Exploring association between MBL2 gene polymorphisms and the occurrence of clinical blackwater fever through a case-control study in Congolese children.

BACKGROUND: Blackwater fever (BWF), one of the most severe and life-threatening forms of falciparum malaria, is characterized by acute massive intravascular haemolysis, often leading to acute renal failure. Thus far, the genetics of the underlying susceptibility to develop BWF is not fully elucidated. Deficiency in the MBL protein, an important component of the innate immune system, has previously been suggested to be a susceptibility factor for the development of severe malaria. This study aimed to evaluate the association between MBL2 gene polymorphisms, known to affect the MBL protein level/activity, and the occurrence of BWF among Congolese children. METHODS: This is a case-control study. Cases were patients with BWF, whereas controls, matched for gender and age, had uncomplicated malaria (UM). Dried blood spot was collected for genotyping. RESULTS: A total of 129 children were screened, including 43 BWF and 86 UM. The common allele in BWF and UM was A, with a frequency of 76.7 and 61.0%, respectively (OR: 2.67 (0.87-829) and p = 0.079). The frequency of the C allele was 18.6 and 29.1% in BWF and UM groups, respectively, with p = 0.858. Not a single D allele was encountered. Genotype AA was at higher risk for BWF whereas genotypes A0 (AB and AC) were over-represented in UM group (OR: 0.21 (0.06-0.78)) with p = 0.019. Nine haplotypes were observed in this study: 3 high MBL expression haplotypes and 6 low MBL expression haplotype. One new haplotype HYPC was observed in this study. None of these haplotypes was significantly associated with BWF. CONCLUSION: This pilot study is a preliminary research on MBL2 gene and infectious diseases in DRC. The study results show a higher risk for BWF in AA. This suggests that future studies on BWF should further investigate the contribution of a strong immune response to the occurrence of BWF.

Drug use in the management of uncomplicated malaria in public health facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

BACKGROUND: Malaria the first causes of death from parasitic infection worldwide. Interventions to reduce the burden of malaria have produced a tremendous drop in malaria morbidity and mortality. However, progress is slower in DRC, which shares with Nigeria 39% of deaths related to malaria globally. Inappropriate use of drugs may be one of the factors of this below-average performance. The aim of this study was to describe the use of drugs in the management of uncomplicated malaria in public health facilities in DRC. METHODS: A drug use study was carried out in DRC from January to March 2014. In each of the former 11 provinces of DRC, one Rural Health Centre, one Urban Health Centre and one General Hospital were selected. In each of them, 100 patient's files containing prescription of anti-malarials from January to December 2013 were randomly selected. Among them, all of the files with diagnosis of uncomplicated malaria were included in this study. Prescribed anti-malarials, co-prescribed drugs and their indications were collected. Descriptive analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 2300 files out of 3300 (69.7%) concerned uncomplicated malaria and were included in analysis. Malaria treatment was initiated after a positive RDT or microscopy in 51.5% of cases, upon suspicion without requesting biological confirmation in 37% and despite negative results in 11%. Twenty-nine (29) different treatment regimens were used. The drugs recommended by the National Malaria Control Programme were used in 54.3% of cases (artesunate-amodiaquine 37.4% or artemether-lumefantrine 16.9%). The second most used anti-malarial was quinine (32.4%). Apart from anti-malarials, an average of 3.1 drugs per patient were prescribed, among which antibiotics (67.9%), analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) (all abbreviations to be explicated on first use) (70.6%), vitamins (29.1%), anaemia drugs, including blood transfusion (9.1%) and corticosteroids (5.7%), In 51.4% of cases there was no indication for the concomitant medication. CONCLUSION: Management of uncomplicated malaria in DRC is characterized by a low adherence to treatment policy, numerous treatment regimens, and abundant concomitant medication potentially harmful to the patient. This may contribute to the low performance of DRC in malaria control. Determinant of this irrational use of drugs need to be assessed in order to formulate and implement efficient corrective measures.

Congolese children with sickle cell trait may exhibit glomerular hyperfiltration: A case control study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of sickle cell trait is extremely high in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent studies have reported the impact of sickle cell carriers on renal function. However, data on renal abnormalities in children with sickle cell trait in this part of the world are unknown. In this report, we assess the glomerular function of children with sickle cell trait (SCT). METHODS: A case control study was conducted to assess the glomerular function in 43 Congolese children with sickle cell trait (Hb-AS) matched for age to 65 children with sickle cell anemia in steady state (Hb-SS) and 67 normal controls (Hb-AA). RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the blood pressure levels between the Hb-AS group vs Hb-SS group (P<.05). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) corrected for body surface area was increased in Hb-AS group compared to Hb-AA group, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=.48). At the same time, the eGFR was decreased, but no significantly so, in the Hb-AS group compared to the Hb-SS group (P=.19). The proportion of children with Hb-AS (16.3%) who had hyperfiltration was higher compared to the proportion (6.1%) found in the Hb-AA group, but lower compared to the proportion found in the Hb-SS group (30%). However, in both situations, the difference was not statistically significant. No case of proteinuria was detected in children with Hb-AS. CONCLUSION: It appears that at least one of six children with SCT had hyperfiltration. The findings could form a basis for further studies on this renal physiology among SCT individuals in Africa.

Falciparum malaria molecular drug resistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Malaria cases were estimated to 207 million in 2013. One of the problems of malaria control is the emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum strains that become resistant to almost all drugs available. Monitoring drug resistance is essential for early detection and subsequent prevention of the spread of drug resistance by timely changes of treatment policy. This review was performed to gather all data available on P. falciparum molecular resistance in DR Congo, as baseline for future assessments. METHODS: The search for this review was undertaken using the electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar using the terms "malaria", "Congo", "resistance", "molecular", "antimalarial", "efficacy". Articles were classified based on year of collecting, year of publication, sample size and characteristics, molecular markers analysed and polymorphisms detected. RESULTS: Thirteen articles were included and five genes have been analysed in these studies: pfcrt, pfdhps, pfdhfr, pfmdr1 and K13-propeller. The majority of studies included were not representative of the whole country. CONCLUSION: This systematic review demonstrates the lack of molecular resistance studies in DRC. Only 13 studies were identified in almost 15 years. The MOH must implement a national surveillance system for monitoring malaria drug resistance and this surveillance should be conducted frequently and country-representative.

Severe malaria in children: A descriptive report from Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The decline of susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resulted in the change of drug policy. This policy has probably changed the facies of the severe form of malaria. A prospective study was conducted in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data on children aged ≤13 years, diagnosed with severe malaria were analyzed. In total, 378 children were included with an overall median age of 8 years (age range: 1-13 years). Dark urine was seen in 25.1% of cases. Metabolic acidosis (85.2%), hypoglycemia (62.2%) and hemoglobin ≤5 g/dl (39.1%) were the common laboratories features. Severe malaria anemia, cerebral malaria and Blackwater fever (BWF) were found in 39.1, 30.1 and 25.4%, respectively. Mortality rate was 4%. BWF emerges as a frequent form of severe malaria in our midst. Availing artemisin-based combination treatments in the health care system is a priority to reduce the incidence of BWF in our environment.

Blackwater fever in Congolese children: a report of clinical, laboratory features and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Blackwater fever (BWF) is one of the severe forms of malaria. This complication was first described among non-immune European expatriates in the malaria endemic areas. Recently, resurgence of this form of malaria has been reported among the indigenous populations. The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors among BWF patients. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted between in four hospitals located in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo from January 2010 to December 2011. One hundred and twenty nine children were recruited with 43 (cases) and 86 (control). RESULTS: No significant difference in the gender and age distribution was observed between the case and control). The sex-ratio male to female in the case group and control group was respectively 1:1.0 and 1:1.1. The mean age was 8.62 years (SD = 3.84) in patients with haemoglobinuria and 8.55 years (SD = 3.77) in the control group. No difference in frequency of co-infection with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium malariae was observed between the two groups. Significant differences in haemoglobin, haematocrit, creatinine, urea and platelets levels were observed between the two groups (p < 0.001), but not for blood group and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level. Majority of the BWF cases occurred during the rainy season (88.4%). Treatment with quinine (95.3%) was significantly associated with cases (p < 0.001). Seven (16.2%) of the haemoglobinuric children developed acute renal failure. CONCLUSION: Rainy season, low parasitaemia and quinine ingestion were the major risk factors significantly associated with haemoglobinuria. Acute renal failure was observed as the major complication of BWF.

X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita: a novel DAX1 missense mutation and challenges for clinical diagnosis in Africa.

Adrenal hypoplasia congenita (AHC) is a rare disease. The X-linked form of AHC is caused by deletions or mutations in DAX1 gene and has a variable clinical presentation. To date, no data on X-linked AHC in central Africa are available. Here, we report a Congolese pedigree with several cases of unexplained deaths of male infants. A careful analysis of the pedigree of this family lead to the recognition of an X-linked inheritance pattern, with subsequent confirmation in a female heterozygous carrier of a DAX1 missense mutation c.1274G>T, (p.Arg425Ile).The diagnosis of this condition remains challenging in a developing country, since the manifestations of AHC overlap with those of the much more frequently occurring infections; darkening of the skin is difficult to evaluate and there is a lack of access to routine endocrinological testing. The diagnosis was eventually made based on the family pedigree, evoking an X-linked inheritance pattern. This illustrates the necessity for medical and clinical genetics to be part of the curriculum of medical school in developing countries.

Acute renal failure in Congolese children: a tertiary institution experience.

AIM: Published data on acute renal failure in children from the Democratic Republic of Congo are rare. The objective of this study was to review clinical manifestations, aetiologies and outcome in hospitalized children with acute renal failure. METHODS: A retrospective study at Pediatric Nephrology Unit of University Hospital of Kinshasa was carried out. RESULTS: Fifty-six children with acute renal failure were eligible. There were 31 boys (55.4%) and 25 girls (44.6%) with a sex ratio of 1.24. The median age was 6.7 years (range 1-13 years). Fever (80.3%), oligo-anuria (73.2%), jaundice (67.9%) were the common clinical presentation. Blackwater fever (42.8%) was the leading cause of Acute Renal Failure. The incidence of severe dehydration because of gastroenteritis was low (5.3%). Around 12.5% of patients' misused herbal plants. Acute Peritoneal Dialysis was indicated in 15/56 children and only performed in four patients. Fourteen children (25%) died. CONCLUSION: A wide spectrum of features was seen in hospitalized Acute Renal Failure children and limited access to Acute Peritoneal Dialysis remained an important mortality risk factor.

Country perspectives on improving technical assistance in the health sector.

Background: This paper presents learnings from the Re-Imagining Technical Assistance for Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health and Health Systems Strengthening (RTA) project implemented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria from April 2018 to September 2020 by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. and Sonder Collective and managed by the Child Health Task Force. The first of RTA's two phases involved multiple design research activities, such as human-centered design and co-creation, while the second phase focused on secondary analysis of interviews and reports from the design research. This paper explores the limitations of current technical assistance (TA) approaches and maps opportunities to improve how TA is planned and delivered in the health sector. Methods: We analyzed project reports and 68 interviews with TA funders, providers, and consumers to explore in greater detail their perspectives on TA, its characteristics and drawbacks as well as opportunities for improvement. We used qualitative content analysis techniques for this study.   Results: The issues surrounding TA included the focus on donor-driven agendas over country priorities, poor accountability between and within TA actors, inadequate skill transfer from TA providers to government TA consumers, an emphasis on quick fixes and short-term thinking, and inadequate governance mechanisms to oversee and manage TA. Consequently, health systems do not achieve the highest levels of resilience and autonomy. Conclusions: Participants in project workshops and interviews called for a transformation in TA centered on a redistribution of power enabling governments to establish their health agendas in keeping with the issues that are of greatest importance to them, followed by collaboration with donors to develop TA interventions. Recommended improvements to the TA landscape in this paper include nine critical shifts, four domains of change, and 20 new guiding principles.

Molecular detection and species identification of Plasmodium spp. infection in adults in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: In efforts to control malaria infection, the Democratic Republic of Congo has implemented several strategies. Studies assessing their efficiency mainly involved at-risk groups, especially children under five years of age. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and identify the risk factors associated with Plasmodium spp. infection. METHODS: From October 2014 to March 2015, individuals aged at least 15 years were selected randomly and enrolled in a cross-sectional study conducted throughout the country. Microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis were used for the detection of Plasmodium ssp. RESULTS: From 2286 individuals recruited, 1870 with valid laboratory results were included in the study for further analysis. The prevalence of Plasmodium spp. infection assessed by microscopy (355/ 1870 (19%) was lower than that estimated by PCR (580/1870 (31%). In addition, the difference between the two results was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). The most prevalent Plasmodium species was P. falciparum, either as mono-infection (96.3%; 95% C.I. 93.9-98.1) or combined with P. malariae (3.7%; 95% C.I. 2.8-5.9). The mean parasite density was 3272739 trophozoites/µL of blood. Women had higher risks of being infected than men (OR 2.03, 95% C.I.: 1.96. 2.62, P = 0.041)]. CONCLUSION: In this study, the molecular detection and species identification of Plasmodium spp. showed that, despite all efforts for malaria control, malaria remains a public health problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The high prevalence and parasite density of Plasmodium spp. in adults make this age group a potential parasitic infectious reservoir for the at-risk groups and supports the need to include this age group in further programs for malaria control.

Central and Peripheral Nervous System Disorders Following Ivermectin Mass Administration: A Descriptive Study Based on the Democratic Republic of Congo Pharmacovigilance System.

INTRODUCTION: The mainstay of onchocerciasis control currently is mass administration of ivermectin; however, this may be associated with serious adverse events, including deaths, when administered in areas where onchocerciasis and loiasis are co-endemic. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the current study was to describe the central and peripheral nervous system disorders that occurred after mass administration of ivermectin in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). METHODS: This is a retrospective descriptive study involving a review of data on adverse events related to mass administration of ivermectin. Data on reported serious adverse events following mass administration of ivermectin in the DRC were extracted from the World Health Organization (WHO) Global individual case safety report (ICSR) database (VigiBase). The review covered the period 2009-2013 and focused on central and peripheral nervous system disorders. Relevant demographic, clinical, and parasitological data, including age, sex, area of residence, adverse events, and parasite density were extracted. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using Stata 12. RESULTS: A total of 52 ICSRs related to ivermectin intake were available in VigiBase, with 51 (98.1%) from the Province of Equateur. All patients had central and peripheral nervous system disorders; 25 (48.1%) had altered mental status. Of these, 23 (92.0%) satisfied the criteria for "probable/possible Loa loa encephalopathy temporally related to mectizan®" (PLERM). The most frequent nervous system disorders among patients with PLERM were coma (74%), stupor (30%), headache (22%), and abnormal gait (22%). There were, on average, 2149.1 microfilariae per ml (mf/ml) in peripheral blood [95% confidence interval (CI) 463.6-3834.6; n = 23]. Post-treatment, 61% of PLERM cases had <1000 L. loa mf/ml of blood. One patient had microfilariae in the cerebrospinal fluid rather than the peripheral blood. We found 21.4% co-infection with Plasmodium falciparum and 4% mortality. CONCLUSION: PLERM may occur at even low peripheral blood concentrations of microfilaria.

Prevalence and determinants of microalbuminuria in children suffering from sickle cell anemia in steady state.

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is considered a major risk factor for renal complications. The main goal of this study was to determine the frequency of macroalbuminuria and microalbuminuria in Congolese children <18 years of age suffering from Sickle cell anemia and to identify associated factors. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was completed in 150 hemoglobin-SS children (77 boys and 73 girls). Microalbuminuria was defined by a urine albumin:creatinine ratio of 30-299 mg/g. RESULTS: The mean age of this group was 8.8 ± 4.3 years (range 2-18). Microalbuminuria was found in 27 children (18%). In multivariate logistic regression, only age emerged as a determinant of microalbuminuria odds ratio 1.11 (95% confidence interval 1.00-1.22); P = 0.042]. CONCLUSIONS: In our series, only age was a major determinant of the occurrence of microalbuminuria. These results confirm the need for early screening of microalbuminuria in Congolese children suffering from Sickle cell anemia in a context where access to renal and bone marrow transplant is nonexistent.

Determinants of Antenatal Care Attendance among Pregnant Women Living in Endemic Malaria Settings: Experience from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Background. Antenatal care (ANC) attendance helps pregnant women to benefit from preventive and curative services. Methods. Determinants for ANC attendance were identified through a cross-sectional survey in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sociocultural bottlenecks were assessed via focus groups discussion of married men and women. Results. In this survey, 28 of the 500 interviewed pregnant women (5.6%) did not attend ANC services and 82.4% booked over the first trimester. The first visit is positively influenced by the reproductive age (OR: 0.52, 95% CI(0.28-0.95), p < 0.04), the educational level (OR: 0.41,95% CI(0.17-0.97), p < 0.04), the nearby health center (OR: 0.43, 95% CI(0.2-0.92), p < 0.03), and the presence of a male partner (OR: 10.48, 95% CI(2.1-52.23), p < 0.001). The barriers to early booking were (i) the cost of service; (ii) the appearance or individual income; (iii) the geographical inaccessibility or distance to health facilities; (iv) social and religious prohibitions; (v) the stigmatization from other women when conceiving in the late ages or young or while still lactating (parity); (vi) the time for waiting for services. Conclusion. The early ANC attendance is delayed among poor women with little education and living alone.

Presence of species within the Anopheles gambiae complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

BACKGROUND: Anopheles gambiae s.l. is the primary vector of malaria in the Democratic Republic of Congo, however, there is little data on the species from this complex present in the country. METHODS: This paper presents the species collected (as determined by PCR) between 2004 and 2011 in 16 locations across the country. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The two species from the An. gambiae complex that were detected were An. coluzzii and An. gambiae s.s. An. gambiae s.s. was predominant in eastern DRC, whereas An. coluzzii was the main species found in several locations in Bandundu. The species were also found in sympatry in several locations (Kinshasa, Kisangani, Lodja). These results provide a basis for future work, which is needed to accurately describe the distribution of the An. gambiae complex species in DRC.

High Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Asymptomatic Individuals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Malaria remains a major public health problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with 14 million cases reported by the WHO Malaria Report in 2014. Asymptomatic malaria cases are known to be prevalent in endemic areas and are generally untreated, resulting in a significant source of gametocytes that may serve as reservoir of disease transmission. Considering that microscopy certainly underestimates the prevalence of Plasmodium infections within asymptomatic carriers and that PCR assays are currently recognized as the most sensitive methods for Plasmodium identification, this study was conducted to weigh the asymptomatic carriage in DRC by a molecular method. Six provinces were randomly selected for blood collection in which 80 to 100 individuals were included in the study. Five hundred and eighty blood samples were collected and molecular diagnosis was performed. Globally, almost half of the samples collected from asymptomatic individuals (280/580; 48.2%) had Plasmodium infections and the most species identified was P. falciparum alone in combination with P. malariae. The high prevalence reported here should interpellate the bodies involved in malaria control in DR Congo to take into account asymptomatic carriers in actions taken and consider asymptomatic malaria as a major hurdle for malaria elimination.

Malaria epidemic outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, part I: cross-sectional survey in Mweka District.

Background: A series of outbreaks of fever has previously been reported in the DR Congo. The occurrence of similar outbreaks in Mweka district presented the opportunity to investigate these occurrences. Materials and Methods: Health facilities and communities were visited. Permission was obtained to access to health records and a questionnaire was competed in the community. Blood samples for malaria, salmonellosis, Chikungunya, dengue and filovirus testing were obtained both in health facilities and the communities. Capture of mosquitoes and larvae in breeding sites was done and used bednets were collected. Excel, SPSS and Stats Direct were used for analyses of epidemiological data and malaria case management, with the Chi-square test and Fisher's Exact test used for assessing relationships resulting from contingency table analyses. Results: An increase in the number of malaria cases beyond the expected number for the study period was observed in the two health districts located in the savannah zone (p<0.05) and in one health centre among sixteen located in the forest zone (p<0.05). In the health facilities and households visited (653 people), 141 persons had fever of which 82.2% was attributed to Plasmodium falciparum malaria. An incidence of 5.87% was recorded in the first half of 2013. Hundred and sixty patients (6.9%) died among 2,304 admitted for severe malaria in the three referral hospitals, 118 of them were children of under five years old. PCR testing of the blood samples obtained during home visits revealed malaria parasites in 63 (73.3%) of the 86 analysed samples. The test was negative for other parasites and bacteria and one dengue virus case was detected. Anopheles gambiae from Mweka were found to be resistant to permethrin using the WHO susceptibility test, with a knock down rate of ≤ 50% and mortality of ≤ 30%. Conclusion: These investigations confirmed epidemic outbreaks in Mweka District caused by malaria with a high mortality rate in children below five years of age.

Black water fever associated with acute renal failure among Congolese children in Kinshasa.

Acute renal failure (ARF) is reported in some severe forms of malaria such as black water fever (BWF). It is associated with a high mortality rate and can be managed effectively with adequate renal replacement. A prospective survey of children with dark urine after a malarial infection with Plasmodium falciparum was coupled with a chart review study of patients managed in the past 11 years in the Pediatrics' Kinshasa University Hospital. Eighty-nine cases of ARF were identified, but data from only 63 patients were available, of whom 44 (69.8%) had severe malaria (39 with BWF and 5 with cerebral malaria). The mean age of the patients was 8.2±1.73 years. Of the 39 cases of BWF, an association with quinine ingestion was observed in 32 children (82%). Urea and creatinine levels were elevated in all cases (135.4±88.2 and 3.83±2.81 mg/dL, respectively). Oligo-anuria was observed in 44.4%, severe metabolic acidosis (bicarbonate<15 mEq/L) in 61.5% and hyponatremia (<130 mEq/L) in 33.3%. Peritoneal dialysis was required in 36 patients, including 20 with BWF. The remaining patients were managed with conservative treatment. Twenty-eight children (44.4%), including 20 on dialysis, fully recovered and 14 died (22.2%), including eight cases of BWF. Our study suggests that ARF is commonly associated with BWF in Congolese children. Elevated urea and creatinine and severe metabolic acidosis were observed more often than other clinical/metabolic disturbances. Severe renal impairment remains a significant complication with a high mortality rate in low-resource settings.

Renal function in children suffering from sickle cell disease: challenge of early detection in highly resource-scarce settings.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Sickle cell disease is extremely high in Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite this high prevalence of the disease, data on renal abnormalities in children are rare. METHOD: The study proposed to assess blood pressure, glomerular function, urea and uric acid levels in 65 steady state Congolese children with homozygous sickle cell disease and 67 normal controls. RESULTS: In Hb-SS group, blood pressure level tended to be lower than Hb-AA groups but there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) between the two groups. The absolute values for GFR corrected for BSA were significantly higher in Hb-SS group compared to Hb-AA group (130.5±34.1 ml/min/1.73 m2 vs 113.7±24.5 ml/min/1.73 m2; p = 0.004). Children with Hb-SS were more likely to hyperfiltrate (30.8% of subjects) than children with Hb-AA (6.1% of subjects). Proteinuria was found in 4 (6.2%) children with Hb-SS. Uric acid level was significantly increased in children with Hb-SS compared to corresponding values in control group (4.4±1.3 mg/dl vs 3.5±1.1 mg/dl; p<0.001). Urea level was significantly decreased compared to corresponding values in Hb-AA group (15.3±8.3 mg/dl vs 22.9±10.1 mg/dl; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Hyperfiltration, low creatinine, lower urea and high uric acid are more common in children with sickle cell disease than in normal controls.

Adverse events following immunization with oral poliovirus in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: preliminary results.

AIM: We investigated the nature and frequency of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) associated with oral polio vaccines (OPV) in the general population in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). METHODS: The DR Congo National Pharmacovigilance Centre organized active AEFI surveillance during mass immunization campaigns for the general population from March to June 2011. A patient individual case safety report was used as a questionnaire and addressed to pupils and students from high schools and universities who had any adverse events after OPV administration. We used the preferred term from the WHO Adverse Reaction Terminology for AEFI designation. Here is presented the results of the second step of the mass immunization campaign. RESULTS: A total of 767 patients reported AEFI during the second step. Sex distribution shows that 512 (66·8%) students were females, while 255 (33·2%) were males, giving a female/male ratio 2∶1. The average age was 16·8±5·19 years (ranged: 6-35·5 years). Each person reported a mean of 1·33±0·6 AEFI. The average AEFI onset duration was 1·74±1·16 days post-vaccination, ranging from 1 to 9 days. Headache (22·4%), abdominal pain (17·2%), fever (11·7%), diarrhea (9·9%), and asthenia (7·5%) were the common symptoms. Paralysis and asthma-like reactions were rare and serious adverse events in this study. The most affected systems were gastro-intestinal (33·5%) and nervous system (29·3%). Rechallenge was positive for 173 persons (22·6%). CONCLUSION: OPV-related AEFIs are not uncommon, although it is under-reported. Active AEFI surveillance during mass immunization campaigns is very important and may help to detect rare and serious adverse events. Further investigation will be important to identify risk of AEFI with OPV in adults and is warranted to elucidate the cause of this association in the Congolese environment.

[Acute renal failure and severe malaria in Congolese children living in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo]. / Insuffisance rénale aiguë dans les formes graves du paludisme chez les enfants vivant à Kinshasa.

BACKGROUND: Data on acute renal failure in complicated malaria in children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are sparse. The objective of this study was to document the profile of acute renal failure in severe malaria in admitted patients in pediatric hospitals from Kinshasa. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted from January 2008 to December 2008 in children admitted in emergency units of five hospitals in Kinshasa for severe malaria. RESULTS: In our series, 378 children with severe malaria were included. There were 226 boys and 152 girls (sex ratio 1.49). One hundred and ninety four (194) of these patients were under 5 years old. Acute renal failure was observed in 89 children (23.6%) and 87 of them had blackwater fever (BWF). This form of severe malaria was predominant in children older than 5 years. Quinine was the commonest antimalarial drug involved in the genesis of BWF. Dialysis was indicated in 23 children (24.0%) and was effective (acute peritoneal dialysis) in 21 patients. The death rate in children with ARF was 12.6% (n=87). Recovery of renal function was obtained by conservative treatment in the remained group. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the emergence of BWF in seemed protected autochthon children older than 5 years. BWF remained the leading cause of acute renal failure in complicated malaria among Congolese children in Kinshasa.