Impact of switching to a dolutegravir-based regimen on body weight changes: insights from West African adult HIV cohorts.

Introduction: Adverse metabolic effects related to dolutegravir (DTG) are increasingly reported as countries are adopting DTG-based regimens as first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART), but there is limited data from sub-Saharan Africa. We explored changes in body weight pre- and post-switch to a DTG-based regimen and assessed the association between DTG switch and significant weight gain (SWG) defined as a ≥10% increase over a 12-month period in people living with HIV (PLHIV) on ART in West Africa.

Methods: We first included all PLHIV followed in the IeDEA West Africa cohorts between January 2017 and June 2021, with a documented switch to DTG during 2019-2021 and in care ≥36 months at the day of switch.

Analysis of Iron Status in Sickle Cell Disease Patients During Steady State at the Center de Recherche et de Lutte contre la Drépanocytose (CRLD) Bamako.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent inherited blood disorder arising from a single point mutation that results in substitution of valine with glutamic acid in the Beta hemoglobin chain, making red blood cells assume a banana shape under low oxygen state. It is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting approximately 2% of the population in Mali. This study aimed to evaluate the iron status and associated hematological parameters in SCD patients at steady state in an environment with a high prevalence of iron deficiency.

Infected wound repair correlates with collagen I induction and NOX2 activation by cold atmospheric plasma.

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a promising complement to tissue repair and regenerative medicine approaches. CAP has therapeutic potential in infected cutaneous wounds by mechanisms which remain enigmatic. Here, CAP is shown to activate phagocyte NADPH oxidase complex NOX2.

Impact of recent criteria changes for the deferral criteria specific to men who have sex with men in France.

Background And Objectives: In 2016, France allowed men who have sex with men (MSM) to donate blood if they had not had sex with men in the previous 12 months. In April 2020, this restriction was relaxed to 4 months due to the lack of negative impact observed on blood safety. This study assesses the impact of reducing this deferral period on epidemiological surveillance indicators.

Large-scale HEV genotype 3 outbreak on New Caledonia Island.

Background And Aims: Several symptomatic cases of HEV infections were reported to the New Caledonia Island Public Health Service between August and December 2023. This prompted epidemiological and virological investigations to identify the source of infection.

Approach And Results: HEV RNA was assessed in symptomatic patients, various food items, and pig farms on the Island.

Efficacy and safety of novel freeze-dried plasma products in a porcine combat casualty model.

Background: Hemorrhagic shock is well documented as a leading cause of preventable fatalities among military casualties. During military operations plasma can be transfused while waiting for whole blood. This study was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of two new freeze-dried plasma formulations in a porcine model of traumatic hemorrhagic shock.

Determinants of the haemoglobin level in patients with sickle cell disease living in sub-Saharan Africa: Major impact of the country of residence and independent effects of leucocyte and platelet counts and haemolysis.

The degree of anaemia in sickle cell disease (SCD) is a well-known contributor to morbidity and mortality. We aimed to explore the factors affecting haemoglobin (Hb) level in African SCD patients, considering haemolysis biomarkers (LDH and bilirubin level, and reticulocyte count), leucocyte and platelet counts and socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age group, country of residence and BMI). The research was part of the CADRE multinational cohort and involved 3699 SCD patients living in Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon and Cameroon: 2936 SS/Sβ0, 587 SC and 176 Sβ + patients with median Hb level of 8, 11.

Seroepidemiological assessment of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine responsiveness and associated factors in the vaccinated community of the Casablanca-Settat Region, Morocco.

Assessing the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG positivity through population-based serological surveys is crucial for monitoring COVID-19 vaccination efforts. In this study, we evaluated SARS-CoV-2 IgG positivity within a provincial cohort to understand the magnitude of the humoral response against the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and to inform evidence-based public health decisions. A community-based cross-sectional seroprevalence study was conducted, involving 10,669 participants who received various vaccines (two doses for BBIBP-CorV/Sinopharm, Covishield vaccine, and Pfizer/BioNTech, and one dose for Johnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 vaccine).

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on ART Initiation and Access to HIV Viral Load Monitoring in Adults Living With HIV in West Africa: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis.

Objectives: Efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic have potentially compromised the availability and/or quality of HIV services. We aimed to assess the pandemic's impact on antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and HIV viral load (VL) monitoring in 3 West African countries.

Methods: We used routinely collected data from 5 clinics contributing to the International epidemiologic Database to Evaluate AIDS collaboration in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Nigeria.

Neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 give important information on Covid-19 epidemic evolution in Rabat, Morocco, March 2020-February 2021.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 is an extremely contagious and acute viral disease mainly affecting humans.

Objective: To estimate seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) for illegible armed force individuals living in Rabat, Morocco.

Method: A convenience sample (N = 2662) was conducted from May 2020 to February 2021.

[Is there a place for granulocytes transfusions in 2023 ?].

Despite modern antimicrobial treatments, bacterial and fungal infections remain major complications in neutropenic patients. Granulocyte transfusions appeared in the 1950s-60s but first clinical trials were limited by the difficulty of transfusing enough viable granulocytes. The refinement of apheresis techniques as well as donor pretreatment with corticosteroids and/or granulocyte colony-stimulating growth factor (G-CSF) have led to improved collection yield.

An immunogenomic exome landscape of triple positive primary antiphospholipid patients.

Primary antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by thrombosis and autoantibodies directed against phospholipids or associated proteins. The genetic etiology of PAPS remains unknown. We enrolled 21 patients with thromboembolic events associated to lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin and anti β2 glycoprotein1 autoantibodies.

[Rare red blood group discovered by a blood group discrepancy: a case report].

ABO typing is essential for preventing ABO incompatibility transfusion reactions. Discrepancy exists when reactions in forward grouping do not match with reverse grouping. Any discrepancies reported should be investigated so that correct blood group is reported minimizing the chances of transfusion reaction.

Knowledge, attitude and practice survey of bacterial contamination of blood for transfusion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: We assessed healthcare worker's knowledge-attitude-practice regarding bacterial contamination of blood products in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Materials And Methods: In three hospitals and the National Blood Transfusion Center (NBTC), two multiple-choice surveys were completed on a tablet computer: one each, for blood bank (31 questions) and for clinical ward staff (20 questions). A score was calculated for 11 overlapping knowledge questions.

Seroprevalence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus among people living with HIV in Brazzaville, Congo and among blood donors in Bamako, Mali.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is the causative agent of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), a highly contagious and potentially fatal emerging disease. We assessed CCHFV seroprevalence by conducting a serological survey of two cohorts from Brazzaville, Congo and Bamako, Mali. We retrospectively screened 581 sera samples, including 352 from monitoring centers for people living with HIV (PLWH) in Brazzaville and 229 provided by the Blood Transfusion Center at Gabriel Touré Hospital in Bamako.

Allelic frequency variation of ACKR1 in three Algerian populations: Zenata, Reguibat, and Oran.

Introduction: The discovery of the Duffy antigen is of great significance, given its essential role in immune response and various physiological processes. Genetic mutations in the Duffy gene not only affect antigen expression but also result in different antigen types. This underscores the importance of genetic characterization for clinical studies and exploring genetic diversity within the population.

Human herpesvirus-8 infection in Tunisian adult acute leukemia patients.

Background: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) has been linked to the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)and multiple other hematologic malignant disorders. However, the role of HHV-8 in acute leukemia patients is unknown.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of HHV-8 in Tunisian acute leukemia patients and in healthy blood donors.

The novel HLA-DQA1*03:01:12 allele identified using next-generation sequencing in a Melanesian individual.

HLA-DQA1*03:01:12 differs from HLA-DQA1*03:01:01:01 by one nucleotide substitution in codon 21 in exon 2.

Feasibility of an acoustophoresis-based system for a high-throughput cell washing: application to bioproduction.

Background Aims: These last decades have seen the emergence and development of cell-based therapies, notably those based on mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). The advancement of these promising treatments requires increasing the throughput of processed cell for industrialization in order to reduce production costs. Among the various bioproduction challenges, downstream processing, including medium exchange, cell washing, cell harvesting and volume reduction, remains a critical step for which improvements are needed.

Multicenter evaluation of a high-throughput microarray platform for extensive red blood cell phenotyping and antibody screening.

Background: Blood typing and antibody screening are key elements of transfusion safety. However, available single platform, flexible, and affordable technologies are limited, especially for extended phenotyping. Microarray-based technology allows for this extended phenotyping with the flexibility of piecemeal analysis.