Publications by authors named "Rene Ghislain Essomba"

Objective: The study was conducted to assess the diagnostic performance of the Hightop Syphilis Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) in comparison with the ELISA test used as a reference method.

Design: A laboratory-based cross-sectional and comparative study was conducted to assess the diagnostic performance of the Hightop Syphilis RDT.

Setting: Blood samples obtained from adult participants in eight health facilities were analysed at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), Ministry of Public Health, Yaounde, Cameroon.

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  • The study examined SARS-CoV-2 immunity in Cameroon from August 2021 to September 2022, assessing changes in antibody levels, mortality rates, and vaccination.
  • Seroprevalence surged from 11.2% to nearly 60% while COVID-19-related deaths dropped dramatically, indicating improved immunity without a corresponding rise in vaccinations.
  • The findings suggest that high vaccination rates may not be necessary for controlling outbreaks in Africa, urging policymakers to consider local research for better epidemic management strategies.
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Introduction: since the introduction of the anti-HBV vaccine into the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in 2005 in Cameroon, vaccination coverage has reached 99.0%. This coverage would indicate an increase in the number of children immune to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and a decrease in susceptibility to HBV-infection.

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While the SARS-CoV-2 dynamic has been described globally, there is a lack of data from Sub-Saharan Africa. We herein report the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 lineages from March 2020 to March 2022 in Cameroon. Of the 760 whole-genome sequences successfully generated by the national genomic surveillance network, 74% were viral sub-lineages of origin and non-variants of concern, 15% Delta, 6% Omicron, 3% Alpha and 2% Beta variants.

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Introduction: HIV-1 and Mtb are characterized by immune activation and unbalances production of cytokines, but the expression of IL33 in HIV/TB coinfection remain understudied. This study aimed to evaluate the level of IL-33 in plasma of HIV and M. tuberculosis (HIV/TB) coinfected patients compared to patients with respective mono infections in Yaoundé.

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a public health emergency in all sectors of society, including universities and other academic institutions in Cameroon. However, little is known concerning the real prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections among student communities during the second wave of infection in Cameroon. This study aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seroprevalence among participants in a university community in Cameroon.

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  • The study examined the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Cameroon before the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals using 288 stored plasma samples.
  • Results showed an overall seropositivity of 13.5%, with a slightly lower rate among HIV-positive individuals (11.0%) compared to HIV-negative individuals (16.8%).
  • Additionally, higher CD4 counts and lower viral loads in people living with HIV were associated with increased seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, suggesting possible cross-immunity in tropical regions.
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  • Distinct SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.620 was identified in Lithuania, featuring multiple mutations in the spike protein commonly found in concerning variants like E484K and S477N.
  • The study highlights the lineage's potential resistance to neutralizing antibodies and documents local instances of transmission in Europe, particularly in Lithuania.
  • Evidence suggests that B.1.620 likely originated in Central Africa, supported by advanced phylogeographic methods and travel history data from infected individuals.
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Official case counts suggest Africa has not seen the expected burden of COVID-19 as predicted by international health agencies, and the proportion of asymptomatic patients, disease severity, and mortality burden differ significantly in Africa from what has been observed elsewhere. Testing for SARS-CoV-2 was extremely limited early in the pandemic and likely led to under-reporting of cases leaving important gaps in our understanding of transmission and disease characteristics in the African context. SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence and serologic response data could help quantify the burden of COVID-19 disease in Africa to address this knowledge gap and guide future outbreak response, adapted to the local context.

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  • Real-time PCR is the gold standard for detecting SARS-CoV-2, but its availability is limited in many countries, prompting the need for rapid diagnostic tests as alternatives.
  • A study in Cameroon evaluated the effectiveness of four antibody-based and one antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests for identifying COVID-19 in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.
  • Of 1195 participants, the antigen test showed an 80% sensitivity within the first week of symptoms, while antibody tests had a lower sensitivity of 26.8% initially, improving to 76.4% after 14 days.
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The grading system for ultrasonographic assessment of Schistosoma mansoni morbidity is crucial for evaluation of control programs. This requires prior definition of normal liver organometric ranges in the population from the endemic area. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a S.

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This study aimed to investigate the association of plasma levels of IL-33, a mucosal alarmin known to elicit type-2 immunity, with infection and liver fibrosis profiles of school children from an endemic area for , malaria and hepatitis (B & C) in rural Cameroon. A cross-sectional study enrolling schoolchildren from 5 public schools was conducted. Single schistosomiasis, malaria and hepatitis infections or co-infections were assessed by kato katz, microscopy, and rapid diagnostic tests, respectively.

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