Analysis of nucleic acids extracted from rapid diagnostic tests reveals a significant proportion of false positive test results associated with recent malaria treatment

Background: Surveillance programmes often use malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to determine the proportion of the population carrying parasites in their peripheral blood to assess the malaria transmission intensity. Despite an increasing number of reports on false-negative and false-positive RDT results, there is a lack of systematic quality control activities for RDTs deployed in malaria surveillance programmes. Methods: The diagnostic performance of field-deployed RDTs used for malaria surveys was assessed by retrospective molecular analysis of the blood retained on the tests. Results: Of the 2865 RDTs that were collected in 2018 on Bioko Island and analysed in this study, 4.7% had a falsenegative result. These false-negative RDTs were associated with low parasite density infections. In 16.6% of analysed samples, masked pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene deletions were identified, in which at least one Plasmodium falciparum strain carried a gene deletion. Among all positive RDTs analysed, 28.4% were tested negative by qPCR and therefore considered to be false-positive. Analysing the questionnaire data collected from the participants, this high proportion of false-positive RDTs could be explained by P. falciparum histidine rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) antigen persistence after recent malaria treatment. Conclusion: Malaria surveillance depending solely on RDTs needs well-integrated quality control procedures to assess the extent and impact of reduced sensitivity and specificity of RDTs on malaria control programmes

Association de germes des urétrites et des vulvo-vaginites: Urethritis and vulvovaginitis associated to multiple pathogens. A study about 445 cases ·

Français Une étude rétrospective a été  menée  au dispensaire antivénérien(DAV) de  l'Institut  national  de santé publique d'Adjamé durant deux années (1997 et  1998) sur les associations de germes. En effet ces associations de germes sont de plus en plus observées (445 patients sur 856) dans les urétrites et dans les vulvo-vaginites, et sont source d'erreur diagnostique et surtout source de résistance thérapeutique, d'où l'intérêt d'identifier les caractéristiques de ces associat ions dont une bonne connaissance conditionne l'efficacité de la lutte antivénérienne. A l'issue de cette étude, les constats suivants ont été faits : - les urétrites et les vulvo-vaginites à germes multiples sont très fréquentes (52 % des cas) et touchent beaucoup plus l'homme que la femme dans l'ordre de 62,22 % des cas soit un sex-ratio de l,5 ; - concernant l'âge ; il s'agit de sujets jeunes ayant une moyenne d'âge de 29 ans avec un pic dans la tranche de 20-29 ans ; - ce sont le plus souvent des célibataires (62,6%) exerçant des petits métiers ou des chômeurs (56,4%) ; - qui sont porteurs des associations de germes sui vantes par ordre de fréquence : Mycoplasme + Gardenella Vaginalis (28 %) ; Mycoplasme + Neisseria Gonorrhoeae (25,3 %) ; Mycoplasme + Neissera Gonorrhoeae + Gardenella Vaginalis (8,7 %) ; Mycoplasme + Chlamydiae Trachomatis (7,2 %) Anglais A retrospective study was carried at the antivenereal dispensary (DAV) of the national institute of public health at Adjamé (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire) during two years (1997 and 1998). The aim of this study was to evaluate associations of multiples pathogen s with urethritis or vulvovaginitis. Such associations have been more and more observed (445 patients over 856) with urethritis or vulvovaginitis, and they are more often source of diagnosis errors and often source of resistance to treatment.Whence the interest to identify the caracteristic of theses associations of which a good   knowledge can support an efficiency struggle of antivenereal deseases. At the end of this study some remarks has been made: - the urethritis and the vulvovaginitis at multiples pathogen  are very frequent (52% of cases); they affect men more than women in the order of 62.22 % of cases that is to say one sex ratio of  l.5. -concerning the age, it is about some young subjects with an average of 29 years with one peak of 53.1% in the period of 20 to 29 years old. - these are unmarried people (62.6 CA-) carrying out either some small jobs or are unemployed (56.41A- ). who are carrier of the following germs associations by frequency order * Mycoplasma + Gardenella Vaginal is (28 CA- ) * Mycoplasma + Neisseria Gonorrhoeae (25.3 CA-) * Mycoplasma + Neisseria Gonorrhoeae+ Gardenella Vaginalis (8.7 %) *Mycoplasma + Chlamydia Trachomatis (7.2 CA-)

Melanoma of the Right Foot Simulating Kaposi’s Disease

Melanoma is a malignant tumor rarely being described in sub-Saharan Africa. We reported an unusual and atypical clinical presentation. It was a 59-year-old patient who was hospitalized for a monomelic black tumor evolving for 10 years. Histopathological examination confirmed the melanocytic origin of this tumor. Paraclinical assessment did not find any visceral metastasis. A partial resection of the tumor was performed. The patient left the hospital against medical consent due to lack of technical facilities. The delay in the consultation and the lack of knowledge of melanoma by doctors and patients might contribute to the severity and the difficulties of its management

MitoQ Blunts Mitochondrial and Renal Damage during Cold Preservation of Porcine Kidneys

Cold preservation has greatly facilitated the use of cadaveric kidneys for transplantation but damage occurs during the preservation episode. It is well established that oxidant production increases during cold renal preservation and mitochondria are a key target for injury. Our laboratory has demonstrated that cold storage of renal cells and rat kidneys leads to increased mitochondrial superoxide levels and mitochondrial electron transport chain damage, and that addition of Mitoquinone (MitoQ) to the preservation solutions blunted this injury. In order to better translate animal studies, the inclusion of large animal models is necessary to develop safe preclinical protocols. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that addition of MitoQ to cold storage solution preserves mitochondrial function by decreasing oxidative stress, leading to less renal tubular damage during cold preservation of porcine kidneys employing a standard criteria donor model. Results showed that cold storage significantly induced oxidative stress (nitrotyrosine), renal tubular damage, and cell death. Using High Resolution Respirometry and fresh porcine kidney biopsies to assess mitochondrial function we showed that MitoQ significantly improved complex II/III respiration of the electron transport chain following 24 hours of cold storage. In addition, MitoQ blunted oxidative stress, renal tubular damage, and cell death after 48 hours. These results suggested that MitoQ decreased oxidative stress, tubular damage and cell death by improving mitochondrial function during cold storage. Therefore this compound should be considered as an integral part of organ preservation solution prior to transplantation