First identification of Microsporidia MB in Anopheles coluzzii from Zinder City, Niger.

BACKGROUND: Malaria, a disease transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, is a major public health problem causing millions of deaths worldwide, mostly among children under the age of 5 years. Biotechnological interventions targeting parasite-vector interactions have shown that the microsporidian symbiont Microsporidia MB has the potential to disrupt and block Plasmodium transmission. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted in Zinder City (Zinder), Niger, from August to September 2022, using the CDC light trap technique to collect adult mosquitoes belonging to the Anopheles gambiae complex. The survey focused on collecting mosquitoes from three neighborhoods of Zinder (Birni, Kangna and Garin Malan, located in communes I, II and IV, respectively). Collected mosquitoes were sorted and preserved in 70% ethanol. PCR was used to identify host species and detect the presence of Microsporidia MB and Plasmodium falciparum infection. RESULTS: Of the 257 Anopheles mosquitoes collected and identified by PCR, Anopheles coluzzii was the most prevalent species, accounting for 97.7% of the total. Microsporidia MB was exclusively detected in A. coluzzii, with a prevalence of 6.8% (17/251) among the samples. No significant difference in prevalence was found among the three neighborhoods. Only one An. coluzzii mosquito tested PCR-positive for P. falciparum. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm the presence of Microsporidia MB in Anopheles mosquitoes in Zinder, Niger, indicating its potential use as a biotechnological intervention against malaria transmission. However, further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of Microsporidia MB to disrupt Plasmodium transmission as well as its impact on vector fitness.

A Fatal Case of COVID-19 in an Infant with Severe Acute Malnutrition Admitted to a Paediatric Ward in Niger.

While there have been very few fatal cases, SARS-CoV-2 has been reported in paediatric patients. This study aims to describe a fatal case of COVID-19 in a child with severe acute malnutrition. The eight-month-old child presented with fever, diarrhoea, and difficulty in breathing. The mother of the child had fever and shortness of breath four weeks before she died. Physical examination revealed lethargy, dehydration, and severe weight loss with a weight of 5 kg at a height of 78 cm tall. The weight-for-height index was less than three Z-scores, which corresponds to severe acute malnutrition. The pulmonary examination revealed moderate respiratory distress, and the chest X-ray presented features suggestive of pneumonia in the right lung area. In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak in Niger and the circumstances of the mother's death, a nasal swab was taken for laboratory confirmation. Treatment provided to the child included intranasal oxygen, antibiotics, and a dietary program with therapeutic milk. The child died 48 hours after his admission. The history of contact with a SARS-CoV-2 suspect or positive patient should lead to screening for infection by using RT-PCR. It is important to investigate malnutrition as a potential risk factor for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and resultant mortality.