Risk factors for difficult-to-treat hepatitis C virus genotype 4r in Rwanda and implications for elimination in sub-Saharan Africa

Risk factors for secondary infection after liver failure and effect of comprehensive nursing intervention

BACKGROUND

In patients with liver failure (LF), the high rate of secondary infections, which are associated with poor prognosis, highlights the clinical significance of understanding the underlying risk factors and implementing targeted intervention programs.

AIM

To investigate risk factors for secondary infections in patients with LF and evaluate the effectiveness of comprehensive nursing interventions.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 64 patients with LF, including 32 with and 32 without secondary infections. A questionnaire was used to collect data on age; laboratory parameters, including total and direct bilirubin, prothrombin time, blood ammonia, and other biochemical parameters; invasive procedures; and complications. Patients with secondary infections received comprehensive nursing intervention in addition to routine nursing care, whereas those without secondary infections received only routine nursing care to compare the effect of nursing intervention on outcomes.

RESULTS

The infection rate, which was not associated with age or complications, was significantly associated with biochemical parameters and invasive procedures (P < 0.05). The infection rate was 61.6% in patients who had undergone invasive procedures and 32.1% in those who had not undergone invasive procedures during the hospital stay. The infection rate was also significantly associated with the type of LF (P < 0.05), with the lowest rate observed in patients with acute LF and the highest rate observed in those with subacute LF. The nursing satisfaction rate was 58.3% in the uninfected group and 91.7% in the infected group, indicating significantly higher satisfaction in the infected group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In patients with LF, the rate of secondary infections was high and associated with biochemical parameters and type of LF. Comprehensive nursing intervention can improve patient satisfaction.

HCV Diagnosis and Sequencing Using Dried Blood Spots from Patients in Kinshasa (DRC): A Tool to Achieve WHO 2030 Targets

The World Health Organization has established an elimination plan for hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) access to diagnostic tools is limited, and a number of genotype 4 subtypes have been shown to be resistant to some direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). This study aims to analyze diagnostic assays for HCV based on dried blood spots (DBS) specimens collected in Kinshasa and to characterize genetic diversity of the virus within a group of mainly HIV positive patients. HCV antibody detection was performed on 107 DBS samples with Vidas® anti-HCV and Elecsys anti-HCV II, and on 31 samples with INNO-LIA HCV. Twenty-six samples were subjected to molecular detection. NS3, NS5A, and NS5B regions from 11 HCV viremic patients were sequenced. HCV seroprevalence was 12.2% (72% with detectable HCV RNA). Both Elecsys Anti-HCV and INNO-LIA HCV were highly sensitive and specific, whereas Vidas® anti-HCV lacked full sensitivity and specificity when DBS sample was used. NS5B/NS5A/NS3 sequencing revealed exclusively GT4 isolates (50% subtype 4r, 30% 4c and 20% 4k). All 4r strains harbored NS5A resistance-associated substitutions (RAS) at positions 28, 30, and 31, but no NS3 RAS was detected. Elecsys Anti-HCV and INNO-LIA HCV are reliable methods to detect HCV antibodies using DBS. HCV subtype 4r was the most prevalent among our patients. RASs found in subtype 4r in NS5A region confer unknown susceptibility to DAA.