Browsing by Author "Sylverken, Justice"

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    Aetiological agents of pneumonia among HIV and non-HIV infected children in Ghana: A case-control study
    (plos one, 2024-03) Owusu, Michael; Adu, Eric; Kalu, , Lotenna Elsie; Martey, Eugene; Acheampong, Godfred; Enimil, Anthony; Appiah, John Adabie; Badu-Peprah, Augustina; Sylverken, Justice; Sylverken, Augustina Angelina; Nguah, Samuel Blay; Westeel, Emilie; Pouzol, Stephane; Drosten, Christian; Adu-Sarkodie, Yaw; 0000-0003-0979-4006
    Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children, however, the microbial aetiology of pneumonia is not well elucidated in low- and middle-income countries. Our study was aimed at determining the microbial aetiologies of childhood pneumonia and associated risk factors in HIV and non-HIV infected children. We conducted a case-control study that enrolled chil dren with pneumonia as cases and non-pneumonia as controls from July 2017 to May 2020. Induced sputum and blood samples were investigated for microbial organisms using stan dard microbiological techniques. DNA/RNA was extracted from sputum samples and tested for viral and bacterial agents. Four hundred and four (404) subjects consisting of 231 (57.2%) cases and 173 (42.8%) controls were enrolled. We identified a significant (p =0.011) proportion of viruses in cases (125; 54.1%, 95%CI: 47.4–60.7) than controls (71;33.6%, 95%CI: 33.6–48.8) and these were mostly contributed to by Respiratory Syncytial Virus. Staphylococcus aureus (16; 4.0%), Klebsiella spp. (15, 3.7%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (8, 2.0%) were the main bacterial agents identified in sputum or induced spu tum samples. HIV infected children with viral-bacterial co-detection were found to have verysevere pneumonia compared to those with only viral or bacterial infection. Indoor cooking (OR = 2.36; 95%CI:1.41–3.96) was found to be associated with pneumonia risk in patients. This study demonstrates the importance of various microbial pathogens, particularly RSV, in contributing to pneumonia in HIV and non-HIV paediatric populations. There is a need to accelerate clinical trials of RSV vaccines in African populations to support improvement of patient care