Mulago Hospital

About: Mulago Hospital is a healthcare organization based out in Kampala, Uganda. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 542 authors who have published 545 publications receiving 34804 citations.

Perspectives on male partner notification and treatment for syphilis among antenatal women and their partners in Kampala and Wakiso districts, Uganda.

Abstract: Syphilis screening can be successfully integrated into antenatal clinics, and potentially avert significant morbidity and mortality to unborn infants. A minority of male partners report for testing and treatment, increasing the likelihood of reinfection. We conducted a qualitative study to understand factors influencing male partners to seek treatment after syphilis notification by their pregnant partners. A purposeful sample of 54 adults who participated in the STOP (Syphilis Treatment of Partners) study was stratified by gender (24 women, 30 male partners) and enrolled for in-depth interviews which were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using the thematic approach. The participants’ median age (IQR) was 32 years (25–44), 87% were married, and 57.4% (31/74) had attained secondary education. Fourteen of 22 (63%) female participants reported that they sometimes experienced domestic violence. Male participant’s knowledge of syphilis and their perception of their valued role as responsible fathers of an unborn baby facilitated return. Female’s fear of partner‘s violence and poor communication between partners, were barriers against delivery of the notification forms to partners and subsequent treatment of partners. For men, fear of injection pain, perceptions of syphilis as a genetic disease and as a woman’s problem, busy work schedules, poor access to good STD services, shared facilities with women in clinics, as well as HIV-related stigma were important barrier factors. The return to the clinic for treatment of male partners after partner notification by infected pregnant women, was low due to limited knowledge about syphilis, fear of painful injection, fears of domestic violence, lack of communication skills (individual characteristics) and syphilis disease characteristics such as signs and symptoms. This, combined with health services characteristics such as structural barriers that hinder male partner treatment, low access, low capacity, work/time challenges, inadequate laboratory services and low clinic personnel capacity; threatens efforts to eliminate mother-to-child infection of syphilis. Improved public messaging about syphilis, better services, legal and policy frameworks supporting STD notification and treatment in resource-constrained settings are needed for effective STD control. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02262390 ., Date Registered October 8 2014.

Feasibility of magnetic bead technology for concentration of mycobacteria in sputum prior to fluorescence microscopy

Abstract: Direct sputum smear microscopy is the mainstay of TB diagnosis in most low and middle income countries, and is highly specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in such settings. However it is limited by low sensitivity, particularly in HIV co-infected patients. Concentration by centrifugation has been reported to be more sensitive than direct smear preparation, but is only suitable for referral laboratories. Simpler concentration methods that could be applied in peripheral laboratories are urgently needed. We evaluated the feasibility of an early prototype ligand-coated magnetic bead technology to concentrate M. tuberculosis prior to detection by LED-based fluorescence microscopy compared with direct Ziehl-Neelsen microscopy and direct and concentrated fluorescence microscopy in a reference laboratory in Kampala, Uganda. Results were compared with MGIT 960 liquid culture and Lowenstein-Jensen culture. Compared to culture, concentrated FM had significantly higher sensitivity than direct ZN (74.8% and 51.4%), magnetic bead-FM (65.4%) and direct FM (58.9%). The sensitivity of magnetic bead FM was significantly higher than direct ZN (p < 0.001) but not significantly higher than direct FM (p = 0.210). The specificity of magnetic bead FM and concentrated FM was significantly lower than direct ZN (88.6%, 94.3% and 98.9% respectively) and direct FM (99.4%). There was no significant difference in specificity between magnetic bead FM and concentrated FM. Allowing for blinded resolution of discrepant results, the specificity of magnetic bead FM increased to 93.1%. Direct microscopy was simpler than concentrated FM and Magnetic bead FM which both had a similar number of steps. The sensitivity of the early prototype magnetic bead FM was lower than concentrated FM, similar to direct FM, and significantly higher than direct ZN. Both magnetic bead and concentration by centrifugation led to reduced specificity compared with the direct smear methods. Some magnetic bead FM false positive results were not easily explained and should be further investigated. The prototype version of the magnetic bead procedure tested here was of similar complexity to concentration by centrifugation. As such, if the sensitivity of the magnetic bead FM could be improved in future versions of the technology, this may offer a viable alternative to centrifugation.

The Critical Need for Pooled Data on COVID-19 in African Children: An AFREhealth Call for Action through Multi-Country Research Collaboration.

Abstract: Globally, there are prevailing knowledge gaps in the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection among children and adolescents; however, these gaps are especially wide in African countries. The availability of robust age-disaggregated data is a critical first step in improving knowledge on disease burden and manifestations of COVID-19 among children. Furthermore, it is essential to improve understanding of SARS-CoV-2 interactions with comorbidities and co-infections such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, sickle cell disease and malnutrition, which are highly prevalent among children in sub-Saharan Africa. The African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth) COVID-19 Research Collaboration on Children and Adolescents is conducting studies across Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa to address existing knowledge gaps. This consortium is expected to generate key evidence to inform clinical practice and public health policymaking for COVID-19, while concurrently addressing other major diseases affecting children in African countries.

Microalbuminuria and left ventricular hypertrophy among newly diagnosed black African hypertensive patients: a cross sectional study from a tertiary hospital in Uganda

Abstract: Microalbuminuria is an early manifestation of kidney damage and independently predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD). Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is also an early marker of cardiac manifestation of target organ damage among hypertensive patients. The prognostic significance of microalbuminuria and its correlation with left ventricular hypertrophy has not been extensively studied in African adult hypertensive populations. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of microalbuminuria, LVH in patients with microalbuminuria and the correlation between microalbuminuria and LVH among newly diagnosed black adult hypertensive patients attending a large outpatient hypertension clinic or admitted on the cardiology ward at Mulago national referral and teaching hospital and Uganda Heart Institute in Kampala, Uganda. In this cross-sectional study, 256 newly diagnosed eligible black adult hypertensive patients attending the outpatient hypertension clinic or admitted on the cardiology ward at Mulago national referral and teaching hospital and the Uganda Heart Institute, Kampala Uganda were consecutively recruited over a period of 5 months. Data on socio-demographics, clinical and laboratory findings of the study participants was collected using a pre tested questionnaire. Two spot urine samples were collected to assess for microalbuminuria. Echocardiography (ECHO) was done to assess for the left ventricular mass index using the formula of Teicholz as evidence for early hypertensive heart disease. The mean age/standard deviation of the study participants was 54.3 ± 6.2 years with a female predominance (162, 63.3 %). The prevalence of microalbuminuria among newly diagnosed hypertensive patients was 39.5 %. The prevalence of LVH among patients with microalbuminuria was found to be 17 %. There was a positive correlation between microalbuminuria and left ventricular hypertrophy among the newly diagnosed adult hypertensive patients at Mulago Hospital (r = 0.185, p = 0.003). This study demonstrates that microalbuminuria is highly prevalent among newly diagnosed black hypertensive patients and in the presence of LVH. There is also a positive correlation between microalbuminuria and LVH among newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. Since it is a less costly and readily available test, it can be used to predict presence of LVH especially in resource limited settings where ECHO services are not readily available.