Influenza at the 2021 Grand Magal of Touba and possible spread to rural villages in South Senegal - a genomic epidemiological study.

OBJECTIVES: Influenza is frequent among pilgrims participating in the Grand Magal de Touba (GMT), in Senegal, with a potential to spread to contacts when they return home. METHODS: Ill pilgrims consulting at a health care center in Mbacké city close to Touba during the 2021 GMT, pilgrims returning to Dielmo and Ndiop villages, and patients who did not travel to Touba and consulted at health care centers in these two villages in 2021 were tested for the influenza virus by polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal samples. Next-generation sequencing and comparative and phylogenetic analyses of influenza A virus genomes were performed. RESULTS: A total of 62 of 685 patients tested positive for influenza A virus, including 34 of 53 who were consulted in Mbacké in late September, six of 129 pilgrims who returned home in early October, and 20 of 42 villagers from October 3 to 29. A total of 27 genomes were obtained. Four clusters were observed based on the phylogenetic analyses, suggesting that Mbacké patients and returned pilgrims may have shared closely related viral strains with patients inhabiting the villages who did not participate in the GMT. CONCLUSIONS: Villagers in Ndiop and Dielmo may have been infected with viral strains originating from the GMT and possibly imported by pilgrims who returned from the GMT.

PCR investigation of infections in patients consulting at a healthcare centre over a four-year period during the Grand Magal of Touba.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms and febrile illness are the most common complaints among ill pilgrims attending the Grand Magal of Touba (GMT) in Senegal. METHODS: Patients presenting with respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms or febrile systemic illnesses were recruited between 2018 and 2021 at a healthcare centre close to Touba. Respiratory, gastrointestinal and blood samples were tested for potential pathogens using qPCR. RESULTS: 538 patients were included. 45.5% of these were female, with a median age of 17 years. Of the 326 samples collected from patients with a cough, 62.8% tested positive for at least one virus, including influenza viruses (33.1%). A high positivity rate of bacterial carriage was observed for Haemophilus influenzae (72.7%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (51.2%) and Moraxella catarrhalis (46.0%). Of the 95 samples collected from patients with diarrhoea, 71.3% were positive, with high rates of bacterial carriage, ranging from 4.2% for Tropheryma whipplei to 45.3% for Entero-pathogenic Escherichia coli. Of the 141 blood samples collected from patients with fever, 31.9% were positive including Plasmodium falciparum (21.3%), Borrelia sp. (5.7%) and dengue virus (5.0%). CONCLUSION: This study provides insight into the aetiology of most common infections at the GMT on which to base therapeutic options.

Re-Emergence of Dengue Serotype 3 in the Context of a Large Religious Gathering Event in Touba, Senegal.

Dengue virus (DENV) was detected in Senegal in 1979 for the first time. Since 2017, unprecedented frequent outbreaks of DENV were noticed yearly. In this context, epidemiological and molecular evolution data are paramount to decipher the virus diffusion route. In the current study, we focused on a dengue outbreak which occurred in Senegal in 2018 in the context of a large religious gathering with 263 confirmed DENV cases out of 832 collected samples, including 25 life-threatening cases and 2 deaths. It was characterized by a co-circulation of dengue serotypes 1 and 3. Phylogenetic analysis based on the E gene revealed that the main detected serotype in Touba was DENV-3 and belonged to Genotype III. Bayesian phylogeographic analysis was performed and suggested one viral introduction around 2017.07 (95% HPD = 2016.61-2017.57) followed by cryptic circulation before the identification of the first case on 1 October 2018. DENV-3 strains are phylogenetically related, with strong phylogenetic links between strains retrieved from Burkina Faso and other West African countries. These phylogenetic data substantiate epidemiological data of the origin of DENV-3 and its spread between African countries and subsequent diffusion after religious mass events. The study also highlighted the usefulness of a mobile laboratory during the outbreak response, allowing rapid diagnosis and resulting in improved patient management.

Stability of healthcare quality measures for maternal and child services: Analysis of the continuous service provision assessment of health facilities in Senegal, 2012-2018.

OBJECTIVE: High-quality healthcare is essential to ensuring maternal and newborn survival. Efficient measurement requires knowing how long measures of quality provide consistent insight for intended uses. METHODS: We used a repeated health facility assessment in Senegal to calculate structural and process quality of antenatal care (ANC), delivery and child health services in facilities assessed 2 years apart. We tested agreement of quality measures within facilities and regions. We estimated how much input-adjusted and process quality-adjusted coverage measures changed for each service when calculated using quality measurements from the same facilities measured 2 years apart. RESULTS: Over 6 waves of continuous surveys, 628 paired assessments were completed. Changes at the facility level were substantial and often positive, but inconsistent. Structural quality measures were moderately correlated (0.40-0.69) within facilities over time, more so in hospitals; correlation was <0.20 for process measures based on direct observation of ANC and child visits. Most measures were more strongly correlated once averaged to regions; process quality of child services was not (-0.32). Median relative difference in national-adjusted coverage estimates was 6.0%; differences in subnational estimates were largest for process quality of child services (19.6%). CONCLUSION: Continuous measures of structural quality demonstrated consistency at regional levels and in higher level facilities over 2 years; results for process measures were mixed. Direct observation of child visits provided inconsistent measures over time. For other measures, linking population data with health facility assessments from up to 2 years prior is likely to introduce modest measurement error in adjusted coverage estimates.

[Extramammary myofibroblastoma affecting the pelvic region: a case report]. / Myofibroblastome extramammaire de localisation pelvienne: à propos d'un cas.

Mammary myofibroblastoma is a rare soft-tissue tumor. Extramammary myofibroblastomas are particularly rare. We here report the case of a 78-year-old man presenting with pelvic pain relieved by defecation or urination. Rectal examination showed a mass in front of the anterior rectal wall. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a well-circumscribed and heterogeneous mass measuring 10 x 6 x 8cm located behind the bladder which was pushed forward in front of the rectosigmoid. Immunohistochemical analyses showed diffuse co-expression on CD34 cells and desmin, Rb expression on most cells, oestrogen receptor expression, intense and diffuse P16 expression and a ki67 proliferation index of 25%. The patient had no recurrence 8 months after radiotherapy followed by surgery. Breast myofibroblastoma is a rare and benign tumor. Recurrence is hardly observed after local treatment. This study highlights the supporting role of radiotherapy in the efficacy of surgery.

Establishing Medical Coverage and Epidemiological Surveillance during the Grand Magal of Touba in Senegal: A Public Health Need.

The Grand Magal is a religious pilgrimage that takes place in Senegal. An estimated 4-5 million individuals yearly gather in the holy city of Touba. Pilgrims comes from the whole Senegal and surrounding countries and from countries outside of Africa where Mouride Senegalese emigrated. It is the largest Mass Gathering (MG) event of the Mouride community and the largest Muslim religious MG in West Africa. The context of the Grand Magal MG is unique given its location in a tropical developing country and its international component which may favour the globalization of local endemic diseases and warrants investment in modern methods for public health surveillance and planning of the event.

Evidence for an ancient BRCA1 pathogenic variant in inherited breast cancer patients from Senegal.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the most incriminated genes in inherited breast/ovarian cancers. Several pathogenic variants of these genes conferring genetic predisposition have been described in different populations but rarely in sub-Saharan Africa. The objectives of this study were to identify pathogenic variants of the BRCA genes involved in hereditary breast cancer in Senegal and to search for a founder effect. We recruited after free informed consent, 27 unrelated index cases diagnosed with breast cancer and each having a family history. Mutation screening of the genes identified a duplication of ten nucleotides c.815_824dupAGCCATGTGG, (p.Thr276Alafs) (NM_007294.3) located in exon 11 of BRCA1 gene, in 15 index cases (allelic frequency 27.7%). The pathogenic variant has been previously reported in African Americans as a founder mutation of West African origin. Haplotypes analysis of seven microsatellites surrounding the BRCA1 gene highlights a shared haplotype encompassing ~400 kb between D17S855 and D17S1325. This haplotype was not detected in none of 15 healthy controls. Estimation of the age of the pathogenic variant suggested that it occurred ~1400 years ago. Our study identified a founder pathogenic variant of BRCA1 predisposing to breast cancer and enabled the establishment of an affordable genetic test as a mean of prevention for Senegalese women at risk.

Senegal's Grand Magal of Touba: Syndromic Surveillance during the 2016 Mass Gathering.

The Grand Magal of Touba (GMT) is an annual 1-day Muslim religious event that takes place in Touba in Senegal. The city of Touba swells from 800,000 to four million people during the GMT. All patients who attended one of the 154 dedicated medical care public healthcare structures of the medical region of Diourbel during the GMT were included in a cross-sectional survey from November 16 to November 21, 2016. Demographic, morbidity, and mortality data were collected on a daily basis using a standardized article form that allows data to be recorded in a free-text format. Data were obtained from a total of 20,850 healthcare encounters, and 30.9% patients were aged ≤ 15 years. The most frequent conditions were gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases. Most frequent gastrointestinal symptoms were abdominal and gastric pain, nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea, suggesting that most patients suffered gastroenteritis. The predominance of cough, rhinitis, influenza-like illness, and sore throat among patients with respiratory symptoms suggests that most patients suffered from upper respiratory tract infections. Other frequent symptoms were headaches and pain in various organs. Three percentage of patients were considered to have malaria, 29.8% of patients were prescribed antibiotics and 2.6% antimalarial drugs, and 1.5% of patients were hospitalized. Only one death was recorded. Preparedness of the medical infrastructure should target these syndromic features, in terms of diagnostic tools and specific treatments, including pediatric formulations. It is also essential to improve the quality and rapid availability of data to enable real-time analysis of medical events at the GMT and to implement a rapid response, if necessary.

Novel BRCA2 pathogenic variant c.5219 T > G; p.(Leu1740Ter) in a consanguineous Senegalese family with hereditary breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pathogenic variants associated with hereditary breast cancer have been reported for BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) genes in patients from multiple ethnicities, but limited information is available from sub-Saharan African populations. We report a BRCA2 pathogenic variant in a Senegalese family with hereditary breast cancer. METHODS: An index case from a consanguineous family and nineteen healthy female relatives were recruited after informed consent. Along with this family, 14 other index cases with family history of breast cancer were also recruited. For the control populations we recruited 48 healthy women with no cancer diagnosis and 48 women diagnosed with sporadic breast cancer without family history. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. All BRCA2 exons were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Sequences were compared to the BRCA2 GenBank reference sequence (NM_000059.3) using Alamut Software. RESULTS: We identified a novel nonsense pathogenic variant c.5219 T > G; p.(Leu1740Ter) in exon 11 of BRCA2 in the index case. The pathogenic variant was also identified in three sisters and one daughter, but was absent in the controls and unrelated cases. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of a novel BRCA2 pathogenic variant in a Senegalese family with hereditary breast cancer. This result confirms the diversity of hereditary breast cancer pathogenic variants across populations and extends our knowledge of genetic susceptibility to breast cancer in Africa.

Communicable and non-communicable disease risks at the Grand Magal of Touba: The largest mass gathering in Senegal.

BACKGROUND: An estimated 4-5 million individuals gather each year in the holy city of Touba, Senegal during the Grand Magal religious pilgrimage. Pilgrims come from across Senegal and the surrounding countries, as well as from countries outside Africa. It is the largest mass gathering (MG) of the Mouride community and the largest Muslim religious MG in West Africa. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted on all patients who attended a public healthcare structure during the November 2015 Grand Magal. RESULT: Data were collected on a total of 32,229 healthcare contacts. The most frequent reasons for consultation were trauma, followed by fatigue and heatstroke. Infectious diseases were also prevalent with, notably, a high rate of febrile systemic illnesses and malaria, diarrheal diseases, and respiratory tract infections. Such results are likely to be linked to overcrowding and climatic conditions, the relative lack of sanitary facilities, and limited medical resources available during the event. CONCLUSION: The context of the Grand Magal MG is unique, given its location in a tropical developing country and its international component which may favor the globalization of locally endemic diseases. As such, it warrants investment in modern methods for public health surveillance and planning of the event.

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the perineum in an adult: a case report.

BACKGROUND: We report the case of an adult patient with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the perineum admitted to our practice at Joliot Curie Institute in Dakar. It is a rare tumor at this age and has a bad prognosis at this localization. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a 22-year-old African man admitted for a perineal mass that had evolved over 6 months. He complained of tenesmus, obstinate constipation, and dysuria. A clinical examination revealed perineal swelling spread over his anus, scrotum, penis, testicles, and inguinal lymph nodes. A perineal ultrasound and computed tomography scan showed a large mass driving his testicles forward with regional lymph node metastases. An ultrasound-guided biopsy showed embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma on histology and immunohistochemistry, with strong positivity of neural cell adhesion molecule and myogenin while results for cytokeratin AE1/AE3, cluster of differentiation 45, synaptophysin, and chromogranin were negative. Our patient was classified T2N1M1. Outcome was quickly marked by occlusive syndrome and colostomy. Our patient did not opt for chemotherapy and died after 6 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The embryonic RMS of the adult is a rare disease. Despite the sensitivity to chemotherapy and surgery. Localization to perineum remains poor prognosis.

Malignant chondroid syringoma in a West African cancer institute: A case report.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of malignant chondroid syringoma, a rare skin tumor at Joliot Curie Cancer Institute in Dakar. RESULTS: We report a case of malignant chondroid syringoma of the deltoid and axilla in a 53year old patient. Malignant chondroid syringoma is an extremely rare tumor of the sweat glands. It is included in myoepithelial tumors of the skin. It has an epithelial component with eccrin or apocrin differentiation, and myoepithelial component. It preferentially seat at the extremities. We report an unusual case with deltoid presentation and axillary mass masqueriding as metastatic lymph node. Surgery is the main treatment. It has a poor prognosis.

[Synchronous bilateral breast cancer and pregnancy: about 3 cases at Joliot Curie institute of Dakar (Senegal)]. / Cancers du sein bilatéraux synchrones et grossesse a l'institut Joliot Curie de Dakar (Sénégal).

To describe our diagnostic and therapeutic strategy against synchronous, bilateral breast cancer during the pregnancy. Gestational age at diagnosis of cancer was 7; 21 and 25 weeks respectively. Patients had stage IV and IIIA of breast cancer in two and one case respectively. They all received chemotherapy, two cases during pregnancy (6TEC and 3AC) and one case after delivery. Bilateral mastectomy was performed in one case. One patient died. The others were alive but all metastatic. Fetal growth restriction was noted in one case. This association leads to delayed diagnosis of cancer. Surgery is feasible and the type of intervention is only determined by the cancer stage. Chemotherapy is feasible and is associated with less foetal complications in the last two quarters of pregnancy.

Implementation of a high-dose-rate brachytherapy program for carcinoma of the cervix in Senegal: a pragmatic model for the developing world.

West Africa has one of the highest incidence rates of carcinoma of the cervix in the world. The vast majority of women do not have access to screening or disease treatment, leading to presentation at advanced stages and to high mortality rates. Compounding this problem is the lack of radiation treatment facilities in Senegal and many other parts of the African continent. Senegal, a country of 13 million people, had a single (60)Co teletherapy unit before our involvement and no brachytherapy capabilities. Radiating Hope, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide radiation therapy equipment to countries in the developing world, provided a high-dose-rate afterloading unit to the cancer center for curative cervical cancer treatment. Here we describe the implementation of high-dose-rate brachytherapy in Senegal requiring a nonstandard fractionation schedule and a novel treatment planning approach as a possible blueprint to providing this technology to other developing countries.

[Community health workers in HIV/AIDS care]. / Les agents de santé communautaire dans la prise en charge thérapeutique du VIH/sida.

INTRODUCTION: Faced with the lack of human resources manage people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in developing countries, community health workers (CHWs) provide support to health professionals. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of CHWs and study the impact of their intervention on HIV care. A literature search was performed on Pubmed and the websites of international organizations. METHODS: A literature review was conducted, including studies describing the impact of the CHWs' intervention on the care of PLWHA. RESULTS: Thirteen articles were selected concerning twelve studies. The names and functions of CHWs are multiple; training and remuneration are very heterogeneous. Nevertheless, the impact of their intervention appears to be positive. Trials comparing community-based care versus hospital care show no difference between the two in terms of survival, retention, viral load or CD4 counts. The support provided by CHWs improves quality of life, compliance and self-confidence and decreases stigma (qualitative studies). It also allows coverage of previously remote areas. CONCLUSION: CHWs have various names, functions, formations and salaries. Their actions appear to have a positive impact both on the therapeutic management of PLHIV and on strengthening health systems. Recognition of CHWs by health systems remains marginal and remains a public health priority.

[Diagnosis and treatment of the epithelial ovarian cancer at the West African Cancer Center of Dakar]. / Prise en charge diagnostique et thérapeutique des tumeurs épithéliales malignes de l'ovaire dans le Centre Ouest-Africain de lutte Contre le Cancer de Dakar.

INTRODUCTION: Epithelial ovarian cancer are the most frequent of ovarian cancer, their prognosis is very bad. The aim of this study is to describe the diagnosis, the treatment and to assess the survival rate of the patients. METHODS: It was a retrospective study realized at the Cancer Institute of Dakar from December 2000 to January 2007. We have collected 117 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. The mean age was 49 years. Patients were comprised: 22 stage I, 32 stage II, 35 stage III and 26 stage IV. Primary surgery was performed to 34 patients and the other patients were treated with chemotherapy and surgery. The survival rate was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method and the Logrank test had allowed to compare the survival among age and optimal surgery. RESULTS: Optimal surgery R0 was done in 20 cases and surgical resection R2 was performed in 45 cases. Pathological exam had found 65 serous cystadenocarcinoma, 28 mucinous cystadenocarcinoma and 21 endometrioid cystadenocarcinoma, one malignant tumor of Brenner. Overall survival at five years was 13.3%. The survival among optimal surgery was 16.3 and 2.3% for suboptimal surgery. There was no significant difference of the survival among patients who were less than 40 years old (P = 0.334). CONCLUSION: Prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer is worse in Senegal as like as in the world. To improve the survival of our patients, we must detect the early diagnosis of these tumors and to introduce the neoadjuvant chemotherapy before optimal surgery.