Mekelle University

Magnitude of tracheal stenosis and contributing factors among adult intubated patients in intensive care units in Northern Ethiopia

Tracheal stenosis is a potentially life-threatening complication of endotracheal intubation associated with significant morbidities. However, its burden is not well studied in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the frequency of clinically detected tracheal stenosis...

Effect of Water Stress and Cabbage Aphid Feeding on Ethiopian Mustard Brassica carinata Physiology

Water deficit represents a critical abiotic constraint that impairs fundamental physiological processes in plants.Water deficit as a single stressor influences aphid's performance indirectly through changes in plant physiology.The present study was conducted in a greenhouse to in...

Occupational pesticide exposure and its associated health impacts on vegetable farmers in North-Shoa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Extensive and indiscriminate use of pesticides in the agricultural sector has increased significant environmental, health, and food security concerns, particularly in countries where regulations are not strictly implemented. This study aimed to assess associations between pestici...

Double machine learning analysis identifies heterogeneous patterns in Ethiopian fertility intention: cross-sectional study

Ethiopia’s stagnating fertility transition has exposed the limitations of generalized public health strategies. This study aimed to move beyond national averages by identifying context-dependent determinants and evaluating the adjusted conditional associations of reproductive kno...

The conflict and pest nexus drives the catastrophic decline of cactus pear ecosystem services in the Horn of Africa

The cactus pear ( Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.), or Beles, is a multi-purpose succulent vital for ecological and socio-economic survival in the arid highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, serving as a primary carbon sink, soil conservation tool, and seasonal source of food securit...

Predictors of neonatal mortality among neonates admitted to public general hospitals in southern zone of Tigray, Ethiopia, 2021: unmatched case-control study

Neonatal mortality is a crucial indicator of neonatal health status. Globally, 2.3 million children died in the first four weeks of life in 2022, or approximately, 6500 deaths every day. Almost all (98%) neonatal deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries. The current...

Current status environmental stressors and management constraints affecting fisheries in lake Hashenge, Northern Ethiopia

Small inland lakes provide important fishery resources and ecosystem services but are increasingly threatened by environmental degradation and climate variability. Lake Hashenge, a closed high-altitude lake in northern Ethiopia, has experienced recurrent fish mortality events and...

Prevalence of HIV and recent infection among people aged 15 to 54 years in post conflict Tigray Ethiopia

The Tigray region of Ethiopia has been affected by a prolonged conflict that significantly disrupted public health services and led to widespread population displacement. While these events raised important concerns about their potential impact on HIV transmission, current eviden...

Hidden charisma: ethno-ornithological knowledge and attitudes of local communities toward a threatened endemic pheasant in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

Abstract Background Ethno-ornithological knowledge plays a key role in the conservation and management of birds and their habitats. However, the cultural roles and significance of birds in Ethiopia, as well as the threats to their survival within human cultural contexts remain la...

Replacement of wheat bran with dried leftover food improves performance and carcass traits of grass hay-fed sheep

The high cost and limited availability of conventional feedstuffs need the exploration of sustainable and cost-effective alternatives. This study aimed to investigate the effects of wheat bran replacement with dried leftover food on feed intake, diet digestibility, growth perform...

Immunohistochemical profiling of the tumor microenvironment in Ethiopian breast cancer tissue: insights into pathology and subtypes

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy globally and poses a significant public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). To date, the clinical use of immunotherapies has improved patients’ outcomes in high-income countries, but is not feasible in most countries in S...

A qualitative examination of the content validity and acceptability of the EQ-5D-Y-3L and EQ-5D-Y-5L in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in Ethiopia

Abstract Background The EQ-5D-Y-3L and EQ-5D-Y-5L are widely used generic measures of health-related quality of life (HRQoL), including among children and adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). However, evidence on the measures’ content validity and acceptability in lo...

Parents' perspectives of schooling following the 2020-2022 Civil War in Tigray, Ethiopia: Insights from urban government schools

This study explores parents’ perspectives of schooling in Tigray, Ethiopia, in the aftermath of the Civil War (2020-2022). Hundreds of thousands of Tigrayan civilians died during the war, and educational infrastructure was devastated, with up to 90% of schools receiving varying l...

Genotype × environment interaction and yield stability of food barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties using AMMI and GGE biplot models

Abstract Background Barley is a crucial crop worldwide, but it faces significant production challenges due to limited adaptable varieties, poor management practices, and environmental factors. Food barley varieties often struggle in unfamiliar environments, leading to crop loss....

Lived experiences of conflict-induced socioeconomic vulnerability in Tigray, Ethiopia: a qualitative capability approach study

Abstract Armed conflict can deepen socioeconomic vulnerability by disrupting livelihoods, essential services, and opportunities to achieve valued ways of living, yet the differentiated experiences of marginalized groups remain insufficiently understood. This study explores postwa...

Inappropriate stress ulcer prophylaxis and associated factors in critically ill patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a multicenter prospective observational study

Abstract Several consensus guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for appropriate stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) use in critically ill patients. However, inappropriate prophylactic use remains common globally. A critical knowledge gap exists regarding SUP prescribing p...

Integrated metabolomic and proteomic profiling reveals density-dependent variation in development and chemical composition of queen bee larvae

Queen bee larvae (QBL), a byproduct of royal jelly production, are gaining prominence as a functional food due to their health-promoting effects. Beekeepers routinely adjust queen cell numbers per colony to maximize the yield of royal jelly during commercial production, yet the i...

Magnitude of precancerous cervical lesions in a fragile and conflict-affected setting: the case of Tigray region, Ethiopia

Cervical cancer remains a major public health concern, ranking as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women globally and the second in Ethiopia. Limited access to routine screening, exacerbated by the Tigray war (November 2020–November 2022), has contributed t...

Early diagnosis and successful management of an abdominal ectopic pregnancy in a low-resource setting: a case report

Abdominal pregnancy is a rare but potentially life-threatening form of ectopic pregnancy in which the fertilized ovum implants in the abdominal cavity. This serious obstetric condition often remains undiagnosed until the end of the pregnancy and carries a high risk of massive ble...

Migration crimes in the horn of Africa: examining policies, legal frameworks, and strategies to tackle vulnerabilities and the humanitarian-security nexus

Abstract Migration-related crimes, such as human trafficking and smuggling, are key issues in the Horn of Africa, affecting Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. These problems stem from socioeconomic instability, conflict, fragile governance, and porous borders. Ethiopia and...