Toxoplasmosis prevalence in cats of Kingabwa and Limete résidentiel districts in Kinshasa

During seven months, 150 fecal samples were collected in cats of Kingabwa and residential Limete in Kinshasa. Coprological analysis by quantitative flotation gave a crude prevalence of 14.5 %, with 20 % prevalence at Kingabwa and 8.6 % for residential Limete in terms of neighborhoods (p<0.05), 13.3 % for males and 16 % for females (p<0,05) and 16 % of cats aged one year or more and 13.3 % in those with less than a year (p<0,05). Cats play an important role in the high prevalence of human toxoplasmosis observed in Kinshasa. Veterinarians should integrate, in addition to deworming, the administration of pyriméthamine and sulfadiazine at the time of anti-rabies vaccination of cats in order to fight against feline toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis prevalence in cats of Kingabwa and Limete résidentiel districts in Kinshasa

Durant sept mois, 150 échantillons de selles ont été collectés chez les chats des quartiers Kingabwa et Limete résidentiel à Kinshasa. Les analyses coprologiques par flottaison quantitative ont donné une prévalence brute de toxoplasmose de 14,7 %, à raison de 20 % à Kingabwa et de 8,6 % à Limete résidentiel pour ce qui est des quartiers (p? 0,05), de 13,3 % chez les mâles et de 16 % chez les femelles (p?0,05) concernant le sexe et de 16 % chez les chats âgés d’une année et plus et de 13,3 % chez ceux ayant moins d’une année (p?0,05) pour ce qui est de l’âge. Les chats joueraient un rôle important dans la forte prévalence de la toxoplasmose humaine observée à Kinshasa. Les médecins vétérinaires devront intégrer en plus du vermifugeage, l’administration de la pyriméthamine et de la sulfadiazine lors de la vaccination antirabique chez les chats afin de lutter contre la toxoplasmose féline. Mots-clés: Prévalence, Toxoplasmose, chats, Kingabwa, Limete résidentiel, Kinshasa.During seven months, 150 fecal samples were collected in cats of Kingabwa and residential Limete in Kinshasa. Coprological analysis by quantitative flotation gave a crude prevalence of 14.5 %, with 20 % prevalence at Kingabwa and 8.6 % for residential Limete in terms of neighborhoods (p?0.05), 13.3 % for males and 16 % for females (p?0,05) and 16 % of cats aged one year or more and 13.3 % in those with less than a year (p?0,05). Cats play an important role in the high prevalence of human toxoplasmosis observed in Kinshasa. Veterinarians should integrate, in addition to deworming, the administration of pyriméthamine and sulfadiazine at the time of anti-rabies vaccination of cats in order to fight against feline toxoplasmosis. Keywords: Prevalence, Toxoplasmosis, cats, Kingabwa, Limete residential, Kinshasa

Photochemical Degradation of Dissolved Organic Matter and Dissolved Lignin Phenols from the Congo River

Photochemical degradation of Congo River dissolved organic matter (DOM) was investigated to examine the fate of terrigenous DOM derived from tropical ecosystems. Tropical riverine DOM receives greater exposure to solar radiation, particularly in large river plumes discharging directly into the open ocean. Initial Congo River DOM exhibited dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and compositional characteristics typical of organic rich blackwater systems. During a 57 day irradiation experiment, Congo River DOM was shown to be highly photoreactive with a decrease in DOC, chromophoric DOM (CDOM), lignin phenol concentrations (Σ8) and carbon-normalized yields (Λ8), equivalent to losses of ~45, 85–95, \u3e95 and \u3e95% of initial values, respectively, and a +3.1 % enrichment of the δ13C-DOC signature. The loss of Λ8 and enrichment of δ13C-DOC during irradiation was strongly correlated (r = 0.99, p \u3c 0.01) indicating tight coupling between these biomarkers. Furthermore, the loss of CDOM absorbance was correlated to the loss of Λ8 (e.g., a355 versus Λ8; r = 0.98, p \u3c 0.01) and δ13C-DOC (e.g., a355 versus δ13C; r = 0.97, p \u3c 0.01), highlighting the potential of CDOM absorbance measurements for delineating the photochemical degradation of lignin and thus terrigenous DOM. It is apparent that these commonly used measurements for examination of terrigenous DOM in the oceans have a higher rate of photochemical decay than the bulk DOC pool. Further process-based studies are required to determine the selective removal rates of these biomarkers for advancement of our understanding of the fate of this material in the ocean

Assessing the impact of aggregating disease stage data in model predictions of human African trypanosomiasis transmission and control activities in Bandundu province (DRC)

Since the turn of the century, the global community has made great progress towards the elimination of gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). Elimination programs, primarily relying on screening and treatment campaigns, have also created a rich database of HAT epidemiology. Mathematical models calibrated with these data can help to fill remaining gaps in our understanding of HAT transmission dynamics, including key operational research questions such as whether integrating vector control with current intervention strategies is needed to achieve HAT elimination. Here we explore, via an ensemble of models and simulation studies, how including or not disease stage data, or using more updated data sets affect model predictions of future control strategies

Community engagement for the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) program: an analysis of key stakeholder roles to promote a sustainable program in Zambia [version 2; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]

Background: Within the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) programme, community engagement has been central in facilitating the acceptance of VMMC, especially in non-circumcising communities. We used the case of the development of community engagement plans for sustainability of VMMC in Zambia to illustrate diversity of stakeholders, their power, roles, and strategies in community engagement. Methods: Data were collected using document review, in-depth interviews (n=35) and focus group discussions (n=35) with community stakeholders, health workers, health centre committees, counsellors, teachers, community volunteers and parents/caregivers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis was guided by the power and interest model. Results: Differences were noted between the rural and urban sites in terms of power/influence and interest rating of community stakeholders who could be involved in the sustainability phase of the VMMC response in Zambia. For example, in the urban setting, neighbourhood health committees (NHCs), health workers, leaders of clubs, community health workers (CHWs), radio, television and social media platforms were ranked highest. From this list, social media and television platforms were not highly ranked in rural areas. Some stakeholders had more sources of power than others. Forms or sources of power included technical expertise, local authority, financial resources, collective action (action through schools, churches, media platforms, other community spaces), and relational power.   Key roles and strategies included strengthening and broadening local coordination systems, enhancing community involvement, promoting community-led monitoring and evaluation, through the use of locally recognised communication spaces and channels, facilitating ownership of VMMC, and improving local accountability processes in VMMC activities. Conclusions: By consulting with the most relevant stakeholders, and considering community needs in programme development, the VMMC programme may be able to leverage the community structures and systems to reduce long term demand generation costs for VMMC and increase the acceptability and frequency of male circumcision

Efficacy and safety of acoziborole in patients with human African trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense: a multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 2/3 trial

Summary Background Human African trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (gambiense HAT) in patients with late-stage disease requires hospital admission to receive nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT). Fexinidazole, the latest treatment that has been recommended by WHO, also requires systematic admission to hospital, which is problematic in areas with few health-care resources. We aim to assess the safety and efficacy of acoziborole in adult and adolescent patients with gambiense HAT. Methods This multicentre, prospective, open-label, single-arm, phase 2/3 study recruited patients aged 15 years or older with confirmed gambiense HAT infection from ten hospitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea. Inclusion criteria included a Karnofsky score less than 50, ability to swallow tablets, a permanent address or traceability, ability to comply with follow-up visits and study requirements, and agreement to hospital admission during treatment. Oral acoziborole was administered as a single 960 mg dose (3 × 320 mg tablets) to fasted patients. Patients were observed in hospital until day 15 after treatment administration then for 18 months as outpatients with visits at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. The primary efficacy endpoint was the success rate of acoziborole treatment at 18 months in patients with late-stage gambiense HAT (modified intention-to-treat [mITT] population), based on modified WHO criteria. A complementary post-hoc analysis comparing the 18-month success rates for acoziborole and NECT (using historical data) was performed. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03087955. Findings Between Oct 11, 2016, and March 25, 2019, 260 patients were screened, of whom 52 were ineligible and 208 were enrolled (167 with late-stage and 41 with early-stage or intermediate-stage gambiense HAT; primary efficacy analysis set). All 41 (100%) patients with early-stage or intermediate-stage and 160 (96%) of 167 with late-stage disease completed the last 18-month follow-up visit. The mean age of participants was 34·0 years (SD 12·4), including 117 (56%) men and 91 (44%) women. Treatment success rate at 18 months was 95·2% (95% CI 91·2-97·7) reached in 159 of 167 patients with late-stage gambiense HAT (mITT population) and 98·1% (95·1-99·5) reached in 159 of 162 patients (evaluable population). Overall, 155 (75%) of 208 patients had 600 treatment-emergent adverse events. A total of 38 drug-related treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 29 (14%) patients; all were mild or moderate and most common were pyrexia and asthenia. Four deaths occurred during the study; none were considered treatment related. The post-hoc analysis showed similar results to the estimated historical success rate for NECT of 94%. Interpretation Given the high efficacy and favourable safety profile, acoziborole holds promise in the efforts to reach the WHO goal of interrupting HAT transmission by 2030. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Aid, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Médecins Sans Frontières, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Foundation. Translation For the French translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section

Track E Implementation Science, Health Systems and Economics

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138412/1/jia218443.pd

Guidelines for evaluating the conservation value of African lion (Panthera leo) translocations

As the top predator in African ecosystems, lions have lost more than 90% of their historical range, and few countries possess strong evidence for stable populations. Translocations (broadly defined here as the capture and movement of lions for various management purposes) have become an increasingly popular action for this species, but the wide array of lion translocation rationales and subsequent conservation challenges stemming from poorly conceived or unsuitable translocations warrants additional standardized evaluation and guidance. At their best, translocations fill a key role in comprehensive strategies aimed at addressing the threats facing lions and fostering the recovery of wild populations in their historic range. At their worst, translocations can distract from addressing the major threats to wild populations and habitats, divert scarce funding from more valuable conservation actions, exacerbate conflict with humans in recipient sites, disrupt local lion demography, and undermine the genetic integrity of wild lion populations in both source and recipient sites. In the interest of developing best practice guidelines for deciding when and how to conduct lion translocations, we discuss factors to consider when determining whether a translocation is of conservation value, introduce a value assessment for translocations, and provide a decision matrix to assist practitioners in improving the positive and reducing the negative outcomes of lion translocation.Grant from the European Union through IUCN Save Our Species, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/conservation-scienceam2023Zoology and Entomolog

Mapping the medical outcomes study HIV health survey (MOS-HIV) to the EuroQoL 5 Dimension (EQ-5D-3L) utility index

10.1186/s12955-019-1135-8Health and Quality of Life Outcomes1718