SummaryBackgroundSigns indicating hypertensive retinopathy can help determine the extent of hypertensive cardiovascular, renal and cerebrovascular damage.ObjectivesTo study the association between hypertensive retinopathy and cardiovascular, renal and cerebrovascular changes, and to determine the predictors of hypertensive retinopathy in Congolese patients.MethodsA total of 159 hypertensive subjects (mean age: 58.9 ± 13.2 years) were enrolled from the cardiology out-patient clinic. Retinopathy grade was assessed on direct ophthalmoscopy. Hypertensive cardiovascular, renal and cerebrovascular changes were indicated by left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and stroke, respectively.ResultsHypertensive retinopathy was present in 83.6% of the patients (grade 1: 42.1%; grade 2: 11.3%; grade 3: 23.3%; grade 4: 6.9%). There was no association between hypertensive retinopathy and the presence or absence of LVH (86.5 vs 73.3%, χ2 = 1.53, p = 0.21), chronic kidney disease (89.3 vs 83.3%, χ2 = 0.12, p = 0.73) or stroke (85.7 vs 83.2%, χ2 > 0.001, p = 0.99). On multivariate logistic regression, CKD was the most significant predictor of severe hypertensive retinopathy, with an odds ratio of 4.4.ConclusionNo association was found between hypertensive retinopathy and LVH, CKD or stroke. CKD was the most significant predictor of hypertensive retinopathy and there was a tendency toward increased risk of target-organ damage among patients with advanced hypertensive retinopathy.

Abstract. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first 6 months of life. However, the effect of EBF on malaria risk remains unclear. In the present study, 137 EBF infants and 358 non-EBF infants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo were assessed for fever and malaria infections by polymerase chain reaction, at 6 months of age. EBF was associated with a reduced risk of clinical malaria (odds ratio = 0.13; 95% confidence interval = 0.00-0.80), suggesting a protective effect of EBF against malaria.

No abstract

Summaryobjective To determine baseline data regarding eye lesions and vision loss in five villages of Lusambo, an onchocerciasis-hyperendemic forest-savanna area in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in preparation of mass ivermectin distribution.methods Five villages were selected by simple randomization. Through a cross-sectional design, 750 subjects were examined ophthalmologically. The eye examination included acuity visual measurement, slit-lamp examination, ophthalmoscopy, intraocular pressure measurement, and visual field assessment by the Wu-Jones test.results There was a high prevalence of onchocerciasis-related eye lesions compared with nononchocercal lesions. Chorioretinitis (20%) was the most frequent disease, others were punctate keratitis and microfilariae in the anterior chamber in equal frequency (13.8%), white intraretinal deposits (10.4%) and iridocyclitis (8%). Vision loss was discovered in 8.5% of the subjects, of whom 0.5% had bilateral blindness, 2.2% had monocular blindness and 5.7% had visual impairment. Vision loss was mostly caused by onchocerciasis-related diseases, especially those affecting the anterior segment of the eye.conclusion Features of ocular onchocerciasis usually described in forest and savanna areas were both found in this forest-savanna zone of the DRC.keywords onchocerciasis, eye lesions, vision loss, forest-savanna, Lusambo, Democratic Republic of Congo

Aim: To assess whether or not visual evoked potentials (VEPs) are abnormal in konzo, a para/tetraparesis of sudden onset, and to correlate the findings to the clinical picture of the disorder. Methods: VEPs were recorded in 23 patients (9 men and 14 women, mean age: 23 ± 10 years) suffering from konzo, and 38 healthy subjects (20 men and 18 women, mean age: 27 ± 15 years). The mean P100 latencies and peak-to-peak N75-P100 amplitudes of each eye were measured and compared in the two groups. The mean interocular P100 latency and amplitude differences were calculated and also compared. Results: VEPs were abnormal in 11/23 patients (48%) consisting of P100 prolongation (7 subjects), absence of P100 wave (2 subjects) or an atypical waveform (2 subjects). The mean P100 latency value of the konzo group was significantly increased as compared with the mean (+ 2.5 SD) of the reference values from healthy subjects (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant decrease of amplitude in konzo patients compared to normal subjects (p < 0.05) with, however, only 2 patients outside the 95% confidence limits. Six patients (27%) had abnormal VEPs despite normal visual acuity. These abnormalities were symmetric and a relation could be found between neither the duration nor the severity of the disease and the VEP perturbation. Conclusion: The main features of these abnormalities are delayed P100 latency and decreased amplitude. These findings indicate involvement of visual pathways and seem to suggest the presence of axonal loss in the prechiasmal visual pathways in konzo. This study provides evidence that the neurodamage in konzo extends to the visual pathways.

Konzo was associated with optic neuropathy and a few patients had nystagmus. Although the etiopathogenesis of this optic neuropathy remains to be elucidated, the symmetry of the involvement suggests a toxic origin. We suggest that cyanide causes the neuro-ophthalmological damage in konzo. However, the optic neuropathy in konzo patients does not resemble the features of the epidemic optic neuropathy in Tanzania, Cuba or Nigeria, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, tobacco amblyopia or vitamin B deficiency.

In HIV-infected patients uveitis is frequently associated with opportunistic infections.

Introduction Unilateral papillitis and neuroretinitis are uncommon manifestations of ocular Toxoplasma gondii infection and pose particularly challenging diagnosis problems. Due to the limited accessibility of healthcare and poor socioeconomic status of a significant proportion of the population in Democratic Republic of the Congo, knowledge of seroprevalence rates for toxoplasmosis remains key to the health system. When Toxoplasma papillitis or neuroretinitis is suspected, vitreous inflammatory reaction is usually present at various degrees on the initial examination as a diagnosis clue. Case report We report the case of a 37-year-old Congolese man who was managed in the University Hospital of Kinshasa, DR Congo, between October 2017 and April 2019 (18 months). The patient's informed consent was obtained for publication of his data. The patient developed presumed Toxoplasma papillitis with complete absence of vitritis at presentation. He was in good general health and had a known contact with a cat. Ophthalmoscopic examination revealed unilateral inflammation in the left optic disc and peripapillary area coexisting with active juxtapapillary retinochoroiditis that could be confirmed in ocular coherence tomography. A retinochoroiditis scar was present in the right eye. Left visual field was severely altered in automated perimetry. Toxoplasma titer was positive. Anti-HIV (ELISA) antibodies were negative. Rapid and favorable response to appropriate antiparasitic agents was observed without recurrence. Absence of vitritis and retinochoroiditis scar were confirmed during all the follow-up period. Conclusions Papillary toxoplasmosis is rare and potentially serious. Its diagnosis must be sought, even in the absence of vitritis, before taking into account any unilateral papillary edema. Our case report highlights the importance of detailed history and clinical examination to improve diagnostic decision making such as the need for complementary investigations, especially serologic testing, in a country with relatively limited financial resources in public health.