Allele Frequencies of Apolipoprotein E in a South Western Nigerian population on HAART

Objective: Increasing evidence has shown that ApoE polymorphism is associated with the early onset of cardiovascular and neurological diseases in patients on HAART. The frequency of occurrence of the alleles and the genotypes vary by race and population. The study describes the pattern seen among adults in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 124 randomly selected HIV-infected persons on protease inhibitor therapy who receive care at the adult antiretroviral clinic of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. DNA was extracted from leucocytes using EDTA blood. ApoE genotypes were determined using the Seeplex ApoE ACE genotyping kit. The epidemiological distribution of apoE is figured with a pie graph. Results: About four-fifth (79%) of the participants were females while about two-thirds (68%) were below 50 years of age.  The most frequently occurring allele was the ε3 allele (82.2%) and the most common ApoE genotype observed was ε3/ε3. This genotype was present in 52 (41.9%) of the participants. At least one allele of Apo ε2, Apo ε3, and Apo ε4 was present in 28(22.5%), 102 (82.2%), and 50 (40.3) of the study participants respectively. Homozygosity for Apo ε2 and Apo ε4 was observed in 4.8% and 8.0% of participants respectively. Conclusions: Allelic frequency seen is similar to that described in other studied populations and the frequency of genotypes observed was also similar to those described among world populations with a higher observation of ApoE4 allele as seen in people of African descent

Allele Frequencies of Apolipoprotein E in a South Western Nigerian population on HAART

Objective: Increasing evidence has shown that ApoE polymorphism is associated with the early onset of cardiovascular and neurological diseases in patients on HAART. The frequency of occurrence of the alleles and the genotypes vary by race and population. The study describes the pattern seen among adults in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 124 randomly selected HIV-infected persons on protease inhibitor therapy who receive care at the adult antiretroviral clinic of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. DNA was extracted from leucocytes using EDTA blood. ApoE genotypes were determined using the Seeplex ApoE ACE genotyping kit. The epidemiological distribution of apoE is figured with a pie graph. Results: About four-fifth (79%) of the participants were females while about two-thirds (68%) were below 50 years of age.  The most frequently occurring allele was the ε3 allele (82.2%) and the most common ApoE genotype observed was ε3/ε3. This genotype was present in 52 (41.9%) of the participants. At least one allele of Apo ε2, Apo ε3, and Apo ε4 was present in 28(22.5%), 102 (82.2%), and 50 (40.3) of the study participants respectively. Homozygosity for Apo ε2 and Apo ε4 was observed in 4.8% and 8.0% of participants respectively. Conclusions: Allelic frequency seen is similar to that described in other studied populations and the frequency of genotypes observed was also similar to those described among world populations with a higher observation of ApoE4 allele as seen in people of African descent

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century