First wave COVID-19 pandemic in Senegal: Epidemiological and clinical characteristics.

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread from China to the rest of the world. Africa seems less impacted with lower number of cases and deaths than other continents. Senegal recorded its first case on March 2, 2020. We present here data collected from March 2 to October 31, 2020 in Senegal. METHODS: Socio-demographic, epidemiological, clinical and virological information were collected on suspected cases. To determine factors associated with diagnosed infection, symptomatic disease and death, multivariable binary logistic regression and log binomial models were used. Epidemiological parameters such as the reproduction number and growth rate were estimated. RESULTS: 67,608 suspected cases were tested by the IPD laboratories (13,031 positive and 54,577 negative). All age categories were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, but also patients having diabetes or hypertension or other cardiovascular diseases. With diagnosed infection, patients over 65 years and those with hypertension and cardiovascular disease and diabetes were highly associated with death. Patients with co-morbidities were associated with symptomatic disease, but only the under 15 years were not associated with. Among infected, 27.67% were asymptomatic (40.9% when contacts were systematically tested; 12.11% when only symptomatic or high-risk contacts were tested). Less than 15 years-old were mostly asymptomatic (63.2%). Dakar accounted for 81.4% of confirmed cases. The estimated mean serial interval was 5.57 (± 5.14) days. The average reproduction number was estimated at 1.161 (95%CI: 1.159-1.162), the growth rate was 0.031 (95%CI: 0.028-0.034) per day. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicated that factors associated with symptomatic COVID-19 and death are advanced age (over 65 years-old) and comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin Treatment of Hospitalized Patients Infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Senegal from March to October 2020.

As of today, little data is available on COVID-19 in African countries, where the case management relied mainly on a treatment by association between hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin (AZM). This study aimed to understand the main clinical outcomes of COVID-19 hospitalized patients in Senegal from March to October 20202. We described the clinical characteristics of patients and analysed clinical status (alive and discharged versus hospitalized or died) at 15 days after Isolation and Treatment Centres (ITC) admission among adult patients who received HCQ plus AZM and those who did not receive this combination. A total of 926 patients were included in this analysis. Six hundred seventy-four (674) (72.8%) patients received a combination of HCQ and AZM. Results showed that the proportion of patient discharge at D15 was significantly higher for patients receiving HCQ plus AZM (OR: 1.63, IC 95% (1.09-2.43)). Factors associated with a lower proportion of patients discharged alive were: age ≥ 60 years (OR: 0.55, IC 95% (0.36-0.83)), having of at least one pre-existing disorder (OR: 0.61, IC 95% (0.42-0.90)), and a high clinical risk at admission following NEWS score (OR: 0.49, IC 95% (0.28-0.83)). Few side effects were reported including 2 cases of cardiac rhythmic disorders in the HCQ and AZM group versus 13 in without HCQ + AZM. An improvement of clinical status at 15 days was found for patients exposed to HCQ plus AZM combination.

COVID-19 Outbreak, Senegal, 2020.

The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 began later in Africa than in Asia and Europe. Senegal confirmed its first case of coronavirus disease on March 2, 2020. By March 4, a total of 4 cases had been confirmed, all in patients who traveled from Europe.

[Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and its associated factors in Senegalese military personnel sent on mission to Darfur]. / Prévalence de l'antigène de surface du virus de l'hépatite B et facteurs associés chez des militaires sénégalais envoyés en mission au Darfour.

INTRODUCTION: In Senegal, 85% of the adult population have been exposed to the hepatitis B virus and about 11% of them are chronic surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers. This infection is poorly documented among Senegalese Armed Forces. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of HBsAg in Senegalese military personnel on mission to Darfur (Sudan) and to identify its associated factors. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among Senegalese military personnel stationed in Darfur from 1 July 2014 to 31 July 2014. HBsAg test was performed on serum of participants using immunochromatographic method. The search for associated factors was carried out using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Our study included 169 male military personnel. The average age was 36.6 ± 9.5 years. A history of familial chronic liver disease, blood exposure and sexual exposure were found in 12.4%, 24.9% and 45.6% of the study population respectively. HBsAg was found in 24 participants [14.2% (CI 95% = 8.9-19.5)]. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, age (OR = 0.9 CI 95% = 0.9-1.0), university level (OR = 9.5 CI 95% = 1.3 - 67 , 1>) and sexual exposure (OR = 3.3 <; CI 95% = 1.0 - 10.3) were independently associated with hepatitis B. CONCLUSION: Our study shows high prevalence of HBsAg and underlines the need for further evaluation of hepatitis B in this population.

[Occult hepatitis B reactivation in a patient with homozygous sickle cell disease: clinical case and literature review]. / Réactivation d'une hépatite B occulte chez un patient drépanocytaire homozygote: cas clinique et revue de la litérature.

Occult Hepatitis B corresponds to the presence of hepatitis B virus-deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV-DNA) in serum and/or in liver of a patient despite HBsAg negativity. Clinically, it is usually asymptomatic. Its reactivation is rare and commonly occurs in immunosuppressed individuals. We report the case of a 21-year old patient from Senegal, with homozygous sickle cell disease, presenting with cholestatic jaundice. Laboratory tests showed reactivation of occult Hepatitis B. This study emphasizes the need to systematically investigate the presence of occult Hepatitis B in patients with sickle cell disease suffering from acute liver disease.