Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35881575›Full record

ArticlePloS one2022

Occurrence of influenza and bacterial infections in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy in Ghana.

Augustina K Arjarquah, Evangeline Obodai, Hannah Ayettey Anie, Michael Aning Osei, John Kofi Odoom, Joseph H K Bonney, Eric Behene, Erasmus N Kotey, James Aboagye, Stephen O Nyarko and 9 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. A systematic review and meta-analysis of side effects influenced by non-surgical treatments in African cancer patients.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Augustina K ArjarquahWest African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology (DBCMB), University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Evangeline ObodaiCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0001-5358-5688
Hannah Ayettey AnieNational Radiotherapy, Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre (NRONMC), Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
Michael Aning OseiNational Radiotherapy, Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre (NRONMC), Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
John Kofi OdoomCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Joseph H K BonneyCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Eric BeheneCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Erasmus N KoteyCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
James AboagyeCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Stephen O NyarkoCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Jeannette BentumCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Clara YeboahCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Selassie KumordjieCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Bright AgbodziCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Keren AttikuCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Gifty MawuliCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Andrew LetiziaUnited States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 (US-NAMRU 3), Ghana Detachment, Accra, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0002-7361-5917
William K AmpofoCollege of Health Sciences, University of Ghana-Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon, Ghana.
Osbourne QuayeWest African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology (DBCMB), University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0002-0621-876X
University of Ghana · GHKorle Bu Teaching Hospital · GH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInfluenza co-infection with bacteria is a leading cause of influenza-related deaths and severe respiratory infections, especially among high-risk groups like cancer patients undergoing treatment. However, acute respiratory infection (ARI)-like symptoms developed by upper-torso cancer (UTC) patients receiving radiotherapy are considered as side-effects of the radiation. Hence influenza and bacterial pathogens implicated in ARI are not investigated.

methodsThis prospective cohort study examined 85 in-patients with upper-torso cancers undergoing radiotherapy at the National Radiotherapy, Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre (NRONMC) of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra, Ghana. Eligible patients who consented were recruited into the study from September 2018 to April 2019. Influenza viruses A and B in addition to the following bacteria species Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis and Staphylococcus aureus were detected from oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swab specimens collected at three different time points. Presence of respiratory pathogens were investigated by influenza virus isolation in cell culture, bacterial culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and next generation sequencing (NGS) assays.

resultsOf the 85 eligible participants enrolled into the study, 87% were females. Participants were 17 to 77 years old, with a median age of 49 years. Most of the participants (88%) enrolled had at least one pathogen present. The most prevalent pathogen was N. meningitidis (63.4%), followed by H. influenzae (48.8%), Influenza viruses A and B (32.9%), S. pneumoniae (32.9%) and S. aureus (12.2%). Approximately, 65% of these participants developed ARI-like symptoms. Participants with previous episodes of ARI, did not live alone, HNC and total radiation less than 50 Gy were significantly associated with ARI. All treatment forms were also significantly associated with ARI.

conclusionData generated from the study suggests that ARI-like symptoms observed among UTC patients receiving radiotherapy in Ghana, could be due to influenza and bacterial single and co-infections in addition to risk factors and not solely the side-effects of radiation as perceived. These findings will be prime importance for diagnosis, prevention, treatment and control for cancer patients who present with such episodes during treatment.

Indexed as

Bacterial InfectionsCoinfectionInfluenza, HumanNeoplasmsRespiratory Tract InfectionsAdolescentAdultAgedBacteriaFemaleGhanaHumansInfantMaleMiddle AgedProspective Studies

Identifiers

PMID35881575
PMCPMC9321433
OpenAlexW4288035942

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC0
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.