Browsing by Author "Hailu, Asrat (PhD)"

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    Leishmania Aehiopica Infections in Cercopithecus Aethiops: Initiation of Infection and Immune Profiles.
    (Addis Ababa University, 2000-06) Chanyalew, Menberework; Hailu, Asrat (PhD)
    In the search of vaccines and dmgs for the control of diseases the availability of animal models is vital. Cutaneous leishmaniasis, caused by L. aethiopica is an endemic disease in Ethiopia. Availability of an animal model for L. aethiopica could be useful for studying the different aspects of the disease. In this study, monkeys were infected with an isolate of L. aethiopica to develop the primate experimental model of the disease. Twelve grivet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) were trapped from cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) nonendemic areas. Experimental infections were initiated in these animals after they were screened for natural infection. Inoculation of grivet monkeys with L. aethiopica parasite resulted either in lesion or symptomless infection. One grivet monkey produced clinical lesions following inoculation with promastigotes of diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) strain of L. aethiopica. Another grivet monkey produced nodules following inoculation with promastigotes of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) strain of L. aethiopica. In addition to tlus, loss of hair at the infection site was seen in two of these animals after inoculation with LCL strain of Eo' aethiopica promastigotes. In order to. assess whether grivet monkeys have similar immune responses as humans following infection with leishmaniasis, we investigated the ill vivo and ill vitro immune responses of these animals to leishmanial antigens. Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response as measured by skin testing indicated no significant response in the experimental animals. Monkeys were bled and the proliferative response of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as well as IFN-y and interleukin IL-IO production were tested ill vitro in response to leishmanial antigens. The finding indicated that ill vitro lymphocyte proliferative response of infected animals to live localized cutaneous leishmaniasis strain L. aethiopica promastigotes was significantly higher than controls. However, ill vitro lymphocyte proliferative response of infected animals to live DeL strain of L. aethiopica promastigotes and killed parasites was not significantly higher compared to controls. Low level of IFN-y was produced after stimulation with leishmanial antigen. There was no detectable level ofIL-lO production after ill vitro stimulation
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    Magnitude of Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Malaria and Associated Factors among Military Personnel in the Bilate Commando and Airborne Training Center, Southern Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2025-05) Geremew, Efrem; Hailu, Asrat (PhD); Solomon, Gezahegn (PhD); Alemu, Yonas
    Background: Malaria remains a significant global challenge in terms of health and economic impact, particularly in Ethiopia, where it poses serious risks to military personnel. The disease significantly affects soldiers, leading to illness and fatalities that impede military operations, recognizing the role of both asymptomatic and symptomatic soldiers in malaria-prone military settings is essential for effective control and prevention of disease transmission. Objective: To assess the magnitude of asymptomatic and symptomatic malaria and contributing factors among military personnel in the Bilate Commando and Airborne training center. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted in May and June 2024, involving 403 military personnel. Data were gathered using semi-structured questionnaires, along with finger prick blood samples for parasite detection through microscopy, RDTs, and qPCR analysis. Data entry and analysis were performed using Epi Info 3.1 and SPSS version 27. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was utilized to explore the relationship between outcome and predictor variables, supported by descriptive statistics. A p-value of < 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Result: The study involved 403 soldiers, and identified an overall magnitude rate of 37% (149/403), with nearly equal distribution of P. falciparum at 45.6% (68/149) and P. vivax accounted for 44.3% (66/149). Among the 293 asymptomatic soldiers, prevalence rates were 18.1%, 17.7%, and 45.1% using microscopy, RDTs, and qPCR respectively. In contrast, the 110 symptomatic soldiers showed higher prevalence rates of 64.5%, 60.9%, and 87.2% by microscopy, RDTs, and qPCR respectively. The geometric mean parasite density was 101,531 copies/μl by qPCR and 24,378 asexual parasites/μl by microscopy. Significant risk factors for malaria infection included a previous history of malaria (AOR=0.508, 95% CI=0.317-0.813) and receiving educational messages regarding malaria (AOR=3.385, 95% CI: 1.433-7.995), both statistically significant at P < 0.05. Additionally, there was almost perfect concordance between RDT and microscopy results. Conclusion: The study identified high malaria rates among soldiers in military camps, suggesting these sites as transmission hotspots. It recommends including military camps in the national surveillance system to enhance tracking of infection trends