Formulation of Functional Yogurt by Cofermentation of Milk and Papaya Fruit

This study was carried out to determine the potential of adding Fresh skinned papaya pulp (FSP) into yoghurt for the improvement of the functional properties of yoghurt and the resulting effects of adding PPF on the physicochemical and sensory properties of the product during a 30 days’ storage period at 6°C. Yoghurt samples A (Control), B, C, D and E were respectively produced at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of milk incorporated with papaya fruit. Incorporation of PPF into the yogurt samples resulted in an increase in pH, proteins and carbohydrates and a reduction in titratable acidity as compared to the control. The microbial analysis showed no presence of coliform bacteria. The sensory evaluation result demonstrated significant differences in all the organoleptic attributes analyzed. Sample C with 10% incorporated papaya had the highest overall acceptability score

Perceptions around COVID-19 among patients and community members in urban areas in Cameroon: A qualitative perspective.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cameroonian government, to abide by international regulations, prescribed preventive measures, which affected many aspects of social, political, economic, and cultural life. However, there needs to be more in-depth exploration of how communities in Cameroon perceived and were impacted by COVID-19. We explored perceptions and misconceptions concerning COVID-19's impact on urban communities' daily lives in Cameroon. We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with a heterogeneous sample of 25 participants from five different social categories (health personnel, patients with a confirmed COVID-19 infection, close contacts of patients, community members, and community leaders) to assess their perceptions of the disease. Interviews and FGDs were recorded, fully transcribed, coded manually, and analyzed using a thematic analysis iterative coding process. Three main themes were identified: 1) Knowledge of COVID-19: antagonism between disease and invention, 2) Barrier measures imposed by the "dominant culture," and 3) Impact of COVID-19 on daily lives. Our study revealed perceptions around general knowledge of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting acceptance and observation of government-imposed protective measures while highlighting the significant changes endured in participants' daily lives. These findings draw attention to the need to develop flexible and appropriate response strategies for different communities. Although Cameroonian populations were not as intensely affected by the burden of the disease of COVID-19 as other regions, they were still compelled to follow static "cookie-cutter" measures that were internationally imposed, affecting their daily lives in ways that seemed disproportionate to their own experiences of the crisis. These findings have potential implications for the legitimacy of public health institutions and responses

Schistosomiasis Burden and Its Association With Lower Measles Vaccine Responses in School Children From Rural Cameroon

Background and Methods: Schistosomiasis is debilitating and reported to impair immune responsiveness of infected hosts. In Cameroon, mass drug administration (MDA) is used in schoolchildren to reduce transmission of S. haematobium and S. mansoni. The effects of MDA and the impact of schistosomiasis on the titers of antibodies in vaccinated children have been poorly studied. We therefore assessed the prevalence of schistosomiasis in schoolchildren, eight months after MDA, in two locations: Barombi Koto (BK), endemic for S. haematobium (N = 169) and Yoro (Y), endemic for S. mansoni (N = 356). Age, gender, residence time and frequency of contact with river water were assessed as risk factors for infection and morbidity in both localities. In 70 schoolchildren from BK and 83 from Y, ultrasound was used to assess morbidity according to the WHO guidelines. Evaluation of measles antibodies was performed in previously vaccinated schoolchildren (14 with S. haematobium and 12 egg-negative controls from BK and 47 with S. mansoni and12 egg-negative controls from Y).Principal Findings and conclusions: The prevalence of S. haematobium was 25. 4% in BK (43/169) and 34.8% for S. mansoni in Y (124/356), indicating the persistent transmission of schistosomiasis despite MDA. Older age (AOR 1.31; 95%CI 1.12–1.54) and higher frequencies of exposure to river water (AOR 1.99; 95%CI 1.03–3.86) were identified as risks for infection in BK whereas only older age (OR 1.15; 95%CI 1.04–1.27) was a risk for infection in Y. Bladder pathology (score 2 to 5) was observed in 29.2% (7/24) of egg-positive children in BK and liver pathology (pattern C) in 31.1% (19/61) of egg-positive children in Y. There was a positive correlation between S. haematobium egg burden and bladder pathology (AOR 1.01; 95% CI 0.99–1.02) and positive correlation between S. mansoni-driven liver pathology and female gender (AOR 3.01; 95% CI 0.88–10.26). Anti-measles antibodies in vaccinated children were significantly lower in S. mansoni-infected when compared to egg-negative controls (p = 0.001), which was not observed in the S. haematobium-infected group from BK. Our results demonstrate a questionable efficacy of MDA alone in halting schistosomiasis transmission and confirm a possible immunomodulatory effect of S. mansoni on response to vaccines

PO 8271 PFHRP2 GENE DELETIONS IN <i>PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM</i> AND <i>SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI</i> CO-INFECTIONS: AN EMERGING CHALLENGE FOR MALARIA RAPID DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

BackgroundMalaria and schistosomiasis are infections that have a great impact in sub-Saharan Africa based on their high morbidity and mortality rates. We suggest the possibility that the microenvironment created from interactions between the parasites involved generates a pressure on the malaria parasite which could in turn favour the parasite’s adaptation or escape through Pfhrp2 gene deletions. Thus, this study aimed at determining the association between the co-infection with both parasites and false-negative PfHRP2-based malaria rapid diagnostic tests which occur because of these deletions.MethodsThis pilot study was conducted in a total of 149 children aged 7–17 years living in Yorro, located in the Mbam-Inoubou division of the Center region of Cameroon. We collected fresh stool samples from each participant to identify Schistosoma mansoni (Sm) eggs by Kato Katz method and blood samples to identify the ring stages of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) by thick smear. Malaria rapid diagnostic test and Pfhrp2 gene polymerase chain reaction were performed. The association between the co-infection with Sm/Pf and the false-negative malaria RDTs was determined by the Fisher’s exact test. A p value&lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsOur results showed that samples were singly infected with Sm, Pf, co-infected (Sm/Pf) and negative for both infections at frequencies of 12%, 43%, 30.2% and 14.8% respectively. False-negative PfHRP2-based RDTs were observed in 4.7% of the participants. A higher frequency (5/7) of the cases with false-negative malaria RDTs were co-infected with Sm/Pf. A p value of 0.027 showed statistical significance in the association of Sm/Pf co-infection and false-negative PfHRP2-based RDTs.ConclusionA significant association of Plasmodium falciparum and Schistosoma mansoni co-infection with false-negative PfHRP2-based RDTs supports the case for a plausible implication of Pfhrp2 gene deletions, with consequences for malaria rapid diagnostic testing.</jats:sec

Pretreatment attrition after rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis diagnosis with Xpert MTB/RIF or ultra in high TB burden countries : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract: Introduction The WHO endorsed the Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) technique since 2011 as initial test to diagnose rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB). No systematic review has quantified the proportion of pretreatment attrition in RR-TB patients diagnosed with Xpert in high TB burden countries. Pretreatment attrition for RR-TB represents the gap between patients diagnosed and those who effectively started anti-TB treatment regardless of the reasons (which include pretreatment mortality (death of a diagnosed RR-TB patient before starting adequate treatment) and/or pretreatment loss to follow-up (PTLFU) (drop-out of a diagnosed RR-TB patient before initiation of anti-TB treatment).Introduction The WHO endorsed the Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) technique since 2011 as initial test to diagnose rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB). No systematic review has quantified the proportion of pretreatment attrition in RR-TB patients diagnosed with Xpert in high TB burden countries. Pretreatment attrition for RR-TB represents the gap between patients diagnosed and those who effectively started anti-TB treatment regardless of the reasons (which include pretreatment mortality (death of a diagnosed RR-TB patient before starting adequate treatment) and/or pretreatment loss to follow-up (PTLFU) (drop-out of a diagnosed RR-TB patient before initiation of anti-TB treatment).Methods In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we queried EMBASE, PubMed and Web of science to retrieve studies published between 2011 and 22 July 2024, that described pretreatment attrition for RR-TB using Xpert in high TB burden countries. Data on RR-TB patients who did not start treatment after diagnosis and reasons for not starting were extracted in an Excel table. A modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to evaluate the risk of bias among all included studies. The pooled proportion of pretreatment attrition and reasons were assessed using random-effects meta-analysis. Forest plots were generated using R software.Results Thirty eligible studies from 21 countries were identified after full-text screening and included in the meta-analysis. Most studies used routine programme data. The pooled proportion of pretreatment attrition in included studies was 18% (95% CI: 12 to 25). PTLFU and pretreatment mortality were, respectively, reported in 10 and nine studies and explained 78% (95% CI: 51% to 92%) and 30% (95% CI: 15% to 52%) of attrition.Conclusion Pretreatment attrition was widespread, with significant heterogeneity between included studies. National TB programmes should ensure accurate data collection and reporting of pretreatment attrition to enable reliable overall control strategies.PROSPERO registration number CRD42022321509

Pretreatment attrition after rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis diagnosis with Xpert MTB/RIF or ultra in high TB burden countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction The WHO endorsed the Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) technique since 2011 as initial test to diagnose rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB). No systematic review has quantified the proportion of pretreatment attrition in RR-TB patients diagnosed with Xpert in high TB burden countries.Pretreatment attrition for RR-TB represents the gap between patients diagnosed and those who effectively started anti-TB treatment regardless of the reasons (which include pretreatment mortality (death of a diagnosed RR-TB patient before starting adequate treatment) and/or pretreatment loss to follow-up (PTLFU) (drop-out of a diagnosed RR-TB patient before initiation of anti-TB treatment).Methods In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we queried EMBASE, PubMed and Web of science to retrieve studies published between 2011 and 22 July 2024, that described pretreatment attrition for RR-TB using Xpert in high TB burden countries. Data on RR-TB patients who did not start treatment after diagnosis and reasons for not starting were extracted in an Excel table. A modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to evaluate the risk of bias among all included studies. The pooled proportion of pretreatment attrition and reasons were assessed using random-effects meta-analysis. Forest plots were generated using R software.Results Thirty eligible studies from 21 countries were identified after full-text screening and included in the meta-analysis. Most studies used routine programme data. The pooled proportion of pretreatment attrition in included studies was 18% (95% CI: 12 to 25). PTLFU and pretreatment mortality were, respectively, reported in 10 and nine studies and explained 78% (95% CI: 51% to 92%) and 30% (95% CI: 15% to 52%) of attrition.Conclusion Pretreatment attrition was widespread, with significant heterogeneity between included studies. National TB programmes should ensure accurate data collection and reporting of pretreatment attrition to enable reliable overall control strategies.PROSPERO registration number CRD42022321509

Evaluation of a homemade saliva kit for the stabilization of plasmodium dna at room temperature

Abstract Objectives : Most malaria diagnostic methods are invasive whereas non-invasive alternatives like saliva could be used for molecular diagnosis. However, long-term storage of saliva also requires a cold chain, which is challenging in poor countries. Current tools to conserve saliva at room temperature are not affordable (~$16/kit) for malaria endemic countries. In this cross-sectional study including 83 febrile participants, we evaluated the effectiveness of a cheaper (~$2/kit) homemade kit (Formulation f1 ) to stabilize Plasmodium DNA in saliva stored at room temperature for 12 months. The OMNIgene ® ORAL (OM-501) kit served as standard (S0 ). Results : The frequency of malaria in this study was 78.31% (65/83) using microscopy. Saliva PCR-f1 and PCR-S0 detected 59 (71.08%) and 56 (67.47%) positive malaria samples respectively. Using microscopy as gold standard, the sensitivities of PCR-S0 and PCR-f1 were 100% while the specificities were 80%, and 85%, respectively. PCR-f1 had a “very good” agreement (kappa 0.81) with microscopy compared to PCR-S0 (kappa 0.64). We obtained similar results after 12 months storage of saliva samples at room temperature (RT). Homemade kit could be effective in transportation, preservation and diagnosis of malaria parasite in saliva. Key words: Non-invasive, Saliva, DNA, Plasmodium , Malaria, Homemade kit.</jats:p

The influence of gammaherpesvirus co-infection on malaria immunopathogenesis and parasite control

Abstract Malaria still kills up to 500,000 people annually. Risk factors contributing to severe disease remain poorly understood. There is compelling evidence that acute gammaherpesvirus such as Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) coinfections are responsible for suppressing the development of humoral immunity during Plasmodium infection in children and may constitute a salient risk factor for disease severity. However, the actual mechanisms by which protective humoral immune responses to Plasmodium infection are suppressed by gammaherpesviruses are incompletely understood. It has previously been shown that acute MHV68 co-infection resulted in the transformation of a non-lethal Plasmodium yoelii XNL infection into a lethal one in C57BL/6 mice, an outcome linked to a defect in the maintenance of germinal center B cells and T follicular helper cells (Tfh) cells in the spleen and a defect in antibody production. Since the suppressive effect requires the M2 latency associated protein of MHV68, and M2 induces IL-10 secretion from the B cells it infects, we tested the hypothesis that the induction of IL-10 by M2 in MHV68-infected B cells impairs the ability of T follicular helper cells (Tfh) to provide B cell help for effective, broad spectrum antibody production to incoming Plasmodium infection. We tested our hypothesis by co-infecting mice that cannot produce IL-10 from B cells (IL-10Flox_CD19 Cre+), and measured the effect that this defect has on Tfh maintenance, plasma cell formation and antibody production in response to Plasmodium infection. Our findings suggest B cell derived IL-10 is an important component of MHV68-mediated disruption in germinal center formation during gammaherpesvirus/ Plasmodium co-infections.</jats:p