University of Zambia

About: University of Zambia is a education organization based out in Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 2593 authors who have published 4402 publications receiving 122411 citations. The organization is also known as: UNZA.

Genetic diversity within Schistosoma haematobium: DNA barcoding reveals two distinct groups.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis in one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases, affecting millions of people and animals in developing countries Amongst the human-infective species S haematobium is one of the most widespread causing urogenital schistosomiasis, a major human health problem across Africa, however in terms of research this human pathogen has been severely neglected METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS To elucidate the genetic diversity of Schistosoma haematobium, a DNA 'barcoding' study was performed on parasite material collected from 41 localities representing 18 countries across Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands Surprisingly low sequence variation was found within the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (cox1) and the NADH-dehydrogenase subunit 1 snad1) The 61 haplotypes found within 1978 individual samples split into two distinct groups; one (Group 1) that is predominately made up of parasites from the African mainland and the other (Group 2) that is made up of samples exclusively from the Indian Ocean Islands and the neighbouring African coastal regions Within Group 1 there was a dominance of one particular haplotype (H1) representing 1574 (80%) of the samples analyzed Population genetic diversity increased in samples collected from the East African coastal regions and the data suggest that there has been movement of parasites between these areas and the Indian Ocean Islands CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The high occurrence of the haplotype (H1) suggests that at some point in the recent evolutionary history of S haematobium in Africa the population may have passed through a genetic 'bottleneck' followed by a population expansion This study provides novel and extremely interesting insights into the population genetics of S haematobium on a large geographic scale, which may have consequence for control and monitoring of urogenital schistosomiasis

Epidemiological characteristics of human herpesvirus-8 infection in a large population of antenatal women in Zambia.

Abstract: Comprehensive data describing epidemiological characteristics of the human herpesvirus-8 or Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (HHV-8 or KSHV) infection among pregnant women in a central sub-Saharan Africa are not available. This study determined virus prevalence estimates and the risk factors associated with HHV-8 infection. Cross-sectional, enrollment visit data were analyzed from a prospective cohort study of perinatal transmission of HHV-8 in Lusaka, Zambia. Exposure data were obtained via structured interview, physical examination, medical chart review, and laboratory testing. Among 3,160 antenatal women serologically screened for HHV-8 between September 1998 and October 2000, 40.2% were seropositive. The HHV-8 positive women were more likely to be co-infected with HIV-1 than those who were HHV-8 negative (34% vs. 26%; P < 0.0001). Of 154 variables evaluated by logistic regression analyses, only three risk factors, have emerged as independent predictors of HHV-8 positive serology: diagnosis of genital warts, HIV-1 co-infection and primary education. The association of HHV-8 infection with genital warts and HIV-1 co-infection suggests heterosexual transmission of HHV-8. HIV-1 infection may also act as a marker for particular behaviors, which could be sexual in nature, that are associated with both HIV-1 and HHV-8 transmission. Since HHV-8 facilitates development of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), the results of this study could be utilized to identify specific population groups of pregnant women who are at increased risk for this disease.

Surgical pathology of HIV infection: lessons from Africa.

Abstract: The experience of surgeons in Africa with patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) suggests 5 trends: 1) an increased incidence of surgical sepsis--most commonly in the female genital tract the pleural cavity large joints and the anorectal area--in HIV-infected patients; 2) an increase in surgical tuberculosis of spine bone joints lymph nodes and the peritoneal cavity concomitant with an increased incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in high-incidence countries; 3) impaired healing of wounds wound breakdown and the development of skin lesions and ulcers; 4) tumors whose aggressiveness is accelerated by HIV infection; and 5) new pathologies such as nonspecific cystitis chronic osteitis and vascular disease. In many cases HIV infection has not been identified until after hospital patients have demonstrated a rapid progressive decline after routine surgery. To date only 1 study has attempted to determine the extent to which HIV infection influences the outcome of surgery. Mortality in an intensive care unit at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka Zambia differed significantly between HIV-positive and seronegative patients only in terms of pneumonia; however seropositive patients also have an elevated albeit nonsignificant risk of mortality from severe gynecologic sepsis.

The value of wide-needle aspiration in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis in Africa.

Abstract: This study evaluated wide-needle (19-gauge) aspiration in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis. 304 patients presenting to 1 surgeon for diagnostic surgical biopsy of a peripheral lymph node during 1989 and 1990 at the Department of Surgery University Teaching Hospital Lusaka Zambia were involved in this prospective study in which wide-needle aspiration routinely preceded open surgical biopsy. Histology and mycobacterial culture of the surgically biopsied lymph node HIV-1 serology successful aspiration of material naked-eye appearance of aspirate and presence of acid-fast bacilli and/or microscopic caseation in the aspirate were the main outcome measures. 188 of 304 (61.8%) patients had histologically and/or culture-proven tuberculous lymphadenitis of whom 155 of 183 (84.7%) tested HIV-1 seropositive. Material was successfully aspirated from 190 of 188 (95.7%) patients with proven tuberculous lymphadenitis. Macroscopic caseation diagnosable on naked-eye examination alone of the aspirate was present in 49 of 120 (40.8%) consecutive aspirates from tuberculous nodes. Acid-fast bacilli and/or microscopic caseation were seen in 116 of 155 (74.8%) aspirates from tuberculous nodes for which smears stained by both Ziehl-Nielsen and hematoxylin and eosin were available. It is recommended that all patients with suspected tuberculous lymphadenitis in Africa undergo wide-needle aspiration before surgical biopsy or empirical treatment. (authors modified)