Hepatitis B infection and risk factors among children living with HIV in Yaounde, Cameroon: an integrated management.

BACKGROUND: The endemicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV) prompted the systematic immunization of newborns in Cameroon since 2005. In the frame of a considerable burden of HIV/HBV co-infection (17.5%), monitoring HBV among children living with HIV (CLHIV) would guide toward HIV/HBV integrated paediatric care. We sought to ascertain the prevalence and determinants of HBV infection in the population of CLHIV and performance of commonly used rapid diagnosis tests (RDTs). METHODS: Cross-sectional study conducted from February through June 2017 in a subset of CLHIV ≤15 years old at the Essos Hospital Centre, Yaounde, Cameroon. HBV was tested by HBsAg ELISA sandwich in duplicates for each sample, and the mean optical density was calculated. The Determinants of HBV-prevalencewere evaluated, and p < 0.05 was the significance threshold. The performance of two HBV RDTs (Diaspot vs. HBV-5) was evaluated in comparison to ELISA (used as gold standard). RESULTS: Of the 83 CLHIV enrolled (54.2% female, mean age 8.7 [±3.8] years, 60% vaccinated against HBV, all breastfed), HBV-prevalence was 2.41% (2/83). HBV-positivity was significantly associated with unknown maternal HBV status (2.9% [2/69] vs. 0.0% [0/14], p = 0.0097) and vaginal delivery (2.4% [2/82] vs. 0.0% [0/1], p = 0.0018). Moreover, the most likely to be positive were aged 11 and 15 years, and had experienced neither anti-HBV vaccination nor anti-HBV serum administration, and both had not been treated with any antiseptic solution at birth. Regarding the performance of Diaspot vs. HBV-5 respectively, sensitivity was 100% (2/2) vs. 50% (1/2), while specificity was 100% (45/45) vs. 97.8% (44/45); positive and negative predictive values of Diaspot versus HBV-5 were respectively 100% (2/2) and 100% (45/45) versus 50% (1/2) and 97.8% (44/45). CONCLUSION: HBV-infection in the population of CLHIV appears at a moderate prevalence, suggesting a decreased burden likely due to preventive measures including the wide vaccine coverage. Focusing on mothers with unknown HBV status and promoting safer delivery mode (caesarean section) for HBV-positive motherswould contribute toward pediatric HBV elimination. In context of limited resources, Diaspot test appears more reliable to rollout HBV-infection in the population of CLHIV. As findings are limited to a small sample size, studies on a wider population would be relevant.

In vitro leishmanicidal activity of some Cameroonian medicinal plants.

Eleven plants used in the Cameroonian traditional medicine for the treatment of some parasitic infections were tested for their activity on the promastigote form of Leishmania donovani. After incubation with different plant extracts at doses of 1600, 800, 400 and 200 microgram/mL, the evaluation of the cell viability was done by the trypan blue exclusion technique and by flow cytometry. This study shows that 48 h after incubation of promastigotes with plant extract, Solanocia mannii and Solanum torvum significantly inhibited the proliferation of promastigotes in culture with IC50 of 60.78±5.05 and 96.08±4.39 using the trypan blue exclusion technique. In addition, IC50 of 43.91±6.49 and 86.13±4.30 were obtained using the flow cytometry technique. Furthermore, 24 h after incubation of promastigotes with the Solanocia mannii and Solanum torvum, there was significant disruption of their long spindle shaped bodies. The results of this study support the popular uses of these plants for the treatment of some parasitic infections in Cameroonian folk medicine.