A case study of the first pregnant woman with COVID-19 in Bukavu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract Introduction Vertical transmission of covid-19 is possible; its risk factors are worth researching. The placental changes found in pregnant women have a definite impact on the foetus. Case presentation We report a case of a 25-year-old woman, gravida 3, para 2 (2 alive children), with a history of two caesarean deliveries, who was infected by the SARS-CoV-2 during the last term of her pregnancy. She gave birth by caesarean at 34 weeks of gestation to a newborn baby also infected with SARS-CoV-2. The peri-operative observations noted several eruptive lesions in the pelvis, bleeding on contact. Microscopic examination of the foetal appendages revealed thrombotic vasculopathy in the placenta and in the umbilical cord vessels. Conclusion This case is one of the first documented cases of COVID-19 in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa. We strongly suggest obstetricians to carefully examine the aspect of the peritoneum, viscera and foetal appendages in affected pregnant women.

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A case study of the first pregnant women with COVID-19 in Bukavu, Eastern DR Congo.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-103010/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Etienne KAJIBWAMI BIRINDWA ◽

Guy MULINGANYA MULUMEODERHWA ◽

Olivier NYAKIO ◽

Guy-Quesney MATESO MBALE ◽

Serge ZIGABE MUSHAMUKA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Microscopic Examination ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Dr Congo ◽

Case Presentation ◽

History Of ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

In Pregnancy

Abstract Introduction: Vertical transmission of covid-19 is possible; its risk factors are worth researching. The placental changes found in pregnant women have a definite impact on the foetus.Case presentation: We report a case of a 25-year-old woman, gravida 3, para 2 (2 alive children), with a history of two caesarean deliveries, who was infected by the SARS-Cov-2 during the last term of her pregnancy. She gave birth by caesarean after 34 weeks of gestation to a new-born baby also infected with SARS-Cov-2. The per-operative observations noted several eruptive lesions in the pelvis, bleeding on contact. Microscopic examination of the foetal appendages revealed thrombotic vasculopathy in the placenta and in the umbilical cord vessels.Conclusion: This case is one of the first documented cases of COVID-19 in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa. We strongly suggest obstetricians to carefully examine the aspect of the peritoneum, viscera and foetal appendages in affected pregnant women.

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A case study of the first pregnant women with COVID-19 in Bukavu, Eastern DR Congo

10.21203/rs.3.rs-102537/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

ETIENNE KAJIBWAMI BIRINDWA ◽

Guy MULINGANYA MULUMEODERHWA ◽

Olivier NYAKIO ◽

Guy Quesney MATESO MBALE ◽

Serge ZIGABE MUSHAMUKA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Microscopic Examination ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Dr Congo ◽

Case Presentation ◽

History Of ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

In Pregnancy

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The Epidemiology of Plasmodium vivax Among Adults in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Nationally-Representative, Cross-Sectional Survey

10.1101/2020.02.17.20024190 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nicholas F. Brazeau ◽

Cedar L. Mitchell ◽

Andrew P. Morgan ◽

Molly Deutsch-Feldman ◽

Oliver John Watson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Mitochondrial Genomes ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Duffy Negative ◽

Malaria Risk Factors ◽

Population Genetic Analyses

ABSTRACTBackgroundReports of P. vivax infections among Duffy-negative hosts have begun to accumulate throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Despite this growing body of evidence, no nationally representative epidemiological surveys of P. vivax in sub-Saharan Africa nor population genetic analyses to determine the source of these infections have been performed.MethodsTo overcome this critical gap in knowledge, we screened nearly 18,000 adults in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for P. vivax using samples from the 2013-2014 Demographic Health Survey. Infections were identified by quantitative PCR and confirmed with nested-PCR. P. vivax mitochondrial genomes were constructed after short-read sequencing. Risk factors, spatial distributions and population genetic analyses were explored.FindingsOverall, we found a 2.96% (95% CI: 2.28%, 3.65%) prevalence of P. vivax infections across the DRC. Nearly all infections were among Duffy-negative adults (486/489). Infections were not associated with typical malaria risk-factors and demonstrated small-scale heterogeneity in prevalence across space. Mitochondrial genomes suggested that DRC P. vivax is an older clade that shares its most recent common ancestor with South American isolates.InterpretationP. vivax is more prevalent across the DRC than previously believed despite widespread Duffy-negativity. Comparison to global and historical P. vivax sequences suggests that historic DRC P. vivax may have been transported to the New World on the wave of European expansion. Our findings suggest congolese P. vivax is an innocuous threat given its relatively flat distribution across space, lack of malaria risk factors, and potentially ancestral lineage.FundingNational Institutes of Health and the Wellcome Trust.

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Sachet water consumption as a risk factor for cholera in urban settings: Findings from a case control study in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 2017–2018 outbreak

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽

10.1371/journal.pntd.0009477 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (7) ◽

pp. e0009477

Author(s):

Placide Mbala-Kingebeni ◽

Florian Vogt ◽

Berthe Miwanda ◽

Tresor Sundika ◽

Nancy Mbula ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Case Control ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

P Value ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Context Specific ◽

Control Study

Background Behavioural risk factors for cholera are well established in rural and semi-urban contexts, but not in densely populated mega-cities in Sub-Saharan Africa. In November 2017, a cholera epidemic occurred in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where no outbreak had been recorded for nearly a decade. During this outbreak, we investigated context-specific risk factors for cholera in an urban setting among a population that is not frequently exposed to cholera. Methodology/Principal findings We recruited 390 participants from three affected health zones of Kinshasa into a 1:1 matched case control study. Cases were identified from cholera treatment centre admission records, while controls were recruited from the vicinity of the cases’ place of residence. We used standardized case report forms for the collection of socio-demographic and behavioural risk factors. We used augmented backward elimination in a conditional logistic regression model to identify risk factors. The consumption of sachet water was strongly associated with the risk of being a cholera case (p-value 0.019), which increased with increasing frequency of consumption from rarely (OR 2.2, 95% CI 0.9–5.2) to often (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.6–9.9) to very often (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.0–16.7). Overall, more than 80% of all participants reported consumption of this type of drinking water. The risk factors funeral attendance and contact with someone suffering from diarrhoea showed a p-value of 0.09 and 0.08, respectively. No socio-demographic characteristics were associated with the risk of cholera. Conclusions/Significance Drinking water consumption from sachets, which are sold informally on the streets in most Sub-Saharan African cities, are an overlooked route of infection in urban cholera outbreaks. Outbreak response measures need to acknowledge context-specific risk factors to remain a valuable tool in the efforts to achieve national and regional targets to reduce the burden of cholera in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Epidemiology of Malaria in Pregnancy and Associated Risk Factors in Nigeria: a Review

International Journal of Pathogen Research ◽

10.9734/ijpr/2021/v8i230202 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 59-72

Author(s):

Chibuzo Christian Uba ◽

Moses Nkechukwu Ikegbunam ◽

Emmanuel Chigozie Udegbunam ◽

Chioma Abana ◽

Stephen Nnaemeka Ezekwueche ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Preventive Treatment ◽

Malaria In Pregnancy ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Drug Misuse ◽

Care Services ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Associated Risk Factors ◽

In Pregnancy

Each year, an estimated number of 300–500 million people are infected with malaria parasite, with an undesirable effect of over one million deaths. Pregnant women as well as young children, non-immune travellers visiting malaria-endemic zones are at the highest risk of suffering or experiencing life - threatening malaria infection. Maternal immunity, parasite density, parity, inadequate antenatal care services, drug misuse and abuse as well intermitted preventive treatment drug failure cum resistance are the most associated risk factors of malaria in pregnancy obtainable in endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Identification and understanding of these factors will play a major role in reducing the burden as well as eliminating malaria disease among pregnant women living in endemic regions.

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Under the Radar: Epidemiology of Plasmodium ovale in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Journal of Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/infdis/jiaa478 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Cedar L Mitchell ◽

Nicholas F Brazeau ◽

Corinna Keeler ◽

Melchior Kashamuka Mwandagalirwa ◽

Antoinette K Tshefu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Significant Risk ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Plasmodium Ovale ◽

Malaria Burden ◽

South Central ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Malaria Species ◽

Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Plasmodium ovale is an understudied malaria species prevalent throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. Little is known about the distribution of ovale malaria and risk factors for infection in areas of high malaria endemicity. Methods Using the 2013 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Demographic and Health Survey, we conducted a risk factor analysis for P. ovale infections. We evaluated geographic clustering of infections and speciated to P. ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri through deep sequencing. Results Of 18 149 adults tested, we detected 143 prevalent P. ovale infections (prevalence estimate 0.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], .59%–.98%). Prevalence ratios (PR) for significant risk factors were: male sex PR = 2.12 (95% CI, 1.38–3.26), coprevalent P. falciparum PR = 3.52 (95% CI, 2.06–5.99), and rural residence PR = 2.19 (95% CI, 1.31–3.66). P. ovale was broadly distributed throughout the DRC; an elevated cluster of infections was detected in the south-central region. Speciation revealed P. ovale curtisi and P. ovale wallikeri circulating throughout the country. Conclusions P. ovale persists broadly in the DRC, a high malaria burden country. For successful elimination of all malaria species, P. ovale needs to be on the radar of malaria control programs.

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Conflicts in Biafra, Katanga and Cabinda as a result of the geopolitical legacy of colonialism

OOO Zhurnal Voprosy Istorii ◽

10.31166/voprosyistorii202010statyi60 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (10-3) ◽

pp. 238-246

Author(s):

Olga Dzhenchakova

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

Economic Factor ◽

Colonial Period ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Post Colonial ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

The Republic ◽

The Impact

The article considers the impact of the colonial past of some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and its effect on their development during the post-colonial period. The negative consequences of the geopolitical legacy of colonialism are shown on the example of three countries: Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Angola, expressed in the emergence of conflicts in these countries based on ethno-cultural, religious and socio-economic contradictions. At the same time, the focus is made on the economic factor and the consequences of the consumer policy of the former metropolises pursuing their mercantile interests were mixed.

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Malarial Infection in HIV Infected Pregnant Women Attending a Rural Antenatal Clinic in Nigeria

Advances in Epidemiology ◽

10.1155/2014/694213 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. S. Houmsou ◽

B. E. Wama ◽

S. O. Elkanah ◽

L. C. Garba ◽

T. D. Hile ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Haemoglobin Level ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Rural Areas ◽

First Trimester ◽

Antenatal Clinic ◽

Severe Anaemia ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Malarial Infection ◽

Sub Saharan

Malaria still remains a challenging infection affecting the lives of several HIV infected pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was undertaken to determine malarial infection in HIV infected pregnant women in relation to sociodemographic and obstetrical factors. The study also assessed relationship between malarial infection and haemoglobin level, CD4+ counts, and ART regimen, as well as predisposing risk factors that influenced occurrence of malarial infection in the women. Thick and thin blood smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa. Haemoglobin level was determined using a hematology analyzer, while the flow cytometry was used to measure CD4+ counts. Sociodemographic and obstetrical parameters were obtained through the administration of questionnaires. Of the 159 HIV infected pregnant women examined, 33.3% (59/159) had malarial infection. Malarial infection was significantly higher in pregnant women who were divorced, 40.24% (33/82) (χ2=5.72; P=0.05), were at their first trimester (4–12 weeks), 54.8% (17/31) (χ2=14.85; P=0.01), had CD4+ = [201–500 cells/μL], 42.42% (42/99) (χ2=10.13; P=0.00), and those that had severe anaemia (<8 dg/L), 100.00% (χ2= 45.75; P=0.00). However, risk factors that influenced the occurrence of malarial infection in the pregnant women were occupation (farming) (AOR=0.226; P=0.03), marital status (divorced) (AOR=2.80; P=0.02), gestation (first trimester) (AOR=0.33; P=0.00), haemoglobin level (Hb < 8 dg/L) (AOR=0.02; P=0.00), and CD4+ counts (low CD4+) (OR=0.40; P=0.05). The study reported endemicity of malaria in HIV infected pregnant women living in rural areas of Benue State, Nigeria. Malarial infection was higher in women that were divorced, and at their first trimester, had low CD4+ count, and had severe anaemia. Farming, divorce, gestation, severe anaemia, and low CD4+ counts were predisposing risk factors that influenced malaria occurrence in the HIV infected pregnant women. It is advocated that HIV infected pregnant women should be properly and thoroughly educated on malaria preventive measures in rural areas so as to avoid unpleasant effect of malaria during their pregnancies.

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Arresting Vertical Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus (AVERT-HBV) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

10.1101/2021.03.19.21253929 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Peyton Thompson ◽

Camille E. Morgan ◽

Patrick Ngimbi ◽

Kashamuka Mwandagalirwa ◽

Noro Ravelomanana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Pmtct Program ◽

B Virus ◽

Birth Dose ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Dose Vaccine

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains endemic throughout sub-Saharan Africa despite the widespread availability of effective vaccines. We evaluated the feasibility of adding HBV testing and treatment of pregnant women and birth-dose vaccination of HBV-exposed infants to the HIV prevention of MTCT (PMTCT) program infrastructure in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where HBV treatment and birth-dose vaccination programs are not established. Methods: As part of the HIV PMTCT program at two maternity centers in Kinshasa, DRC, pregnant women were screened for HBV at routine prenatal care registration. Pregnant women with high viral load and/or HBeAg positivity were offered tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). HBV-exposed infants received a birth-dose of HBV vaccine within 24 hours of life. The primary endpoint was the feasibility and acceptability of the study. Results: Of 4,016 women screened, 109 (2.7%) were HBsAg-positive. Ten of 91 (11.1%) women evaluated had high-risk disease. Of 88 infants, 60 (68.2%) received a birth-dose vaccine; of these, 46 (76.7%) received a timely birth-dose. No cases of HBV MTCT were observed in our cohort. There were no serious adverse events associated with TDF nor with birth-dose vaccine. The study procedures were highly acceptable (>80%) among mothers. Conclusions: Adding HBV screening and treatment of pregnant women and infant birth-dose vaccination to existing HIV PMTCT platforms is feasible in countries like the DRC. Birth-dose vaccination against HBV integrated within the current Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and HIV PMTCT program could accelerate progress toward HBV elimination in Africa.

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Historical and current distribution, population size and possible migration routes of the Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea in Africa

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270910000158 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 240-254 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

STEVEN W. EVANS ◽

H. BOUWMAN

Keyword(s):

Population Size ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Total Current ◽

Migration Routes ◽

Breeding Grounds ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Migratory Routes ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

And Migration

SummaryThe Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea is restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, its population size previously estimated at fewer than 1,500 pairs, and is classified as Vulnerable. A better understanding of its current distributional range, population size, protection status and migration routes would improve our ability to conserve the species and the grassland and wetland habitat on which it depends. We now estimate that the Blue Swallow population in the 1850s may have numbered between 1,560 and 2,300 pairs. Based on an assessment of available data, we now estimate the total current Blue Swallow population at 1,006 pairs or 2,012 individuals, an estimated 36–56% decline over the last 150 years. There may be three separate Blue Swallow sub-populations and seven separate migratory routes between their breeding and non-breeding grounds. The Blue Swallow’s range in South Africa and Swaziland has contracted by 74%. The majority of Blue Swallows occupy unprotected areas on their non-breeding grounds in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya. The Blue Swallow population in Africa will continue to decline unless the causes of reduction in Blue Swallow habitat quantity and quality can be stopped and sufficient and additional habitat set aside to sustain viable Blue Swallow populations throughout their range.

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