A population-based study was carried out on the Ankole ranching scheme in south-west Uganda with the aim of determining the endemic status of Theileria parva infections. For this purpose, the age-related sero-prevalence of T. parva and the specific calf mortality associated with the parasite were assessed. Blood samples were collected from 931 Ankole calves of up to 12 months of age from 81 ran...

INTRODUCTION The rollout of Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) and improved health care services contributed in recuperating the quality of life and the functional status of HIV-positive people. These clinical effects of the treatment and cares are believed to bring a change on their sexual practices. The objective of this study was to explore the sexual practices of the HIV-positive people who wer...

Surveillance is a key component of control and elimination programs. Malaria surveillance has been typically reliant on case reporting by health services, entomological estimates and parasitemia (Plasmodium species) point prevalence. However, these techniques become less sensitive and relatively costly as transmission declines. There is great potential for the development and application of ser...

INTRODUCTION Recombinant hepatitis B vaccine was introduced in 1986 and has gradually replaced the plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine. No published data are available on the immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccines in Nigerians. The current study aimed to evaluate protective sero-conversion rates after vaccination with Shanvac-B rDNA hepatitis B vaccine in Nigerian subjects between January and Se...

A quantitative TaqMn Real-Time PCR assay was developed and its diagnostic value on human serum and livestock samples were evaluated. Brucella species could be distributed through communities as a biological agent. Rapid detection of biological threat agents is critical for timely therapeutic administration. Quantitative real-time PCR provides a rapid, sensitive and specific tool for molecular i...

BACKGROUND Maternal-infant transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) during birth carries a high risk of chronic HBV infection in infants. Appropriate neonatal prophylaxis is effective in preventing perinatal transmission of HBV. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protective efficacy of anti-HBV sero-vaccination in newborns of HBsAg positive mothers from Mayotte, French island in the M...

BACKGROUND In an emerging influenza pandemic, estimating severity (the probability of a severe outcome, such as hospitalization, if infected) is a public health priority. As many influenza infections are subclinical, sero-surveillance is needed to allow reliable real-time estimates of infection attack rate (IAR) and severity. METHODS AND FINDINGS We tested 14,766 sera collected during the fir...