Factors associated with adherence to ARV treatment in people living with HIV/AIDS in a rural area (Koula-Moutou) in East Gabon.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of socio-clinical factors on adherence to antiretroviral treatment in people living with HIV/AIDS in Koula-Moutou (a rural area of Gabon). Two adherence assessment methods based on patient declaration and compliance with pharmacy visits were used to determine qualitative and quantitative aspects of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The quantitative (82.2%) and qualitative (79.5%) adherences to ART declared by patients were higher than those obtained through pharmacy visit assessment methods (15.8% and 45.2%, respectively). Moreover, the declarative and pharmacy visit compliance methods showed fair agreement (quantitative Kappa = 0.317; qualitative Kappa = 0.311). A better quantitative or qualitative declarative adherence was associated with a lower level of education (P = 0.05 and P = 0.025 respectively). This study reported for the first time the factors influencing adherence to ART in a rural area of East Gabon. We recommend further investigations in a large cohort to better assess the impact of socio-clinical factors on ART adherence in a vulnerable group of patients.

Burden of asymptomatic malaria, anemia and relationship with cotrimoxazole use and CD4 cell count among HIV1-infected adults living in Gabon, Central Africa.

Objective : This study determined the prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium (P.) falciparum infection and anemia in adults living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) and compared malaria prevalence between 858 HIV-infected (PLHIV) and 272 uninfected individuals in Gabon where such information are lacking. Factors influencing malaria and anemia were also investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants were screened for malaria. Available hemoglobin level, socio-demographic and use of prevention or treatment data were compared between both groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of asymptomatic parasitemia was 13.5%, lower in PLHIV (7.1%) than uninfected individuals (33.8%) (p<0.01). Among the PLHIV, females (p<0.01), those aged below 25 years old (p=0.03), those with primary education (p=0.03) and those with a CD4 cell count below 200/mm3 (p=0.03) had a higher median parasitemia. Cotrimoxazole use was associated with a lower prevalence of malaria (p<0.01). Age below 25 years was independently associated with malaria in PLHIV (p<0.01). Anemia prevalence was 42.1% among the PLHIV, higher in the youngest and those with low CD4 cell count (p<0.01). P.falciparum-infected PLHIV aged below 25 years old, not under ART, with low CD4 cell count and under cotrimoxazole had the lowest median hemoglobin level. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of asymptomatic malaria is low among the PLHIV while the burden of anemia is considerable. Age below 25 years and CD4 cell count are associated factors. The cotrimoxazole use reduces the frequency of malaria.

Trends of blood-borne infectious diseases in a rural blood donation center of southeast Gabon (Koula-Moutou).

INTRODUCTION: Blood-borne pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and C (HBV and HCV) viruses and Treponema pallidum remain a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency and clinical implications of HIV, HBV, HCV and Treponema pallidum markers in blood donors in a rural area of Southeast Gabon (Koula-Moutou) from 2012 to 2017. METHODS: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HIV, anti-HCV and anti-Treponema pallidum antibodies were screened using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). RESULTS: Of a total of 5,706 blood donors, 1,054 (18.5%) were seropositive for at least one infectious marker and 59 (5.6%) had serologic evidence of multiple infections. The overall seroprevalence of HIV, HBsAg, HCV, and syphilis was 3.1%; 5.9%; 6.2% and 3.3%, respectively. HIV, syphilis and HCV distributions were associated with neither the sex nor the age of the donors. Only HBsAg seroprevalence was significantly higher in donors of the age group 26-35 years old compared to donors of the age group 36-45 years (OR = 1.43 (95% CI: 1.01-2.04), P = 0.045). There was a significant increase in the frequencies of HIV and syphilis and a regression of HBsAg and HCV among blood donors. CONCLUSION: This study presents the epidemiology of the main pathogens detected in blood donors in a rural area in Gabon. We found that the overall distribution of transfusion transmitted infectious diseases were lower than those observed in the general population but could be underestimated due to the use of RDTs in the screening process of the blood donations.

Factors associated with adherence to ARV treatment in people living with HIV/AIDS in a rural area (Koula-Moutou) in East Gabon

The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of socio-clinical factors on adherence to antiretroviral treatment in people living with HIV/AIDS in Koula-Moutou (a rural area of Gabon). Two adherence assessment methods based on patient declaration and compliance with pharmacy visits were used to determine qualitative and quantitative aspects of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The quantitative (82.2%) and qualitative (79.5%) adherences to ART declared by patients were higher than those obtained through pharmacy visit assessment methods (15.8% and 45.2%, respectively). Moreover, the declarative and pharmacy visit compliance methods showed fair agreement (quantitative Kappa = 0.317; qualitative Kappa = 0.311). A better quantitative or qualitative declarative adherence was associated with a lower level of education (P = 0.05 and P = 0.025 respectively). This study reported for the first time the factors influencing adherence to ART in a rural area of East Gabon. We recommend further investigations in a large cohort to better assess the impact of socio-clinical factors on ART adherence in a vulnerable group of patients

Trends of blood-borne infectious diseases in a rural blood donation center of southeast Gabon (Koula-Moutou)

Introduction: blood-borne pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and C (HBV and HCV) viruses and Treponema pallidum remain a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency and clinical implications of HIV, HBV, HCV and Treponema pallidum markers in blood donors in a rural area of Southeast Gabon (Koula-Moutou) from 2012 to 2017.Methods: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HIV, anti-HCV and anti-Treponema pallidum antibodies were screened using rapid diagnostic tests. Results: of a total of 5,706 blood donors, 1,054 (18.5%) were seropositive for at least one infectious marker and 59 (5.6%) had serologic evidence of multiple infections. The overall seroprevalence of HIV, HBsAg, HCV, and syphilis was 3.1%; 5.9%; 6.2% and 3.3%, respectively. HIV, syphilis and HCV distributions were associated with neither the sex nor the age of the donors. Only HBsAg seroprevalence was significantly higher in donors of the age group 26-35 years old compared to donors of the age group 36-45 years (OR = 1.43 (95% CI: 1.01-2.04), P = 0.045). There was a significant increase in the frequencies of HIV and syphilis and a regression of HBsAg and HCV among blood donors.Conclusion: this study presents the epidemiology of the main pathogens detected in blood donors in a rural area in Gabon. We found that the overall distribution of transfusion transmitted infectious diseases were lower than those observed in the general population but could be underestimated due to the use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) in the screening process of the blood donations

Suitability of an open automated nucleic acid extractor for high-throughput plasma HIV-1 RNA quantitation in Gabon (Central Africa).

Nucleic acid extraction using the open automated EZ1 (Qiagen) instrument, in combination with the Generic HIV Viral Load assay, gave highly concordant HIV-1 RNA viral load results among 181 Gabonese subjects infected with HIV-1, compared to those obtained when performing a manual extraction. Since people living with HIV-1 are being treated with antiretrovirals in Gabon, this automated extraction technique represents an excellent technical method for high-throughput monitoring of HIV-1 RNA viral load.