Place de la Radiotherapie dans la prise en charge therapeutique du sarcome de kaposi epidemique

Les auteurs abordent la prise en charge thérapeutique du sarcome de Kaposi associé au VIH, qui pose des problèmes d’indications thérapeutiques, certains auteurs émettant l’idée que les traitements antirétroviraux seuls pourraient suffire pour son traitement. Sur la base d’une expérience de près de dix ans pendant lesquels 720 patients ont été pris en charge, les auteurs passent d’abord en revue les différentes présentations cliniques du sarcome de kaposi associé au VIH. Ils proposent ensuite les indications thérapeutiques, et donnent enfin un peu plus longuement les modalités de la radiothérapie qu’ils proposent pour ces malades.MOTS CLES: Sarcome de Kaposi épidémique – Présentations cliniques – Indications thérapeutiques- Radiothérapi

Meckel’s diverticulum: a case report from the University Hospital Center Yaoundé, Cameroon

To the best of our knowledge there is no reported case of Meckel’s diverticulum (MD) in Cameroon. The prevalence of MD in the general population is 2-3 %. The aim of this paper is to recapitulate the role of this pathology in acute abdomens and abdominal pain of uncertain aetiology in young patients and to review the medical literature

Retained sponge after abdominal surgery: experience from a third world country

Background: Retained abdominal sponge after surgery is a quite rare condition which can have heavy medico-legal consequences; its frequency is generally underestimated. Few reports of these conditions are available in African environment with specific technical and medico-legal background. We present our local experience of retained sponges after abdominal surgery and review current literature. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical files of 14 consecutive patients with a retained surgical sponge after abdominal and urological surgery. Results: The incidence was 1every 677 abdominal operations; no metallic foreign body described, only sponges; the female sex predominated with 10/14 patients. 85.71% of retained sponge occurred after an emergency procedure and 64.28% were gynecological or obstetrical procedures. Most cases presented as intestinal obstruction, localized persistent pain or abdominal mass and pre-operative diagnosis could be done only in 28.57% of cases. A falsely correct sponge count was reported in 71.42% of cases. 92.85% of patients were re-operated and the morbidity was low; no death was reported. None of our cases ended in a medico-legal claim despite proper counseling. Conclusion: The incidence of retained sponge might be significantly higher in an environment with reduced medico-legal threat; most cases of retained sponges are still related to human errors; the incidence will probably be reduced by a greater awareness about the condition

First delivery of a COVID-19 positive patient in Cameroon

Since its appearance in China in December 2019, COVID-19 which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has become a real global health problem. Pregnant women are not immune to this novel infection, which makes it difficult for proper management of pregnancy and childbirth. Authors present here the first case of childbirth in Cameroon of a 19-year-old adolescent tested positive for COVID-19

Emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.620 with variant of concern-like mutations and deletions

Distinct SARS-CoV-2 lineages, discovered through various genomic surveillance initiatives, have emerged during the pandemic following unprecedented reductions in worldwide human mobility. We here describe a SARS-CoV-2 lineage - designated B.1.620 - discovered in Lithuania and carrying many mutations and deletions in the spike protein shared with widespread variants of concern (VOCs), including E484K, S477N and deletions HV69Delta, Y144Delta, and LLA241/243Delta. As well as documenting the suite of mutations this lineage carries, we also describe its potential to be resistant to neutralising antibodies, accompanying travel histories for a subset of European cases, evidence of local B.1.620 transmission in Europe with a focus on Lithuania, and significance of its prevalence in Central Africa owing to recent genome sequencing efforts there. We make a case for its likely Central African origin using advanced phylogeographic inference methodologies incorporating recorded travel histories of infected travellers

Climatic and cultural changes in the west Congo Basin forests over the past 5000 years

Central Africa includes the world's second largest rainforest block. The ecology of the region remains poorly understood, as does its vegetation and archaeological history. However, over the past 20 years, multidisciplinary scientific programmes have enhanced knowledge of old human presence and palaeoenvironments in the forestry block of Central Africa. This first regional synthesis documents significant cultural changes over the past five millennia and describes how they are linked to climate. It is now well documented that climatic conditions in the African tropics underwent significant changes throughout this period and here we demonstrate that corresponding shifts in human demography have had a strong influence on the forests. The most influential event was the decline of the strong African monsoon in the Late Holocene, resulting in serious disturbance of the forest block around 3500 BP. During the same period, populations from the north settled in the forest zone; they mastered new technologies such as pottery and fabrication of polished stone tools, and seem to have practised agriculture. The opening up of forests from 2500 BP favoured the arrival of metallurgist populations that impacted the forest. During this long period (2500–1400 BP), a remarkable increase of archaeological sites is an indication of a demographic explosion of metallurgist populations. Paradoxically, we have found evidence of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) cultivation in the forest around 2200 BP, implying a more arid context. While Early Iron Age sites (prior to 1400 BP) and recent pre-colonial sites (two to eight centuries BP) are abundant, the period between 1600 and 1000 BP is characterized by a sharp decrease in human settlements, with a population crash between 1300 and 1000 BP over a large part of Central Africa. It is only in the eleventh century that new populations of metallurgists settled into the forest block. In this paper, we analyse the spatial and temporal distribution of 328 archaeological sites that have been reliably radiocarbon dated. The results allow us to piece together changes in the relationships between human populations and the environments in which they lived. On this basis, we discuss interactions between humans, climate and vegetation during the past five millennia and the implications of the absence of people from the landscape over three centuries. We go on to discuss modern vegetation patterns and African forest conservation in the light of these events.Peer reviewe

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

Investment in SARS-CoV-2 sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences generated, now exceeding 100,000 genomes, used to track the pandemic on the continent. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries able to sequence domestically, and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround time and more regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and shed light on the distinct dispersal dynamics of Variants of Concern, particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron, on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve, while the continent faces many emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century