Dynamics of antigenemia and transmission intensity of Wuchereria bancrofti following cessation of mass drug administration in a formerly highly endemic region of Mali

Background After seven annual rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) in six Malian villages highly endemic for Wuchereria bancrofti (overall prevalence rate of 42.7%), treatment was discontinued in 2008. Surveillance was performed over the ensuing 5 years to detect recrudescence. Methods Circulating filarial antigen (CFA) was measured using immunochromatographic card tests (ICT) and Og4C3 ELISA in 6–7 year-olds. Antibody to the W. bancrofti infective larval stage (L3) antigen, Wb123, was tested in the same population in 2012. Microfilaraemia was assessed in ICT-positive subjects. Anopheles gambiae complex specimens were collected monthly using human landing catch (HLC) and pyrethrum spray catch (PSC). Anopheles gambiae complex infection with W. bancrofti was determined by dissection and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of mosquito pools. Results Annual CFA prevalence rates using ICT in children increased over time from 0% (0/289) in 2009 to 2.7% (8/301) in 2011, 3.9% (11/285) in 2012 and 4.5% (14/309) in 2013 (trend χ 2  = 11.85, df =3, P = 0.0006). Wb123 antibody positivity rates in 2013 were similar to the CFA prevalence by ELISA (5/285). Although two W. bancrofti-infected Anopheles were observed by dissection among 12,951 mosquitoes collected by HLC, none had L3 larvae when tested by L3-specific RT-PCR. No positive pools were detected among the mosquitoes collected by pyrethrum spray catch. Whereas ICT in 6–7 year-olds was the major surveillance tool, ICT positivity was also assessed in older children and adults (8–65 years old). CFA prevalence decreased in this group from 4.9% (39/800) to 3.5% (28/795) and 2.8% (50/1,812) in 2009, 2011 and 2012, respectively (trend χ 2  = 7.361, df =2, P = 0.0067). Some ICT-positive individuals were microfilaraemic in 2009 [2.6% (1/39)] and 2011 [8.3% (3/36)], but none were positive in 2012 or 2013. Conclusion Although ICT rates in children increased over the 5-year surveillance period, the decrease in ICT prevalence in the older group suggests a reduction in transmission intensity. This was consistent with the failure to detect infective mosquitoes or microfilaraemia. The threshold of ICT positivity in children may need to be re-assessed and other adjunct surveillance tools considered

Health facility-based prevalence and potential risk factors of autism spectrum disorders in Mali

Background: The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is 1-2% worldwide, 1 in 68 in the U.S, and unknown in Africa. ASD is under-diagnosed in Mali due to stigma and the lack of appropriate human resources and infrastructure.Objective: To determine the ASD frequency and potential risk factors in Mali.Methods: We identified all the health facilities and community-based organizations involved in the ASD diagnosis and management in Bamako. We established an ASD research and awareness platform in Mali, which encompasses community-based organizations and a multidisciplinary team including psychiatrists, psychologists, pediatricians, geneticists, and public health and social science specialists. Through this platform, we performed a survey in health facilities and organizations where patients with ASD are likely to seek care in Bamako. We reviewed the psychiatric patient registry to obtain basic epidemiological profiles of children with ASD, epilepsy and other psychiatric disorders.Results: We found a health facility-based prevalence of ASD of 4.5% (105/2,343) in Bamako. The mean age at the first outpatient visit was 7.64 ± 3.85 years old. First degree consanguinity of 29.5% (31/105) was more frequent in parents of ASD children versus age and sex matched controls OR= 4.37 [1.96-9.76] p=0.0001.Conclusion: Our data suggest that ASD is more common than expected in Mali. The established ASD awareness and research platform may improve the diagnosis and management of ASD by raising ASD awareness, training of Malian clinicians and researchers in early ASD screening and diagnosis, and strengthening research capacity in genomics of ASD and other mental disorders.Keywords: ASD, prevalence, consanguinity, health facilit

Open access publication of public health research in African journals

There are many claims to the benefits of open access publishing in general and for Africa in particular. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of scholarly journals expected to publish articles on public health from a number of African countries. Using African Journals Online and African Index Medicus, 174 journals from 13 African countries were identified. The six countries above the group’s median gross domestic product (GDP) published 145 journals, while the seven countries at or below the median GDP published 29 journals. Two thirds of the journals were freely available to download, but only a third had a Creative Commons licence, and most were not indexed. Around half of the journals levied full article processing charges (APCs) – journals from countries at median GDP or below were less likely to charge APCs than those from countries above the median GDP. One of the key findings is that only a few journals were indexed, limiting the ability of potential readers to find the results of research performed in local settings. The results suggest a need to assist journals and researchers to make the work they publish more accessible to the audience who might want to use the results

Expanding Research Capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa Through Informatics, Bioinformatics, and Data Science Training Programs in Mali

Bioinformatics and data science research have boundless potential across Africa due to its high levels of genetic diversity and disproportionate burden of infectious diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, Ebola virus disease, and Lassa fever. This work lays out an incremental approach for reaching underserved countries in bioinformatics and data science research through a progression of capacity building, training, and research efforts. Two global health informatics training programs sponsored by the Fogarty International Center (FIC) were carried out at the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Mali (USTTB) between 1999 and 2011. Together with capacity building efforts through the West Africa International Centers of Excellence in Malaria Research (ICEMR), this progress laid the groundwork for a bioinformatics and data science training program launched at USTTB as part of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) initiative. Prior to the global health informatics training, its trainees published first or second authorship and third or higher authorship manuscripts at rates of 0.40 and 0.10 per year, respectively. Following the training, these rates increased to 0.70 and 1.23 per year, respectively, which was a statistically significant increase (p < 0.001). The bioinformatics and data science training program at USTTB commenced in 2017 focusing on student, faculty, and curriculum tiers of enhancement. The program’s sustainable measures included institutional support for core elements, university tuition and fees, resource sharing and coordination with local research projects and companion training programs, increased student and faculty publication rates, and increased research proposal submissions. Challenges reliance of high-speed bandwidth availability on short-term funding, lack of a discounted software portal for basic software applications, protracted application processes for United States visas, lack of industry job positions, and low publication rates in the areas of bioinformatics and data science. Long-term, incremental processes are necessary for engaging historically underserved countries in bioinformatics and data science research. The multi-tiered enhancement approach laid out here provides a platform for generating bioinformatics and data science technicians, teachers, researchers, and program managers. Increased literature on bioinformatics and data science training approaches and progress is needed to provide a framework for establishing benchmarks on the topics

KAP of Traditional medical practitioners ASD in Mali .xlsx

Database KAP on autism in Mal

Study questionnaire. 04-10-2019. docx.docx

Study questionnaire and database<br

KAP HIV self testing in High school and University students

KAP study HIV Data</p

Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV), MERS-CoV and SARSr-CoV vaccine : A comparative computational analysis to propose candidate epitopes

Background: Coronaviruses are normally specific to an animal taxon as host, mammals or birds depending on their species; however, these viruses can sometimes change host as a result of mutation. The HCoV-229E is one of six human coronaviruses that include HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, MERS-CoV and SARSr-CoV (SARSr-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV2) and is distributed globally. MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 could persist on inanimate surface like (metal, glass or plastic for up to nine days) (Huang, C.-L, 2020). Preventive measures and drug treatment with hydrochloroquine are useful, but a good effective vaccine may be needed to stop propagation of the covid-19 pandemic. The aim of our study was to identifiy vaccine candidate epitopes by bioinformatics approaches. Materials and Method: The complete genomic sequences of SARS-CoV-2 were obtained from 2019 Novel Coronavirus Resource (2019nCoVR) and two databases, including the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) and TAURAU/T-bio-infoserver for online bioinformatics. we will provide a brief review of viral origin, compare the sequencing data for conserved region identification, his commonest protein domain( target binding site) and consensus motif design for an potential candidate molecule (epitope) prurposition for treatment strategies for the newly identified 2019-nCoV , SARSr-CoV strain and MERS-CoV. Results: Interestingly, sequence comparison between SARS-CoV-2 and another strain revealed that the residues present in the receptor-interacting motive are highly conserved with 70 % identity. we funded five important amino acids ( L455, Y473, N479, F486, Q493) on the receptor binding domain from spike proteins responsible of contact between virus and horst . In the SARS-CoV_ RBD are present residues (D480, and T487) that allowed the interspecies infection. However, in SARS-CoV-2, slight modification of some residues could improve the interaction with the human cellular receptor: L455, F486, Q493, and N501. In SARS-CoV, two main residues (479 and 487) have been associated to the recognition of the human ACE2 receptor. In the SARS-CoV-2, the residues corresponding to N479 correspond to Q493 and T487 to N501. These changes in the SARS-CoV-2 represent energetically favorable changes for the interaction with the receptor. we identified the sequences of amino acids that are well conserved across many coronaviruses including 2019nCoV and other strains, the motif KRSFIEDLLFNKVTLADAGF was found to be particularly well-conserved in this study and corresponds to the region around one of the known cleavage sites of the SARS virus that are believed to be required for virus activation for cell entry. This sequence motif and surrounding variations formed the basis for proposing a specific synthetic vaccine epitope this finding can make related likely rigid small molecule candidates and binding targets. Conclusion: This study provides information and opportunities for biological confirmation. The work can nevertheless be described in bioinformatics terms, and easily replicated by others, although new data and research on Covid-19 are emerging and evolving at an explosive rythm.</p

Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV), MERS-CoV and SARSr-CoV vaccine : A comparative computational analysis to propose candidate epitopes

Background: Coronaviruses are normally specific to an animal taxon as host, mammals or birds depending on their species; however, these viruses can sometimes change host as a result of mutation. The HCoV-229E is one of six human coronaviruses that include HCoV-NL63, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, MERS-CoV and SARSr-CoV (SARSr-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV2) and is distributed globally. MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 could persist on inanimate surface like (metal, glass or plastic for up to nine days) (Huang, C.-L, 2020). Preventive measures and drug treatment with hydrochloroquine are useful, but a good effective vaccine may be needed to stop propagation of the covid-19 pandemic. The aim of our study was to identifiy vaccine candidate epitopes by bioinformatics approaches. Materials and Method: The complete genomic sequences of SARS-CoV-2 were obtained from 2019 Novel Coronavirus Resource (2019nCoVR) and two databases, including the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) and TAURAU/T-bio-infoserver for online bioinformatics. we will provide a brief review of viral origin, compare the sequencing data for conserved region identification, his commonest protein domain( target binding site) and consensus motif design for an potential candidate molecule (epitope) prurposition for treatment strategies for the newly identified 2019-nCoV , SARSr-CoV strain and MERS-CoV. Results: Interestingly, sequence comparison between SARS-CoV-2 and another strain revealed that the residues present in the receptor-interacting motive are highly conserved with 70 % identity. we funded five important amino acids ( L455, Y473, N479, F486, Q493) on the receptor binding domain from spike proteins responsible of contact between virus and horst . In the SARS-CoV_ RBD are present residues (D480, and T487) that allowed the interspecies infection. However, in SARS-CoV-2, slight modification of some residues could improve the interaction with the human cellular receptor: L455, F486, Q493, and N501. In SARS-CoV, two main residues (479 and 487) have been associated to the recognition of the human ACE2 receptor. In the SARS-CoV-2, the residues corresponding to N479 correspond to Q493 and T487 to N501. These changes in the SARS-CoV-2 represent energetically favorable changes for the interaction with the receptor. we identified the sequences of amino acids that are well conserved across many coronaviruses including 2019nCoV and other strains, the motif KRSFIEDLLFNKVTLADAGF was found to be particularly well-conserved in this study and corresponds to the region around one of the known cleavage sites of the SARS virus that are believed to be required for virus activation for cell entry. This sequence motif and surrounding variations formed the basis for proposing a specific synthetic vaccine epitope this finding can make related likely rigid small molecule candidates and binding targets. Conclusion: This study provides information and opportunities for biological confirmation. The work can nevertheless be described in bioinformatics terms, and easily replicated by others, although new data and research on Covid-19 are emerging and evolving at an explosive rythm