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Arboviruses represent a major cause of illness in Africa and have the potential to trigger widespread epidemics. We present data on arbovirus epidemics in Africa in 2023 and demonstrate the need for global public health authorities to intensify efforts in the surveillance and control of arbovirus diseases. Data were collected from the World Health Organization Weekly Bulletin on Outbreaks and Other Emergencies, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weekly Event Based Surveillance Report, and other online sources. In 2023, a total of 7 arboviruses were responsible for 29 outbreaks across 25 countries in Africa, 22 of which occurred in West Africa; the outbreaks resulted in 19,569 confirmed cases and 820 deaths. Arbovirus epidemics in Africa pose a threat not only to public health within the continent but also globally, underscoring the urgent need for substantial investment in arbovirus surveillance, research, and preparedness capacities in Africa to prevent and respond to health crises effectively.

Objective This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for neonatal sepsis among neonates admitted to selected health facilities in the Bamako district and Koulikoro region in Mali.Design This is a prospective cross-sectional study. Data were analyses using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression.Setting This facility-based study was conducted in four health facilities consisting of two hospitals and two reference health centres in Mali.Participants The study participants comprised 795 randomly selected neonates and their indexed mother.Outcome measures The primary outcome of the study was the prevalence of sepsis in the considered health facilities. The other variables of interest were risk factors for sepsis.Results The prevalence of neonatal sepsis among the study population was 21.00%. More than 74% of sepsis cases were early onset (

Background The arboviruses continue to be a threat to public health and socioeconomic development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Seroprevalence surveys can be used as a population surveillance strategy for arboviruses in the absence of treatment and vaccines for most arboviruses, guiding the public health interventions. The objective of this study was to analyse the seroprevalence of arboviruses in SSA through a systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus and ScienceDirect databases for articles published between 2000 and 2022 reporting the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to seven arboviruses in various human populations residing in SSA. The included studies were assessed using the checklist for assessing the risk of bias in prevalence studies, and the data were extracted using a standard form. A random effects model was used to estimate pooled seroprevalences. The potential sources of heterogeneity were explored through subgroup analyses and meta-regression. The protocol had been previously registered on International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews with the identifier: CRD42022377946.Results A total of 165 studies from 27 countries, comprising 186 332 participants, were included. Of these, 141 were low-risk and 24 were moderate-risk. The pooled IgG seroprevalence was 23.7% (17.9–30.0%) for Chikungunya virus, 22.7% (17.5–28.4%) for dengue virus, 22.6% (14.1–32.5%) for West Nile virus, 16.4% (7.1–28.5%) for yellow fever virus, 13.1% (6.4–21.7%) for Zika virus, 9.2% (6.5–12.3%) for Rift Valley fever virus and 6.0% (3.1–9.7) for Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses showed that seroprevalence differed considerably between countries, study populations, specific age categories, sample sizes and laboratory methods.Conclusion This SRMA provides information on the significant circulation of various arboviruses in SSA, which is essential for the adoption and planning of vaccines. These findings suggest the need to invest in surveillance and research activities on arbovirus in SSA countries to increase our understanding of their epidemiology to prevent and respond to future epidemics.

In Guinea, genomic surveillance has been established to generate sequences of and to identify locally circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. This study aims to describe the distributions, genetic diversity, and origins of SARS-CoV-2 lineages circulating in Guinea during the COVID-19 pandemic. A migration analysis was performed by selecting all sequences generated in Guinea for variants of concern and interest. From March 2020 to December 2023, 1038 sequences were generated in Guinea and submitted to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database. Of these, 73.1% corresponded to SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, which were further grouped into Omicron (69.4%), Delta (21.9%), Alpha (6.6%), and Eta (2.1%). Other variants accounted for 26.9% of the total. Among the total variants analyzed, 75 importations into Guinea from various countries worldwide were identified. Most of the importations (40%) originated from African countries, followed in significance by those from European countries (25.3%) and Asia (18.6%). A significant migratory flow was observed within Guinea. The genomic surveillance reported in this study revealed the diversity of SARS-CoV-2 variants circulating in Guinea, emphasizing the importance of large-scale sequencing analyses in understanding the dynamics of the pandemic.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of orthoebolavirus antibodies in Madina Oula, a non-epidemic rural area in Guinea, in 2022. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 14 to April 3, 2022 involving recording household and socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle data, and collecting dried blood spots from 878 individuals in 235 households. Dried blood spots were tested using multiplex serology to detect antibodies to different orthoebolaviruses: Ebola virus, Bundibugyo virus, Sudan virus, Reston virus, and Bombali virus. Seroprevalence was estimated with a 95% confidence interval and a Z-test was performed to compare the seropositivity between children aged under 15 years and those over 15 years. Household and participant characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistic, and socio-historical conditions were discussed. Results: The serological analysis conducted in 2022 on 878 participants revealed varying reactivity to orthoebolavirus antigens, notably, with glycoprotein antigens, particularly, glycoprotein Sudan virus (16%). A total of 21 samples exhibited reactivity with at least two antigens, with a median age of 27 years (interquartile range 10.00-35.00), ranging from 2 to 80 years. There is no significant difference between seropositivity in children aged under 15 (2.86%) years and those over 15 (2.14%) years. The antibody presence varied per village, with the highest prevalence observed in Ouassou and Dar-es-Salam. Conclusions: Serological data in a region unaffected by recent Ebola outbreaks indicate possible orthoebolavirus endemicity, emphasizing the need for preparedness against known or novel orthoebolaviruses with potential cross-reactivity.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with maternal and neonatal sepsis in sub-Saharan Africa.MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis used the PRISMA guideline on sepsis data in sub-Saharan Africa. The bibliographic search was carried out on the following databases: Medline/PubMed, Cochrane Library, African Index Medicus, and Google Scholar. Additionally, the reference lists of the included studies were screened for potentially relevant studies. The last search was conducted on 15 October 2022. The Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment checklist was applied for critical appraisal. Estimates of the prevalence of maternal and neonatal sepsis were pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis model. Heterogeneity between studies was estimated using the Q statistic and the I2 statistic. The funnel plot and Egger’s regression test were used to assess the publication bias.ResultsA total of 39 studies were included in our review: 32 studies on neonatal sepsis and 7 studies on maternal sepsis. The overall pooled prevalence of maternal and neonatal sepsis in Sub-Saharan Africa was 19.21% (95% CI, 11.46–26.97) and 36.02% (CI: 26.68–45.36), respectively. The meta-analyses revealed that Apgar score 12 h (OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.9–4.1), male sex (OR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1–1.4), intrapartum fever (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.5–3.7), and history of urinary tract infection in the mother (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4–5.2) are factors associated with neonatal sepsis. Rural residence (OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.01–10.9), parity (OR: 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3–0.7), prolonged labor (OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.6–6.9), and multiple digital vaginal examinations (OR: 4.4, 95% CI: 1.3–14.3) were significantly associated with maternal sepsis.ConclusionThe prevalence of maternal and neonatal sepsis was high in sub-Saharan Africa. Multiple factors associated with neonatal and maternal sepsis were identified. These factors could help in the prevention and development of strategies to combat maternal and neonatal sepsis. Given the high risk of bias and high heterogeneity, further high-quality research is needed in the sub-Saharan African context, including a meta-analysis of individual data.Systematic review registration: PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022382050).

Abstract Objective: To determine the factors associated with the nutritional status of children under 5 years of age in Guinea between 2005 and 2018. Design: Data from the 2005, 2012 and 2018 Guinea Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) were used for this study. Three anthropometric indicators (stunting, underweight and wasting) were assessed according to the 2006 WHO Child Growth Standards and analysed according to the year, the characteristics of the household, the child and the mother using multivariate logistic regression. Setting: Data were collected in the capital Conakry and in the seven administrative regions of Guinea. Participants: The study included children under 5 years of age for whom height and weight were available: 2765 (DHS-2005), 3220 (DHS-2012) and 3551 (DHS-2018). Results: Analysis of the data from the three surveys showed that children living in rural areas were more likely to be stunted than children living in urban areas (OR = 1·32, 95 % CI (1·08, 1·62)). Similarly, the children from middle, poor and the poorest households were more likely to be stunted and underweight than children from richest households. The chance to stunting increased with age in the first 3 years. However, the chance to wasting decreased with age. Children in all age groups were more likely of being underweight. Children of thin mothers were more likely to be both wasted (OR = 2·0, 95 % CI (1·5, 2·6)) and underweight (OR = 1·9, 95 % CI (1·5, 2·3)). Conclusion: The implementation of targeted interventions adapted to the observed disparities could considerably improve the nutritional status of children and mothers.

BackgroundThe escalating risk and contemporary occurrences of arbovirus infections prompt a critical inquiry into the ability of nations to execute efficient surveillance systems capable to detect, prevent and respond to arbovirus outbreaks. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the major actors in the surveillance of infectious diseases with epidemic potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of HCWs regarding arboviruses in the public health facilities of Conakry, Guinea.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted during the from December 27, 2022, to January 31, 2023, encompassing from public health facilities in Conakry. The data collection process encompassed various aspects, including the characteristics of health facilities, socio-demographic and professional attributes of HCWs, the information received concerning arboviruses and the sources of information, as well as a series of inquiries designed to evaluate their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions. Subsequently, scores were computed for knowledge, attitude and perception. To identify the factors influencing the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of HCWs regarding arboviruses, Decision Tree and Inference Conditional Tree models were used.ResultsA total of 352 HCWs participated in the study, comprising 219 from national hospitals, 72 from municipal hospitals and 61 from primary health centers. More than half of the respondents (54.3%) had never received information on arboviruses. Only 1% of the respondents had good knowledge about arboviruses, 95.7% had a negative attitude about arboviruses. Moreover, nearly 60% of the respondents had a moderate perception and 24.1% had a good perception. The analysis revealed significant associations between the knowledge and attitudes of respondents concerning arboviruses and their years of professional experience and age.ConclusionThis study highlights the imperative requirement for comprehensive training targeting HCWs to enhance their capacity for early case detection within healthcare facilities. Additionally, there is a crucial need for analogous studies adopting a mixed-methods approach across all healthcare regions in Guinea.

The epidemic of COVID-19 has shown different developments in Africa compared to the other continents. Three different approaches were used in this study to analyze this situation. In the first part, basic statistics were performed to estimate the contribution of the elderly people to the total numbers of cases and deaths in comparison to the other continents; Similarly, the health systems capacities were analysed to assess the level of underreporting. In the second part, differential equations were reconstructed from the epidemiological time series of cases and deaths (from the John Hopkins University) to analyse the dynamics of COVID-19 in seventeen countries. In the third part, the time evolution of the contact number was reconstructed since the beginning of the outbreak to investigate the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies. Results were compared to the Oxford stringency index and to the mobility indices of the Google Community Mobility Reports. Compared to Europe, the analyses show that the lower proportion of elderly people in Africa enables to explain the lower total numbers of cases and deaths by a factor of 5.1 on average (from 1.9 to 7.8). It corresponds to a genuine effect. Nevertheless, COVID-19 numbers are effectively largely underestimated in Africa by a factor of 8.5 on average (from 1.7 to 20. and more) due to the weakness of the health systems at country level. Geographically, the models obtained for the dynamics of cases and deaths reveal very diversified dynamics. The dynamics is chaotic in many contexts, including a situation of bistability rarely observed in dynamical systems. Finally, the contact number directly deduced from the epidemiological observations reveals an effective role of the mitigation strategies on the short term. On the long term, control measures have contributed to maintain the epidemic at a low level although the progressive release of the stringency did not produce a clear increase of the contact number. The arrival of the omicron variant is clearly detected and characterised by a quick increase of interpeople contact, for most of the African countries considered in the analysis.

Epidemic-prone diseases have high adverse impacts and pose important threats to global health security. This study aimed to assess levels of health facility preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Guinea. This was a cross-sectional study in public and private health facilities/services across 13 Guinean health districts. Managers and healthcare workers (HCWs) from departments in each facility/service were interviewed. Descriptive statistics and comparisons were presented using Pearson’s Chi-Squared Test or Fischer exact test. Totally, 197 managers and 1020 HCWs participated in the study. Guidance documents and dedicated spaces for management/isolation of suspected COVID-19 cases were available only in 29% and 26% of facilities, respectively. Capacities to collect (9%) and safely transport (14%) samples were low. Intensive care units (5%), dedicated patient beds (3%), oxygenators (2%), and respirators (0.6%) were almost lacking. While 36% of facilities/services had received infection prevention and control supplies, only 20% had supplies sufficient for 30 days. Moreover, only 9% of HCWs had received formal training on COVID-19. The main sources of information for HCWs were the media (90%) and the internet (58%). Only 30% of HCWs had received personal protective equipment, more in the public sector (p0.001) and in Conakry (p=0.022). This study showed low levels of preparedness of health facilities/services in Guinea and highlighted a lack of confidence among HCWs who felt unsafe at their workplace. Better governance to improve and maintain the capacity of the Guinean health system to respond to current and future epidemics is needed.

Patients who have recovered from Ebola virus can have ongoing health problems. Here, the authors show that 35 Guinean survivors of the last West African Ebola epidemic have a chronic disease with high inflammatory cytokine expression and other markers of immune activation as well as evidence of intestinal tissue damage nearly two years after their release from hospital.

Summary: Background: Insufficient long-term data are available on antibody kinetics in survivors of Ebola virus disease (EVD). Likewise, few studies, with very small sample sizes, have investigated cross-reactions between Ebolavirus spp. In this study, we aimed to assess the humoral antibody response and its determinants in survivors of EVD and assess cross-reactivity of antibodies between diverse Ebolavirus spp. Methods: In this observational, prospective cohort study, we collected blood samples from patients from three recruitment sites in Guinea included in the Postebogui study, and we assessed IgG antibody binding to recombinant glycoprotein, nucleoprotein, and 40-kDa viral protein (VP40) of Zaire (EBOV), Bundibugyo (BDBV), and Sudan (SUDV) Ebolaviruses. Participants from the PostEbogui study, from whom we had at least one blood sample that could be tested for the presence of antibodies, were eligible for this analysis. Patients in the PostEbogui study were assessed clinically at inclusion, 1 month and 3 months later, and subsequently every 6 months for up to 60 months after discharge from the Ebola treatment centre. We explored predictors of glycoprotein, nucleoprotein, and VP40 antibody concentrations through a linear mixed model. A logistic mixed model was done to estimate the probability of seropositivity and associated determinants. We assessed cross-reactivity by use of hierarchical cluster analysis. Findings: Of the 802 patients included in the Postebogui study, 687 were included in our analyses. 310 (45%) patients were men and 377 (55%) were women, with an overall median age at the time of the first blood sample of 27·3 years (IQR 19·5–38·2). We observed an overall significant decrease over time of EBOV antibodies, with antibodies against nucleoproteins decreasing more rapidly. At 60 months after discharge from the Ebola treatment centre, the probability of having antibodies against glycoproteins was 76·2% (95% CI 67·2–83·3), against nucleoproteins was 59·4% (46·3–71·3), and against VP40 was 60·9% (51·4–69·8). Persistence of EBOV RNA in semen was associated with higher concentrations of IgG antibodies against nucleoprotein EBOV antigens. Individually, we observed in some survivors an antibody wax-and-wane pattern. The proportion of cross-reactions was highest between glycoproteins from Kissidougou and Mayinga EBOV strains (94·5%, 95% CI 92·5–96·1), followed by EBOV VP40 and BDBV VP40 (88·3%, 85·7–90·6), and EBOV VP40 and SUDV VP40 (83·3%, 80·3–86·1). Interpretation: The probability for survivors of EVD to have antibodies against one or more EBOV antigens remained high, although approximately 25% of survivors had undetectable antibodies, which could have implications, such as a possible decreasing population immunity, for future Ebola outbreaks in the same region. Funding: Reacting–Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement, and Montpellier Université d'Excellence.

Background: Female sexual dysfunction is a highly prevalent sexual health problem but under-investigated in Guinea. This study determined the prevalence and risk factors associated with sexual dysfunction among women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Conakry. Methods: The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used in a cross-sectional study design involving 401 women aged 18 years or more in large HIV cohort sites in Conakry, Guinea. A score of less than 26.55 indicated sexual dysfunction. Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics were collected. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with sexual dysfunction. Results: The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 22.2% (95% CI: 18.2–25.9). The types of sexual dysfunctional detected included desire disorder (32.2%), sexual arousal (25.4%), lubrication (23.9%), orgasm (30.7%), sexual satisfaction (32.7%) and pain (28.2%). Multivariate analysis showed that unmarried (adjusted OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.6 to 14.0), age above 35 years old (adjusted OR 7.2, 95% CI 2.1 to 24.0), voluntary HIV screening (OR 4.69: 95% CI: 1.07, 21.93), and current use of antiretroviral drugs (OR 2.68: 95% CI: 1.28, 5.61) were factors associated with sexual dysfunction. Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction is prevalent in women infected with HIV in Conakry, Guinea. Sociodemographic and clinical factors were associated with the risk of sexual dysfunction. Health care workers should be trained on the screening and management of sexual dysfunction in HIV care services.

Abstract The aim of this study was to characterize agro-pastoralists’ preferences in dromedary rearing in the Koro district of Mali, which has experienced a decade of spontaneous development in using dromedaries for harnessed cultivation. Five criteria for assessment of dromedary types used for traction were identified through nine focus group discussions. The assessment criteria developed and estimated rates were the morphological characteristics (23.2%), disease resistance (14.1%), work attitude (26.3%), colour of the coat (25.3%) and docility (11.1%). A multi-attribute analysis method was applied with 115 dromedary owners. Conditional logit was used to estimate utility function and willingness to pay (WTP) for different attributes. Work attitude seems to be an important parameter for decision-making with a WTP amounting to 558.94 euros (614.94 USD). Disease resistance comes second position in decision-making for the selection of dromedaries, with a WTP of 348.77 euros (383.40 USD). To a lesser extent, the white coat with a WTP in the order of 54.45 euros (59.86 USD) intervenes in agro-pastoral decision-making. The agro-pastoralists have a strong reluctance for the dark brown coat. In conclusion, the present results showed that further studies should be conducted on materials and traction technologies to promote harnessed cultivation by dromedaries to preserve and strengthen the multi-functional nature of the dromedary.

Background: The Expanded Program on Immunisation has made it possible to prevent more than 3 million deaths in children under 5 years. The objectives of this study were to estimate the vaccination coverage of children from 0 to 59 months and identify factors associated with incomplete vaccination coverage. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a dispensary in Conakry, Guinea between January and February 2020. Sociodemographic and vaccination information was collected from mothers of 380 randomly select children aged 0 to 59 months. Information on immunisation coverage was gathered from records vaccination cards and maternal reports. Logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with incomplete immunisation coverage. Results: Most (66.5%) children aged 12 months were up-to-date with their vaccinations. Factors associated with incomplete vaccination in this age group included: unavailability of vaccination cards (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 7.58; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.56–22.44) and lack of prenatal consultation attendance (aOR 2.93; 95% CI: 1.15–7.48). In contrast only 19.8% (95% CI: 13.9–26.7) of children aged 12–59 months were fully immunised. Factors associated with incomplete vaccination coverage in children aged 12–59 months included high birth order (aOR 10.23; 95% CI: 2.06–19.43), and lack of prenatal consultation attendance (aOR 5.34; 95% CI: 1.48–19.23). Conclusion: Child immunisation coverage is low in Guinea. These results highlight the need to develop strategies based on an integrated approach to overcome obstacles to childhood immunisation in Guinea.

INTRODUCTION: The objective was to identify the predictive factors contributing to COVID-related deaths in Intensive Care Unit. METHODS: this was a 4-month (12th March to 12th July 2020) cross sectional study carried out in the intensive care unit of the COVID treatment center of Donka National Hospital, the only hospital with a COVID intensive care unit in Guinea. RESULTS: during our period of study 140 patients were hospitalized in the COVID intensive care unit and 35 patients died (25%). In univariate analysis, the occurrence of death was associated with: confusional syndrome (p=0.001), time to admission (p=0.001), use of an inotropic or vasopressor (p=0.001), Brescia score less than 2 (p=0.004), non-invasive ventilation (p=0.011), stroke (p=0.014), Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) (p=0.015), male (p=0.021), provenance (p=0.021), acute renal failure (p=0.022), pulmonary embolism (p=0.022), invasive ventilation (p=0.022), and age less than 60 years (p=0. 047). In multivariate analysis, the factors predictive of mortality were: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) (OR= 6.33, 95% CI [1.66-29]; p = 0.007), a Brescia score 2 (OR =5.8, 95% CI [1.7-19.2]; p = 0.004) and admission delay (OR =5.6, 95% CI [1.8-17.5]; p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: our study shows that the acute respiratory distress syndrome, then the Brescia score less or equal to 2, and finally the time to admission to intensive care were all associated with an increased risk of death for patients. These results are different from those reported in Asia, Europe and North America.

The Ebola epidemic that raged in West Africa between 2013 and 2016 was the largest since the discovery of the virus in 1976. During this epidemic, more than 11,000 cases were notified with a lethality of over 67%. Several means of transmission have been described. The great difficulty noted during the epidemic was the estimation of the number of asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic cases, however there is evidence that this population has been in contact with the virus for some time. Thus, they could be a source for the spread of the epidemic. In this paper, we report in Guinea-Conakry three stories of probable pauci-symptomatic form of ebola disease that would have been the cause of massive infection in a population sorely tried by the epidemic between 2014 and 2015 in Guinea.

Abstract Background The 2013–2016 West African Ebola outbreak infected 28,616 people and caused 11,310 deaths by 11 May 2016, across six countries. The outbreak has also resulted in the largest number of EVD survivors in history—over 17,000. Guinea was declared Ebola-free on 1 June 2016. Reports from the outbreak documented 3814 cases resulting in 2544 deaths and 1270 survivors. EVD survivors face various neuropsychological and psycho-affective alterations that have not been fully identified yet. This study aims to document the depressive symptoms among adult survivors in Guinea. Methods Depressive symptoms were investigated using the French version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) administered to all adult survivors (≥ 20 years) participating in the PostEboGui study and receiving care in Conakry. The study was combined with a clinical consultation by a psychiatrist at the Donka National Hospital in Conakry that ensured adapted care was provided when needed. Results Overall, 256 adult participants receiving care in Conakry participated in this study: 55% were women, median age 31 years [IQR: 26–40]. The median time since the Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) discharge was 8.1 months [IQR: 4.1–11.7]. 15% had a score above the threshold values indicating psychological suffering (15% for men and 14% for women). 33 people (16 women and 17 men) met with the psychiatrist, which resulted in the diagnosis of 3 cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 3 cases of mild depression, 13 cases of moderate depression, and 11 cases of severe depression, including 1 with kinesthetic hallucinations and another with visual hallucinations, and 1 with suicidal ideation and 3 with attempted suicide. Severe depression was diagnosed between 1 and 19 months after ETC discharge. The various identified forms of depression responded favorably to conventional drug therapies and cognitive behavioral therapy. Conclusion Long-term follow-up for EVD survivors will be necessary to understand the evolution of these pathologies. In the current post-epidemic context, these cases underscore the need to strengthen mental health diagnostic systems and treatment on a national scale.

L’objectif de cette étude était de participer à la sauvegarde et à l’amélioration des performances du zébu Azawak au Mali en proposant une estimation des performances de croissance et de reproduction de cette race bovine élevée au nord du pays. Le suivi a concerné 1129 animaux dans quatre communes du cercle de Ménaka, entre novembre 2009 et février 2010. A 30 jours, les mâles pesaient en moyenne 39 ± 10 kg et les femelles 32 ± 4 kg. Aucune différence significative (p > 0,05) n’a été enregistrée entre les poids adultes des taureaux (370 ± 88 kg) et des vaches (327 ± 46 kg). L’âge au premier vêlage a été de 50 ± 11 mois avec un intervalle entre vêlages de 16 ± 4 mois. Les corrélations du poids avec le périmètre thoracique (r = 0,95) et la hauteur au garrot (r = 0,94) ont été les plus élevées. Des équations barymétriques ont été établies pour chaque catégorie animale (veau/velle, génisse/taurillon, vache/taureau) au moyen de régressions polynomiales du poids (y) sur le périmètre thoracique (x). Celles-ci pourront servir à établir une table de conversion du périmètre thoracique en poids vif ou un ruban barymétrique à l’attention des agents de l’élevage, afin de faciliter un suivi zootechnique et sanitaire des animaux sur le terrain.

Aims. To determine the usefulness of platelet count (PC), spleen diameter (SD) and platelet count/spleen diameter ratio (PC/SD ratio) for the prediction of oesophageal varices (OV) and large OV in black African patients with cirrhosis in Côte d’Ivoire. Materials and Methods. Study was conducted in a training sample (111 patients) and in a validation sample (91 patients). Results. Factors predicting OV were sex: (OR=0.08, P=0.0003), PC (OR = 12.4, P=0.0003), SD (OR = 1.04, P=0.002) in the training sample. The AUROCs (±SE) of the model (cutoff ≥ 0.6), PC (cutoff < 110500), SD (cutoff > 140) and PC/SD ratio (cutoff ≤ 868) were, respectively; 0.879 ± 0.04, 0.768 ± 0.06, 0.679 ± 0.06, 0.793 ± 0.06. For the prediction of large OV, the model’s AUROC (0.850 ± 0.05) was superior to that of PC (0.688 ± 0.06), SD (0.732 ± 0.05) and PC/SD ratio (0.752 ± 0.06). In the validation sample, with PC, PC/SD ratio and the model, upper digestive endoscopy could be obviated respectively in 45.1, 45.1, and 44% of cirrhotic patients. Prophylactic treatment with beta blockers could be started undoubtedly respectively in 36.3, 41.8 and 28.6% of them as having large OV. Conclusion. Non-invasive means could be used to monitor cirrhotic patients and consider treatment in African regions lacking endoscopic facilities.

Abstract Background Several variants of SARS-CoV-2 have a demonstrated impact on public health, including high and increased transmissibility, severity of infection, and immune escape. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the SARS-CoV-2 lineages and better characterize the dynamics of the pandemic during the different waves in Guinea. Methods Whole genome sequencing of 363 samples with PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values under thirty was undertaken between May 2020 and May 2023. The Illumina iSeq 100 technology was used. The sequences were then analyzed using the GeVarli pipeline to generate consensus sequences and variant calling. All sequences isolated in Guinea and available on GISAID were included in the analysis for phylogenetic tree and phylodynamic determination. Nextstain tools were used for these analyses. Statistical analysis was done using GraphPad Prism version 10. Results The circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in Guinea can be distributed in three different periods. The first, lasting from May to June 2020, was characterized by lineages B1 and B.1.1. The second period, from January 2021 to July 2021, was characterized by the lineages B.1.1.7 (Alpha), AY.122, B.1.1.318, R1, B.1.525 and B.1.629. The third period, between December 2021 and May 2023, was characterized by the Omicron variant, with nine subvariant majorities found. In addition, detecting variants in the period out of their circulation was documented. The importation and exportation investigation showed the strong movement viral association between Guinea and Senegal on the one hand and Guinea and Nigeria on the other. Conclusion In summary, this study contributes to understanding the epidemic dynamics of the disease by describing the significant variants that circulated in Guinee and the distribution of this variant in the population. It also shows the importation and exportation of the virus during the pandemic. Sub-sampling and degradation of samples for sequences were observed. Organization and collaboration between laboratories are needed for a good sample-collecting and storage system for future direction.

Abstract Background This study aimed to demonstrate that the genomic material of SARS-CoV-2 can be isolated from strips of COVID-19 rapid diagnostic test cassettes. Method It was a prospective cross-sectional study involving patients admitted to treatment centers and sampling sites in the city of Conakry, Guinea. A total of 121 patients were double sampled, and 9 more patients were tested only for RDT. PCR was conducted according to the protocol of the RunMei kit. Sequencing was performed by using the illumina COVIDSeq protocol. Nine COVID-19 RDTs without nasopharyngeal swabs were in addition tested. Result Among the 130 COVID-19 RDTs, forty-seven were macroscopically positive, whereas seventy-two were positive according to PCR using RDT strip, while among the 121 VTM swabs, sixty-four were positive. Among eighty-three negative COVID-19 RDTs, twenty-seven were positive by PCR using RDT strip with a geometric mean Ct value of 32.49 cycles. Compared to those of PCR using VTM, the sensitivity and specificity of PCR using RDT strip were estimated to be 100% and 85.96%, respectively, with 93.39% test accuracy. Among the fifteen COVID-19 RDT extracts eligible for sequencing, eleven had sequences identical to those obtained via the standard method, with coverage between 75 and 99.6%. Conclusion These results show that COVID-19 RDTs can be used as biological material for the genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2.