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The lack of safe drinking water affects communities in low-to-medium-income countries most. This barrier can be overcome by using sustainable point-of-use water treatments. Solar energy has been used to disinfect water for decades, and several efforts have been made to optimise the standard procedure of solar water disinfection (SODIS process). However, the Health Impact Assessment of implementing advanced technologies in the field is also a critical step in evaluating the success of the optimisation. This work reports a sustainable scaling-up of SODIS from standard 2 L bottles to 25 L transparent jerrycans (TJC) and a 12-month field implementation in four sites of Tigray in Ethiopia, where 80.5% of the population lives without reliable access to safe drinking water and whose initial baseline average rate of diarrhoeal disease in children under 5 years was 13.5%. The UVA dose required for 3-log reduction of E. coli was always lower than the minimum UVA daily dose received in Tigray (9411 ± 55 Wh/m2). Results confirmed a similar decrease in cases of diarrhoea in children in the implementation (25 L PET TJC) and control (2 L PET bottles) groups, supporting the feasibility of increasing the volume of the SODIS water containers to produce safer drinking water with a sustainable and user-friendly process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health problem, mainly in resource-limited settings. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of TB and rifampicin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (RR-MTB) among presumptive tuberculosis patients using Xpert MTB/RIF assay in Eastern Amhara, Ethiopia. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among presumptive TB patients from three governmental hospitals in Amhara Regional State. Records of sputum sample results using Xpert MTB/RIF assay from January 2015 to December 2019 were investigated from registration books and analyzed using SPSS v.21. Results: Of the total of 26,656 (24,116 adults and 2540 children) TB presumptive patients included in the study, more than half, 14,624 (54.9%), were males and the median age was 36.87 (interquartile: 25.46–50.85 years). The majority of participants were new cases, 20,273 (76.1%), and with unknown HIV status, 18,981 (71.2%), respectively. MTB prevalence was 11% (95% CI: 9.34–12.08%) in all age groups, and 7.6% (95% CI 6.52–9.04%) among children. Of the MTB confirmed cases, prevalence of RR-MTB was 245 (8.3%) in adults and 14 (7.2%) in children. MTB infection was higher in the age groups of 18–35 years [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.86–2.54, p < 0.001], 36–53 years (AOR = 1.31; 95% CI 1.11–1.54, p < 0.001), those who were relapse cases (AOR = 1.97; 95% CI 1.69–2.27, p < 0.0010), and failure cases (AOR = 4.67; 95% CI 3.36–6.50, p < 0.001). However, the age groups of 54–71 years (AOR = 0.79; 95% CI 0.65–0.95, p = 0.01) and over 71 years (AOR = 0.48; 95% CI 0.35–0.68, p < 0.001) were associated with lower MTB infection. Resistance to rifampicin was higher in the relapsed (AOR = 2.10; 95% CI 1.40–3.03, p < 0.001) and failure cases (AOR = 3.50; 95% CI 1.9–6.61, p < 001). Conclusion: Prevalence of MTB and RR-MTB low. TB infection was higher in adult age groups and those who had previous TB treatment history. Similarly, resistance to rifampicin was higher among the relapsed and failure patients. Appropriate measurements in monitoring of TB treatment could reduce TB and RR-MTB in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multidrug resistance is a global health issue. Hence integration of traditional medicine like honey and modern medicine could be a best option in the treatment of patients infected with drug resistant bacteria. Despite the multi floral and huge honey production in the region, there are no studies that evaluate the antibacterial activity of honey against multidrug resistant bacteria. Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial activity of honey against multidrug resistant human pathogenic bacterial isolates of wound and ear infections. Methods: Red and white honeys were obtained from three districts Eastern Zone of Tigray namely Temben, Atsbi and Samre. The antibacterial potential of these honeys was determined against multidrug resistant isolates of clinical isolates of bacterial species of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Coagulase negative Staphylococcus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Klebsiella pneumonia, and five controls bacterial using tube dilutions methods. Undiluted and twofold serial dilutions of honeys were tested to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using broth tube dilution methods through visual inspection and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was determined by sub-culturing tubes showing no visible sign of growth/turbidity in MIC. Results: The mean MIC of red honeys for control and test bacteria was 7.7-8.9 and 12.6-17.9 % (v/v) respectively. Whilst the MIC of white honey was 12.2-12.5 % (v/v) for control and 16.1-27.7 % (v/v) for test bacteria. Mean MBC of red honeys for control and test isolates was from 25-40 to 30.4-62.5 % (v/v) respectively, and 40-55 and 60.7-75 % (v/v) for white honeys. Honey collected from Samre area has shown better antibacterial activity than other sites. Similarly red honeys from all areas were found to have better antibacterial activity against the multidrug bacteria than the white honey. Over all the MIC and MBC of all isolates was between 6.25-50 and 12.5-100 % (v/v) respectively. Conclusion: Red honey from all sites showed better antibacterial activity than the white honey. Likewise, honey from Samre area showed better antibacterial activity than Temben and Atsbi districts. All collected honeys showed varied bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities, and none of the isolates was resistant to tested honeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV-positive individuals are at higher risk of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization and its related infection. There is limited data in the nation on the prevalence and risk factors of MRSA colonization among HIV patients. The aim of this study was to address the existing knowledge gap. Cross sectional study was carried out from September 2014 to February 2015 in three selected health centers and one general hospital. A standardized questionnaire was developed for collection of socio-demographic and clinical data. A total of 498 Nasal and throat swabs (two for each patient) were collected from 249 patients, transported and processed using standard bacteriological procedures. Data was analyzed using Chi square (X) test and associated risk factors were determined. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Out of 249 study participants, S. aureus was isolated from 81 (32.5 %) patients, with MRSA colonization rate of 6 (2.4 %). MRSA isolates were resistant to Ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (16.7 % each), clindamycin (33.3 %) and erythromycin (50 %). However, all MRSA isolates were 100 % sensitive to Amikacin. History of hospitalization, percutaneous device usage, patients with a household member's hospitalization and low CD count (<200 cells/mm) were significantly associated with S. aureus colonization (p < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]