Prevalence and Demographic Distributions of Pre-Eclampsia among Pregnant Women at Ho Teaching Hospital

Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, pre-eclampsia remains a major health problem contributing to high rates of maternal mortality. Despite this condition having adverse effects on maternal and child health, its prevalence and associated risk factors are still significant, especially in developing countries including Ghana. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and demographic distributions associated with pre-eclampsia among pregnant women at the Ho Teaching Hospital. Methods: A facility-based retrospective study was conducted by reviewing available data or hospital records of pregnant mothers admitted to the labor and maternity wards from January 2018 to December 2020. All pregnant women who were diagnosed with pre-eclampsia within this period were included in the study. The data were collected using a structured checklist. Results: 5609 data on pregnant women from 2018 to 2020 were recorded. Out of the 5609 data recorded, 314 pre-eclampsia cases were recorded giving an overall prevalence of 5.6%. The yearly prevalence for 2018, 2019, and 2020 were 4.6%, 5.6%, and 6.6%, respectively. The most recorded pre-eclampsia cases were seen among women within the age group of 18 - 24 years. The data showed that 112 (35.7%) of the pregnant women who had pre-eclampsia were nulliparous. Pre-eclampsia-associated maternal and fetal complications were;preterm delivery 221 (70.4%), intrauterine fetal death 62 (19.7%), eclampsia 9 (2.9%), HELLP syndrome 5 (1.6%) and maternal death 17 (5.4%). Associated factors of pre-eclampsia were parity, level of education, and occupation (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study showed a rising trend in the incidence of pre-eclampsia over the years at the Ho Teaching Hospital. Parity, level of education, and occupation were found to be associated with developing pre-eclampsia.

Antimicrobial Resistance among Enterobacteriaceae Found in Chicken and Cow Droppings and Their Public Health Importance

Introduction: The recent surge in the number of antimicrobial resistant cases from hospitals and communities has created a need to study the points and sources of exposure to certain bacteria and determine their susceptibility to commonly used antibiotics. This study aimed at identifying and screening for drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolated from chicken droppings and cow dungs in Onitsha, Anambra state, in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study which included 50 chickens and 50 cow dung samples collected from five poultry houses and cow ranches respectively using sterile swab sticks. The samples were transported to the laboratory and processed following standard microbiological protocols. Isolates in the samples were recovered using MacConkey Agar, Eosin Methylene Blue Agar and Salmonella-Shigella Agar following standard microbiological procedures and then identified/characterized biochemically using commercial API 20E identification kits following the standard manufacturer’s protocol. Isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing on Muller Hinton Agar using Kirby Bauer double-disc diffusion technique. The multiple antibiotics resistance index was determined as well. Isolates with reduced susceptibility to Ceftazidime were screened for extended spectrum beta-lactamase, AmpC- and metallo-beta-lactamase-production using Rosco Diagnostic kit. Results: Sixty-two (100%) Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from a total of 100 samples collected from both sites, out of which 43 (69.4%) are Enterobacteriaceae. A total of 30/43 (69.8%) Enterobacteriaceae including K. pneumoniae, S. enteritica, S. odorifera, E. coli, K. intermediate, P. stuartii, E. aerogenes, P. penneri, P. mirabilis and C. braakii were recovered from chicken droppings, whereas 13/43 (30.2%) Enterobacteriaceae including K. pneumoniae, S. enteritica, S. odorifera, E. coli, K. intermediate, P. stuartii, E. aerogenes, P. penneri, P. mirabilis and C. braakii were recovered from cow dungs. Two (12.5%) different isolates demonstrated metallo-beta-lactamase and cephalosporinase (AmpC) production. The isolates were susceptible to six antibiotics tested except Augmentin and Nitrofurantoin where the resistance is 100% and 85% respectively while Ceftriaxone and Ofloxacin had the best antibacterial activity against the isolates from both sites. Conclusion: The bacteria of public health importance isolated from these sites and their antibiogram profile have shown the need for proper monitoring and management of animal wastes in order to mitigate the threat to human health in the spirit of One Health as well as contribute to the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Radio-Medicine and Public Health in Rural Ghana

Radio is know-how that comes with low manufacturing costs, and low infrastructure costs and its marginal cost of distribution is very low which is close to zero. This study was conducted to examine the rate at which radios advertise medical services and products;the factors that promote the patronage of radio-medicine and evaluate the effects of radio-medicine on people who patronize it. The study took place at Agogo by interviewing 50 people belonging to 10 different professional groups as follows: Farmers, Drivers, shopkeepers, tailors/seamstresses, teachers, hairdressers, barbers, market women, students and the unemployed. Through SPSS, the data was analyzed and the result indicated that 44.0% listen to radio once a day, 14.0% listen every hour, and 42.0% listen all day. On the reasons for patronizing radio-medicine, 24% bought per testimonies shared from others, 12% said it is easy to patronize, 12.0% do that for affordability and effectiveness, 8.0% said it is good, 4.0% were highly convinced by suppliers, 4.0% patronized because there are no side effects, 12.0% were for just trials, 10.0% said there is no time to go to the hospital, 8.0% did so because they had minor conditions and 6.0% patronized for first aid and relieve of symptoms. In addition, 68.0% agreed that the medicine worked for them as expected but 32.0% agreed that the medicine did not work as expected. It was concluded that most people listen to radio all day and most of them participate, in medicines advertised on the radio, because of testimonies shared by others. Even-though majority of the respondents thought they could be affected they did not care about it. Recommendations have been made to the Ministry of Health to regulate radio-medicine and its patronage and also for further research by research institutions.