INCE 1987, AN ATYPICAL PRESENtation of diabetes has emerged as one of the most frequent forms of diabetes in populations of African origin. [1][2][3][4][5] It is a diabetic syndrome characterized by an acute onset with severe hyperglycemia and ketosis or ketoacidosis requiring insulin therapy, followed by longterm insulin-free near-normoglycemic remission periods, 6,7 frequently interrupted by ketotic relapses. 3 Thus, it resembles type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM-1) at onset and prediabetes or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM-2) over the long term. Because of the unknown etiology of this form of diabetes, especially in the absence of classic markers of autoimmune diabetes, it has conservatively been classified under idiopathic DM-1 or DM-1B by the World Health

Efavirenz has been associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, but little is known about depression and quality of life in sub-Saharan Africa, where nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based regimens are still the first-line treatment recommended by the World Heath Organization (WHO) and are widely prescribed. MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, we evaluated quality of life and depression among Senegalese patients receiving efavirenz-or protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimens. Two hundred consecutive patients who had been taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for more than 6 months were asked to complete a questionnaire. ResultsAccording to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), 18% had depression (19% for patients on a PI-based regimen and 17% for patients on efavirenz-based treatment). Fiftynine per cent of the patients reported no health problems in the past 4 weeks. A quarter of patients had sleep disorders. Moderate or slight adverse events were reported by 28.5% of patients. ConclusionsQuality of life and depression scores remained good in both study groups. However, quality of life and depression should be monitored in follow-up of HIV-infected patients in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2002, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 seroprevalence was 0.16% (8/4,900) in blood donors from Dakar, Senegal. Most of the positive donors originated from the country's southern region. Seven donors were infected by HTLV-1 (of cosmopolitan subtype), and one was infected by HTLV-2. These data highlight the problem of transfusion safety in this area where HTLV-1-associated lymphoproliferative and neurological diseases are endemic.

Despite the unicity of its genetic mutation, Sickle cell homozygosity presents different clinical features. Our objectives were to evaluate disease severity in Senegalese patients. Sixty (60) homozygous sickle cell patients were followed up monthly during one year and disease severity was assessed using the "severity index" (SI) which is resulting from epidemiologic, clinic and biological data. Mean age was 20.13, sex ratio was 0.87 and mean age of diagnosis was 9.8 years. 90% of patients presented vaso-occlusive crisis (2.53 per patient), 73.3% had infectious episodes (1.9 per patient), 69.3% had never been transfused and 25% of patients had presented chronic complications linked to anemia or ischemia. Mean hemoglobin value was 8.1 g/dl and mean Hb F was 8.2%. Low seric ferritin was found in 1.7% of patients. Benign form of homozygous sickle cell anemia (SI< or =6) was found in 48.3% of patients. Our data confirm the relative good tolerance of homozygous sickle cell disease in Senegal. The haplotype Senegal may play an important role but others host and environmental factors operate certainly because some severe cases were identified in our patients. The identification of all these factors might contribute to a better follow up of sickle cell disease.

Despite significant progres on haemophilia care in developed world, this disease remains unknown in many sub-Saharan African countries. The objectives of this article were to report Senegalese experience on the management of haemophilia care through 18 years of follow-up. This cohort study included 140 patients (127 haemophilia A, 13 haemophilia B), followed in Dakar's haemophilia treatment centre from 1995 to 2012. Our study reported a prevalence of 2.3/100,000 male births, accounting for 11.6% of what is expected in Senegal. From the period 1995-2003 to 2004-2012, significant progress was seen including 67.9% increase in new patient's identification, 11.3 years reduction in mean age at diagnosis (from 15.5 to 4.2 years), lower mortality rate (from 15.3% to 6.8%) and age at death evolved from 6.5 to 23.3 years. Of the 50 haemophilia A patients who were tested for inhibitor presence, 10 were positive (eight severe and two moderate) that is prevalence of 20%. All patients were low responders since inhibitor titre was between 1.5 and 3.8 BU. Disabilities were seen in 36.5% of patients above 20 years old who had musculoskeletal sequels and 39% had no scholar or professional activities in our setting. Implementing haemophilia care in sub-Saharan Africa is a great challenge as this disease is not yet counted in national health problems in many countries. Lessons learned from this study show a significant improvement in diagnosis and prognosis parameters. This emphasizes the needs to set up such follow-up initiatives and to enhance medical and lay cooperation for better results.