Gallstones: Management of the Sickle Cell Child

Gallstone is rare in children; however, sickle cell disease is associated with an increased risk of gallstone formation. We aimed to report particularity of diagnosis and management of gallstones in sickle cell children. We conducted a cross-sectional multicentric study in four hospitals of Dakar, in Senegal, during 18 years. We studied frequency, diagnostic particularities, management, and outcome. Among the 105 pediatric patients managed for gallstones, 87 (82.85%) had sickle cell disease. Among the latter, 18 (17.14%) were asymptomatic. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 71 patients (67.62%). Following surgery, sickle cell patients were systematically hospitalized in the intensive care unit for 24 hours. Complications occurred in 7.6% and mortality in 1.9%. Gallstone is frequent in sickle cell children. Its management has good outcomes when taking in account particularities of these patients

m-PIMA™ HIV1/2 VL : a suitable tool for HIV-1 and HIV-2 viral load quantification in West Africa

DATA AVAILABILITY : Data will be made available on request.Please read abstract in the article.The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the UNICEF Senegal and Abbott Diagnostics.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/jviromethj2024School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH)Non

Fonio (Digitaria exilis (Kippist) Stapf): A Socially Embedded Cereal for Food and Nutrition Security in Senegal

International audienceAgricultural diversification with neglected and underutilized species is a viable way to sustainably increase the productivity of agrosystems. Understanding the social, cultural, and ecological roles of these species is crucial for their promotion. White fonio (Digitaria exilis), a neglected cereal endemic to West African Sahelian countries, is recognized as a crop for the future due to its cultural, nutritional, and economic values. In this study, we described fonio farming systems in Senegal through an ethnobotanical approach. As expected in family farming systems, farmers largely practiced diversified subsistence agriculture on small plots and relied on local seed exchange networks. The importance of fonio varied among agroecological zones, ethnic groups, and gender. In the Groundnut Basin, where agriculture is more mechanized, late-maturing landraces of fonio are cultivated as a cash crop rather than a staple crop. However, in southern Senegal, where food shortages are recurrent, fonio is more widespread and the cultivation of both early- and late-maturing landraces contributes to local food security. These differences also reflect the cultural status of fonio: different among ethnic groups and more important for women than for men. Finally, the regressive dynamics of fonio cultivation in most regions emphasizes the need to develop integrated conservation and promotion strategies that take into account the diversity of social and agronomical roles of the plant

Ethnolinguistic and genetic diversity of fonio (<scp><i>Digitaria exilis</i></scp>) in Senegal

International audienceSocietal Impact Statement Fonio (Digitaria exilis-Kippist-Stapf) is a neglected cereal crop that plays a crucial role in the food and nutritional security of sub-Saharan populations. Currently threatened with extinction in many countries, fonio, like other minor species, could help give insights into the history of African agriculture and provide clues to past social interactions. Highlighting and preserving genetic diversity that can be used to develop improved varieties improves food security. By recognizing the role of indigenous people and local communities (IPLCs) in agrobiodiversity creation and management, this study provides support for strengthening the rights of rural communities and promoting their food and seed sovereignty as outlined in the United Nations UNDROP Declaration. center dot Fonio (Digitaria exilis) is a neglected cereal crop that plays a crucial role in the food and nutritional security of sub-Saharan populations. It is an excellent candidate to diversify agricultural and food systems beyond Africa because of its adaptability and hardiness. However, fonio is threatened with extinction and the factors that organize its genetic diversity remain unknown, despite the fact that this knowledge is necessary to define conservation strategies and uses to achieve sustainable agriculture. center dot Here, we combined social anthropology and population genetics analysis of 158 fonio landraces, thereby generating insight into the genetic diversity, population structure and evolutionary history of fonio cultivation in Senegal. center dot We noted a spatial structure of genetic diversity at two embedded levels, with the first corresponding to the genetic differentiation between ethnic groups and the second to the demographic history of the Mande and Atlantic Congo linguistic families. Selection and seed exchange practices have contributed to shaping fonio genetic diversity at the ethnic level, while the migration of Fulani people over the last 500 years has fragmented the Mandinka kingdom, hence leaving a fonio diversity imprint. center dot Our study highlighted that social factors are pivotal in structuring diversity and should be taken into greater consideration in research and conservation projects to dovetail local and regional scales. It also showed that neglected species such as fonio-which are seldom used in breeding and dissemination programmes-are key markers of the history of African agriculture

Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin Treatment of Hospitalized Patients Infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Senegal from March to October 2020

International audienceAs of today, little data is available on COVID-19 in African countries, where the case management relied mainly on a treatment by association between hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin (AZM). This study aimed to understand the main clinical outcomes of COVID-19 hospitalized patients in Senegal from March to October 20202. We described the clinical characteristics of patients and analysed clinical status (alive and discharged versus hospitalized or died) at 15 days after Isolation and Treatment Centres (ITC) admission among adult patients who received HCQ plus AZM and those who did not receive this combination. A total of 926 patients were included in this analysis. Six hundred seventy-four (674) (72.8%) patients received a combination of HCQ and AZM. Results showed that the proportion of patient discharge at D15 was significantly higher for patients receiving HCQ plus AZM (OR: 1.63, IC 95% (1.09–2.43)). Factors associated with a lower proportion of patients discharged alive were: age ≥ 60 years (OR: 0.55, IC 95% (0.36–0.83)), having of at least one pre-existing disorder (OR: 0.61, IC 95% (0.42–0.90)), and a high clinical risk at admission following NEWS score (OR: 0.49, IC 95% (0.28–0.83)). Few side effects were reported including 2 cases of cardiac rhythmic disorders in the HCQ and AZM group versus 13 in without HCQ + AZM. An improvement of clinical status at 15 days was found for patients exposed to HCQ plus AZM combinatio

Cross-Reactivity of SARS-CoV-2 Laboratory Diagnostics to Endemic Diseases in Africa: A Diagnostic Accuracy Study

Background: Serology is a great tool to assess the level of immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in settings with limited access to molecular diagnostics. However, African populations displays a particular immunological profile with massive circulation of infectious agents from different aetiologies that can affect assays performance.Methods: We evaluated the OMEGA Diagnostics COVID-19 ELISA-IgG and the ID Screen® SARS-CoV-2-N IgG Indirect in Senegal using a panel of 636 blood samples covering several African-endemic diseases and healthy donors to determine test sensitivity and specificity. The sensitivity panel of sera includes 461 serum samples collected from 91 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 cases were confirmed by qRT-PCR and samples were collected on an interval of three days until viral clearance. In addition, 272 sera obtained from COVID-19 negative individuals were selected from a well-documented biobank of sera collected before the COVID-19 outbreak.Finding: High-cross reactivity have been found in individuals with a history of exposure to Chikungunya, HIV, malaria (Plasmodium falciparum), rheumatoid factor as well as healthy donors with respective specificities of 55%, 41.8%, 70%, 70% and 75%. ELISA experiments with commercial assays targeting either SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein and Spike 2 protein or nucleocapsid protein only suggest that cross-reactivity might be directed against Spike 2 protein and not Nucleocapsid protein. Further samples characterisation reveals that anti-malaria IgG is the leading cause of such poor specificities, but exposure to other diseases contributed as well.Interpretation: We anticipate that COVID-19 seroprevalence can be biased if assays are not contextualized. Since malaria is endemic in African settings, we propose that a particular attention must be given in serological surveillance of COVID-19 or anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies quantification as vaccines are being rolled out