Risk factors of severe hepatotoxicity among HIV-1 infected individuals initiated on highly active antiretroviral therapy in the Northwest Region of Cameroon.

Background: Hepatotoxicity due to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has gained prominent attention since it can be affected by many factors. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatotoxicity and related risk factors of severe hepatotoxicity following HAART initiation.

Methods: A total of 100 drug-naive patients aged between 18 and 61 years were recruited.

Performance of the BD FACSPresto near to patient analyzer in comparison with representative conventional CD4 instruments in Cameroon.

Background: In the context of scaling the viral load in resource limited settings, following HIV infected patient's adults and children with CD4+ T-lymphocyte count still very important in settings where the decentralization of treatment still has some challenges. Effective HIV monitoring in these resource-constrained settings needs affordable and reliable CD4+ T lymphocytes enumeration methods. We investigated the validity of a BD FACSPresto POC which is a dedicated system for enumeration that uses immunofluorescent technologies.

Rates of HBV, HCV, HDV and HIV type 1 among pregnant women and HIV type 1 drug resistance-associated mutations in breastfeeding women on antiretroviral therapy.

Background: HBV, HCV, HDV and HIV are blood borne and can be transmitted from mother-to-child. Reports of HBV infection rates show up to 11.9% in Cameroon while for HCV, the rate is less than 2%.

Maternal age, infant age, feeding options, single/multiple pregnancy, type of twin sets and mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Background: Some risk factors for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV have been identified. To further reduce MTCT, other risk factors were evaluated.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study on early infant diagnosis was conducted.

Prevalence and risk factors to HIV-infection amongst health care workers within public and private health facilities in Cameroon.

Introduction: This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among health care workers (HCWs) and to evaluate some risks factors for HCWs.

Methods: We conducted a cross sectional study amongst HCWs in public and private healthcare facilities within seven regions amongst the 10 found in Cameroon. We collected data from 446 HCWs within 150 healthcare facilities.

Estimating mother-to-child HIV transmission rates in Cameroon in 2011: a computer simulation approach.

Background: Despite the progress in the Prevention of the Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT), the paediatric HIV epidemic remains worrying in Cameroon. HIV prevalence rate for the population of pregnant women was 7.6% in 2010 in Cameroon.

An evaluation of human immunodeficiency virus oral screening test awareness and preferences in the West region of Cameroon.

HIV serological diagnosis has evolved during the last decade to give rise to rapid testing using biological materials, such as blood or oral mucosal transudate (OMT). However, blood collection is not always welcomed, justifying the evaluation of OMT-based devices. In a cross sectional study carried out in May 2011 aimed at evaluating the level of awareness about OMT based HIV tests, questionnaires were administered to participants who consented to take part in the study.

Host candidate gene polymorphisms and associated clearance of P. falciparum amodiaquine and fansidar resistance mutants in children less than 5 years in Cameroon.

Background: In this post-hoc analysis, we determined the influence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in host candidate immune genes on the outcome of drug resistant malaria in Cameroon.

Methods: Human DNA from 760 patients from a previous clinical trial was subjected to mass spectrometry-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping. Allele frequencies of candidate immune genes were calculated for 62 SNPs on 17 human chromosomes for their possible involvement in clearance of drug-resistant parasites with the triple mutations of pfcrt76T, pfmdr86Y, and pfmdr1246Y (TY) and pfdhfr51I, pfdhfr59R, pfdhfr108N, and pfdhps437G (IRNG) which were determined by dotblot or PCR-restriction analysis.

References of birth weights for gestational age and sex from a large cohort of singleton births in cameroon.

Objective. To establish the percentile charts of birth weights for gestational age and sex within the Cameroonian population. Methods.

Implementation of HIV early infant diagnosis and HIV type 1 RNA viral load determination on dried blood spots in Cameroon: challenges and propositions.

The testing of dried blood spots (DBSs) for human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1) proviral DNA by PCR is a technology that has proven to be particularly valuable in diagnosing exposed infants. We implemented this technology for HIV-1 early infant diagnosis (EID) and HIV-1 RNA viral load determination in infants born of HIV-1-seropositive mothers from remote areas in Cameroon. The samples were collected between December 2007 and September 2010.

Reference values of lymphocyte subsets in healthy, HIV-negative children in Cameroon.

Lymphocyte subset reference values used to monitor infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, or other immunological disorders in healthy children in Cameroon, are lacking. Values for Caucasian cohorts are already being utilized for clinical decisions but could be inappropriate for African populations. We report here the immunological profile for children aged from birth through 6 years in Cameroon and also compare our values to data from other African and Caucasian populations.

Efficacy of amodiaquine, sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine and their combination for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children in Cameroon at the time of policy change to artemisinin-based combination therapy.

Background: The efficacy of amodiaquine (AQ), sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) and the combination of SP+AQ in the treatment of Cameroonian children with clinical malaria was investigated. The prevalence of molecular markers for resistance to these drugs was studied to set the baseline for surveillance of their evolution with time.

Methods: Seven hundred and sixty children aged 6-59 months with uncomplicated falciparum malaria were studied in three ecologically different regions of Cameroon - Mutengene (littoral equatorial forest), Yaoundé (forest-savannah mosaic) and Garoua (guinea-savannah).