The contribution of autopsy in COVID-19 pandemic: Missed opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Mawalla W
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7462550 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The acceleration of climatic, digital, and health challenges is testing scientific communities. Scientists must provide concrete answers in terms of technological solutions to a society which expects immediate returns on the public investment. We are living such a scenario on a global scale with the pandemic crisis of COVID-19 where expectations for virological and serological diagnosis tests have been and are still gigantic. In this Perspective, we focus on a class of biosensors (mechanical biosensors) which are ubiquitous in the literature in the form of high performance, sensitive, selective, low-cost biological analysis systems. The spectacular development announced in their performance in the last 20 years suggested the possibility of finding these mechanical sensors on the front line of COVID-19, but the reality was quite different. We analyze the cause of this rendez-vous manqué, the operational criteria that kept these biosensors away from the field, and we indicate the pitfalls to avoid in the future in the development of all types of biosensors of which the ultimate goal is to be immediately operational for the intended application.
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Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC7498470 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Community-level strategies are important in ensuring adequate control of disease outbreaks especially in sub-Saharan African countries. Learning from public health responses to previous infectious disease outbreaks is important in shaping these responses to COVID-19. This study aims to highlight and summarize the evidence from community-level interventions during infectious disease outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We conducted a scoping review of published literature on community-level interventions and strategies adopted in different infectious disease outbreaks in SSA. To obtain relevant studies, we searched EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar in August 2020. Our search was based on the combination of keywords such as coronavirus, flu, Ebola, community, rural, strategies, impact, effectiveness, feasibility, Africa, developing countries, and SSA. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected and synthesized under the following distinct themes: health education, sensitization, and communications; surveillance; and service delivery. Our review highlights community-based strategies that have been tried and tested with varying outcomes for different outbreaks in different sub-Saharan African communities, we believe they will inform the selection of strategies to adopt in managing the COVID-19 pandemic at the community level. The important aspects of these strategies were highlighted, requirements for successful implementation and the possible challenges that might be encountered were also discussed. Achieving control of the COVID-19 pandemic in sub-Saharan African communities, will require concerted community-based and community-led strategies, which in turn rely on the availability of necessary socioeconomic resources, and the contextual adaption of these interventions.
| S-EPMC8592170 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Antivirals have demonstrated efficacy in treating other infectious diseases in early stages of disease, reducing morbidity, mortality, and the likelihood of onward transmission. At the time of writing, more than 1900 clinical trials are registered globally to assess the efficacy and safety of candidate therapeutics for COVID-19. The majority of these trials are designed to evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of candidate therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19 to prevent death among populations of hospitalized patients with advanced disease. Yet, emerging epidemiological evidence now indicates that the majority of those infected with the SARS-CoV-2, while still infectious, experience minimal or mild disease symptomology. Like HIV and hepatitis C that pioneered treatment as prevention, there is a missed opportunity for trials of early pharmaceutical intervention for COVID-19 disease evaluating not only reductions in morbidity and mortality but also transmissibility. We discuss this clinical research gap within an historical context of viral treatment as prevention for HIV and hepatitis C, and comment on the challenges and opportunities for clinical research of candidate therapeutics for early COVID-19 disease.
| S-EPMC7553378 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSub-Saharan Africa faces prolonged COVID-19 related impacts on economic activity, livelihoods and nutrition, with recovery slowed down by lagging vaccination progress.ObjectiveThis study investigated the economic impacts of COVID-19 on food prices, consumption and dietary quality in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania.MethodsWe conducted a repeated cross-sectional study using a mobile platform to collect data from July-December, 2021 (round 2). We assessed participants' dietary intake of 20 food groups over the previous seven days and computed the primary outcome, the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS), and Dietary Diversity Score (DDS), with higher scores indicating better quality diets. We used generalized estimating equation (GEE) linear regression models to assess factors associated with diet quality during COVID-19.ResultsMost of the respondents were male and the mean age was 42.4 (±12.5) years. Mean PDQS (±SD) was low at 19.4(±3.8), out of a maximum score of 40 in this study. Respondents (80%) reported higher than expected prices for all food groups. Secondary education or higher (estimate: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.32, 1.15), medium wealth status (estimate: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.81), and older age were associated with higher PDQS. Farmers and casual laborers (estimate: -0.60, 95% CI: -1.11, -0.09), lower crop production (estimate: -0.87, 95% CI: -1.28, -0.46) and not engaged in farming (estimate: -1.38, 95% CI: -1.74, -1.02) were associated with lower PDQS.ConclusionHigher food prices and lower diet quality persisted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic and social vulnerability and reliance on markets (and lower agriculture production) were negatively associated with diet quality. Although recovery was evident, consumption of healthy diets remained low. Systematic efforts to address the underlying causes of poor diet quality through transforming food system value chains, and mitigation measures, including social protection programs and national policies are critical.
| S-EPMC10309633 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Sub-Saharan Africa represents 69% of the total number of individuals living with HIV infection worldwide and 72% of AIDS deaths globally. Pulmonary infection is a common and frequently fatal complication, though little is known regarding the lower airway microbiome composition of this population. Our objectives were to characterize the lower airway microbiome of Ugandan HIV-infected patients with pneumonia, to determine relationships with demographic, clinical, immunological, and microbiological variables and to compare the composition and predicted metagenome of these communities to a comparable cohort of patients in the US (San Francisco). Bronchoalveolar lavage samples from a cohort of 60 Ugandan HIV-infected patients with acute pneumonia were collected. Amplified 16S ribosomal RNA was profiled and aforementioned relationships examined. Ugandan airway microbiome composition and predicted metagenomic function were compared to US HIV-infected pneumonia patients. Among the most common bacterial pulmonary pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was most prevalent in the Ugandan cohort. Patients with a richer and more diverse airway microbiome exhibited lower bacterial burden, enrichment of members of the Lachnospiraceae and sulfur-reducing bacteria and reduced expression of TNF-alpha and matrix metalloproteinase-9. Compared to San Franciscan patients, Ugandan airway microbiome were significantly richer, and compositionally distinct with predicted metagenomes that encoded a multitude of distinct pathogenic pathways e.g secretion systems. Ugandan pneumonia-associated airway microbiome is compositionally and functionally distinct from those detected in comparable patients in developed countries, a feature which may contribute to adverse outcomes in this population. Please note that the data from the comparable cohort of patients in the USUS data was published as supplemental material of PMID: 22760045 but not submitted to GEO The 'patient_info.txt' contains 12 clinical, 7 immunological and 3 microbiological variables for each patient.
2014-02-20 | GSE52791 | GEO
Project description:Beginning in March 2020, to reduce COVID-19 transmission, the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief supporting voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) services was delayed in 15 sub-Saharan African countries. We reviewed performance indicators to compare the number of VMMCs performed in 2020 with those performed in previous years. In all countries, the annual number of VMMCs performed decreased 32.5% (from 3,898,960 in 2019 to 2,631,951 in 2020). That reduction is largely attributed to national and local COVID-19 mitigation measures instituted by ministries of health. Overall, 66.7% of the VMMC global annual target was met in 2020, compared with 102.0% in 2019. Countries were not uniformly affected; South Africa achieved only 30.7% of its annual target in 2020, but Rwanda achieved 123.0%. Continued disruption to the VMMC program may lead to reduced circumcision coverage and potentially increased HIV-susceptible populations. Strategies for modifying VMMC services provide lessons for adapting healthcare systems during a global pandemic.
| S-EPMC9745243 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe and disabling form of tuberculosis (TB), with at least 100,000 cases per year and a mortality rate of up to 50% in individuals co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an intensified anti-tubercular regimen and an anti-inflammatory treatment, the INTENSE-TBM project includes a phase III randomised clinical trial (TBM-RCT) in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Within this framework, we designed a comprehensive capacity-building work package ensuring all centres had, or would acquire, the ability to conduct the TBM-RCT and developing a network of skilled researchers, clinical centres and microbiology laboratories. Here, we describe these activities, identify strengths/challenges and share tools adaptable to other projects, particularly in low- and lower-middle income countries with heterogeneous settings and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Despite major challenges, TBM-RCT initiation was achieved in all sites, promoting enhanced local healthcare systems and encouraging further clinical research in SSA. In terms of certified trainings, the achievement levels were 95% (124/131) for good clinical practice, 91% (39/43) for good clinical laboratory practice and 91% (48/53) for infection prevention and control. Platform-based research, developed as part of capacity-building activities for specific projects, may be a valuable tool in fighting future infectious diseases and in developing high-level research in Africa.
| S-EPMC9244532 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in China and transmission to more than 80 territories worldwide, including nine countries in Africa, presents a delicate situation for low-resource settings. Countries in Eastern and Central Africa have been on high alert since mid-2018 in anticipation of regional spread of the Ebola virus from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Significant investment has been made to support enhanced surveillance at point of entry and hospitals, infection control practices, clinical case management, and clinical research. With a new threat on the horizon, African countries have an opportunity to leverage the existing capacities for Ebola preparedness to brace for the imminent threat.
| S-EPMC7236423 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background Following the outbreak of the 2020 coronavirus, governments adopted non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to save lives. The NPIs have been deemed to have unintended consequences on mental health and well-being. This study aimed to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic-induced school closures on the relative search volumes (RSVs) of well-being-relevant topics in 30 low and lower- middle income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Google Trends search data, difference-in-differences and event study methods were used to evaluate the impact on the related search volume (RSV) of well-being related topic queries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Results The results suggest positive and significant increases in the search intensity for anger, boredom, fear, sleep, exercise, and prayer. Contrary to other studies, we find no discernible effects on the relative search volumes (RSVs) on loneliness, sadness, and suicide. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the pandemic and the associated restrictions had a mixed effect on well-being-related searches. We recommend increased vigilance and proactive communication from the government and policy makers with the general population in times of emergencies when social policies that restrict lives and liberties need to be adopted. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-023-16186-6.
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