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Primrose Freestone, University of Leicester Every year, around 2.4 million people in the UK get food poisoning – mostly from viral or bacterial contamination. Most people recover within a few days without treatment, but not all are that lucky. As a microbiologist, I’m probably more acutely aware of the risk of food-borne infections than most. Here are some of the things I look out for. Eating outdoors I rarely eat alfresco – whether picnics or barbecues – as the risk of food poisoning goes up when food is taken outdoors. Keeping your hands clean when handling food is key to not getting sick, but how often do you find hot running water and soap in a park or on a beach? You can use alcohol hand gels (they’re better than nothing), but they don’t kill all germs. Also, food tends to attract an array of flying and crawling critters, such
David Martin Shaw, University of Basel; Philip Lewis, University of Cologne, and Thomas C. Erren, University of Cologne We expect medical professionals to give us reliable information about ourselves and potential treatments so that we can make informed decisions about which (if any) medicine or other intervention we need. If your doctor instead “bullshits” you (yes – this term has been used in academic publications to refer to persuasion without regard for truth, and not as a swear word) under the deception of authoritative medical advice, the decisions you make could be based on faulty evidence and may result in harm or even death. Bullshitting is distinct from lying – liars do care about the truth and actively try to conceal it. Indeed bullshitting can be more dangerous than an outright lie. Fortunately, of course, doctors don’t tend to bullshit – and if they did there would be, one hopes,
Mpho Matlakale Molete, University of the Witwatersrand, School of Oral Health Sciences & Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) Graduate. Oral health is a vital part of overall health and well-being, but it is often ignored or neglected. Neglecting oral health can have serious consequences for physical and mental health, including tooth decay and gum disease. In South Africa schoolchildren are particularly susceptible to tooth decay because of factors such as limited access to dental care, a lack of oral hygiene knowledge, and high sugar consumption. It is therefore essential to address these challenges and improve oral health among this population group. A survey done in Ehlanzeni district in Mpumalanga found that almost half of the participating children had active tooth decay in 2012. Another study in the Western Cape found levels of tooth decay among this population of over 70%. Nationally estimates of tooth decay among children are
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Yogan Pillay, Stellenbosch University and Madhukar Pai, McGill University For centuries, we have known that tuberculosis is a social disease. It thrives on poverty and social factors such as malnutrition, poor housing, overcrowding, unsafe work environments and stigma. Globally in 2021 an estimated 2.2 million cases of TB were attributable to undernourishment, 0.86 million to HIV infection, 0.74 million to alcohol use disorders, 0.69 million to smoking and 0.37 million to diabetes. But knowledge about social determinants alone does not always translate into tangible action and progress. A new trial in India, called RATIONS, aimed to determine the effect of nutritional supplementation on new cases of tuberculosis in households of adults with pulmonary TB. The research found that providing food baskets to people with TB and their households could go a long way to prevent and mitigate the disease. No easy silver bullets The TB community has typically looked for
Written by Dave Chambers for Jive Media Africa, research communications partner to GIFT A South African innovation designed to screen for inflammation associated with HIV infections and improve women’s sexual and reproductive health has been manufactured and has entered its first in-field clinical studies. Almost 700 women will be involved in the validation of the Genital Inflammation Test (GIFT) developed at the University of Cape Town (UCT). GIFT is the focus of an international collaboration of almost exclusively female scientists led by Professor Jo-Ann Passmore of UCT and Dr Lindi Masson, originally of UCT, but now of the Burnet Institute in Australia. The trial development includes a partnership with Cape Town biotechnology company Medical Diagnostech under the leadership of Ashley Uys and Lyndon Mungar. GIFT intends to be a low-cost rapid test to detect vaginal inflammation, one of the biggest drivers of HIV risk in young women. It is often
Kathryn Steventon Roberts, University of Oxford and Janina Jochim, University of Oxford Imagine the weight of responsibility for caring for a child when you are not yet fully grown yourself, and the fear of being shamed by parents, fellow learners, and even strangers within the community? Vast numbers of adolescent mothers, many of them very vulnerable, exist across Africa, but there remains little research on their challenges and what can be done to support them and their children. Policies and programmes are often small scale, poorly implemented, or not inclusive of adolescent parents. Detailing findings from the largest adolescent mother cohort study in sub-Saharan Africa, this article sheds light on some of the challenges they face, potential entry points for interventions and programmes, and opportunities to support adolescent mothers and their children. Some adolescent mothers from sub-Saharan Africa say they did not realise they could get pregnant or how to
Lerato Mthunzi, Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (HAITU) General Secretary Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure long term child health and survival. But fewer than half of infants under 6 months old are exclusively breastfed – contrary to the recommendations of the World Health Organisation. Breastfeeding has many benefits for both the mother and the baby. It should be supported and promoted by health professionals, family members, employers and society at large. Breastfeeding is the natural and optimal way of feeding infants. It provides them with the best nutrition they need for their growth and development. It also has positive effects on the mother’s health, well-being, and allows for the mother and baby to bond. Despite these advantages, many mothers face barriers and challenges that prevent them from initiating or continuing breastfeeding. These include lack of information, support, confidence, time, facilities and a lack
Bill Gates Last month, I visited Nigeria for the first time in five years, and, everywhere I went, perhaps more than on any of my previous trips, I felt the immense energy and boundless potential of its rising generation. I met with young scientists and researchers working on innovative solutions to some of the country’s most difficult challenges in health and development. I also listened to young entrepreneurs talk aboutleveraging new digital technologies to improve health care and financial literacy. Nigeria has one of the largest youth populations in the world, and 19 of the youngest 20 countries, in terms of median age, are in Africa. That represents a lot of potential skills and passion to solve big problems. In fact, Africa’s growing and talented young population is the continent’s most powerful asset for the future, and when I met with Nigeria’s leaders, I re-emphasized how much they could achieve
Daniel Marcu, University of East Anglia; Liana Maree, University of the Western Cape, and Shannen Keyser, University of the Western Cape The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently reported that around one in six couples globally are affected by infertility. For many years people tended to blame women for a couple’s infertility – especially in African countries. But it’s now known that male factor infertility contributes about 50% of total cases. And men worldwide – Africa included – are experiencing a worrying trend of decreased sperm count and quality. There are multiple causes of male infertility. However, it is clear that environmental contaminants play a large part in declining fertility worldwide. Concern is rising about substances such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, nanomaterials and endocrine disrupting compounds. These substances are found everywhere in modern everyday lives. Most are present in personal-care products such as soaps, shampoos and hair sprays, as well
Agnes Erzse, University of the Witwatersrand and Aviva Tugendhaft, University of the Witwatersrand South Africa has persistently high rates of hunger and malnutrition among mothers and children. More than a quarter – 27% – of children under five are stunted and 61% of children are iron-deficient. Sixty-nine percent of women of reproductive age are overweight or obese, and 31% are iron-deficient. These figures paint a worrying picture. They suggest gaps in the country’s evidence-based nutrition policies and services. One way to accelerate progress on malnutrition is through engaging with the people who are directly affected by policies. South Africa’s health system strategy does include public consultation. But public participation is mostly limited to public meetings once a policy has already been drafted. This leaves little opportunity for substantial revisions. The lack of meaningful public engagement is also evident in how funds for mother and child nutrition are allocated. Decisions are
By Edina Amponsah-Dacosta, University of Cape Town and Julie Copelyn, University of Cape Town South Africa has experienced outbreaks of cholera since January. The worst was in May in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, where nearly 30 people died. Cholera is a bacterial disease which spreads via the faecal-oral route mostly through ingestion of contaminated food and water. It causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration and in extreme cases death. The source of the outbreak in Hammanskraal is still not known. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for responding to a cholera outbreak include ensuring that communities have access to safe drinking water and sanitation and treating sick people quickly. Oral cholera vaccines may be considered to contain ongoing outbreaks and to limit the spread. These vaccines have not been administered during the current outbreak in South Africa. The Conversation Africa spoke to vaccinologists Edina Amponsah-Dacosta and Julie Copelyn about the cholera