Clinical description of dengue and chikungunya virus infections amongst acute febrile patients in a malaria endemic area of Mfou, the Centre region of Cameroon.

This study aims to determine the frequency and clinical manifestations of dengue and chikungunya viral infections in the district hospital of Mfou, Centre region of Cameroon where malaria is endemic. Blood samples were collected from suspected cases and tested for Plasmodium parasites and for the molecular detection of viral RNAs (dengue, zika and chikungunya viruses) using TRIOPLEX qPCR. A total of 108 patients were clinically suspected among which 25 % were male and 50 % were less than 15.

Hepatitis E virus infections among patients with acute febrile jaundice in two regions of Cameroon: First molecular characterization of hepatitis E virus genotype 4.

Background: Febrile jaundice is a common indicator of certain infectious diseases, including hepatitis E. In Cameroon, the yellow fever virus is the only pathogen that is monitored in patients who present with this symptom. However, more than 90% of the samples received as part of this surveillance are negative for yellow fever.

High seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 among healthcare workers in Yaoundé, Cameroon after the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic and associated factors.

Background: Healthcare workers (HWs) are at a high risk of exposure to emerging health threats. Following the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Cameroon, we explored the presence and persistence of naturally acquired antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the factors associated with seropositivity in HWs.

Methods: Staff at two referral hospitals in Yaoundé or two Health District Hospitals in Obala and Mbalmayo were included in a 6-month prospective cohort analysis or cross-sectional survey, respectively.

Global epidemiology of hepatitis C virus in dialysis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Dialysis is a replacement therapy for patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Patients on dialysis are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV), which has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. There is a wide range of prevalence of HCV in dialysis populations around the world.

First investigation of RH gene polymorphism in patients with sickle cell disease and associated blood donors in Cameroon, Central Africa.

Background: Although genetic polymorphism of the RH blood group system is well known in sub-Saharan Africa, national/regional specificities still remain to be described precisely. For the first time in Cameroon, Central Africa, and in order to better characterize the molecular basis driving RH phenotype variability, as well as to identify the main antigens that may be potentially responsible for alloimmunization, we sought 1) to study the RH genes in a cohort of 109 patients with sickle cell disease; 2) to study the same genes in the corresponding donors whose red blood cells (RBCs) were transfused to the patients (108 donors in 98 patients); 3) to predict RH phenotype on the basis of the molecular data and compare the results with serologic testing; and 4) to identify retrospectively patients at risk for alloimmunization.

Materials And Methods: In order to generate an exhaustive dataset, the RH genes of all patient and donor samples were systematically investigated 1) by quantitative multiplex PCR of short fluorescent fragments (QMPSF) for characterization of RHD gene zygosity and potential structural variants (SVs), and 2) by Sanger sequencing for identification of single nucleotide variants (SNVs).

A systematic review of influenza virus in water environments across human, poultry, and wild bird habitats.

Influenza, a highly contagious acute respiratory disease, remains a major global health concern. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the prevalence of influenza virus in different aquatic environments. Using 43 articles from four databases, we thoroughly examined water matrices from wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) and other human environments, as well as poultry habitats and areas frequented by migratory wild birds.

African countries from the Pasteur Network reexamine their syndromic sentinel surveillance system associated with household contact within the AFROSCREEN program.

Surveillance to better detect and respond to new pathogens remains a major challenge for global public health. The Pasteur Network recently held a brainstorming workshop located in Cameroon attended by Pasteur epidemiological teams from Niger, Central African Republic (CAR), Cameroon, Senegal, and Madagascar to discuss how the Pasteur Network in Africa could use the lessons of COVID-19 to set-up a pilot sentinel surveillance scheme given its expertise and involvement during the pandemic. The possibility of coupling sentinel syndromic and biological surveillance already implemented for influenza surveillance with the recent sequencing capacity put in place by the AFROSCREEN program prompted us to consider strengthening surveillance tools to target "Pathogen X" detection in Africa.

Mosquito control by abatement programmes in the United States: perspectives and lessons for countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Africa and the United States are both large, heterogeneous geographies with a diverse range of ecologies, climates and mosquito species diversity which contribute to disease transmission and nuisance biting. In the United States, mosquito control is nationally, and regionally coordinated and in so much as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provides guidance, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides pesticide registration, and the states provide legal authority and oversight, the implementation is usually decentralized to the state, county, or city level. Mosquito control operations are organized, in most instances, into fully independent mosquito abatement districts, public works departments, local health departments.

Assessing the Prevalence of Astroviruses in Water Environments: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Astroviruses (AstVs) are a major cause of gastroenteritis, especially in children. They can be transmitted through various pathways, including environmental contamination via water matrices. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of AstV in different types of water, such as untreated and treated wastewater, surface water (e.

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 reveals highest severity and mortality of delta over other variants: evidence from Cameroon.

While the SARS-CoV-2 dynamic has been described globally, there is a lack of data from Sub-Saharan Africa. We herein report the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 lineages from March 2020 to March 2022 in Cameroon. Of the 760 whole-genome sequences successfully generated by the national genomic surveillance network, 74% were viral sub-lineages of origin and non-variants of concern, 15% Delta, 6% Omicron, 3% Alpha and 2% Beta variants.

Prevalence of HIV drug resistance among adolescents receiving ART in Cameroon with low- or high-level viraemia.

Objectives: To characterize HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) below and above the WHO threshold of 1000 copies/mL, considered for the definition of HIV ART failure in resource-limited settings.

Methods: From a cohort of 280 adolescents (aged 10-19 years) receiving ART for at least 6 months, genotypic resistance testing (GRT) was attempted for two groups of participants: participants with low-level viraemia [LLV; viral load (VL) 200-999 copies/mL] and those in virological failure (VF; confirmed VL ≥1000 copies/mL) using an in-house method. The Stanford HIValg Program was used to identify relevant HIVDR mutations and predict the efficacy of the newly introduced tenofovir-lamivudine-dolutegravir combination.

Neutralization of African enterovirus A71 genogroups by antibodies to canonical genogroups.

Enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) is a major public health problem, causing a range of illnesses from hand-foot-and-mouth disease to severe neurological manifestations. EV-A71 strains have been phylogenetically classified into eight genogroups (A to H), based on their capsid-coding genomic region. Genogroups B and C have caused large outbreaks worldwide and represent the two canonical circulating EV-A71 subtypes.

Evolution and spread of Plasmodium falciparum mutations associated with resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in central Africa: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Efficacy of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, the malaria chemoprophylaxis used in pregnant women, and in children when combined with amodiaquine, is threatened by the accumulation of mutations in the Plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthase (pfdhps) and dihydrofolate reductase (pfdhfr) genes. Data on the prevalence of resistant alleles in central Africa and the new pfdhps I431V mutation, particularly associated with other mutations to form the pfdhps vagKgs allele, are scarce. We explored the frequency and geographical distribution of pfdhps and pfdhfr mutations in central Africa in 2014-18, and assessed the evolutionary origin of the vagKgs allele.

Migration study of phthalates from non-food plastic containers used in food preservation.

Phthalate acid esters (PAE) are used as additives in the formulation of plastics, to increase their flexibility and transparency. They can migrate from plastic packaging to food, then cause endocrine disruption in consumers. This migration depends on the conditions of use defined for each plastic.

Implementation of large-scale pooled testing to increase rapid molecular diagnostic test coverage for tuberculosis: a retrospective evaluation.

In 2021, only 6.4 million of the 10.6 million people with tuberculosis (TB) were diagnosed and treated for the disease.

Exploring adenovirus in water environments: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Adenoviruses (AdVs) have a significant impact in both medical and environmental contexts. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of AdV in different water types, such as untreated and treated wastewater, surface water, groundwater, drinking water, and other water matrices. A total of 239 articles were included in this meta-analysis.

High Prevalence of Polyclonal Infections and Association with Poor IgG Antibody Responses in a Hyper-Endemic Area in Cameroon.

Malaria remains a major public health problem worldwide, with eradication efforts thwarted by drug and insecticide resistance and the lack of a broadly effective malaria vaccine. In continuously exposed communities, polyclonal infections are thought to reduce the risk of severe disease and promote the establishment of asymptomatic infections. We sought to investigate the relationship between the complexity of infection and underlying host adaptive immune responses in an area with a high prevalence of asymptomatic parasitaemia in Cameroon.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of isolates from Yaoundé, Cameroon, 2019 to 2020.

This study investigated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes and genotypes exhibited by from Yaoundé, Cameroon. AMR to tetracycline, penicillin and ciprofloxacin was observed although none of the isolates had reduced susceptibility to azithromycin, cefixime or ceftriaxone. Whole genome sequence (WGS) data were obtained and, using a threshold of 300 or fewer locus differences in the core gene multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) scheme, four distinct core genome lineages were identified.