Genomic characterization of Alphacoronavirus from Mops condylurus bats in Nigeria

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are responsible for sporadic, epidemic and pandemic respiratory diseases worldwide. Bats have been identified as the reservoir for CoVs. To increase the number of complete coronavirus genomes in Africa and to comprehend the molecular epidemiology of bat Alphacoronaviruses (AlphaCoVs), we used deep metagenomics shotgun sequencing to obtain three (3) near-complete genomes of AlphaCoVs from Mops condylurus (Angolan free-tailed) bat in Nigeria. Phylogenetic and pairwise identity analysis of open reading frame 1ab (ORF1ab), spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) genes of AlphaCoV in this study to previously described AlphaCoVs subgenera showed that the Nigerian AlphaCoVs may be members of potentially unique AlphaCoV subgenera circulating exclusively in bats in the Molossidae bat family. Recombination events were detected, suggesting the evolution of AlphaCoVs within the Molossidae family. The pairwise identity of the S gene in this study and previously published S gene sequences of other AlphaCoVs indicate that the Nigerian strains may have a genetically unique spike protein that is distantly related to other AlphaCoVs. Variations involving non-polar to polar amino acid substitution in both the Heptad Repeat (HR) regions 1 and 2 were observed. Further monitoring of bats to understand the host receptor use requirements of CoVs and interspecies CoV transmission in Africa is necessary to identify and prevent the potential danger that bat CoVs pose to public health.

Detection of Alpha- and Betacoronaviruses in Frugivorous and Insectivorous Bats in Nigeria

The rise of bat-associated zoonotic viruses necessitates a close monitoring of their natural hosts. Since the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), it is evident that bats are vital reservoirs of coronaviruses (CoVs). In this study, we investigated the presence of CoVs in multiple bat species in Nigeria to identify viruses in bats at high-risk human contact interfaces. Four hundred and nine bats comprising four bat species close to human habitats were individually sampled from five states in Nigeria between 2019 and 2021. Coronavirus detection was done using broadly reactive consensus PCR primers targeting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of CoVs. Coronavirus RNA was detected in 39 samples (9.5%, CI 95%: [7.0, 12.8]), of which 29 were successfully sequenced. The identified CoVs in Nigerian bats were from the unclassified African alphacoronavirus lineage and betacoronavirus lineage D (Nobecovirus), with one sample from Hipposideros ruber coinfected with alphacoronavirus and betacoronavirus. Different bat species roosting in similar or other places had CoVs from the same genetic lineage. The phylogenetic and evolutionary dynamics data indicated a high CoV diversity in Nigeria, while host switching may have contributed to CoV evolution. Robust sentinel surveillance is recommended to enhance our knowledge of emerging and re-emerging coronaviruses.

A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa

The progression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Africa has so far been heterogeneous, and the full impact is not yet well understood. In this study, we describe the genomic epidemiology using a dataset of 8746 genomes from 33 African countries and two overseas territories. We show that the epidemics in most countries were initiated by importations predominantly from Europe, which diminished after the early introduction of international travel restrictions. As the pandemic progressed, ongoing transmission in many countries and increasing mobility led to the emergence and spread within the continent of many variants of concern and interest, such as B.1.351, B.1.525, A.23.1, and C.1.1. Although distorted by low sampling numbers and blind spots, the findings highlight that Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants.

Comparative serologic profiles of hepatitis B Virus (HBV) between HIV/HBV co-infected and Hbv mono-infected patients in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects about 2 billion people globally and accounts for mortality of about 800,000 from liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70% of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) global burden. HIV/HBV co-infection results in the early development of HBV complications, alterations of serological biomarkers of HBV. Two hundred and fifty patients with HIV/AIDS were screened for HBV and 20 (8%) were identified. The same number of HBV mono-infected individuals were recruited into the study and subsequently, HBV serological profiles which include HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, HBcAbIgM, and HBcAbIgG were assayed using HBV ELISA kits. Mean age of patients in the HBV/HIV cohort was 45.5 years while the HBV mono-infected infected cohort was 30.5 years. The majority of the HBV/HIV co-infected individuals were females (85%). The frequency of HBeAg among HIV/HBV co-infected cohort was 25% and 15% for HBV mono-infected, while the frequency of HBeAb was higher (60%) among the cohort of HBV/HIV co-infected patients in comparison with the HBV mono-infected cohorts (50%). Two patients among the HIV/HBV co-infected cohort have the isolated anti-HBcAg serologic pattern. The study broadened the available evidence of comparative serologic profiles of Hepatitis B virus between cohorts of HBV/HIV co-infected individuals and HBV mono-infected patients in Nigeria.

Social support, social conflict, and immigrant women's mental health in a Canadian context: a scoping review

ACCESSIBLE SUMMARY

Social support has positive and negative dimensions, each of which has been associated with mental health outcomes. Social networks can also serve as sources of distress and conflict. This paper reviews journal articles published during the last 24 years to provide a consolidated summary of the role of social support and social conflict on immigrant women's mental health. The review reveals that social support can help immigrant women adjust to the new country, prevent depression and psychological distress, and access care and services. When social support is lacking or social networks act as a source of conflict, it can have negative effects on immigrant women's mental health. It is crucial that interventions, programmes, and services incorporate strategies to both enhance social support as well as reduce social conflict, in order to improve mental health and well-being of immigrant women.

ABSTRACT

Researchers have documented the protective role of social support and the harmful consequences of social conflict on physical and mental health. However, consolidated information about social support, social conflict, and mental health of immigrant women in Canada is not available. This scoping review examined literature from the last 24 years to understand how social support and social conflict affect the mental health of immigrant women in Canada. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Healthstar, and EMBASE for peer-reviewed publications focusing on mental health among immigrant women in Canada. Thirty-four articles that met our inclusion criteria were reviewed, and are summarized under the following four headings: settlement challenges and the need for social support; social support and mental health outcomes; social conflict and reciprocity; and social support, social conflict, and mental health service use. The results revealed that social support can have a positive effect on immigrant women's mental health and well-being, and facilitate social inclusion and the use of health services. When social support is lacking or social networks act as a source of conflict, it can have negative effects on immigrant women's mental health. The results also highlighted the need for health services to be linguistically-appropriate and culturally-safe, and provide appropriate types of care and support in a timely manner in order to be helpful to immigrant women.

Role of diffusion tensor imaging in differentiating subtypes of meningiomas

PURPOSE

Meningiomas are the most common extraaxial intracranial type of tumor, and their management and prognosis depend on their grade and histology. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are two new imaging techniques that have proved helpful in elucidating the microarchitecture of brain tumors. The aim of the present study was to assess the role of diffusion and diffusion tensor metrics in the identification and classification of meningioma grades and subtypes.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

A total of 21 consecutive patients with meningioma were included in this retrospective study, of whom 16 had benign meningiomas (three fibroblastic, 11 transitional/mixed, two meningothelial) and five had atypical meningiomas. Tumor mean diffusivity (Dav), fractional anisotropy (FA), linear anisotropy (CL), planar anisotropy (CP), spherical anisotropy (CS) and eigenvalues (e1, e2, e3) were measured in all cases, and differences in diffusion tensor metrics between atypical, fibroblastic and other benign (transitional, meningothelial) meningiomas were statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test.

RESULTS

No statistically significant differences were found among the mean Dav values for atypical, fibroblastic and other benign meningiomas. Both atypical and fibroblastic meningiomas showed significantly higher mean FA values and lower mean CS values compared with other meningiomas (P<0.01), but no statistically significant difference in these values between each other. Atypical meningiomas showed higher CL values compared with fibroblastic and other benign meningiomas but, again, the difference was not statistically significant. Both atypical and fibroblastic meningiomas showed statistically significantly higher CP values and lower e3 values compared with transitional meningiomas (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that diffusion tensor metrics may be helpful in the differentiation of atypical, fibroblastic and other benign meningiomas.

All that is swollen and red is not infection!

Unilateral upper limb extremity swelling and pain are common presentations in clinical practice whose differential diagnoses include cellulitis, abscess, lymphoedema, and venous thrombosis. We report here the case of a renal transplant recipient with an unusual cause of upper extremity swelling and pain. His condition of native radiocephalic, arteriovenous (AV), fistula-related, venous hypertension was misdiagnosed and managed as cellulitis. This case illustrates the importance of an index of suspicion and careful clinical examination for diagnosis and thus, avoid potentially dangerous and distressing symptoms. The patient improved with a surgical AV fistula ligation.

Older immigrant Tamil women and their doctors: attitudes toward breast cancer screening

Cultural beliefs have been hypothesized to be powerful barriers to breast cancer screening in minority women and physician recommendation is consistently reported to be the strongest incentive. This study investigated (1) beliefs regarding breast cancer and (2) the perception of barriers to mammography and clinical breast examination in a sample of immigrant Tamil women, as well as in a sample of primary care physicians. Three focus groups, each consisting of 10 immigrant Tamil women from Sri Lanka aged 50 years or over were conducted and 52 primary care physicians who serve this population completed mailed surveys. The most common barriers to screening reported by the women were (1) lack of understanding of the role of early detection in medical care, (2) religious beliefs and, (3) fear of social stigmatization. Physicians reported the most common barriers to their screening recommendations for this group of women to be (1) women's episodic care, (2) unrelated presenting problems and, (3) women refusing to be screened. Interventions to increase screening in this and other minority groups requires an elaborated understanding of utilization barriers for both women and their doctors.

The role of physicians in mammography referral for older Caribbean women in Canada

BACKGROUND

Despite the fact that the proportion of immigrant and minority women who consult a general practitioner about their health is similar to that of their Canadian-born counterparts, studies suggest that they are less likely to be screened for breast cancer. This study examines physician characteristics associated with mammography referral and perceived barriers to mammography among family physicians serving the Caribbean community of Toronto.

METHODS

The study consisted of a mail-back family physician survey.

RESULTS

Among the 64 physicians who responded to the survey, over half reported that they were "very likely" to refer women for mammography during a regular preventive check-up. Among physician variables, only the amount of time spent on patient education was significantly associated with the likelihood of referral. Regarding perceived barriers, for male physicians, patient refusal and intervention causing patient discomfort were significantly associated with referral. For female physicians, only forgetting to provide service was identified as a significant barrier to referral.

INTERPRETATION

An increased emphasis on patient education may help to increase screening referral among all physicians. Gender differences in perceived barriers to referral suggest that the gender of the physician is of major importance to the Caribbean community.

Influences on breast cancer screening behaviors in Tamil immigrant women 50 years old and over

OBJECTIVE

To investigate, using the Health Belief Model as a theoretical framework, the incentives and barriers to breast cancer screening in a recent immigrant group, older Tamil women from Sri Lanka.

METHOD

Tamil women who had had a mammogram and Tamil women who had never had a mammogram were compared on the following variables: socio-demographics, personal risk estimates for breast cancer, risk-reduction expectancies, beliefs and knowledge about breast cancer and screening recommendations, and acculturation.

RESULTS

Groups differed significantly in terms of education, years living in North America, acculturation, and beliefs/knowledge about breast cancer. When education and acculturation were controlled, perceived barriers to mammography were most predictive of mammography utilization.

DISCUSSION

Results are discussed with a view to developing culture-appropriate educational campaigns.