Augmentation de la résistance aux antibiotiques des Entérobactéries isolées à l’Institut National d’Hygiène de Lomé de 2010 à 2017: Increase in antibiotic resistance of Enterobacteriaceae isolated at the National Institute of Hygiene of Lomé from 2010 to 2017

Introduction: La résistance des Entérobactéries aux antibiotiques est un problème d’importance croissante en pratique médicale. L’objectif de cette étude était de déterminer le profil de résistance aux antibiotiques des Entérobactéries isolées à l’institut national d’hygiène (INH) de Lomé et d’analyser son évolution dans le temps. Méthodes: Il s’agissait d’une analyse rétrospective, sur une période de huit ans (2010-2017), portant sur l’ensemble des souches d’Entérobactéries isolées des prélèvements pathologiques analysés au laboratoire de bactériologie de l’INH. Résultats: Au total, 5910 Entérobactéries ont été isolées majoritairement des urines (59,59%), avec une prédominance d’Escherichia coli (63,93%) suivie de Klebsiella spp (22,86%). Entre 2010 et 2017, le taux de résistance des souches d’Escherichia coli a augmenté significativement de 18,69% à 39,26% (p< 0,0001) à la Ceftazidime ; de 1,68% à 40,22% à la Ceftriaxone (p< 0,0001) et de 42,37% à 63,23% (p< 0,0001) à la Ciprofloxacine. La résistance des souches de Klebsiella spp à la Ceftazidime a augmenté significativement de 25,26% à 42,54% (p< 0,0001) et celle à la Ceftriaxone de 2,17% à 41,79% (p< 0,0001) respectivement de 2010 à 2017. Conclusion: L’augmentation de la résistance des Entérobactéries aux antibiotiques et surtout l’évolution des résistances aux Céphalosporines de 3e Génération et aux Fluoroquinolones est un phénomène réel. Ceci exposera à des difficultés de prise en charge thérapeutique et nécessite la mise en place des dispositions idoines. Background: Antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriaceae is a growing problem in medical practice. The objective of this study was to determine the antibiotic resistance profile of Enterobacteriaceae isolated at the National Institute of Hygiene (INH) of Lomé and to analyse its evolution over time. Method: This was a retrospective analysis, over a period of eight years (2010-2017), of all strains of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from pathological samples analysed in the bacteriology laboratory of the INH. Results: A total of 5910 Enterobacteriaceae were isolated mainly from urine (59.59%), with a predominance of Escherichia coli (63.93%) followed by Klebsiella spp (22.86%). Between 2010 and 2017, the resistance rate of Escherichia coli strains increased significantly from 18.69% to 39.26% (p<0.0001) to Ceftazidime; from 1.68% to 40.22% to Ceftriaxone (p<0.0001) and from 42.37% to 63.23% (p<0.0001) to Ciprofloxacin. Resistance of Klebsiella spp strains to Ceftazidime increased significantly from 25.26% to 42.54% (p< 0.0001) and to Ceftriaxone from 2.17% to 41.79% (p< 0.0001) respectively from 2010 to 2017. Conclusion: The increase in antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriaceae and especially the evolution of resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones is a real phenomenon. This will lead to difficulties in therapeutic management and requires the implementation of appropriate measures

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