In West Africa, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, causing human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), is associated with a great diversity of infection outcomes. In addition to patients who can be diagnosed in the early hemolymphatic phase (stage 1) or meningoencephalitic phase (stage 2), a number of individuals can mount long-lasting specific serological responses while the results of microscopic investi...

BACKGROUND Sero-positivity rates of the rubella virus among pregnant women vary widely throughout the world. In Tanzania, rubella vaccination is not included in the national immunization schedule and there is therefore no antenatal screening for this viral disease. So far, there are no reports on the sero-prevalence of rubella among pregnant women in Tanzania. As a result, this study was undert...

BACKGROUND A role for Epstein Barr virus (EBV) in multiple sclerosis (MS) has been postulated. Previous systematic reviews found higher prevalences of anti-EBV antibodies in MS patients compared to controls, but many studies have since been published, and there is a need to apply more rigorous systematic review methods. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We examined the link between EBV and MS by...

BACKGROUND Diarrheal disease and its complications remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The prevalence and antibiogram of E. coli as causative agents of diarrhea vary from region to region, and even within countries in the same geographical area. OBJECTIVES To determine the serotype and antimicrobial susceptibility of E. coli in children under-five years of age. METH...

BACKGROUND Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an economically devastating emerging viral disease of cattle caused by a virus associated with the Neethlig poxvirus in the genus Capripoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. A cross-sectional study was conducted from October, 2012 to May, 2013 in two districts of Western Wollega of Oromiya Regional State, with the objectives to determine animal and herd level ...

BACKGROUND Transfusion-transmissible viral infections, such as hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), remain a major public health problem in developing countries. The prevalence of these viral infections among blood donors may reflect the burden of these diseases among populations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the sero-preval...

Understanding the immune response after vaccination against new influenza strains is highly important in case of an imminent influenza pandemic and for optimization of seasonal vaccination strategies in high risk population groups, especially the elderly. Models predicting the best sero-conversion response among the three strains in the seasonal vaccine were recently suggested. However, these m...

BACKGROUND In South Africa, stigma, discrimination, social visibility and fear of loss of confidentiality impede health facility-based HIV testing. With 50% of adults having ever tested for HIV in their lifetime, private, alternative testing options are urgently needed. Non-invasive, oral self-tests offer a potential for a confidential, unsupervised HIV self-testing option, but global data are ...

The sero-prevalence of brucellosis was investigated among different breeds of cattle and buffaloes in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Rawalpindi and Attock regions of Pakistan. A total of 2330 milk samples (1168 cattle and 1162 buffaloes) were screened for the presence of Brucella abortus antibodies using the milk ring test (MRT). Information related to animal type, urbanicity, sampling area...