Background. Intestinal parasitic infections affect pregnant women worldwide. The infection has been implicated in causing life-threatening conditions in both gravid women and their developing foetus. Sub-Saharan Africa is known to harbor the greatest proportion of intestinal parasitic infections largely due to socioeconomic and environmental factors. In Kasoa, Southern Ghana, there is paucity of data on the prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infections among pregnant women. Objective. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Kasoa Polyclinic. Methods. A hospital based analytical cross-sectional study was carried out among three hundred (300) conveniently sampled pregnant women receiving antenatal care services at the Kasoa Polyclinic. Structured questionnaires were administered to the study participants to assess sociodemographic and other possible factors. Stool samples were collected from each pregnant woman and examined for the presence of intestinal parasites by microscopy using direct wet mount as well as formol-ether sedimentation techniques. Results. Overall prevalence of intestinal parasites was 14.3% (95% CI 11–19%). Entamoeba histolytica (5.0%) was the most predominant parasite species identified followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (4.3%), Giardia lamblia (2.3%), Trichuris trichiura (1.3%), Schistosoma mansoni (0.3%), Hookworm (0.3%), Hymenolepis nana (0.3%), and Isospora belli (0.3%). Age > 30 years (AOR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.06–0.48; p=0.001), multigravidity (AOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.19–0.97; p=0.043), and 2nd and 3rd trimesters (AOR = 4.73, 95% CI = 1.36–16.49; p=0.015) were independently associated with intestinal parasitic infections among pregnant women. Conclusions. A prevalence of 14.3% pregnant women compared to previous studies in Ghana is relatively low. It however suggests that intestinal parasitic infection is still a problem. The major factors noted were age, gravidity, and gestational age. Routine stool examination and provision of public health education are recommended to prevent infection of pregnant mothers and their unborn babies.

Background. Malaria is known to cause severe health consequences due to its marked effects and alteration on the haematological parameters of infected individuals. This study evaluated the haematological profile of adult individuals infected with the malaria parasite. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted using archived data of malaria positive cases from January 2017 to March 15, 2019. Data retrieved included subjects’ demographics, malaria parasite count, malaria parasite species, and full blood count parameters. A total of 236 malaria positive subjects were included in the study. Results. The study showed that more females were infected with the malaria parasite than males (69.07% and 30.93%, respectively). A total of 87.3% of the study population were infected with Plasmodium falciparum as compared to 12.7% infected with Plasmodium malariae. The commonest haematological abnormalities that were seen in this study were lymphopenia (56.78%), anaemia (55.51%), thrombocytopenia (47.46%), eosinopenia (45.76%), neutropenia (29.24%), monocytosis (21.19%), and leucocytosis (17.37%) in the infected subjects. The mean platelet count of P. falciparum-infected subjects was decreased as compared to the mean platelet count of P. malariae-infected subjects. There was a significant (P value <0.05) decrease in the number of platelet count with every unit increase in parasite density. Conclusion. Study participants infected with malaria demonstrated vital changes in haematological parameters with anaemia, thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, monocytosis, and eosinopenia being the most important predictors of malaria infection especially with P. falciparum species.

Background and Objectives. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing worldwide. MetS-affected individuals stand the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and increased cardiovascular mortality while NAFLD results in advanced liver diseases, such as liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, if not diagnosed and treated on time. This study is aimed at determining the prevalence of MetS and NAFLD among premenopausal and postmenopausal women in Ho Municipality. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 185 participants: 88 premenopausal and 97 postmenopausal women obtaining healthcare service from Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) and Ho Municipal Hospital from November 2018 to January 2020. Questionnaires were administered, and direct anthropometric measurements were taken. Blood samples were collected between 8:00 am and 10:00 am after overnight fast (12 to 18 hours; ≥8 hours) to assess fasting blood glucose, fasting lipids, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) concentrations at HTH laboratory using standard measuring procedures. This study in diagnosing metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease employed the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) criteria and the Bedogni fatty liver index algorithm, respectively. Results. The overall prevalence of MetS and NAFLD was 24.86% and 40.00% using NCEP-ATPIII and Bedogni fatty liver index algorithm, respectively. The prevalence of MetS and NAFLD among postmenopausal women was 32.99% and 49.48%, respectively, higher than 15.91% and 29.55%, respectively, observed among premenopausal women. The most prevalent MetS component among the study population was abdominal obesity (68.65%) which was significantly higher among the postmenopausal women (82.47%) than premenopausal women (53.41%) (<0.001). Hyperglycemia and hypertension were the major significant risk factors for developing MetS among premenopausal women whereas high triglyceride was the highest risk factor found among the postmenopausal women. Obesity and abdominal obesity were the most likely risk factors for developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease among both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Comorbidities of MetS and NAFLD were significant risk factors for developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (OR=5.2, 95%CI=2.2-12.4; p<0.001). Conclusion. This study established a significant association between coronary artery disease and comorbidities of MetS and NAFLD among the studied participants. Both conditions were found to be more prevalent among postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal women. Abdominal obesity was the most prevalent MetS component among the population. Women should be monitored for the two conditions and be educated on adopting healthy lifestyles to minimize the incidence of these conditions.

Background. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been suggested to play a role in various adverse birth outcomes. The study determined the prevalence as well as knowledge of hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women in the Ningo-Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study using simple random sampling technique was used to recruit 213 pregnant women receiving antenatal care in three different health facilities (Prampram Polyclinic (PPC), Dangme Community Hospital (DCH), and Old Ningo Health Center (ONHC)) in the Ningo-Prampram District of Ghana from November 2018 to January 2019. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data which included participants’ HBsAg test results, sociodemographic and gynaecological characteristics, and their level of knowledge on HBV infection. Knowledge of the participants on HBV infection was classified as either excellent, good, or poor based on their cumulative percentage scores from the questionnaire according to Al Rubaish system of classification. Results. Overall low-intermediate prevalence of HBV infection was 3.3%; however, PPC recorded the highest prevalence of 4.0% while DCH and ONHC recorded 2.82% and 2.50%, respectively. Statistically significant association was observed between HBV infection and the health facility. Majority (77.40%) of the study participants had poor knowledge on HBV infection while only 14 (6.57%) had excellent knowledge on HBV. Regarding excellent knowledge, 8 (11.0%) among the participants were demonstrated by the majority of those who received antenatal care from DCH. Generally, knowledge on HBV and the infection was poor among the study participants. Knowledge on HBV infection was found to be associated with residential status (p=0.006), educational level (p<0.001), occupation (p<0.001), and gestational period (p<0.001). Participant’s knowledge was also significantly associated with the health facility (p=0.027). Conclusion. HBV infection among pregnant women is prevalent in the Ningo-Prampram District even though the prevalence is not very high. The majority of pregnant women in the Ningo-Prampram District inadequate knowledge on HBV infection and it mode of transmission. Intensive public health education on the HBV infection is required in the district to help prevent and manage future transmissions as well as inform the population about the negative side effects of the virus and the need to prevent it by way of vaccination.