Baobab Index

Moroccan

This longitudinal experimental study aimed to profile audiometric hearing loss, explore the feasibility and efficacy of low-cost hearing devices, and examine their social and emotional impact on participants in South Sudan, a low-resource humanitarian setting. We performed pure tone hearing screenings on adults with self-reported hearing disability, randomly providing eligible participants with one of two inexpensive devices-Asana Pro 800, a non-customizable hearing device fit unilaterally, or the Super Ear SE9000, a hand-held amplifier with headphones given one per individual. Between October 2022 and January 2023, 142 adults underwent hearing screening at the Juba Teaching Hospital ENT clinic, of whom 19 eligible individuals were provided with hearing devices. Eighteen participants completed the full follow-up period. Significant auditory and functional improvements were observed among device users over the study period, alongside self-reported enhanced quality of life. Qualitative data showed improvement in daily activity performance. The provision of low-cost hearing devices appears plausible and impactful. Hearing loss poses a significant health issue with complex genetic, environmental, and disease-related causes. Our collaboration initiated accessible, affordable hearing solutions to serve as a framework for hearing healthcare in resource-deprived settings. Further investigation is warranted for scaling this model.

The Common House Crow (Corvus splendens) exhibits remarkable ecological adaptability, enabling its rapid expansion across continents. However, despite its wide distribution, there is a need for genetic studies to clarify its evolutionary history and population structure. This research employs DNA barcoding, focusing on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I (Cox1), which is effective for species identification and phylogenetic analysis. Blood samples were collected from 70 C. splendens specimens across seven cities in Punjab, Pakistan: Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Narowal, Pakpattan, Gujranwala, and Bahawalpur. Genomic DNA extraction was performed, and a partial sequence of the COX1 gene was amplified using PCR techniques. Sequencing of the Cox1 marker from 10 randomly selected specimens revealed nine distinct genetic variants. Interspecific analysis positioned our C. splendens sequences alongside various Corvus species available in GenBank, while intraspecific analysis identified a total of 15 genetic variants. These variants showed nucleotide identity rates ranging from 98.7 to 99.8%, with genetic distances between 0.002 and 0.013. The analysis indicated that the C. splendens group consists of a single heterogeneous clade with variants from multiple countries, including Pakistan, Tanzania, Nepal, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kenya, Australia, and Singapore. This study significantly enhances our understanding of genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships within C. splendens populations, highlighting the necessity of genetic research to inform conservation strategies. Further research employing advanced molecular techniques and broader geographic sampling is essential to assess the genetic diversity and population dynamics of this adaptable species.

Fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) gene has been extensively reported to play its role in potential gut microbiota changes and norovirus susceptibility. The normal activity of FUT2 has been found to be disrupted by non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) in its gene. To explore the possible mutational changes and their deleterious effects, we employed state-of-the-art computational strategies. Firstly, nine widely-used bioinformatics tools were utilized for initial screening of possibly deleterious nsSNPs. Subsequently, the structural and functional effects of screened nsSNPs on FUT2 were evaluated by utilizing relevant computational tools. Following this, the two shortlisted nsSNPs, including G149S (rs200543547) and V196G (rs367923363), were further validated by their molecular docking with norovirus capsid protein, VP1. As compared to wild-type, the higher stability and lower binding energy scores of the both the mutants indicated their stable binding with VP1, which ultimately leads to norovirus implications. These docking results were further verified by a comprehensive computational approach, molecular dynamic simulation, which gave results in the form of lower RMSD, RMSF, RoG, and hydrogen bond values of both the mutants, depicted in relevant graphs. Overall, this research explores and validated the two FUT2 nsSNPs (G146S and V196G), which may possibly linked with the norovirus susceptibility and gut microbiota changes. Moreover, our findings highlights the value of computational strategies in mutational analysis and welcomes any further experimental validation.

Brucellosis is a neglected zoonotic disease in most developing countries, including South Sudan. Precise identification of Brucella species is crucial for addressing public health and epidemiological concerns associated with brucellosis. The study aimed to identify Brucella species using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) from seropositive samples that were acquired from an earlier investigation. A total of 143 genomic DNA samples were extracted from brucellosis Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) seropositive samples from humans (n = 7), cattle (n = 103) and goats (n = 33). The samples were collected from Terekeka and Juba counties, Central Equatoria State (CES), South Sudan. The qPCR targeting the Brucella-specific IS711 insertion gene at the genus level was performed. Samples with a cycle threshold (Ct) of ≤ 35 were considered positive and subjected to further Brucella speciation assays. Out of 143 DNA samples tested for genus-specific Brucella, 15 (10.5%) were positive including 4 (2.8%) from humans, 10 (6.9%) from cattle, and 1 (0.7%) from goats. Brucella abortus was identified in 5 (33.3%) of the positive samples at the genus level. The overall individual species infection rates with B. abortus were 6.6% (1/15) in humans, 20% (3/15) in cattle, and 6.6% (1/15) in goats. There was no B. melitensis detected in this study. This study identified B. abortus in cattle, goats and humans in CES, South Sudan. The findings suggest that cattle are probably the primary reservoirs for transmission of B. abortus, with infections occurring in goats and humans primarily resulting from cattle spillover.

Anthropogenic activities such as poaching and habitat loss lead to a drop in population size, range overlap and hybridisation. The decline in population size results in reduced genetic diversity, an increase in homozygosity and inbreeding. Here, we genotyped 16 polymorphic microsatellite loci on 80 elephant dung samples to determine genetic diversity, genetic bottleneck, genetic relatedness and inbreeding in the savannah elephant in Nimule National Park, which experienced an 80% fall in population size. Results revealed that the elephant population in the park comprised 26 savannah elephants. The study also found genetic variation, average number of observed alleles A

West Nile virus (WNV) is a priority pathogen that poses a high risk for public health emergencies of global concern. Although WNV is endemic to Africa, only few (n=63) whole genomic sequences are available from the continent. In this Review, we examined the status of the molecular testing and genomic sequencing of WNV across Africa and mapped its global spatiotemporal spread. WNV has been detected in 39 African countries, the Canary Islands, and Réunion Island. Although publications, including those with molecular data, originated from 24 of these countries, genomic sequences were available from only 16 countries. Our analysis identified regions with detected viral circulation but without molecular surveillance. The current literature has substantial knowledge gaps in terms of the disease burden, molecular epidemiology, and distribution of WNV in Africa. Addressing these gaps requires an integrated One Health surveillance approach, which is challenging to establish. We propose three key surveillance needs that could improve the current understanding of the WNV disease burden in Africa, to strengthen the global public health response to this vector-borne disease.

The burden of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa highlights the critical need for strengthened genomic surveillance capacities that are embedded within the national public health framework. In the East African Community (EAC), this challenge is compounded by limited infrastructure and insufficient workforce capacity in bioinformatics and genomics, particularly within National Public Health Laboratories (NPHLs). This paper describes the implementation of a regional capacity-building initiative based on a multi-phase Training-of-Trainers (ToT) model across six EAC Partner States. Anchored in a One Health framework, the initiative focused on equipping public health professionals within NPHLs with practical skills in pathogen genomics, AMR analysis, and bioinformatics workflows, while also supporting the institutionalization of standardized procedures and tools. Through modular training, in-country cascade sessions, and structured mentorship, the program enabled integration of genomic approaches into public health surveillance activities. Despite infrastructural and operational constraints, the initiative supported measurable gains in applied proficiency, routine use of genomics tools in surveillance tasks, and regional coordination on pathogen data analysis. This case study outlines the program's design, implementation, and observed outcomes, and offers a transferable framework for workforce and systems development in low-resource settings. This experience contributes to ongoing global discussions on equitable genomic surveillance and preparedness by demonstrating how structured, context-specific training can support sustainable adoption of genomics within national public health institutions.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), a leading cause of maternal mortality globally, disproportionately affects women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), highlighting the deep-rooted gender related inequities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. Despite being largely preventable and treatable, PPH continues to claim the lives of thousands of women annually, because of systemic failures, including inadequate maternal health infrastructure, under-resourced healthcare systems, and sociocultural norms that devalue women's health. Gender inequity is manifested in delayed care-seeking, a lack of decision-making autonomy, limited access to skilled birth attendants, and emergency obstetric care. Moreover, implicit biases and structural discrimination often limit investment in women-centered health interventions. This issue is compounded by socioeconomic disparities, educational gaps, and the underrepresentation of women's health priorities in policy and research agendas. Addressing PPH through a gender-equity lens is imperative to improve maternal health outcomes and achieve global health equity. This paper underscores the urgent need for integrated, gender-sensitive public health strategies to mitigate the burden of PPH and protect the rights and lives of women.

This study intended to uncover any potential variations in TP53 gene particularly the exons 3–7 as this region is reported to have abundant oncogenic variations with adverse impacts on its structural stability and functional activities. The selected region of TP53 was amplified in ninety de novo AML patients and amplicons were Sanger sequenced to analyze possible nucleotide variations. Ten (10) mutations were found in the coding region of the TP53 exons 3–7 which are unique to the regional mutation data in AML patients. Further evaluation of identified variants by employing multiple bioinformatics techniques revealed likely hazardous impacts of majority of them due to their existence in the core DNA binding domain. Clinical features with the exception of platelet count did not differ significantly among the AML patients within TP53 wild type and TP53 mutant groups. Concurrently, no statistically considerable difference was observed in event free survival (EFS) (p = 0.67, HR = 1.222) or overall survival (OS) (p = 0.74, HR = 0.837) comparing two groups.