The prevalence of intestinal protozoa and geohelminths was assessed among two diverse populations in the Kandy area: adults attending medical outpatients clinics at the Teaching Hospital Peradeniya, and pre-school children in low-cost housing areas within the Kandy Municipality. In addition to a brief history and examination, a fresh stool sample was obtained and examined by direct smears in sa...

BACKGROUND Predicting future prevalence of any opportunistic infection (OI) among persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in resource poor settings is important for proper planning, advocacy and resource allocation. We conducted a study to forecast 5-years prevalence of any OI among HIV-infected individuals on HAART in Uganda....

BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies have shown inverse associations between geohelminth (intestinal helminth) infection and atopy, leading to the suggestion that geohelminths might protect against allergy. Periodic deworming of school children with anthelmintics is a widely implemented intervention and has raised concerns that such programmes could increase allergy. We investigated the effect of...

BACKGROUND We describe reproductive health issues among pregnant women in a rural area of Kenya with a high coverage of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and high prevalence of HIV (15%). METHODS We conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey among rural pregnant women in western Kenya. A medical, obstetric and reproductive history was obtained. Blood was obtained for a malaria smear and...

The study aim was to compare the antagonistic interaction between saprotrophic soil fungi and embryonic development of geohelminths Toxocara canis and Ascaris suum. The experimental cultures were fertilized eggs of T.canis and A. suum incubated together with mycelium of strains: Fusarium culmorum, Metarhizium anisopliae,Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, Trichoderma viride and Trichothecium roseum. In ...

BACKGROUND Undernutrition and anaemia remains to be a major public health problem in many developing countries, where they mostly affect children. Intestinal parasitic infections are known to affect both growth and haemoglobin levels. Much has been reported on the impact of geohelminths on anaemia and undernutrition, leaving that of Schistosoma mansoni not well studied. Therefore this study int...

Anemia is a significant risk factor for poor health outcomes for both the mother and neonate; however, the determinants of anemia in many epidemiological settings are poorly understood. Using a subset of a nationally representative cluster survey (2010 Demographic and Health Survey) in combination with other non-contemporaneous survey data, the epidemiology of anemia among women of reproductive...

BACKGROUND Severe anemia (hemoglobin < 70 g/L) in pregnancy may increase the risk of maternal and perinatal mortality. OBJECTIVES We assessed response to standard treatment with high-dose iron-folic acid for 90 d and single-dose (500 mg) mebendazole among severely anemic pregnant women in periurban Karachi, Pakistan. In addition, we evaluated the efficacy of 2 enhanced treatment regimens. D...

Introduction: Opportunistic infections (OIs) remain the single main cause of ill-health and death among HIV/AIDS patients in resource poor countries. We assessed the prevalence of 17 OIs and associated factors among HIV positive patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in Uganda. Methods: Observational data from 2004 to 2013 for adult HIV positive patients (>=15yrs) obtaining ca...

Over the last decade, intestinal nematode infection has become increasingly recognized to be an important and soluble public health problem. The availability of benzimidazole anthelmintics has been a major contributor to this perception, not only because they have made single dose cure a reality but also because the broad spectrum of activity allows infection with Ascaris, Trichuris, the hookwo...