Enterococci become clinically important especially in immune compromised patients and important causes of nosocomial infections. Data on the prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and associated factors of enterococci are scarce in Ethiopia. A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar Teaching Hospital from February 28, 2014 to May 1, 2014. Pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and possible associated factors of enterococci infections. Clinical samples including urine, blood, wound swabs and other body fluids from patients requested by physician for culture and antimicrobial susceptibility test during the study period were included. A total of 385 patients were included in the study. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS Version 20. P values <0.05 were considered as statistically significant. The overall prevalence of enterococci infection was 6.2% (24/385). The commonest sites of infections were urinary tract followed by wound and blood. Among the 24 isolates, 33.3% (8/24) were resistant to all tested antimicrobial agents. Forty one point 7 % (10/24) of the enterococci isolates were vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE). Moreover, two third of the isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR) enterococci. In multivariate analysis, duration of hospital stay for two days and more than two days with infection rate 17/32 (53.1%), previous history of any antibiotics (AOR = 9.13; [95% CI; 2.01–41.51] P = 0.00) and history of urinary catheterization (AOR = 8.80; [95% CI; 1.70–45.64] P = 0.01) were associated with presence of higher enterococci infections than their respective groups. The prevalence of enterococci infections among patients with UTIs, wound infections and sepsis were higher than the other infections. Multi drug resistant enterococci including VRE were isolated from clinical samples in the study area. Being hospitalized for ≥48 h, having history of any antibiotic administration and catheterization were associated factors for enterococci infections. Presence of VRE indicates decreased antibiotic treatment options of multidrug resistant enterococci. Therefore, efforts should be made to prevent enterococci infections and emergency of multidrug resistant enterococci. Moreover, species identification and antibiotic resistant in advanced and at large scale is demanding.

Since Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was reported, many commercial Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT) have been developed all over the world, and it has been the standard method. Even though several assays were rapidly developed and applied to laboratory diagnostic testing, the performance of these assays was not evaluated in different contexts. Thus, this study aimed to assess the performance of Abbott SARS-CoV-2, Daan Gene, BGI and Sansure Biotech assays by using Composite Reference Standard (CRS). The study was conducted at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) from December 1 to 30/2020. Of the 164 nasopharyngeal samples were extracted by using a QIAamp RNA mini kit and Abbott DNA sample preparation system. Out of 164 samples, 59.1% were positive and 40.9% were negative by CRS. Sansure Biotech positivity was significantly low compared to CRS (p < 0.05). The overall agreement of the four assays compared to CRS was 96.3–100%. The performance of the four assays had almost comparable diagnostic performance, except for a low positive rate of Sansure Biotech assay. Hence, Sansure Biotech assay [Research Use Only (RUO)] needs further verification on its use in Ethiopia. Finally an additional study should be considered for evaluating assays with respective manufacturer claims.

HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) presents a significant challenge to antiretroviral therapy (ART) success, particularly in resource-limited settings like Ethiopia. This cross-sectional study investigated viral suppression rates and resistance patterns among patients on second-line ART across 28 Ethiopian health facilities. Blood samples collected from 586 participants were analyzed to measure CD4 count and viral load and assess HIVDR in patients experiencing virological failure (VF) (viral load ≥ 1000 copies/mL). Demographic and clinical data were analyzed using logistic regression to identify factors associated with VF. Results showed that 13.82% of participants experienced VF, with 67.57% of genotyped samples exhibiting at least one drug resistance mutation. Resistance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) was detected in 48.64%, 64.86%, and 18.92% of cases, respectively. Dual-class resistance was identified in 48.64% of patients, while triple-class resistance was detected in 18.92%. VF was more likely among students and those with CD4 counts below 200 cells/mm³, but less likely in patients on second-line treatment for 12 months or more. Our findings highlight a substantial HIVDR burden among patients on second-line ART with VF, emphasizing the need for comprehensive HIV care, including adherence support, regular viral load monitoring, and HIVDR testing.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) and other sexually transmitted infection (STI) co-infections and assess their association with cervical cytological abnormalities among Ethiopian women aged 30-65 years. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2024 to March 2025 among 735 women attending 11 public health facilities found in six regions of Ethiopia. Cervical cytology, serological, and molecular tests were performed to detect hrHPV, HIV, syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhea, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were executed. Overall, 37.6% (95% confidence interval: 34.1-41.1%) of women had at least one type of STI; hrHPV was detected in 16.2%, HIV in 18.6%, syphilis in 5.0%, and CT in 3.7%. Cytological abnormalities were present in 5.7% of women, with 40.5% hrHPV positive. Among women positive for hrHPV, 42.1% had one or more STI co-infection, most commonly HIV (24.5%), syphilis (5.0%), and CT (4.2%). hrHPV/STI co-infection was strongly associated with cervical abnormalities (adjusted odds ratio = 5.85, 95% confidence interval: 2.68-12.74, P <0.001). Co-infections of hrHPV and other non-HPV STIs are common and strongly associated with cervical precancerous lesions. Integrating STI screening into cervical cancer prevention programs may improve early detection and reduce disease progression in Ethiopia.

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) leads to cervical cancer (CC), the second most common cancer among women in Ethiopia. Understanding the genotype distribution of hr-HPV is essential for effective prevention strategies. However, existing studies in Ethiopia are fragmented and lack comprehensive national evidence. This study assessed the distribution of hr-HPV genotypes, cytological abnormalities, and their associated risk factors in women aged 30–65 in Ethiopia. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2024 to March 2025, including 735 women. Cervical samples were collected for cytological examination and multiplex PCR analysis, and all women were screened with visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). Data were entered into EpiData version 4.7 and analyzed using SPSS version 27. Overall hr-HPV positivity was 16.2% (95% confidence interval: 13.6–19.2). HPV-16 was the most prevalent genotype (4.8% of all women and 29.4% of hr-HPV cases), followed by HPV-18 and HPV-35. VIA positivity rate was 13.3%. Abnormal cytology was found in 5.7% of women, of whom 40.5% had hr-HPV, while hr-HPV infection was present in 14.7% of women with normal cytology. Among hr-HPV cases, 65.6% of HPV types were not targeted by the current vaccine, and 30.9% of these non-targeted genotypes were detected in women with abnormal cytology. Having multiple sexual partners (aOR: 2.42), early sexual debut (aOR: 2.12), and a history of sexually transmitted infections (aOR: 1.81) were significantly associated with hr-HPV infection. High-risk HPV infection is high in the studied population in Ethiopia, with a significant proportion of genotypes not covered by the current vaccine. Adopting a nonavalent vaccine with sexual health education and regular screening is critical for comprehensive CC prevention. IMPORTANCE: The importance of this study lies in generating a comprehensive national evidence on high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) across multiple sites among Ethiopian women, addressing a significant gap in public health data. It documents the considerable burden of hr-HPV infection, identifies the most prevalent circulating genotypes, and reveals that a large proportion of infections are caused by genotypes not targeted by the currently used quadrivalent vaccine. This finding has profound implications for vaccine policy and cervical cancer (CC) prevention strategies in Ethiopia. By establishing clear associations between hr-HPV infection, cytological abnormalities, and behavioral risk factors, including multiple sexual partners, early sexual debut, and history of sexually transmitted infections. This study highlights the need for integrated prevention approaches. The evidence strongly supports the adoption of a broader-spectrum nonavalent vaccine, complemented with sexual health education and regular cervical screening programs, to effectively reduce the burden of hr-HPV and prevent cervical cancer in Ethiopian women.