Detection and Molecular Characterization of from Wastewater Environments in Two University Campuses in Nigeria.

Background: () is the most prominent bacterial pathogen that causes urinary tract infections (UTIs), and the rate of resistance to most used antibiotics is alarmingly increasing.

Methods: This study assessed the hostel gutters of two Nigerian universities, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and Kogi State University, Anyigba (KSU), for and its antimicrobial resistance genes (). Oxoid Chromogenic UTI agar was used to isolate uropathogenic (UPEC), identified using standard biochemical tests.

Chemical constituents and antibacterial activities of Cameroonian dark brown propolis against potential biofilm-forming bacteria.

Propolis is a resinous material collected by different bee species from various plant exudates and used to seal holes in honeycombs, smoothen the internal walls, embalm intruders, improve health and prevent diseases. From its -hexane extract, eight compounds were isolated and characterised as: mangiferonic acid (); 1-hydroxymangiferonic acid (), new natural product; mangiferolic acid(); 27-hydroxymangiferolic acid (), reported here for the first time as propolis constituent; 27-hydroxymangiferonic acid (); -amyrin (); -amyrin () and lupeol (). The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated using spectroscopic methods, such as 1D and 2D-NMR, mass spectrometry and comparison with previous published reports.

Burden and predictors of M-pox suspected cases in a rural setting of Cameroon: implications for developing countries.

Introduction: M-pox is a re-emerging pathogen that is spreading rapidly in developing countries, presenting a serious health risk. Data are scarce on M-pox and its determinants in endemic countries such as Cameroon. This study aimed to assess the epidemiological burden and factors linked to the resurgence of M-pox in high-risk communities in Cameroon.

Status of infection prevention and control in Cameroon healthcare facilities: lessons learned from the WHO COVID-19 scorecard tool under the hierarchy of control model.

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) helps prevent disease transmission in healthcare facilities. There is a dearth of information on the implementation of IPC during the COVID-19 outbreak in Cameroon using the recommended WHO COVID-19 IPC scorecard tool. The present study assessed healthcare facilities' compliance to IPC by continuous assessments, with an evaluation of the tool using the hierarchy of control theory.

Assessing the state of infection prevention and control in cameroon: a cross-sectional workshop evaluation using socioecological models.

Objectives: Infection prevention and control (IPC) contributes to the reduction of healthcare associated infections. Notwithstanding the global attention with available guidelines and tools, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) still struggle to put into place effective IPC programmes. Here, we use a socioecological approach to summarize the findings of a recent workshop on the implementation of IPC activities in Cameroon.

Sickle cell disease in Cameroon: Taking out the "neglect" and highlighting key opportunities for sustainable control.

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a serious genetic disorder with astounding regional differences in childhood survival. Alarmingly, over 90% of children with SCD in SSA die before their fifth birthday. In Cameroon, approximately 7,000 children are born with SCD annually; however, most of them go undiagnosed until their fourth birthday, resulting into untold pain and suffering.

Escaping the midway trap: A mixed method study highlighting roadblocks and coping mechanisms of female researchers in Cameroon.

Across the world, women make most of the health workforce, but remain underrepresented in academia. This is even worst in Sub-Saharan Africa where women are the least represented as first and last authors in publications, especially in francophone countries. However, there is a lack of data on the reason explaining this inequity.

Empowering adolescents living with perinatally-acquired HIV: tailored CD4+ count assessment for optimized care, the EDCTP READY-study.

Background: The elevated rate of AIDS-related mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa among adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) is influenced by various factors, notably immunosuppression, within a framework of limited therapeutic alternatives. We aimed to enhance the management of pediatric HIV by assessing the immune response and associated factors in perinatally-infected ALHIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Cameroon.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted from 2018-2020 among 271 ART-experienced ALHIV in Cameroon.

Reasons for dropouts in a community-based Management Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) program using local foods in the Far North of Cameroon.

Introduction: The security crisis caused by the Islamic sect Boko Haram, coupled with arid climatic conditions and a context of poverty, has preyed on populations in the far north of Cameroon, exacerbating malnutrition rates among children under five years old. New evidence has shown that many children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) can be treated in their communities (CMAM) without having to be admitted to a health center or therapeutic feeding center. The purpose of our study was to identify factors that may lead to beneficiary dropout in a CMAM program in four health districts in the far north of Cameroon.

HIV-1 residual risk and pre-treatment drug resistance among blood donors: A sentinel surveillance from Gabon.

Background: Surveillance of HIV-1 pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR) is essential for ensuring the success of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART). Beside population-based surveys, sentinel surveillance of PDR and circulating HIV-1 clades in specific populations such as blood donors could efficiently inform decision-making on ART program. We therefore sought to ascertain HIV-1 residual infection, the threshold of PDR and viral diversity among recently-diagnosed blood donors in Gabon.

Prevalence and factors associated with transfusion-transmissible infections (HIV, HBV, HCV and Syphilis) among blood donors in Gabon: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) remain a major public health problem in countries with limited resources, particularly in Gabon. Complete information on the prevalence in Gabon of the main TTIs among blood donors is still lacking in the national context. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with TTIs among blood donors in Gabon.

Effect of hepatitis B vaccination on HBV-infection among school children in Yaounde; ten years after the introduction of HBV vaccine into routine Immunization Program in Cameroon.

Introduction: since the introduction of the anti-HBV vaccine into the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in 2005 in Cameroon, vaccination coverage has reached 99.0%. This coverage would indicate an increase in the number of children immune to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and a decrease in susceptibility to HBV-infection.

Prevalence, Epidemiological, and Clinical Profile of Patients Coinfected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Tuberculosis in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Context in Health Facilities in the East Region, Cameroon.

Background And Objective: Suspected cases of tuberculosis (TB) are identified for confirmation by bacteriological tests through clinical screening for TB in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) during routine visits or when antiretrovirals (ARVs) are dispensed. Our aim is to determine the prevalence and describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of HIV-TB coinfected patients in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) setting in health facilities in the East Region of Cameroon. This study addresses knowledge gaps on HIV-TB coinfection during COVID-19, aiming to provide insights into the interaction and impact of HIV, TB, and COVID-19 on individuals' health.

XBB.1, BQ1.1 and atypical BA.4.6/XBB.1 recombinants predominate current SARS-CoV-2 Wavelets with flu-like symptoms in Cameroon: A snapshot from genomic surveillance.

As of December 2022, Cameroon had observed a slight resurgence of COVID-19, raising concerns on genomic surveillance of related-SARS-CoV-2 variants under circulation. Following a laboratory-based survey, positive SARS-CoV-2 samples detected from December-2022 through March-2023 were processed for targeted sequencing at the Chantal BIYA International Reference Centre (CIRCB) in Yaoundé-Cameroon. From all positive cases detected, 13 were successfully sequenced (mean age 34 years, 70% female); the majority of the cases were unvaccinated (70%, 9/13) and symptomatic (92%, 12/13); all with flu-like symptoms (100%, 12/12).

Illness experiences and mental health challenges associated with female genital schistosomiasis in Cameroon: a gender analysis.

Background: This paper highlights the role of cultural and structural gaps that shape illness experiences of women with manifestations of female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) and their impacts upon mental well-being.

Methods: Using ethnography, case study narrative accounts of women manifesting symptoms of FGS, as well as interviews with health workers within FGS-endemic rural fishing communities in Cameroon, we present experiences of women affected by FGS, alongside information on FGS health service provision.

Results: Our results show how gendered power dynamics in decision making, gendered experiences around menstrual health and structural gaps in service provision, combine and lead to poor mental well-being.

Comparison on treatment outcomes of patients enrolled on anti-retroviral therapy at different levels of the health-care system in a high HIV/AIDS setting.

HIV/AIDS prevalence in Botswana is amongst the highest in the world and remains a significant public health problem. however, the introduction of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) lead to a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality. Decentralization of anti-retroviral therapy has improved access to treatment for people living with HIV.

Protection level of anti-hepatitis B vaccine and immunoglobulin in a pediatric Cameroonian population.

Despite the availability for nearly twenty years of an effective vaccine, hepatitis B remains one of the most frequent viral diseases throughout the world. Mother-to-child transmission is one of the primary routes of transmission in children. To assess the vaccine response in children born to HBV infected mothers.

Current Resistance of HIV-1 Strains Isolated in Volunteer Blood Donors in Gabon.

Detection of drug resistance mutations (DRMs) and HIV-1 subtypes ensures effective therapeutic management for HIV-infected individuals. In Gabon, data on DRMs are very little available in the population of people living with HIV and also among voluntary HIV-positive blood donors. This study aimed to study subtypes and DRMs in HIV-1-positive volunteer blood donors in Gabon.

Plasma IL-33 levels and immune activation in HIV-TB coinfection: a cross-sectional study in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Introduction: HIV-1 and Mtb are characterized by immune activation and unbalances production of cytokines, but the expression of IL33 in HIV/TB coinfection remain understudied. This study aimed to evaluate the level of IL-33 in plasma of HIV and M. tuberculosis (HIV/TB) coinfected patients compared to patients with respective mono infections in Yaoundé.

Evaluating the Efficacy of ChatGPT in Navigating the Spanish Medical Residency Entrance Examination (MIR): Promising Horizons for AI in Clinical Medicine.

Unlabelled: The rapid progress in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing has led to increasingly sophisticated large language models (LLMs) for use in healthcare. This study assesses the performance of two LLMs, the GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 models, in passing the MIR medical examination for access to medical specialist training in Spain.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associated risk factors during the second wave of infection in a university community in Cameroon.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a public health emergency in all sectors of society, including universities and other academic institutions in Cameroon. However, little is known concerning the real prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections among student communities during the second wave of infection in Cameroon. This study aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seroprevalence among participants in a university community in Cameroon.

Research for Health Care and Policy on HIV/AIDS: proceedings of the third edition of the Cameroon HIV Research (CAM-HERO) 2022, Kribi, Cameroon, from 1 to 3 December 2022.

Cameroon is committed to reaching HIV epidemic control through coordinated efforts by the Ministry of Public Health, the National AIDS Control Committee, bilateral/multilateral institutions and implementing partners. The third edition of the Cameroon HIV Research Forum (CAM-HERO) was held in Kribi from December 1 to 3, 2022, with the theme "Research for Health Care and Policy on HIV/AIDS." The conference brought together local and international scientists and clinicians, policymakers, and regulatory authorities to 1) disseminate HIV research findings and HIV policy; 2) foster operational research collaboration; 3) build research capacity through training on basics of research methods and CAM-HERO young investigator Awards; and 4) initiate a guideline for promoting HIV/AIDS research in Cameroon.