Search Results (5)

Background: Shigella species are the leading cause of human shigellosis. In Zambia, more than 30% of children experiencing diarrhea are infected with Shigella species. The increasing resistance of Shigella species to the recommended therapy is of great concern. Therefore, this study investigated the antibiotic resistance profiles and phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Shigella isolates at the largest referral hospital in Zambia. Methodology: Of the forty-eight archived presumptive Shigella isolates, thirty-two were serologically confirmed and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. Thereafter, polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the bla genes. Results: Most isolates were Shigella flexneri (16/32, 50%) and Shigella sonnei (14/32, 44%), while Shigella boydii and Shigella dysenteriae were rare. High resistance rates were noted for sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (78%) and tetracycline (75%), while 15.6% of the isolates showed resistance to ciprofloxacin and/or azithromycin. The bla_TEM gene encoding beta-lactamase was detected in 7/32 (22%) of isolates. Conclusions: In this study, a significant number of multidrug-resistant isolates were identified. Additionally, Shigella species resistant to the World Health Organization-recommended drugs call for strengthened laboratory diagnosis and close monitoring of these pathogens to guide the clinical management of shigellosis. Full article

Cases of teenage pregnancy remain high in Eastern Province of Zambia—contributing to health, economic, and social problems. This study sought to determine the effect of exposure to boarding schooling on pregnancy among school-going teenagers, taking into account individual and school characteristics. This was a retrospective case-control study involving 261 cases and 522 controls obtained from nine boarding and nine day secondary schools, between 2019 and 2021. STATA 16.1 MP was used for all statistical analyses at a 5% level of significance. Unadjusted and adjusted effects were obtained using logistic regression analysis—taking into account 18 school clusters. Cases had a mean age of 17.4 years (±1.14 years), controls were 16.1 years (±1.71 years) old on average, and 315 (40%) of the participants were exposed to boarding schooling. The unadjusted odds of pregnancy in the exposed and unexposed (day scholars) girls were 0.25 and 0.73, respectively (cOR = 0.34, CI: 0.24–0.48, p < 0.0001). Adjusting for other characteristics, teenage girls in boarding schools had 60% lower odds of pregnancy (aOR = 0.40, CI = 0.16–1.00, p = 0.049). In light of this evidence, enrollment of teenage girls in boarding schools is encouraged to help mitigate teen pregnancy in the province. Additionally, a multicenter prospective study is recommended. Full article

Sustainable agricultural intensification (SAI) has been hailed as the solution to increasing crop productivity among farmers. Despite the significant promotion, there still remains a dearth of information on the adoption and intensity of SAI in Zambia. This study sought to identify factors that influence farmers’ adoption of SAI practices and intensity of use. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 300 smallholder farmers of Katete district in Zambia. The Cragg’s double hurdle model was used to assess the key decision factors for SAI adoption and intensity of use. Empirical estimates revealed that limited years of farming and smaller total cropped field size were statistically significant decision factors that led to a reduced likelihood of SAI adoption. The results of the truncated model showed that smaller farm sizes and limited access to farmer extension services reduced the adoption intensity of SAI practices, whereas farmer affiliation with farmer associations and farmer training in crop production increased SAI adoption intensity. We recommend an increase in farmer training on and sensitization to the benefits of SAI practices aligned to their respective landholdings. Full article

East Coast Fever (ECF), caused by Theileria parva, is a major constraint to improved livestock keeping in east and central Africa, including Zambia. To understand the dynamics and determine the candidates for immunization in Zambia’s Chongwe and Chisamba districts, a combination of Tp1 and Tp2 gene sequencing and microsatellite analysis using nine markers was conducted from which an abundance of Muguga, Kiambu, Serengeti and Katete epitopes in the field samples was obtained. Phylogenetic analysis showed six (Tp1) and three (Tp2) clusters with an absence of geographical origin clustering. The majority of haplotypes were related to Muguga, Kiambu, Serengeti and Katete, and only a few were related to Chitongo. Both antigens showed purifying selection with an absence of positive selection sites. Furthermore, low to moderate genetic differentiation was observed among and within the populations, and when vaccine stocks were compared with field samples, Chongwe samples showed more similarity to Katete and less to Chitongo, while Chisamba samples showed similarity to both Katete and Chitongo and not to Muguga, Kiambu or Serengeti. We conclude that the use of Katete stock for immunization trials in both Chongwe and Chisamba districts might produce desirable protection against ECF. Full article

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains an important global public health issue with antimicrobial misuse and overuse being one of the main drivers. The Global Point Prevalence Survey (G-PPS) of Antimicrobial Consumption and Resistance assesses the prevalence and the quality of antimicrobial prescriptions across hospitals globally. G-PPS was carried out at 17 hospitals across Ghana, Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania. The overall prevalence of antimicrobial use was 50% (30–57%), with most antibiotics prescribed belonging to the WHO ‘Access’ and ‘Watch’ categories. No ‘Reserve’ category of antibiotics was prescribed across the study sites while antimicrobials belonging to the ‘Not Recommended’ group were prescribed infrequently. Antimicrobials were most often prescribed for prophylaxis for obstetric or gynaecological surgery, making up between 12 and 18% of total prescriptions across all countries. The most prescribed therapeutic subgroup of antimicrobials was ‘Antibacterials for systemic use’. As a result of the programme, PPS data are now readily available for the first time in the hospitals, strengthening the global commitment to improved antimicrobial surveillance. Antimicrobial stewardship interventions developed included the formation of AMS committees, the provision of training and the preparation of new AMS guidelines. Other common interventions included the presentation of findings to clinicians for increased awareness, and the promotion of a multi-disciplinary approach to successful AMS programmes. Repeat PPS would be necessary to continually monitor the impact of interventions implemented. Broader participation is also encouraged to strengthen the evidence base. Full article