58 research outputs found

    Knowledge and provision of misoprostol among pharmacy workers in Senegal: a cross sectional study.

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    BACKGROUND: Making misoprostol widely available for management of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) and post abortion care (PAC) is essential for reducing maternal mortality. Private pharmacies (thereafter called "pharmacies") are integral in supplying medications to the general public in Senegal. In the case of misoprostol, pharmacies are also the main supplier to public providers and therefore have a key role in increasing its availability. This study seeks to understand knowledge and provision of misoprostol among pharmacy workers in Dakar, Senegal. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Dakar, Senegal. 110 pharmacy workers were interviewed face-to-face to collect information on their knowledge and practice relating to the provision of misoprostol. RESULTS: There are low levels of knowledge about misoprostol uses, registration status, treatment regimens and side effects among pharmacy workers, and corresponding low levels of training on its uses for reproductive health. Provision of misoprostol was low; of the 72% (n = 79) of pharmacy workers who had heard of the product, 35% (n = 27) reported selling it, though rarely for reproductive health indications. Almost half (49%, n = 25) of the respondents who did not sell misoprostol expressed willingness to do so. The main reasons pharmacy workers gave for not selling the product included stock outs (due to product unavailability from the supplier), perceived lack of demand and unwillingness to stock an abortifacient. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge and availability of misoprostol in pharmacies in Senegal is low, posing potential challenges for delivery of post-abortion care and obstetric care. Training is required to address low levels of knowledge of misoprostol registration and uses among pharmacy workers. Barriers that prevent pharmacy workers from stocking misoprostol, including weaknesses in the supply chain and stigmatisation of the product must be addressed. Low reported sales for reproductive health indications also suggest limited prescribing of the product by health providers. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for this barrier to misoprostol availability

    Maladie de Lapeyronie: Aspects cliniques et thérapeutiques à propos de 17 cas

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    Buts: rapporter les aspects cliniques et thérapeutiques de la maladie de Lapeyronie (MLP).Matériel et méthodes: étude descriptive monocentrique recrutant 17 cas de MLP dans un service d’urologie au Sénégal entre janvier et décembre 2012. L’âge des patients, les motifs de consultation, le délai de consultation, l’examen des plaques de fibrose, le degré de courbure, le traitement et ses résultats ont été analysés.Résultats: l’âge moyen était de 58,2 ans (33 et 80 ans). La courbure était la plainte la plus observée (13 patients/17) et isolée chez 4 patients. La douleur pénienne était observée chez 4 patients et la dysérection chez 7 patients. Le délai de consultation moyen était de 21,2 mois (1 et 72 mois). Le grand axe moyen des plaques de fibrose était 2,8 cm (0,5 et 7,5 cm). Le degré de courbure de la verge moyen était de 31,6 (0 et 95). Neuf patients ont rec¸u un traitement à base de vitamine E et des infiltrations de corticoïdes dans la plaque. Il a été efficace chez 3 patients vus à la phase inflammatoire. Un redressement satisfaisant de verge par plicature de l’albuginée des corps caverneux selon Nesbit a été réalisée chez 5 malades en phase de séquelle. Trois patients n’ont pas pu être opérés.Conclusion: la MLP a une faible prévalence et la plupart des patients consultent en phase de séquelle. Le traitement médical a été efficace à la phase inflammatoire et la chirurgie a permis de régler la courbureMots Clés: maladie de Lapeyronie; douleur; courbure; dysfonction érectile; Sénéga

    Efficacy and tolerability of four antimalarial combinations in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Senegal

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In view of the high level of chloroquine resistance in many countries, WHO has recommended the use of combination therapy with artemisinin derivatives in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria due to <it>Plasmodium falciparum</it>. Four antimalarial drug combinations, artesunate plus amodiaquine (Arsucam<sup>®</sup>), artesunate plus mefloquine (Artequin<sup>®</sup>), artemether plus lumefantrine (Coartem<sup>®</sup>; four doses and six doses), and amodiaquine plus sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, were studied in five health districts in Senegal.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a descriptive, analytical, open, randomized study to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of these four antimalarial combinations in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria using the 2002 WHO protocol.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All drug combinations demonstrated good efficacy. On day 28, all combinations resulted in an excellent clinical and parasitological response rate of 100% after correction for PCR results, except for the four-dose artemether-lumefantrine regimen (96.4%). Follow-up of approximately 10% of each treatment group on day 42 demonstrated an efficacy of 100%.</p> <p>The combinations were well tolerated clinically and biologically. No unexpected side-effect was observed and all side-effects disappeared at the end of treatment. No serious side-effect requiring premature termination of treatment was observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The four combinations are effective and well-tolerated.</p

    West Africa International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research: Drug Resistance Patterns to Artemether-Lumefantrine in Senegal, Mali, and The Gambia.

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    In 2006, artemether-lumefantrine (AL) became the first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Senegal, Mali, and the Gambia. To monitor its efficacy, between August 2011 and November 2014, children with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria were treated with AL and followed up for 42 days. A total of 463 subjects were enrolled in three sites (246 in Senegal, 97 in Mali, and 120 in Gambia). No early treatment failure was observed and malaria infection cleared in all patients by day 3. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-adjusted adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) was 100% in Mali, and the Gambia, and 98.8% in Senegal. However, without PCR adjustment, ACPR was 89.4% overall; 91.5% in Mali, 98.8% in Senegal, and 64.3% in the Gambia (the lower value in the Gambia attributed to poor compliance of the full antimalarial course). However, pfmdr1 mutations were prevalent in Senegal and a decrease in parasite sensitivity to artesunate and lumefantrine (as measured by ex vivo drug assay) was observed at all sites. Recrudescent parasites did not show Kelch 13 (K13) mutations and AL remains highly efficacious in these west African sites

    Impact of combining intermittent preventive treatment with home management of malaria in children less than 10 years in a rural area of Senegal: a cluster randomized trial

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current malaria control strategies recommend (i) early case detection using rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and treatment with artemisinin combination therapy (ACT), (ii) pre-referral rectal artesunate, (iii) intermittent preventive treatment and (iv) impregnated bed nets. However, these individual malaria control interventions provide only partial protection in most epidemiological situations. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the potential benefits of integrating several malaria interventions to reduce malaria prevalence and morbidity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A randomized controlled trial was carried out to assess the impact of combining seasonal intermittent preventive treatment in children (IPTc) with home-based management of malaria (HMM) by community health workers (CHWs) in Senegal. Eight CHWs in eight villages covered by the Bonconto health post, (South Eastern part of Senegal) were trained to diagnose malaria using RDT, provide prompt treatment with artemether-lumefantrine for uncomplicated malaria cases and pre-referral rectal artesunate for complicated malaria occurring in children under 10 years. Four CHWs were randomized to also administer monthly IPTc as single dose of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) plus three doses of amodiaquine (AQ) in the malaria transmission season, October and November 2010. Primary end point was incidence of single episode of malaria attacks over 8 weeks of follow up. Secondary end points included prevalence of malaria parasitaemia, and prevalence of anaemia at the end of the transmission season. Primary analysis was by intention to treat. The study protocol was approved by the Senegalese National Ethical Committee (approval 0027/MSP/DS/CNRS, 18/03/2010).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 1,000 children were enrolled. The incidence of malaria episodes was 7.1/100 child months at risk [95% CI (3.7-13.7)] in communities with IPTc + HMM compared to 35.6/100 child months at risk [95% CI (26.7-47.4)] in communities with only HMM (aOR = 0.20; 95% CI 0.09-0.41; <it>p </it>= 0.04). At the end of the transmission season, malaria parasitaemia prevalence was lower in communities with IPTc + HMM (2.05% versus 4.6% <it>p </it>= 0.03). Adjusted for age groups, sex, <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>carriage and prevalence of malnutrition, IPTc + HMM showed a significant protective effect against anaemia (aOR = 0.59; 95% CI 0.42-0.82; <it>p </it>= 0.02).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Combining IPTc and HMM can provide significant additional benefit in preventing clinical episodes of malaria as well as anaemia among children in Senegal.</p

    Major Reduction in Anti-Malarial Drug Consumption in Senegal after Nation-Wide Introduction of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests

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    BACKGROUND: While WHO recently recommended universal parasitological confirmation of suspected malaria prior to treatment, debate has continued as to whether wide-scale use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) can achieve this goal. Adherence of health service personnel to RDT results has been poor in some settings, with little impact on anti-malarial drug consumption. The Senegal national malaria control programme introduced universal parasite-based diagnosis using malaria RDTs from late 2007 in all public health facilities. This paper assesses the impact of this programme on anti-malarial drug consumption and disease reporting. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Nationally-collated programme data from 2007 to 2009 including malaria diagnostic outcomes, prescription of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and consumption of RDTs in public health facilities, were reviewed and compared. Against a marked seasonal variation in all-cause out-patient visits, non-malarial fever and confirmed malaria, parasite-based diagnosis increased nationally from 3.9% of reported malaria-like febrile illness to 86.0% over a 3 year period. The prescription of ACT dropped throughout this period from 72.9% of malaria-like febrile illness to 31.5%, reaching close equivalence to confirmed malaria (29.9% of 584,873 suspect fever cases). An estimated 516,576 courses of inappropriate ACT prescription were averted. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate high adherence of anti-malarial prescribing practice to RDT results after an initial run-in period. The large reduction in ACT consumption enabled by the move from symptom-based to parasite-based diagnosis demonstrates that effective roll-out and use of malaria RDTs is achievable on a national scale through well planned and structured implementation. While more detailed information on management of parasite-negative cases is required at point of care level to assess overall cost-benefits to the health sector, considerable cost-savings were achieved in ACT procurement. Programmes need to be allowed flexibility in management of these funds to address increases in other programmatic costs that may accrue from improved diagnosis of febrile disease

    Functional Characteristics of a Highly Specific Integrase Encoded by an LTR-Retrotransposon

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    Background: The retroviral Integrase protein catalyzes the insertion of linear viral DNA into host cell DNA. Although different retroviruses have been shown to target distinctive chromosomal regions, few of them display a site-specific integration. ZAM, a retroelement from Drosophila melanogaster very similar in structure and replication cycle to mammalian retroviruses is highly site-specific. Indeed, ZAM copies target the genomic 59-CGCGCg-39 consensus-sequences. To enlighten the determinants of this high integration specificity, we investigated the functional properties of its integrase protein denoted ZAM-IN. Principal Findings: Here we show that ZAM-IN displays the property to nick DNA molecules in vitro. This endonuclease activity targets specific sequences that are present in a 388 bp fragment taken from the white locus and known to be a genomic ZAM integration site in vivo. Furthermore, ZAM-IN displays the unusual property to directly bind specific genomic DNA sequences. Two specific and independent sites are recognized within the 388 bp fragment of the white locus: the CGCGCg sequence and a closely apposed site different in sequence. Conclusion: This study strongly argues that the intrinsic properties of ZAM-IN, ie its binding properties and its endonuclease activity, play an important part in ZAM integration specificity. Its ability to select two binding sites and to nick the DNA molecule reminds the strategy used by some site-specific recombination enzymes and forms the basis for site-specifi
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