BackgroundAntibiotic combination therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication must be adapted to local resistance patterns, but the epidemiology of H. pylori resistance to antibiotics is poorly documented in Africa. The aim was to determine the antibiotic resistance rates, as well as the associated molecular mechanisms, of strains isolated in Dakar, Senegal.MethodsOne hundred and eight H. pylori strains were isolated between 2007 and 2009 from 108 patients presenting with upper abdominal pain to the Gastroenterology Department of Le Dantec Hospital. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin and tetracyclin using the E-test method. Mutations in the 23S rRNA gene of clarithromycin-resistant strains and in gyrA and gyrB of levofloxacin-resistant strains were investigated.ResultsIsolates were characterized by no resistance to amoxicillin (0%), tetracycline (0%), and very low rate of resistance to clarithromycin (1%), but a high rate of resistance to metronidazole (85%). The clarithromycin-resistant strain displayed the A2143G mutation. A worrying rate of levofloxacin resistance was detected (15%). N87I and D91N were the most common mutations in the quinolone-resistance-determining region of gyrA.ConclusionsThe first-line empirical regimen for H. pylori eradication in Senegal should include clarithromycin. Increasing rates of fluoroquinolone resistance detected should discourage the use of levofloxacin-containing regimens without prior antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

The molecular epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori in Africa is poorly documented. From January 2007 to December 2008, we investigated 187 patients with gastric symptoms in one of the main tertiary hospitals in Dakar, Senegal. One hundred and seventeen patients were culture-positive for H. pylori. Polymorphisms in vacA and cagA status were investigated by PCR; the 3'-region of cagA was sequenced, and EPIYA motifs were identified. Bacterial heterogeneity within individuals was extensively assessed by using an approach based on vacA and cagA heterogeneity. Fourteen per cent of H. pylori-positive patients displayed evidence of mixed infection, which may affect disease outcome. Patients with multiple vacA alleles were excluded from subsequent analyses. Among the final study population of 105 patients, 29 had gastritis only, 61 had ulcerated lesions, and 15 had suspicion of neoplasia based on endoscopic findings. All cases of suspected neoplasia were histologically confirmed as gastric cancer (GC). The cagA gene was present in 73.3% of isolates. CagA proteins contained zero (3.7%), one (93.9%) or two (2.4%) EPIYA-C segments, and all were western CagA. Most of the isolates possessed presumed high-vacuolization isotypes (s1i1m1 (57.1%) or s1i1m2 (21.9%)). Despite the small number of cases, GC was associated with cagA (p 0.03), two EPIYA-C segments in the C-terminal region of CagA (p 0.03), and the s1 vacA allele (p 0.002). Multiple EPIYA-C segments were less frequent than reported in other countries, possibly contributing to the low incidence of GC in Senegal.

Background: Helicobacter pylori is the primary cause of peptic ulcer disease and an etiologic agent in the development of gastric cancer. A high frequency of H. pylori infection has been reported from resource-poor regions. H. pylori infection is curable with regimens of multiple antimicrobial agents. However, antibiotic resistance is a leading cause of treatment failure. In Africa, there are very little data concerning the susceptibility of H. pylori isolates to antibiotics. Methodology: H. pylori isolates from gastric biopsies from outpatients ≥ 18 years old affected by a gastro-duodenal ulcer were used in this study. Susceptibility testing was performed for amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin and metronidazole by using the Epsilometer test (E-test) method. Results: H. pylori strains were isolated from 40 patients of whom 36 were diagnosed as having duodenal ulcer, two with gastric ulcer, and two with gastro-duodenal ulcer. Thirty-six (90%) of the isolates were resistant to metronidazole (MICs ≥ 8 µg/l), whereas all isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin (MICs ≤ 0. 5 µg/ml) and ciprofloxacin (MICs ≤ 1µg/ml). Conclusion: These data suggest that metronidazole should not be used therapeutically among Senegalese patients in first-line therapy, while ciprofloxacin could be recommended in association with amoxicillin and a proton pump inhibitor in Senegal.

Introduction: Kidney injury is common in the course of lupus and affects the functional and vital prognosis. The risk of progression to end-stage renal failure can reach 40% to 60%. Thus we carried out this work for the purpose of an evaluation of the renal and vital prognosis and to deduce the factors of poor prognosis. Patients and method: This was a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study conducted over a period of 10 years from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2016, performed in the Nephrology Department of Aristide Le Dantec Hospital in Dakar. Patients with lupus nephritis were included. The studied parameters were epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical and progression. We had done a crossover of the patients to look for the factors of poor renal and vital prognosis. Results: Out of 93 cases of lupus patients, 64 were included, a prevalence of 69%. The mean age of the patients was 31.97 ± 10.44 years old. There were 81% women and 19% men, a sex ratio of 0.23. Class III was found in 24 cases (37.5%), Class IV in 20 cases (31.25%), Class V in 15 cases (23.4%), Class II in 4 cases (6.25%) and Class I in 1 case (1.6%). The combination of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants was used in 56.25% of cases. After a follow-up of six months, 19 patients were in complete remission, 21 had resistance and 9 had partial remission. Of the 21 patients who had resistance, 8 were in chronic renal failure. Death was observed in 5 patients and the causes were in 3 patients: pulmonary embolism, bacterial meningitis and pulmonary tuberculosis. The cause of death was unknown in 2 patients. The factors of poor renal prognosis were lymphopenia, the presence of anti-native DNA antibodies, nephrotic syndrome, microscopic hematuria, tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis. Risk factors affecting renal survival were the presence of native anti-DNA antibodies, microscopic hematuria, leukocyturia and the presence of a proliferative class. The factors of poor prognosis were renal failure, lymphopenia, nephrotic syndrome, glo

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major public health problem in Senegal, and the third most common cancer in terms of incidence. However, there are no recent data on the characteristics of this pathology in our country. The aim was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, aetiological and therapeutic aspects of HCC at Hôpital Principal de Dakar, Senegal. We did a descriptive retrospective study, including patients hospitalized from January 2012 to December 2017. We included 229 patients. The mean age was 47.4 years (21 - 88 years), and 77 patients (33.6%) were under 40 years of age. The sex ratio was 6.6. Twelve patients (5.2%) had a family history of 1 st degree cirrhosis or HCC. Ten patients (4.4%) were previously treated with nucleotide analogues. The most common clinical sign at diagnosis was abdominal pain (91.7%). Alpha-fetoprotein level was normal in 12.2% of patients, and greater than 400 ng/ml in 68.1% of cases. Abdominal ultrasound found nodular HCC in 122 patients (68.2%), infiltrative HCC in 19 patients (10.6%), and was normal in 38 cases (21.2%). Subjacent cirrhosis was detected in 71.3% of cases. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed compatible HCC lesions in 88.8% of cases. A histological diagnosis was obtained in 2 patients (0.9%). The most common etiological factor was hepatitis B virus (69.4%), characterized mostly by a younger age (p = 0.001). In 20.9% of cases, no aetiology was found. An advanced or terminal stage (BCLC C/D) was found in 217 cases (94.8%). The treatment was curative in 12 patients (5.2%), and palliative in 7 cases (3.1%). The evolution at one year was favourable in 6 patients (2.6%). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a disease that mainly affects young male adults in Senegal. The main aetiological factor remains HBV infection. The diagnosis is made at an advanced stage and the prognosis very bad.