Pneumococcal Carriage in Burkina Faso After 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Introduction and Before a Schedule Change.

Background: In October 2013, Burkina Faso introduced 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) into the routine childhood immunization program using 3 primary doses with no booster. Previous pneumococcal carriage studies showed reductions in vaccine-type (VT) carriage in children aged <5 years but not in older age groups.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, age-stratified pneumococcal carriage study among healthy persons aged ≥1 month in Bobo-Dioulasso in March 2020.

Future Directions for Meningitis Surveillance and Vaccine Evaluation in the Meningitis Belt of Sub-Saharan Africa.

In sub-Saharan Africa, bacterial meningitis remains a significant public health problem, especially in the countries of the meningitis belt, where Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A historically caused large-scale epidemics. In 2014, MenAfriNet was established as a consortium of partners supporting strategic implementation of case-based meningitis surveillance to monitor meningitis epidemiology and impact of meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine (MACV). MenAfriNet improved data quality through use of standardized tools, procedures, and laboratory diagnostics.

Development and Implementation of a Cloud-Based Meningitis Surveillance and Specimen Tracking System in Burkina Faso, 2018.

Nationwide case-based meningitis surveillance was established in Burkina Faso following the introduction of meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine in 2010. However, timely tracking and arrival of cerebrospinal fluid specimens for confirmation at national reference laboratories remained suboptimal. To better understand this gap and identify bottlenecks, the Burkina Faso Ministry of Health, along with key partners, developed and implemented a cloud-based System for Tracking Epidemiological Data and Laboratory Specimens (STELAB), allowing for timely nationwide data reporting and specimen tracking using barcodes.

Effect of Metoprolol CR/XL on pulmonary artery pressure in chronic heart failure patients assessed by an implanted ultrasonic device with special emphasis on diurnal variation and exercise capacity.

Objective: We evaluated the impact of Metoprolol CR/XL on the diurnal and exercise induced variation on Pulmonary Artery Pressure (PAP) in patients with Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) by implanted ultrasonic device.

Background: Metoprolol produces haemodynamic and clinical benefits in patients with chronic heart failure and improves survival rate. There is limited information about their effect on PAP, its diurnal and exercise induced variation in heart failure.

Agonist-like activity of anti-peptide antibodies directed against an autoimmune epitope on the heart muscarinic acetylcholine receptor.

A synthetic peptide corresponding to amino acids 169-193 of the second extracellular loop of the M2 human muscarinic receptor was used to raise antibodies in rabbits. Affinity purified antibodies specifically recognized a major band with a molecular weight of about 80 kDa on the electrotransferred membrane proteins of both rat ventricles and chinese hamster ovary cells expressing recombinant muscarinic receptors. Incubation of these antibodies with rat myocardial membranes resulted not only in a decrease in the maximal binding capacity, but also in a decrease in receptor antagonist affinity.