Asian Journal of Research in Infectious Diseases

WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) Deficits and Infectious Disease Burden in Urban Slums: A Cross-sectional Survey of Households in Nigeria

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Urban informal settlements frequently experience inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, increasing exposure to enteric and environmentally mediated infections. Multi-city primary data linking household WASH conditions with disease outcomes in Nigerian slum communities remain limited.

Objectives: To describe WASH access and water quality in selected slum communities in Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt; estimate household-reported 30-day occurrence of selected WASH-related illnesses; describe soil-transmitted helminth positivity among stool-tested participants; and examine associations between selected WASH exposures and disease outcomes.

Methods: A multi-site cross-sectional household survey was conducted from January to August 2024. A total of 1,157 households were enrolled through stratified cluster sampling. Drinking-water microbiology was assessed in 580 sampled households, and 648 consenting household members provided stool specimens for Kato-Katz examination. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for household income, caregiver education, household size, number of children younger than five years, and city of residence.

Results: Household WASH conditions were poor: 37.4% of households practised open defecation, 10.5% had a functioning handwashing station with soap and water, and 63.8% of point-of-use water samples exceeded the study microbiological threshold. Household-reported 30-day diarrhoeal episodes occurred in 35.3% of households, while the combined suspected/confirmed typhoid outcome occurred in 19.1%. Among the 648 stool-tested participants, 478 were Kato-Katz positive for at least one soil-transmitted helminth (73.8%). Unimproved water source was associated with diarrhoea (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 5.10, 95% CI 3.90-6.70), open drainage within 50 m with suspected cholera (aOR 4.20, 95% CI 3.10-5.70), and absence of household sanitation with the combined typhoid outcome (aOR 3.80, 95% CI 2.60-5.40).

Conclusion: In the surveyed communities, multiple WASH deficits co-occurred with substantial burdens of household-reported enteric illness and microbiological contamination. The cross-sectional design supports association rather than causation, but the findings identify potentially actionable deficits in water quality, sanitation, hygiene, and household water handling.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions of Health Professionals in Senegal Regarding the One Health Approach : A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction: The 'One Health' approach recognises the interdependence between human health, animal health, and ecosystem health. Implementing this approach requires institutional policies, a sound understanding of the concept among health professionals, and effective collaboration across sectors. Data on the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of health professionals regarding this approach remain limited in Senegal.

Objective: To describe the knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and practices of healthcare professionals in Senegal regarding the “One Health” approach, as well as their views on intersectoral collaboration and implementation priorities.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare professionals in Senegal. Sociodemographic and professional characteristics, knowledge of the One Health concept and of interactions between human, animal, and environmental health, perceptions, attitudes towards intersectoral collaboration, knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), individual practices, and perceived priorities for implementing One Health were assessed. Data were analysed using counts, proportions, means, and standard deviations, and a knowledge score based on 23 items was calculated.

Results: The mean age was 32.7 ± 5.6 years. Physicians accounted for 32.8% of participants, community health workers for 31.3%, nurses for 20.8%, and pharmacists for 13.9%. A total of 259 health professionals were included. The majority (78.0%) had already heard of One Health, and 76.8% defined the concept as an approach integrating human, animal, and environmental health. The mean knowledge score was 82.2 ± 10.5%, with a median of 82.6%. Most participants recognised interactions between the different components of One Health. Regarding AMR, 83.4% had already heard of the phenomenon, and 70.7% thought it concerned humans, animals, and the environment. The need for cross-sectoral collaboration was acknowledged, but 59.5% felt that current collaboration was either non-existent or weak. Simultaneous collaboration among the three sectors was considered necessary by 77.2% of participants.

Conclusion: The healthcare professionals surveyed demonstrated a high level of declarative knowledge of the One Health concept and acknowledged the interdependence of human health, animal health, and the environment. However, perceptions of the current level of cross-sectoral collaboration revealed a gap between understanding the concept and implementing it in practice. Strengthening practical training, integrated surveillance, data sharing, and cross-sectoral collaboration should be prioritised.

Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns of Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated from Patients Wound Swabs in Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background and Aim: Wound infections remain a significant cause of morbidity, prolonged hospitalisation and increased healthcare costs globally, particularly in developing countries including Nigeria. The emergence and rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance among wound pathogens has complicated empirical treatment, leading to treatment failures and poor clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the bacteriological profile and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates from wound swabs of patients attending Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria.

Place of Study: The study was conducted at Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BHUTH), Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Methodology: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 232 patients with wound infections. Wound swabs were cultured on Blood agar, Chocolate agar, MacConkey agar and Mannitol Salt agar. Bacterial isolates were identified by cultural, morphological and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion against 12 antibiotics according to CLSI guidelines. Data were analysed using SPSS v20.0.

Results: Out of 232 wound swabs, 80 bacterial isolates were recovered. Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant pathogen accounting for 44(55.0%) isolates, followed by Escherichia coli 17(21.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 12 (15.0%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae 7(8.8%). Demographically, wound infections were highest in the 21–40-year age group (61.3%) and among males (68.8%). By wound type, trauma/accident wounds were the major source of S. aureus 22(50.0%), E. coli 11(64.7%) and K. pneumoniae 4(57.1%), while surgical-site infections accounted for 6(50.0%) of P. aeruginosa. By site, lower-limb wounds predominated across all species: S. aureus 61.4%, E. coli 64.7%, P. aeruginosa 75.0% and K. pneumoniae 85.7%. The antibiogram showed a high multidrug-resistant phenotype. Gram-negative isolates showed 100% resistance to cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, cefixime, imipenem and nalidixic acid, with 82.4-94.1% resistance to ampicillin/cloxacillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate and ofloxacin. Similarly, S. aureus showed resistance to cefotaxime and cefixime (95.5% each), ceftriaxone and cefuroxime (93.2% each), erythromycin (88.6%) and amoxicillin/clavulanate (86.4%). Susceptibility was generally low, with levofloxacin showing the highest susceptibility of only 20.5% for S. aureus.

Conclusion: This study identified Staphylococcus aureus as the leading cause of wound infection in Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, predominantly associated with trauma and lower-limb wounds among young adult males. The emergence of high-level resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors, fluoroquinolones and carbapenems among both Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates severely limits empirical treatment options.

Prevalence and Resistance Profiles of Drug-resistant Tuberculosis in the Southeastern Region of Nigeria

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background and Aims: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) complicates tuberculosis control and requires accurate characterisation of resistance patterns to guide clinical and public health responses. This study investigated the prevalence and pattern of DR-TB among presumptive and follow-up tuberculosis patients in southeastern Nigeria.

Study Design: A cross-sectional, multicentre regional epidemiological survey was employed.

Place and Duration of the Study: The study was conducted across secondary and tertiary referral health facilities in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States, southeastern Nigeria, between January 2020 and December 2021.

Methodology: Sputum specimens were collected from 217 presumptive and follow-up pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients, comprising 144 males and 73 females. Sociodemographic data and clinical history were collected using structured clinical request forms (NTBLCP-02). Samples were screened using the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and rifampicin resistance (RR). All samples were thereafter subcultured on Lowenstein-Jensen media and subjected to line probe assay (LPA). Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 27.

Results: The prevalence of drug-susceptible TB was 14.3%, while mono-resistance to either rifampicin or isoniazid was 41.9%. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) was detected in 36.4% of isolates, Pre-XDR TB in 4.1%, and XDR-TB in 3.2%. The resistance rates to rifampicin and isoniazid (first-line drugs) were 82.5% and 41.0%, respectively. The resistance rates to fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides (second-line drugs) were 6.5% and 4.1%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the distribution of mono- and multidrug resistance across the states (p = .873).

Conclusion: Drug-resistant tuberculosis presents a substantial public health threat in southeastern Nigeria, driven primarily by previous treatment exposure and incomplete regimen adherence. Expanding access to universal rapid molecular drug-susceptibility testing (DST) and second-line susceptibility testing is critical for curbing ongoing transmission and guiding targeted therapeutic strategies in the region.

Profile of Patients Infected with Rift Valley Fever Hospitalized at the Regional Hospital Center of Saint-Louis (Senegal) during the 2025 Epidemic

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an acute viral zoonosis responsible for several epidemics in Senegal. The 2025 epidemic was associated with substantial mortality.

Aim: The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic and outcome-related aspects of patients infected with RVF hospitalized at the Regional Hospital Center (RHC) of Saint-Louis (Senegal).

Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study in RVF-infected patients hospitalized at the RHC of Saint-Louis from 13 September to 30 October 2025.

Results: Twenty patients were hospitalized for RVF. The median age was 26.5 years [0.02–90 years]. Eleven patients (55%) were men, giving a sex ratio (M/F) of 1.2. The most common occupations were housewives (30%), followed by livestock farmers (20%). The median time from symptom onset to hospitalisation was 6 days [1–13 days]. Fifteen patients (75%) had a severe form of the disease, with haemorrhagic manifestations in 73.3% and neurological manifestations in 60% of severe cases. RT-PCR was positive in all patients (100%). Thrombocytopenia was observed in half of the cases (50%). Blood transfusions were administered in half of the cases (50%). Six deaths were recorded (30%). The factors associated with death were the presence of comorbidities (p=0.03), a serum creatinine level ≥14mg/l (p=0.01), a CRP level ≥12mg/l (p=0.02), a white blood cell count ≥ 9000/ul (p=0.02), a neutrophil count ≥6000/ul (p=0.02), a platelet count <50000/ul (p=0.05), and a serum potassium level ≥4 meq/l (p=0.05).

Conclusion: In this hospitalized cohort, RVF predominantly affected young male patients and was associated with a high case fatality proportion and frequent haemorrhagic and neurological manifestations.

Beyond Susceptibility: Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns and Molecular Characterisation of ESBL-Producing E. coli and Circulating Carbapenem-resistance Genes in Clinical Isolates

Dauda E. Suleiman, Mudathir Qossim, Hafeez Halilu , Abdullahi Ali — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Antimicrobial resistance among clinical Escherichia coli isolates restricts treatment options and highlights the need for local susceptibility and molecular surveillance. This study investigated antimicrobial resistance patterns, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production and selected carbapenem-resistance genes among clinical isolates obtained at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi. Of 317 clinical specimens processed, 170 E. coli isolates were recovered and evaluated using the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Phenotypic ESBL production was assessed using the double-disc synergy test, suspected carbapenemase production was examined using the modified Hodge test, and OXA-48 and KPC genes were investigated by polymerase chain reaction. Of the 170 isolates, 93 (54.7%) exhibited multidrug resistance, while 24 (14.1% of all isolates; 25.8% of multidrug-resistant isolates) were ESBL producers. Among the ESBL-producing isolates, 13 (54.2%) demonstrated resistance or reduced susceptibility on carbapenem screening, and 10 of these (76.9%) were positive in subsequent modified Hodge testing. Thus, the 10 isolates represented 5.9% of all E. coli isolates. Molecular analysis identified OXA-48 alone in two isolates (20%) and co-detection of OXA-48 and KPC in one isolate (10%). Urine accounted for 106 (62.3%) of all E. coli isolates and seven (70.0%) of the carbapenem-resistant isolates. These findings document multidrug resistance, ESBL production and the investigated carbapenem-resistance determinants at the study hospital. Continued laboratory surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship are warranted.

Evidence and Manifestations of Scrub Typhus: A Clinical Case Series from Kerala

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, may be difficult to recognise because its clinical manifestations overlap with those of other acute febrile illnesses.

Aim: This study describes the clinical features, laboratory findings and treatment outcomes of patients with scrub typhus at a tertiary care hospital in Kerala.

Case Presentation: This retrospective case series included 11 patients admitted between August and December 2020. Clinical examinations, complete blood counts, liver function tests, eschar findings and scrub typhus IgM results were reviewed. Complications and responses to azithromycin treatment were recorded.

Results: Nine patients were aged 20–60 years, one was younger than 20 years and one was older than 60 years; nine were female. Fever, headache, vomiting and thrombocytopenia were reported in all patients. Hyponatraemia occurred in three patients, abdominal distension in two, and myocarditis and bilateral crepitation in one patient. Eschars and positive IgM results were documented in all 11 patients. Aspartate aminotransferase values ranged from 65 to 311 U/L, while alanine aminotransferase values ranged from 33 to 250 U/L. All patients received intravenous azithromycin followed by oral treatment after clinical improvement. Most hospital stays lasted 3–7 days, and all patients recovered.

Conclusion: The findings illustrate the clinical and laboratory features observed in this small hospital-based series and highlight the importance of considering scrub typhus when evaluating compatible acute febrile presentations.

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Rifampicin Resistance by Xpert MTB/RIF at the Abidjan Military Hospital, Côte d’Ivoire: A Retrospective Laboratory Study, 2024

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Tuberculosis remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality, and rapid molecular assays provide information on both the detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and rifampicin resistance. Objective: To describe Xpert MTB/RIF findings at the Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment Center of the Abidjan Military Hospital during 2024. Methods: This retrospective, descriptive study reviewed 400 eligible laboratory testing records from 1 January to 31 December 2024. Age, sex, specimen type, and Xpert MTB/RIF results were summarised. Results: MTB was detected in 97 of 400 tests (24.25%), and was not detected in 303 (75.75%). The reported mean age was 37.7 years; 64.8% of the tested population was male. Sputum specimens accounted for 361 (90.25%) tests and gastric specimens for 39 (9.75%). Among the 97 MTB-positive tests, rifampicin resistance was detected in nine (9.28%). Conclusion: Approximately one-quarter of Xpert tests in this hospital sample detected MTB, and rifampicin resistance was detected in nine MTB-positive results. These findings describe a selected laboratory population and do not establish multidrug-resistant tuberculosis or community prevalence.

Climate Change, Ecosystem Loss, and Emerging Infectious Diseases in Nigeria

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Climate change and ecosystem degradation can affect infectious-disease hazards, human exposure and the recognition of outbreaks, but the direction and strength of those influences differ among pathogens. Nigeria provides a pertinent setting because reservoir-associated infections, mosquito-borne diseases, waterborne outbreaks and climatically sensitive respiratory infections occur across contrasting ecological zones and unequal healthcare environments. This critical narrative review evaluates literature on climatic variability, land-use change, biodiversity, transmission ecology and disease surveillance, giving priority to Nigerian empirical work and using regional or global studies to clarify mechanisms rather than substitute for local evidence. The strongest environment-linked Nigerian analyses concern Lassa fever, whose geographical incidence correlates with climate, land use and socioeconomic factors, although retrospective prediction does not establish prospective forecast utility. Rodent field studies show that seasonal host abundance and viral detection do not necessarily move together. Dengue investigations identify under-recognised febrile illness and competent mosquito habitats, but antibody, vector and molecular results have different inferential meanings. Yellow fever patterns are inseparable from immunity and surveillance selection. For cholera, floods and climatic anomalies interact with water-system failures, displacement and sanitation disadvantage; direct attribution to ecosystem loss remains limited. Meningitis and mpox further illustrate the danger of extending one ecological mechanism across fundamentally different transmission systems. Persistent limitations include spatial aggregation, incomplete diagnostic denominators, heterogeneous environmental measurements and scarce longitudinal linkage of ecosystem disturbance, infected hosts and confirmed human infection. The synthesis argues for pathogen-specific One Health monitoring, prospective ecological–clinical cohorts, out-of-sample validation of warnings and controlled evaluation of water, vector and household interventions. Climate adaptation and ecosystem protection offer important opportunities, but infectious-disease benefits should be demonstrated rather than presumed.

The Gut–lung Axis in Severe Viral and Bacterial Pneumonia: Microbiota Dysbiosis, Host Defense, and Translational Priorities

Mohamed Kamal Mohamed Hamza, Khalid Enan, Osman Elsadig — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Severe viral and bacterial pneumonia is frequently complicated by acute lung injury, secondary bacterial infection, and systemic organ dysfunction. The gut–lung axis has emerged as a biologically plausible framework linking intestinal microbial ecology, microbial metabolites, barrier integrity, and pulmonary immune defence. This narrative review synthesises clinical and experimental evidence on how dysbiosis may modulate host responses during severe pneumonia. A targeted narrative search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and African Journals Online was used to identify literature published from January 2016 to July 2026; landmark earlier studies were retained when directly relevant, and Google Scholar was used only as a supplementary citation-tracking tool. Evidence was narratively organised around short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) signalling, lung-to-gut injury, gut-to-lung translocation, viral–bacterial superinfection, and microbiome-targeted interventions. Observational human cohorts, particularly in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), report associations between severe respiratory infection, reduced abundance of selected commensal taxa, and systemic inflammatory markers. Experimental studies support mechanisms whereby altered microbial metabolite availability can influence alveolar macrophage activity, tonic interferon signalling, and susceptibility to secondary bacterial pneumonia. Severe illness and antibiotic exposure may also impair intestinal colonisation resistance and barrier function, potentially facilitating systemic exposure to microbial products. However, causal inference in humans remains limited by confounding, heterogeneous sequencing methods, and the predominance of animal models. Microbiome-directed treatment therefore remains investigational. In particular, safety findings from live-probiotic trials in predicted severe acute pancreatitis should not be extrapolated as direct evidence in pneumonia. Prospective human multi-omics cohorts and rigorously designed, condition-specific trials are needed before targeted postbiotic or other microbiome-based therapies can be incorporated into routine critical care.