Begna Tulu
Addis Ababa University, Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Graduate Student
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that disproportionately affects the poorest people in tropical and subtropical countries. It is a major parasitic disease causing considerable morbidity in Ethiopia. Despite significant... more
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that disproportionately affects the poorest people in tropical and subtropical countries. It is a major parasitic disease causing considerable morbidity in Ethiopia. Despite significant control efforts, schistosomiasis transmission is still widespread in many rural areas of the country. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and intensity of intestinal schistosomiasis among schoolchildren, as well as to identify schistosomiasis transmission sites in Gomma District, southwestern Ethiopia. Between October 2018 and September 2019, cross-sectional parasitological and malacological surveys were conducted in the study area. The study comprised 492 school-children aged 6 to 15 years old from four primary schools in Gomma District. To identify and quantify eggs of Schistosoma mansoni from the children, stool specimens were collected and processed using double Kato-Katz thick smears. Water bodies adjacent to human settlements in ...
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Description of M. tuberculosis shared types reported for TB strains isolated in Ethiopia from nine regional states and two city administrations (n = 2596). a In the SITVIT2 database, the spoligo international type (SIT) numbers designate... more
Description of M. tuberculosis shared types reported for TB strains isolated in Ethiopia from nine regional states and two city administrations (n = 2596). a In the SITVIT2 database, the spoligo international type (SIT) numbers designate spoligotypes shared by two or more patient isolates. In contrast, "orphan" designates patterns reported for a single isolate. b Clade designations according to STVIT2 database: Beijing clade, East African-Indian (EAI) clade and 9 sub-lineages, Haarlem (H) clade and 3 sub-lineages, Latin American-Mediterranean (LAM) clade and 12 sub-lineages, the ancestral "Manu" family and 3 sub-lineages, the S clade, the IS6110-low-binding X clade and 3 sub-lineages, and an ill-defined T clade with 5 sub-lineages, U: Unknown patterns, ** Belongs to new Ethiopian L7. c AA: Addis Ababa; AM: Amhara; AF: Afar; BG: Benishangul Gumz; DD: Dire Dawa; GM: Gambela; HR: Harari; OR: Oromia; SNNPR: South Nation and Nationalities Peoples Region; SM: Ethiopian...
Although there are efforts being underway to control and prevent intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) in Ethiopia, they are still endemic and responsible for significant morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of... more
Although there are efforts being underway to control and prevent intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) in Ethiopia, they are still endemic and responsible for significant morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of IPIs and their association with nutritional status among primary school children of Delo-Mena district, South Eastern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2013. Demographic data was obtained, and IPIs was investigated in a single-stool sample by both direct stool examination and formol-ether concentration techniques. Anthropometric measurements were taken to calculate height for-age (HAZ), BMI-for-age (BAZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) for the determination of stunting, thinness and underweight, respectively using WHO AntroPlus software. SPSS version 20 was used for statistical analysis and p value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Among 492 children studied (51% boys, aged 6-18 years, mean 10.93 +2.4) an overall I...
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Background: The World Health Organization endorsed GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in 2010. However, the practice of using this novel diagnostic method... more
Background: The World Health Organization endorsed GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) assay for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in 2010. However, the practice of using this novel diagnostic method is still limited in a high TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) burden settings, including Ethiopia. Therefore, we conducted this study aimed at describing the first implementation status of Xpert assay in the diagnosis of TB and MDR-TB at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital (FHRH) and Debre Tabor General Hospital (DTGH), Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: We analyzed the records of 1922 (FHRH=544 and DTGH=1378) presumptive TB patients diagnosed using Xpert test from 1 November 2015 to 30 April 2016 at FHRH and DTGH, Northwest Ethiopia. All patients who had registered data on their sex, age, HIV status, presumptive MDR-TB status and Xpert results were included for analysis. Data were retrieved directly from GeneXpert result registration log book using data...
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Background Schistosomiasis and fascioliasis are digenean parasitic infections and are among the neglected tropical diseases that have both medical and veterinary importance. They are found mainly in areas having limited access to safe... more
Background Schistosomiasis and fascioliasis are digenean parasitic infections and are among the neglected tropical diseases that have both medical and veterinary importance. They are found mainly in areas having limited access to safe water supply and improved sanitation. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola species infections and to identify associated risk factors among school children in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. Stool specimens were collected from 798 children (419 males, 379 females) and processed using Kato-Katz and formol-ether concentration techniques. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and other exposure information to explore potential risk factors for the infections. Results The overall prevalence of S. mansoni and Fasciola species infections was 25.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 22.5-28.6) and 5.5% (95% CI: 3.9-7.1), respectively. S. mansoni was present i...
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Summary Background Haematopoietic stem cells expressing the CD34 surface marker have been posited as a niche for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacilli during latent tuberculosis infection. Our aim was to determine whether M... more
Summary Background Haematopoietic stem cells expressing the CD34 surface marker have been posited as a niche for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacilli during latent tuberculosis infection. Our aim was to determine whether M tuberculosis complex DNA is detectable in CD34-positive peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from asymptomatic adults living in a setting with a high tuberculosis burden. Methods We did a cross-sectional study in Ethiopia between Nov 22, 2017, and Jan 10, 2019. Digital PCR (dPCR) was used to determine whether M tuberculosis complex DNA was detectable in PBMCs isolated from 100 mL blood taken from asymptomatic adults with HIV infection or a history of recent household or occupational exposure to an index case of human or bovine tuberculosis. Participants were recruited from HIV clinics, tuberculosis clinics, and cattle farms in and around Addis Ababa. A nested prospective study was done in a subset of HIV-infected individuals to evaluate whethe...
Background: Bedbug is a wingless human blood-sucking bug that generally infests houses and beds. Bedbug infestation is prevalent across the country. Despite its prevalence, however, there is scarce information on the epidemiological,... more
Background: Bedbug is a wingless human blood-sucking bug that generally infests houses and beds. Bedbug infestation is prevalent across the country. Despite its prevalence, however, there is scarce information on the epidemiological, psychological, social and public health impacts of the infestation. This lack may arise from the absence of sufficient research in the area. The impetus for this study arose from this recognition. This study therefore assessed the extent of bedbug infestation in five towns in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia, and its impact on public health in the areas considered in this study. Methods: A community-based cross sectional study was conducted in five towns of Amhara Regional State from 1 March 2015 to 30 June 2016. Bedbug inspection was done following the Michigan manual for prevention and control of bedbug recommendation. The presence of a living or dead bedbugs, their eggs, their skin discarded in shedding, and their fecal stains or droppings were taken ...
Background Tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are among the major health problems in Ethiopia. This study assessed the proportion of tuberculosis lymphadenitis (TBLN), HIV infection and their co-infection among TBLN... more
Background Tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are among the major health problems in Ethiopia. This study assessed the proportion of tuberculosis lymphadenitis (TBLN), HIV infection and their co-infection among TBLN presumptive individuals at the selected hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods Institution based cross sectional study was carried out. Data on demographic and clinical variables were collected with standardized questionnaire. Microbiological culture was done on specimen obtained by fine needle aspirates. The HIV status was determined by rapid anti-HIV antibody test. Data was entered and scrutinized using SPSS version 20 statistical packages. A stepwise logistic regression model was used. The result was considered as statistically significant at P<0. 05. Results A total of 381 lymphadenitis patients were included in the study. The overall prevalence of TBLN and HIV were at 250(65.6%) and 9(2.4%), respectively and their co-infection was at 6(2.4%). B...
Background: Haematopoietic stem cells expressing the CD34 surface marker have been posited as a niche for M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) bacilli during latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in... more
Background: Haematopoietic stem cells expressing the CD34 surface marker have been posited as a niche for M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC) bacilli during latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Ethiopia to determine whether MTBC DNA was detectable in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from 100 ml blood taken from 197 asymptomatic adults with a history of recent household TB contact and/or HIV infection, using digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR). A nested prospective study was conducted in a sub-set of 43 HIV-infected individuals to evaluate whether administration of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) was effective in clearing MTBC DNA from PBMC. Results: MTBC DNA was detected in PBMC of 156/197 participants (79.2%; 95% CI 73.5% to 84.9%). Where present, it was found more frequently in CD34-positive vs. CD34-negative PBMC (154/155 [99.4%] vs. 46/155 [29.7%], P<0.001). Prevalence of dPCR-detected MTBC DNA did not dif...
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Background The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing globally and its comorbidity with tuberculosis (TB) is re-emerging, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Objective The main aim of this study is to determine the... more
Background The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing globally and its comorbidity with tuberculosis (TB) is re-emerging, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Objective The main aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of DM and HIV infection and their associated risk factors among active tuberculosis patients in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted between February 1st and June 30th, 2017 among active TB patients in two hospitals of Northwest Ethiopia. Two hundred and sixty-seven active TB cases aged 18 years or older were screened for diabetes using fasting blood glucose (FBG) test. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect demographic data, lifestyle habits and clinical data. Identification of pre-diabetes or diabetes in TB patients was achieved according to American Diabetes Association guidelines (2016). Results Prevalence of DM and TB comorbidity was 11.5% (95% confidence interval, CI 7.8–1...
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Background Data pertaining to epidemiology of oral health problems is important to understand the magnitude and pattern of different oral and dental health morbidities. Hardly any information is available on the oral morbidity prevalence... more
Background Data pertaining to epidemiology of oral health problems is important to understand the magnitude and pattern of different oral and dental health morbidities. Hardly any information is available on the oral morbidity prevalence in and around Ambo, the capital of West Shoa Zone Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Objective This study was conducted to assess the magnitude, pattern and associated risk factors of oral health problems in and around Ambo town, central Ethiopia. Methods The medical records of 3,451 patients who received oral health treatment in two government Hospitals, Ambo General Hospital (AGH) and Ambo University Referral Hospital (AURH), and one Private Medium Dental Clinic, was reviewed retrospectively. Each patient was subjected to oral and dental examination by trained dentists. Data was extracted on the demographic characteristics of cases, the type of oral health problem, presence or absence of comorbidities and chief compliant of each patient. The data wa...
Background: Increasing evidence suggests that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are becoming more prevalent throughout the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected community. However, there is scarcity of... more
Background: Increasing evidence suggests that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are becoming more prevalent throughout the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected community. However, there is scarcity of data about the prevalence of MRSA among HIV positive pediatric patients in the study area. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and types of MRSA among S. aureus isolates of HIV positive pediatric patients in the Amhara National Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: Pediatric patients who attended the clinic from December 2013 to April 2014 were included in the study. Genotype MRSA VER 3.0 was used for characterization of S. aureus isolates. This detected methicillin-resistance-mediating mecA and mecC genes and the bicomponent cytotoxic virulence factor Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: Among 126 S. aureus isolates, 37.3% and 11.9% were mecA and Panton–Valentine leukocidin gene positive, re...
Local immunological responses at the site of infections, such as at the lymph nodes and lungs, do play a role in containing infection caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). This bovine tuberculosis (bTB) study was conducted to evaluate... more
Local immunological responses at the site of infections, such as at the lymph nodes and lungs, do play a role in containing infection caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis). This bovine tuberculosis (bTB) study was conducted to evaluate cellular and cytokine responses in the lymph nodes and lungs of BCG-vaccinated and non-vaccinated calves that were naturally infected with M. bovis. Immunohistochemical assays were used for examination of the responses of macrophages, T cells, cytokines and chemical mediators of 40 (22 vaccinated and 18 non-vaccinated) Holstein-Friesian-zebu crossbred calves that were naturally exposed for 1 year to a known bTB positive cattle herd. The incidence rates of bTB visible lesion were 68.2% (15/22) and 89% (16/18) in vaccinated and non-vaccinated calves, respectively. The local responses of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and those of IFN-γ and TNF-α within the lesions, were stronger (P < 0.05) in BCG-vaccinated calves than in non-vaccinated calves. However, t...
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Research Interests: Analytical Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Monitoring, Adolescent, Biopsy, and 15 moreClinical Microbiology, Biological Sciences, Child, Clinical Sciences, Aged, Adult, Clinical Data, Bacterial Load, Equipment Design, Equipment Failure Analysis, Biosensing Techniques, DNA probes, Child preschool, Diagnostic Tool, and Air Microbiology
RACIONAL: A constipação intestinal é mais freqüente na população feminina, apresentando aumento da prevalência com o passar dos anos. Existem poucos estudos que estimaram sua prevalência em mulheres na pós-menopausa. OBJETIVO: Investigar... more
RACIONAL: A constipação intestinal é mais freqüente na população feminina, apresentando aumento da prevalência com o passar dos anos. Existem poucos estudos que estimaram sua prevalência em mulheres na pós-menopausa. OBJETIVO: Investigar a prevalência e os fatores associados à constipação intestinal em mulheres na pós-menopausa. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Estudo de corte transversal com mulheres na pós-menopausa e idade superior a 45 anos. Foram incluídas 100 mulheres atendidas no Ambulatório de Menopausa da Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, entre março de 2003 e janeiro de 2004. Avaliou-se a prevalência de constipação intestinal, segundo os critérios de Roma II. Foram estudadas as características sociodemográficas e clínicas. A seguir, realizou-se exame físico para avaliação de distopias genitais e do tônus do esfíncter anal. A análise estatística foi realizada por meio de média, desvio-padrão, mediana, freqüências relativas e absolutas e através da razão de prevalência co...
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Cell (CD3 + T cell and CD68 + macrophages), cytokine (interferon gamma-positive [IFN-γ + ] and tumor necrosis factor alpha-positive [TNF-α + ]), and effector molecule (inducible nitric oxide synthase-positive [iNOS + ]) responses were... more
Cell (CD3 + T cell and CD68 + macrophages), cytokine (interferon gamma-positive [IFN-γ + ] and tumor necrosis factor alpha-positive [TNF-α + ]), and effector molecule (inducible nitric oxide synthase-positive [iNOS + ]) responses were evaluated in the lymph nodes and tissues of cattle naturally infected with Mycobacterium bovis . Detailed postmortem and immunohistochemical examinations of lesions were performed on 16 cows that were positive by the single intradermal cervical comparative tuberculin (SICCT) test and that were identified from dairy farms located around the city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) continues to be one of the most widely distributed chronic infectious diseases of zoonotic importance, which causes a significant economic loss in animal production. A cross-sectional study was conducted to... more
Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) continues to be one of the most widely distributed chronic infectious diseases of zoonotic importance, which causes a significant economic loss in animal production. A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of bTB and its associated risk factors and type the Mycobacterium bovis isolated in central Ethiopia. A total of 65 dairy farms and 654 cattle were tested for bTB using a single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT) test. Data on farm management, animal-related characteristics, and the owner's knowledge of the zoonotic importance of bTB were collected using a structured questionnaire. In addition, a total of 16 animals from different farms were identified for postmortem examination. Lowenstein Jensen (LJ) culture was also conducted, and spoligotyping was used to type the M. bovis strains isolated. Chi-square test and logistic regression models were used to analyze the herd- and animal-level risk factors. Herd- an...
ABSTRACTCellular (CD3+ T cell and CD68+ macrophages), cytokines (IFN-γ+ and TNF-α+) and effector molecule (iNOS+) responses were evaluated in the lymph nodes and tissue of cattle naturally infected with Mycobacterium bovis. Detailed post... more
ABSTRACTCellular (CD3+ T cell and CD68+ macrophages), cytokines (IFN-γ+ and TNF-α+) and effector molecule (iNOS+) responses were evaluated in the lymph nodes and tissue of cattle naturally infected with Mycobacterium bovis. Detailed post mortem and immunonohistochemical examinations of lesions were performed on 16 cows positive for single intradermal cervical comparative tuberculin test (SICCTT) and identified from dairy farms located around the Addis Ababa City. The severity of the gross lesion was significantly higher (p=0.003) in M. bovis culture positive (n=12) cows than in culture negative (n=4). Immunohistochemical techniques showed that the mean percentage labelling of CD3+ T cells decreased as the stage of granuloma increased from stage I to stage IV in culture positive cows (p<0.001). On the other hand, the proportional fraction of CD68+ macrophages and the concentrations of IFN-γ+, TNF-α+ and iNOS+ increased significantly from stage I to stage IV (p< 0.001) in cultur...
Anemia is an indicator of both poor nutrition and health. In low-income countries like Ethiopia, the prevalence of anemia remains high due to several determinant factors. There is a lack of regular surveillance system to determine the... more
Anemia is an indicator of both poor nutrition and health. In low-income countries like Ethiopia, the prevalence of anemia remains high due to several determinant factors. There is a lack of regular surveillance system to determine the magnitude of anemia among school age children. The aim of this study was to determine the burden and determinant factors of anemia among school children. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2014 to May 2014 among elementary school children in Northwest Ethiopia. Multi stage and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the schools and the study subjects. Standard questionnaire was employed to assess the socioeconomic status of study participants. Intestinal parasitosis infections and hemoglobin level were determined by formula ether concentration technique and automated hematology analyzer, respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the burden of anemia. Stepwise logistic regression was used to iden...
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Research Interests: Developing Countries, Social Support, Treatment Outcome, Ethiopia, Adolescent, and 15 moreHospitals, Tuberculosis, Humans, Child, Female, Male, Coinfection, Middle Aged, Adult, Age Factors, Communicable disease control, Delayed Diagnosis, Rural Population, HIV infections, and Referral and consultation
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Background: People living in sub-Saharan African countries have been more vulnerable for HIV infection. Youths and adolescents including university students are among the risk group to acquire HIV infection due their risk behaviors. Many... more
Background: People living in sub-Saharan African countries have been more vulnerable for HIV infection. Youths and adolescents including university students are among the risk group to acquire HIV infection due their risk behaviors. Many vulnerable young adults do not yet recognize their susceptibility, seriousness of the HIV infection, and are not motivated to alter their risky behavior. Therefore, this study is designed to assess HIV infection risk perception and abstinence and condom use among regular Madawalabu University students. Methodology: Institution based cross sectional study design was conducted among randomly selected 390 students in Madawalabu University, Southeast Ethiopia from May to June 2012. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with perceived behavioral controls.