Influence of pH on the Cytotoxic Activity of Inositol Hexakisphosphate (IP6) in Prostate Cancer

Objectives: In the present study, we investigated whether the pH of IP6 could influence its anti-tumoral activity in vitro. Methods: PC-3 cells were exposed to IP6 at pH 5, pH 7, and pH 12 and we evaluated the metabolic activity (WST-1 assay), cell proliferation (cell count), cell cycle distribution (FACS), and mitochondrial depolarization (JC-1 staining) in vitro. Results: Our results demonstrated that IP6 at pH 5 and pH 12 were more potent at lowering the metabolic activity of PC-3 cells than IP6 at pH 7. Treatment with IP6 at pH 12 also caused the greatest inhibition in cellular proliferation and accumulation of PC-3 cells in sub-G1. Finally, IP6 at pH 12 lead to a reduction in phospho-AKT and phospho-PDK1 and upregulated phospho-ERK. Conclusion: Together, our data strongly suggest that the pH of IP6 effectively modulates its anti-tumoral activity and should be reported in future studies

Evolution des indicateurs d’alerte précoce de la résistance aux antirétroviraux au Burkina Faso entre 2014 et 2017.

The widespread use of antiretrovirals (ARVs) to people living with HIV (PLHIV) is accompanied by the development of HIV resistance (R-ARV). We determined the performance of three early warning indicators (EWIs) associated with a high risk of R-ARV emergence in Burkina Faso through a repeated cross-sectional study between 2014 and 2017. We analyzed the evolution of the DPIs of R-ARV emergence over this period. These were DPI1 (Timely withdrawal of ARVs), DPI2 (Retention on ARV treatment "TARV" at 12 months) and DPI4 (ARV prescription practices). A total of 27 sites were evaluated. The median number of patients who withdrew ART on time changed from 61% in 2015, 60% in 2016 and 58% in 2017, respectively. No site reached the threshold of at least 95% in the 2014 and 2015 cohorts. The medians of retention on ART at 12 months for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 cohorts were 70%, 69% and 65% respectively. The 12-month ART retention threshold of at least 85% was only reached at two sites. Although ARV prescribing is in line with national guidelines, the quality of care offered to PLHIV regressed from 2014 to 2017 with a high risk of R-ARV emergence. To minimize this risk, therapeutic patient education and the system for tracking lost patients need to be strengthened.L'utilisation des antirétroviraux (ARV) à grande échelle aux personnes vivant avec le VIH (PVVIH) s'accompagne d'un développement de résistance au VIH (R-ARV). Nous avons déterminé la performance de trois indicateurs d’alerte précoce (IAP) associés à un risque élevé d'émergence de R-ARV au Burkina Faso à travers une étude transversale répétée entre 2014 et 2017. Nous avons analysé l’évolution des IAP de l'émergence de R-ARV au cours de cette période. Il s’agissait de l’IAP1 (Retrait des ARV dans les délais), l’IAP2 (Rétention sous traitement ARV « TARV » à 12 mois) et de l’IAP4 (pratiques de prescription des ARV). Au total, 27 sites ont été évalués. La médiane des patients qui ont retiré le TARV dans les délais était respectivement de 61% en 2015, 60% en 2016 et à 58% en 2017. Aucun site n´a atteint le seuil d'au moins 95% dans les cohortes de 2014 et 2015. Les médianes de la rétention sous TARV à 12 mois pour les cohortes de 2014, 2015 et 2016 ont été de 70%, 69% et 65% respectivement. Le seuil de rétention dans le TARV à 12 mois d'au moins 85% n'a été atteint que dans deux sites. Même si la prescription des ARV est conforme aux directives nationales, la qualité des soins offerts aux PVVIH a régressé de 2014 à 2017 avec un risque élevé d'émergence de R-ARV. Pour minimiser ce risque, l'éducation thérapeutique des patients et le système de recherche des perdus de vue doivent être renforcés

Placental impression smears is a good indicator of placental malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

INTRODUCTION: Placental malaria (PM) is an important predictor of infant morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Although placental histology is the gold standard test to diagnose PM, the placenta impression smears remains widely used in epidemiological studies. This study is set to evaluate the performance of placental impression smears to detect PM in pregnant women in southern Benin. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was performed on data collected in the framework a multicenter randomized clinical trial (Malaria in Pregnancy Preventive and Alternative Drugs). Samples from 491 pregnant women were examined in the district of Allada, Southern Benin. Plasmodium falciparum infections have been assessed in placental blood and placental biopsy. RESULTS: Placental malaria detected by placenta impression smears and histology were prevalent in 11.4% and 10.8%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of placental impression smears were 90.6% and 98.4%. Among 55 pregnant women tested positive by placenta impression smears, 48 were positive by the histology, while 7 were negative (positive predictive value: 87.3%). Four hundred and twenty four (424) of the 429 tested negative by the placenta impression smears, were also negative according to histology whereas the rest (5 of 429) of the women were positive (negative predictive value: 98.8%). CONCLUSION: Placenta impression smear is an accurate and easy method for the diagnosis of placental malaria

Impact of mobile phone intervention on intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy in Burkina Faso : A pragmatic randomized trial.

PURPOSE: Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine for pregnant women (IPTp-SP) coverage remains far below the desirable goal of at least three doses before delivery. This study evaluates an innovative intervention using mobile phones as a means of increasing coverage for the third dose of IPTp-SP. METHODS: This study in Burkina Faso was designed as an open-label, pragmatic, two-arm, randomised trial. Pregnant women who attended antenatal clinic (ANC) visits were included at their first ANC visit and followed until delivery. The intervention was built around the use of mobile phones as means ensuring direct tracking of pregnant women. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-eight (248) pregnant women were included in the study. The proportion of women who received at least three doses of IPTp-SP was 54.6 %. In the intervention group, 54.1 % of women received at least three doses of IPTp-SP versus 55.1 % in the control group, a non-significant difference (adjusted odds ratio "aOR", 0.86 ; 95 % confidence interval "95 % CI", 0.49-1.51). Women in the intervention group were more likely to carry out their ANC visits in a timely manner than those in the control group (aOR, 3.21 ; 95 % CI, 1.91-5.39). CONCLUSION: While mobile phone intervention did not increase the proportion of women receiving three doses of IPTp-SP, it did help to increase the proportion of timely ANC visits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PACTR202106905150440

Evolution des indicateurs d’alerte précoce de la résistance aux antirétroviraux au Burkina Faso entre 2014 et 2017.

The widespread use of antiretrovirals (ARVs) to people living with HIV (PLHIV) is accompanied by the development of HIV resistance (R-ARV). We determined the performance of three early warning indicators (EWIs) associated with a high risk of R-ARV emergence in Burkina Faso through a repeated cross-sectional study between 2014 and 2017. We analyzed the evolution of the DPIs of R-ARV emergence over this period. These were DPI1 (Timely withdrawal of ARVs), DPI2 (Retention on ARV treatment "TARV" at 12 months) and DPI4 (ARV prescription practices). A total of 27 sites were evaluated. The median number of patients who withdrew ART on time changed from 61% in 2015, 60% in 2016 and 58% in 2017, respectively. No site reached the threshold of at least 95% in the 2014 and 2015 cohorts. The medians of retention on ART at 12 months for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 cohorts were 70%, 69% and 65% respectively. The 12-month ART retention threshold of at least 85% was only reached at two sites. Although ARV prescribing is in line with national guidelines, the quality of care offered to PLHIV regressed from 2014 to 2017 with a high risk of R-ARV emergence. To minimize this risk, therapeutic patient education and the system for tracking lost patients need to be strengthened.L'utilisation des antirétroviraux (ARV) à grande échelle aux personnes vivant avec le VIH (PVVIH) s'accompagne d'un développement de résistance au VIH (R-ARV). Nous avons déterminé la performance de trois indicateurs d’alerte précoce (IAP) associés à un risque élevé d'émergence de R-ARV au Burkina Faso à travers une étude transversale répétée entre 2014 et 2017. Nous avons analysé l’évolution des IAP de l'émergence de R-ARV au cours de cette période. Il s’agissait de l’IAP1 (Retrait des ARV dans les délais), l’IAP2 (Rétention sous traitement ARV « TARV » à 12 mois) et de l’IAP4 (pratiques de prescription des ARV). Au total, 27 sites ont été évalués. La médiane des patients qui ont retiré le TARV dans les délais était respectivement de 61% en 2015, 60% en 2016 et à 58% en 2017. Aucun site n´a atteint le seuil d'au moins 95% dans les cohortes de 2014 et 2015. Les médianes de la rétention sous TARV à 12 mois pour les cohortes de 2014, 2015 et 2016 ont été de 70%, 69% et 65% respectivement. Le seuil de rétention dans le TARV à 12 mois d'au moins 85% n'a été atteint que dans deux sites. Même si la prescription des ARV est conforme aux directives nationales, la qualité des soins offerts aux PVVIH a régressé de 2014 à 2017 avec un risque élevé d'émergence de R-ARV. Pour minimiser ce risque, l'éducation thérapeutique des patients et le système de recherche des perdus de vue doivent être renforcés

Sacroillite tuberculeuse: à propos de deux cas

La sacroiliite tuberculeuse est rare et de diagnostic difficile. Les auteurs rapportent deux cas. Il s'agissait dans le premier cas d'une patiente de 40 ans ayant une infection à VIH ; le diagnostic a été histologique après une biopsie chirurgicale. Le second cas a concerné un patient de 25 ans vivant en milieu carcéral chez qui le diagnostic a été établi sur la base des arguments cliniques, biologiques, radiologiques et l'efficacité du traitement ; l'intradermoréaction à la tuberculine était phlycténulaire. Le scanner a été indispensable au diagnostic lésionnel en montrant une érosion des berges et des abcès des parties molles. Le traitement a été médical et a fait appel aux antituberculeux.The Pan African Medical Journal 2016;2

Résistance aux antibiotiques des souches de staphylococcus aureus et des enterobactéries isolés au LNSP de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

Le contexte africain est marqué par l’absence de réseau de surveillance de la résistance bactérienne aux antibiotiques. Des études indiquent pourtant des niveaux élevés de prévalence de Staphylococcus aureus résistant à la méticiline (SARM) et des Entérobactéries productrices de β lactamases à spectre étendu (E-BLSE) dans les prélèvements provenant de patients hospitalisés ou en communauté. Le but de la présente étude est de décrire les phénotypes de résistances de Staphyloccocus aureus et des entérobactéries afin d’améliorer la prise en charge des maladies bactériennes. Il s’est agi d’une étude transversale réalisée du 10 Septembre 2014 au 10 Mars 2015, à partir des isolats de S. aureus et d’entérobactéries provenant de prélèvements biologiques reçus au Laboratoire National de Santé Publique (LNSP). La sensibilité aux antibiotiques des souches bactériennes a été réalisée selon les recommandations du Comité de l’Antibiogramme de la Société Française de Microbiologie (CA.SFM) 2014. La recherche de la résistance de S. aureus à la meticilline a été réalisée par l’oxacilline 5μg ; la sécrétion de β Lactamase à Spectre Elargie (BLSE) a été confirmée après observation d’une image en « bouchon de champagne ». Au total, 665 échantillons ont été traités et 197 souches pathogènes, ont été identifiées dont 160 entérobactéries et 37 Staphylococcus aureus. Globalement, 32 % des Staphylococcus aureus étaient résistants à la méticiline. Toutes les souches étaient sensibles aux aminosides. Parmi les entérobactéries, 98,3 % des E. coli et 94,7 % de K. pneumoniae étaient résistantes à l’amoxicilline + acide clavulanique et 36,4 % de E. coli et 26,3 % K. pneumoniae présentaient une résistance aux céphalosporines de 3e génération. Les entérobactéries productrices de BLSE étaient de 35 %. L’imipenème restait actif sur 100 % des entérobactéries. Cette étude interpelle les autorités sanitaires à l’instauration d’un système de surveillance des pharmaco résistances et les agents de santé sur la promotion du bon usage des antibiotiques et les bonnes pratiques d’hygiène hospitalière.Mots-clés: Entérobactéries, Staphylococcus aureus, antibiotiques, sensibilité, résistanceEnglish Title: Antibiotic resistance of staphylococcus aureus strains and insulated enterobacteries at the Ouagadougou LNSP (Burkina Faso)English AbstractThe African context is marked by the absence of a surveillance network for bacterial resistance to antibiotics. However, studies indicate high levels of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (E-ESBLs) in inpatient and community samples. The aim of this study was to describe the resistance phenotypes of S. aureus and enterobacteria in order to improve bacterial diseases management. This was a cross-sectional study conducted from September 10, 2014 to March 10, 2015, on isolates of S. aureus and enterobacteria from biological samples sent to the National Laboratory of Public Health (LNSP). The antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial strains was carried out according to the recommendations of the Antibiogram Committee of the French Society of Microbiology (CA.SFM) 2014. The search for S. aureus resistance to meticillin was carried out by the oxacillin 5μg; the secretion of ESBL was retained after observation of a "champagne cork" image. A total of 665 samples were processed and 197 pathogenic strains were identified, including 160 Enterobacteriaceae and 37 Staphylococcus aureus. Overall 32% of Staphylococcus aureus were meticillin resistant. All strains were susceptible to aminoglycosides. Among the Enterobacteriaceae, 98.3% of E. coli and 94.7% of K. pneumoniae were resistant to clavulanic acid amoxicillin and 36.4% of E. coli and 26.3% K. pneumoniae were resistant to 3rd generation cephalosporins. ESBL-producing enterobacteria were 35%. Imipenem remained active on 100% of Enterobacteriaceae. This study calls on the health authorities to establish a surveillance system for drug resistance and health workers to promote the proper use of antibiotics and good hospital hygiene practices.Keywords: Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, antibiotics, sensitivity, resistanc

Vascular complications of infective endocarditis in Burkina Faso

Introduction: Vascular complications of infective endocarditis are frequent and severe. The aim of this study was to clarify the epidemiological, clinical and prognostic characteristics of these vascular damages and determine their associated factors.Patients and methods: We performed a descriptive cross-sectional study from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2016 on patients admitted to the cardiology department of Yalgado Ouedraogo teaching Hospital for infective endocarditis and vascular complications recorded. The diagnosis of infective endocarditis was established on the basis of modified Dukef.Results: We recorded a total of 44 infective endocarditis. Vascular complications were found in 10 cases (22.7%) including 6 women and 4 men. The average age of patients was 36.7 years with extremes of 23 and 74 years. In total, seventeen vascular complications were recorded. They were dominated by neurological (7 cases) and acute limb ischemia (4 cases). The average time between the installation of the fever and the occurrence of vascular complications was 41.6 ± 6.5 days. Factors associated with embolization were reaching the mitral valve (RR = 2.5, p = 0.047), infection by Staphylococcus aureus (RR = 1.8, p = 0.022), the size of the upper vegetation 10 mm (RR = 1.8, p = 0.046), the mobility of the vegetation (RR = 1.5, p = 0.048) and late turning on appropriate antibiotics (dual antibiotic beyond 2 weeks after the start of fever) (RR = 1.4; p = 0.038). Mortality was heavy (60%) and neurological involvement was a poor prognostic factor.Conclusion: Vascular complications are frequent in infective endocarditis and are dominated by neurovascular damage. The factors associated with these complications are related to the characteristics of endocarditis. Neurological involvement is a poor prognostic factor.</p