Publications by authors named "Veronique B Penlap"

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa including Cameroon. Pharmacogenetic variants could serve as predictors of drug-induced hepatotoxicity (DIH), in patients with TB co-infected with HIV. We evaluated the occurrence of DIH and pharmacogenetic variants in Cameroonian patients.

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Introduction: While the global COVID-19 pandemic is slowly coming under control, current efforts are focused on understanding the epidemiology of endemic SARS-CoV-2. The tool of choice for doing so remains serological tests that detect SARS-CoV-2 induced antibodies. However, the performance of these tests should be evaluated to ensure they comply with the specific performance criteria desired by each country that they are used in.

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Background: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The present study was designed to investigate the in vitro antibacterial activities of crude methanol extract and constituents isolated by Column Chromatography (CC) from Cassia sieberiana bark (CSB) against ten MDR Gram-negative bacteria, as well as the mechanisms of action of the most active sample.

Methods: The antibacterial activity of the tested samples (extract, the fractions and their compounds isolated by CC and the structures obtained by exploiting H and C Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra) in the presence and absence of an efflux pumps inhibitor, phenylalanine-arginine β-naphthylamide (PAβN), was evaluated using the micro-dilution method.

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Background: Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) cause a wide range of diseases worldwide, including respiratory infections. Studies on HAdV molecular epidemiology are limited in Cameroon. The purpose of this study is to document the different types HAdV circulating in Cameroon in children with acute respiratory infections.

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Availability of accurate data on the burden of the Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (HRSV) can help to implement better strategies to curb this burden in Africa continent among people with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI). We summarize here available contemporaneous data published from January 1, 2000 to August 31, 2017 on the prevalence of HSRV infection among people with ARTI in the continent.

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Introduction: The burden of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) is a substantial public health concern. However, the epidemiology of LRTI and its bacterial aetiologies are poorly characterised, particularly in the African continent. Providing accurate data can help design cost-effective interventions to curb the burden of respiratory infections in Africa.

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Aim: The epidemiology of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) infection has not yet been systematically investigated in Africa. This systematic review and meta-analysis are to estimate the prevalence of HRSV infections in people with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI) in Africa.

Method: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Africa Journal Online, and Global Index Medicus to identify observational studies published from January 1, 2000, to August 1, 2017.

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Objective: Human Bocavirus (HBoV) was first identified in 2005 and has been shown to be a common cause of respiratory infections and gastroenteritis in children. In a recent study, we found that 10.7% of children with acute respiratory infections (ARI) were infected by HBoV.

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Background: Fagara leprieuri (FL), Fagara xanthoxyloïdes (FX), Mondia whitei (MW) and Xylopia aethiopica (XA) are used in many African countries as food spices or in traditional medicine to treat several maladies. In this work, we (a) investigate whether the crude spice extracts present selective cytotoxicity for breast cancer cell lines and (b) investigate whether the same extracts affect the bioenergetics and calcium susceptibility of isolated liver mitochondrial fractions.

Results: All extracts were cytotoxic to the cell lines studied, with the exception of MW, which was less toxic for a normal cell line.

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Background: Xylopia aethiopica, a plant found throughout West Africa, has both nutritional and medicinal uses. The present study aims to characterize the effects of extracts of this plant on cancer cells.

Results: We report that X.

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Background: Infectious diseases caused by multiresistant microbial strains are on the increase. Fighting these diseases with natural products may be more efficacious. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of methanolic, ethylacetate (EtOAc) and hexanic fractions of five Cameroonian medicinal plants (Piptadeniastum africana, Cissus aralioides, Hileria latifolia, Phyllanthus muellerianus and Gladiolus gregasius) against 10 pathogenic microorganisms of the urogenital and gastrointestinal tracts.

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Background: Data on the levels of resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) strains to first line anti-tuberculosis drugs in Cameroon, and on the species of MTBC circulating in the country are obsolete. The picture about 10 years after the last studies, and 6 years after the re-organisation of the National Tuberculosis (TB) Control Programme (NTBCP) is not known.

Methods: The study was conducted from February to July 2009 in the West and Centre regions of Cameroon.

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