Search

Background Lymphatic filariasis or bancroftosis is a neglected tropical parasitic disease that the world has resolved to eliminate by 2020. From 2001 to 2017, Burkina Faso has initiated a program to eliminate the disease. The objective of this study is then to describe the impact of annual mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin and albendazole on the transmission of lymphatic filariasis. Methods This was a descriptive ecological observational study that took place from January 1st to 31st December 2017 and covered the period from 2001 to 2017. All health districts implementing MDA with ivermectin and albendazole in Burkina Faso were included in the survey. Data related to treatment and transmission assessment surveys were collected and analyzed using STATA version 15. QGIS software version 2.18.25 was used to create the maps. Results During the 16 years of the program’s implementation, the geographic coverage of health districts was entirely completed (100%). The average treatment coverage rate was 80%. Microfilaremia was less than 1% in 21 of the 30 sentinel sites. Continuing endemic sites had a higher prevalence of filarial antigen and initial microfilaremia. Post-treatment surveillance showed a prevalence of filarial antigen of 0.28% at 2 years, 0.08% at 4 years and 0.02% at 6 years respectively. Out of a total of 70 health districts that were endemic, 87% (61/70) interrupted transmission of lymphatic filariasis. Conclusion Filariasis transmission was interrupted in several health districts. Evaluations showed a significant decrease of immuno-parasitological indicators during the implementation of the program, but the country did not achieve the goal.

The nucleotide substitution G1896A on the precore (pc) region has been implicated in virological and serological responses during treatment in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients. Whether this mutation affects the therapeutic course of HIV-HBV co-infected patients, especially from Western Africa, is unknown. In this prospective cohort study, 86 antiretroviral (ARV)-naive HIV-HBV co-infected patients from Cote d'Ivoire, initiating ARV-treatment containing lamivudine (n = 53) or tenofovir (n = 33), had available baseline pc sequences. Association of the pcG1896A mutation with time to undetectable HBV-DNA, hepatitis B "e" antigen (HBeAg) seroclearance (in HBeAg-positive patients), and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression. At ARV-initiation, median HBV-DNA was 6.04 log10 copies/mL (IQR = 3.70-7.93) with 97.7% harbouring HBV genotype E. Baseline pcG1896A mutation was identified in 51 (59.3%) patients, who were more commonly HBeAg-negative (P < .001) and had basal core promotor A1762T/G1764A mutations (P < .001). Patients were followed for a median 36 months (IQR = 24-36). Cumulative proportion of undetectable HBV-DNA was significantly higher in patients with baseline mutation (pcG1896A = 86.6% vs no pcG1896A = 66.9%, P = .04), but not after adjusting for baseline HBV-DNA levels and anti-HBV agent (P = .2). No difference in cumulative proportion of HBeAg seroclearance was observed between mutation groups (pcG1896A = 57.1% vs no pcG1896A = 54.3%, P = .7). Significantly higher cumulative proportion of HBsAg seroclearance was observed in patients without this mutation (pcG1896A = 0% vs no pcG1896A = 36.9%, P < .001), even after adjusting for baseline HBsAg quantification and anti-HBV agent (P < .001). In conclusion, lacking the pcG1896A mutation before ARV initiation appeared to increase HBsAg seroclearance rates during treatment. The therapeutic implications of this mutation need further exploration in this setting.

Background In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection increases the risk of disease progression. Tenofovir plus emtricitabine/lamivudine (TDF/XTC)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART), which suppresses HIV and HBV replication, has the potential for decreasing this risk. Here, we analyze the association between HBV replication, early ART, and mortality in West African adults. Methods The Temprano randomized controlled trial assessed the benefits of immediately initiating vs deferring ART in HIV-infected adults with high CD4 counts. After trial completion, participants continued follow-up in a posttrial phase. We analyzed the association between HBV status, immediate ART, and mortality over the entire trial and posttrial follow-up using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. Results A total of 2052 HIV-infected adults (median baseline CD4 count, 464 cells/μL) were followed for 9394 person-years. At baseline, 1862 (91%) were HIV monoinfected and 190 (9%) HIV/HBV coinfected. Of the latter, 135 (71%) had plasma HBV DNA

International audience; We here report the case of a 35-year old man with HIV-1 but with no previous medical-surgical history hospitalized in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, due to fever, cough, dyspnea, chest pain and unfolding of the aortic arch observed on chest x-ray a week after having started antiretroviral therapy (ART). CT angiography of the thoracic aorta showed overall, extended aortic ectasia with mural thrombus. Transesophageal echocardiography objectified type A ascending aortic dissection (Stanford classification). The diagnosis of tuberculosis was confirmed based on Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture isolation. Eight years after, the patient was still alive without surgical treatment and complained of intermittent chest pain. Blood pressure was stable with moderate renal failure. We here report a rare case of aortic aneurism dissection in an adult patient with tuberculosis infected with HIV-1 during immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.; Un homme de 35 ans, VIH-1, sans antécédents médicaux et chirurgicaux particuliers, a été hospitalisé à Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, dans un contextefébrile, toux, dyspnée, douleurs thoraciques et à la radiographie pulmonaire, un déroulement de la crosse de l'aorte une semaine après avoirdébuté les antirétroviraux (ARV). Les scanners angiothoraciques réalisés ont mis en évidence une ectasie aortique globale étendue avec thrombusmural. Une échocardiographie transoesophagienne conclut à une dissection aortique, type A de Stanford. Le diagnostic de tuberculose a étéconfirmé par l'isolation en culture de Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. Huit ans après, le patient est encore vivant, sans intervention chirurgicale et seplaint de douleurs thoraciques intermittentes. Sa pression artérielle est stable et a une insuffisance rénale modérée. Nous rapportons un cas rarede dissection aortique anévrismale chez un adulte infecté par le VIH-1 dans le cadre d'un syndrome de reconstitution immune avec tuberculosepulmonaire.

Chez les patients infectés par le VIH, la maladie thromboembolique est une complication dont le risque est accru. En Côte d'Ivoire, dans le service de référence de prise en charge médicale des personnes atteintes du VIH/SIDA, aucune étude n'a été menée sur la question. L'objectif de notre étude est de décrire les manifestations thromboemboliques colligées dans le Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales (SMIT) chez les patients infectés par le VIH, traités ou non par les antirétroviraux. Il s'est agi d'une étude rétrospective des dossiers de patients infectés par le VIH, hospitalisés, et présentant une thrombose veineuse profonde (TVP), artérielle et/ou une embolie pulmonaire de la période de janvier 2005 à juillet 2015. Le diagnostic a été posé par l'écho-Doppler des vaisseaux et/ou l'angioscanner thoracique. L'analyse a porté sur les aspects diagnostiques, thérapeutiques et évolutifs. Les dossiers de 36 patients dont 23 femmes (64%), sex-ratio H/F à 0,57, et âge moyen de 43±12 ans ont été retenus. Les thromboses veineuses profondes (TVP) ont été retrouvées chez 26 (72,2%) patients, des embolies pulmonaires (EP) chez neuf (25%) patients, une thrombose artérielle chez un patient (2,8%). La TVP était unilatérale dans 81% des cas et plus située à gauche (77%). L'EP était unilatérale et à droite dans 100% des cas et la thrombose artérielle était bilatérale dans 2,7% des cas. Chez les patients atteints de TVP, la veine fémorale (39%) et la veine poplitée (35%) étaient les sièges plus fréquents de thrombose. L'EP concernait les artères pulmonaires dans 77,8% des cas et la thrombose artérielle concernait les carotides internes gauche et droite. La majorité des patients était sous traitement antirétroviral (69%). Les infections opportunistes fréquemment associées étaient les candidoses orales (31%) et la tuberculose (33%). L'évolution a été marquée par neuf décès (25%). Cette étude rapporte une fréquence élevée des TVP au cours de l'infection à VIH. D'autres études s'avèrent nécessaires pour mieux appréhender le rôle du VIH dans la survenue de la maladie thromboembolique.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B "e" antigen (HBeAg), including their quantifiable markers, have rarely been evaluated during long-term antiviral treatment among patients coinfected with HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV).In this prospective cohort study from two randomized-control trials in Côte d'Ivoire, 161 antiretroviral-naïve HIV-HBV coinfected patients starting lamivudine (n = 76) or tenofovir/emtricitabine (n = 85) containing antiretroviral therapy were included. HBV DNA was quantified using an in-house assay (detection limit = 12 copies/mL) and HBsAg quantification (qHBsAg) using the Elecsys assay.Overall, 33 (20.5%) patients were HBeAg positive, 121 (75.2%) had detectable HBV DNA, and 92/93 (98.9%) harbored HBV genotype E. Median treatment duration was 35.5 months (interquartile range: 24.3-36.4). Among HBeAg-positive patients, cumulative proportion with HBeAg seroclearance was 46.3% (n = 14). Overall, cumulative proportion of HBsAg seroclearance was 6.6% (n = 10). Lower baseline qHBsAg levels and strong 12-month declines in qHBsAg were significantly associated with HBsAg seroclearance for both HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive patients. When taken at certain levels, these determinants provided moderate sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) in predicting HBsAg seroclearance at month 36 (≤ 1000 IU/mL at baseline, Se = 0.80, Sp = 0.80; ≥ 1.0 log10 IU/mL drop at month 12, Se = 0.57, Sp = 1.00). Instead, qHBsAg levels ≤ 100 or ≤ 10 IU/mL at month 12 were optimal (both Se = 0.90 and Sp = 1.00). Detectable HBV-DNA provided fairly high Se and Sp when evaluated at baseline (Se = 1.00, Sp = 0.80), but not at month 12 (Se = 0.80, Sp = 0.40).HBsAg seroclearance rates are not common in patients from Sub-Saharan Africa treated with anti-HBV containing antiretroviral therapy. qHBsAg levels at 12 months of treatment may accurately predict HBsAg seroclearance.

Many successes have been achieved in HIV care in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC): increased number of HIV-infected individuals receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART), wide decentralization, reduction in morbidity and mortality and accessibility to cheapest drugs. However, these successes should not hide existing failures and difficulties. In this paper, we underline several key challenges. First, ensure long-term financing, increase available resources, in order to meet the increasing needs, and redistribute the overall budget in a concerted way amongst donors. Second, increase ART coverage and treat the many eligible patients who have not yet started ART. Competition amongst countries is expected to become a strong driving force in encouraging the least efficient to join better performing countries. Third, decrease early mortality on ART, by improving access to prevention, case-finding and treatment of tuberculosis and invasive bacterial diseases and by getting people to start ART much earlier. Fourth, move on from WHO 2006 to WHO 2010 guidelines. Raising the cut-off point for starting ART to 350 CD4/mm(3) needs changing paradigm, adopting opt-out approach, facilitating pro-active testing, facilitating task shifting and increasing staff recruitments. Phasing out stavudine needs acting for a drastic reduction in the costs of other drugs. Scaling up routine viral load needs a mobilization for lower prices of reagents and equipments, as well as efforts in relation to point-of-care automation and to maintenance. The latter is a key step to boost the utilization of second-line regimens, which are currently dramatically under prescribed. Finally, other challenges are to reduce lost-to-follow-up rates; manage lifelong treatment and care for long-term morbidity, including drug toxicity, residual AIDS and HIV-non-AIDS morbidity and aging-related morbidity; and be able to face unforeseen events such as socio-political and military crisis. An old African proverb states that the growth of a deep-rooted tree cannot be stopped. Our tree is well rooted in existing field experience and is, therefore, expected to grow. In order for us to let it grow, long-term cost-effectiveness approach and life-saving evidence-based programming should replace short-term budgeting approach.

This item has no abstract. Follow the links below to access the full text.

Objectives: To estimate adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and its determinants in HIV-infected adults followed in field conditions in Abidjan. Methods: A standardized questionnaire was administered to all consecutive adults on HAART who attended 3 urban HIV outpatient clinics. Patients were asked to self-report their pill intake during the previous 7 days, and, when necessary, to explain the reason(s) why they missed at least 1 intake. The adherence rate was estimated as the number of pills actually taken divided by the number of pills that should have been taken. The association of incomplete adherence (adherence rate