Rotavirus and adenovirus infections in children with acute gastroenteritis after introducing the Rotasiil® vaccine in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: Although rotavirus vaccination has reduced the global burden of the virus, morbidity and mortality from rotavirus infection remain high in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of rotavirus and adenovirus infections in children under five years with acute gastroenteritis and to identify factors associated with rotavirus infection after the introduction of the Rotasiil® vaccine in 2019 in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Methods: This study consisted of a cross-sectional hospital-based survey conducted from May 2022 to April 2023 in four health facilities in Kisangani, using a fecal-based test (rapid antigenic immuno-chromatographic diagnostic test, BYOSYNEX adenovirus/rotavirus BSS, Biosynex SA, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France) of rotavirus and adenovirus infections among children under five years of age with acute gastroenteritis.

Newborn screening for sickle cell disease in Butembo and Beni: a pilot experience in a highland region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Introduction: sickle cell disease is an inherited autosomal recessive hemoglobin disorder resulting in acute and chronic systemic complications. Despite the high burden of sickle cell disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, limited data on disease prevalence is available and systematic screening is not offered to newborns. This study aimed to provide neonatal prevalence and associated factors to the phenotypic manifestation of sickle cell disease in an eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Newborn screening for sickle cell disease in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo: an update.

Background: Neonatal screening is the first action necessary to identify children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and thus ensure their care. Using rapid tests to give an immediate result to families is a new resilient approach of great interest. These two aspects are essential for establishing an adequate health policy for this disease.

Clinical profile of children under 5 years of age with rotavirus diarrhoea in a hospital setting in Kisangani, DRC, after the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine, a cross-sectional study.

Background: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the countries with the highest rotavirus mortality rate in the world. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features of rotavirus infection after the introduction of rotavirus vaccination of children in the city of Kisangani, DRC.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of acute diarrhoea in children under 5 years of age admitted to 4 hospitals in Kisangani, DRC.

Red blood cell alloimmunisation in sickle cell disease patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunisation and alloantibody specificity in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in comparison with those followed at the Centre Hospitalier Régional (CHR) de la Citadelle of Liège (Belgium).

Background: Data regarding RBC alloimmunisation (immune response of the organism to foreign erythrocyte antigens, antigens that lack on its own RBC) in SCD patients are scarce in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: We conducted a multi-site-based cross-sectional study among 125 SCD patients at Kisangani and 136 at the CHR de la Citadelle of Liège.

Pairing parents and offspring's HemoTypeSC Test to validate results and confirm sickle cell pedigree: a case study in Kisangani, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Objectives: HemoTypeSC is one of the immunoassay methods currently used for the early diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in newborns. Earlier diagnosis remains the key strategy for early preventive care needs and parents' education about the child's future well-being throughout his life. Before considering these children as sick and aligning them for regular medical monitoring, it may be valuable to confirm the HemoTypeSC result with a secondary laboratory testing method.

Renal Abnormalities among Sickle Cell Disease Patients in a Poor Management Setting: A Survey in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background And Objective: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is now a well-established cause of renal damage. In the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), SCD is common. However, sickle cell nephropathy remains unstudied in this region.

Does glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency worsen the clinical features of sickle cell disease? A multi-hospital-based cross-sectional study.

Background: The impact of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency(G-6-PD) on the clinical course of sickle cell disease(SCD) is still controversial. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of G-6-PD deficiency in patients with SCD and its effect on their clinical course.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 122 SCD patients and 211 healthy blood donors was conducted in Kisangani city.

Overview of current progress and challenges in diagnosis, and management of pediatric sickle cell disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Objectives: Sickle cell disease (SCD) encompasses health complications, primarily affecting the hematologic system and leading to high death rates in childhood. As a rule, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stepwise gold-standard about the strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of SCD must be multidimensional. This overview aimed to highlight current advances and challenges linked to strategic issues, diagnosis, the prevalence, and treatment of pediatric cases in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[Acceptability of neonatal screening of the sickle cell disease during the pandemic of COVID-19 in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo].

Introduction: the implementation of neonatal screening to identify infants with sickle cell disease during the COVID-19 pandemic is a major challenge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The purpose of this study is to determine whether socio-economic factors are associated with acceptability of newborn screening to identify infants with sickle cell disease during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kisangani, DRC.

Methods: we conducted an observational study of mothers sensitized to neonatal screening to detect sickle cell disease in their newborns with hemotypeSC (HT401RUO-USA).

Management of sickle cell disease: current practices and challenges in a northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the third most affected country worldwide by sickle cell disease (SCD). However, this disease is still orphaned in the country; large-scale control actions are rare, and little is known about its management.

Objective: To assess current practices in the management of SCD in Kisangani, DRC.

Comorbidity of sickle cell trait and albinism: a cross-sectional survey in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Introduction: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and albinism are both recessive hereditary diseases in human kind with a high prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to determinate the prevalence of sickle cell trait in people living with albinism (PLA).

Methods: a cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted in PLA attending the "Hôpital du Cinquantenaire de Kisangani".

Students' knowledge on sickle cell disease in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Education is needed as an action to reduce morbidity and mortality from sickle cell disease (SCD), an important but largely neglected risk to child survival in most African countries as Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). To assess the knowledge of Kisangani University students in DRC regarding SCD. In this non-experimental, cross-sectional study, a validated questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge of 2 112 Kisangani University students in DRC and data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.