Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and its association with HIV, HCV, HBV, HTLV-1&2 and syphilis among men who have sex with men in Burkina Faso.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to estimate herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seroprevalence and its association with HIV, HBV, HCV, HTLV-1&2 and syphilis among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, West Africa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We screened MSM sera for HSV-2 antibodies. A total of 329 sera were collected from an HIV and syphilis behavioral and biological cross-sectional survey conducted among MSM in Ouagadougou from January to April 2013. Serum samples were tested using Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) for the detection of IgG antibodies to HSV-2. Also, antibodies to HTLV-1&2, HBsAg and anti-HCV antibodies were screened by ELISA. Laboratory assays were performed according to manufacturers' instructions at the Biomedical Research Laboratory at the "Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sante" (IRSS) in Burkina Faso. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of HSV-2 infection among MSM was 14.3%(95% CI: 10.6-18.1), with disparities according to age and occupation. HSV-2 seroprevalence was high among MSM who were seropositive for HIV (40% versus 13.9%), for syphilis (42.9% versus 13.3%), for HCV (32.5% versus 11.7%) and for HTLV-1&2 (38.5% versus 12.9%) compared to people seronegative for these pathogens. Multivariate analysis showed that HIV-positive (ORa â€‹= â€‹5.34, p â€‹= â€‹0.027), anti-HCV-positive (ORa â€‹= â€‹4.44, p â€‹= â€‹0.001), and HTLV-1&2 positive (aOR â€‹= â€‹4.11, p â€‹= â€‹0.046) were associated with HSV-2 infection among MSM. However, no significant statistical association between HSV-2 and syphilis was found. CONCLUSION: HSV-2 seroprevalence among MSM in Burkina Faso is relatively high. Positive associations between sexual transmitted infections including HIV with HSV-2 suggest that HSV-2 infection's prevention should be strengthened through HIV transmission control programs.

Magnitude and associated factors of latent tuberculosis infection due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex among high-risk groups in urban Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and risk factors for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among three high-risk groups - household contacts of TB index cases, healthcare workers and slaughterhouse workers - in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Methods: Participants were recruited to this cross-sectional study from March to July 2020 after giving informed consent. Sociodemographic, clinical and biological data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test (QFT-Plus) and the tuberculin skin test (TST) were used for detection of LTBI. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for LTBI. Results: The prevalence of LTBI among 101 participants (age range 15-68 years) was 67.33% [95% confidence interval (CI) 57.27-76.33] and 84.16% (95% CI 75.55-90.66) based on QFT-Plus and TST results, respectively. Compared with healthcare workers and household contacts of TB index cases, the prevalence of LTBI among slaughterhouse workers was significantly higher for both QTF-Plus (96.8%; P<0.001) and TST (100%; P=0.003). Working in a slaughterhouse [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.095, 95% CI 1.00-2.036], smoking (AOR 4.214, 95% CI 1.051-16.899), ≥15 years of exposure (AOR 5.617, 95% CI 1.202-32.198), having an animal at home (AOR 2.735, 95% CI 1.102-6.789) and protozoal infection (AOR 2.591, 95% CI 1.034-6.491) were significantly associated with LTBI on the QFT-Plus assay. Conclusion: The prevalence of LTBI was high in all three groups, particularly slaughterhouse workers. The risk factors identified could form the basis of targeted intervention.

Molecular Epidemiology of Human Herpes Virus Type 8 Among Patients with Compromised Immune System in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Introduction: Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) is the main etiological agent of Kaposi's sarcoma. This virus is frequently associated with immunocompromision. This study aimed to detect HHV-8 in people with compromised immune system. Patients and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that included 180 subjects: 179 HIV-infected patients and 1 patient with bullous pemphigoid. Blood samples were taken from all subjects, and swabs of lesions were then taken from individuals with symptoms of Kaposi's sarcoma. Viral load and CD4+ T lymphocytes count were performed for persons living with HIV and real-time PCR detection of HHV-8 DNA was performed in all subjects in the study. Results: Among HIV-infected persons, 13.41% had a viral load of more than 10,000 copies/mL, and 22.91% had a CD4+ T lymphocytes count of fewer than 350 cells/µL. A total of four (three HIV-1 infected patients and one patient with bullous pemphigoid) patients (2.22%) had apparent lesions of Kaposi's sarcoma. In the plasmas and swabs from associated lesions, HHV-8 DNA was found in only two individuals, with an HHV-8 prevalence of 1.11% (2/180) with 0.55% (1/179) in an HIV-infected patient on antiretroviral therapy. Conclusion: These results exposing low prevalence levels of HHV-8 in HIV-infected patients could be due to the beneficial effect of antiretroviral drugs.

Identification of BRCA1/2 p.Ser1613Gly, p.Pro871Leu, p.Lys1183Arg, p.Glu1038Gly, p.Ser1140Gly, p.Ala2466Val, p.His2440Arg variants in women under 45 years old with breast nodules suspected of having breast cancer in Burkina Faso.

Breast cancer is the top cause of cancer mortality among women in the world and the second in Africa. The aims of this study were to: i) identify women with breast nodules suspected of having breast cancer ii) sequence the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and iii) screen mutations. From 2015 to 2016, 112 women aged from 35 to 44 years, who had come for consultation in the gynecology/obstetrics and the oncology department of the University Hospital Yalgado Ouedraogo, voluntarily agreed to participate to this study. Whole blood was collected from those with mammary nodules. The genomic DNA was extracted using Qiagen kit. FAST KAPA was used for genomic DNA amplification and the purified PCR products were analyzed by direct sequencing using Big Dye v1.1 and ABI 3730 automated sequencer. Nucleotides substitutions were determined. We identified BRCA1 SNPs rs1799966, rs799917, rs16942, rs16941, rs2227945, and BRCA2 SNPs rs169547, rs4986860. These identified variants are found mostly in cases of benign tumors of breast or ovarian cancer with familial history of breast cancer. This study in Burkina-Faso, is the basis for improved and more specific genetic testing, and suggests that additional genes contributing to an increased risk of breast cancer should be analyzed.

Prevalence of HPV High-Risk Genotypes in Three Cohorts of Women in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).

The development of cervical cancer is associated with high-risk Human papilloma viruses (HPV-HR). In sub-Saharan Africa cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women and the leading cause of death attributed to malignant tumors. This study aims to identify HPV genotypes within the 30'S and 50'S HPV families found in two previous studies from our laboratory, and to determine the prevalence of twelve HPV-HR genotypes in a population of women in Ouagadougou. The twelve HPV-HR genotypes were determined by real-time multiplex PCR, in 180 samples from the general population and among a group of HIV-1 infected women. The most common genotypes found were HPV-35 (29.4%) and HPV-31 (26.1%) of the 30'S family, and HPV-52 (29.4%) and HPV-58 (20.6%) of the 50'S family. Multiple infections of HPV-HR were observed in 78.03% of infected women. The frequencies of HPV genotypes from the 30'S and 50'S families were higher, while the genotypes HPV-16 and18 were lower among the women in our study.

Towards the complete eradication of mother-to-child HIV/HBV coinfection at Saint Camille Medical Centre in Burkina Faso, Africa

The coinfection of HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) and their vertical transmission constitute a public health problem in sub-Saharan countries of Africa. The objectives of this research are: i) identify the pregnant women that are coinfected by HIV and HBV at Saint Camille Medical Centre; ii) use three antiretroviral drugs (zidovudine, nevirapine and lamivudine) to interrupt the vertical transmission of HIV and HBV from infected mothers; and iii) use the PCR technique to diagnose children who are vertically infected by these viruses in order to offer them an early medical assistance. At Saint Camille Medical Centre, 115 pregnant women, aged from 19 to 41 years, were diagnosed as HIV-positive and, among them, 14 coinfected with HBV. They had at least 32 weeks of amenorrhoea and all of them received the HAART, which contained lamivudine. Two to six months after childbirth, the babies underwent PCR diagnosis for HIV and HBV. The results revealed that, among these mothers, 64.4 percent were housewives, 36.5 percent were illiterates, and only 1.7 percent had a university degree. The rate of vertical transmission of HIV and HBV was 0.0 percent (0/115) and 21.4 percent (3/14), respectively. The 3 mothers who transmitted the HBV to their children had all HBsAg, HbeAg, and HBV DNA positive. An antiretroviral therapy that in addition to zidovudine and nevirapine includes lamivudine could, as in the present study, block or reduce the vertical transmission in HIV positive pregnant women who are coinfected with HBV.