Risk Factors Associated with Opportunistic Infections among People Living with HIV/AIDS and Receiving an Antiretroviral Therapy in Gabon, Central Africa.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is still one of the main causes of death in sub-Saharan Africa. Antiretroviral therapies (ARTs) have significantly improved the health conditions of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Consequently, a significant drop in morbidity and mortality, along with a reduced incidence of opportunistic infections (OIs), has been observed. However, certain atypical and biological profiles emerge in ART patients post-examination. The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors that contributed to the onset of OIs in HIV patients undergoing ART in Gabon. Epidemiological and biological data were obtained from medical records (2017 to 2019) found at the outpatient treatment centre (CTA) of Franceville in Gabon. Samples for blood count, CD4, and viral load analysis at CIRMF were collected from PLWHA suffering from other pathogen-induced conditions. A survey was carried out and data were analysed using Rstudio 4.0.2 and Excel 2007 software. Biological and socio-demographic characteristics were examined concerning OIs through both a univariate analysis via Fisher's exact tests or chi2 (χ2), and a multivariate analysis via logistic regression. Out of the 300 participants initially selected, 223 were included in the study, including 154 (69.05%) women and 69 (30.95%) men. The mean age was 40 (38.6; 41.85), with individuals ranging from 2 to 77 years old. The study cohort was classified into five age groups (2 to 12, 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, and 50 to 77 years old), among which the groups aged 30 to 39 and 40 to 49 emerged as the largest, comprising 68 (30.5%) and 75 (33.6%) participants, respectively. It was noted that 57.9% of PLWHA had developed OIs and three subgroups were distinguished, with parasitic, viral, and bacterial infections present in 18%, 39.7%, and 55.4% of cases, respectively. There was a correlation between being male and having a low CD4 T-cell count and the onset of OIs. The study revealed a high overall prevalence of OIs, and extending the study to other regions of Gabon would yield a better understanding of the risk factors associated with the onset of these infections

Underestimation of hepatocellular carcinoma incidence resulting from a competition between modern and traditional medicine: the case of Gabon

International audiencePrimary liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), remains a major killer in sub-Saharan Africa. In this dreadful landscape, West and Central Africas are more particularly affected. However, a small country located on the equator, Gabon, is apparently not concerned by this adverse situation. Despite worrying prevalences of many bona fide risk factors of HCC, including high rates of chronic infections with hepatitis viruses and very high alcohol consumption, Gabon presents theoretically an amazingly low incidence of HCC when compared to other countries of the region. Reports from many places in the world have emphasized the widespread underreporting of HCC cases presumably attributable to the difficulties of proper diagnosis or to a lack of local cancer registry. In Gabon, the remarkably vivid tradition of religious initiation called Bwiti includes some therapeutic rituals exerted by healers or Ngangas. Those treatments are particularly popular in case of severe diseases generally associated with a supernatural etiology. In the present paper, we hypothesize that, in Gabon, the remarkably low incidence of HCC is primarily due to the diversion of patients from the modern medical system due to their preference for Ngangas. Promotion of a form of medical syncretism respecting both systems might be an efficient policy to increase the attractiveness of modern medicine and to ultimately promote public health in Gabon

Human papillomavirus detection using the Abbott RealTime high-risk HPV tests compared with conventional nested PCR coupled to high-throughput sequencing of amplification products in cervical smear specimens from a Gabonese female population

Abstract Background Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in women worldwide. However, screening with human papillomavirus (HPV) molecular tests holds promise for reducing cervical cancer incidence and mortality in low- and middle-income countries. The performance of the Abbott RealTime High-Risk HPV test (AbRT) was evaluated in 83 cervical smear specimens and compared with a conventional nested PCR coupled to high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to identify the amplicons. Results The AbRT assay detected at least one HPV genotype in 44.57% of women regardless of the grade of cervical abnormalities. Except for one case, good concordance was observed for the genotypes detected with the AbRT assay in the high-risk HPV category determined with HTS of the amplicon generated by conventional nested PCR. Conclusions The AbRT test is an easy and reliable molecular tool and was as sensitive as conventional nested PCR in cervical smear specimens for detection HPVs associated with high-grade lesions. Moreover, sequencing amplicons using an HTS approach effectively identified the genotype of the hrHPV identified with the AbRT test

HPV genotypes in high-grade cervical lesions and invasive cervical carcinoma detected in Gabonese women

International audienceBackground Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women worldwide, but particularly affects women living in sub-Saharan Africa. Screening and vaccination programs are two prevention approaches that can reduce cervical cancer incidence. However, effective vaccination campaigns require better knowledge of the prevalence of the main human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes reported in high-grade neoplastic lesions and invasive carcinomas in women. Methods All samples collected in this study were processed using standard histopathological methods with haematoxylin and eosin staining of the sections. Areas with abnormal cells were then identified. The HPV genotype was determined on the DNA extracted from the same sections using nested PCR followed by amplicon sequencing and real-time PCR specific to five different HPV genotypes (16, 18, 33, 45 and 58). Results A total of 132 Gabonese patients with high-grade neoplastic lesions were included in this study; 81% were squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). At least one HPV was detected in 92.4% patients; HPV16 (75.4%) was the most frequent genotype, followed by HPV18, 58, 45, 33 and 35. Moreover, histological analysis showed that SCC samples had 50% and 58.2% stage III and IV tumor cells, respectively, according to the FIGO classification. Finally, 36.9% of these stage III and IV patients were less than 50 years old. Conclusions Our results confirm the high prevalence of HPV16 and 18 genotypes among high-grade lesions in Gabonese women. This study confirms the need for a national strategy for early screening of precancerous lesions associated with a broad national vaccination program among non-sexually active women to significantly reduce the long-term cancer burden

Drastic sex-dependent etiological distribution in severe liver diseases from Gabon

International audienceChronic liver diseases still represent a worrying public health issue in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, emphasis is generally made on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) albeit liver cirrhosis (LC) is also responsible for an important death toll. Very few studies have compared the presentation and etiologies of cancer and cirrhosis of the liver in Middle Africa. We conducted a comparative retrospective analysis of 74 and 134 cases of patients with HCC and LC treated in Libreville, Gabon. Viral or lifestyle risk factors, clinical symptoms, and biological features were compared. We observed that ages of diagnosis were 53.2 ± 15.7 years and 48.6 ± 18.6 years for HCC and LC with remarkably low M:F sex ratios (1.3–1.8). Ethanol consumption was highly prevalent in both disease types (65.0%–70.0%). Chronic viral infections with hepatitis B (HBV) or C (HCV) virus were also widespread with slight domination of the former in both diseases (43.4% vs. 34.3%, and 35.9% vs. 28.5%). Patients with HCC were presenting very late with a mean diameter of the main nodule of 84 ± 50 mm and a multifocal pattern in 72.7% of cases. HCC developed on a cirrhotic liver in 91.7% of cases. Serum AFP was frankly elevated (>400 ng/ml) in only 35.8% of HCC cases. The most striking feature of the HCC series was the contrasted contribution of distinct pathogenic etiologies involving sex, viral, metabolic, and toxic factors. A frequently dysmetabolic condition synergizing with hepatitis C (anti-HCV, 73.8% vs 22.7%, p < 0.0001) in females and a male cancer promoted by recreational toxicants and chronic hepatitis B (HBsAg, 83.5% vs 35.9%, p < 0.0001) were observed. Men with HCC were considerably younger than women (46.8 ± 14.5 years vs. 62.2 ± 12.2 years, p < 0.0001). Further studies are now warranted to identify routes of HCV transmission and if they are still fueling reservoirs of future patients. Public policies to prevent alcohol-related harm have also to be urgently implemented in Gabon

Genome-wide profiling of human papillomavirus DNA integration in liquid-based cytology specimens from a Gabonese female population using HPV capture technology

Abstract Human papillomavirus (HPV) is recognised as the cause of precancerous and cancerous cervical lesions. Furthermore, in high-grade lesions, HPV is frequently integrated in the host cell genome and associated with the partial or complete loss of the E1 and E2 genes, which regulate the activity of viral oncoproteins E6 and E7. In this study, using a double-capture system followed by high-throughput sequencing, we determined the HPV integration status present in liquid-based cervical smears in an urban Gabonese population. The main inclusion criteria were based on cytological grade and the detection of the HPV16 genotype using molecular assays. The rate of HPV integration in the host genome varied with cytological grade: 85.7% (6/7), 71.4% (5/7), 66.7% (2/3) 60% (3/5) and 30.8% (4/13) for carcinomas, HSIL, ASCH, LSIL and ASCUS, respectively. For high cytological grades (carcinomas and HSIL), genotypes HPV16 and 18 represented 92.9% of the samples (13/14). The integrated form of HPV16 genotype was mainly found in high-grade lesions in 71.4% of samples regardless of cytological grade. Minority genotypes (HPV33, 51, 58 and 59) were found in LSIL samples, except HPV59, which was identified in one HSIL sample. Among all the HPV genotypes identified after double capture, 10 genotypes (HPV30, 35, 39, 44, 45, 53, 56, 59, 74 and 82) were detected only in episomal form. Our study revealed that the degree of HPV integration varies with cervical cytological grade. The integration event might be a potential clinical prognostic biomarker for the prediction of the progression of neoplastic lesions

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Associated With Severity, Clinical Outcomes, and Mortality of COVID-19 Infection in Gabon

International audienceImportance: Since the emergence of COVID-19 in central China, sub-Saharan African countries, with the exception of South Africa, have been relatively spared during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, few descriptive studies from this region are available.Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 infection in Gabon, from March to June 2020.Design, setting, and participants: A single-center, cross-sectional study of 837 patients with COVID-19 was conducted from March to June 2020 in the Armed Forces Hospital in Libreville, Gabon.Main outcomes and measures: Demographic and clinical characteristics and imaging findings of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.Results: Of the 837 patients enrolled, 572 (68.3%) were men, and 264 (31.5%) were women (male to female ratio, 2:1); the median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 35 (30-45) years (mean [SD] age, 38.0 [12.2] years. The mortality rate associated with COVID-19 was low (1.4%). Of these 837 patients, 524 (62.6%) were categorized as having no symptoms, 282 (33.7%) as having mild symptoms, and 31 (3.7%) as having severe symptoms. Patients with severe symptoms were older (mean [SD] age, 46.1 [14.7] years) than patients with mild symptoms (mean [SD] age, 41.3 [12.5] years) and those with no symptoms (mean [SD] age, 35.7 [11.3] years) (Kruskal-Wallis χ22 = 53.5; P < .001). History of diabetes was the principal risk factor associated with both severe symptoms in 5 of 31 patients (16.1%) and mild symptoms in 11 of 282 (3.9%) compared with no symptoms in 5 of 524 (0.9%) (Pearson χ22 = 30.9; P < .001). Patients with severe symptoms and a fatal outcome were older (mean [SD] age, 53.4 [15.1] years) than survivors (mean [SD] age, 41.5 [12.9] years) (t20.83 = 2.2; P = .03).Conclusions and relevance: In this single-center, cross-sectional study in Libreville, Gabon, the mortality rate associated with COVID-19 infection from March to June 2020 was low, and patients who died of COVID-19 infection were younger on average than reported elsewhere, possibly reflecting a smaller elderly population in Gabon

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Associated With Severity, Clinical Outcomes, and Mortality of COVID-19 Infection in Gabon

International audienceImportance: Since the emergence of COVID-19 in central China, sub-Saharan African countries, with the exception of South Africa, have been relatively spared during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, few descriptive studies from this region are available.Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 infection in Gabon, from March to June 2020.Design, setting, and participants: A single-center, cross-sectional study of 837 patients with COVID-19 was conducted from March to June 2020 in the Armed Forces Hospital in Libreville, Gabon.Main outcomes and measures: Demographic and clinical characteristics and imaging findings of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.Results: Of the 837 patients enrolled, 572 (68.3%) were men, and 264 (31.5%) were women (male to female ratio, 2:1); the median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 35 (30-45) years (mean [SD] age, 38.0 [12.2] years. The mortality rate associated with COVID-19 was low (1.4%). Of these 837 patients, 524 (62.6%) were categorized as having no symptoms, 282 (33.7%) as having mild symptoms, and 31 (3.7%) as having severe symptoms. Patients with severe symptoms were older (mean [SD] age, 46.1 [14.7] years) than patients with mild symptoms (mean [SD] age, 41.3 [12.5] years) and those with no symptoms (mean [SD] age, 35.7 [11.3] years) (Kruskal-Wallis χ22 = 53.5; P < .001). History of diabetes was the principal risk factor associated with both severe symptoms in 5 of 31 patients (16.1%) and mild symptoms in 11 of 282 (3.9%) compared with no symptoms in 5 of 524 (0.9%) (Pearson χ22 = 30.9; P < .001). Patients with severe symptoms and a fatal outcome were older (mean [SD] age, 53.4 [15.1] years) than survivors (mean [SD] age, 41.5 [12.9] years) (t20.83 = 2.2; P = .03).Conclusions and relevance: In this single-center, cross-sectional study in Libreville, Gabon, the mortality rate associated with COVID-19 infection from March to June 2020 was low, and patients who died of COVID-19 infection were younger on average than reported elsewhere, possibly reflecting a smaller elderly population in Gabon

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics Associated With Severity, Clinical Outcomes, and Mortality of COVID-19 Infection in Gabon

International audienceImportance: Since the emergence of COVID-19 in central China, sub-Saharan African countries, with the exception of South Africa, have been relatively spared during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, few descriptive studies from this region are available.Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 infection in Gabon, from March to June 2020.Design, setting, and participants: A single-center, cross-sectional study of 837 patients with COVID-19 was conducted from March to June 2020 in the Armed Forces Hospital in Libreville, Gabon.Main outcomes and measures: Demographic and clinical characteristics and imaging findings of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.Results: Of the 837 patients enrolled, 572 (68.3%) were men, and 264 (31.5%) were women (male to female ratio, 2:1); the median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 35 (30-45) years (mean [SD] age, 38.0 [12.2] years. The mortality rate associated with COVID-19 was low (1.4%). Of these 837 patients, 524 (62.6%) were categorized as having no symptoms, 282 (33.7%) as having mild symptoms, and 31 (3.7%) as having severe symptoms. Patients with severe symptoms were older (mean [SD] age, 46.1 [14.7] years) than patients with mild symptoms (mean [SD] age, 41.3 [12.5] years) and those with no symptoms (mean [SD] age, 35.7 [11.3] years) (Kruskal-Wallis χ22 = 53.5; P < .001). History of diabetes was the principal risk factor associated with both severe symptoms in 5 of 31 patients (16.1%) and mild symptoms in 11 of 282 (3.9%) compared with no symptoms in 5 of 524 (0.9%) (Pearson χ22 = 30.9; P < .001). Patients with severe symptoms and a fatal outcome were older (mean [SD] age, 53.4 [15.1] years) than survivors (mean [SD] age, 41.5 [12.9] years) (t20.83 = 2.2; P = .03).Conclusions and relevance: In this single-center, cross-sectional study in Libreville, Gabon, the mortality rate associated with COVID-19 infection from March to June 2020 was low, and patients who died of COVID-19 infection were younger on average than reported elsewhere, possibly reflecting a smaller elderly population in Gabon