Browsing by Author "Berhanu Tesfaye"

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    Assessment of Specific Immune Responses to Tuberculosis in HIV Infected Patients Before and During Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment (HAART)
    (Addis Ababa University, 2009-03) Berhanu Tesfaye; Asrat Daniel; Woldeamanuel Yimtubezinash
    BACKGROUND: HAART greatly reduces the risk of developing tuberculosis in HIVinfected persons. However, individuals who initiate HAART may still be reported as having TB, either because they are developing active TB due to persistent immunodeficiency or because they have sub clinical TB that becomes apparent in the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). Despite the severity of the problem, little information is available on the extent to which HAART restores TB specific immune response or CD4 cell and characteristics of patients who develop TB while taking HAART and proportion of immune reconstitution syndrome associated with TB. OBJECTIVES: To assess specific immune response to tuberculosis in HIV-1 infected patients before and during HAART and to assess the characteristics of patients who developed ART associated TB and to determine the incidence rate of TB IRIS. METHODS: In a longitudinal prospective cohort study, 177 study participants naive to HAART were enrolled and followed for six months after starting HAART at ALERT Hospital, Addis Ababa Ethiopia. The study period was from June 2006 to September 2008. Blood samples were collected before initiation of HAART (at baseline), at 3rd and 6th month of HAART and at occurrence of suspected TB IRIS. T lymphocyte sub set enumerated and the immune response to tuberculosis was assessed in vitro, using ELISPOT assay in PBMC stimulated with TB antigens (PPD, ESAT-6, and CFP-10), and in vivo using tuberculin skin test (TST) at the specified time points. RESULTS: Recovery of TB specific immune response: The proportion of TST positive responses increased significantly from baseline 17.5% to 26.8% at 3rd month and to 28.9% at the 6th month (p= 0.02). TST response increased significantly among groups with CD4 cell count <50 cells/mm3 when the group is stratified according to baseline CD4 cell count and among group with active TB at baseline investigation when the group is stratified according to baseline TB status. Quantitative IFN-γ ELISPOT response to TB antigens (PPD, ESAT-6 and CFP-10) also increased after HAART in the whole cohort. Median SFC/million to PPD xiii and ESAT-6 significantly increased among group with baseline CD4<50 cells/mm3 when the group is stratified according to baseline CD4 cell count. Although the difference was not statistically significant (except for quantitative ELSPOT response to PPD), the proportion of TST response and median SFC/million ELISPOT response to TB antigens after HAART were also higher in those with baseline CD4 ≥100 cells/mm3 than < 100 cells/mm3. ART associated TB, unmasking and paradoxical TB IRIS: the incidence rate of ART associated TB in our cohort was 12.7 cases /100 PY during the first 6 months of HAART. The majority (62.5%) of TB cases occurred within the first month of HAART. Baseline TST response > 5 mm induration, baseline hemoglobin < 12 gm/dl and being male were the strongest predictors of occurrence of TB during HAART. Only 3/8 (37.5%) episodes of TB were presented as unmasking tuberculosis IRIS. The proportion of paradoxical IRIS was 9.6 % (3/31) and the incidence rate was 22.5 cases per 100 persons per year. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The majority of the study participants attained CD4 cell counts above the zone of severe immunodeficiency within the first 3 months of treatment. However, the relative risk of attaining CD4 cell > 200 cells/mm3 decreased significantly with decreasing baseline CD4 cell count. Thus, individuals who initiated HAART with CD4 < 50 cells/mm3 are likely to have high risk of morbidity and mortality for longer period. This underscores the need of designing strategy to identify and treat patients before they get into a stage of profound CD4 lymphcytopenia. Our study indicates that TB specific T cell repertoire may not be totally lost in HIV infected individuals with CD4 < 50 cells/ mm3 and their levels can still be improved by HAART. Our findings provide useful baseline information for further research to assess overall potential of HAART in the restoration of immunity to tuberculosis. Finally, in this study, we observed a high rate of tuberculosis in our cohort during the initial months of HAART indicating the need for careful screening for TB before initiation of HAART. More sensitive and specific diagnostic methods for TB may assist in early diagnosis. In addition, our study confirmed that a sub set of patients who developed TB during HAART manifested as IRIS. Key words: Tuberculosis, CD4 cell count, IRIS, HAART, immune response and Ethiopia
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    An Assessment on Employees Perception Towards The Sourcing Practice in The Case of Zamra Construction Plc
    (Addis Ababa University, 2018-10-09) Berhanu Tesfaye; Temesgen Busha
    As the company is performing in this dynamic and booming industry entertaining fierce competition with other similar organizations in the country having well planned and organized sourcing practice could be taken as a key strategic advantage so as to win competitor. And this study is conducted in attempt to access the sourcing practice that aid the implementation of cost effective and efficient sourcing activity both from local and international markets in terms of sourcing planning, sourcing performance management, supplier selection and related procurement activities carried on in the company. Due to the limited number of population which is less than 100 individuals, the study had employed census survey and a total of 68 questionnaires were distributed and used as the formal instrument of data collection but 53 of them were filled and returned which made the response rate about 77.94 % and of which all of them were found complete and hence qualified for being processed. The study findings have suggested that the sourcing practices is there but not well done in the case of Zamra construction plc. And as the perceived evaluation of the respondents show it has also revealed that, though all of the above mentioned dimensions of sourcing practices have statistically significant positive relationship with the overall operational performance and profitability of the company. Therefore it is recommended that Zamra construction plc should review its existing sourcing practices and make the necessary modifications and improvements on the sourcing planning, sourcing performance management, supplier selection and the procurement activities in order to benefit from implementing well organized sourcing practice in terms of improved quality, delivery time, reduced cost of goods and services and enhance the satisfaction of clients and internal customers.
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    Causes of Dropout of Students in Government Second Cycle Primary Schools of West Hararge Zone
    (Addis Ababa University, 2011-06) Berhanu Tesfaye; Ambissa Kenea
    The study was setout to assess the magnitude of dropout of primary schools in West Hararge zone and factors affecting it. In order to achieve this purpose, basic question were raised that intended to address the magnitude of dropout by grade level and sex and factors behind dropout of the system. Descriptive survey method was employed in this study. Moreover, both probability and non-probability sampling technique were used. Accordingly, 7 woredas and one(1) town administration were selected from 14 woreda and two town administrations found in the zone using simple random sampling. From the total of 82 complete primary schools found in the sample woredas, 30 complete primary schools were again randomly selected and included in the study. Principals, teachers, student (dropout), PTAs, zone and district supervision work process owners were used as the primary source of data. Questionnaire, semi-structured interview and FGD guides were used as the means of data gathering tools. Moreover, document analysis was intensively made to compute the magnitude (trend) of dropout by grade level and sex of the students' population. Before administrating the questionnaire, pilot test was conducted in two primary schools for validity and reliability of the items. After data were gathered, analysis was made using tables, frequencies, percentage, mean, weighted mean and spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The data revealed that the rate of dropout in primary schools of the study area is 12.9% in 2006107, 14.8%,2007108. 16.4%, 2008109 high and its trend shows a tendency of increasing except 2009110. The data further indicate that the problem is more serious among boys than girls. Low quality teaching, lack of school facilities, large class size, irrelevance curriculum, long home-school distance, poor school community relation, shortage of qualified teachers, and lack of training for school managers were the cause for dropout of student. Above all, inability to afford both direct and indirect costs of education, demand for child labor, lack of material and financial support, early marriage (Teenage pregnancy) and lack of family awareness were found to be the major impediments of dropout. Poor academic performance of students, low future success expectation and repeated absenteeism were also the other student elated problems that causes student to dropout. To alleviate these problems, recruiting more teachers, improving quality of education in general, diversifYing mode of delivery, creating open dialogue with community on sustainable basis, launching various support mechanism for economically poor students. building boarding schools, making curriculum relevant, earlier identification of potential dropout, creating job opportunities, and conducting further multivariate and longitudinal research on the issue were suggested