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Subject: COVID-19, ×

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    Aspergillus-specific IgM/IgG antibody serostatus of patients hospitalized with moderate-critical COVID-19 in Uganda
    (African Health Sciences, 2022-09-03) Bongomin, Felix; Kwizera, Richard; Mande, Emmanuel; Aloyo, Sharley Melissa; Achan, Beatrice; Namusobya, Martha; Sereke, Senai Goitom; Batte, Charles; Kiguli, Sarah; Baruch Baluku, Joseph; Joloba, Moses L; Kirenga, Bruce J
    Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is known to complicate the coronavirus diseases-2019 (COVID-19), especially those with crit ical illness. We investigated the baseline anti-Aspergillus antibody serostatus of patients with moderate-critical COVID-19 hos pitalized at 3 COVID-19 Treatment Units in Uganda. All 46 tested patients, mean age 30, and 11% with underlying respiratory disease had a negative serum anti-Aspergillus IgM/IgG antibody immunochromatographic test on day 3 (mean) of symptom onset (range 1-26), but follow up specimens to assess seroconversion were not available.
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    COVID-19, HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis, Disseminated Tuberculosis and Acute Ischaemic Stroke: A Fatal Foursome
    (Dove Medical Press, 2021-10-09) Bongomin, Felix; Sereke, Senai Goitom; Okot, Jerom; Katsigazi, Ronald; Kandole, Tadeo Kiiza; Oriekot, Anthony; Olum, Ronald; Atukunda, Angella; Baruch Baluku, Joseph; Nakwagala, Frederick
    Background: Several viral, bacterial and fungal co-infections have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality among patients with COVID-19. We report a fatal case of severe COVID-19 pneumonia in a patient with a recent diagnosis of advanced HIV disease complicated by cryptococcal meningitis, disseminated tuberculosis and acute ischemic stroke. Case Presentation: A 37-year-old Ugandan woman was diagnosed with HIV infection 8 days prior to her referral to our center. She was antiretroviral naïve. Her chief complaints were worsening cough, difficulty in breathing, fever and altered mental status for 3 days with a background of a 1-month history of coughing with associated drenching night sweats and weight loss. The reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV-2 of her nasopharyngeal swab sample was positive. Chest radiograph demonstrated military pattern involvement of both lungs. The serum and cerebrospinal fluid cryptococcal antigen tests were positive. Urine lipoarabinomannan and sputum GeneXpert were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Computed tomography of the brain showed a large acute ischemic infarct in the territory of the right middle cerebral artery. Regardless of the initiation of treatment, that is, fluconazole 1200 mg once daily, enoxaparin 60 mg, intravenous (IV) dexamethasone 6 mg once daily, oral fluconazole 1200 mg once daily, IV piperacillin/tazobactam 4.5 g three times daily and oxygen therapy, the patient passed on within 36 hours of admission.
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    Internal Medicine Clerkship Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Clinical Learning Experience of Undergraduate Medical Students at Makerere University, Uganda
    (Dove Press, 2021) Bongomin, Felix; Olum, Ronald; Nakiyingi, Lydia; Lalitha, Rejani; Ssinabulya, Isaac; Sekaggya Wiltshire, Christine; Ocama, Ponsiano; Byakika-Kibwika, Pauline
    Background: The coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impose a significant impact on medical education. We aimed to describe the clinical learning experience of undergraduate medical students undertaking internal medicine clerkship during the COVID-19 pandemic at Makerere University, Uganda. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study among medical students in clinical years of study pursuing the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery undergraduate degree program was conducted in November 2020. Only 3rd (junior clerks) and 5th (senior clerks) year medical students whose internal medicine clerkships were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic were studied. Results: Data of 188 (95%) eligible clinical year students; junior (101, 54.0%) and senior (86, 46.0%) were analysed. Median age was 24 (range: 22–42) years. Majority (70.1%) were male and Ugandan nationals (94.1%). Sixty-four (30.3%) students reported inadequate personal protective equipment, 152 (81.7%) felt at risk of contracting COVID-19, and 127 (67.9%) said it was difficult to observe COVID-19 standard operating procedures. Twenty two students (11.9%) were discouraged from pursuing a career in internal medicine. Overall, most students reported good or excellent clinical experience pre-COVID-19 era compared to during the COVID-19 era (4.0 vs 3.5, p<0.0001). Senior clerks significantly believed that the time allocated for the rotation was adequate (p<0.0001) and they were able to complete their study objectives (p<0.001), compared to the junior clerks. Senior clerks believed that learning was difficult when combined with junior clerks (p=0.013). About half of the students (51.4%, n=95) reported clinical teaching should remain as it was in the pre COVID-19 era. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significantly negative effect on the clinical learning experience of the students. There is need to review the current teaching and learning methods to suit teaching and learning during pandemics of highly infectious diseases to ensure safe and effective learning experience.