Background A whole blood/serum by rK39immunochromatographic test are the most widely used biological samples for diagnosis/screening of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). However, sample collection is relatively invasive and more difficult to apply in children and during field surveillance. Finding of alternative, non-invasive and easy surveillance samples like urine and saliva for VL diagnosis is vital. Thus, study was amid to evaluate the effectiveness of urine and saliva samples for the diagnosis of VL by rK-39 based rapid test using serum rK39 value as gold standard test. Methods Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to July 2022 in Northwest Ethiopia. Blood, saliva, and midstream urine samples were collected among VL confirmed patients and non endemic healthy controls. Data was entered in to Epi-data (version 4.2) and analyzed using STATA (version 21). The diagnostic performance of both samples were evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) using serum rK-39 test results as gold standard. Kappa statistics was used to evaluate the agreement of urine and saliva rk39-based rapid test result with serum sample gold standard test. Results A total of 63 participants (32 confirmed VL patients and 31 healthy control individuals were enrolled in the study. The sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) of urine by rK-39 based rapid test were found to be 87.5% (79.3–95.67%), 96.7% (92–100%) and 0.92 respectively. Similarly, sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) of saliva by rK39 rapid test were found to be 90.6% (83.4–97.82%), 100%, and 0.95. The kappa agreement of urine and saliva with reference serum sample were strong (k = 0.84) and (k = 0.904) respectively. Conclusions In this study, both urine and saliva samples showed a promising finding to be a serum alternative specimen for the diagnosis of VL mainly in areas lacking advanced medical facilities and skilled personnel. Yet, clinical practice needs further multicenter study with large sample size inclusive of both symptomatic and asymptomatic participants.

Leishmaniasis are a group of neglected tropical vector-borne diseases caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania. Currently, standard chemotherapy has challenges due to its cytotoxicity, cost, painful route of administration, long treatment duration, resultant partial efficacy, and high risk of resistance. To overcome this issue, new intervention approaches have been formulated to treat leishmaniasis. Host-directed immunotherapy is a novel approach that involves the adoptive transfer of host-derived biomolecules to enhance the natural power of protective cellular immunity. This restores the function of effector cells, enabling them to clear intracellular amastigotes and leads to the recovery of patients from infections. The advantages of this modality over routine treatment include less cytotoxicity, short hospitalization, affordability, and better efficacy for drug-resistant parasite strains. Several studies have reported better efficacy of this treatment model for drug-resistant Leishmania species. However, current knowledge and evidence are highly insufficient to implement this agent to treat any form of leishmaniasis. This review aims to show the efficacy of this immunotherapeutic agent against leishmaniasis. The discussion has focused on major pro-inflammatory cytokines (interferon-gamma, interleukin-12, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors), immune cells (dendritic and mesenchymal stem cells), and monoclonal-antibodies (anti-interleukin-10, anti-interleukin-4, and immune checkpoint inhibitory molecules). Our finding shows that this treatment approach has the potential to be a successful treatment and improve clinical outcomes by reducing the adverse effects of routine therapy. This suggests the future deployment of this treatment modality as an alternative strategy. However, it needs extensive pre-clinical trials using local animal models that reflect typical host immunological profiles against leishmaniasis in order to select the most protective candidate agents.

Despite extensive implementation of albendazole (ALB) mass drug administration to reduce Ascaris lumbricoides among school childrens, it remains a major ch

Background: Malaria continues to be a serious public health problem, particularly in tropical and subtropical nations, with an estimated 247 million malaria cases and 619,000 malaria deaths worldwide. Despite early and accurate diagnosis being essential for limiting public health challenges, existing conventional diagnostic techniques face many overwhelming challenges. However, recent advances in machine learning and deep learning models have shown promising results in overcoming the challenges of malaria diagnosis. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize the existing literature and evaluate the overall performance and reliability of machine learning and deep learning models. Methods: A systematic literature search will be conducted to identify all relevant studies from electronic databases including PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar and Science Direct until November 15, 2023. Study selection will be rigorously carried out independently using the established eligibility criteria and strictly following the PRISMA guidelines. Then two authors will extract data files from a full-text article using a predefined extraction checklist. The methodological qualities of the included studies will be assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool. Pooled estimates of key diagnostic performance measures will be calculated, and the synthesis outcomes will be presented using forest plots. Random effects models will be used to account for the expected variation among studies. The presence of heterogeneity among studies will be assessed using the I² statistic. If significant heterogeneity is observed, we will explore the source of heterogeneity using subgroup analyses meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis. Discussion: The rigorous meta-analysis approach used will ensure a robust knowledge synthesis from the extracted data files. The result of the study will provide empirical evidence for policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders who would like to use the data to establish the appropriate strategy. Systematic review registration: This review protocol has been submitted to PROSPERO for registration.

Schistosoma mansoni is a significant public health concern worldwide, particularly affecting schoolchildren. The Ethiopian Ministry of Health promotes school-based single-dose praziquantel. However, this extensive implementation of mass drug administration might lead to selective drug resistance. Therefore, periodic assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of praziquantel is vital. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the impact of praziquantel on S. mansoni infection rates and associated factors among Primary School Children in the towns of Teda, Koladiba, and Maksegnit, Northwest Ethiopia. A Multicenter cross-sectional study design was conducted in Teda, Koladiba, and Maksegnit Primary Schools from May to July 2024. A total of 657 children were enrolled. Approximately 2 g of stool samples were collected and examined using the Kato-Katz technique. Children positive for S. mansoni received a single dose of praziquantel, and cure and egg-reduction rates were assessed within 21 days of treatment. The data were analyzed using SPSS. Out of 657 screened children, 10.5% (69/657) were infected with S. mansoni, with a higher prevalence among males and older children (56.5%). Of the infected children, 63 were followed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of praziquantel, showing a cure rate of 92.1% and an egg reduction rate of 90.1%, with most infections being of light intensity. S. mansoni infection was significantly associated with a history of swimming in rivers (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.03–3.31; P = 0.039) and washing clothes in rivers (AOR = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.02 3.26; P = 0.044). The prevalence of S. mansoni infection among schoolchildren in Teda, Koladiba, and Maksegnit was at a moderate endemic level. The impact of a single dose of praziquantel was satisfactory for treating S. mansoni. However, sustained control efforts, including strengthened health education programs, are recommended to reduce exposure to contaminated freshwater sources, particularly through swimming and washing in open water bodies.