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As international collaborative health research activities increase, building research ethics committees (REC) infrastructure and capacity in low- and middle-income countries for efficient and thorough review of research protocols becomes more critical, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. International investigators may face multiple challenges when conducting research in these settings, an important one being the length of time involved in securing REC review and approval. We discuss an approach to the problem that involved organisation of 'rapid review' REC sub-committees who met via video-conference for collaborative review of research protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shortage of qualified health professionals is a major obstacle to achieving better health outcomes in many parts of the world, particularly in Africa. The role of health science universities in addressing this shortage is to provide quality education and continuing professional development opportunities for the healthcare workforce. Academic institutions in Africa, however, are also short of faculty and especially under-resourced. We describe the initial phase of an institutional partnership between the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) centred on promoting medical education at MUHAS. The challenges facing the development of the partnership include the need: (1) for new funding mechanisms to provide long-term support for institutional partnerships, and (2) for institutional change at UCSF and MUHAS to recognize and support faculty activities that are important to the partnership. The growing interest in global health worldwide offers opportunities to explore new academic partnerships. It is important that their development and implementation be documented and evaluated as well as for lessons to be shared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was undertaken to determine the serological response in children (aged 1-15 years) immunized with diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine (DPT) alone or with a tetanus toxoid (TT) booster dose under the Expanded Programme on Immunization in Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, Tanzania. Using an ELISA technique, serum levels of anti-TT antibody, antibody avidity and anti-TT IgG subclasses were determined in 138 apparently healthy children. Our findings revealed that 94.7% and 98% of children aged 1-5 years in Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo, respectively, had anti-TT antibody levels above that considered protective (≥ 0.1 IU/ml). Among 6-15-year-old children, 53.3% in Dar es Salaam and 55% in Bagamoyo had anti-TT antibody levels ≥ 0.1 IU/ml. The avidity index of anti-TT antibodies was high in most of the younger children, 84.2% in Dar es Salaam and 92% in Bagamoyo. Significantly fewer older children in Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo (53.3% and 50%, respectively) had high avidity index antibodies. The predominant anti-TT IgG subclasses were IgG[sub 1] and IgG[sub 3]. It is concluded that the current DPT immunization schedule provides adequate tetanus immunity for children under 5. However, about half of the older children had no protection against tetanus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measles IgG antibody levels were estimated in sera from 685 Tanzanian children, 374 (54.6%) boys and 311 (45.4%) girls aged 18 months to 5 years, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The children were screened for HIV-1 and 2 antibodies using ELISA, and reactive sera were confirmed by Western blot. Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometry. Overall measles vaccination coverage was 98.8%. Measles antibody activity was not detected in 41 (6.0%) children, and ten (1.5%) had antibody levels below 200 mIU/ml, the cut-off level considered to be protective. The non-reactive samples were from one unvaccinated child, one child with unknown vaccination status and 39 vaccinated children. Measles IgG antibody levels were higher in girls (3452.1 mIU/ml) than in boys (2928.2 mIU/ml) (p=0.02). Higher mean levels were found in children with a history of low birthweight (2.5 kg) (p=0.03). There were no significant differences in measles antibody levels with regard to variations in nutritional status. No correlation (r2=0.002) was found between antibody levels and time elapsed since vaccination. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, children who were HIVseropositive (n=9) were more likely to have non-protective antibody levels 200 mIU/ml (OR =5.85; 95% CI: 1.37-24.93). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak of meningitis with 85 secondary cases and an unusually high attack rate of 16% occurred in a rural village in southern Tanzania. We investigated risk factors for clinical illness in a community-based case–control study. Attending a commercial mobile video show carried an age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio of 8.0 (95% confidence interval: 3.8–16.8). The videos had been shown in a windowless and overcrowded storeroom and had been attended by the primary case, a visitor from neighbouring Mozambique who died from meningitis on the following day. We conclude that mobile video shows, which have become popular in many developing countries, constitute a potential health hazard in areas prone to meningitis epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the research paper "Priming with a simplified regimen of HIV-1 DNA vaccine is as good as a standard regimen when boosted with heterologous HIV-1 MVA vaccine," by P. Munseri and colleagues is presented.

Background: The epidemiology of human papillomavirus (HPV) in Tanzania is largely unknown both in risk groups and in the general population. Objective: To determine the cumulative seroprevalence of selected HPV types in order to evaluate exposure to HPV in urban Tanzania. Method: In a cross-sectional study, sera of 200 patients of both sexes with genital ulcer disease (GUD) and sera of 60 male blood donors and 60 pregnant women were tested for antibodies to the oncogenic HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 51 and 52 using an EUSA based on virus-like particles (VLP). Results: The overall seroprevalence of HPV types for all patients with GUD was 83% and 77% for women and men, respectively. For pregnant women and male blood donors, the corresponding percentages were 55% and 15%, respectively. The most common HPV types were 16, 18 and 52. Infection with multiple types was more than 10 and 5 times more frequent than infection with a single type 16 in patients with GUD and in pregnant women, respectively. The seroprevalence to HPV types 16, 18, 51 and 52 was considerably higher in HIV-positive patients with GUD than in HIV-negative patients. Conclusions: Infections with the oncogenic HPV types 16, 18 and 52 are common among patients with GUD and pregnant women in urban Tanzania, emphasising the need for control, treatment and implementation of appropriate HPV vaccine programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the research paper on vaccination with a heterologous DNA prime, Modified Vaccinia Ankara fo improving HIV vaccine regime by A. Bauer and colleagues at the AIDS Vaccine 2012 in Boston, Massachusetts is presented.

An abstract of the research paper "Breadth, phenotype and functionality of Gag-specific T cell responses induced by a heterologous DNA/MVA prime-boost HIV-1 vaccine regimen," by L. Podola and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the conference paper "Antibody-mediated inhibition of HIV-1 elicited by HIV-I DNA priming and boosting with heterologous HIV-1 recombinant MVA in healthy Tanzanian adults," by A. Joachim and colleagues is presented.