African Health Sciences Makerere University Medical School ISSN: 1680-6905 EISSN: 1729-0503 Vol. 9, Num. 3, 2009, pp. 129

African Health Sciences, Vol. 9, No. 3, Sept, 2009, pp. 129

Editor's Choice

James K Tumwine

Editor in Chief

In this September issue of African Health Sciences we have a truly bumper collection of excellent articles ranging from HIV, hepatitis C, smoking, hypertension, diabetes to intestinal obstruction and Hodgkin disease.

Hepatitis C and HIV

We have selected for you three related articles on hepatitis C: two from West Africa and one from Uganda. Hepatitis C is becoming a very important illness and any publication that helps understand it a little more is welcome. In their paper on HIV and hepatitis C from the Gambia, Mboto, Jewell and others¹ report that over 6% of the study population tested positive for HIV but only 0.5% had HIV/HCV confection. Almost half of the HIV infected had CD4 cell counts below 200/µL implying they were missing out on HAART. These results are different from what Duru and others² report from Nigeria, in this same issue of African Health Sciences. They report that HIV and HCV sero-prevalence rates in pregnant women were 3 and 5% respectively. Thirty percent were co-infected with HIV and HCV. Walusansa and Kagimu³ report in the same issue of African Health Sciences a co-infection rate of 3.3% among HIV infected patients in Mulago hospital. These studies call for further investigation of hepatitis C especially amongst pregnant women, children and others in our communities infected or non-infected with HIV.

Lifestyle issues

In the next group of articles authors report on conditions or diseases associated with lifestyle.From Tunisia, Harrabi and others⁴ report on the predictors of smoking initiation among school children in a 4 year cohort study. Predictors included previous experimentation with alcohol and tobacco, having a smoking best friend, lack of sensitization from the school, and believing that smoking one feel cool. They call for authorities to equip school children with skills to resist pressure from peers to adopt unhealthy habits such as smoking.

Uganda authors⁵ report on the prevalence and factors associated with hypertension in one of Uganda's rural remote districts: Rukungiri. The age-standardized prevalence of hypertension was 30.5%. Factors associated with hypertension included: past alcohol use, present alcohol use, being overweight, obesity, female gender, having attained tertiary education. Disturbing facts indeed!

Nigerian researchers⁶ compared the quality of life effects of type 2 diabetes determined by the Bradley well-being questionnaire and the WHOQOL-BREF, a generic instrument. They conclude: "Our study has shown how two different measures of quality of life perform in patients with type 2 diabetes. Although they were not very sensitive to criteria of disease complications, casting doubt on their utility as psychological outcome measures, they demonstrated fairly reasonable internal consistency in our patients with type 2 diabetes."

The rest of the issue has papers on anaesthesia aim patients with reactive airway disease⁷; intestinal obstruction in Ibadan⁸ as well as Epstein B virus in Hodgkin disease⁹. Four more papers on the use of warfarin¹⁰, assessing cerebral malaria children¹¹; a case of hypertension, ¹² mouth rinsing effect on sputum culture results¹³ and factors associated with severe malaria¹⁴ complete our rich and detailed story in this issue of African Health Sciences.

Finally I wish to thank all the authors, reviewers, staff and friends of African Health Sciences (none of us is paid to do this work) for this commitment to a truly successful African Journal. Together we can push African Health Sciences to even greater heights publishing state of the art science relevant to health in Africa. Keep it up!

References

1. Mboto CI, Davies-Russell A, Fielder M, Jewell AP^. CD4+ lymphocyte values and trends in individuals infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and/or co-infected with Hepatitis C Virus in The Gambia African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 130-136
2. Duru MU, Aluyi HSA, Anukam KC. Rapid screening for Co-Infection of HIV and HCV in Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 137-142
3. Walusansa V and Kagimu M. Screening for hepatitis C among HIV positive patients at Mulago Hospital in Uganda African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 143-146
4. Harrabi I, Chahed H, Maatoug J et al Predictors of smoking initiation among schoolchildren in Tunisia: a 4 years cohort study. African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 147-152
5. Wamala JF, Karyabakabo Z, Ndungutse D, Guwatudde D. Prevalence factors associated with Hypertension in Rukungiri District, Uganda - A Community-Based Study African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 153-160
6. Kolawole BA, Mosaku SK, R.T. Ikem. A Comparison of two measures of quality of life of Nigerian clinic patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 161-166
7. Lawal I, Bakari AG^. Reactive airway and anaesthesia: challenge to the anaesthetist and the way forward. African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 167-169
8. Olakayode OO, Adefemi OA, Ogunlana DI, Taiwo AL, Abiboye C Y. Pattern and outcome of childhood intestinal obstruction at a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 170-173
9. Adelusola KA, Titiloye N, Rotimi O, Durosinmi M. Epstein Barr virus latent membrane protein-1 in Hodgkin's lymphoma in Nigerians. African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 174-178
10. Amiwero C, Campbell IA, Prescott RJ^. A re-appraisal of Warfarin control in the treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis and / or Pulmonary Embolism. African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 179-185
11. Bangirana P, Seggane-Musisi, Allebeck P et al. A preliminary examination of the construct validity of the KABC-II in Ugandan children with a history of cerebral malaria African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 186-192
12. Ekore RI, Ajayi IO, Arije A^. Case finding for hypertension in young adult patients attending a Missionary Hospital in Nigeria African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 193-199
13. Muzanye G, Morgan K, Johnson J, Mayanja-Kizza H^. Impact of mouth rinsing before sputum collection on culture contamination African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 200
14. Byakika-Kibwika P, Ndeezi G, Kamya MR^. Health care related factors associated with severe malaria in children in Kampala, Uganda African Health Sciences 2009; 9(3): 201-205

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