Browsing by Author "Sifah, E."

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Cryptosporidium oocysts in Ghanaian AIDS patients with diarrhoea.
(East African Medical Journal, 2003) Adjei, A.; Lartey, M.; Adiku, T.K.; Rodrigues, O.; Renner, L.; Sifah, E.; Bosompem, K.M.
Background:Although Cryptosporidium spp.infections in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients (AIDS) with chronic diarrhoea have been reported in several African countries, there is no information regarding cryptosporidial diarrhoea in Ghanaian AIDS patients. Objective:To investigate the occurrence of C. parvumand other gastrointestinal parasitic agents in Ghanaian AIDS patients with chronic diarrhoea. Design:Prospective study of HIV/AIDS patients with diarrhoea over a nine month period. Setting:Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Korle-Bu Polyclinic Accra, Ghana. Results:Analysis of stool specimens from clinically diagnosed HIV/AIDS (n=2I; mean CD4 count was 288 cells per microliter, 95% confidence interval of 237 to 340 cells per microliter) and HIV-seronegative (n=27) patients revealed C. parvumin six (28.6%) of HIV/AIDS and 10 (37.0%) of the HIV-seronegative patients, respectively. Three other HIV/AIDS cases had other infections involving Strongyloides stercoralis 4.8% (l/21) and Salmonella spp . 9.5% (2/21). There was no concomitant association between C. parvumand any other parasites found. Also, no enterobacteria was found in the HIV-seronegative patients. Conclusion:This study demonstrates the prevalence of Cryptosporidiumsp. in both HIV/ AIDS and HIV-seronegative individuals in Ghana. However, there was no statistical association between cryptosporidiosis and HIV/AIDS (p>0.05).
Cryptosporidium Spp., a Frequent Cause of Diarrhea among Children at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana
(Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2004) Adjei, A.A.; Armah, H.; Rodrigues, O.; Renner, L.; Borketey, P.; Ayeh-Kumi, P.; Adiku, T.K.; Sifah, E.; Lartey, M.
This report presents the results of a study conducted at the Child Health Department, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana, between the months of October 2001 and June 2002. Stool samples from 227 children with diarrhea and 77 children without diarrhea, aged less than 5 years, were tested for Cryptosporidium spp. Prevalence rates were 27.8 and 15.6% in children with and without diarrhea, respectively. Cryptosporidium infection was found to be high in children between the ages of 6 and 24 months. Cryptosporidium spp. was more common in malnourished children, but was not isolated in children under 6 months of age who were exclusively breastfed. Neither the presence of domestic animals, abdominal pain, blood in stool, nausea, vomiting, nor the consumption of untreated water was associated with Cryptosporidium spp. infection. Shigella, Salmonella, and yeast-like organisms were the most frequently identified enteropathogenic bacteria. In summary, this study demonstrates the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. among Ghanaian children.
Decline in severe diarrhea hospitalizations after the introduction of rotavirus vaccination in Ghana: A prevalence study
(BMC Infectious Diseases, 2014-08) Enweronu-Laryea, C.C.; Boamah, I.; Sifah, E.; Diamenu, S.K.; Armah, G.
Background: Almost all diarrhea deaths in young children occur in developing countries. Immunization against rotavirus, the leading cause of childhood severe dehydrating acute diarrhea may reduce the burden of severe diarrhea in developing countries. Ghana introduced rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccination in the national expanded program on immunization in May 2012.Methods: Review of all-cause diarrheal hospitalization data for children aged 59 months and younger at 2 pediatric referral hospitals in southern Ghana from 2008 to 2014. The proportion of acute diarrhea (defined as 3 or more watery, non-bloody stools within 24 hours that has lasted for less than 7 days) cases caused by rotavirus was determined. Temporal trend and age group distribution of all-cause diarrhea and rotavirus gastroenteritis before and after introduction of the new vaccines were compared.Results: Of the 5847 children hospitalized with all-cause diarrhea during the 74 months (January 2008 - February 2014), 3963 (67.8%) children were recruited for rotavirus surveillance and stool specimens were tested for rotavirus in 3160/3963 (79.7%). Median monthly hospitalization for all-cause diarrhea reduced from 84 [interquartile range (IQR) 62 - 105] during the 52 months pre-vaccination introduction to 46 (IQR 42 - 57) in the 22 months after implementation of vaccination. Significant decline in all-cause diarrhea hospitalization occurred in children aged 0 - 11 months: 56.3% (2711/4817) vs. 47.2% 486/1030 [p = 0.0001, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77 - 0.88] and there was significant reduction of rotavirus gastroenteritis hospitalization: 49.7% (1246/2505) vs. 27.8% (182/655) [p = 0.0001, 95% CI 0.32 - 0.47] before and after vaccine introduction respectively.Conclusions: Implementation of rotavirus vaccination program may have resulted in significant reduction of severe diarrhea hospitalization even though this observational study could not exclude the effect of other confounding factors. Continued surveillance is recommended to monitor the progress of this program. © 2014 Enweronu-Laryea et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Decline in severe diarrhea hospitalizations after the introduction of rotavirus vaccination in Ghana: a prevalence study
(2014-08-06) Enweronu-Laryea, C.C.; Boamah, I.; Sifah, E.; Diamenu, S.K.; Armah, G.
Abstract Background Almost all diarrhea deaths in young children occur in developing countries. Immunization against rotavirus, the leading cause of childhood severe dehydrating acute diarrhea may reduce the burden of severe diarrhea in developing countries. Ghana introduced rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccination in the national expanded program on immunization in May 2012. Methods Review of all-cause diarrheal hospitalization data for children aged 59 months and younger at 2 pediatric referral hospitals in southern Ghana from 2008 to 2014. The proportion of acute diarrhea (defined as 3 or more watery, non-bloody stools within 24 hours that has lasted for less than 7 days) cases caused by rotavirus was determined. Temporal trend and age group distribution of all-cause diarrhea and rotavirus gastroenteritis before and after introduction of the new vaccines were compared. Results Of the 5847 children hospitalized with all-cause diarrhea during the 74 months (January 2008 – February 2014), 3963 (67.8%) children were recruited for rotavirus surveillance and stool specimens were tested for rotavirus in 3160/3963 (79.7%). Median monthly hospitalization for all-cause diarrhea reduced from 84 [interquartile range (IQR) 62 – 105] during the 52 months pre-vaccination introduction to 46 (IQR 42 - 57) in the 22 months after implementation of vaccination. Significant decline in all-cause diarrhea hospitalization occurred in children aged 0 - 11 months: 56.3% (2711/4817) vs. 47.2% 486/1030 [p = 0.0001, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77 – 0.88] and there was significant reduction of rotavirus gastroenteritis hospitalization: 49.7% (1246/2505) vs. 27.8% (182/655) [p = 0.0001, 95% CI 0.32 - 0.47] before and after vaccine introduction respectively. Conclusions Implementation of rotavirus vaccination program may have resulted in significant reduction of severe diarrhea hospitalization even though this observational study could not exclude the effect of other confounding factors. Continued surveillance is recommended to monitor the progress of this program.