Strategies to manage hepatitis C virus infection disease burden-Volume 4.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic was forecasted through 2030 for 17 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, and interventions for achieving the Global Health Sector Strategy on viral hepatitis targets-"WHO Targets" (65% reduction in HCV-related deaths, 90% reduction in new infections and 90% of infections diagnosed by 2030) were considered. Scaling up treatment and diagnosis rates over time would be required to achieve these targets in all but one country, even with the introduction of high SVR therapies. The scenarios developed to achieve the WHO Targets in all countries studied assumed the implementation of national policies to prevent new infections and to diagnose current infections through screening.

Analyse démographique et endoscopique des patients atteints d'ulcère gastroduodénal à Yaoundé au Cameroun : qu'est ce qui a changé depuis les années 1990 ?

Objectif : La prévalence de l'ulcère gastro-duodénal semble être en diminution marquée ces dernières années dans les pays africains. Au Cameroun en 1990, elle était de 32%. L'objectif de notre étude était d'évaluer l'évolution de la prévalence de l'ulcère gastroduodénal et d'identifier ses caractéristiques démographiques et endoscopiques à Yaoundé, 25 ans après.Patients et méthodes : Etude rétrospective de la période allant du 1er janvier 2011 au 31 décembre 2014 dans trois hôpitaux universitaires de Yaoundé. Les comptes rendus d'endoscopie de 4685 patients consécutifs référés pour une endoscopie digestive haute ont été réexaminés. Nous avons inclus 489 patients (312 hommes et 177 femmes) avec un ulcère gastro-duodénal prouvé en endoscopie. Les données démographiques et endoscopiques ont été recueillies. Résultats : L'ulcère duodénal et l'ulcère gastrique étaient identifiés respectivement chez 295 (60,3%) et 157 (32,1%) patients, la double localisation gastrique et duodénale chez 37(7,6%), faisant une prévalence globale de 10,4%. L'âge moyen des patients était de 48,9 ans (extrêmes : 4 à 90 ans). Les patients ulcéreux gastriques étaient relativement plus âgés que les patients ulcéreux duodénaux (54,4 ans vs. 45,4 ans, p < 10-5). Le ratio homme/femme était de 2,2/1 pour l'ulcère duodénal et 1,2/1 pour l'ulcère gastrique. La prévalence globale de l'infection à H. pylori à l'histologie et/ou au test rapide à l'uréase était de 63,0% (308/489). L'infection était plus fréquente dans l'ulcère duodénal que gastrique (67,8% vs. 51,0%, p = 0,0005). L'ulcère gastro-duodénal était révélé par les épigastralgies (71,8%) et l'hémorragie (31,5%). L'hémorragie était liée à l'ulcère duodénal (p = 0,07) et au sexe masculin (p = 0,01). Il n'y avait pas de différence significative selon l'âge (p = 0,16). H. pylori protégeait contre l'hémorragie, risque relatif 0,7 (IC à 95% : 0,6-0,8 ; p = 0,00006).Conclusion : La prévalence de l'ulcère gastroduodénal a significativement diminué au Cameroun par rapport à 1990. Les patients ulcéreux sont devenus plus âgés avec une tendance à l'occidentalisation de la maladie ulcéreuse

Hepatite B chronique à antigene Hbe negative à Yaoundé, Cameroun

OBJECTIFS. L'hepatite B chronique a antigene HBe (AgHBe) negatif est associee a un mauvais pronostic et a un taux de reponse soutenue au traitement antiviral faible. Notre etude avait pour but de determiner les aspects epidemiologiques de l'hepatite B chronique a AgHBe negatif a Yaounde; centre de reference du traitement des hepatites chroniques au Cameroun. PATIENTS ET MeTHODES. De 2004 a 2012; 315 patients consecutifs porteurs chroniques de l'AgHBs ont ete enregistres. Les analyses serologiques ont ete effectuees en utilisant des kits commerciaux ELISA pour detecter l'AgHBs; les anti-HBc totaux; l'AgHBe; les anti-HBe; l'anti-delta et les anti-VHC. Les taux d'ADN VHB ont ete mesures par la technique COBAS Ampliprep (Roche). Les tests biochimiques pour le calcul du fibrotest/actitest ont ete realises avec l'automate COBAS (Roche). La prevalence de l'hepatite B chronique a AgHBe negatif; les donnees demographiques; l'association entre le taux d'ADN VHB et les dommages hepatiques ont ete explorees. ReSULTATS. La prevalence de l'hepatite B chronique a AgHBe negatif etait de 92;1%(290/315) [IC a 95% 88;4-94;7]. Le sexe ratio H/F etait de 2;8. Les transaminases ALAT etaient normales chez 67;2% (195/290) de patients. La cirrhose existait chez 6;1% (8/132). La viremie mediane etait de 1140 UI/ml; 70;3% (166/236) avaient un ADN VHB = 2000UI/ml et 20;3%(48/236) un ADN VHB indetectable. Aucune association statistiquement significative n'a ete notee entre le taux d'ADN VHB et l'age; le taux de transaminases ALAT ou la cirrhose. CONCLUSION. L'hepatite B chronique a AgHBe negatif est la forme predominante au Cameroun. Cette particularite souleve le probleme de la prise en charge therapeutique vu son mauvais pronostic

Approche non endoscopique du diagnostic des varices oesophagiennes d'origine cirrhotique dans une population d'Afrique noire subsaharienne

OBJECTIFS. Identifier des parametres cliniques et para cliniques pour l'approche non endoscopique du diagnostic des varices osophagiennes chez les patients atteints de cirrhose; en contexte sub-saharien. MATeRIELS ET MeTHODES. Les dossiers de patients cirrhotiques camerounais examines au Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Yaounde entre mars 2013 et novembre 2014 ont ete revus. Les donnees cliniques; biologiques; echographiques et ont ete analysees et comparees a la severite des varices osophagiennes retrouvees par endoscopie. La methode de classification et regression par carte a permis de construire un arbre de prediction des varices osophagiennes. ReSULTATS. Nous avons inclus 98 patients cirrhotiques d'age compris entre 14 et 80 ans. Les hepatites virales B et C ont ete retrouvees chez 78 patients (79;59%). 53 patients (54;08%) etaient classes Child-Pugh C. La prevalence des varices osophagiennes etait de 92% (90/98) avec 63;27% de grade III. Les variables independamment associes a la severite des varices osophagiennes etaient les taux de prothrombine; d'hemoglobine; d'albumine; de leucocytes; de creatinine serique et la taille de la rate. Ces facteurs ont ete utilises pour construire un arbre de prediction de survenue des VO. CONCLUSION. A l'aide d'un arbre decisionnel integrant la taille de la rate et cinq facteurs biologiques; il est possible de predire la severite des varices osophagiennes post-cirrhotiques en contexte sub-saharien

Potential of Spirulina Platensis as a Nutritional Supplement in Malnourished HIV-Infected Adults in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Randomised, Single-Blind Study.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a major global public health issue and its impact on communities and individuals is more dramatic in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is compounded by widespread poverty and generalized high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Therefore, malnutrition should be addressed through a multisectorial approach, and malnourished individuals should have access to nutritional rehabilitation molecules that are affordable, accessible, rich in nutrient and efficient. We thus assessed the efficacy of two affordable and accessible nutritional supplements, spirulina platensis versus soya beans among malnourished HIV-infected adults. METHODS: Undernourished patients, naïve of, but eligible to antiretroviral treatment (ART), aged 18 to 35 years were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups. The first group received spirulina (Group A) as food supplement and the second received soya beans (Group B). Patients were initiated ART simultaneously with supplements. Food supplements were auto-administered daily, the quantity being calculated according to weight to provide 1.5 g/kg body weight of proteins with 25% from supplements (spirulina and soya beans). Patients were monitored at baseline and followed-up during twelve weeks for anthropometric parameters, body composition, haemoglobin and serum albumin, CD4 count and viral load. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients were enrolled (Group A: 26 and Group B: 26). The mean age was 26.4 ± 4.9 years (Group A) and 28.7 ± 4.8 (Group B) with no significant difference between groups (P = 0.10). After 12 weeks, weight and BMI significantly improved in both groups (P < 0.001 within each group). The mean gain in weight and BMI in Group A and B were 4.8 vs. 6.5 kg, (P = 0.68) and 1.3 vs. 1.90 Kg/m(2), (P = 0.82) respectively. In terms of body composition, fat free mass (FFM) did not significantly increase within each group (40.5 vs. 42.2 Kg, P = 0.56 for Group A; 39.2 vs. 39.0 Kg, P = 0.22 for Group B). But when compared between the two groups at the end of the trial, FFM was significantly higher in the spirulina group (42.2 vs. 39.0 Kg, P = 0.01). The haemoglobin level rose significantly within groups (P < 0.001 for each group) with no difference between groups (P = 0.77). Serum albumin level did not increase significantly within groups (P < 0.90 vs. P < 0.82) with no difference between groups (P = 0.39). The increase in CD4 cell count within groups was significant (P < 0.01 in both groups), with a significantly higher CD4 count in the spirulina group compared to subjects on soya beans at the end of the study (P = 0.02). Within each group, HIV viral load significantly reduced at the end of the study (P < 0.001 and P = 0.04 for spirulina and soya beans groups respectively). Between the groups, the viral load was similar at baseline but significantly reduced in the spirulina group at the end of the study (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: We therefore conclude in this preliminary study, firstly, that both spirulina and soja improve on nutritional status of malnourished HIV-infected patients but in terms of quality of nutritional improvement, subjects on spirulina were better off than subjects on soya beans. Secondly, nutritional rehabilitation improves on immune status with a consequent drop in viral load but further investigations on the antiviral effects of this alga and its clinical implications are strongly needed.

[Amebic liver abscesses in Yaoundé]. / Abscès amibien du foie à Yaoundé.

Until 1985, morbidity and mortality from amebic infections were high in sub-Saharan Africa (2). The aim of this work was to describe the clinical, diagnostic and prognostic aspects of amebic liver lesions in a large town in tropical Africa, seven years after the last study of this disease in the area. We studied 96 amebic liver abscesses in 77 patients in a study with prospective and retrospective components. The patients were aged 20 to 65 years and the diagnoses were made on the basis of clinical radiological and biological criteria. Most of the patients were men (3:1). The most frequent clinical signs and symptoms were: pain on (100%), fever (92.2%), enlarged right hypochondrium (89.6%), heptomegaly (45.4%) and weight loss (39.6%). Ultrasound scans showed that the abscesses were most frequently found in the liver, on the right-hand side (65.6%) and that they were 20 to 125 mm in diameter. Between 80 and 2,500 ml of pus was drained from each abscess. We found pleuropulmonary lesions in 10.4% of cases. Serological tests for amebae were strongly positive in almost all cases and HIV tests (carried out prospectively) were positive in 11.6% of cases. The amebic liver lesions appeared to be primary in 66% of cases. The patients were treated with metronidazole, combined if necessary, with drainage under ultrasound surveillance. Two of the patients died. The others were completely cured after a mean of 13 days in hospital. Amebic infestations are cosmopolitan in nature. They occur most frequently in tropical areas. Amebic infections are rife in tropical Africa, with a prevalence of 1 to 2% (1). Liver amebiasis is the principal form of amebic infection outside of the intestine. Liver amebiasis is often detected at the stage of abscess formation.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus and other blood-borne viruses in Pygmies and neighbouring Bantus in southern Cameroon.

The prevalences of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV), human T lymphotrophic virus (anti-HTLV) and of hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) were determined in 168 subjects aged 12 years and over (108 Pygmies, 60 Bantus) living in south Cameroon. In 167 subjects, we found an estimated minimal anti-HCV prevalence of 13%. The prevalence was significantly higher in Bantus (31.7%) than in Pygmies (11.1%) and increased with age in both groups, albeit more rapidly in Bantus. The overall prevalence of HBsAg was 7.2% and correlated with neither sex nor ethnic group. No association was found between anti-HCV and HbsAg prevalence rates. No subject was confirmed to be positive for HTLV or HIV. These findings confirm the high prevalence of HCV infection in south Cameroon and indicate that even secluded population groups are affected.

Serum secretory IgA and secretory component in patients with non-cirrhotic alcoholic liver diseases.

Elevated levels of secretory IgA in serum have been demonstrated in several liver dysfunctions such as hepatic cytolysis and cholestasis. However, these possible alterations at an early stage of liver diseases have not yet been investigated. We studied a cohort of chronic alcoholic patients without cirrhosis in order to assess the changes in serum secretory IgA and other forms of secretory component, the split product of the polymeric Ig-receptor of epithelial cells. The possible diagnostic value of these measurements in the assessment of alcoholic disease was compared to that of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity. Serum levels of secretory IgA and IgM and free secretory component, were quantified by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 71 patients with chronic alcoholic liver disease without cirrhosis and in 45 healthy controls. Patients were divided into two groups according to the severity of the liver abnormalities. In addition, the reversibility of serum secretory IgA, IgM and free secretory component abnormalities after alcohol withdrawal was evaluated in 15 patients. Serum levels of the three molecular forms of secretory component were significantly higher than those measured in control subjects, both in the whole population of patients and in the two groups of alcoholic patients without cirrhosis. In all groups, serum secretory IgA levels were correlated to free secretory component but not to total IgA levels. Serum secretory IgA levels were as discriminative as gammaglutamyl transferase activity in distinguishing between chronic alcoholic patients without cirrhosis and non-alcoholic subjects. The abnormalities of serum secretory IgA concentrations were reversible after alcohol withdrawal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Biliary calculi in adults in Cameroon. Epidemio-clinical and morphological aspects (apropos of 52 cases seen in Yaounde)]. / La lithiase biliaire de l'adulte Camerounais. Aspects épidémio-cliniques et morphologiques (a propos de 52 cas observés à Yaoundé).

Fifty-two cases of cholelithiasis were retrospectively studied in the Central Hospital of Yaounde over a period of 30 months. Nineteen males and 33 females with an average age of 40 years (range from 15 to 70 years). Forty-six p.c. of these patients had asymptomatic cholelithiasis and most of it consisted in only one gallstone. Etiologic factors found were: sickle-cell anemia, obesity, pregnancy and cirrhosis.