Performance of two SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen detection tests in resource limited settings, the case of Mali.

Introduction: While real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) is the recommended laboratory method to diagnose severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, its use in resource limited settings can be difficult to maintain due to high testing demand and shortage of reagents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performances of Realy Tech™ and Standard Q™ in comparison to RT-PCR in a relatively low COVID-19 prevalence setting, Mali.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study between January and April 2021 in Bamako and Kati regions to evaluate both rapid tests during a large SARS-CoV-2 prevalence study in Mali.

Hematological profiles of patients with tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria infections in Bamako, Mali.

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in Mali. Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections are very common but are often cofounded with TB because of the similarity of symptoms, which makes the diagnosis difficult. Hematological abnormalities associated with TB have been described, but not with NTM.

Use of light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy to detect acid-fast bacilli in sputum as proficient alternative tool in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in countries with limited resource settings.

Background: Despite recent advances in the development of more sensitive technologies for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB), in resource-limited settings, the diagnosis continues to rely on sputum smear microscopy. This is because smear microscopy is simple, cost-efficient and the most accessible tool for the diagnosis of TB. Our study evaluated the performance of light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy (LED-FM) using auramine/rhodamine (auramine) and the fluorescein di-acetate (FDA) vital stain in the diagnostic of pulmonary TB in Bamako, Mali.

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 Coordinated Public Health Laboratory Response to COVID-19 in Mali.

Ability to rapidly and accurate diagnose pathogens during disease outbreaks is essential for public health. Diagnosis depends largely on laboratory capacity, which can be challenging in resource limited settings. We report Mali's experience involving four research laboratories in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Performance of Xpert MTB/RIF in comparison with light-emitting diode-fluorescence microscopy and culture for detecting tuberculosis in pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens in Bamako, Mali.

Background: The diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) has mostly been relied on a long-used method called sputum smear microscopy. In 2010, Xpert MTB/RIF assay was approved by the World Health Organization for simultaneous TB diagnosis and detection of resistance. Our current study was undertaken to compare the diagnostic performance of Xpert MTB/RIF assay to auramine staining-based light-emitting diode-Fluorescence Microscopy (LED-FM) considering culture as the gold standard method for pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB.

Use of sodium dodecyl sulfate to improve tuberculosis sputum smear microscopy.

Sputum smear microscopy (SSM), the most widely available tool for tuberculosis (TB) detection, has limited performance in paucibacillary patients and requires highly experienced technicians. The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a detergent that thins sputum, at 4% and 10%, improves the detection of acid-fast bacilli (AFB), the clarity of slides, and the biosafety of the technique. Thirty participants with presumptive TB were enrolled.

Competitive fitness of .

Background: While, bacteria resistance mutations can affect competitive fitness, given our multidrug-resistant (MDR) prevalence, we conducted this study to determine the impact of MDR on the competitive fitness of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex MDR strains. We conducted a cross-sectional study at the University Clinical Research Center (UCRC) from January to December 2017. New TB patients over aged of 18 were recruited at University teaching hospital and health reference centers of Bamako in USTTB Ethical committee approved protocols.

[Acute lymphoblastic leukemia among children in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso): the results of treatment according to the protocol of the Franco-African Pediatric Oncology Group 2005].

Introduction: acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is being diagnosed in an increasing number of children in our Department. In the developed countries, the treatment of this hematologic malignancy can cure almost 80% of children. In developing countries, few studies focus on acute leukemias in children.

The most frequent complex families in mali (2006-2016) based on spoligotyping.

Background: To identify strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBc) circulating in Bamako region during the past 10 years.

Methods: From 2006 to 2016, we conducted a cross-sectional study to identify with spoligotyping, clinical isolates from tuberculosis (TB)-infected patients at different stages of their treatments in Bamako, Mali.

Results: Among the 904 suspected TB patients included in the study and thereafter tested in our BSL-3 laboratory, 492 (54.

Screening new tuberculosis patients in Mali for rifampicin resistance at 2months.

Objective/background: The recent call for universal drug susceptibility testing (DST) for all tuberculosis (TB) patients will be difficult to meet in settings where Xpert rollout is limited, such as low prevalence of HIV and Multi-drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR) settings. As recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the success of TB treatment is measured by Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) microscopy or auramine-rhodamine fluorescent microscopy (FM) on sputum, in which conversion to negative smear at 2months (M) is an important predictor of treatment success, defined as a negative smear at 5M. The sputum smear that fails to convert to negative at 5M are screened for rifampicin resistance.