Prevalence of HIV infection and hepatitis B and factors associated with them among men who had sex with men in Togo in 2017.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are a population at risk of contracting both HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV). The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of these diseases and the factors associated with them among MSM in Togo in 2017. This cross-sectional study took place in eight major cities in Togo from August through September, 2017. MSM aged 18 years and older were recruited with the respondent-driven sampling method. Data on sexual behavior were collected with a standardized questionnaire. Rapid tests were used to screen for HIV and HBV. In all, 678 MSM with a median age of 23 years (interquartile range: 21-26) were recruited, 68.7% of them living in Lomé, the capital of Togo. The prevalence of HIV was 22.0% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 18.9-25.3) and that of HBV 7.1% (95% CI 5.3-9.3). Seven (1.0%) MSM were co-infected with HIV and HBV. Age, place of residence, living with a male partner, the number of male partners in the 12 months before the study, and history of HIV testing were associated with HIV infection (P<0.05). Age and living in Lomé were associated with HBV infection (P<0.05). The results of this study highlight the importance of focusing response efforts on populations at risk of contracting STIs through routine screening and vaccination.

Prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases among HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients eligible for retreatment regimen in Togo using GeneXpert MTB/RIF.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is emerging as an important health problem in Togo. From sputum of previously treated TB patients, multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB was diagnosed in 24% (10/42) patients via GeneXpert MTB/RIF compared to 25% (6/24) patients via conventional drug susceptibility testing (BACTEC MGIT 960 system). The agreement between these two methods to detect MDR-TB is excellent. However, GeneXpert MTB/RIF offers the advantage of rapidly detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in sputum samples in instances where the cultures are negative (33%, 14/42) or contaminated (9.5%, 4/42). GeneXpert MTB/RIF permitted us to estimate the prevalence of MDR-TB in previously treated TB patients and to improve TB diagnostics among HIV-positive and -negative patients in Togo, where culturing M. tuberculosis complex from sputum samples is challenging.

Evaluation of 9 rapid diagnostic tests for screening HIV infection, in Lomé, Togo.

PURPOSE: HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) could be greatly contributive for a universal access to HIV diagnosis. However, according to the WHO, these tests need to be assessed before they can be used in routine. METHOD AND RESULTS: We assessed 9 RDT in routine clinical use between 2009 and 2013. The sensitivity and specificity observed for 7 tests were≥99% and≥98%, respectively: FIRST RESPONSE HIV1-2-O PMC Medical, India, GENIE Fast HIV 1-2 and GENIE™ III HIV(1/2) Bio-Rad, France, HIV TRI-DOT+Ag;J. Mitra, INDIA; SD BIOLINE HIV(1/2) 3.0 and SD BIOLINE HIV/SYPHILIS DUO Standard Diagnostic, Korea; and VIKIA HIV(1/2); BioMérieux, France. Two tests had performances inferior to WHO recommendations: INSTI HIV1/2 Biolytical Canada; sensitivity=97.8% and HEXAGON HIV HUMAN GmbH Germany; specificity=94.8%. CONCLUSION: Seven of 9 RDT had excellent performances. Nevertheless, they can be used only after training staff, and taking into account national algorithm for their safe use.

[Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in community-acquired skin infections in Lomé, Togo]. / Prévalence de Staphylococcus aureus résistant a la méticilline (SARM) au cours des infections cutanées communautaires a Lomé (Togo).

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in community-acquired skin infections in Lomé, Togo. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study including 90 cases of skin infection observed in dermatological outpatients at the teaching Hospital of Lomé was carried out from 1st June 2003 to 30th May 2005. A bacteriological sample with antibiograms was obtained from all patients. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 21 years (extremes, 6 months to 78 years). The male-to- female ratio was 0.84. Infection was primary in 80% of cases including impetigo in 42.2%, follicular infection in 28.9%, and abscess in 8.9% and secondary in 20% of cases including eczema in 8.9%, mycosis in 3.3%, and other in 7.8%. Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated in a total of 84 cases (93.3%). Staphylococcus aureus occurred alone in 79 cases (87.8%) or in association with other bacteria in 5. A total of 30 of the 84 Staphylococcus aureus strains (35.7%) isolated were methicillin-resistant. Resistant strains were associated with primary infection in 24 cases and secondary infection in 6. CONCLUSION. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of community-acquired skin infections in Lomé. One third of Staphylococcus aureus strains are methicillin-resistant. These findings should be taken into account in daily practice for prescription of antibiotics to patients presenting these infections.

[Prevalence of HIV-TB co-infection and impact of HIV infection on pulmonary tuberculosis outcome in Togo]. / Prévalence de la co-infection VIH-tuberculose et impact de l'infection VIH sur l'évolution de la tuberculose pulmonaire au Togo.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HIV infection in tuberculosis patients and its impact on the TB treatment. We enrolled 569 pulmonary TB patients in four diagnosis and treatment centres in Togo. All patients were new TB cases and received the first-line TB drugs: two months of rifampicin-pyrazinamide-isoniazid-ethambutol and six months of isoniazid-ethambutol. HIV testing was done according to the national guidelines, using rapid diagnosis tests. The CD4 lymphocyte counting was performed by Facscalibur (BD, Sciences) for all HIV-positive patients. Of the 569 TB patients enrolled, 135 (23.7%) were HIV positive (TB/HIV+). HIV prevalence was 22.4% (76 of 339) among men and 25.6% (59 of 230) among women without statistical difference. The global rate of treatment success was 82.2%. The rate of treatment success was lower (64.3%) in TB/HIV+ patients than in TB/HIV- patients (87.5%) (p <0.01). The mortality rates were 25.6% and 11.8% in TB/HIV+ patients and TB/HIV- patients, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (p <0.01). We did not found any statistical difference between the rates of treatment success among TB/HIV- (87.5%) patients and TB/HIV+ patients who had TCD4 lymphocyte counts above 200/µl (84.4%). TB program in Togo must take into account HIV infection to improve its performance.

[Pediatric salmonellosis at the Tokoin's teaching hospital, Lomé (Togo)]. / Les salmonelloses chez l'enfant au CHU Tokoin de Lomé (Togo).

OBJECTIVE: The authors had for aim to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and bacteriological aspects and outcome of pediatric Salmonella enterica, Salmonella septicemia, over the last 10 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed the case history of 132 patients hospitalized for Salmonellasepticemia (positive blood culture) between 1995 and 2004. RESULTS: Salmonellosis accounted for 0.36% of all hospitalizations. The mean age of patients was 5.86 plus or minus 4.06 years, significantly higher in patients with S. ser. Typhi (7.14+/-4.04 years) than in patients with other serotypes (4.95+/-3.8 years). The clinical presentation was severe in many children (with dehydration (34.8%) and emaciation (55.3%)), so HIV was suspected and investigated in 51 patients (38.6%). Eight patients were HIV positive. Three serotypes of S. enterica were predominant: S. ser. Typhi, 55 cases (41.7%), S. ser. Enteritidis, 32 cases (24.2%), and S. ser. Typhimurium, 19 cases (14.4%). The bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics was good for ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin (100%). But 78.8% of the serotypes were resistant to amoxicillin, 75.4% to chloramphenicol, and 69.4% to cotrimoxazole. The mean duration of hospitalization was 13.7 plus or minus 7.4 days (range 4-34 days). Complications occurred in 15.9% of cases, dominated by digestive bleeding (10.6%), and 6.1% of patients died.

[Emergence of multidrug resistant Salmonella strains in Lome (Togo)]. / Emergence des souches de salmonelles multirésistantes aux antibiotiques à Lomé (Togo).

OBJECTIVE: This study had for aim to compare antibiotic resistance of 332 Salmonella enterica strains identified in human samples in the course of infections, in Lome. DESIGN: The strains were collected over two periods: 1998-2002 (N=168) and 2003-2004 (N=164). The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by disk diffusion assay. RESULTS: The main serotypes identified were 147 Salmonella Typhi (44.3%), 97 Salmonella Typhimurium (29.2%), and 74 Salmonella Enteritidis (22.3%). The proportions of strains resistant to chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazol, and amoxicillin (first line antibiotics) varied respectively from 33, 46, and 57% in 1998-2002 to 73, 79, and 82% in 2003-2004 (P<0.0001). The percentage of resistance to ciprofloxacin or ceftriaxone was inferior to 10%. CONCLUSION: Fluoroquinolones and third generation cephalosporins have become the first line antibiotics for the treatment of Salmonella in Lome (Togo).

[Human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B viruses in patients with sickle-cell disease in Togo]. / Virus de l'immunodéficience humaine et virus des hépatites virales C et B chez les patients drépanocytaires au CHU Campus de Lomé (Togo).

CONTEXT: The clinical features of sickle cell disease (SCD) are vaso-occlusive and/or hemolytic crises which treatment may require blood transfusions. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HIV, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infections in a population of SCD patients. METHODS: All the samples were analyzed by Elisa technique. We studied 119 sera for HIV using Elisa and a confirmation test in case of positive Elisa. We screened 91 sera for HCV and 119 sera for HBV. RESULTS: The prevalence was 5.04% for HIV, 6.5% for HCV and 20.2% for HBs Ag. Homozygous (SS) patients were more infected than compound heterozygous patients SC, (p < 0.02). 24.6% of the children (0 to 15 years of age) were infected as well as adults (35.5%). The Relative Risk to be contaminated was 7.14 for HIV, 4.29 for HCV and 5.43 for HBV in transfused compared to non transfused SCD patients. CONCLUSIONS: This high infectious risk in SCD patients should lead us to elaborate a better strategy to increase the safety of blood transfusion in Togo.

[Incidence and impact of HIV infection among patients with bacterial pleurisy in Lomé (Togo)]. / Fréquence et impact de l'infection au virus de l'immunodéficience humaine chez les patients souffrant de pleurésies bactériennes à Lomé (Togo).

A prospective study was made in the Tokoin university hospital in Lomé (Togo) to determine the incidence and the impact of HIV among patients with bacterial pleurisy. Two hundred cases of bacterial pleurisy were consecutively included over 17 months. The HIV diagnostic was performed using ELISA (Vironostika HIV Uni-Form II plus O and HIV1 and 2 Bispot Immunocomb II). The 200 cases of pleurisy included 152 (76%) tuberculous pleural effusion and 48 (24%) pleural empyema. Staphylococcus aureus (32%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (14.9%), and Pseudomonas (14.9%) were the main causes of pleural empyema. The HIV incidence was 61% (122/200). The mortality rate ranged from 26.2% in the HIV positive group to 5.1% in HIV negative group (P = 0.0001). The bacterial aspect of pleural empyema was heterogeneous in both groups but Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium were identified only among patients with HIV.

[Evaluation of eight diagnostic tests for HIV infection in Lome (Togo)]. / Evaluation de la performance de huit tests de diagnostic de l'infection à VIH à Lome (Togo).

This study to evaluate the performance of eight diagnostic tests for HIV/AIDS infection was conducted at the National Reference Center for HIV/AIDS/STD in Lomé, Togo. The tests were as follows: Enzymum test anti HIV Combi, Enzymum tests anti-HIV1 + 2 + subtype O, Genscreen HIV 1/2, Ice 1.0.2, Vironostika HIV Uni-Form II Plus O, Genie II HIV 1/2, SFD HIV 1/2 PA and DETERMINE HIV 1/2. A total of 238 serum specimens collected consecutively between January and April 1999 were studied. They were from 161 occasional blood donors and 77 patients. New Lav-Blot I and Ii (western blot) were used as reference tests. Test sensitivity ranged from 90 to 100%. Specificity ranged from 96 to 100%. The Enzymum test anti HIV Combi used only on serum samples from blood donors demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. Tests based on Elisa (Emzymum Combi, Enzymum HIV 1 + 2 + subtype O, Genscreen, Ice 1.0.2 and Vironostika) allowed acceptable diagnosis of HIV/AIDS as alternatives to western blot. Two of the three rapid assays tested provided acceptable results, i.e., Genie II HIV 1/2 and SFD HIV 1/2. They are suitable for screening to prevent HIV transmission by blood transfusion in areas where Elisa is unfeasible.

[Antimicrobial activity of ciprofloxacin and netilmicin compared to various antibiotics in Lome, Togo]. / Activité antimicrobienne de la ciprofloxacine et de la nétilmicine comparée à celle de divers antibiotiques à Lomé, Togo.

We report the antimicrobial activity of ciprofloxacin and netilmicin on 577 strains such as S. aureus, Pseudomonas, E. coli, Salmonella, Proteus, Klebsiella and Enterobacter. Isolation and identification were performed by standard methods. Disk diffusion tests were performed to evalute the susceptibility. The percentage resistance to ciprofloxacin for bacteria was: E. coli = 15%, Enterobacter = 13%, Proteus = 10%, Pseudomonas = 9%, S. aureus and Klebsiella = 4%. The percentage resistance to netilmicin for bacteria was: Pseudomonas = 29%, Proteus = 26%, S. aureus = 21%, Enterobacter = 16%, Klebsiella = 14% and E. coli = 5%. The antimicrobial activity of ciprofloxacin and netilmicin was higher than that of others antibiotics.

[Acute osteomyelitis in the child with sickle cell disease in a tropical zone: value of oral fluoroquinolones]. / Ostéomyélites aiguës de l'enfant drépanocytaire en zone tropicale: intérêt de l'utilisation des fluoroquinolones par voie orale.

AIM: This study was designed to assess the efficacy and the safety of fluoroquinolones in their compassionate use for acute osteomyelitis in children with sickle cell disease in a tropical country. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was non comparative, including twelve children (eight SS, three SC and one SEzerothalassemia) treated for acute osteomyelitis with oral ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin because of the following reasons: financial inability to afford conventional parenteral beta-lactams therapy (nine patients), refusal of hospitalization (two patients), and failure of conventional treatment (one patient). RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 9.5 +/- 2.6 years. The long bones were the predominantly site. Salmonella species were present in 75% of cases, followed by other enterobacteriaceae (16.7%), and Staphylococcus aureus (8.3%). Successful outcome occurred in all cases after three to four-weeks of treatment and 45 days of plaster immobilization. Transient bilateral Achilles tendon tendinitis was noted in a five-year-old patient. CONCLUSION: In economically developing countries, oral fluoroquinolones may be a therapeutic alternative for acute osteomyelitis in patients with sickle cell disease particularly in cases of financial hardship or failure with conventional therapy.

[Frequency and susceptibility to antibiotics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae at Lomé]. / Fréquence et sensibilité de Neisseria gonorrhoeae aux antibiotiques à Lomé (Togo)

A cross-sectional study was carried out by the bacteriology laboratory of the Lome-Tokoin University Hospital, to determine the frequency of gonorrhea in patients providing vaginal or urethral samples, and to investigate the susceptibility of N. gonorrhoeae to antibiotics. The samples were treated according to classic bacteriological methods and the disk diffusion tests were used to investigate antibiotic susceptibility. The samples were taken from 420 patients, 246 of whom were male (26.86% ¿NdT: d'où vient ce chiffre??, 58.33% si 420 patients, 61.19% si 402 patients¿) and 156 of whom were female (37.14% ¿NdT: plutôt 38.8% si 402 patients¿) ¿NdT: et le reste?? Il me semble que c'est plutôt 402 patients en total (= 246 + 156). Sinon il y a 18 patients qui ne sont ni male ni femelle?!¿. N. gonorrhoeae was isolated from 88 patients, giving a prevalence of 20.95% ¿NdT: ou 21.89% si 402 patients¿. We isolated strains of the bacterium from 76 men (25.78% ¿NdT: incorrect, 30. 89%¿ and 12 women (7.69%). Ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and netilmicin were the most effective antibiotics. The cyclins, cotrimoxazole and penicillin were less effective.