Piloting an Assessment Tool to Organize Surgical Care in Armed Conflicts: Findings From Cameroon.

Introduction: Armed conflict is increasing globally and is dramatically disrupting surgical care more than ever before. To address this, the PIPESS (Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, Supplies, and Standard) tool was designed to facilitate assessment of hospital capacity. It assesses 6 key categories at 3 timepoints: preconflict, during conflict, and postconflict.

Performance of the SD Bioline rapid diagnostic test as a good alternative to the detection of human African trypanosomiasis in Cameroon.

Background: Case detection is essential for the management of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), which is caused by i gambiense. Prior to parasitological confirmation, routine screening using the card agglutination test for trypanosomiasis (CATT) is essential. Recently, individual rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for the serodiagnosis of HAT have been developed.

Dengue and Chikungunya virus circulation in Cameroon and Gabon: molecular evidence among symptomatic individuals.

We report the molecular evidence of dengue virus (DENV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection in symptomatic individuals in Cameroon and Gabon, respectively. Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are distributed in the tropical or subtropical regions, with DENV having the highest burden. The morbidity and mortality related to arboviral diseases raise the concern of timely and efficient surveillance and care.

The Pan African Vivax and Ovale Network (PAVON): Refocusing on Plasmodium vivax, ovale and asymptomatic malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

The recent World Malaria report shows that progress in malaria elimination has stalled. Current data acquisition by NMCPs depend on passive case detection and clinical reports focused mainly on Plasmodium falciparum (Pf). In recent times, several countries in sub-Saharan Africa have reported cases of Plasmodium vivax (Pv) with a considerable number being Duffy negative.

Contrasting epidemiology and genetic variation of Plasmodium vivax infecting Duffy-negative individuals across Africa.

Objectives: Plasmodium vivax malaria was thought to be rare in Africans who lack the Duffy blood group antigen expression. However, recent studies indicate that P. vivax can infect Duffy-negative individuals and has spread into areas of high Duffy negativity across Africa.

Plasmodium vivax Infections Detected in a Large Number of Febrile Duffy-Negative Africans in Dschang, Cameroon.

The Duffy blood group is a critical receptor for Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) invasion of red blood cells, and consequently, P. vivax infections were considered rare in sub-Saharan Africa where the prevalence of Duffy-negativity is high.

Knowledge and Attitudes of Population Living in Rural and Semi-Rural Areas towards Covid-19 :Case of the Menoua Division, Cameroon.

Background: The pandemic situation the world is facing caused by the new SARS-Cov-2 continues to evolve and still represent a real problem. With more than eight thousand reported cases infection, Cameroon stands as the seventh most affected country in Africa. Prevention remains the best way to fight against this zoonosis.

The Ebola virus disease outbreak in Tonkolili district, Sierra Leone: a retrospective analysis of the Viral Haemorrhagic Fever surveillance system, July 2014-June 2015.

In Sierra Leone, the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak occurred with substantial differences between districts with someone even not affected. To monitor the epidemic, a community event-based surveillance system was set up, collecting data into the Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (VHF) database. We analysed the VHF database of Tonkolili district to describe the epidemiology of the EVD outbreak during July 2014-June 2015 (data availability).

Knowledge on STIs / HIV / AIDS, Stigma-Discrimination and sexual behaviors AMONG students of the University of Dschang, in Cameroon.

Unlabelled: This study reports the results of a survey conducted among students of the University of Dschang, on STI/HIV/AIDS, the Stigma-Discrimination pair and sexual behaviors.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted during the months of January and February 2017. We collected data by a face to face questionnaire administered to students of the University of Dschang.

The problem of lost to follow-up of mother-child pairs enrolled in the PMTCT program in Dschang District Hospital-Cameroon.

High rates of lost to follow-up (LTFU) in the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs in Cameroon will only contribute in hindering the successful implementation of the program. The objective of this study was to determine the reasons of LTFU of mother-child pairs enrolled in the PMTCT program in Dschang District Hospital (DDH): Cameroon. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out in HIV+ exposed children delivered in the DDH from1st Jan 2012 - 31st Dec 2014, who were greater than or equal to 18 months at the study period (1st August - 30th September 2016) and whose mothers were enrolled in the PMTCT program for at least 3 months.

Human cytochrome P450 2B6 genetic variability in Botswana: a case of haplotype diversity and convergent phenotypes.

Identification of inter-individual variability for drug metabolism through cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) enzyme is important for understanding the differences in clinical responses to malaria and HIV. This study evaluates the distribution of CYP2B6 alleles, haplotypes and inferred metabolic phenotypes among subjects with different ethnicity in Botswana. A total of 570 subjects were analyzed for CYP2B6 polymorphisms at position 516 G > T (rs3745274), 785 A > G (rs2279343) and 983 T > C (rs28399499).

Youth Awareness on Sexually Transmitted Infections, HIV and AIDS in Secondary Schools in the Dschang Municipality (Cameroon): The Mobile Caravan Project.

Awareness is a preventive action to instill in individuals certain concepts to improve their health. It is an essential element in the prevention of sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV and early pregnancies among adolescents. In 2012, the prevalence of HIVin Cameroon was estimated at 4.

Molecular evidence of Plasmodium vivax infection in Duffy negative symptomatic individuals from Dschang, West Cameroon.

Background: Plasmodium vivax infection is known to be rare in West/Central Africa, the most accepted explanation being the lack of expression of erythroid Duffy antigen in the local human populations. Duffy negativity prevents the parasite to exploit the entry mechanism on the red blood cell surface. However, there are a growing number of reported vivax infections in Duffy-negative individuals.