Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Metabolic syndrome prevalence and correlates among university and hospital staff in southwestern Uganda

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a convergence of interrelated cardiometabolic abnormalities that substantially increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. University and hospital staff may have distinct occupational and lifestyle exposures that...

HIV transmission behaviors, detectable HIV-RNA and curable STI prevalence among Ugandan men with HIV with reproductive goals, with and without infertility experiences

Many men with HIV (MWH) want children. MWH with unmet reproductive goals may prioritize conception over preventing HIV/STI transmission. Therefore, we evaluated whether MWH with unmet versus met reproductive goals were more likely to have detectable HIV-RNA or STIs, and explored...

Conversational themes and interaction patterns in peer support for adolescents and young people living with HIV: scoping review protocol

Peer support for adolescents and young people living with HIV (AYPLHIV) has demonstrated effectiveness in improving clinical and psychosocial outcomes. However, the specific conversational content and interaction patterns that underpin successful peer support remain poorly charac...

Multi country training to strengthen leadership among administrative staff of research ethics committees and national regulatory bodies in the East African Community

Clinical research in the East African Community (EAC) has expanded significantly in response to epidemics, increasing the complexity and workload. Research ethics committee (REC) and National research regulatory (NRA) members involved in leadership and administrative work play a...

Microbial keratitis management through the lens of pharmacy attendants in Siraha district of Nepal: A study of knowledge, attitudes, and practices

Background Microbial keratitis (MK) is endemic in many developing countries including Nepal and is a preventable cause of blindness. Many Nepalese rely on community pharmacies or medical shops as their primary source of healthcare. This study explored the knowledge and experience...

Alcohol use and its association with dementia among older persons in northern and southwestern Uganda: a case-control study

Alcohol use is a major modifiable risk factor for dementia. However, there is a paucity of literature on alcohol use and the development of dementia in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Uganda. This study investigated alcohol use and the development of dementia among older person...

Artificial neuro-fuzzy intelligence for dynamic tracking and prediction of HIV prevalence and new infections among individuals aged 15 to 49 years in Uganda

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection remains a major global health burden, and Uganda continues to experience rising new HIV incidence, making prevention and management increasingly challenging. Accurate estimation of HIV prevalence (PHIVP) and tracking new HIV incidence...

Induction failure and early death in paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia in Uganda: a developing country experience

Dose-intensive therapy for paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has improved outcomes in high-income countries (HICs); however, outcomes remain poor in resource-limited settings, where induction failure and early death continue to pose significant challenges. This study aimed...

Seasonal and landscape patterns of Fasciola infection in cryptically diverse Radix natalensis snails in the Lake Albert region, Uganda

Abstract Fasciolosis is a zoonotic foodborne trematode infection involving freshwater lymnaeid snail intermediate hosts and is highly prevalent among livestock in Uganda’s Lake Albert region. However, xenomonitoring data remain limited, particularly regarding cryptic Radix divers...

Climate variability perception and its influence on crop diversification as an adaptation strategy among smallholder farmers in south-western Uganda

Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa face climate-induced threats to food and income security. While crop diversification is recognised as a sustainable adaptation strategy, its relationship with smallholder farmers’ climate variability perception across seasons and agro-eco...

Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Factors Among Adult Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-sectional Study in Central Uganda

Background: Individuals with diabetes are at heightened risk of low vitamin D status, yet data describing the extent of this problem and its contributing factors in Uganda are scarce. This study estimated the burden of vitamin D deficiency and identified factors linked to its occ...

Histological placental abnormalities and associated factors among malaria smear-positive women delivering at two tertiary hospitals in Uganda: a comprehensive multicenter cross-sectional study

Malaria in pregnancy may disrupt placental structure and function, but evidence describing placental abnormalities among malaria-positive women in Uganda remains limited. This study determined the prevalence and patterns of gross and histological placental abnormalities and exami...

Continued high mortality following diagnosis of HIV-associated Kaposi sarcoma in East Africa in the “Treat All” antiretroviral therapy era ― 2021-2024

Abstract Background Stage at time of diagnosis and survival after diagnosis are critical parameters regarding control of any cancer in any geographical setting. In earlier research focusing on the initial years of the “Treat All” era (2016-2019), we found that HIV-associated Kapo...

An explainable hybrid of classical and quantum support vector machine models for maternal mental health risk prediction using multicountry data

Abstract Maternal mental health disorders remain a major public health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where limited mental health resources and inadequate screening systems lead to late diagnosis and intervention. Recent advances in artificial intellig...

Contrasting patterns of trematode and host snail dispersal across clusters of tropical crater lakes

Abstract Background Comparing the genetic diversity and population structure of parasites and their hosts can improve understanding of their respective methods of dispersal, demographic histories, and factors driving genetic differentiation. In parasite taxa such as trematodes wh...

Multimedia fate and transport simulation for green synthesized zero valent iron nanoparticles using SimpleBox4nano

Green synthesized zero valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) are promoted as environmentally benign alternatives to chemically synthesized ones. Simulation models are used to predict nZVI transport and transformation during environmental remediation. The objective of this study was to...

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of antifungal resistance and stewardship among pharmacy students in Zambia: a cross-sectional study to inform antifungal stewardship programs

Background Antifungal resistance (AFR) is a growing global health threat, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Zambia, where antifungals are often accessed without prescription. Antifungal stewardship (AFS) programs aim to optimise antifungal use, yet limited...