Adding Virome Capture Metagenomic Sequencing to Conventional Laboratory Testing Increases Unknown Fever Etiology Determination in Bamako, Mali.

Unexplained fever poses significant diagnostic challenges in resource-limited settings like Bamako, Mali, where overlapping endemic diseases include malaria, HIV/AIDS, yellow fever, typhoid, and others. This study aimed to elucidate the infectious etiologies of acute febrile illnesses in this context. Acute febrile patients of any age were enrolled after informed consent or assent.

Evaluation of waning of IgG antibody responses after rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP and Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo Ebola virus disease vaccines: a modelling study from the PREVAC randomized trial.

rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP and Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo are WHO-prequalified vaccination regimens against Ebola virus disease (EVD). Challenges associated with measuring long-term clinical protection warrant the evaluation of immune response kinetics after vaccination.

Qualitative evaluation of a package of implementation strategies codesigned to support the introduction of multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) for pregnant women in Bamako, Mali.

Mali national policy recommends that women take iron and folic acid supplements (IFA) from the time of the first antenatal care (ANC) visit, throughout pregnancy and during the first 3 months after delivery. In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) updated their ANC guidelines to recommend the United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation (UNIMMAP) formulation of multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) in the context of rigorous research, including implementation research. In Bamako, Mali, a codesign process was used to tailor antenatal care MMS packaging and counselling materials aimed at optimizing delivery and uptake of and adherence to MMS.

A Comprehensive Study on the Hematological Progression of Sickle Cell Disease Patients with COVID-19 at the Center for Research and Control of Sickle Cell Disease, Bamako.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is a real crisis that has exposed the unpreparedness of many healthcare systems worldwide. Several underlying health conditions have been identified as risk factors, including sickle cell disease, a chronic illness with various complications that can increase the risk of severe COVID-19 infection. Our study aimed to investigate the profile of sickle cell patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and explore any potential relationship between these two conditions.

Approaches and progress in breeding drought-tolerant maize hybrids for tropical lowlands in west and central Africa.

Drought represents a significant production challenge to maize farmers in West and Central Africa, causing substantial economic losses. Breeders at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture have therefore been developing drought-tolerant maize varieties to attain high grain yields in rainfed maize production zones. The present review provides a historical overview of the approaches used and progress made in developing drought-tolerant hybrids over the years.

Stakeholder engagement in the development of genetically modified mosquitoes for malaria control in West Africa: lessons learned from 10 years of Target Malaria's work in Mali.

From 2012 to 2023, the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), based out of the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), was part of the Target Malaria research consortium working towards developing novel gene drive-based tools for controlling populations of malaria vector mosquitoes. As part of this work, Target Malaria Mali has undertaken a range of in-depth engagement activities with the communities where their research is conducted and with other stakeholders nationally. These activities were meant to ensure that the project's activities took place with the agreement of those communities, and that those communities were able to play a role in shaping the project's approach to ensure that its eventual outcomes were in line with their needs and concerns.

Evaluation of non-conformities in the drafting of bulletins for urine cytobacteriological examinations at Sikasso Hospital (Mali).

Background: Non-compliance in the drafting of examination bulletins makes it difficult to perform them and interpret the results. With the aim of continuously improving laboratory services and guaranteeing the quality of urine cytobacteriological examination (ECBU) results, we initiated this study to evaluate non-compliance in the drafting of ECBU reports.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study which focused on non-compliance in the drafting of ECBU reports analysed in the laboratory from January to December 2022.

Cervical spinal meningioma mimicking an arachnoid cyst: A pediatric case report.

Background: Meningiomas are rare tumors in children. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis is usually easy, its cystic form can wrongly suggest other diagnoses, such as an epidermoid or arachnoid cyst. We describe an unusual case of cervical cystic meningioma in a child.

Agronomic performance and yield stability of extra-early maturing maize hybrids in multiple environments in the Sahel.

Frequent occurrence of drought, heat, low soil fertility and infestation are the main stress factors reducing maize yield in the Sahel. Adoption of stable multiple stress tolerant maize cultivars in the region is crucial for achieving food security. However, selection of a stable high yielding cultivar is complicated by genotype × environment interaction (GEI) due to differential responses to growing conditions.

Progress towards elimination of onchocerciasis transmission in Mali: A "pre-stop MDA" survey in 18 transmission zones.

Background: Onchocerciasis control activities in Mali began in 1975 with vector larviciding carried out by the Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP), followed by the distribution of ivermectin from 1998 until the closure of the OCP in 2002. At that time, epidemiological evaluations, using skin snip microscopy and O-150 pool screening PCR in black flies, indicated that the disease had been largely controlled as a public health problem. Ivermectin distribution was nevertheless continued after 2002 in 34 of the 75 health districts in Mali as these were known to still be meso- or hyper-endemic for onchocerciasis.

Potential for a large-scale newborn screening strategy for sickle cell disease in Mali: A comparative diagnostic performance study of two rapid diagnostic tests (SickleScan® and HemotypeSC®) on cord blood.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a life-threatening disease requiring reliable early diagnosis. We assessed the acceptability and diagnostic performances of two rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to identify SCD (HbSS, HbSC, HbS/β-thalassaemia) or SCD carrier (HbS/HbC) in a pilot SCD newborn screening (NBS) strategy in Mali. All consenting delivering women were offered SCD NBS using cord blood sampling on two RDTs (SickleScan® and HemotypeSC®) compared to the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) gold standard to detect SCD states.

Relationship between patient sex and anatomical sites of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Mali.

Background: Contribution of host factors in mediating susceptibility to extrapulmonary tuberculosis is not well understood.

Objective: To examine the influence of patient sex on anatomical localization of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study in Mali, West Africa.

Malaria transmission-blocking vaccines Pfs230D1-EPA and Pfs25-EPA in Alhydrogel in healthy Malian adults; a phase 1, randomised, controlled trial.

Background: Malaria transmission-blocking vaccines target mosquito-stage parasites and will support elimination programmes. Gamete vaccine Pfs230D1-EPA/Alhydrogel induced superior activity to zygote vaccine Pfs25-EPA/Alhydrogel in malaria-naive US adults. Here, we compared these vaccines in malaria-experienced Malians.

[Bee venom: an unusual cause of acute kidney injury].

Introduction: Bee sting venom is generally well tolerated. However, some rare cases of massive stings can lead to anaphylactic shock and even renal failure. This observation is the illustration of a case of acute kidney injury secondary to bee stings in a 64-year-old black african subject.

[Progressive myoclonic epilepsy in the department of neurology of the University Teaching hospital Point "G"].

Background: Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy (PME) is a heterogeneous group of pathologies associating epileptic seizures and other neurological and non-neurological disorders.

Objectives: We aim to characterize patients with symptoms of PME and identify the underlying genetic disorder.

Methods: After informed consent, the patients seen in the protocol for hereditary neurological diseases and presenting signs of epilepsy without a secondary cause were clinically evaluated over a three-year period in the Department of Neurology of the CHU Point "G".

[Management Of Blader Exstrophy In Children At The CHU Gabriel Touré].

Aims: To describe the clinical and evolutionary aspects of the primary closure of exstrophy at the CHU Gabriel Touré.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective and prospective study carried out from January 2014 to December 2019 in all the children admitted and operated on for bladder exstrophy at the CHU Gabriel Touré.

Results: We collected 35 cases of exstrophy, ie25 boys and 10 girls.

[Spermiological Study Of Patients Treated For Infertility At The Medical Biology Laboratory Of Sikasso Hospital].

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish the spermiological profile of patients treated for infertility at Sikasso Hospital.

Material And Methods: This was a prospective descriptive cross-sectional study, which took place from January to December 2022 at Sikasso Hospital. Interpretation of spermiological parameters was based on standards established by the World Health Organization in 2010.

Validation of dried blood spots samples for the screening of hepatitis B virus surface by enzyme immunoassay method.

Dried Blood Spots (DBS) are blood collection carriers that facilitate the storage and transport of samples. Used for quality control during sero-epidemiological investigations, DBS eluate are not the conventional specimen indicated by manufacturers for enzyme immunoassay method (EIA) for hepatitis B virus surface (HBs antigen). The aim of our study was to evaluate DBS eluates used as a matrix for EIA of HBs antigen in a reference laboratory.

[Not Available].

Objective : Faced with the uncertainty about the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination, we conducted this study to better guide communication strategies for health worker adherence to vaccination.Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional study for analytical purposes, from 15 to 26 February 2021 among health workers in health facilities in the Gbêkê health region.Results : Health workers were predominantly female (53.

Estimating genetic gains for tolerance to stress combinations in tropical maize hybrids.

Maize is a strategic food crop in sub-Saharan Africa. However, most maize growing tropical savannas particularly in West and Central African experience the occurrence of frequent droughts and infestation, resulting in 30-100% yield losses. This production zones need maize cultivars that combine tolerance to the two stresses.

Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants characterized during different COVID-19 waves in Mali.

Background: The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants may have contributed to prolonging the pandemic, and increasing morbidity and mortality related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This article describes the dynamics of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants identified during the different COVID-19 waves in Mali between April and October 2021.

Methods: The respiratory SARS-CoV-2 complete spike (S) gene from positive samples was sequenced.

A Novel Drug Assay for Assessing the Transmission-Blocking Activity of Compounds on Field-Isolated Plasmodium falciparum Gametocytes.

The discovery and development of transmission-blocking therapies challenge malaria elimination and necessitate standard and reproducible bioassays to measure the blocking properties of antimalarial drugs and candidate compounds. Most of the current bioassays evaluating the transmission-blocking activity of compounds rely on laboratory-adapted strains. Transmission-blocking data from clinical gametocyte isolates could help select novel transmission-blocking candidates for further development.