A Comprehensive Study on the Hematological Progression of Sickle Cell Disease Patients with COVID-19 at the Center for Research and Control of Sickle Cell Disease, Bamako.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is a real crisis that has exposed the unpreparedness of many healthcare systems worldwide. Several underlying health conditions have been identified as risk factors, including sickle cell disease, a chronic illness with various complications that can increase the risk of severe COVID-19 infection. Our study aimed to investigate the profile of sickle cell patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and explore any potential relationship between these two conditions. We analyzed data from 11 sickle cell patients who contracted COVID-19 between June and December 2020 and were treated at the CRLD (Center for Sickle Cell Disease and Research). The patients' COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed using the (Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction) RT-PCR technique on nasopharyngeal swab samples and/or based on clinical and radiological findings, including CT scans. The patients consisted of 7 males and 4 females, with a mean age of 40 ± 12 years. The sickle cell phenotypes observed were SC (45.4%), SS (36.37%), and Sß± thalassemia (18.2%). During the COVID-19 infection, we observed a slight increase in white blood cell and platelet counts, but a decrease in mean hemoglobin levels and red blood cells. Only 3 out of 11 patients (28%) had a fever at the time of diagnosis. Three patients required red blood cell transfusions due to severe anemia, and 7 out of 11 patients (63.6%) were hospitalized, with one patient admitted to the intensive care unit due to pulmonary embolism. All patients recovered from COVID-19.

Performance of Xpert MTB/RIF in comparison with light-emitting diode-fluorescence microscopy and culture for detecting tuberculosis in pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens in Bamako, Mali.

Background: The diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) has mostly been relied on a long-used method called sputum smear microscopy. In 2010, Xpert MTB/RIF assay was approved by the World Health Organization for simultaneous TB diagnosis and detection of resistance. Our current study was undertaken to compare the diagnostic performance of Xpert MTB/RIF assay to auramine staining-based light-emitting diode-Fluorescence Microscopy (LED-FM) considering culture as the gold standard method for pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB. Method: Pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens of suspected TB patients were examined in this study. From January 2016 to June 2019, sputum, urine, superficial swabs, gastric aspirates, and pleural infusion specimens were collected from new and previously treated TB individuals. Specimens were examined using Xpert MTB/RIF, LED-FM, and Mycobacterium culture techniques to evaluate their performance. Results: A total of 697 suspected TB samples were included in this analysis, and of these, 469 (67.29%) were positive for all three used methods. The overall sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negative predictive values were 99.6%, 62.0%, 88.4%, and 98.2% for Xpert MTB/RIF and 88.0%, 95.6%, 99.0%, and 60.7% for LED-FM, respectively, compared to culture method. Conclusion: The sensitivity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay was observed to be higher than the LED-FM method, thus suggesting this molecular technique as a promising tool for the diagnosis of pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB, which will help in the management of TB infections in developing countries such as Mali.

[Reference values of neonatal erythrocyte and leukocyte count in Bamako, Mali]. / Valeurs de Référence érythrocytaires et leucocytaires chez le Nouveau-né à Bamako, Mali.

Reference values for blood cell count are not established at birth in Mali. This study aimed to determine reference values for erythrocyte and leukocyte at birth in Bamako. Blood was collected from the umbilical cord immediately following its clamping and studied for complete blood cell count in 481 newborns with a birth weight > 2500g, Apgar score ≤ 7 at 5 or 10 minutes, without abnormal hemoglobin mutations and whose mothers were willing in Bamako, Mali. Other than the median and mean values, 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles were calculated. The findings suggest that the normal reference values following a timely clamping of the umbilical cord were (mean ± 1SD and range): RBC = 4,00 ± 0,46.1012/L (3,13 - 4,89), Hb = 14,12 ± 1,49 g/dL (11,20 - 17,00), Hct = 40,27 ± 4,71% (31,62 - 50,18), MCV = 101 ± 5 fl (91 - 112), MCHC = 35,37 ± 2,16 pg/cellule (30,70 - 39,59), MCH = 35,06 ± 0,93 g/dL (33,40 - 36,90), RDW = 17,79 ± 7,33% (15,50 - 20,39), Reticulocytes (109/L) = 133,081 ± 29,95 (66,62 - 200,86), GB (109/L) = 13,24 ± 7,23 (7,20 - 23,70), PMN (109/L) = 7,16 ± 4,70 (3,07 - 14,22), PME (109/L) = 0,28 ± 0,26 (0 - 0,98), PMB(109/L) = 0,05 ± 0,09 (0 - 0,31), Lymphocytes (109/L) = 4,49 ± 2,45 (1,96 - 9,42), Monocytes (109/L) = 1,06 ± 0,73 (0,21 - 2,54), myelocytes = 1.43 ± 1.51%, erythroblasts = 4.52 ± 7.83%. It should be noted that male babies had a lower neutrophil count than female newborns. By taking into account these results when interpreting the blood cell count in Malian newborn infants, costly misdiagnoses should be considerably decreased in a population struggling with low incomes.

Les valeurs de référence de l'hémogramme ne sont pas établies à la naissance au Mali. Cette étude détermine les valeurs de référence érythrocytaires et leucocytaires du nouveau-né à Bamako. Le sang du cordon ombilical a été prélevé après clampage sans délai et étudié pour les paramètres érythrocytaires et leucocytaires chez 481 nouveau-nés à terme avec un poids de naissance > 2500g, un score d'Apgar ≥ 7 à 5 ou 10 minutes, sans mutant de l'hémoglobine et dont les mamans étaient consentantes, à Bamako, Mali. Outre les valeurs médianes et moyennes, les percentiles 2,5 et 97,5 ont été calculés. Les valeurs considérées comme normes de référence locales après un clampage sans délai du cordon ombilical (moyenne ± 1SD et extrêmes) sont : GR = 4,00 ± 0,46.1012/L (3,13 ­ 4,89), Hb = 14,12 ± 1,49 g/dL (11,20 ­ 17,00), Ht = 40,27 ± 4,71% (31,62 ­ 50,18), VGM = 101 ± 5 fl (91 ­ 112), TCMH = 35,37 ± 2,16 pg/cellule (30,70 ­ 39,59), CCMH = 35,06 ± 0,93 g/dL (33,40 ­ 36,90), IDR = 17,79 ± 7,33% (15,50 ­ 20,39), Réticulocytes (109/L) = 133,081 ± 29,95 (66,62 ­ 200,86), GB (109/L) = 13,24 ± 7,23 (7,20 ­ 23,70), PNN (109/L) = 7,16 ± 4,70 (3,07 ­ 14,22), PE (109/L) = 0,28 ± 0,26 (0 ­ 0,98), PB (109/L) = 0,05 ± 0,09 (0 ­ 0,31), Lymphocytes (109/L) = 4,49 ± 2,45 (1,96 ­ 9,42), Monocytes (109/L) = 1,06 ± 0,73 (0,21 ­ 2,54), myélocytes = 1,43 ± 1,51%, érythroblastes = 4,52 ± 7,83%. A noter un taux des polynucléaires neutrophiles plus bas chez le garçon que chez la fille. Ces valeurs diffèrent de celles rapportées pour d'autres populations. La prise en compte de ces résultats dans l'interprétation de l'hémogramme du nouveau-né au Mali, devrait éviter des erreurs de diagnostic et des explorations par excès chez une population à faibles revenues.

Valeurs de reference des erythrocytes et des leucocytes chez le nouveau-ne a Bamako; Mali

Les valeurs de reference de l'hemogramme ne sont pas etablies a la naissance au Mali. Cette etude determine les valeurs de reference erythrocytaires et leucocytaires du nouveau-ne a Bamako. Le sang du cordon ombilical a ete preleve apres clampage sans delai et etudie pour les parametres erythrocytaires et leucocytaires chez 481 nouveau-nes a terme avec un poids de naissance 2500g; un score d'Abgar ? 7 a 5ou 10 minutes; sans mutant de l'hemoglobine et dont les mamans etaient consentantes; a Bamako; Mali. Outre les valeurs medianes et moyennes; les percentiles 2;5 et 97;5 ont ete calcules. Les valeurs considerees comme normes de reference locales apres un clampage sans delai du cordon ombilical (moyenne _///} 1SD et extremes) sont : GR = 4;00 _///} 0;46.1012/L (3;13 - 4;89); Hb = 14;12 _///} 1;49 g/dL (11;20 - 17;00); Ht = 40;27 _///} 4;71 (31;62 - 50;18); VGM = 101 _///} 5 fl (91 - 112); TCMH = 35;37 _///} 2;16 pg/cellule (30;70 - 39;59); CCMH = 35;06 _///} 0;93 g/dL (33;40 - 36;90); IDR = 17;79 _///} 7;33 (15;50 - 20;39); Reticulocytes (109/L) = 133;081 _///} 29;95 (66;62 - 200;86); GB (109/L) = 13;24 _///} 7;23 (7;20 - 23;70); PNN (109/L) = 7;16 _///} 4;70 (3;07 - 14;22); PE (109/L) = 0;28 _///} 0;26 (0 - 0;98); PB (109/L) = 0;05 _///} 0;09 (0 - 0;31); Lymphocytes (109/L) = 4;49 _///} 2;45 (1;96 - 9;42); Monocytes (109/L) = 1;06 _///} 0;73 (0;21 - 2;54); myelocytes = 1;43 _///} 1;51; erythroblastes = 4;52 _///} 7;83. A noter un taux des polynucleaires neutrophiles plus bas chez le garcon que chez la fille. Ces valeurs different de celles rapportees pour d'autres populations. La prise en compte de ces resultats dans l'interpretation de l'hemogramme du nouveau-ne au Mali; devrait eviter des erreurs de diagnostic et des explorations par exces chez une population a faibles revenues