Plasmodium falciparum malaria co-infection with tick-borne relapsing fever in Dakar

Abstract Background West African tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) due to Borrelia crocidurae and malaria are co-endemics in Senegal. Although expected to be high, co-infections are rarely reported. A case of falciparum malaria and B. crocidurae co-infection in a patient from Velingara (South of Senegal) is discussed. Case A 28\ua0year-old-male patient presented to Aristide Le Dantec Hospital for recurrent fever. He initially presented to a local post health of Pikine (sub-urban of Dakar) and was diagnosed for malaria on the basis of positive malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) specific to Plamodium falciparum . The patient was treated as uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Four days after admission the patient was referred to Le Dantec Hospital. He presented with fever (39\ua0\ub0C), soreness, headache and vomiting. The blood pressure was 120/80\ua0mmHg. The rest of the examination was normal. A thick film from peripheral blood was performed and addressed to the parasitology laboratory of the hospital. Thick film was stained with 10% Giemsa. Trophozoite of P. falciparum was identified at parasite density of 47 parasites per microlitre. The presence of Borrelia was also observed, concluding to malaria co-infection with borreliosis. Conclusions Signs of malaria can overlap with signs of borreliosis leading to the misdiagnosis of the latter. Thick and thin smear or QBC test or molecular method may be helpful to detect both Plamodium species and Borrelia . In addition, there is a real need to consider co-infections with other endemics pathogens when diagnosing malaria

Onychomycosis Caused by Fusarium

Fusarium spp. represent 9 to 44% of onychomycoses caused by fungi other than dermatophytes. This retrospective study describes 17 cases of Fusarium onychomycosis diagnosed at the Laboratory of Parasitology and Mycology of Le Dantec University Hospital in Dakar, Senegal, from 2014 to 2016. It included all patients received in the laboratory for suspicion of onychomycosis between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2016. Diagnosis was based on mycological examination including direct examination and culture. Mycological analysis was considered positive when direct examination and culture were positive after at least one repeat. Seventeen Fusarium onychomycosis cases representing 12.9% of all onychomycoses reported were diagnosed. There were 5 cases on the fingernails and 12 on the toenails in 6 males and 11 females, and the mean age was 44 years (range: 26–64). Onychomycoses were diagnosed in immunocompetent patients except in a diabetic patient. The mean duration of lesions was 4.9 years (range: 1–15), and distal subungual onychomycosis was predominant. Almost all patients were from suburban areas of Dakar region. The most frequent species isolated belong to Fusarium solani complex. Because of the risk of disseminated infection in immunocompromised patients, realization of susceptibility tests is necessary to ensure better therapeutic management

Evaluation of the multiplex real time PCR DermaGenius assay for the detection of dermatophytes in hair samples from Senegal

peer reviewe

Strengthening psychosocial support and emergency response in Senegal : lessons from a tragic traffic accident: Strengthening Psychosocial Support and Emergency Response in Senegal: Lessons from a Tragic Traffic Accident

International audienceOn January 8, 2023, Senegal experienced a tragic traffic accident that claimed the lives of 42 people and left approximately 100 injured. During such events, the victims, their families, the first responders to arrive on the scene and the frontline personnel must benefit from medical and psychological care. Promptly, the Emergency Health Operations Center (EOC) acted, activating the Kaolack mobile psycho-social intervention and Support Team in addition to deploying mental health professionals in Kaffrine. On-site in Kaffrine, a medical-psychological emergency cell was established. This cell efficiently organized immediate and post-immediate care, offering individual and group counseling sessions tailored to the specific needs of each person affected. Approximately sixty direct or indirect victims received psychological assistance. Beyond the challenges inherent in managing such events and considering their increasing occurrence in our country, a vital lesson emerged-the necessity of formalizing Mobile Intervention and Psychosocial Support Teams in every region for the effective management of medical-psychological emergencies.Cet article rend compte du processus de création d’un dispositif d’urgence innovant au Sénégal, l’Équipe mobile d’intervention et de soutien psychosocial, en rappelant comment au début des années 2000 une tragédie bouleverse le pays et amorce la réflexion sur le suivi psychosocial dans un contexte politique assujetti à l’idiome de la résilience. La création de l’EMIS semble paradoxale, puisqu’elle requiert et valorise des compétences en psychologie et en psychiatrie qui en temps ordinaire sont peu soutenues par les politiques sociales et de santé

Onychomycosis Caused by Fusarium spp. in Dakar, Senegal: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Mycological Study

Fusarium spp. represent 9 to 44% of onychomycoses caused by fungi other than dermatophytes. This retrospective study describes 17 cases of Fusarium onychomycosis diagnosed at the Laboratory of Parasitology and Mycology of Le Dantec University Hospital in Dakar, Senegal, from 2014 to 2016. It included all patients received in the laboratory for suspicion of onychomycosis between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2016. Diagnosis was based on mycological examination including direct examination and culture. Mycological analysis was considered positive when direct examination and culture were positive after at least one repeat. Seventeen Fusarium onychomycosis cases representing 12.9% of all onychomycoses reported were diagnosed. There were 5 cases on the fingernails and 12 on the toenails in 6 males and 11 females, and the mean age was 44 years (range: 26–64). Onychomycoses were diagnosed in immunocompetent patients except in a diabetic patient. The mean duration of lesions was 4.9 years (range: 1–15), and distal subungual onychomycosis was predominant. Almost all patients were from suburban areas of Dakar region. The most frequent species isolated belong to Fusarium solani complex. Because of the risk of disseminated infection in immunocompromised patients, realization of susceptibility tests is necessary to ensure better therapeutic management

A Comparative Study on Phenotypic versus ITS-Based Molecular Identification of Dermatophytes Isolated in Dakar, Senegal

International audienc

Evaluation of knowledge and experience of fungal infections (mycoses) among clinical doctors in Senegal

International audienc

Les Syndromes Drépanocytaires Majeurs Chez L’enfant et L’adolescent: Étude de la Cohorte du Centre Hospitalier Régional de Saint-Louis (Sénégal)

La drépanocytose est une maladie héréditaire de l’hémoglobine, à transmission autosomique récessive, caractérisée par la présence d’une hémoglobine anormale appelée « hémoglobine S ». Les syndromes drépanocytaires majeurs regroupent la forme homozygote « SS » et les hétérozygoties composites (SC, SD et S béta thalassémie « Sβ »). Depuis février 2011, une cohorte d’enfants et d’adolescents atteints de syndrome drépanocytaire majeur est suivi au Centre Hospitalier Régional de Saint-Louis, Sénégal. Cette cohorte a fait l’objet de notre travail dont l’objectif principal était de décrire les caractéristiques épidémiologiques, cliniques, biologiques et évolutifs. Il s’agissait d’une étude épidémiologique, rétrospective et descriptive portant sur l’ensemble des dossiers des patients âgés de 0 à 20 ans, porteurs d’un syndrome drépanocytaire majeur, régulièrement suivis à la période du 1er janvier 2011 au 31 décembre 2016 (6 ans). Le diagnostic de syndrome drépanocytaire majeur était établi sur la base d’une NFS et d’une électrophorèse de l’hémoglobine. Durant la période d’étude 191 patients porteurs d’un syndrome drépanocytaire majeur ont été suivis au Centre Hospitalier Régional de Saint-Louis, Sénégal. Cent vingt-sept (127) dossiers ont été retenus dont 71 garçons et 56 filles. La majorité des patients (111 soit 87%) étaient de profil homozygote « SS ». L’âge moyen au diagnostic de la maladie était de 4 ans et 10 mois et l’âge moyen de début du suivi était de 6 ans 2 mois. Les circonstances de découverte de la maladie étaient dominées par une crise vaso-occlusive (58,5 % des cas). Le taux d’hémoglobine de base moyen était de 8,6 g/dl. Les deux principales complications aiguës rencontrées étaient une anémie aigue (22 %) et les infections sévères (22 %). Les complications chroniques étaient dominées par la lithiase vésiculaire (5,5 %). Le nombre moyen d’hospitalisation était de 1,9. La létalité était de 3,1 %. La drépanocytose est fréquente au Sénégal. Elle est relativement bien tolérée malgré son diagnostic et sa prise en charge tardifs. Pour améliorer la prise en charge et le pronostic des malades, il sera nécessaire de mettre en place un programme national de dépistage néonatal et la création de centres de référence de prise en charge et de suivi des patients drépanocytaires. Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease of hemoglobin, with recessive autosomal transmission, characterized by the presence of an abnormal hemoglobin called hemoglobin "S". Major sickle cell syndromes include the homozygote form "SS" and composite heterozygous (SC, SD and S beta thalassemia). Since February 2011, a cohort of children and adolescents with sickle cell disease has been monitored at the St. Louis Regional Hospital Center, Senegal. This cohort was the focus of our work, the main objective of which was to describe epidemiological, clinical, biological, and evolutionary characteristics. This was an epidemiological, retrospective, and descriptive study of all the records of patients aged 0 to 20 years, with major sickle cell syndrome, regularly followed in the period from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2016 (6 years). The diagnosis of major sickle cell syndrome was based on hemogram and hemoglobin electrophoresis. During the study period 191 patients with major sickle cell syndrome were followed at St. Louis Regional Hospital Center, Senegal. One hundred and twenty-seven (127) were retained, including 71 boys and 56 girls. Most patients (111 or 87%) were of homozygotic "SS" profile. The average age at diagnosis of the disease was 4 years and 10 months and the average age of onset of follow-up was 6 years 2 months. The circumstances of discovery of the disease were dominated by a vaso-occlusive crisis (58.5% of cases). The average baseline hemoglobin level was 8.6 g/dL. The two main acute complications encountered were acute anaemia (22%) and severe infections (22%). Chronic complications were dominated by vesicular lithiasis (5.5%). The average number of hospitalizations was 1.9. The lethality was 3.1%. Sickle cell disease is common in Senegal. It is relatively well tolerated despite its late diagnosis and management. To improve the management and prognosis of patients, it will be necessary to set up a national neonatal screening program and the creation of referral centers for the management and follow-up of sickle cell patients.&nbsp

Tinea pedis due to Cylindrocarpon lichenicola beginning onycholysis

A 33 year old woman presented with both feet, humid and white Tinea pedis at the second, third and fourth inter-toes areas associated with a beginning onycholysis of the nails lasting for 18 months. KOH mount of the samples was positive for fungal hyphae. The fungus was isolated on Sabouraud-chlorampphenicol agar and identified as Cylindrocarpon lichenicola. The patient was treated with an association of terbinafine tablet and terbinafine cream and presented clinical cure after three months