Livestock trade network: potential for disease transmission and implications for risk-based surveillance on the island of Mayotte

The island of Mayotte is a department of France, an outermost region of the European Union located in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and the coast of Eastern Africa. Due to its close connection to the African mainland and neighbouring islands, the island is under constant threat of introduction of infectious diseases of both human and animal origin. Here, using social network analysis and mathematical modelling, we assessed potential implications of livestock movements between communes in Mayotte for risk-based surveillance. Our analyses showed that communes in the central region of Mayotte acted as a hub in the livestock movement network. The majority of livestock movements occurred between communes in the central region and from communes in the central region to those in the outer region. Also, communes in the central region were more likely to be infected earlier than those in the outer region when the spread of an exotic infectious disease was simulated on the livestock movement network. The findings of this study, therefore, suggest that communes in the central region would play a major role in the spread of infectious diseases via livestock movements, which needs to be considered in the design of risk-based surveillance systems in Mayotte

Schistosoma mansoni infection alters the host pre-vaccination environment resulting in blunted Hepatitis B vaccination immune responses

Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by parasitic flatworms of the Schistosoma spp., and is increasingly recognized to alter the immune system, and the potential to respond to vaccines. The impact of endemic infections on protective immunity is critical to inform vaccination strategies globally. We assessed the influence of Schistosoma mansoni worm burden on multiple host vaccine-related immune parameters in a Ugandan fishing cohort (n = 75) given three doses of a Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine at baseline and multiple timepoints post-vaccination. We observed distinct differences in immune responses in instances of higher worm burden, compared to low worm burden or non-infected. Concentrations of pre-vaccination serum schistosome-specific circulating anodic antigen (CAA), linked to worm burden, showed a significant bimodal distribution associated with HepB titers, which was lower in individuals with higher CAA values at month 7 post-vaccination (M7). Comparative chemokine/cytokine responses revealed significant upregulation of CCL19, CXCL9 and CCL17 known to be involved in T cell activation and recruitment, in higher CAA individuals, and CCL17 correlated negatively with HepB titers at month 12 post-vaccination. We show that HepB-specific CD4(+) T cell memory responses correlated positively with HepB titers at M7. We further established that those participants with high CAA had significantly lower frequencies of circulating T follicular helper (cTfh) subpopulations pre- and post-vaccination, but higher regulatory T cells (Tregs) post-vaccination, suggesting changes in the immune microenvironment in high CAA could favor Treg recruitment and activation. Additionally, we found that changes in the levels of innate-related cytokines/chemokines CXCL10, IL-1 & beta;, and CCL26, involved in driving T helper responses, were associated with increasing CAA concentration. This study provides further insight on pre-vaccination host responses to Schistosoma worm burden which will support our understanding of vaccine responses altered by pathogenic host immune mechanisms and memory function and explain abrogated vaccine responses in communities with endemic infections.Author summarySchistosomiasis drives host immune responses for optimal pathogen survival, potentially altering host responses to vaccine-related antigen. Chronic schistosomiasis and co-infection with hepatotropic viruses are common in countries where schistosomiasis is endemic. We explored the impact of Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) worm burden on Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccination of individuals from a fishing community in Uganda. We demonstrate that higher schistosome-specific antigen (circulating anodic antigen, CAA) concentration pre-vaccination, is associated with lower HepB antibody titers post-vaccination at month 7. We show higher pre-vaccination levels of CCL17 in instances of high CAA that negatively associate with HepB antibody titers month 12 post-vaccination and coincided with lower frequencies of circulating T follicular helper cell populations (cTfh), proliferating antibody secreting cells (ASCs), and higher frequencies of regulatory T cells (Tregs). We also show that monocyte function is important in HepB vaccine responses, and high CAA is associated with alterations in the early innate cytokine/chemokine microenvironment. Our findings suggest that in individuals with high CAA and likely high worm burden, schistosomiasis can create an environment that is polarized against optimal host immune responses to the vaccine, which puts many endemic communities at risk for infection against HepB and other diseases that are preventable by vaccines.Cancer Signaling networks and Molecular Therapeutic

Attitude of Nurses in Mulago Hospital Burns Unit to HIV/AIDS Burns Patients

Background: Immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV) and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) have constituted a major challenge and concern worldwide. This is especially of concern among the health workers who take care of these patients. To prevent occupational HIV infection in health professionals, a comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS is very essential. Methods: This study was carried out to assess the attitude of Nurses working in burns units to HIV/AIDS burns patients. In a cross sectional descriptive studies 41 questionnaires were distributed among nurses working in the unit and only 30 questionnaires were filled and returned. Result: 87.5% believed the prevalence of HIV was high in Uganda 68.8% said they could be infected while taking care of the patient , 100% that all burns patients should be screened for HIV. 37.5% believed knowledge of the HIV status would affect the professional duty to them but would still dress with precautions. Conclusion/Recommendations: There is need to educate and teach nurses to adhere to the universal precaution against blood born diseases as a matter of routine and not only in those that turn out HIV positive

Attitude of Nurses in Mulago Hospital Burns Unit to HIV/AIDS Burns Patients

Background: Immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV) and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) have constituted a major challenge and concern worldwide. This is especially of concern among the health workers who take care of these patients. To prevent occupational HIV infection in health professionals, a comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS is very essential.Methods: This study was carried out to assess the attitude of Nurses working in burns units to HIV/AIDS burns patients. In a cross sectional descriptive studies 41 questionnaires were distributed among nurses working in the unit and only 30 questionnaires were filled and returned.Result: 87.5% believed the prevalence of HIV was high in Uganda 68.8% said they could be infected while taking care of the patient , 100% that all burns patients should be screened for HIV. 37.5% believed knowledge of the HIV status would affect the professional duty to them but would still dress with precautions.Conclusion/Recommendations: There is need to educate and teach nurses to adhere to the universal precaution against blood born diseases as a matter of routine and not only in those that turn out HIV positive