Introduction: While real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) is the recommended laboratory method to diagnose severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, its use in ...resource limited settings can be difficult to maintain due to high testing demand and shortage of reagents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performances of Realy Tech™ and Standard Q™ in comparison to RT-PCR in a relatively low COVID-19 prevalence setting, Mali.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study between January and April 2021 in Bamako and Kati regions to evaluate both rapid tests during a large SARS-CoV-2 prevalence study in Mali.Results: Of the 390 samples tested, the sensitivity and specificity of Realy Tech™ and Standard Q™ were 57.1% (95%CI: 44.1-69.2), 95.8% (95%CI: 93.1-97.5); 61.9% (95%CI: 46.8-75.0), and 94.1% (95%CI: 89.5-96.8) respectively. Using RT-PCR, the global prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was 14.4% (56/390). In both rapid antigen tests, the performance was better when used in suspected patients compared to positive patients under treatment. Moreover, higher viral loads equivalent to Ct < 25 were associated with better detection rates.Conclusion: While waiting for more complete data, these preliminary studies suggest that Realy Tech™ and Standard Q™ should not be used alone for COVID-19 diagnosis in Mali.
Omphalocele is one of the most common congenital defects in the anterior abdominal wall. The malformation is associated with various pathologies especially with chromosomal disorders. The ...developmental defect is observed in Congolese hospitals, but risk factors are not well precised on the published case reports, which are more often focused on management. We aim in this paper to make a review on the condition, insisting on the risk factors of omphaloceles mainly of those of genetic origins.
Introduction: In 2016, tuberculosis (TB) was the ninth leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of death due to a single infectious agent (WHO Tuberculosis Report, African Region 2016). ...At Mali's last census, carried out in 2009, the country's resident or legal population stood at 14,528,662, with an annual growth rate of 3.6% since 2009. The District of Bamako accounts for more than half of the urban population, i.e. 55.3% (RGPH 2009, p. 19). Mali is a highly tuberculosis-endemic country, with an estimated incidence of 56 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2016 (Incidence of tuberculosis in the world, World Bank link). This means that the country expects to have at least 10,000 cases of tuberculosis (TB) every year. Objective: To carry out active screening for cases of tuberculosis in places of worship in a developing country in sub-Saharan Africa. Methodology: This was a prospective cross-sectional study of active screening for TB in religious settings. We carried out systematic sampling in 02 mosques in each health district of the District of Bamako, i.e. a total of 12 mosques over a period of 03 days per commune. During the campaign period, our sample size was 1,092 participants. The campaign was preceded by a social mobilisation session with the faithful of these mosques. Results: Our study included 1,092 participants with a ratio of 1.5 in favour of men, i.e. 60.16%. The age range was 15 to 65 years and over, with the elderly being the most representative. We had 18 positive cases, representing 1.64%, the majority of whom were women (55.56%, 0.8 in favour of women). Among the positive cases, young people were more represented, with an age range of 15-24 years, representing 27.77%. In addition to the positive cases, there were 1,074 chronic coughers with negative bacilloscopy (98.35%).
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