Search

Your search keyword '"Elijah M Songok"' showing total 5 results
Start Over Author "Elijah M Songok" Journal plos one
5 results on '"Elijah M Songok"'

1. Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B virus and compliance with hepatitis B vaccination schedules among outpatient clinic attendees in Nairobi.

Author

Benard Langat, Edward K Muge, Doris Night, Fredrick Okoth, Kevin O Ochwedo, and Elijah M Songok

Subjects
Medicine, Science
Abstract

BackgroundHepatitis B is becoming a growing public health problem in Kenya. To combat the threat, HBV vaccination should be recommended, particularly for individuals who are not covered by the national immunization program. Vaccination provides sero-protection rates approaching 95% among healthy adults after completing the three-dose vaccination course, but decreases to 87% among those who receive only two doses, emphasizing the importance of completing the three-dose vaccination course. However, data on adult adherence to HBV multi-dose vaccines in Sub-Saharan Africa are limited, despite the fact that this information is critical for prevention. As a result, more research on HBV vaccine dose completion is required. The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among out-patient clinic attendees in Nairobi, Kenya, as well as to identify beneficiaries of free vaccination and barriers to completing the recommended vaccine doses.MethodsBetween July 30th and September 30th, 2015, 2644 outpatient clinic attendees aged ≥ 4 were recruited from three hospitals in Nairobi County, Kenya: Mama Lucy, Riruta, and Loco. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic information, and blood samples were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) using the KEMRI HEPCELL Rapid® (Hepatitis B Detection kit) test kit. Individuals who tested negative for HBsAg were given a free course of three doses of HBV vaccine. The vaccination register provided information on the number of doses administered.ResultsThe average age of the study population was 31.4 years (range: 4-66), with females accounting for 59.2%. 1.82% (48/2644) of the participants tested positive for HBsAg. Among the 2596 individuals eligible for vaccination, 66% (1720/2596) received at least one dose, and 51.8% (1345/2596) received all three doses. Vaccination acceptance increased with age, with older patients more likely to return for subsequent dose (OR>1 for second and third dose). Unavailability and failure to contact client were cited as significant (pConclusionThe prevalence of HBV infection among outpatient clinic attendees highlights the importance of expanding HBV immunization programs in Kenya. However, given the low vaccination completion rate, there is a need for public awareness of the vaccine's importance in preventing HBV and HBV-related complications.

Published
2023
Full Text
View/download PDF

2. Microarray analysis of HIV resistant female sex workers reveal a gene expression signature pattern reminiscent of a lowered immune activation state.

Author

Elijah M Songok, Ma Luo, Ben Liang, Paul Mclaren, Nadine Kaefer, Winnie Apidi, Genevieve Boucher, Joshua Kimani, Charles Wachihi, Rafick Sekaly, Keith Fowke, Blake T Ball, and Francis A Plummer

Subjects
Medicine, Science
Abstract

To identify novel biomarkers for HIV-1 resistance, including pathways that may be critical in anti-HIV-1 vaccine design, we carried out a gene expression analysis on blood samples obtained from HIV-1 highly exposed seronegatives (HESN) from a commercial sex worker cohort in Nairobi and compared their profiles to HIV-1 negative controls. Whole blood samples were collected from 43 HIV-1 resistant sex workers and a similar number of controls. Total RNA was extracted and hybridized to the Affymetrix HUG 133 Plus 2.0 micro arrays (Affymetrix, Santa Clara CA). Output data was analysed through ArrayAssist software (Agilent, San Jose CA). More than 2,274 probe sets were differentially expressed in the HESN as compared to the control group (fold change ≥1.3; p value ≤0.0001, FDR

Published
2012
Full Text
View/download PDF

3. Characterization of occult hepatitis B in high-risk populations in Kenya

Author

Missiani Ochwoto, Anton Andonov, Ken Swidinsky, Joshua Kimani, George Gachara, Lyle R. McKinnon, Kiptoon Beatrice Jepkemei, Elijah M. Songok, Henok Gebrebrhan, Julius Oyugi, Jacqueline Day, and Carla Osiowy

Subjects
RNA viruses, Male, HBsAg, Artificial Gene Amplification and Extension, Hepacivirus, medicine.disease_cause, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Serology, Geographical Locations, Database and Informatics Methods, 0302 clinical medicine, Immunodeficiency Viruses, Prevalence, 030212 general & internal medicine, Pathology and laboratory medicine, Data Management, Multidisciplinary, Transmission (medicine), Liver Neoplasms, virus diseases, Phylogenetic Analysis, Medical microbiology, Hepatitis B, Jaundice, Hepatitis C, Phylogenetics, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Viruses, Medicine, Female, 030211 gastroenterology & hepatology, Pathogens, medicine.symptom, Sequence Analysis, Research Article, Hepatitis B virus, Computer and Information Sciences, medicine.medical_specialty, Carcinoma, Hepatocellular, Bioinformatics, Hepatitis C virus, Science, Research and Analysis Methods, Microbiology, 03 medical and health sciences, Internal medicine, Retroviruses, medicine, Humans, Evolutionary Systematics, Hepatitis B Antibodies, Homosexuality, Male, Molecular Biology Techniques, Molecular Biology, DNA sequence analysis, Taxonomy, Medicine and health sciences, Evolutionary Biology, Hepatitis B Surface Antigens, Sex Workers, Biology and life sciences, business.industry, Lentivirus, Viral pathogens, Organisms, HIV, medicine.disease, Kenya, Hepatitis viruses, digestive system diseases, Microbial pathogens, People and Places, Africa, business, Sequence Alignment
Abstract

Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is defined as the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in the liver or serum in the absence of detectable HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). OBI poses a risk for the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The prevalence of OBI in Kenya is unknown, thus a study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and molecular characterization of OBI in Kenyan populations at high risk of HBV infection. Sera from two Nairobi cohorts, 99 male sex workers, primarily having sex with men (MSM-SW), and 13 non-MSM men having HIV-positive partners, as well as 65 HBsAg-negative patients presenting with jaundice at Kenyan medical facilities, were tested for HBV serological markers, including HBV DNA by real-time PCR. Positive DNA samples were sequenced and MSM-SW patients were further tested for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Of the 166 HBsAg-negative samples tested, 31 (18.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 13.5-25.3) were HBV DNA positive (i.e., occult), the majority (20/31; 64.5%) of which were HBV core protein antibody positive. HCV infection was not observed in the MSM-SW participants, although the prevalence of HBsAg positivity was 10.1% (10/99; 95% CI 5.6-17.6). HBV genotype A was predominant among study cases, including both HBsAg-positive and OBI participants, although the data suggests a non-African network transmission source among MSM-SW. The high prevalence of HBV infection among MSM-SW in Kenya suggests that screening programmes be instituted among high-risk cohorts to facilitate preventative measures, such as vaccination, and establish entry to treatment and linkage to care.

Published
2020

4. Microarray analysis of HIV resistant female sex workers reveal a gene expression signature pattern reminiscent of a lowered immune activation state

Author

Nadine Kaefer, Keith R. Fowke, Geneviève Boucher, Charles Wachihi, Blake T. Ball, Ben Liang, Rafick Pierre Sekaly, Paul J. McLaren, Winnie Apidi, Joshua Kimani, Francis A. Plummer, Elijah M. Songok, and Ma Luo

Subjects
Viral Diseases, Science, Immunology, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Down-Regulation, HIV Infections, Validation Studies as Topic, Biology, Lymphocyte Activation, Microbiology, Cohort Studies, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, Genome Analysis Tools, Gene expression, Cluster Analysis, Humans, 030212 general & internal medicine, KEGG, Gene, 030304 developmental biology, Regulation of gene expression, Genetics, 0303 health sciences, Sex Workers, Multidisciplinary, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Microarray analysis techniques, Gene Expression Profiling, Systems Biology, Immunity, HIV, Genomics, Microarray Analysis, Kenya, Molecular biology, Immunity, Innate, Fold change, 3. Good health, Gene expression profiling, Infectious Diseases, HIV-1, Medicine, Female, DNA microarray, Research Article
Abstract

To identify novel biomarkers for HIV-1 resistance, including pathways that may be critical in anti-HIV-1 vaccine design, we carried out a gene expression analysis on blood samples obtained from HIV-1 highly exposed seronegatives (HESN) from a commercial sex worker cohort in Nairobi and compared their profiles to HIV-1 negative controls. Whole blood samples were collected from 43 HIV-1 resistant sex workers and a similar number of controls. Total RNA was extracted and hybridized to the Affymetrix HUG 133 Plus 2.0 micro arrays (Affymetrix, Santa Clara CA). Output data was analysed through ArrayAssist software (Agilent, San Jose CA). More than 2,274 probe sets were differentially expressed in the HESN as compared to the control group (fold change ≥1.3; p value ≤0.0001, FDR

Published
2012

5. Comparison of HIV-1 nef and gag variations and host HLA characteristics as determinants of disease progression among HIV-1 vertically infected Kenyan children

Author

Rachel N. Musoke, Mary Owens, Raphael Lwembe, Tresa Palakudy, Azumi Ishizaki, Xiuqiong Bi, Raphael W. Lihana, Hiroshi Ichimura, Matilda Chelimo Saina, Annie Panikulam, and Elijah M. Songok

Subjects
Adult, Male, Adolescent, Sequence analysis, lcsh:Medicine, HIV Infections, Human leukocyte antigen, Biology, gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Epitope, Epitopes, Young Adult, HLA Antigens, Genetic variation, Humans, nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Allele, Young adult, lcsh:Science, Child, Alleles, Multidisciplinary, Host (biology), lcsh:R, Disease progression, Genetic Variation, Infant, Kenya, Virology, Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical, Child, Preschool, Host-Pathogen Interactions, Immunology, Disease Progression, HIV-1, lcsh:Q, Female, Research Article
Abstract

Objectives: Disease progression varies among HIV-1-infected individuals. The present study aimed to explore possible viral and host factors affecting disease progression in HIV-1-infected children. Methods: Since 2000, 102 HIV-1 vertically-infected children have been followed-up in Kenya. Here we studied 29 children (15 male/14 female) who started antiretroviral treatment at 10 years of age (slow progressors; SP). Sequence variations in the HIV-1 gag and nef genes and the HLA class I-related epitopes were compared between the two groups. Results: Based on nef sequences, HIV-1 subtypes A1/D were detected in 62.5%/12.5% of RP and 66.7%/20%of SP, with no significant difference in subtype distribution between groups (p = 0.8). In the ten Nef functional domains, only the PxxP3 region showed significantly greater variation in RP (33.3%) than SP (7.7%, p = 0.048). Gag sequences did not significantly differ between groups. The reportedly protective HLA-A alleles, A∗74:01, A∗32:01 and A∗26, were more commonly observed in SP (50.0%) than RP (11.1%, p = 0.010), whereas the reportedly disease-susceptible HLA-B∗45:01 was more common in RP (33.3%) than SP (7.4%, p = 0.045). Compared to RP, SP showed a significantly higher median number of predicted HLA-B-related 12-mer epitopes in Nef (3 vs. 2, p = 0.037), HLA-B-related 11-mer epitopes in Gag (2 vs. 1, p = 0.029), and HLA-A-related 9-mer epitopes in Gag (4 vs. 1, p = 0.051). SP also had fewer HLA-C-related epitopes in Nef (median 4 vs. 5, p = 0.046) and HLA-C-related 11-mer epitopes in Gag (median 1 vs. 1.5, p = 0.044) than RP. Conclusions: Compared to rapid progressors, slow progressors had more protective HLA-A alleles and more HLA-B-related epitopes in both the Nef and Gag proteins. These results suggest that the host factor HLA plays a stronger role in disease progression than the Nef and Gag sequence variations in HIV-1-infected Kenyan children. © 2015 Saina et al.

Published
2015

Catalog

Books, media, physical & digital resources
See catalog results