Nutritional and socio-economic factors associated with Plasmodium falciparum infection in children from Equatorial Guinea: results from a nationally representative survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria has traditionally been a major endemic disease in Equatorial Guinea. Although parasitaemia prevalence on the insular region has been substantially reduced by vector control in the past few years, the prevalence in the mainland remains over 50% in children younger than five years. The aim of this study is to investigate the risk factors for parasitaemia and treatment seeking behaviour for febrile illness at country level, in order to provide evidence that will reinforce the EG National Malaria Control Programme.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was a cross-sectional survey of children 0 to 5 years old, using a multistaged, stratified, cluster-selected sample at the national level. It included a socio-demographic, health and dietary questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and thick and thin blood smears to determine the <it>Plasmodium </it>infection. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine risk factors for parasitaemia, taking into account the cluster design.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The overall prevalence of parasitemia was 50.9%; it was higher in rural (58.8%) compared to urban areas (44.0%, p = 0.06). Age was positively associated with parasitemia (p < 0.0001). In rural areas, risk factors included longer distance to health facilities (p = 0.01) and a low proportion of households with access to protected water in the community (p = 0.02). Having had an episode of cough in the 15 days prior to the survey was inversely related to parasitemia (p = 0.04). In urban areas, the risk factors were stunting (p = 0.005), not having taken colostrum (p = 0.01), and that someone in the household slept under a bed net (p = 0.002); maternal antimalarial medication intake during pregnancy (p = 0.003) and the household socio-economic status (p = 0.0002) were negatively associated with parasitemia. Only 55% of children with fever were taken outside their homes for care, and treatment seeking behaviour differed substantially between rural and urban populations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Results suggest that a national programme to fight malaria in Equatorial Guinea should take into account the differences between rural and urban communities in relation to risk factors for parasitaemia and treatment seeking behaviour, integrate nutrition programmes, incorporate campaigns on the importance of early treatment, and target appropriately for bed nets to reach the under-fives.</p

Approche processuelle (Rumination mentale) de l’étiologie des troubles anxio-dépressifs chez les patients diabétiques de type 2 : quels sont les facteurs déterminants ?

Introduction : L’annonce du diagnostic et les exigences de soins que le diabète de type 2 impose ont une influence sur la santé mentale et la qualité de vie des patients. Plus de 40 % des patients rapportent un bien-être psychologique insuffisant. Nous nous intéressons dans ce travail à l’étiologie de ces troubles psychologiques chez les patients diabétiques de type 2. L’objectif de l’étude est d’identifier les facteurs étiologiques des symptômes anxio-dépressifs observés chez ces patients. Méthode : Nous avons recruté 154 patients diabétiques de type 2 dont l’âge varie entre 30 et 79 ans. Nous avons recueilli les données à l’aide de plusieurs questionnaires parmi lesquels : un questionnaire d’élaboration propre explorant les facteurs biologiques et sociaux ; l’Échelle de Réajustement social de Holmes et Rahes ; le score Adverse Childhood Expériences ; la Mini Cambridge Exeter Repetitive Thought Scale et le Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Les données collectées ont été analysées à l’aide du logiciel SPSS 21. Résultats : l'analyse des données montre qu'il existe une corrélation entre la rumination mentale et les symptômes anxieux et dépressifs présents chez les patients diabétiques. Nous constatons également que les expériences de vie défavorables vécues dans l’enfance et l’adolescence ; les événements de vies stressants sont corrélés à la rumination mentale. Conclusion: Ces résultats mettent en évidence que les expériences de vie défavorables vécues dans l’enfance et l’adolescence et les événements de vies stressants constituent les facteurs circonstanciels qui participent via la rumination mentale à l’apparition et au maintien des troubles anxieux dépressifs chez les patients diabétiques de type 2. Si l'on considère les relations existantes entre stress, système hormonal et diabète de type 2, ces résultats suggèrent également d'explorer le potentiel rôle joué par les expériences de vie défavorables vécues dans l'enfance et l'adolescence dans l'apparition du diabète de type 2

Hydromechanical behaviour of BTCs with Canarium schweinfurthii and Cocos nucifera aggregates: sustainability analysis

Ce travail s’intéresse à l’impact de l’humidité sur le comportement mécanique du matériau terre dans son ensemble. Les matériaux testés sont à base de la terre de la ville de Douala dans la région du littoral-Cameroun. Des granulats de Canarium schweinfurthii (CS) et Cocos nucifera (CN) sont utilisés comme charges et un ciment comme stabilisant. Les échantillons parallélépipédiques de 220x95x45 mm3 sont réalisés à une presse hydraulique manuelle à la pression de compactage de 10 MPa. Quatre solutions aqueuses salines (KOH, NaCl, K2SO4, Na2Cr2O7) ont permis de conditionner les briques dans des bacs adiabatiques pendant 24 heures après différents jours de maturation (7, 14 et 28) jours. Les essais mécaniques de flexion 3-points et compression simple sont réalisés sur les échantillons conditionnés. Il en ressort que le comportement hydromécanique des BTC avec granulats de CS et CN suit un modèle linéaire pour les plages d’humidité relative obtenues

WHAT ARE THE DETERMINING FACTORS OF THE PREMATURE BABY’S ABILITIES DEVELOPMENT ? : A correlational study of preterm KMC developmental characteristics in Cameroon

The premature arrival of the baby in the world is a situation that can threaten its further development. This article raises the problem of development of premature babies and proposes to look for the determining factors which act on this one. We performed 265 assessments of premature babies aged 5 to 20 months of age using the Griffiths Developmental Test. On the other hand, we considered antenatal, perinatal and postnatal information related to the parameters of babies and to the care received by them. These informations were cross-tabulated with infant developmental test scores using the Pearson correlation coefficient. A first striking result is that there is no significant correlation between gestational age and developmental test results in infants. Another striking result is that the weight of the baby at 40 weeks is significantly correlated with the development of each of the dimensions assessed by the Griffiths test; motor skills (r=0,268 ; p˂0,01), sociability/autonomy (r=0,212 ; p˂0,01), hearing/language (r=0,261 ; p˂0,01), oculomotor coordination (r=0.233 ; p˂0.01) and execution (r=0.251 ; p˂0.01). These results highlight the fact that the period before 40 weeks is a critical moment for the further development of premature babies. The care that the baby receives during this period must therefore promote good weight growth to ensure good development to him. And the compliance to the kangaroo mother care has showed his efficiency in this regard.L’arrivée prématurée du bébé au monde est une situation qui peut menacer son développement ultérieur. Cet article pose le problème du développement chez le prématuré et se propose de rechercher les facteurs déterminants qui agissent sur celui-ci. Nous avons effectué à l’aide du test développemental de Griffiths 265 évaluations de bébés prématurés âgés entre 5 et 20 mois d’âge corrigé. Nous avons d’autre part considéré les informations anténatales, périnatales et postnatales liées aux paramètres des bébés et aux soins reçus par ces derniers. Ces informations ont été croisées avec les scores au test développemental des bébés à l’aide du coefficient de corrélation de Pearson. Un premier résultat marquant est qu’il n’y a aucune corrélation significative entre l’âge gestationnel et les résultats au test développemental des bébés. Un autre résultat marquant est que le poids du bébé à 40 semaines est significativement corrélé au développement de chacune des dimensions évaluées par le test de Griffiths ; motricité (r=0,268 ; p˂0,01), sociabilité/autonomie (r=0,212 ; p˂0,01), audition/langage (r=0,261 ; p˂0,01), coordination oculomotrice (r=0,233 ; p˂0,01) et exécution (r=0,251 ; p˂0,01). Ces résultats mettent en évidence le fait que la période d’avant 40 semaines constitue un moment critique pour le développement ultérieur du prématuré. Les soins que le bébé reçoit pendant cette période doivent donc favoriser une bonne croissance pondérale pour lui assurer un bon développement. Et la compliance à la méthode mère kangourou a fait ses preuves en la matière

Response of cassava cultivars to African cassava mosaic virus infection across a range of inoculum doses and plant ages.

Cassava production in Africa is constrained by cassava mosaic disease (CMD) that is caused by the Cassava mosaic virus (CMV). The aim of this study was to evaluate the responses of a range of commonly cultivated West African cassava cultivars to varying inoculum doses of African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV). We grafted 10 cultivars of cassava plants with different inoculum doses of CMV (namely two, four, or six CMD-infected buds) when the experimental plants were 8, 10, or 12 weeks old, using non-inoculated plants as controls. Three cultivars showed disease symptoms when grafted with two buds, and four cultivars showed disease symptoms when grafted with four or six buds. Most cultivars became symptomatic six weeks after inoculation, but one ('TMS92/0326') was symptomatic two weeks after inoculation, and two ('Ntollo' and 'Excel') were symptomatic after four weeks. Root weight tended to be lower in the six-bud than in the two-bud dose, and disease severity varied with plant age at inoculation. These results indicate that the level of CMD resistance in cassava cultivars varies with inoculum dose and timing of infection. This will allow appropriate cultivars to be deployed in each production zone of Africa in accordance with the prevalence of CMD

Long-term neurological symptoms after acute COVID-19 illness requiring hospitalization in adult patients: insights from the ISARIC-COVID-19 follow-up study

in this study we aimed to characterize the type and prevalence of neurological symptoms related to neurological long-COVID-19 from a large international multicenter cohort of adults after discharge from hospital for acute COVID-19

Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital with and without respiratory symptoms

Background: COVID-19 is primarily known as a respiratory illness; however, many patients present to hospital without respiratory symptoms. The association between non-respiratory presentations of COVID-19 and outcomes remains unclear. We investigated risk factors and clinical outcomes in patients with no respiratory symptoms (NRS) and respiratory symptoms (RS) at hospital admission. Methods: This study describes clinical features, physiological parameters, and outcomes of hospitalised COVID-19 patients, stratified by the presence or absence of respiratory symptoms at hospital admission. RS patients had one or more of: cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose or wheezing; while NRS patients did not. Results: Of 178,640 patients in the study, 86.4&nbsp;% presented with RS, while 13.6&nbsp;% had NRS. NRS patients were older (median age: NRS: 74 vs RS: 65) and less likely to be admitted to the ICU (NRS: 36.7&nbsp;% vs RS: 37.5&nbsp;%). NRS patients had a higher crude in-hospital case-fatality ratio (NRS 41.1&nbsp;% vs. RS 32.0&nbsp;%), but a lower risk of death after adjusting for confounders (HR 0.88 [0.83-0.93]). Conclusion: Approximately one in seven COVID-19 patients presented at hospital admission without respiratory symptoms. These patients were older, had lower ICU admission rates, and had a lower risk of in-hospital mortality after adjusting for confounders