risk factors of Brucella infection among goats in family farms in the southern east of Algeria. A total of 196 sera samples were randomly collected from 59 family farms and tested in parallel by Rose Bengal test (RBT) and indirect ELISA (iELISA). A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on potential risk factors. Apparent seroprevalence values were 8.7% (95% CI: 5.49-13.45) and 2.04% (95% CI: 0.8-5.13) for RBT and iELISA respectively. The estimated true prevalence values were 11.1% (95% CI: 6.87-17.42) for the RBT test and 1.58% (95% CI: 0.3-4.74) for iELISA. Dog presence in family farm was significantly associated with Brucella spp. seropositivity (p=0.03) using iELISA, with at least 38 times the odds of brucellosis seropositivity (OR: 38.55, 95% CI: 1.42-1049.17). Goats with previous history of stillbirth were significantly associated with Brucella spp. seropositivity (p=0.04) using RBT, with almost six (6) times higher odds (OR: 6.62, 95% CI: 1.06-41.55). Origin of animals reared on family farms was also significantly associated with Brucella spp. seropositivity (p=0.05) using iELISA with higher odds in foreign goats (OR: 12.99, 95% CI: 1.03-163.22) and lower odds in goats born in farms (OR: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01-0.97). Based on these findings, further epidemiological studies related to the perception of the disease by animal owners and brucellosis in herding dogs needed to be conducted.

PMID:39772293 | DOI:10.12834/VetIt.2572.25516.2

Viruses. 2024 Dec 20;16(12):1949. doi: 10.3390/v16121949.

ABSTRACT

Rotavirus group A (RVA) is a major cause of pediatric acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Vaccination is an effective public health strategy and Angola implemented it in 2014. This hospital-based study aimed to estimate the prevalence of RVA infection and the severity of AGE in children under five years of age treated at six hospitals in Luanda Province. Between April 2021 and May 2022, 1251 fecal samples were screened by an immunochromatographic rapid test (SD Bioline). Data on socio-demographic profile, nutritional status, and clinical assessment were obtained. The association of RVA infection and AGE severity with possible risk factors was evaluated with a binary logistic regression model. Overall, the detection rate was 57.8% and girls tend to be more often infected than boys (55.2%). Infection was more common in the youngest group (1 to 6 months, 60.3%). Important sources of RVA infection were drinking water kept in tanks (57.9%) and private sanitary facilities with piped water (61%). Surprisingly, according to the Vesikari Scale score, the most severe symptoms were observed in children vaccinated with two doses (80.7%). RVA prevalence remains high despite vaccination, and further studies should address the association between infection sources and disease severity, as well as the causes underlying vaccine (un)effectiveness.

PMID:39772256 | DOI:10.3390/v16121949

Viruses. 2024 Dec 19;16(12):1950. doi: 10.3390/v16121950.

ABSTRACT

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease caused by the JC polyomavirus (JCPyV). Based on the clinical criteria, PML is diagnosed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of JCPyV DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in combination with neurological and imaging findings. Although the utility of CSF JCPyV testing using ultrasensitive PCR assays has been suggested, its potential requires further evaluation. This study retrospectively analyzed the detection performance of ultrasensitive PCR for CSF JCPyV in patients who underwent brain tissue examination based on the pathological diagnostic criteria for PML. Of the 110 patients with pathologically confirmed definite PML or not PML, standard and ultrasensitive CSF testing was performed for 36 and 74 patients, respectively. The sensitivity of ultrasensitive CSF JCPyV testing of the initial specimens was 85%. With the addition of the follow-up testing, this figure increased to 95%. The specificity and false-positive rate of ultrasensitive CSF JCPyV testing, including follow-up, were 100% and 0%, respectively. No statistically significant correlation was observed between CSF and brain JCPyV levels. The results of this study demonstrate the high sensitivity and accuracy of ultrasensitive CSF JCPyV testing and provide essential information for the clinical diagnosis of PML.

PMID:39772255 | DOI:10.3390/v16121950

Viruses. 2024 Dec 18;16(12):1934. doi: 10.3390/v16121934.

ABSTRACT

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes severe disease in humans, with mortality as high as 90%. The small-molecule antiviral drug remdesivir (RDV) has demonstrated a survival benefit in EBOV-exposed rhesus macaques. Here, we characterize the efficacy of multiple intravenous RDV dosing regimens on survival of rhesus macaques 42 days after intramuscular EBOV exposure. Thirty rhesus macaques underwent surgical implantation of telemetry devices for the fine-scale monitoring of body temperature and activity, as well as central venous catheters, to enable treatment administration and blood collection. Treatment, consisting of a loading dose of RDV followed by once-daily maintenance doses for 11 days, was initiated 4 days after virus exposure when all animals were exhibiting disease signs consistent with incipient EBOV disease as well as quantifiable levels of EBOV RNA in plasma. In the RDV treatment groups receiving loading/maintenance doses of 5/2.5 mg/kg, 10/5 mg/kg, and 20/10 mg/kg, a total of 6 of 8 (75%), 7 of 8 (87.5%), and 5 of 7 (71.4%) animals survived, respectively. In the vehicle control group, one of seven animals (14.3%) survived. The improved survival rate compared to the control group was statistically significant only for the 10/5 mg/kg RDV treatment group. This treatment regimen also resulted in a significantly lower systemic viral load compared to the vehicle control after a single RDV treatment. All three RDV regimens produced a significantly lower systemic viral load after two treatments. For most animals, RDV treatment, regardless of dose, resulted in the amelioration of many of the clinical-pathological changes associated with EBOV disease in this model.

PMID:39772240 | DOI:10.3390/v16121934

Viruses. 2024 Dec 13;16(12):1912. doi: 10.3390/v16121912.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology and clinical course of chickenpox in children based on 6 years of self-reported observations.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The medical records of 350 patients under 18 years of age hospitalised in the Department of Paediatrics, Infectious Diseases, and Hepatology between 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2023 were analysed retrospectively.

RESULTS: During the analysed period, 350 children were hospitalised due to chickenpox, the fewest in the pandemic period, the greatest number in 2023. Complications of chickenpox were diagnosed in 297 children (84.86%). The most commonly diagnosed complications were bacterial dermatitis (168, 48%) and lower respiratory tract infections (13.42%). After the pandemic period, a generalised inflammatory reaction was observed significantly more often (p ≤ 0.01069). Among children hospitalised in 2023, 5.90% of patients with bacterial dermatitis required surgical intervention due to skin abscess or fasciitis. In 2023, 41.46% of cultures from swabs taken from skin lesions grew Streptococcus pyogenes. After the pandemic, children with chickenpox and gastrointestinal symptoms were hospitalised significantly less frequently (p ≤ 0.00001).

CONCLUSIONS: In the post-pandemic period, there were more hospitalisations of patients with chickenpox complicated by bacterial skin infection progressing to a generalised inflammatory reaction or septicaemia, related to the increase in invasive group A streptococcal infections observed in Europe. On the other hand, thanks to the widespread adaption of hygiene practices and infection prevention measures, the number of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms significantly decreased.

PMID:39772219 | DOI:10.3390/v16121912

Viruses. 2024 Dec 10;16(12):1902. doi: 10.3390/v16121902.

ABSTRACT

Arthropod-borne viral diseases are acute febrile illnesses, sometimes with chronic effects, that can be debilitating and even fatal worldwide, affecting particularly vulnerable populations. Indigenous communities face not only the burden of these acute febrile illnesses, but also the cardiovascular complications that are worsened by urbanization. A cross-sectional study was conducted in an Indigenous population in the Northeast Region of Brazil to explore the association between arboviral infections (dengue, chikungunya, and Zika) and cardiac biomarkers, including cardiotrophin 1, growth differentiation factor 15, lactate dehydrogenase B, fatty-acid-binding protein 3, myoglobin, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, cardiac troponin I, big endothelin 1, and creatine kinase-MB, along with clinical and anthropometric factors. The study included 174 individuals from the Fulni-ô community, with a median age of 47 years (interquartile range 39.0 to 56.0). High rates of previous exposure to dengue, chikungunya, and Zika were observed (92.5%, 78.2%, and 95.4% anti-IgG, respectively), while acute exposure (anti-IgM) remained low. The biomarkers were linked to age (especially in the elderly), obesity, chronic kidney disease, and previous or recent exposure to chikungunya. This study pioneers the use of Luminex xMAP technology to reveal the association between cardiac inflammatory biomarkers and exposure to classical arboviruses in an Indigenous population undergoing urbanization.

PMID:39772209 | DOI:10.3390/v16121902

Viruses. 2024 Dec 7;16(12):1889. doi: 10.3390/v16121889.

ABSTRACT

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in solid organ transplant (SOT) and hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients may increase the risk of rejection or allograft dysfunction, other infection(s), and morbidity and mortality. Treatment can be challenging due to medication-associated toxicities. Maribavir (MBV) is a promising option for the treatment of resistant or refractory (R/R) CMV infection in lieu of foscarnet (FOS), which has long been the recommended therapy for (val)ganciclovir-resistant infection. This was a single-center retrospective study of clinical outcomes of patients who received MBV compared to a control group who received FOS for an episode of CMV infection. Each cohort consisted of 27 episodes of CMV infection. Twenty patients in the MBV cohort and from the FOS cohort cleared the infection, with five and three patients developing MBV or FOS resistance, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in failure of therapy as evidenced by persistent DNAemia (p = 0.56) or development of antiviral resistance (p = 0.24). In conclusion, MBV was as effective as FOS for the treatment of R/R CMV infection and was better tolerated without increased risk of antiviral resistance.

PMID:39772196 | DOI:10.3390/v16121889

Viruses. 2024 Nov 30;16(12):1868. doi: 10.3390/v16121868.

ABSTRACT

Wolbachia-based mosquito control strategies have gained significant attention as a sustainable approach to reduce the transmission of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. These endosymbiotic bacteria can limit the ability of mosquitoes to transmit pathogens, offering a promising alternative to traditional chemical-based interventions. With the growing impact of climate change on mosquito population dynamics and disease transmission, Wolbachia interventions represent an adaptable and resilient strategy for mitigating the public health burden of vector-borne diseases. Changes in temperature, humidity, and rainfall patterns can alter mosquito breeding habitats and extend the geographical range of disease vectors, increasing the urgency for effective control measures. This review highlights innovations in Wolbachia-based mosquito control and explores future directions in the context of climate change. It emphasizes the integration of Wolbachia with other biological approaches and the need for multidisciplinary efforts to address climate-amplified disease risks. As ecosystems shift, Wolbachia interventions could be crucial in reducing mosquito-borne diseases, especially in vulnerable regions. AI integration in Wolbachia research presents opportunities to enhance mosquito control strategies by modeling ecological data, predicting mosquito dynamics, and optimizing intervention outcomes. Key areas include refining release strategies, real-time monitoring, and scaling interventions. Future opportunities lie in advancing AI-driven approaches for integrating Wolbachia with other vector control measures, promoting adaptive, data-driven responses to climate-amplified disease transmission.

PMID:39772178 | DOI:10.3390/v16121868

Viruses. 2024 Nov 30;16(12):1867. doi: 10.3390/v16121867.

ABSTRACT

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been recognized as a highly important cause of morbidity and mortality among children and adults. A cross-sectional study at representative sites in Jordan was undertaken to provide an assessment of the epidemiology and health and economic burdens of RSV and influenza infections in Jordan amongst hospitalized children under 5 years old for the period between 15 November 2022 and 14 April 2023. This study involved 1000 patients with a mean age of 17.10 (SD: 16.57) months. Of these, half (n = 506, 50.6%) had positive results for RSV. Furthermore, 33% and 17.4% of the participants had positive results for RSV-B and RSV-A, respectively. The findings underscore the severity of RSV infections, where a significant proportion of the children experienced severe respiratory distress, which led to bronchiolitis and pneumonia. This study meticulously documented the clinical outcomes, including the need for intensive care, mechanical ventilation, and prolonged hospital stays. There was no statistically significant difference in the financial burdens between the RSV-positive and RSV-negative patients. This study revealed the urgent need for preventive measures to control the substantial burden of RSV among children under 5 years old in Jordan.

PMID:39772177 | DOI:10.3390/v16121867