Background Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were once confined to hospitals however, in the last 20 years MRSA infections have emerged in the community in people with no prior exposure to hospitals. Strains causing such infections were novel and referred to as community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA). The aim of this study was to determine the MRSA carriage rate in children in eastern Uganda, and to investigate coexistence between CA-MRSA and hospital-associated (HA-MRSA). Methods Between February and October 2011, nasopharyngeal samples (one per child) from 742 healthy children under 5 years in rural eastern Uganda were processed for isolation of MRSA, which was identified based on inhibition zone diameter of ≤19 mm on 30 μg cefoxitin disk. SCC mec and spa typing were performed for MRSA isolates. Results A total of 140 S. aureus isolates (18.9%, 140/742) were recovered from the children of which 5.7% (42/742) were MRSA. Almost all (95.2%, 40/42) MRSA isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR). The most prevalent SCC mec elements were types IV (40.5%, 17/42) and I (38.1%, 16/42). The overall frequency of SCC mec types IV and V combined, hence CA-MRSA, was 50% (21/42). Likewise, the overall frequency of SCC mec types I, II and III combined, hence HA-MRSA, was 50% (21/42). Spa types t002, t037, t064, t4353 and t12939 were detected and the most frequent were t064 (19%, 8/42) and t037 (12%, 5/42). Conclusion The MRSA carriage rate in children in eastern Uganda is high (5.7%) and comparable to estimates for Mulago Hospital in Kampala city. Importantly, HA-MRSA (mainly of spa type t037) and CA-MRSA (mainly of spa type t064) coexist in children in the community in eastern Uganda, and due to high proportion of MDR detected, outpatient treatment of MRSA infection in eastern Uganda might be difficult. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13756-019-0551-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Investment in SARS-CoV-2 sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences generated, now exceeding 100,000 genomes, used to track the pandemic on the continent. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries able to sequence domestically, and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround time and more regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and shed light on the distinct dispersal dynamics of Variants of Concern, particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron, on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve, while the continent faces many emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century.

BackgroundAccurate diagnosis of tuberculosis, especially by using rapid molecular assays, can reduce transmission of drug resistant tuberculosis in communities. However, the frequency of resistance conferring mutations varies with geographic location of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and this affects the efficiency of rapid molecular assays in detecting resistance. This has created need for characterizing drug resistant isolates from different settings to investigate frequencies of resistance conferring mutations. Here, we describe the prevalence and patterns of rifampicin- and isoniazid- resistance conferring mutations in isolates from Uganda, which could be useful in the management of MDR-TB patients in Uganda and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.ResultsNinety seven M. tuberculosis isolates were characterized, of which 38 were MDR, seven rifampicin-resistant, 12 isoniazid-mono-resistant, and 40 susceptible to rifampicin and isoniazid. Sequence analysis of the rpoB rifampicin-resistance determining region (rpoB/RRDR) revealed mutations in six codons: 588, 531, 526, 516, 513, and 511, of which Ser531Leu was the most frequent (40%, 18/45). Overall, the three mutations (Ser531Leu, His526Tyr, Asp516Tyr) frequently associated with rifampicin-resistance occurred in 76% of the rifampicin resistant isolates while 18% (8/45) of the rifampicin-resistant isolates lacked mutations in rpoB/RRDR. Furthermore, sequence analysis of katG and inhA gene promoter revealed mainly the Ser315Thr (76%, 38/50) and C(-15)T (8%, 4/50) mutations, respectively. These two mutations combined, which are frequently associated with isoniazid-resistance, occurred in 88% of the isoniazid resistant isolates. However, 20% (10/50) of the isoniazid-resistant isolates lacked mutations both in katG and inhA gene promoter. The sensitivity of sequence analysis of rpoB/RRDR for rifampicin-resistance via detection of high confidence mutations (Ser531Leu, His526Tyr, Asp516Tyr) was 81%, while it was 77% for analysis of katG and inhA gene promoter to detect isoniazid-resistance via detection of high confidence mutations (Ser315Thr, C(-15)T, T(-8)C). Furthermore, considering the circulating TB genotypes in Uganda, the isoniazid-resistance conferring mutations were more frequent in M. tuberculosis lineage 4/sub-lineage Uganda, perhaps explaining why this genotype is weakly associated with MDR-TB.ConclusionSequence analysis of rpoB/RRDR, katG and inhA gene promoter is useful in detecting rifampicin/isoniazid resistant M. tuberculosis isolates in Uganda however, about ≤20% of the resistant isolates lack known resistance-conferring mutations hence rapid molecular assays may not detect them as resistant.

BackgroundIn the absence of an effective vaccine, malaria treatment and eradication is still a challenge in most endemic areas globally. This is especially the case with the current reported emergence of resistance to artemisinin agents in Southeast Asia. This study therefore explored the prevalence of K13-propeller gene polymorphisms among Plasmodium falciparum parasites in northern Uganda.MethodsAdult patients (≥18 years) presenting to out-patients department of Lira and Gulu regional referral hospitals in northern Uganda were randomly recruited. Laboratory investigation for presence of plasmodium infection among patients was done using Plasmodium falciparum exclusive rapid diagnostic test, histidine rich protein-2 (HRP2) (Pf). Finger prick capillary blood from patients with a positive malaria test was spotted on a filter paper Whatman no. 903. The parasite DNA was extracted using chelex resin method and sequenced for mutations in K13-propeller gene using Sanger sequencing. PCR DNA sequence products were analyzed using in DNAsp 5.10.01software, data was further processed in Excel spreadsheet 2007.ResultsA total of 60 parasite DNA samples were sequenced. Polymorphisms in the K13-propeller gene were detected in four (4) of the 60 parasite DNA samples sequenced. A non-synonymous polymorphism at codon 533 previously detected in Cambodia was found in the parasite DNA samples analyzed. Polymorphisms at codon 522 (non-synonymous) and codon 509 (synonymous) were also found in the samples analyzed. The study found evidence of positive selection in the Plasmodium falciparum population in northern Uganda (Tajima’s D = −1.83205; Fu and Li’s D = −1.82458).ConclusionsPolymorphism in the K13-propeller gene previously reported in Cambodia has been found in the Ugandan Plasmodium falciparum parasites. There is need for continuous surveillance for artemisinin resistance gene markers in the country.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1777-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundWe determined prevalence of pertussis infection and its associated host and environmental factors to generate information that would guide strategies for disease control.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, 449 children aged 3 months to 12 years with persistent cough lasting ≥14 days were enrolled and evaluated for pertussis using DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ELISA serology tests.ResultsPertussis prevalence was 67 (15% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 12–18)) and 81 (20% (95% CI: 16–24)) by PCR and ELISA, respectively among 449 participating children. The prevalence was highest in children with >59 months of age despite high vaccination coverage of 94% in this age group. Study demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between pertussis and non-pertussis cases. Of the 449 children, 133 (30%) had a coughing household member and 316 (70%) did not. Among 133 children that had a coughing household member, sex of child, sharing bed with a coughing household member and having a coughing individual in the neighborhood were factors associated with pertussis. Children that had shared a bed with a coughing household individual had seven-fold likelihood of having pertussis compared to children that did not (odds ratio (OR) 7.16 (95% CI: 1.24–41.44)). Among the 316 children that did not have a coughing household member, age <23 months, having or contact with a coughing individual in neighborhood, a residence with one room, and having a caretaker with >40 years of age were the factors associated with pertussis. Age <23months was three times more likely to be associated with pertussis compared to age 24–59 months (OR 2.97 (95% CI: 1.07–8.28)).ConclusionFindings suggest high prevalence of pertussis among children with persistent cough at a health facility and it was marked in children >59 months of age, suggesting the possibility of waning immunity. The factors associated with pertussis varied by presence or absence of a coughing household member.