Department of Bio-Medical and Mechatronics

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    The status of occult HBV infection in a high endemic region : risk of community HBV transmission and reactivation
    (BMC Research Notes, 2025-06-01) Kafeero, Hussein Mukasa; Ocama, Ponsiano; Ndagire, Dorothy; Walusansa, Abdul; Namusoke, Mariam; Kudamba, Ali; Muwanda, Fahad; Sendagire, Hakim
    Objectives Occult hepatitis B virus (OBI) infection, characterized by the presence of HBV DNA in the absence of detectable HBsAg in the blood, is considered a potential hidden pathway for HBV transmission and reactivation, which can lead to liver cancer. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of OBI in a region of Uganda with high HBV endemicity, in order to help explain variations in HBV distribution within the country. Results Among the 387 participants who tested negative for HBsAg, the majority were women (240 individuals, 62.0%), married (242 individuals, 62.5%), and aged 30 years or older (207 individuals, 53.5%). The OBI was detected in 21 participants (5.43%). Most of those with OBI were 30 years old or younger (13 individuals, 61.9%), male (12 individuals, 57.1%), had normal liver enzyme levels, and showed an average viral load of 194.4 IU/mL with a standard deviation (SD) of ± 122.05.
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    The epidemiology of hepatitis b virus infection in Uganda after two decades of vaccination : a meta-analysis and metaregression
    (BMC Infectious Diseases, 2025-09-29) Kafeero, Hussein Mukasa; Sendagire, Hakim; Ndagire, Dorothy; Walusansa, Abdul; Kudamba, Ali; Muwanda, Fahad; Namusoke, Mariam; Ocama, Ponsiano
    Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a public health threat in Uganda, despite the introduction of the HBV vaccine and its inclusion in the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) more than two decades ago. This study aimed at providing up-to-date information on the epidemiology of HBV in Uganda and inform the way forward when designing the interventions to control and prevent the virus. Methods: A systematic search for records published between 1st January 2002 and 30th June 2024 from PubMed and African Journal Online (AJOL) was done from which data on the overall and subgroup prevalence of HBV was extracted. Both the random and fixed effect models were used to pool data for the overall and sub group metaanalysis. The overall and subgroup trend of HBV prevalence over the last two decades was evaluated by metaregression modelling. The predictors of HBV infection were analysed by using odds ratio (OR). The I2 index in the primary records was used to evaluate the heterogeneity. Publication bias in the primary studies was assessed by using Egger’s test and funnel plot asymmetry. All analyses were done at 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 34 original studies were included in the data synthesis with a pooled sample size of 81,416 individuals. The pooled prevalence of HBV was 8.3% but varied with region and study group. It was highest in the eastern region (p < 0.05) and among the community-based studies (p < 0.05). By meta-regression modelling, there has been an overall decrease in the prevalence of HBV since the integration of the vaccine as part of the EPI in 2002 (p < 0.05) and in the central, eastern and northern regions. Conversely, there was an increase in the prevalence of HBV in western Uganda with a strong temporal explanatory power (R² = 0.700). Familial contact with an HBV infected person; odds ratio (OR) = 3.85, p = 0.006 was the most significant risk factor for HBV infection. In contrast, age < 20 year; OR = 0.52, p = 0.016 was protective against HBV infection. Conclusion: Despite the significant progress registered in reducing the prevalence of HBV since the integration of HepB vaccine as part of the EPI, there are still regional and cohort specific disparities in the prevalence of HBV in Uganda. Thus, different interventions should be designed in tandem with the differences in the prevalence by specific groups and regions.
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    Diversity and perceptions about side effects of medicinal plants used by herbalists to treat gastrointestinal diseases in Sironko District, Eastern Uganda
    (Tropical Medicine and Health, 2026-05-08) Walusansa, Abdul; Natoli, Robert; Kafeero, Hussein. M.; Lubowa, Muhammad; Batiibwe, Marjorie Sarah Kabuye; Ssenku, Jamilu. E.
    Background The escalation of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) illnesses is now a major global threat, with countries like Uganda having a prevalence of over 31 %. Herbal medicines (HM) are widely used to treat GIT illnesses in many low-resource settings including Sironko District in Eastern Uganda, but their safety remains a grave concern because they often contain bioactive phytochemicals that may cause harmful side effects. In Sironko, herbalists commonly rely on indigenous knowledge rather than formal pharmacological training when prescribing HM hence the potential for adverse reactions linked to toxic phytocompounds is substantial, warranting comprehensive scientific investigation. Objective To explore plant species used to treat GIT illnesses and perceptions of their adverse effects in Sironko District, to inform safer herbal medicine use. Methods A sample of 70 herbalists was subjected to an ethnobotanical survey using pre-validated semi-structured questionnaires to profile plant species primarily used against GIT illnesses plus awareness and perceptions about the associated side effects. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using STATA version-15.0. Graphs were plotted with GraphPad Prism® version 9.0.0. Results A total of 80 plants species used against GIT infections were documented, mainly in families; Asteraceae and Euphorbiaceae, indicated for treatment and prevention of 24 gastrointestinal illnesses, mostly diarrhea (18.94%), ulcers (11.81%), and stomachaches (8.52%), plus 39 ailments affecting other body systems. Informant consensus factors were high for all disease categories (≥ 0.630), showing homogeneity of ethnomedicinal knowledge. Chenopodium opulifolium, Tithonia diversifolia and Senna didymobotrya were reported to pose the greatest number of side effects, including headache and insomnia. The 70% of participants were unaware that HM can be toxic, 57% were certain that HM do not have side effects, yet those that opposed the need for urgent action against HM adversity were significantly more than participants who perceived it as vital (χ2, p < 0.0001). Conclusion There is a high diversity of plant species used to treat primarily GIT illnesses in Sironko, but many potentially stimulate life-threatening adverse effects such as severe headache and vomiting. These results highlight a need for considerable investment in herbal medicine safety to leverage its optimal use in health promotion and economic development.