Provider attitudes towards quality improvement for myocardial infarction care in northern Tanzania

INTRODUCTION

Myocardial Infarction (MI) is a leading cause of death worldwide. In high income countries, quality improvement strategies have played an important role in increasing uptake of evidence-based MI care and improving MI outcomes. The incidence of MI in sub-Saharan Africa is rising, but uptake of evidence-based care in northern Tanzania is low. There are currently no published quality improvement interventions from the region. The objective of this study was to determine provider attitudes towards a planned quality improvement intervention for MI care in northern Tanzania.

METHODS

This study was conducted at a zonal referral hospital in northern Tanzania. A 41-question survey, informed by the Theoretical Framework for Acceptability, was developed by an interdisciplinary team from Tanzania and the United States. The survey, which explored provider attitudes towards MI care improvement, was administered to key provider stakeholders (physicians, nurses, and hospital administrators) using convenience sampling.

RESULTS

A total of 140 providers were enrolled, including 82 (58.6%) nurses, 56 (40.0%) physicians, and 2 (1.4%) hospital administrators. Most participants worked in the Emergency Department or inpatient medical ward. Providers were interested in participating in a quality improvement project to improve MI care at their facility, with 139 (99.3%) strongly agreeing or agreeing with this statement. All participants agreed or strongly agreed that improvements were needed to MI care pathways at their facility. Though their facility has an MI care protocol, only 88 (62.9%) providers were aware of it. When asked which intervention would be the single-most effective strategy to improve MI care, the two most common responses were provider training (n = 66, 47.1%) and patient education (n = 41, 29.3%).

CONCLUSION

Providers in northern Tanzania reported strongly positive attitudes towards quality improvement interventions for MI care. Locally-tailored interventions to improve MI should include provider training and patient education strategies.

Evaluating the performance of the HEART score in a Tanzanian emergency department

OBJECTIVE

The HEART score successfully risk stratifies emergency department (ED) patients with chest pain in high-income settings. However, this tool has not been validated in low-income countries.

METHODS

This is a secondary analysis of a prospective observational study that was conducted in a Tanzanian ED from January 2019 through January 2023. Adult patients with chest pain were consecutively enrolled, and their presenting symptoms and medical history were recorded. Electrocardiograms and point-of-care troponin assays were obtained for all participants. Thirty-day follow-up was conducted, assessing for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), defined as death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization (coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention). HEART scores were calculated for all participants. Likelihood ratios, sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive values (NPVs) were calculated for each HEART cutoff score to predict 30-day MACEs, and area under the curve (AUC) was calculated from the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

Of 927 participants with chest pain, the median (IQR) age was 61 (45.5-74.0) years. Of participants, 216 (23.3%) patients experienced 30-day MACEs, including 163 (17.6%) who died, 48 (5.2%) with myocardial infarction, and 23 (2.5%) with coronary revascularization. The positive likelihood ratio for each cutoff score ranged from 1.023 (95% CI 1.004-1.042; cutoff ≥ 1) to 3.556 (95% CI 1.929-6.555; cutoff ≥ 7). The recommended cutoff of ≥4 to identify patients at high risk of MACEs yielded a sensitivity of 59.4%, specificity of 52.8%, and NPV of 74.7%. The AUC was 0.61.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with chest pain in a Tanzanian ED, the HEART score did not perform as well as in high-income settings. Locally validated risk stratification tools are needed for ED patients with chest pain in low-income countries.

Improving acute myocardial infarction care in northern Tanzania: barrier identification and implementation strategy mapping

BACKGROUND

Evidence-based care for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) reduces morbidity and mortality. Prior studies in Tanzania identified substantial gaps in the uptake of evidence-based AMI care. Implementation science has been used to improve uptake of evidence-based AMI care in high-income settings, but interventions to improve quality of AMI care have not been studied in sub-Saharan Africa.

METHODS

Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants from key stakeholder groups (patients, providers, and healthcare administrators) in northern Tanzania. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted using a guide informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Interview transcripts were coded to identify barriers to AMI care, using the 39 CFIR constructs. Barriers relevant to emergency department (ED) AMI care were retained, and the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) tool was used to match barriers with Level 1 recommendations for targeted implementation strategies.

RESULTS

Thirty key stakeholders, including 10 patients, 10 providers, and 10 healthcare administrators were enrolled. Thematic analysis identified 11 barriers to ED-based AMI care: complexity of AMI care, cost of high-quality AMI care, local hospital culture, insufficient diagnostic and therapeutic resources, inadequate provider training, limited patient knowledge of AMI, need for formal implementation leaders, need for dedicated champions, failure to provide high-quality care, poor provider-patient communication, and inefficient ED systems. Seven of these barriers had 5 strong ERIC recommendations: access new funding, identify and prepare champions, conduct educational meetings, develop educational materials, and distribute educational materials.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple barriers across several domains limit the uptake of evidence-based AMI care in northern Tanzania. The CFIR-ERIC mapping approach identified several targeted implementation strategies for addressing these barriers. A multi-component intervention is planned to improve uptake of evidence-based AMI care in Tanzania.

Adapting an Intervention to Improve Acute Myocardial Infarction Care in Tanzania: Co-Design of the MIMIC Intervention

Background

Uptake of evidence-based care for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is suboptimal in Tanzania, but there are currently no published interventions to improve AMI care in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objectives

Co-design a quality improvement intervention for AMI care tailored to local contextual factors.

Methods

An interdisciplinary design team consisting of 20 physicians, nurses, implementation scientists, and administrators met from June 2022 through August 2023. Half of the design team consisted of representatives from the target audience, emergency department physicians and nurses at a referral hospital in northern Tanzania. The design team reviewed multiple published quality improvement interventions focusing on ED-based AMI care. After selecting a multicomponent intervention to improve AMI care in Brazil (BRIDGE-ACS), the design team used the ADAPT-ITT framework to adapt the intervention to the local context.

Findings

The design team audited current AMI care processes at the study hospital and reviewed qualitative data regarding barriers to care. Multiple adaptations were made to the original BRIDGE-ACS intervention to suit the local context, including re-designing the physician reminder system and adding patient educational materials. Additional feedback was sought from topical experts, including patients with AMI. Draft intervention materials were iteratively refined in response to feedback from experts and the design team. The finalized intervention, Multicomponent Intervention to Improve Myocardial Infarction Care in Tanzania (MIMIC), consisted of five core components: physician reminders, pocket cards, champions, provider training, and patient education.

Conclusion

MIMIC is the first locally tailored intervention to improve AMI care in sub-Saharan Africa. Future studies will evaluate implementation outcomes and efficacy.

Patient and provider perspectives on barriers to myocardial infarction care among persons with human immunodeficiency virus in Tanzania: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

People with HIV (PLWH) have an increased risk myocardial infarction (MI), and evidence suggests that MI is under-diagnosed in Tanzania. However, little is known about barriers to MI care among PLWH in the region.

METHODS

In this qualitative study grounded in phenomenology, semi-structured interviews were conducted in northern Tanzania. Purposive sampling was used to recruit a diverse group of providers who care for PLWH and patients with HIV and electrocardiographic evidence of prior MI. Emergent themes were identified via inductive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

24 physician and patient participants were interviewed. Most participants explained MI as caused by emotional shock and were unaware of the association between HIV and increased MI risk. Providers described poor provider training regarding MI, high out-of-pocket costs, and lack of diagnostic equipment and medications. Patients reported little engagement with and limited knowledge of cardiovascular care, despite high engagement with HIV care. Most provider and patient participants indicated that they would prefer to integrate cardiovascular care with routine HIV care.

CONCLUSIONS

PLWH face many barriers to MI care in Tanzania. There is a need for multifaceted interventions to educate providers and patients, improve access to MI diagnosis, and increase engagement with cardiovascular care among this population.

Six month incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events among adults with HIV in northern Tanzania: a prospective observational study

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to prospectively describe incident cardiovascular events among people living with HIV (PLWH) in northern Tanzania. Secondary aims of this study were to understand non-communicable disease care-seeking behaviour and patient preferences for cardiovascular care and education.

DESIGN

A prospective observational study.

SETTING

This study was conducted at the Majengo HIV Care and Treatment Clinic, an outpatient government-funded clinic in Moshi, Tanzania PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients presenting to an HIV clinic for routine care in northern Tanzania were enrolled from 1 September 2020 to 1 March 2021.

INTERVENTIONS

At enrolment, participants completed a survey and a resting 12-lead ECG was obtained. At 6 month follow-up, a repeat survey regarding interim health events and repeat ECG was obtained.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Interim major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined by: self-reported interim stroke, self-reported hospitalisation for heart failure, self-reported interim myocardial infarction, interim myocardial infarction by ECG criteria (new pathologic Q waves in two contiguous leads) or death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD).

RESULTS

Of 500 enrolled participants, 477 (95.4%) completed 6 month follow-up and 3 (0.6%) died. Over the 6 month follow-up period, 11 MACE occurred (3 strokes, 6 myocardial infarctions, 1 heart failure hospitalisation and 1 cardiovascular death), resulting in an incidence rate of 4.58 MACE per 100 person-years. Of participants completing 6 month follow-up, 31 (6.5%) reported a new non-communicable disease diagnosis, including 23 (4.8%) with a new hypertension diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of MACE among PLWH in Tanzania is high. These findings are an important preliminary step in understanding the landscape of CVD among PLWH in Tanzania and highlight the need for interventions to reduce cardiovascular risk in this population.

Longitudinal ECG changes among adults with HIV in Tanzania: A prospective cohort study

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is rising among people with HIV (PWH) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the utility of the electrocardiogram (ECG) in screening for CVD, there is limited data regarding longitudinal ECG changes among PWH in SSA. In this study, we aimed to describe ECG changes over a 6-month period in a cohort of PWH in northern Tanzania. Between September 2020 and March 2021, adult PWH were recruited from Majengo HIV Care and Treatment Clinic (MCTC) in Moshi, Tanzania. Trained research assistants surveyed participants and obtained a baseline ECG. Participants then returned to MCTC for a 6-month follow-up, where another ECG was obtained. Two independent physician adjudicators interpreted baseline and follow-up ECGs for rhythm, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), bundle branch blocks, ST-segment changes, and T-wave inversion, using standardized criteria. New ECG abnormalities were defined as those that were absent in a patient's baseline ECG but present in their 6-month follow-up ECG. Of 500 enrolled participants, 476 (95.2%) completed follow-up. The mean (± SD) age of participants was 45.7 (± 11.0) years, 351 (73.7%) were female, and 495 (99.8%) were taking antiretroviral therapy. At baseline, 248 (52.1%) participants had one or more ECG abnormalities, the most common of which were LVH (n = 108, 22.7%) and T-wave inversion (n = 89, 18.7%). At six months, 112 (23.5%) participants developed new ECG abnormalities, including 40 (8.0%) cases of new T-wave inversion, 22 (4.6%) cases of new LVH, 12 (2.5%) cases of new ST elevation, and 11 (2.3%) cases of new prolonged QTc. Therefore, new ECG changes were common over a relatively short 6-month period, which suggests that subclinical CVD may develop rapidly in PWH in Tanzania. These data highlight the need for additional studies on CVD in PWH in SSA and the importance of routine CVD screening in this high-risk population.

Use of Virtual Interactive Patient Encounters to Prepare First-Year Medical Students for Clinical Practice

PROBLEM

With the dissolution of the Step 2 Clinical Skills exam, medical programs have a greater responsibility to teach and assess clinical skills in the preclerkship years. Clinical teaching this early has traditionally been avoided because of insufficient integration with biomedical sciences, curricular time constraints, and concerns about overwhelming novice learners with clinical learning objectives. To overcome these barriers, the authors created a clinical framework for the biomedical science curriculum by integrating a series of virtual interactive patient (VIP) videos.

APPROACH

Matriculating first-year medical students were enrolled in a clinically integrated biomedical science course that used VIP videos to teach and assess clinical skills. The VIP videos were enhanced with interactive pop-in windows, and at the conclusion of each video, students performed a clinical documentation task and received immediate feedback. The authors implemented 7 VIP cases during fall 2021 in which first-year medical students wrote the patient care plan, problem representation statement, or clinical reasoning assessment. Student responses were independently evaluated by course faculty using a 4-level scoring scale. The authors calculated the pooled mean scores for each documentation task and examined student feedback.

OUTCOMES

Seven VIP encounters were assigned to 124 students (mean response rate, 98.5%). Pooled mean scores on the clinical documentation tasks showed that most students were able to achieve levels 3 or 4 when writing the patient care plan (97 [82%] to 113 [94%]), addressing social determinants of health (80 [67%]), writing an accurate problem representation statement (113 [91%] to 117 [94%]), and performing clinical reasoning skills (48 [40%] to 95 [82%]).

NEXT STEPS

VIP encounters were feasible to produce, effective at integrating course content, successful at assessing student clinical documentation skills, and well received. The authors will continue to produce, implement, and study the VIP as an integrating learning tool in undergraduate medical education.

Six-month incidence of hypertension and diabetes among adults with HIV in Tanzania: A prospective cohort study

Data describing the incidence of hypertension and diabetes among people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa remain sparse. In this study, adults with HIV were enrolled from a public clinic in Moshi, Tanzania (September 2020-March 2021). At enrollment, a survey was administered to collect information on comorbidities and medication use. Each participant's blood pressure and point-of-care glucose were measured. Baseline hypertension was defined by blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or self-reported hypertension at enrollment. Baseline diabetes was defined by self-reported diabetes or hyperglycemia (fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl or random glucose ≥200 mg/dl) at enrollment. At 6-month follow-up, participants' blood pressure and point-of-care glucose were again measured. Incident hypertension was defined by self-report of new hypertension diagnosis or blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg at follow-up in a participant without baseline hypertension. Incident diabetes was defined as self-report of new diabetes diagnosis or measured hyperglycemia at follow-up in a participant without baseline diabetes. During the study period, 477 participants were enrolled, of whom 310 did not have baseline hypertension and 457 did not have baseline diabetes. At six-month follow-up, 51 participants (95% CI: 38, 67) had new-onset hypertension, corresponding to an incidence of 33 new cases of hypertension per 100 person-years. Participants with incident hypertension at 6-month follow-up were more likely to have a history of alcohol use (90.2% vs. 73.7%, OR = 3.18, 95% CI:1.32-9.62, p = 0.008) and were older (mean age = 46.5 vs. 42.3, p = 0.027). At six-month follow-up, 8 participants (95% CI: 3, 16) had new-onset diabetes, corresponding to an incidence of 3 new cases of diabetes per 100 person-years. In conclusion, the incidence of elevated blood pressure and diabetes among Tanzanians with HIV is higher than what has been reported in high-income settings.

Antibacterial Utilization for Febrile Illnesses and Laboratory-Confirmed Bloodstream Infections in Northern Tanzania

Background

We describe antibacterial use in light of microbiology data and treatment guidelines for common febrile syndromes in Moshi, Tanzania.

Methods

We compared data from 2 hospital-based prospective cohort studies, cohort 1 (2011-2014) and cohort 2 (2016-2019), that enrolled febrile children and adults. A study team member administered a standardized questionnaire, performed a physical examination, and collected blood cultures. Participants with bloodstream infection (BSI) were categorized as receiving effective or ineffective therapy based upon antimicrobial susceptibility interpretations. Antibacterials prescribed for treatment of pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), or presumed sepsis were compared with World Health Organization and Tanzania Standard Treatment Guidelines. We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression to describe antibacterial use.

Results

Among participants, 430 of 1043 (41.2%) and 501 of 1132 (44.3%) reported antibacterial use prior to admission in cohorts 1 and 2, respectively. During admission, 930 of 1043 (89.2%) received antibacterials in cohort 1 and 1060 of 1132 (93.6%) in cohort 2. Inpatient use of ceftriaxone, metronidazole, and ampicillin increased between cohorts (P ≤ .002 for each). BSI was detected in 38 (3.6%) participants in cohort 1 and 47 (4.2%) in cohort 2. Of 85 participants with BSI, 81 (95.3%) had complete data and 52 (64.2%) were prescribed effective antibacterials. Guideline-consistent therapy in cohort 1 and cohort 2 was as follows: pneumonia, 87.4% and 56.8%; UTI, 87.6% and 69.0%; sepsis, 84.4% and 61.2% (P ≤ .001 for each).

Conclusions

Receipt of antibacterials for febrile illness was common. While guideline-consistent prescribing increased over time, more than one-third of participants with BSI received ineffective antibacterials.

Six-month blood pressure and glucose control among HIV-infected adults with elevated blood pressure and hyperglycemia in northern Tanzania: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

People with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly developing age-related comorbidities. The purpose of this prospective observational study was to describe 6-month outcomes among Tanzanians with HIV and elevated blood pressure or hyperglycemia under current care pathways.

METHODS

Adults presenting for routine HIV care were enrolled and underwent blood pressure and blood glucose measurements. Participants with abnormal blood pressure or glucose were referred for further care, as per current guidelines. Participants' blood pressure and point-of-care glucose were re-evaluated during their 6-month follow-up visit. Elevated blood pressure was defined as systolic ≥140 mmHg or diastolic ≥90 mmHg. Hyperglycemia was defined as fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl or random glucose ≥200 mg/dl. An electrocardiogram was obtained at enrollment and at follow-up. Interim myocardial infarction and interim myocardial ischemia were defined as new pathologic Q waves and new T-wave inversions, respectively.

RESULTS

Of 500 participants, 155 had elevated blood pressure and 17 had hyperglycemia at enrolment. At 6-month follow-up, 7 (4.6%) of 155 participants with elevated blood pressure reported current use of an anti-hypertensive medication, 100 (66.2%) had persistent elevated blood pressure, 12 (7.9%) developed interim myocardial infarction, and 13 (8.6%) developed interim myocardial ischemia. Among 17 participants with hyperglycemia, 9 (56%) had persistent hyperglycemia at 6 months and 2 (12.5%) reported current use of an anti-hyperglycemic medication.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions are needed to improve non-communicable disease care pathways among Tanzanians with HIV.

Hypertension in an Emergency Department Population in Moshi, Tanzania; A Qualitative Study of Barriers to Hypertension Control

BACKGROUND

Sub-Saharan Africa has a high prevalence of hypertension with a low rate of awareness, treatment adherence, and control. The emergency department (ED) may represent a unique opportunity to improve hypertension screening, awareness, and linkage to care. We conducted a qualitative study among hypertensive patients presenting to the ED and their healthcare providers to determine barriers to hypertension care and control.

METHODS

In northern Tanzania, between November and December 2017, we conducted three focus group discussions among patients with hypertension presenting to the emergency department and three in-depth interviews among emergency department physicians. In our study, hypertension was defined as a single blood pressure of ≥160/100 mm Hg or a two-time average of ≥140/90 mm Hg. Barriers to care were identified by thematic analysis applying an inductive approach within the framework method.

RESULTS

We enrolled 24 total patients into three focus groups and performed three in-depth interviews with individual providers. Thematic analysis identified two major domains: 1) patient knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and 2) structural barriers to hypertension care. Four major themes emerged within the knowledge, attitudes, and practices domain, including disease chronicity, provider communication, family support, and fear-based attitudes. Within the structural domain, several themes emerged that identified barriers that impeded hypertension follow-up care and self-management, including cost, access to care, and transportation and wait time.

CONCLUSION

Patients and physicians identified multiple barriers and facilitators to hypertension care. These perspectives may be helpful to design emergency department-based interventions that target blood pressure control and linkage to outpatient care.

Prevalence and predictors of uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, and obesity among adults with HIV in northern Tanzania

HIV is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but there has been less study of cardiovascular comorbidities among people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. In a cross-sectional observational study, Tanzanian adults presenting for outpatient HIV care completed a questionnaire and underwent weight, height, blood pressure, and blood glucose measurement. Hypertension was defined by blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or self-reported hypertension. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as measured blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg. Diabetes was defined by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl, random glucose ≥200 mg/dl, or self-reported diabetes. Obesity was defined by body mass index ≥30 kg/m2. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of uncontrolled hypertension. Among 500 participants, 173 (34.6%) had hypertension, 21 (4.2%) had diabetes, and 99 (19.8%) were obese. Of those with hypertension, 116 (67.1%) were unaware of their hypertension, and 155 (89.6%) had uncontrolled hypertension. In multivariate analysis, uncontrolled hypertension was associated with older age (OR 1.07, 95% CI: 1.05-1.10, p < 0.001) and higher body mass index (OR 1.17, 95% CI: 1.11-1.22, p < 0.001). Interventions are needed to improve screening and treatment for hypertension, diabetes, and obesity among Tanzanians with HIV.

Healthcare-seeking behaviour, barriers to care and predictors of symptom improvement among patients with cardiovascular disease in northern Tanzania

BACKGROUND

Little is known about healthcare-seeking behaviour and barriers to care for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in sub-Saharan Africa.

METHODS

Emergency department patients in Tanzania with acute CVD were prospectively enrolled. Questionnaires were administered at enrollment and 30 d later.

RESULTS

Of 241 patients, 186 (77.2%) had visited another facility for the same illness episode (median symptom duration prior to presentation was 7 d) and 82 (34.0%) reported that they were initially unaware of the potential seriousness of their symptoms. Of the 208 (86.3%) patients completing follow-up, 16 (7.7%) had died, 38 (18.3%) had visited another facility for persistent symptoms, 99 (47.6%) felt they understood their diagnosis, 87 (41.8%) felt they understood their treatment and 11 (7.8%) could identify any of their medications. Predictors of 30 d survival with symptom improvement included medication compliance (p<0.001), understanding the diagnosis (p=0.007), understanding the treatment (p<0.001) and greater CVD knowledge (p=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with CVD in Tanzania usually visit multiple facilities for the same illness episode, typically after prolonged delays. Only a minority understand their diagnosis and treatment, and such understanding is correlated with survival with symptom improvement. Patient-centred interventions are needed to improve the quality of cardiovascular care in Tanzania.

One-Year Outcomes and Factors Associated With Mortality Following Acute Myocardial Infarction in Northern Tanzania

BACKGROUND

Little is known about long-term outcomes and uptake of secondary preventative therapies following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in sub-Saharan Africa.

METHODS

Consecutive patients presenting with AMI (as defined by the Fourth Universal Definition of AMI Criteria) to a northern Tanzanian referral hospital were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Follow-up surveys assessing mortality, medication use, and rehospitalization were administered at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months following initial presentation, by telephone or in person. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify baseline clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with one-year mortality.

RESULTS

Of 152 enrolled patients with AMI, 5 were lost to one-year follow-up (96.7% retention rate). Mortality rates were 34.9% (53 of 152 participants) during the initial hospitalization, 48.7% (73 of 150 patients) at 3 months, 52.7% (78 of 148 patients) at 6 months, 55.4% (82 of 148 patients) at 9 months, and 59.9% (88 of 147 patients) at one year. Of 59 patients surviving to one-year follow-up, 43 (72.9%) reported persistent anginal symptoms, 5 (8.5%) were taking an antiplatelet, 8 (13.6%) were taking an antihypertensive, 30 (50.8%) had been rehospitalized, and 7 (11.9%) had ever undergone cardiac catheterization. On multivariate analysis, one-year mortality was associated with lack of secondary education (odds ratio, 0.26 [95% CI, 0.11-0.58]; P=0.001), lower body mass index (odds ratio, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.82-0.98]; P=0.015), and higher initial troponin (odds ratio, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.05-1.80]; P=0.052).

CONCLUSIONS

In northern Tanzania, AMI is associated with high all-cause one-year mortality and use of evidence-based secondary preventative therapies among AMI survivors is low. Interventions are needed to improve AMI care and outcomes.

Incidence Estimates of Acute Q Fever and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, from 2007 to 2008 and from 2012 to 2014

Q fever and spotted fever group rickettsioses (SFGR) are common causes of severe febrile illness in northern Tanzania. Incidence estimates are needed to characterize the disease burden. Using hybrid surveillance—coupling case-finding at two referral hospitals and healthcare utilization data—we estimated the incidences of acute Q fever and SFGR in Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, from 2007 to 2008 and from 2012 to 2014. Cases were defined as fever and a four-fold or greater increase in antibody titers of acute and convalescent paired sera according to the indirect immunofluorescence assay of Coxiella burnetii phase II antigen for acute Q fever and Rickettsia conorii (2007–2008) or Rickettsia africae (2012–2014) antigens for SFGR. Healthcare utilization data were used to adjust for underascertainment of cases by sentinel surveillance. For 2007 to 2008, among 589 febrile participants, 16 (4.7%) of 344 and 27 (8.8%) of 307 participants with paired serology had Q fever and SFGR, respectively. Adjusted annual incidence estimates of Q fever and SFGR were 80 (uncertainty range, 20–454) and 147 (uncertainty range, 52–645) per 100,000 persons, respectively. For 2012 to 2014, among 1,114 febrile participants, 52 (8.1%) and 57 (8.9%) of 641 participants with paired serology had Q fever and SFGR, respectively. Adjusted annual incidence estimates of Q fever and SFGR were 56 (uncertainty range, 24–163) and 75 (uncertainty range, 34–176) per 100,000 persons, respectively. We found substantial incidences of acute Q fever and SFGR in northern Tanzania during both study periods. To our knowledge, these are the first incidence estimates of either disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Our findings suggest that control measures for these infections warrant consideration.

The prevalence, management, and thirty-day outcomes of symptomatic atrial fibrillation in a Tanzanian emergency department

Introduction

Data describing atrial fibrillation (AF) care in emergency centres (ECs) in sub-Saharan Africa is lacking. We sought to describe the prevalence and outcomes of AF in a Tanzanian EC.

Methods

In a prospective, observational study, adults presenting with chest pain or shortness of breath to a Tanzanian EC were enrolled from January through October 2019. Participants underwent electrocardiogram testing which were reviewed by two independent physician judges to determine presence of AF. Participants were asked about their medical history and medication use at enrollment, and a follow-up questionnaire was administered via telephone thirty days later to assess mortality, interim stroke, and medication use.

Results

Of 681 enrolled patients, 53 (7.8%) had AF. The mean age of participants with AF was 68.1, with a standard deviation (sd) of 21.1 years, and 23 of the 53 (43.4%) being male. On presentation, none of the participants found to have AF reported a previous history of AF. The median CHADS-VASC score among participants was 4 with an interquartile range (IQR) of 2-4. No participants were taking an anticoagulant at baseline. On index presentation, 49 (92.5%) participants with AF were hospitalised with 52 (98.1%) participants completing 30-day follow-up. 18 (34%) participants died, and 5 (9.6%) suffered a stroke. Of the surviving 31 participants with AF and a CHADS-VASC score ≥ 2, none were taking other anti-coagulants at 30 days. Compared to participants without AF, participants with AF were more likely to be hospitalised (OR 5.25, 95% CI 2.10-17.95, p < 0.001), more likely to die within thirty days (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.03-3.50, p = 0.031), and more likely to suffer a stroke within thirty days (OR 5.91, 95% CI 1.76-17.28, p < 0.001).

Discussion

AF is common in a Tanzanian EC, with thirty-day mortality being high, but use of evidence-based therapies is rare. There is an opportunity to improve AF care and outcomes in Tanzania.

•

In a Tanzanian emergency centre, atrial fibrillation was common but patient awareness of their condition was low

•

Use of anticoagulants among patients with atrial fibrillation was rare both before and after hospital presentation

•

Following hospital presentation, thirty-day mortality and stroke rates among patients with atrial fibrillation were high

Knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding ischemic heart disease among HIV-positive individuals in northern Tanzania

OBJECTIVES

To describe knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding ischemic heart disease (IHD) among adults with HIV in Tanzania.

METHODS

Adults presenting for routine HIV care at a clinic in northern Tanzania were consecutively enrolled and were administered a standardised KAP survey. For each participant, an IHD knowledge score was calculated by tallying correct answers to the IHD knowledge questions, with maximum score 10. Individual 5-year risk of cardiovascular event was calculated using the Harvard NHANES model. Associations between participant characteristics and IHD knowledge scores were assessed via Welch's t-test.

RESULTS

Among the 500 participants, the mean (SD) age was 45.3 (11.4) years and 139 (27.8%) were males. Most participants recognised high blood pressure (n = 313, 62.6%) as a risk factor for IHD, but fewer identified diabetes as a risk factor (n = 241, 48.2%), or knew that aspirin reduces the risk of a secondary cardiovascular event (n = 73, 14.6%). Higher IHD knowledge score was associated with post-primary education (mean 6.27 vs. 5.35, p = 0.001) and with >10% 5-year risk of cardiovascular event (mean 5.97 vs. 5.41, p = 0.045). Most participants believed there were things they could do to reduce their chances of having a heart attack (n = 361, 72.2%). While participants indicated that they adhered to their prescribed medications (n = 488, 97.6%), only 106 (21.2%) attended regular health check-ups.

CONCLUSION

Efforts are needed to improve gaps in IHD knowledge, and increase uptake of cardiovascular preventative practices among Tanzanian adults with HIV.

The genomic epidemiology of multi-drug resistant invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella in selected sub-Saharan African countries

Background

Invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella (iNTS) is one of the leading causes of bacteraemia in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to provide a better understanding of the genetic characteristics and transmission patterns associated with multi-drug resistant (MDR) iNTS serovars across the continent.

Methods

A total of 166 iNTS isolates collected from a multi-centre surveillance in 10 African countries (2010–2014) and a fever study in Ghana (2007–2009) were genome sequenced to investigate the geographical distribution, antimicrobial genetic determinants and population structure of iNTS serotypes–genotypes. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted in the context of the existing genomic frameworks for various iNTS serovars. Population-based incidence of MDR-iNTS disease was estimated in each study site.

Results

Salmonella Typhimurium sequence-type (ST) 313 and Salmonella Enteritidis ST11 were predominant, and both exhibited high frequencies of MDR; Salmonella Dublin ST10 was identified in West Africa only. Mutations in the gyrA gene (fluoroquinolone resistance) were identified in S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium in Ghana; an ST313 isolate carrying bla_CTX-M-15 was found in Kenya. International transmission of MDR ST313 (lineage II) and MDR ST11 (West African clade) was observed between Ghana and neighbouring West African countries. The incidence of MDR-iNTS disease exceeded 100/100 000 person-years-of-observation in children aged <5 years in several West African countries.

Conclusions

We identified the circulation of multiple MDR iNTS serovar STs in the sampled sub-Saharan African countries. Investment in the development and deployment of iNTS vaccines coupled with intensified antimicrobial resistance surveillance are essential to limit the impact of these pathogens in Africa.

Thirty-day outcomes and predictors of mortality following acute myocardial infarction in northern Tanzania: A prospective observational cohort study

OBJECTIVE

There is a rising burden of myocardial infarction (MI) within sub-Saharan Africa. Prospective studies of detailed MI outcomes in the region are lacking.

METHODS

Adult patients with confirmed MI from a prospective surveillance study in northern Tanzania were enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study after baseline health history, medication use, and sociodemographic data were obtained. Thirty days following hospital presentation, symptom status, rehospitalizations, medication use, and mortality were assessed via telephone or in-person interviews using a standardized follow-up questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify baseline predictors of thirty-day mortality.

RESULTS

Thirty-day follow-up was achieved for 150 (98.7%) of 152 enrolled participants. Of these, 85 (56.7%) survived to thirty-day follow-up. Of the surviving participants, 71 (83.5%) reported persistent anginal symptoms, four (4.7%) reported taking aspirin regularly, seven (8.2%) were able to identify MI as the reason for their hospitalization, and 17 (20.0%) had unscheduled rehospitalizations. Self-reported history of diabetes at baseline (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.10-0.89, p = 0.04), self-reported history of hypertension at baseline (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.15-0.74, p = 0.01), and antiplatelet use at initial presentation (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04-0.65, p = 0.02) were all associated with lower odds of thirty-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In northern Tanzania, thirty-day outcomes following acute MI are poor, and mortality is associated with self-awareness of comorbidities and medication usage. Further investigation is needed to develop interventions to improve care and outcomes of MI in Tanzania.

Incidence of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Northern Tanzania: A Modeling Approach Within a Prospective Observational Study

Background

Rigorous incidence data for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in sub‐Saharan Africa are lacking. Consequently, modeling studies based on limited data have suggested that the burden of AMI and AMI‐associated mortality in sub‐Saharan Africa is lower than in other world regions.

Methods and Results

We estimated the incidence of AMI in northern Tanzania in 2019 by integrating data from a prospective surveillance study (681 participants) and a community survey of healthcare‐seeking behavior (718 participants). In the surveillance study, adults presenting to an emergency department with chest pain or shortness of breath were screened for AMI with ECG and troponin testing. AMI was defined by the Fourth Universal Definition of AMI criteria. Mortality was assessed 30 days following enrollment via in‐person or telephone interviews. In the cluster‐based community survey, adults in northern Tanzania were asked where they would present for chest pain or shortness of breath. Multipliers were applied to account for AMI cases that would have been missed by our surveillance methods. The estimated annual incidence of AMI was 172 (207 among men and 139 among women) cases per 100 000 people. The age‐standardized annual incidence was 211 (263 among men and 170 among women) per 100 000 people. The estimated annual incidence of AMI‐associated mortality was 87 deaths per 100 000 people, and the age‐standardized annual incidence was 102 deaths per 100 000 people.

Conclusions

The incidence of AMI and AMI‐associated mortality in northern Tanzania is much higher than previously estimated and similar to that observed in high‐income countries.

Multicountry Distribution and Characterization of Extended-spectrum β-Lactamase-associated Gram-negative Bacteria From Bloodstream Infections in Sub-Saharan Africa

Background

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health concern, yet, there are noticeable gaps in AMR surveillance data in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to measure the prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Gram-negative bacteria in bloodstream infections from 12 sentinel sites in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

Data were generated during the Typhoid Fever Surveillance in Africa Program (TSAP), in which standardized blood cultures were performed on febrile patients attending 12 health facilities in 9 sub-Saharan African countries between 2010 and 2014. Pathogenic bloodstream isolates were identified at the sites and then subsequently confirmed at a central reference laboratory. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, detection of ESBL production, and conventional multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for genes encoding for β-lactamase were performed on all pathogens.

Results

Five hundred and five pathogenic Gram-negative bloodstream isolates were isolated during the study period and available for further characterization. This included 423 Enterobacteriaceae. Phenotypically, 61 (12.1%) isolates exhibited ESBL activity, and genotypically, 47 (9.3%) yielded a PCR amplicon for at least one of the screened ESBL genes. Among specific Gram-negative isolates, 40 (45.5%) of 88 Klebsiella spp., 7 (5.7%) of 122 Escherichia coli, 6 (16.2%) of 37 Acinetobacter spp., and 2 (1.3%) of 159 of nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) showed phenotypic ESBL activity.

Conclusions

Our findings confirm the presence of ESBL production among pathogens causing bloodstream infections in sub-Saharan Africa. With few alternatives for managing ESBL-producing pathogens in the African setting, measures to control the development and proliferation of AMR organisms are urgently needed.

Effect of a Triage-Based Screening Protocol on Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome in a Tanzanian Emergency Department: A Prospective Pre-Post Study

Background Evidence suggests that acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is underdiagnosed in sub-Saharan Africa. Triage-based interventions have improved ACS diagnosis and management in high-income settings but have not been evaluated in sub-Saharan African emergency departments (EDs). Our objective was to estimate the effect of a triage-based screening protocol on ACS diagnosis and care in a Tanzanian ED. Methods and Results All adults presenting to a Tanzanian ED with chest pain or shortness of breath were prospectively enrolled. Treatments and clinician-documented diagnoses were observed and recorded. In the preintervention phase (August 2018 through January 2019), ACS testing and treatment were dictated by physician discretion, as per usual care. A triage-based protocol was then introduced, and in the postintervention phase (January 2019 through October 2019), research assistants performed ECG and point-of-care troponin I testing on all patients with chest pain or shortness of breath upon ED arrival. Pre-post analyses compared ACS care between phases. Of 1020 total participants (339 preintervention phase, 681 postintervention phase), mean (SD) age was 58.9 (19.4) years. Six (1.8%) preintervention participants were diagnosed with ACS, versus 83 (12.2%) postintervention participants (odds ratio [OR], 7.51; 95% CI, 3.52-19.7; P<0.001). Among all participants, 3 (0.9%) preintervention participants received aspirin, compared with 50 (7.3%) postintervention participants (OR, 8.45; 95% CI, 3.07-36.13; P<0.001). Conclusions Introduction of a triage-based ACS screening protocol in a Tanzanian ED was associated with significant increases in ACS diagnoses and aspirin administration. Additional research is needed to determine the effect of ED-based interventions on ACS care and clinical end points in sub-Saharan Africa.

Acute myocardial infarction under-diagnosis and mortality in a Tanzanian emergency department: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Growing evidence suggests that under-diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) may be common in sub-Saharan Africa. Prospective studies of routine AMI screening among patients presenting to emergency departments in sub-Saharan Africa are lacking. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of AMI among patients in a Tanzanian emergency department.

METHODS

In a prospective observational study, consecutive adult patients presenting with chest pain or shortness of breath to a referral hospital emergency department in northern Tanzania were enrolled. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and troponin testing were performed for all participants to diagnose AMI types according to the Fourth Universal Definition. All ECGs were interpreted by two independent physician judges. ECGs suggesting ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) were further reviewed by additional judges. Mortality was assessed 30 days following enrollment.

RESULTS

Of 681 enrolled participants, 152 (22.3%) had AMI, including 61 STEMIs and 91 non-STEMIS (NSTEMIs). Of AMI patients, 91 (59.9%) were male, mean (SD) age was 61.2 (18.5) years, and mean (SD) duration of symptoms prior to presentation was 6.6 (12.2) days. In the emergency department, 35 (23.0%) AMI patients received aspirin and none received thrombolytics. Of 150 (98.7%) AMI patients completing 30-day follow-up, 65 (43.3%) had died.

CONCLUSIONS

In a northern Tanzanian emergency department, AMI is common, rarely treated with evidence-based therapies, and associated with high mortality. Interventions are needed to improve AMI diagnosis, care, and outcomes.

Hypertension burden and challenges across the hypertension treatment cascade among adults enrolled in HIV care in northern Tanzania

Failure to address hypertension among people living with HIV (PLWH) may undermine the significant progress made toward reducing mortality among this high-risk population in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Here, the authors report hypertension prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment among patients enrolled in HIV care in Tanzania. Patients attending an HIV clinic were consecutively screened for hypertension. Hypertension was defined as follows: a single blood pressure measurement ≥160 mm Hg systolic or ≥100 mm Hg diastolic, two measurements at separate visits ≥140 mm Hg systolic or ≥90 mm Hg diastolic, or self-reported hypertension diagnosis. The authors screened 555 patients, and 19.6% met hypertension criteria. Among a subset of 91 hypertensive participants, 44 (48.4%) reported previous blood pressure measurements, 32 (35.2%) were aware of diagnosis, 10 (11.0%) reported current antihypertensive use, and none had controlled blood pressure. Addressing barriers along the hypertension treatment cascade must be a top priority to improve cardiovascular outcomes among PLWH in SSA.

Self-medication with non-prescribed pharmaceutical agents in an area of low malaria transmission in northern Tanzania: a community-based survey

Background

Self-treatment with antimicrobials is common in sub-Saharan Africa. Little is known about the prevalence of this practice where malaria transmission intensity is low, and little is known about the prevalence of self-treatment with other medications such as antihypertensives and antihyperglycemics.

Methods

A two-stage randomized population-based cluster survey with selection proportional to population size was performed in northern Tanzania. Self-identified healthcare decision-makers from randomly selected households were asked to report instances of self-medication without a prescription in the preceding year. Associations between self-treatment and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed with Pearson’s chi-squared and the Student’s t-test.

Results

A total of 718 participants completed the survey, and 344 (47.9%) reported any household member obtaining medication without a prescription. Of these, 85 (11.8%) obtained an antimicrobial and four (0.6%) obtained an antihypertensive or antihyperglycemic. Of respondents reporting self-treatment, 306 (89.0%) selected the medication themselves. Self-treatment with antimicrobials was associated with post-primary education (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.22–3.16, p=0.005), younger age (43.1 vs 48.7 years, p=0.007) and higher socioeconomic status score (0.42 vs 0.34, p=0.023).

Conclusions

Self-treatment with antimicrobials in an area of low malaria transmission intensity was uncommon and self-treatment with antihypertensives and antihyperglycemics was rare.

Provider-perceived barriers to diagnosis and treatment of acute coronary syndrome in Tanzania: a qualitative study

Background

The incidence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is growing across sub-Saharan Africa and many healthcare systems are ill-equipped for this growing burden. Evidence suggests that healthcare providers may be underdiagnosing and undertreating ACS, leading to poor health outcomes. The goal of this study was to examine provider perspectives on barriers to ACS care in Tanzania in order to identify opportunities for interventions to improve care.

Methods

Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with physicians and clinical officers from emergency departments and outpatient departments in northern Tanzania. Thematic analysis was conducted using an iterative cycle of coding and consensus building.

Results

The 11 participants included six physicians and five clinical officers from health centers, community hospitals and one referral hospital. Providers identified barriers related to providers, systems and patients. Provider-related barriers included inadequate training regarding ACS and poor application of textbook-based knowledge. System-related barriers included lack of diagnostic equipment, unavailability of treatments, referral system delays, lack of data regarding disease burden, absence of locally relevant guidelines and cost of care. Patient-related barriers included inadequate ACS knowledge, inappropriate healthcare-seeking behavior and non-adherence.

Conclusions

This study identified actionable barriers to ACS care in northern Tanzania. Multifaceted interventions are urgently needed to improve care.

The burden of acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, and stroke among emergency department admissions in Tanzania: A retrospective observational study

Introduction

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa is substantial and growing. Much remains to be learned about the relative burden of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), heart failure, and stroke on emergency departments and hospital admissions.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of admissions from September 2017 through March 2018 was conducted at the emergency department of a tertiary care center in northern Tanzania. Stroke admission volume was compared to previously published data from the same hospital and adjusted for population growth.

Results

Of 2418 adult admissions, heart failure and stroke were the two most common admission diagnoses, accounting for 294 (12.2%) and 204 (8.4%) admissions, respectively. ACS was uncommon, accounting for 9 (0.3%) admissions. Of patients admitted for heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension was the most commonly identified etiology of heart failure, cited in 124 (42.2%) cases. Ischemic heart disease was cited as the etiology in only 1 (0.3%) case. Adjusting for population growth, the annual volume of stroke admissions increased 70-fold in 43 years, from 2.9 admissions per 100,000 population in 1974 to 202.2 admissions per 100,000 in 2017.

Conclusions

The burden of heart failure and stroke on hospital admissions in Tanzania is substantial, and the volume of stroke admissions is rising precipitously. ACS is a rare diagnosis, and the distribution of cardiovascular disease phenotypes in Tanzania differs from what has been observed outside of Africa. Further research is needed to ascertain the reasons for these differences.

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In northern Tanzania, acute coronary syndrome is a rare admission diagnosis

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Heart failure and stroke are the most common admission diagnoses

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The burden of stroke admissions in this community is rising rapidly

The Burden of Hypertension and Diabetes in an Emergency Department in Northern Tanzania

Introduction

Little is known about the burden of hypertension and diabetes on emergency department (ED) utilization and hospitalizations in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

A retrospective review of adult ED patients in northern Tanzania was performed from September 2017 through March 2018. Hypertension was defined as documented diagnosis of hypertension or blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mm Hg. Diabetes was defined as documented diagnosis of diabetes mellitus or random glucose ≥ 200 mg/dL.

Results

Of 3961 adult ED patients, 1359 (34.3%) had hypertension, 518 (13.1%) had diabetes, and 273 (6.9%) had both. Both hypertension (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.23-1.63, P<.001) and diabetes (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.66-2.54, P<.001) were associated with increased odds of admission. Of 2418 hospital admissions, 694 (28.7%) were for complications of hypertension or diabetes. Of 499 patients admitted for hypertensive complications, the most common admission diagnoses were: heart failure (163 patients, 32.7%); stroke (147 patients, 29.5%); and severe hypertension (139 patients, 27.9%). Of 278 patients admitted for diabetic complications, the most common admission diagnoses were: hyperglycemia (158 patients, 56.9%); infection (60 patients, 21.6%); and stroke (28 patients, 10.1%).

Conclusions

The burden of hypertension and diabetes in a Tanzanian ED is high, and the ED may serve as an opportune location for case identification and linkage-to-care interventions. Given the large proportion of Africans with undiagnosed hypertension and diabetes, an ED-based screening program would likely identify many new cases of these diseases. The high burden of hypertension- and diabetes-related hospitalizations highlights the urgent need for improvements in primary preventative care in Tanzania.

Knowledge, attitudes, and preventative practices regarding ischemic heart disease among emergency department patients in northern Tanzania

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to increase understanding of knowledge, attitudes, and preventative practices regarding ischemic heart disease (IHD) in sub-Saharan Africa in order to develop patient-centered interventions to improve care and outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a prospective observational study.

METHODS

Adult patients presenting with chest pain or shortness of breath to an emergency department in northern Tanzania were enrolled. A questionnaire was adapted from existing knowledge attitude and practice surveys regarding cardiovascular disease and the WHO STEPS instrument. Individual five-year risk of cardiovascular event was determined by validated models based on age, sex, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, diabetes, and smoking status. An IHD knowledge score was calculated by giving one point for each correct response to the knowledge-related items, with a maximum score of 10. Associations between IHD knowledge and patient characteristics were assessed by Welch's t-test.

RESULTS

A total of 349 patients were enrolled, with median interquartile range (IQR) age 60 (45, 72) years. Of participants, 259 (74.2%) had hypertension, and 228 (65.3%) had greater than 10% five-year risk of cardiovascular event. The mean (SD) knowledge score was 4.8 (3.3). The majority of respondents (224, 64.2%) recognized obesity as a risk factor for heart attack, while a minority (34, 9.7%) knew that a daily aspirin could reduce the risk of cardiovascular event. Greater IHD knowledge was associated with younger age (P = 0.045) and higher levels of education (P < 0.001) but not higher risk of cardiovascular disease (P = 0.123). Most respondents expressed a willingness to diet to improve their health (322, 92.3%) and a preference for treatment from a physician rather than a traditional healer for a heart attack (321, 92.0%). A minority of patients reported exercising regularly (88, 25.2%) or seeing a doctor routinely for checkups (100, 28.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

High-risk emergency department patients in northern Tanzania have moderate knowledge regarding IHD but do not consistently engage in healthy preventive practices. Patient-centered interventions are needed to improve IHD knowledge and practices in high-risk populations.

Incidence of human brucellosis in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania in the periods 2007-2008 and 2012-2014

Background

Brucellosis causes substantial morbidity among humans and their livestock. There are few robust estimates of the incidence of brucellosis in sub-Saharan Africa. Using cases identified through sentinel hospital surveillance and health care utilization data, we estimated the incidence of brucellosis in Moshi Urban and Moshi Rural Districts, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania, for the periods 2007–2008 and 2012–2014.

Methods

Cases were identified among febrile patients at two sentinel hospitals and were defined as having either a 4-fold increase in Brucella microscopic agglutination test titres between acute and convalescent serum or a blood culture positive for Brucella spp. Findings from a health care utilization survey were used to estimate multipliers to account for cases not seen at sentinel hospitals.

Results

Of 585 patients enrolled in the period 2007–2008, 13 (2.2%) had brucellosis. Among 1095 patients enrolled in the period 2012–2014, 32 (2.9%) had brucellosis. We estimated an incidence (range based on sensitivity analysis) of brucellosis of 35 (range 32–93) cases per 100 000 persons annually in the period 2007–2008 and 33 (range 30–89) cases per 100 000 persons annually in the period 2012–2014.

Conclusions

We found a moderate incidence of brucellosis in northern Tanzania, suggesting that the disease is endemic and an important human health problem in this area.

Perceptions of Stroke and Associated Health-Care-Seeking Behavior in Northern Tanzania: A Community-Based Study

BACKGROUND

Little is known about knowledge of stroke symptoms, perceptions of self-risk, and health-care-seeking behavior for stroke in East Africa.

METHODS

A 2-stage randomized population-based cluster survey with selection proportional to population size was performed in northern Tanzania. Self-identified household health-care decision makers were asked to list all symptoms of a stroke. They were further asked if they thought they had a chance of having a stroke and where they would present for care for stroke-like symptoms. A socioeconomic status score was derived via principal component analysis from 9 variables related to wealth.

RESULTS

Of 670 respondents, 184 (27.4%) knew a conventional stroke symptom and 51 (7.6%) thought they had a chance of having a stroke. Females were less likely to perceive themselves to be at risk than males (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.28-0.89, p = 0.014). Of respondents, 558 (88.3%) stated they would present to a hospital for stroke-like symptoms. Preference for a hospital was not associated with knowledge of stroke symptoms or perception of self-risk but was associated with a higher socioeconomic status score (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Knowledge of stroke symptoms and perception of self-risk are low in northern Tanzania, but most residents would present to a hospital for stroke-like symptoms.

Knowledge of myocardial infarction symptoms and perceptions of self-risk in Tanzania

Background

Little is known about community knowledge of myocardial infarction symptoms and perceptions of self-risk in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

A community survey was conducted in northern Tanzania, where the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is high. Households were selected randomly in a population-weighted fashion and surveys were administered to self-identified household healthcare decision-makers. Respondents were asked to list all symptoms of a heart attack and asked whether they thought they had a chance of suffering a heart attack. Associations between participant sociodemographic features and responses to these questions were assessed with Pearson's chi-squared and the Student t test.

Results

There were 718 survey participants, with median (IQR) age 48 (32, 62) years. Of these, 115 (16.0%) were able to identify any conventional symptom of a heart attack, including 24 (3.3%) respondents who cited chest pain as a possible symptom. There was no association between ability to identify a conventional symptom and gender, level of education, socioeconomic status, urban residence, or age. Of respondents, 198 (27.6%) thought they had a chance of suffering a heart attack. Older respondents were more likely to perceive themselves to be at risk (P < .001), but there was no association between perception of self-risk and gender, level of education, socioeconomic status, or urban residence.

Conclusions

In northern Tanzania, knowledge of myocardial infarction symptoms is poor among all segments of the population and only a minority of residents perceive themselves to be at risk of this disease. Educational interventions regarding ischemic heart disease are urgently needed.

Perceptions of chest pain and healthcare seeking behavior for chest pain in northern Tanzania: A community-based survey

Background

Little is known about community perceptions of chest pain and healthcare seeking behavior for chest pain in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

A two-stage randomized population-based cluster survey with selection proportional to population size was performed in northern Tanzania. Self-identified household healthcare decision-makers from randomly selected households were asked to list all possible causes of chest pain in an adult and asked where they would go if an adult household member had chest pain.

Results

Of 718 respondents, 485 (67.5%) were females. The most commonly cited causes of chest pain were weather and exercise, identified by 342 (47.6%) and 318 (44.3%) respondents. Two (0.3%) respondents identified ‘heart attack’ as a possible cause of chest pain. A hospital was selected as the preferred healthcare facility for an adult with chest pain by 277 (38.6%) respondents. Females were less likely to prefer a hospital than males (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.47–0.90, p = 0.008).

Conclusions

There is little community awareness of cardiac causes of chest pain in northern Tanzania, and most adults reported that they would not present to a hospital for this symptom. There is an urgent need for educational interventions to address this knowledge deficit and guide appropriate care-seeking behavior.

The burden of hypertension in the emergency department and linkage to care: A prospective cohort study in Tanzania

OBJECTIVES

Globally, hypertension affects one billion people and disproportionately burdens low-and middle-income countries. Despite the high disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa, optimal care models for diagnosing and treating hypertension have not been established. Emergency departments (EDs) are frequently the first biomedical healthcare contact for many people in the region. ED encounters may offer a unique opportunity for identifying high risk patients and linking them to care.

METHODS

Between July 2017 and March 2018, we conducted a prospective cohort study among patients presenting to a tertiary care ED in northern Tanzania. We recruited adult patients with a triage blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg in order to screen for hypertension. We explored knowledge, attitudes and practices for hypertension using a questionnaire, and assessed factors associated with successful follow-up. Hypertension was defined as a single blood pressure measurement ≥ 160/100 mmHg or a three-time average of ≥ 140/90 mmHg. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as a three-time average measurement of ≥ 160/100 mmHg. Successful follow-up was defined as seeing an outpatient provider within one month of the ED visit.

RESULTS

We enrolled 598 adults (mean age 59.6 years), of whom 539 (90.1%) completed the study. The majority (78.6%) of participants were aware of having hypertension. Many (223; 37.2%) had uncontrolled hypertension. Overall, only 236 (43.8%) of participants successfully followed-up within one month. Successful follow-up was associated with a greater understanding that hypertension requires lifelong treatment (RR 1.11; 95% CI 1.03,1.21) and inversely associated with greater anxiety about the future (RR 0.80; 95% CI 0.64,0.99).

CONCLUSION

In a northern Tanzanian tertiary care ED, the burden of hypertension is high, with few patients receiving optimal outpatient care follow-up. Multi-disciplinary strategies are needed to improve linkage to care for high-risk patients from ED settings.

The distribution of cardiac diagnostic testing for acute coronary syndrome in the Brazilian healthcare system: A national geospatial evaluation of health access

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the utilization of cardiac diagnostic testing in Brazil and how such testing is related with local rates of acute coronary syndrome (ACS)-related mortality.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using data from DATASUS, the public national healthcare database, absolute counts of diagnostic tests performed were calculated for each of the 5570 municipalities and mapped. Spatial error regression and geographic weighted regression models were used to describe the geographic variation in the association between ACS mortality, income, and access to diagnostic testing. From 2008 to 2014, a total of 4,653,884 cardiac diagnostic procedures were performed in Brazil, at a total cost of $271 million USD. The overall ACS mortality rate during this time period was 133.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants aged 20 to 79. The most commonly utilized test was the stress ECG (3,015,993), followed by catheterization (862,627), scintigraphy (669,969) and stress echocardiography (105,295). The majority of these procedures were conducted in large urban centers in more economically developed regions of the country. Increased access to testing and increased income were not uniformly associated with decreased ACS mortality, and tremendous geographic heterogeneity was observed in the relationship between these variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of testing for ACS in Brazil is conducted at referral centers in developed urban settings. Stress ECG is the dominant testing modality in use. Increased access to diagnostic testing was not consistently associated with decreased ACS mortality across the country.

Epidemiology of hypertension in Northern Tanzania: a community-based mixed-methods study

INTRODUCTION

Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly vulnerable to the growing global burden of hypertension, but epidemiological studies are limited and barriers to optimal management are poorly understood. Therefore, we undertook a community-based mixed-methods study in Tanzania to investigate the epidemiology of hypertension and barriers to care.

METHODS

In Northern Tanzania, between December 2013 and June 2015, we conducted a mixed-methods study, including a cross-sectional household epidemiological survey and qualitative sessions of focus groups and in-depth interviews. For the survey, we assessed for hypertension, defined as a single blood pressure ≥160/100 mm Hg, a two-time average of ≥140/90 mm Hg or current use of antihypertensive medications. To investigate relationships with potential risk factors, we used adjusted generalised linear models. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as a two-time average measurement of ≥160/100 mm Hg irrespective of treatment status. Hypertension awareness was defined as a self-reported disease history in a participant with confirmed hypertension. To explore barriers to care, we identified emerging themes using an inductive approach within the framework method.

RESULTS

We enrolled 481 adults (median age 45 years) from 346 households, including 123 men (25.6%) and 358 women (74.4%). Overall, the prevalence of hypertension was 28.0% (95% CI 19.4% to 38.7%), which was independently associated with age >60 years (prevalence risk ratio (PRR) 4.68; 95% CI 2.25 to 9.74) and alcohol use (PRR 1.72; 95% CI 1.15 to 2.58). Traditional medicine use was inversely associated with hypertension (PRR 0.37; 95% CI 0.26 to 0.54). Nearly half (48.3%) of the participants were aware of their disease, but almost all (95.3%) had uncontrolled hypertension. In the qualitative sessions, we identified barriers to optimal care, including poor point-of-care communication, poor understanding of hypertension and structural barriers such as long wait times and undertrained providers.

CONCLUSIONS

In Northern Tanzania, the burden of hypertensive disease is substantial, and optimal hypertension control is rare. Transdisciplinary strategies sensitive to local practices should be explored to facilitate early diagnosis and sustained care delivery.

Distribution of Aedes mosquitoes in the Kilimanjaro Region of northern Tanzania

Little is known about the presence and distribution of Aedes mosquitoes in northern Tanzania despite the occurence of viruses transmitted by these mosquitoes such as Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Dengue virus (DENV) in the region. Adult and larval mosquitoes were collected from rural and urban settings across a wide range of altitudes in the Kilimanjaro Region using the Mosquito Magnet CO2 Trap for collection of adults and old tires for breeding of larvae. Polymerase chain reaction assays were performed on captured adult mosquitoes to detect the presence of CHIKV and DENV. A total of 2609 Aedes aegypti adult mosquitoes were collected; no other Aedes species larvae were found. Mosquito yields were significantly higher in urban settings than rural settings (26.5 vs. 1.9 mosquitoes per day, p = 0.037). A total of 6570 Ae. aegypti larvae were collected from old tires; no other Aedes species larvae were found. Of the 2609 adult mosquitoes collected, none tested positive for CHIKV or DENV. As far as we are aware, this paper reports for the first time the presence of Ae. aegypti in the Kilimanjaro Region of northern Tanzania. Although CHIKV and DENV were not isolated from any of the collected mosquitoes in this study, the apparent absence of other Aedes species in the area suggests that Ae. aegypti is the primary local vector of these infections.

Incidence of invasive salmonella disease in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicentre population-based surveillance study

BACKGROUND

Available incidence data for invasive salmonella disease in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. Standardised, multicountry data are required to better understand the nature and burden of disease in Africa. We aimed to measure the adjusted incidence estimates of typhoid fever and invasive non-typhoidal salmonella (iNTS) disease in sub-Saharan Africa, and the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the causative agents.

METHODS

We established a systematic, standardised surveillance of blood culture-based febrile illness in 13 African sentinel sites with previous reports of typhoid fever: Burkina Faso (two sites), Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar (two sites), Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, and Tanzania (two sites). We used census data and health-care records to define study catchment areas and populations. Eligible participants were either inpatients or outpatients who resided within the catchment area and presented with tympanic (≥38·0°C) or axillary temperature (≥37·5°C). Inpatients with a reported history of fever for 72 h or longer were excluded. We also implemented a health-care utilisation survey in a sample of households randomly selected from each study area to investigate health-seeking behaviour in cases of self-reported fever lasting less than 3 days. Typhoid fever and iNTS disease incidences were corrected for health-care-seeking behaviour and recruitment.

FINDINGS

Between March 1, 2010, and Jan 31, 2014, 135 Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (S Typhi) and 94 iNTS isolates were cultured from the blood of 13 431 febrile patients. Salmonella spp accounted for 33% or more of all bacterial pathogens at nine sites. The adjusted incidence rate (AIR) of S Typhi per 100 000 person-years of observation ranged from 0 (95% CI 0-0) in Sudan to 383 (274-535) at one site in Burkina Faso; the AIR of iNTS ranged from 0 in Sudan, Ethiopia, Madagascar (Isotry site), and South Africa to 237 (178-316) at the second site in Burkina Faso. The AIR of iNTS and typhoid fever in individuals younger than 15 years old was typically higher than in those aged 15 years or older. Multidrug-resistant S Typhi was isolated in Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania (both sites combined), and multidrug-resistant iNTS was isolated in Burkina Faso (both sites combined), Ghana, Kenya, and Guinea-Bissau.

INTERPRETATION

Typhoid fever and iNTS disease are major causes of invasive bacterial febrile illness in the sampled locations, most commonly affecting children in both low and high population density settings. The development of iNTS vaccines and the introduction of S Typhi conjugate vaccines should be considered for high-incidence settings, such as those identified in this study.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Validation and Identification of Invasive Salmonella Serotypes in Sub-Saharan Africa by Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) cause the majority of bloodstream infections in sub-Saharan Africa; however, serotyping is rarely performed. We validated a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with the White-Kauffmann-Le Minor (WKLM) scheme of serotyping using 110 Salmonella isolates from blood cultures of febrile children in Ghana and applied the method in other Typhoid Fever Surveillance in Africa Program study sites. In Ghana, 47 (43%) S. Typhi, 36 (33%) Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, 14 (13%) Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin, and 13 (12%) Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis were identified by both multiplex PCR and the WKLM scheme separately. Using the validated multiplex PCR assay, we identified 42 (66%) S. Typhi, 14 (22%) S. Typhimurium, 2 (3%) S. Dublin, 2 (3%) S. Enteritidis, and 4 (6%) other Salmonella species from the febrile patients in Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Senegal, and Tanzania. Application of this multiplex PCR assay in sub-Saharan Africa could advance the knowledge of serotype distribution of Salmonella.

The Relationship Between Invasive Nontyphoidal Salmonella Disease, Other Bacterial Bloodstream Infections, and Malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND

Country-specific studies in Africa have indicated that Plasmodium falciparum is associated with invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella (iNTS) disease. We conducted a multicenter study in 13 sites in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, and Tanzania to investigate the relationship between the occurrence of iNTS disease, other systemic bacterial infections, and malaria.

METHODS

Febrile patients received a blood culture and a malaria test. Isolated bacteria underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and the association between iNTS disease and malaria was assessed.

RESULTS

A positive correlation between frequency proportions of malaria and iNTS was observed (P = .01; r = 0.70). Areas with higher burden of malaria exhibited higher odds of iNTS disease compared to other bacterial infections (odds ratio [OR], 4.89; 95% CI, 1.61-14.90; P = .005) than areas with lower malaria burden. Malaria parasite positivity was associated with iNTS disease (OR, 2.44; P = .031) and gram-positive bacteremias, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, exhibited a high proportion of coinfection with Plasmodium malaria. Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis were the predominant NTS serovars (53/73; 73%). Both moderate (OR, 6.05; P = .0001) and severe (OR, 14.62; P < .0001) anemia were associated with iNTS disease.

CONCLUSIONS

A positive correlation between iNTS disease and malaria endemicity, and the association between Plasmodium parasite positivity and iNTS disease across sub-Saharan Africa, indicates the necessity to consider iNTS as a major cause of febrile illness in malaria-holoendemic areas. Prevention of iNTS disease through iNTS vaccines for areas of high malaria endemicity, targeting high-risk groups for Plasmodium parasitic infection, should be considered.

Comparison of the Estimated Incidence of Acute Leptospirosis in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania between 2007-08 and 2012-14

Background

The sole report of annual leptospirosis incidence in continental Africa of 75–102 cases per 100,000 population is from a study performed in August 2007 through September 2008 in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. To evaluate the stability of this estimate over time, we estimated the incidence of acute leptospirosis in Kilimanjaro Region, northern Tanzania for the time period 2012–2014.

Methodology and Principal Findings

Leptospirosis cases were identified among febrile patients at two sentinel hospitals in the Kilimanjaro Region. Leptospirosis was diagnosed by serum microscopic agglutination testing using a panel of 20 Leptospira serovars belonging to 17 separate serogroups. Serum was taken at enrolment and patients were asked to return 4–6 weeks later to provide convalescent serum. Confirmed cases required a 4-fold rise in titre and probable cases required a single titre of ≥800. Findings from a healthcare utilisation survey were used to estimate multipliers to adjust for cases not seen at sentinel hospitals. We identified 19 (1.7%) confirmed or probable cases among 1,115 patients who presented with a febrile illness. Of cases, the predominant reactive serogroups were Australis 8 (42.1%), Sejroe 3 (15.8%), Grippotyphosa 2 (10.5%), Icterohaemorrhagiae 2 (10.5%), Pyrogenes 2 (10.5%), Djasiman 1 (5.3%), Tarassovi 1 (5.3%). We estimated that the annual incidence of leptospirosis was 11–18 cases per 100,000 population. This was a significantly lower incidence than 2007–08 (p<0.001).

Conclusions

We estimated a much lower incidence of acute leptospirosis than previously, with a notable absence of cases due to the previously predominant serogroup Mini. Our findings indicate a dynamic epidemiology of leptospirosis in this area and highlight the value of multi-year surveillance to understand leptospirosis epidemiology.

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that causes a fever. It can be severe or fatal. Understanding how many people get leptospirosis helps to determine priorities in allocating resources for disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. There are few data about leptospirosis incidence in sub-Saharan African countries. The only mainland estimate is from northern Tanzania for the years 2007–08. To see if leptospirosis incidence had changed since 2007–08, we measured leptospirosis incidence in the same location in 2012–2014. To do this, we systematically approached people at two hospitals in the Kilimanjaro Region and tested them for leptospirosis. We adjusted the number of identified cases of leptospirosis found at the hospitals to account for people with fever who did not come to hospital for testing and care. We also adjusted for imperfect testing methods. We found that the number of people who developed leptospirosis annually had dropped from 75–102 cases per 100,000 people during 2007–08 to 11–18 cases per 100,000 people during 2012–14. Also, the subtype of leptospirosis responsible for the most cases during 2007–08 was not present during 2012–14. The number of people developing leptospirosis was not stable, highlighting the value of measuring how commonly leptospirosis occurs over several years.

Bloodstream Infections and Frequency of Pretreatment Associated With Age and Hospitalization Status in Sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND

The clinical diagnosis of bacterial bloodstream infections (BSIs) in sub-Saharan Africa is routinely confused with malaria due to overlapping symptoms. The Typhoid Surveillance in Africa Program (TSAP) recruited febrile inpatients and outpatients of all ages using identical study procedures and enrollment criteria, thus providing an opportunity to assess disease etiology and pretreatment patterns among children and adults.

METHODS

Inpatients and outpatients of all ages with tympanic or axillary temperatures of ≥38.0 or ≥37.5°C, respectively, and inpatients only reporting fever within the previous 72 hours were eligible for recruitment. All recruited patients had one blood sample drawn and cultured for microorganisms. Data from 11 TSAP surveillance sites in nine different countries were used in the analysis. Bivariate analysis was used to compare frequencies of pretreatment and BSIs in febrile children (<15 years old) and adults (≥15 years old) in each country. Pooled Cochran Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for overall trends.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the odds of a culture-proven BSI between children and adults among inpatients or outpatients. Among both inpatients and outpatients, children had significantly higher odds of having a contaminated blood culture compared with adults. Using country-pooled data, child outpatients had 66% higher odds of having Salmonella Typhi in their bloodstream than adults (OR, 1.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-2.73). Overall, inpatient children had 59% higher odds of pretreatment with analgesics in comparison to inpatient adults (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.28-1.97).

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of patients with culture-proven BSIs in children compared with adults was similar across the TSAP study population; however, outpatient children were more likely to have Salmonella Typhi infections than outpatient adults. This finding points to the importance of including outpatient facilities in surveillance efforts, particularly for the surveillance of typhoid fever. Strategies to reduce contamination among pediatric blood cultures are needed across the continent to prevent the misdiagnosis of BSI cases in children.

A Multicountry Molecular Analysis of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi With Reduced Susceptibility to Ciprofloxacin in Sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is a predominant cause of bloodstream infections in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Increasing numbers of S. Typhi with resistance to ciprofloxacin have been reported from different parts of the world. However, data from SSA are limited. In this study, we aimed to measure the ciprofloxacin susceptibility of S. Typhi isolated from patients with febrile illness in SSA.

METHODS

Febrile patients from 9 sites within 6 countries in SSA with a body temperature of ≥38.0°C were enrolled in this study. Blood samples were obtained for bacterial culture, and Salmonella isolates were identified biochemically and confirmed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antimicrobial susceptibility of all Salmonella isolates was performed by disk diffusion test, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against ciprofloxacin were measured by Etest. All Salmonella isolates with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (MIC > 0.06 µg/mL) were screened for mutations in quinolone resistance-determining regions in target genes, and the presence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) genes was assessed by PCR.

RESULTS

A total of 8161 blood cultures were performed, and 100 (1.2%) S. Typhi, 2 (<0.1%) Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A, and 27 (0.3%) nontyphoid Salmonella (NTS) were isolated. Multidrug-resistant S. Typhi were isolated in Kenya (79% [n = 38]) and Tanzania (89% [n = 8]) only. Reduced ciprofloxacin-susceptible (22% [n = 11]) S. Typhi were isolated only in Kenya. Among those 11 isolates, all had a Glu133Gly mutation in the gyrA gene combined with either a gyrA (Ser83Phe) or gyrB mutation (Ser464Phe). One Salmonella Paratyphi A isolate with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin was found in Senegal, with 1 mutation in gyrA (Ser83Phe) and a second mutation in parC (Ser57Phe). Mutations in the parE gene and PMQR genes were not detected in any isolate.

CONCLUSIONS

Salmonella Typhi with reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin was not distributed homogenously throughout SSA. Its prevalence was very high in Kenya, and was not observed in other study countries. Continuous monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility is required to follow the potential spread of antimicrobial-resistant isolates throughout SSA.

Utilization of Healthcare in the Typhoid Fever Surveillance in Africa Program

BACKGROUND

Assessing healthcare utilization is important to identify weaknesses of healthcare systems, to outline action points for preventive measures and interventions, and to more accurately estimate the disease burden in a population.

METHODS

A healthcare utilization survey was developed for the Typhoid Fever Surveillance in Africa Program (TSAP) to adjust incidences of salmonellosis determined through passive, healthcare facility-based surveillance. This cross-sectional survey was conducted at 11 sites in 9 sub-Saharan African countries. Demographic data and healthcare-seeking behavior were assessed at selected households. Overall and age-stratified percentages of each study population that sought healthcare at a TSAP healthcare facility and elsewhere were determined.

RESULTS

Overall, 88% (1007/1145) and 81% (1811/2238) of the population in Polesgo and Nioko 2, Burkina Faso, respectively, and 63% (1636/2590) in Butajira, Ethiopia, sought healthcare for fever at any TSAP healthcare facility. A far smaller proportion-namely, 20%-45% of the population in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (1743/3885), Pikine, Senegal (1473/4659), Wad-Medani, Sudan (861/3169), and Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (667/2819); 18% (483/2622) and 9% (197/2293) in Imerintsiatosika and Isotry, Madagascar, respectively; and 4% (127/3089) in Moshi, Tanzania-sought healthcare at a TSAP healthcare facility. Patients with fever preferred to visit pharmacies in Imerintsiatosika and Isotry, and favored self-management of fever in Moshi. Age-dependent differences in healthcare utilization were also observed within and across sites.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare utilization for fever varied greatly across sites, and revealed that not all studied populations were under optimal surveillance. This demonstrates the importance of assessing healthcare utilization. Survey data were pivotal for the adjustment of the program's estimates of salmonellosis and other conditions associated with fever.

Acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa: the need for data

BACKGROUND

Trends in the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa have not been well described, despite growing recognition of the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this systematic review was to describe the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Global Health Archive, CINAHL, and Web of Science, and conducted reference and citation analyses. Inclusion criteria were: observational studies, studies that reported incidence or prevalence of acute myocardial infarction, studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, and studies that defined acute myocardial infarction by EKG changes or elevation of cardiac biomarkers. Studies conducted prior to 1992 were excluded. Two independent reviewers analyzed titles and abstracts, full-texts, and references and citations. These reviewers also performed quality assessment and data extraction. Quality assessment was conducted with a validated scale for observational studies.

FINDINGS

Of 2292 records retrieved, seven studies met all inclusion criteria. These studies included a total of 92,378 participants from highly heterogeneous study populations in five different countries. Methodological quality assessment demonstrated scores ranging from 3 to 7 points (on an 8-point scale). Prevalence of acute myocardial infarction ranged from 0.1 to 10.4% among the included studies.

INTERPRETATION

There is insufficient population-based data describing the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa. Well-designed registries and surveillance studies that capture the broad and diverse population with acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa using common diagnostic criteria are critical in order to guide prevention and treatment strategies.

REGISTRATION

Registered in International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) Database #CRD42012003161.