Exclusive Breastfeeding and Clinical Malaria Risk in 6-Month-Old Infants: A Cross-Sectional Study from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

This comparative cross-sectional study aimed to better understand the respective contributions of protein malnutrition and cassava-derived cyanide poisoning in the development of konzo. We compared data on nutritional status and cyanide exposure of school-age adolescent konzo-diseased patients to those of non-konzo subjects of similar age from three areas in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our results show that konzo patients had a high prevalence of both wasting (54.5%) and stunting (72.7%), as well as of cyanide poisoning (81.8%). Controls from Burhinyi and those from Idjwi showed a similar profile with a low prevalence of wasting (3.3% and 6.5%, respectively) and intermediate prevalence of stunting (26.7% and 23.9%, respectively). They both had a high prevalence of cyanide poisoning (50.0% and 63.0%, respectively), similar to konzo-patients. On the other hand, controls from Bukavu showed the lowest prevalence of both risk factors, namely chronic malnutrition (12.1%) and cyanide poisoning (27.6%). In conclusion, cassava-derived cyanide poisoning does not necessarily coexist with konzo outbreaks. The only factor differentiating konzo patients from healthy individuals exposed to cyanide poisoning appeared to be their worse nutritional status. This further suggests that, besides the known role of cyanide poisoning in the pathogenesis of konzo, malnutrition may be a key factor for the disease occurrence.

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Co-infection of malaria and HIV infection in severely undernourished children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a cross-sectional study

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182019001513 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 147 (2) ◽

pp. 248-253

Author(s):

MuziaziaLupemba Jacques ◽

MaibougeTanko Mahamane Salissou ◽

Lufuluabo Kaswiyi ◽

Fei Guan ◽

Jiahui Lei

Keyword(s):

Hiv Infection ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Clinical Predictors ◽

Hiv Seropositivity ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hiv Serostatus ◽

Republic Of The Congo

AbstractPurposeThis study aims to determine the prevalence of malaria and HIV seropositivity among children with undernutrition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.MethodsA cross-sectional study of undernourished children aged between 12 and 60 months in Kalembe-Lembe hospital was carried out. Blood samples were collected for the analyses of malaria parasite, haemoglobin and haematocrit levels. HIV serostatus was determined with rapid HIV antibody tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify clinical predictors of HIV seropositivity.ResultsOf 225 children, 88.9% had malaria; the parasite loads were 16 000 para per μL (38.0%); 24 400 para per μL (56.8%), P < 0.001 and malaria and associated HIV infection accounted for 29.2%. In children aged >12 months, HIV seroprevalence was 29.3%; 86.0% had undernutrition and malaria, 6.8% had undernutrition and HIV and 4.3% had undernutrition, HIV and malaria (P < 0.001). The occurrence of at least three or more symptoms was highly specific (96.4–100.0%) for HIV seropositivity (P < 0.05). The overall mortality rate was 18.4%, higher in children with malaria and HIV (39.6% vs 12.2%, P < 0.001) and those with lower weight gain (4.3 vs 7.5 g kg−1 day−1, P < 0.001).ConclusionsThere was high prevalence of malaria and HIV and mortality among severely undernourished children with malaria and HIV.

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Low prevalence of Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale mono-infections among children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a population-based, cross-sectional study

Malaria Journal ◽

10.1186/s12936-016-1409-0 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Stephanie M. Doctor ◽

Yunhao Liu ◽

Olivia G. Anderson ◽

Amy N. Whitesell ◽

Melchior Kashamuka Mwandagalirwa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

Plasmodium Malariae ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Plasmodium Ovale ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Low Prevalence

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Blood Pressure Patterns and Factors Associated with Relative Hypertension among Steady State Sickle Cell Disease Patients in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Cross-Sectional Study

World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases ◽

10.4236/wjcd.2018.83021 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 08 (03) ◽

pp. 217-228

Author(s):

P. I. Mboliasa ◽

F. B. Lepira ◽

J. R. Makulo ◽

A. Nkodila ◽

E. K. Sumaili ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Steady State ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cell Disease ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Blood Pressure Patterns

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Emergency obstetric and neonatal care availability, use, and quality: a cross-sectional study in the city of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2011

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-017-1224-9 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Abel Mukengeshayi Ntambue ◽

Françoise Kaj Malonga ◽

Karen D. Cowgill ◽

Michèle Dramaix-Wilmet ◽

Philippe Donnen

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Neonatal Care ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

The City ◽

Care Availability

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Sociodemographic characteristics of adolescents preferring home-based HIV self-testing over facility-based voluntary counseling and testing: a cross-sectional study in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1177/0956462419898616 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (5) ◽

pp. 481-487 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Serge Tonen-Wolyec ◽

Ralph-Sydney Mboumba Bouassa ◽

Salomon Batina-Agasa ◽

Alliance Tagoto Tepungipame ◽

Charles Kayembe Tshilumba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Voluntary Counseling And Testing ◽

Counseling And Testing ◽

Home Based ◽

Self Testing ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Study Questionnaire

HIV self-testing (HIVST) offers an alternative to facility-based voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services, particularly for vulnerable populations such as adolescents. This study aimed to determine the sociodemographic factors associated with adolescents preferring home-based HIVST over facility-based VCT in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A representative cross-sectional study using random sampling in clusters at three levels was conducted among adolescents (aged 15–19 years) to assess their hypothetical preference in home-based HIVST over facility-based VCT by a face-to-face, paper-based, semi-structured questionnaire, and logistic regression for statistical analysis. In 353 households, 754 adolescents were assessed for eligibility, of whom 628 were eligible. A total of 597 adolescents completed the study questionnaire. A majority of participants were aged 18–19 and of female gender. More than two-thirds of participants had never been tested for HIV and had no knowledge about HIVST before this survey. Among 597 adolescents who had completed the study questionnaire, a slight majority of participants (323/597; 54.1% [95% CI: 50.0–58.0]) preferred home-based HIVST over facility-based VCT. In a multivariate analysis, male gender (adjusted OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1–2.1), marriage or partnered civil status (adjusted OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1–3.1), and previous knowledge about HIVST (adjusted OR: 4.2, 95% CI: 2.6–6.8) were associated with preference for home-based HIVST over facility-based VCT. This study demonstrates that more adolescents preferred home-based HIVST over facility-based VCT in Kisangani. These observations suggest the existence of a specific sociodemographic profile associated with the acceptance of HIVST in adolescents living in sub-Saharan Africa.

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