Development and evaluation of a real-time RT-PCR assay for the detection of Ebola virus (Zaire) during an Ebola outbreak in Guinea in 2014-2015.

In early February 2014, an outbreak of the Ebola virus disease caused by Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) occurred in Guinea; cases were also recorded in other West African countries with a combined population of approximately 25 million. A rapid, sensitive and inexpensive method for detecting EBOV is needed to effectively control such outbreak. Here, we report a real-time reverse-transcription PCR assay for Z. ebolavirus detection used by the Specialized Anti-epidemic Team of the Russian Federation during the Ebola virus disease prevention mission in the Republic of Guinea. The analytical sensitivity of the assay is 5 × 10(2) viral particles per ml, and high specificity is demonstrated using representative sampling of viral, bacterial and human nucleic acids. This assay can be applied successfully for detecting the West African strains of Z. ebolavirus as well as on strains isolated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2014.

[Malaria and HIV infection: clinical and biological aspects at Donka National Hospital in Conakry, Guinea]. / Paludisme et infection a VIH: aspects cliniques et biologiques a Conakry (Guinée).

Malaria and HIV/AIDS are two of the most widespread infectious diseases encountered in sub-Saharan Africa. Even minor interactions between these two diseases could have substantial effects on public health. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between malaria and HIV infection. Study was carried out over an 8-month period (April 1, 2003 to November 30, 2003) in the Tropical and Infectious Diseases Department of the Donka National Hospital in Conakry, Guinea. A total of 89 malaria patients including 41 cases with HIV infection and 48 controls without HIV infection were included. All patients were hospitalized during the study and provided informed consent. Results showed that malaria affected all age groups in the same proportion. Mean patient age was 34 years (range, 15 and 76 years). Males were more frequently infected with a sex ratio of 1.05. The average number of malaria episodes was higher in cases (malaria with HIV-infection than in controls (malaria without HIV infection). Hyperthermia was observed in most cases (68.29%) and controls (77.08%). Severe anemia was observed in 26.82% of cases versus 10.41% of controls. Low parasite density was observed in 73.17% of cases as compared to 68.75% of controls. The recovery rate was higher in the control group than in case group: 27.08% versus 14.63%. The death rate was higher in the case group than in the control group: 21.95% versus 6.25%. These findings demonstrate a link between malaria and HIV. The frequency of malaria episodes was higher in patients with HIV infection than patients without HIV infection and the outcome of malarial episodes was better in patients without HIV infection.

[The importance of fluid perfusion for the outcome of the disease in malarial coma due to Plasmodium falciparum in adult Africans]. / Znachenie perfuzii zhidkosti dlia iskhoda bolezni pri maliariinoi kome, vyzvannoi Plasmodium falciparum, u vzroslykh afrikantsev.

Malaria coma induced by P.falciparum was diagnosed in 51 of 390 adult African patients who had been admitted to the therapeutical unit of the Donk Central Hospital and were receiving parenteral quinine at day 1 of the onset of coma. Examining some clinical and laboratory manifestations of malaria coma indicated that fatal outcome was significantly recorded among the patients with severe concomitant anemia and among the patients who had not or had received inadequate liquid parenterally on the first day of coma. The occurrence of acute renal failure in 4 patients with malaria coma resulted in 3 deaths. No great impact on the prognosis of malaria "hyperparasitemia", the severity of fever, the values of blood pressure was found. Whether it is advisable to use the parameters characterizing the opportuneness and scope of health care delivered to patients with severe malaria is discussed.