Department of Microbiology and Immunology

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This Sub-community will contain publications and Research Findings for the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Visitors to Faculty but directly in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology

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Browsing Department of Microbiology and Immunology by Author "Andia‑Biraro, Irene"

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    Burden and associated phenotypic characteristics of tuberculosis infection in adult Africans with diabetes: a systematic review
    (Scientific Reports, 2023-11-11) Kibirige, Davis; Andia‑Biraro, Irene; Kyazze, Andrew Peter; Olum, Ronald; Bongomin, Felix; Mwanje Nakavuma, Rose; Ssekamatte, Phillip; Emoru, Reagan; Nalubega, Goretti; Chamba, Nyasatu; Kilonzo, Kajiru; Naftal Laizer, Sweetness; Elauteri Mrema, Lucy; Olomi, Willyhelmina; Minja, Lilian Tina; Ntinginya, Nyanda Elias; Sabi, Issa; Hill, Philip C.; te Brake, Lindsey; van Crevel, Reinout; Sharples, Katrina; Critchley, Julia
    Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the risk of developing tuberculosis infection (TBI). However, the evidence on the burden and phenotypic characteristics of TBI in African patients with DM is limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characterisation of TBI in native African patients living with DM. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and African Journals Online for original studies reporting information on the prevalence and characteristics of TBI in adult Africans with DM. A forest plot was used to describe the pooled prevalence estimate of TBI and the corresponding 95% confdence intervals (CI). Six studies conducted in four African countries involving 721 participants with DM were included in this systematic review. The pooled prevalence estimate of TBI was 40% (95% CI 20–60%, I 2 = 98.52%, p< 0.001). Age ≥ 40 years and glycated haemoglobin levels independently predicted TBI positivity in patients with DM in three studies. Africans with DM have a high prevalence of TBI, especially those who are older or with poorly controlled diabetes. This justifes the need for studies to explore how to screen and manage TBI to avert the progression to active TB disease.
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    Efect of COVID‑19 pandemic on inpatient service utilization and patient outcomes in Uganda
    (Scientifc Reports, 2023) Andia‑Biraro, Irene; Baruch Baluku, Joseph; Olum, Ronald; Bongomin, Felix; Kyazze, Andrew Peter; Ninsiima, Sandra; Ssekamatte, Phillip; Kibirige, Davis; Biraro, Samuel; Seremba, Emmanuel; Kabugo, Charles
    COVID-19 has had devastating efects on health systems but reports from sub-Saharan Africa are few. We compared inpatient admissions, diagnostic tests performed, clinical characteristics and inpatient mortality before and during the COVID-19 pandemic at an urban tertiary facility in Uganda. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients admitted at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital in Uganda between January–July 2019 (before the pandemic) and January–July 2020 (during the pandemic). Of 3749 inpatients, 2014 (53.7%) were female, and 1582 (42.2%) had HIV. There was a 6.1% decline in admissions from 1932 in 2019 to 1817 in 2020. There were signifcantly fewer diagnostic tests performed in 2020 for malaria, tuberculosis, and diabetes. Overall, 649 (17.3%) patients died. Patients admitted during the COVID-19 pandemic (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.2, 95% confdence interval [CI] 1.04–1.5, p= 0.018), patients aged≥ 60 years (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2–2.1, p= 0.001), HIV co-infected (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–1.9, p < 0.001), and those admitted as referrals (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–1.9, p < 0.001) had higher odds of dying. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted inpatient service utilization and was associated with inpatient mortality. Policy makers need to build resilience in health systems in Africa to cope with future pandemics.