International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 15 (1), pp. 001-004, January, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV Among Pregnant Women in Owerri, Nigeria

Obi R. K.¹*, Nwanebu F. C.¹, Ohalete C. N.² and Onyemekara N. N.¹

¹Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
²Department of Microbiology, Imo State University, P. M. B., 2000, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.

Accepted 13 November, 2025

A study was conducted between the months of March and August, 2010 to ascertain the rate of mono- and co-infection of three blood-borne viral pathogens namely Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Hepatitis B virus (HCV) among 500 pregnant women aged between 21 and 40, attending antenatal clinic at a tertiary health centre in Owerri. The screening of blood samples from the sample population was carried out using immunochromatographic rapid test kits including HIV1/2 test kit (Hi Tech Diagnostic Limited, Nigeria) and Bio TracerTM HBV and HCV Rapid card test kits (Bio Focus Limited, South Korea). Results revealed that all age groups sampled were positive for HIV, producing a total of 115 (23%) with the age group of 29 to 32 producing the highest infection rate of 32 (6.4%) while the least came from the age groups of 21 to 24 and 37 to 40, with 13 (2.6%) each. The result further revealed that only one case of HBsAg infection was recorded among the sample population within the age group of 37 to 40 with 1 (0.2%). There was no case of HCV recorded among the pregnant women neither was there a co-infection involving HIV and any of the hepatitis viruses. The monthly distribution of the viral pathogens revealed that the highest rate of HIV infection occurred in the month of March with 26 (5.2%), while the least occurred in the month of July with 13 (2.6%). The only HBV infection observed in the sample population was recorded in the month of April while none of the months under review recorded any case of HCV, HIV + HBV, or HIV + HCV coinfections among the studied pregnant women. Though no case of coinfection was recorded in this study, concurrent infection between HIV and the hepatitis viruses is a growing public health concern and enough awareness should be created to check its emergence in this part of Nigeria while the campaign against HIV monoinfection should be intensified to check its spread among the uninfected population.

Key words: Coinfection, pregnant women, monoinfection, Owerri, antenatal, hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
 

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 15 (1), pp. 001-011, January, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Post-Discharge Outcomes of Severe Acute Malnutrition: A Multi-Country Analysis of Long-Term Mortality

Paluku Bahwere^1,3*, Angella Mtimuni³, Kate Sadler^2,3, Theresa Banda³ and Steve Collins³

¹Centre of Research in Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Clinical Research, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
²Feinstein International Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United State
³Valid International, 35 Leopold Street, Oxford, OX4 1TW, United Kingdom.

Accepted 23 November, 2025

The effectiveness of the community based therapeutic care (CTC) in treating severe acute malnutrition (SAM) has been demonstrated. However, there is still resistance from some policy makers and donors to invest into this cost-effective intervention. The mortality rate ratio (MRR) calculated by dividing the observed deaths after discharge by expected deaths was used to compare survival of 1,670 children discharged from the Dowa CTC from August 2002 to May 2005 and that of other cohorts reporting on long term survival of children after treatment of SAM retrieved from literature. A MMR of 1.1 (0.9 to 1.4) was observed for the Dowa CTC cohort while the MMR of 2.7 (1.3 to 4.9), 5.5 (3.9 to 7.6) and 20.0 (11.0 to 33.4) were observed for studies retrieved from the literature. Data showed that the survival of children who defaulted was worse than that of those who were discharged cured, and that of children treated at home after stabilisation or directly was better than those treated as inpatient until exit from the programme. The study outlines the need of using MMR when reporting on long term survival after SAM treatment and suggests that CTC should be included in the package of interventions with high potential for accelerating the progress towards reaching Millennium Developmental Goal four.

Key words: Severe acute malnutrition, children, long term, survival, mortality ratio.
 

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (8), pp. 001-012, August, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Technical Efficiency of Primary Health Care Facilities in Addis Ababa: Data Envelopment Analysis

Serkalem Girma Moges¹*, Lebitsi Maud Modiba²

¹University of South Africa, Ethiopia Country Office, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
²University of South Africa, Department of Health Studies, Pretoria, South Africa.

Abstract

Received 14 March, 2025; Revised 4 July, 2025; Accepted 4 July, 2025; Published 4 August, 2025

Background: This study assessed the technical efficiency of 94 health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It aimed to identify inefficiency sources and estimate potential cost savings. Methods: A quantitative, input-oriented, variable returns to scale Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model was applied, using secondary data on health service inputs and outputs from July 2017 to June 2018. Five input and four output variables were combined into a composite output index. Results:  Of the 91 health centers included in the analysis, only 4 (4%) were technically efficient. Efficiency scores ranged from 11.8% to 100%, with an average of 69%, indicating wide variation in performance. The main inefficiency source was scale inefficiency, reflecting suboptimal operating size, followed by pure technical inefficiency. If all health centers operated at the efficiency level of the best performers, approximately 15% of the healthcare budget, about 147 million ETB, could be saved. Conclusions: By leveraging routine data systems, the study offers a robust framework for ongoing efficiency assessment and benchmarking. For Ethiopian policymakers and health managers, the findings underscore that improving efficiency is not only a technical requirement but a strategic lever. Saved resources could be immediately redirected to expand access, enhance service quality, and improve frontline workforce advancing equitable and sustainable healthcare delivery.

Keywords: Technical Efficiency, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Health Service Delivery, Scale Inefficiency, Cost savings, Healthcare Budget Optimization, Ethiopian Health System.
 

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Geographic Variation in Complementary Feeding Practices: Premature Introduction of Foods and Beverages Among Guatemalan Infants

Noel W. Solomons, María José Soto-Méndez, Elena Diaz Ruíz and Marieke Vossenaar*

Center for Studies of Sensory Impairment, Aging and Metabolism (CeSSIAM), Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Accepted 5 May, 2025

The objective of the current analysis was to compare the pattern of age-of-introduction of commonly consumed complementary foods in the western highlands with what has been reported from the central highlands of Guatemala. Age-of-introduction of 10 sentinel foods was queried by means of structured face-to-face interviews in mothers of 6 to 11 months old infants living in Quetzaltenango (n = 114). The mean age-of-introduction was earlier in the metropolitan Quetzaltenango series than in both of the central highland locations, rural and urban. We concluded that different patterns of early introduction of food and beverage items contribute to the precocious occurrence of mixed feeding (MF) in the first semester of infancy in distinct regions of Guatemala.

Key words: Complementary foods, self-reported, infant nutrition, Guatemala.

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Zoonotic Risks in Focus: Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Helminths in Dogs and Owner Perceptions in Hawassa Town, Ethiopia

Dagmawi Paulos¹, Mekonnen Addis¹*, Abebe Fromsa¹ and Berhanu Mekibib²

¹Microbiology and Veterinary Public Health Team, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, P. O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia.

²Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.

Accepted 16 March, 2025

A cross sectional study was carried out between November, 2009 and March, 2010 in Hawassa town, Ethiopia with the aims of determining the prevalence of intestinal helminthes of dogs and evaluating owner’s awareness about zoonotic dog parasites. A total of 455 dogs were sampled randomly and 58% (n=264) were positive for Strongyloides stercorslis, 49.2% (n=224), 40% (n=182), 25% (n=114), 6% (n=28) and 3.3% (n=15) were positive for Ancylostoma caninum, Dipylidium caninum, Toxocara canis, Echinococcus granulosus and Trichuris vulpis, respectively. Results from fecal examination showed that only 60 dogs were free of the above parasites (13.2%). From coprological examinations concurrent infections with one, two, three, four and five types of parasite were 19% (n=75), 33.9% (n=134), 32.2% (n=127), 13.6% (n=54) and 1.5% (n=6), respectively. There was statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in A. caninum, T. canis and S. stercoralis in the two age groups, but there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) in D. caninum, E. granulosus and T. vulpis in the two age groups. Questionnaire survey concerning owner’s knowledge about zoonotic dog parasites showed that only 4.4% of the respondents know that dogs have zoonotic parasites, specifically, 95.6% have awareness about the zoonotic importance of rabies and only 7.3% have awareness about the availability of anthelmitics to treat dogs parasites. The high level of helminthiasis in dogs in the present study represent high rate of infection and immense public health risks. In line with this finding, it is recommended that owners who keep dogs should improve their hygienic standards. Besides, they should be able to regularly treat their dogs with the appropriate anthelementics and awareness should be created on the prevention and control methods of helminthiasis.

Key words: Prevalence, gastrointestinal helminthes, dogs, Hawassa Town, Ethiopia.
 

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (7), pp. 001-008, July, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Towards a Polio-Free Ghana: Evaluating Progress in the Eastern Region's Fight Against Poliomyelitis

Joseph Opare^1,2*, Chima Ohuabunwo^1,3, Edwin Afari¹, Fred Wurapa¹, Samuel Sackey^1,2, George Bonsu², Erasmus Agongo², Justice Yevugah², John Odoom⁴ and Alex Anderson⁵

¹Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
²Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghana.
³Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA.
⁴Noguchi Memorial institute of Medical Research Ghana, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
⁵Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, GA, USA.

Accepted 11 April, 2025

Poliomyelitis is a highly-infectious viral disease affecting children under 15 years. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis and in 5 to 10% of such case, patients die from paralyzed breathing muscles. Ghana is at the verge of polio certification and the only reported case of wild polio virus in the Eastern Region was in 2003. We reviewed AFP data in the Eastern-Region to assess the progress towards interruption of polio virus transmission and identified opportunities for surveillance improvement. We reviewed records and conducted secondary data analysis of all AFP cases reported to the Region from 1997 to 2010. We assessed data quality, calculated AFP surveillance indicators, and described AFP cases by person, place, time and polio vaccination status. Completeness of case-based- forms was 90%. Of 306 AFP-cases reported, one wild polio virus was recorded; 59.2% were males aged < 5 years; 26.5% had right lower limb paralysis; 14% occurred in October and 52.6% had received 4 doses of oral polio-vaccine. The non-polio AFP rate ranged from 0.12 to 4.3/100,000 population and stool adequacy from 60 to 100%. The period prevalence of non-polio entero-viruses was 8.5% (26/306). There is sustained progress towards interruption of polio virus transmission in the region. However, opportunity remains to improve the completeness of case-based forms and the non-polio AFP rate.

Key words: Acute flaccid paralysis, poliomyelitis, surveillance, eradication, vaccination, Ghana.