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A cross-sectional survey was conducted between 1 August and 31 December, 1998 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to determine the rate of primary drug resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs and to investigate its possible association with HIV infection. Sputum culture, sensitivity to first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs and HIV testing were done for 236 sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Primary drug resistance level (single or multidrug resistance) had not changed significantly since 1994. Primary resistance occurred more often among HIV-positive than among HIV-negative patients. The association between drug resistance and HIV will have a serious impact in the control of tuberculosis because in recent years the prevalence of HIV has increased dramatically in Ethiopia. Therefore, further studies on drug resistance and HIV infection and the establishment of drug resistance surveillance are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A team of experts of the Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University reported the emergence of unidentified fatal liver disease in Tahtay Koraro Woreda, Tigray in the mid of December 2005. The EHNRI has been then instructed to investigate the possible etiological agent that are likely to be responsible in triggering the health problem and a field survey team consisting of experts were went to the affected area to investigate the situations surrounding the disease., Objectives: This investigation was conducted to determine the possible etiological agent(s) for the stated health problem in the affected village., Method: Acute toxicity study was performed on animal model for the various samples used in human consumption, which was followed by histopathological examination of the liver of the sacrificed laboratory animals. In order to facilitate the elucidation of the causative agent for the alleged health problem further tests for clinical markers and antigens were also performed on the serum collected from affected persons., Result: Neither death nor toxic symptoms manifestations were observed on laboratory animals when feeding the consumable samples for a period of two weeks, however histopathological examination of the liver of the sacrificed animals that were given the unprotected pond water and Tela samples from the affected village as a drink revealed severe hepatoic necrosis. Biochemical test results of the serum samples revealed raised level of some clinical markers that are highly significant for detecting liver abnormality of toxic origin. Serological test for surface antigen ruled out the possible causes of infectious origin such as viral hepatitis., Conclusion: The overall results confirmed that the causative agent for the outbreak of the liver disease was of toxic origin rather than due to infectious agent and this was found to be associated with consumption of contaminated water as well as Tela.

Background: Human Herpes Virus (HHV-8) is related to Kaposi Saracoma, an opportunistic infection occurring with HIV infection. Little is known about the seroepidemiology of Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection among Ethiopian women, even though women are a major HIV risk group in Ethiopia., Objectives: This study aimed at determining the seroprevalence of HHV-8 infection in HIV-1-infected and uninfected pregnant women in five selected regions of Ethiopia., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2006 to June 2007 where pregnant women were recruited after age-matching in groups. A total of 400 pregnant women were enrolled, with 200 being HIV-infected and 200 being HIV-uninfected Sera were screened for IgG lytic antibody to HHV-8 using an Indirect Fluorescence Assay (IFA) in Virology Unit of Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNR1)., Results: Of 400 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic (ANC) testing sites of five regions in Ethiopia, 212 (53.0%) were positive for HHV-8 IgG lytic antibody. There was a high prevalence of HHV-8 infection among HIV-1-infected pregnant women (138, 69.0%) as compared with HIV-1-uninfected pregnant women (74, 37.0%)., Conclusion: The study shows a high prevalence of HHV-8 infection among HIV-1-infected pregnant women as compared with HIV-1-uninfected pregnant women. Therefore, creating awareness and educating women on safe sexual practice and avoiding deep kissing may be a fundamental ways to limit the roots of transmission. Moreover, initiating strong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infected women would be best treatment prior to the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS).

Background: Smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis is an increasing clinical and epidemiological problem, particularly in areas that are affected by the dual tuberculosis/Human immunodeficiency Virus infections., Objective: This study was initiated to investigate the value of clinical parameters, chest x-ray findings and culture in the diagnosis of smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis., Design: A cross sectional study was conducted among suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients visiting St. Peter Tuberculosis Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia between November 15, 2004 and October 30, 2005., Methods: A total of 297 informed and consented patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis were screened for acid fact bacilli by direct smear microscopy. All smear negative pooled sputum samples were further processed for culture using conventional Lowenstein-Jensen solid medium and automated BACTEC MGIT 960 system liquid medium at the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute., Results: 247/297 (83.2%) patents with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis have had a negative smear results for acid fast bacilli. Abnormal chest x-ray findings were observed in 196 (79.4%) patients. 43/247 (17.4%) patients whose smears were negative for acid fast bacilli found to be positive for mycobacterial culture. The Mycobacterium species identified were M. tuberculosis (n = 40) (93%) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (n = 3) (7%). Significant difference was not demonstrated statistically between BACTEC MGIT 960 and Lowenstein-Jensen medium in terms of mycobacterial recovery rate (p > 0.05)., Conclusions: The present study showed 82.6% smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis cases were still etiologically unexplained by culture. Therefore, there is a need to develop a scheme to determine the most cost-effective approaches for the diagnosis of smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis in the Ethiopian setting, such as improving the screening method patients with tuberculosis and other chronic pulmonary diseases, chest-x-ray readings and interpretation, specimen collection and processing, smear microscopy, culture and applying laboratory quality control schemes in parallel.

Background: One of the countries where measles remains endemic is Ethiopia. Previously, sequence data from Measles Viruses (MV) circulating in Ethiopia were obtained from clinical specimens. Now the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (ENHRI) has implemented cell culture techniques to isolate measles virus and molecular epidemiologic studies can be generated more easily., Objective: To characterize the strains of Measles Virus circulating in Ethiopia during measles outbreaks in 2006 using viral isolates, and compare the results to previously identified Ethiopian strains., Methods: A case study and convenience sampling method were conducted on five measles outbreak cases tb identify the circulating measles virus genotype in Addis Ababa and Amhara regions of Ethiopia in 2006., Results: Three isolates were obtained from five specimens collected in two regions (1 from Amhara: Bahir Dar, and 2 from Addis Ababa: Addis Ketema and Kolefe Keranio subcities) in Ethiopia during 2006. The viral isolates were analyzed using standard genotyping protocols and were classified as genotype B3, identical to the strain circulating widely in West Africa and imported into Europe (Britain, Netherlands, Germany) and America (Mexico, USA, Canada)., Conclusion: The conserved sequences among three isolates, covering a 3-month period, suggest that this B3 strain was circulating in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar and possibly elsewhere in Ethiopia. To interrupt the transmission and circulation of MV, Ethiopia needs a strong national program of epidemiological surveillance, with characterization of circulating MV performed in a timely manner.