Usefulness of Dried Blood Spots (DBS) to perform hepatitis C virus genotyping in drug users in Senegal.

The aim of this pilot study was to analyze the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) genotypes circulating in Senegal among Drug User (DUs), using Dried Blood Spots (DBS) as RNA source for molecular assays. Heroin and/or cocaine users (n = 506) were recruited in Dakar from April to July 2011, using a Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) method. DBS preparation consisted of five drops of whole blood from finger applied to a Whatman paper card. HCV infection was screened by the detection of anti-HCV antibodies, using a rapid immune-chromatographic test. HCV RNA was quantified on anti-HCV positive DBS, using the Abbott RealTime HCV® Genotyping was performed on DBS with detectable viral load with Versant® HCV Genotype 2.0 Assay (LiPA) and Abbott RealTime HCV Genotype II assay®. Among the 506 participants, 120 were tested as positive for anti-HCV antibodies and their samples were analyzed for HCV RNA viral load and genotype. Out of the 120 DBS tested, HCV RNA was detected on 25 (20.8%). The median viral load was 15,058 IU/ml (ranging from 710 to 766,740 IU/ml). All positive DBS were suitable for the genotyping assay, that showed a predominance of genotype 1 (21/25) including 16 genotypes 1a and 5 genotypes 1b. HCV genotype 1 prevails in a DU population in Dakar. DBS could be useful for HCV RNA genotyping, but optimal storage conditions should required avoiding RNA impairment. Acknowledging this limitation, DBS could be a great interest for detecting and genotyping HCV viremic patients. J. Med. Virol. 89:484-488, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hepatitis B, C seroprevalence and delta viruses in HIV-1 Senegalese patients at HAART initiation (retrospective study).

The aim of this study was to determine hepatitis co-infection in a cohort of HIV infected patients at their inclusion in the Senegalese Initiative of ART Access. B, C, and D Hepatitis viruses serological markers were checked retrospectively on 363 stored plasma. For HBV, the Abbott laboratories equipment IMx was used to detect HBs Ag and anti Core Ab on negative HBs Ag samples. For HDV, anti Delta Ab was performed using the Abbott Murex Kit on all HBs Ag positive samples. For HCV, anti HCV Ab was detected by IMx as double screening test and confirmed by INNO-LIA(TM) HCV Core of Innogenetics laboratories. The statistical analysis was done with STATA V8. The study population was composed of 164 men and 199 women aged between 16 and 66 years. The immune and virological markers averages at their enrollment were 154 cell/mm(3) for TLCD4+ (n = 355 patients) and 4.9 log for viral load (n = 277 patients). HBs Ag was found in 61 patients or 16.8% and the prevalence of anti-HBc Ab was 83.2% (252/295). 2 patients or 3% on HBs Ag positive sample presents HBV/HDV co-infection Ab anti HCV was detects in 6 patients or 1.6% after confirmation and 2 patients had triple infection with HBV. These results showed that the prevalence of HBV and HCV in the population of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Senegal is similar to that found in the general population. Our data indicated that hepatitis pathology in the PLwHIV was essentially due to HBV. Further studies are needed to diagnose occult hepatitis in order to set up therapeutic strategies taking into account co-infections by hepatitis viruses in the ART programmes.

[Decentralization of the immunological monitoring of people living with HIV/AIDS in a limiting setting with a low HIV seroprevalence: the experience of Senegal]. / Décentralisation du suivi immunologique des personnes vivant avec le VIH dans un pays à ressources limitées et à prévalence faible: expérience du Sénégal.

Our work aimed to propose a manual method of counting CD4 T lymphocytes which is an alternative magnetic immunoseparation followed by a reading with a fluorescence microscope as an alternative to the automated flow cytometry. This alternative technique is easier for use, less expensive and could answer the difficulties encountered for the monitoring CD4 T cells count in developing countries. The specific objectives were: 1) to train the technicians of the peripheral sites in order to make the numeration of the CD4 T lymphocytes more accessible at the peripheral level; 2) to equip the sites with necessary facilities for the T lymphocytes CD4 count; 3) to put in place a system of quality control permitting the reliability of the results. A hundred and fifty patients have been enrolled in three care services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Dakar. This population was constituted of 119 seropositive and 31 seronegative patients acting as control group to have some patients with high rates of T lymphocytes CD4. For the follow-up at peripheral level, the patients were constituted of the active line of the patients living with HIV/AIDS supported in the targeted sites. The measurements allowed studying concordances for different rates of lymphocytes: 0 to 199, 200 to 499 and over 500 cells by mm3. The results showed also a very good correlation (r = 0.97 or r = 0.98 according to the operator) between the two methods for CD4 rates inferior to 500 cells by mm3 among both the negative group and the HIV positive patients. We also discussed the profit of decentralization for the program and the patient, as well as the setting up of an external quality control to validate the alternative technique. According to the results, the Dynabeads is well correlated with the Facscount. It is a technique that can be used as an alternative in the zones with limited resources, low prevalence and for a small number of samples.

[Use of dried blood spots in early diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in children born to HIV-infected mothers as part of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in Benin]. / Utilisation des prélèvements capillaires sur buvard dans le diagnostic précoce de l'infection à VIH-1 chez des enfants nés de mères infectées dans le cadre de la prévention de la transmission mère-enfant au Bénin.

The goal of this study was to evaluate using the molecular diagnosis, infection transmission rate of HIV in children born to HIV-1 positive mothers as part of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) in Benin. The sample consisted of 524 dried blood spots (DBS) of children born to HIV-1 positive mothers, from 30 sites (PMTCT) taken between October 2009 and June 2010. The diagnosis of HIV-1 was performed by the qualitative detection of viral nucleic acids (RNA and DNA) in DBS on filter paper using the Abbott RealTime(®) HIV-1 Qualitative assay. We found that 51 DBS were positive (9.7%) and 473 were negative (90.3%). The failure rate of PMTCT among 420 mothers who received antiretroviral prophylaxis was 6.7% (28/420). This failure rate was significantly higher among children born to infected mothers on antiretroviral monotherapy than on triple therapy (HAART). The results of our study enrich the data in the literature on highly active antiretroviral chemoprophylaxis to reduce the transmission of HIV-1 from mother to child.