INTRODUCTION This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of health care workers (HCWs) towards universal precautions (UPs) and to look into any associations between knowledge and practice. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional study was undertaken between August and October 2012, involving 300 HCWs from four national public hospitals in Kabul, Afghanistan. A self-administered questionnaire ...

The National Tuberculosis (TB) Institute has the highest patient transfer-out rate in Afghanistan, but the result and treatment outcome of transferred patients were unknown in 2009. This operational research investigated the characteristics and treatment outcome of all transferred-out patients living in Kabul province. We analysed the 1-year TB register of the Institute (n = 1180 cases) and vis...

OBJECTIVE To examine the descriptive epidemiology of weapon injuries not directly attributable to combat during armed conflict. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Nangarhar region of Afghanistan, which experienced effective peace, intense fighting, and then peace over six months in 1996. SUBJECTS 608 people admitted to Jalalabad hospital because of weapon injuries. MAIN OUTCOME ME...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C Virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are significant causes of morbidity and mortality all over the world, especially in underdeveloped countries like Afghanistan. Limited data are available concerning the seroprevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV in the pediatric age group in Afghanistan . OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was ...

results the mean age of children was 6.5 ± 4.2 years. the frequency of positive results for hbsag, anti-hbs and anti-hcv in all age groups were 12 (3.6%), 47 (14.2%) and 2 (0.6%), respectively. anti-hiv was not detected in any of the children's serum samples. the frequency of positive results for hbsag was significantly higher in children older than six years than in other age groups. conclusio...