The re-emergence of syphilis has become a global public health issue, and more persons are getting infected, especially in developing countries. This has also led to an increase in the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections as some studies have shown in the recent decade. This paper investigates the synergistic interaction between HIV and syphilis using a mathematical model that assesses the impact of syphilis treatment on the dynamics of syphilis and HIV co-infection in a human population where HIV treatment is not readily available or accessible to HIV-infected individuals. In the absence of HIV, the syphilis-only model undergoes the phenomenon of backward bifurcation when the associated reproduction number ([Formula: see text]) is less than unity, due to susceptibility to syphilis reinfection after recovery from a previous infection. The complete syphilis-HIV co-infection model also undergoes the phenomenon of backward bifurcation when the associated effective reproduction number ([Formula: see text]) is less than unity for the same reason as the syphilis-only model. When susceptibility to syphilis reinfection after treatment is insignificant, the disease-free equilibrium of the syphilis-only model is shown to be globally asymptotically stable whenever the associated reproduction number ([Formula: see text]) is less than unity. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis show that the top three parameters that drive the syphilis infection (with respect to the associated response function, [Formula: see text]) are the contact rate ([Formula: see text]), modification parameter that accounts for the increased infectiousness of syphilis-infected individuals in the secondary stage of the infection ([Formula: see text]) and treatment rate for syphilis-only infected individuals in the primary stage of the infection ([Formula: see text]). The co-infection model was numerically simulated to investigate the impact of various treatment strategies for primary and secondary syphilis, in both singly and dually infected individuals, on the dynamics of the co-infection of syphilis and HIV. It is observed that if concerted effort is exerted in the treatment of primary and secondary syphilis (in both singly and dually infected individuals), especially with high treatment rates for primary syphilis, this will result in a reduction in the incidence of HIV (and its co-infection with syphilis) in the population.
Background: Acute glomerulonephritis (AGN) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in children in developing countries while its incidence has declined in the developed world. This study was to document its present impact in our setting.Aim: To evaluate the sociodemographic features and clinical outcomes in children hospitalized for AGN in the Paediatric Nephrology Unit of the University College Hospital, Ibadan.Subjects and Methods: This was a descriptive analytical study of children aged 2 to 14 years admitted with AGN between 2007 and 2019. Their sociodemographic data, clinical features, complications and outcome were analysed.Results: AGN accounted for 116 (8.9%) of new renal cases admitted over the period. Seventy-four (63.8%) were male, mean age (SD) was 8.2 (3.3) years and peak age incidence between 5 and 9 years. Average annual hospital incidence rose from 4-5 new cases to 8-9 new cases/annum with an upsurge to 17 cases in 2019. Highest yearly monthly incidence was between June and December. Forty -five out of 50 (90%) evaluated subjects were in the middle/ low socioeconomic classes. Stage 2 hypertension occurred in 30/50 (60%) with hypertensive crises in 24%. RPGN occurred in 6/50 (12%) of cases accounting for 5 of the 8 dialysed patients and 4 of the 5 deaths. The case fatality rate was 4.3%.Conclusion: The study showed a progressive increase in the hospital incidence of AGN.RPGN was a major risk factor for death in children with AGN and therefore requires a high index of suspicion and an appropriate early intervention.
Key words: Childhood, Acute Glomerulonephritis (AGN), Postinfectious AGN, Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN), Hypertensive crises, Outcome
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