Academic Bibliography
https://biblio.ugent.be/
Ghent University Academic Bibliography2000-01-01T00:00+00:001monthlyAssessing the influence of COVID-19 lockdown measures on cognition and behavior in school age children in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance site, Southern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HSK19ES7V0P4CGK18GS39MGG
Dui, Linda GretaGutema, Befikadu TarikuTariku, Eshetu ZerihunMelketsedik, Zeleke AschalewLevecke, BrunoDe Henauw, StefaanAbubakar, AminaAbbeddou, Souheila2024<jats:p>Ethiopian schools were closed for nearly 40 weeks as a measure to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the study was to evaluate the role of COVID-19 pandemic’s restrictive measures on cognition and behavioral difficulties of schoolchildren in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in November 2019 (pre-COVID-19-lockdown) and November 2020 (post-COVID-19 lockdown). Data were collected both at the school and homes of the children. Cognitive development of the children was assessed using digit span, Raven’s coloured progressive matrices (RCPM) and Visual search using cancellation task. Behavioral difficulties score of the children was assessed using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare between the cognition outcomes and behavioral difficulties score pre- and post-COVID-19-lockdown. In a sub-group of children who provided data in both surveys, the difference in cognitive and behavioral outcomes was tested using a mixed effect model. Compared to the pre-COVID-19-lockdown, schoolchildren post-COVID-19-lockdown scored lower in the standardized performance index for the visual search task, which measures attention (0.27 SD, 95% confidence intervals (95%CI): −0.40, −0.13). However, they scored higher by 0.26 SD (95%CI: 0.13, 0.40) and 0.36 SD (95%CI: 0.22, 0.49) in digit span and RCPM, respectively, measuring working memory and non-verbal intelligence. There was no significant difference in total difficulties score between pre- and post-COVID-19-lockdown (0.01 SD, 95%CI: -0.12, 0.15). The subgroup analysis showed a significant increase in digit span among children post-COVID-19-lockdown while the other domains did not show a significant change. Factors contributing to the improvement of children’s cognitive domains while away from the school environment should be explored and utilized to enhance child development. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04137354" xlink:type="simple">NCT04137354</jats:ext-link> on October 14, 2019.</jats:p>application/pdfhttps://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HSK19ES7V0P4CGK18GS39MGGhttp://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01HSK19ES7V0P4CGK18GS39MGGhttp://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0002978https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HSK19ES7V0P4CGK18GS39MGG/file/01HSK1D162WRJFJS60QH2Q8TYZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)No license (in copyright)info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessPLOS Global Public HealthISSN: 2767-3375General Earth and Planetary SciencesGeneral EngineeringGeneral Environmental ScienceAssessing the influence of COVID-19 lockdown measures on cognition and behavior in school age children in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance site, Southern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional studyjournalArticleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionInvestigating the effect of a school-based WASH intervention on soil-transmitted helminth and schistosome infections and nutritional status of school children in Ethiopia: a quasi-experimental study
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HS0R2EYJWJH0KT1HZ9SG4KSC
Tadesse, GemechuWuletaw, YonasMekete, KalkidanSime, HevenYard, ElodieAppleby, LauraGrimes, JackDejene, NigussieGardiner, IainKazienga, AdamaAbbeddou, SouheilaFrench, MichaelLevecke, BrunoDrake, Lesley2024<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Background</jats:title>
<jats:p>The impact of access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and health education on large-scale deworming programs aimed at controlling soil-transmitted helminth (STH) and schistosome (SCH) infections has not been well studied. We assessed the additional impact of improved WASH infrastructure and health education at schools on STH and SCH infections in Ethiopia.</jats:p>
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<jats:title>Methods</jats:title>
<jats:p>The study used a quasi-experimental design under which 30 schools were assigned to either an intervention (15 schools) or control (15 schools) arm. Both arms received a standard deworming treatment and lunch. In the intervention arm, improved WASH and health education were provided. At three consecutive time points (baseline in 2013, 2014 and 2015), the prevalence and intensity of STH and SCH infections and the nutritional status [hemoglobin concentrations and physical growth (height and weight)] were determined. To verify whether interventions were successfully implemented, the WASH status at school and the student knowledge, attitudes and practices related to WASH (WASH-KAP) were recorded. Differences in metrics between arms at baseline (2013) and follow-up (2015) were assessed both within and between the arms.</jats:p>
</jats:sec><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Results</jats:title>
<jats:p>A significant increase in scores for both the school WASH and student KAP was found in the intervention arm, indicating successful implementation of the intervention. The prevalence of any STH infection was significantly reduced in the intervention arm but not in the control arm (F = 4.486, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = 0.034). There was a significantly greater reduction in the intensity of infection of hookworm and <jats:italic>Ascaris lumbricoides</jats:italic> compared to baseline in both arms. The intervention did not affect school children’s height-for-age z-score (intervention arm * time coef = 0.12, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = 0.400) and body mass index-for-age z-scores (intervention * time coef = − 0.06, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = 0.526). Hemoglobin concentrations increased significantly more in the control than the intervention arm (coef = − 0.16, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = 0.006).</jats:p>
</jats:sec><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title>
<jats:p>Although the intervention did increase school WASH and student WASH-KAP, our study found poor evidence of the additional benefit of improved WASH and health education to deworming and school food programs on parasite re-infection and the health outcomes of children.</jats:p>
</jats:sec><jats:sec>
<jats:title>Graphical Abstract</jats:title>
</jats:sec>application/pdfhttps://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HS0R2EYJWJH0KT1HZ9SG4KSChttp://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01HS0R2EYJWJH0KT1HZ9SG4KSChttp://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-024-06155-2https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HS0R2EYJWJH0KT1HZ9SG4KSC/file/01HS0R3GTKN2ABT1Q9S0VEC699engSpringer Science and Business Media LLCNo license (in copyright)info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessParasites & VectorsISSN: 1756-3305Infectious DiseasesParasitologyGeneral VeterinaryInvestigating the effect of a school-based WASH intervention on soil-transmitted helminth and schistosome infections and nutritional status of school children in Ethiopia: a quasi-experimental studyjournalArticleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionFasciola spp. in Southeast Asia : a systematic review
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HQ6SRD50YXG7HX35GG848D47
Cwiklinski, KrystynaHoang Quang, VinhLevecke, BrunoDo Trung, DungDevleesschauwer, BrechtVu Thi Lam, BinhGoossens, KathyPolman, KatjaCallens, StevenDorny, PierreDermauw, Veronique2024Background Fasciolosis is an emerging public health threat in a number of regions worldwide. To date, we lack an overview of both its occurrence and distribution in Southeast Asia across all actors involved in the life cycle, which impedes the development of disease control measures. Therefore, our objective was to collect recent information on the distribution and the prevalence of Fasciola spp. and the associated risk factors for infection in humans, animals, snails and plant carriers in Southeast Asia. Methodology Bibliographic and grey literature databases as well as reference lists of important review articles were searched for relevant records published between January 1st, 2000, and June 30th, 2022. The systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for reporting systematic reviews. A total of 3,887 records were retrieved, of which 100 were included in the final analysis. Principal findings The studies focused mainly on one host species (96.0%), with Fasciola spp. infection in animals being the most studied (72.0%), followed by humans (21.0%). Based on the used inclusion and exclusion criteria, reports were retrieved describing the presence of Fasciola spp. infection was in seven out of 11 countries in Southeast Asia. Depending on the diagnostic tool applied, the prevalence of Fasciola spp. infection ranged between 0.3% and 66.7% in humans, between 0% and 97.8% in animals, and between 0% and 66.2% in snails. There were no studies reporting the presence of metacercariae on plant carriers. Conclusions/Significance Our study reconfirms that Fasciola spp. infections are widespread and highly prevalent in Southeast Asia, but it remains difficult to accurately assess the true occurrence of Fasciola spp. in absence of well-designed surveys covering all hosts. As next steps we propose to assess the occurrence of the infection across all actors involved in the transmission, to identify associated risk factors and to estimate the burden of the disease to support national and international decision makers.application/pdfhttps://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HQ6SRD50YXG7HX35GG848D47http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01HQ6SRD50YXG7HX35GG848D47http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011904https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01HQ6SRD50YXG7HX35GG848D47/file/01HQ6SVADHBP05S02H8YNV21NRengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessPLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASESISSN: 1935-2735Medicine and Health SciencesBiology and Life SciencesFasciolaFasciolosisSoutheast AsiaFasciola spp. in Southeast Asia : a systematic reviewjournalArticleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion