Cryptococcal antigen carriage among HIV infected children aged 6 months to 15 years at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala.

Background: Up to 15% of deaths of people living with HIV is attributable to meningeal cryptococcosis, with nearly 75% occuring in sub-Saharan Africa. Although rare in children, it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV. A strong association between cryptococcal antigenemia and the development of meningeal cryptococcosis has been shown in adults.

Serologic response to SARS-CoV-2 in an African population.

Official case counts suggest Africa has not seen the expected burden of COVID-19 as predicted by international health agencies, and the proportion of asymptomatic patients, disease severity, and mortality burden differ significantly in Africa from what has been observed elsewhere. Testing for SARS-CoV-2 was extremely limited early in the pandemic and likely led to under-reporting of cases leaving important gaps in our understanding of transmission and disease characteristics in the African context. SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence and serologic response data could help quantify the burden of COVID-19 disease in Africa to address this knowledge gap and guide future outbreak response, adapted to the local context.

Involvement of CD95 and ligand in CD4+ T-cell and CD8+ T-cell depletion and hepatic cytolysis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B.

Background: Chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV) is characterised by progressive hepatocyte destruction and T-cell depletion. The mechanisms of the CD95-CD95 ligand (CD95L) signalling pathway during this chronic disease and the cirrhotic process remains unclear.

Objective: We evaluated the involvement of the CD95-CD95L receptor-ligand system in T-cell depletion and hepatic cytolysis in patients with chronic HBV.

Point-of-care testing can achieve same-day diagnosis for infants and rapid ART initiation: results from government programmes across six African countries.

Introduction: Point-of-care (POC) early infant diagnosis (EID) testing has been shown to dramatically decrease turnaround times from sample collection to caregiver result receipt and time to ART initiation for HIV-positive infants compared to centralized laboratory testing. As governments in sub-Saharan Africa implement POC EID technologies, we report on the feasibility and effectiveness of POC EID testing and the impact of same-day result delivery on rapid ART initiation within national programmes across six countries.

Methods: This pre-/post-evaluation compared centralized laboratory-based (pre) with POC (post) EID testing in 52 facilities across Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal and Zimbabwe between April 2017 and October 2019 (country-dependent).

Negative Association of Interleukin-33 Plasma Levels and Schistosomiasis Infection in a Site of Polyparasitism in Rural Cameroon.

This study aimed to investigate the association of plasma levels of IL-33, a mucosal alarmin known to elicit type-2 immunity, with infection and liver fibrosis profiles of school children from an endemic area for , malaria and hepatitis (B & C) in rural Cameroon. A cross-sectional study enrolling schoolchildren from 5 public schools was conducted. Single schistosomiasis, malaria and hepatitis infections or co-infections were assessed by kato katz, microscopy, and rapid diagnostic tests, respectively.

A Cross Sectional Study of the Impact of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus on Rheumatoid Factor Production.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate how human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) affect the production of immunoglobulin M (IgM)-rheumatoid factor (RF).

Patients And Methods: The study included 405 voluntary participants (139 males, 266 females; mean age 39.4±17.

Rate of viral load change and adherence of HIV adult patients treated with Efavirenz or Nevirapine antiretroviral regimens at 24 and 48 weeks in Yaoundé, Cameroon: a longitudinal cohort study.

Background: HIV-load decrease and suppression over time is associated with consistent adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Our study aimed to evaluate the difference in viral load and adherence of patients treated with a combination of either Tenofovir (TDF), Lamivudine (3TC) and Efavirenz (EFV) or TDF / Zidovudine (AZT), 3TC and Nevirapine (NVP) regimens at 24 and 48 weeks.

Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted from May 2016 to June 2017 among 256 HIV infected adult patients who were enrolled at two approved treatment hospitals in Yaoundé, before the start of first-line ART.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes in patients with anterior tuberculosis compared to tobacco related COPD.

Objective: The inflammatory profile of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) related to tobacco is known in certain studies while that of the post tuberculosis form is not yet known. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes cells in sputum of COPD patients with history of smoking or anterior tuberculosis. Enumeration of cells in samples was analyzed using standard microscopy.

Prevalence and spread of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

During April 2010 and June 2010, 334 Enterobacteriaceae isolates from 590 participants (outpatients, inpatients, inpatient carers, hospital workers and members of their households) were collected from faecal samples. Based on β-lactamase pattern, origin of strains and the relationship between participants, 44 isolates of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were selected from 44 participants (in Ngaoundere Protestant Hospital and Ngaoundere Regional Hospital, Cameroon). To determine the relatedness of bacterial strains, these isolates were fingerprinted using the automated, repetitive-sequenced-based PCR-based DiversiLab system.

Plasma concentrations of soluble Fas receptors (Fas) and Fas ligands (FasL) in relation to CD4+ cell counts in HIV-1 positive and negative patients in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Background: Though documented that HIV infection progresses with the depletion of CD4+ cells, the exact mechanisms by which these cell depletions occur are not clearly understood. This study aimed at evaluating the plasma levels of soluble Fas receptors and ligands in HIV-infected and uninfected patients in Yaounde, Cameroon, a population with a known diversity of HIV in whom this has not been previously assessed.

Findings: In a cross-sectional study, 39 antiretroviral naïve HIV-1 positive and negative participants were recruited in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Dried blood spots versus plasma for the quantification of HIV-1 RNA using the manual (PCR-ELISA) amplicor monitor HIV-1 version 1.5 assay in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Objectives: Considering the recent accrued need for viral load quantification in resource-limited settings, this study evaluated the use of dried blood spots (DBS) compared to plasma as a means of sample collection and storage for HIV-1 RNA quantification using a non-automated assay.

Methods: Venous blood was collected from 60 consenting HIV-1-positive patients, plasma separated within 4 hours, and stored at -20 degrees C. Venous blood, 50 microL, was blotted on 4 designated areas of Whatman filter paper and air-dried at room temperature for 2 hours.

Identification of a tryptophan-like epitope borne by the variable surface glycoprotein (VSG) of African trypanosomes.

Antibodies (Ab) directed against a tryptophan-like epitope (WE) were previously detected in patients with human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). We investigated whether or not these Ab resulted from immunization against trypanosome antigen(s) expressing a WE. By Western blotting, we identified an antigen having an apparent molecular weight ranging from 60 to 65 kDa, recognized by purified rabbit anti-WE Ab.

Importance of L-tryptophan metabolism in trypanosomiasis.

African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness is caused by extracellular trypanosomes. The presence of seric antibodies directed to a tryptophan-like epitope in trypanosome infected patients and animals led us to investigate the roles of tryptophan in trypanosomiasis. These antibodies are directed against a tryptophan-rich conserved sequence inside the major parasite surface glycoprotein.

[Immunology and immunopathology of African trypanosomiasis].

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is characterized by a major deregulation of the immune system. Hypergammaglobulinemia, auto-antibodies, and immunodepression are cardinal features. Parasitemia occurs in waves due to the successive appearance of parasites with different variable glycoprotein surface antigens (VGSA).

Correlation of high serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha with disease severity in human African trypanosomiasis.

The levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in sera from Trypanosoma brucei gambiense-infected patients from the endemic region of Boko Songho (Bouenza focus in Congo) were measured. An increase was observed in sera from patients (geometric mean = 53.75 pg/ml, n = 69) compared with control subjects from the same endemic area (6.

Circulating antibodies directed against tryptophan-like epitopes in sera of patients with human African trypanosomiasis.

Human African trypanosomiasis is often associated with an intense proliferation of B lymphocytes, leading to polyclonal antibody synthesis. Using a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, we have found highly significant levels of circulating anti-conjugated tryptophan-like epitope antibodies in sera of patients with sleeping sickness. These antibodies were immunoglobulins (Ig) of the M isotype.

[Defense mechanisms in trypanosomiasis].

Quantitative and functional alterations in macrophages are observed in trypanosomiasis. Two molecules from macrophages exert potent anti-microbial effect: Nitric Oxide (NO) and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The role of NO in trypanosomiasis is investigated at first on a murine parasite.