Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales are increasingly reported worldwide, posing significant treatment challenges, especially in vulnerable pediatric populations. This study describes the molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales isolated from infants under one year of age in Niger. This prospective case series reports on 14 children < 1 year old with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales isolates. A total of 14 isolates were analyzed, predominantly Escherichia coli (78.6
Schistosomiasis remains a major public health problem in Niger, where control programs rely primarily on the mass administration of drugs to human populations. Although Schistosoma (S.) haematobium is traditionally associated with the human urogenital form, recent findings suggest that domestic ruminants could serve as natural reservoirs, thus complicating disease elimination. This study aims to document, for the first time, the potential presence of this parasite group in livestock in Niger. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Dosso region, including the communes of Gaya and Dosso. A total of 84 urine samples were collected from ruminants, either by bladder incision at the slaughterhouse (n = 57) or directly from live animals (n = 27). Identification was performed by microscopy for egg detection, followed by molecular detection including standard PCR (targeting the ITS2 and COX1 genes) and Dra1 qPCR specific to the S. haematobium group. The overall prevalence identified by microscopy was 30.95
Background:The rise of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (MDR-GNB) necessitates the evaluation of new antibiotics such as ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA). Data on its efficacy in Niger is scarce. This study assessed the in vitro activity of CZA against clinical MDR-GNB isolates. Methodology:This prospective cross-sectional study was carried out on 306 non-duplicate MDR-GNB isolates from a National Reference Laboratory from December 2023 to November 2024. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed, and CZA resistance rates were determined. Statistical analysis identified factors associated with resistance. Results:Overall, 23.4% of MDR isolates were resistant to CZA. However, resistance varied dramatically by phenotype: 7.6% in ESBL-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E), 33.3% in carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), 61.7% in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), and 100% in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB). Multivariate analysis confirmed that carbapenem resistance was the strongest predictor of CZA resistance (OR=19.00, 95% CI: 9.96-38.27, p<0.001). Conclusion:CZA demonstrates potent activity against ESBL-E in Niger, supporting its role as a carbapenem-sparing agent. However, the high resistance rates in CRE and CRAB preclude its empirical use for suspected infections with these pathogens. These findings underscore the critical need for routine CZA susceptibility testing and enhanced stewardship to preserve its utility.
Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) based on histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) are the main diagnostic tool for malaria in Niger and many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. However, deletions of the P. falciparum hrp2 and hrp3 genes can compromise RDT performance, and pose a threat to diagnostic accuracy. Although these deletions were reported in several regions of Africa, Asia and South America, no molecular data on pfhrp2/3 were previously available for Niger. The present study is a retrospective sub-analysis of biological samples derived from a therapeutic efficacy study (TES) conducted in Niger in 2022. Antigen profiling was performed using a multiplex bead-based assay to identify samples with weak or undetectable HRP2 signal. Species confirmation was conducted by PET-PCR, and pfhrp2/3 exon 2 genotyping was performed using one-step PCR. Among the 375 P. falciparum mono-infection isolates analyzed, pfhrp2 deletions were found in 3
Introduction: Schistosomiasis remains a major public health problem in Niger, where control programs rely primarily on the mass administration of drugs to human populations. Although Schistosoma (S.) haematobium is traditionally associated with the human urogenital form, recent findings suggest that domestic ruminants could serve as natural reservoirs, thus complicating disease elimination. This study aims to document, for the first time, the potential presence of this parasite in livestock in Niger. Methods: The study was conducted in the Dosso region, including the communes of Gaya and Dosso. A total of 84 urines samples were collected from ruminants, either by bladder incision at the slaughterhouse (n=57) or directly from live animals (n=27). Identification was performed by microscopy for egg detection, followed by molecular characterization including standard PCR (targeting the ITS2 and COX1 genes) and Dra1 qPCR specific to the S. haematobium group. Results: The overall prevalence of S. haematobium identified by microscopy was 30.95% (26/84). The commune of Gaya recorded the highest prevalence (15.48%), and cattle were more frequently infected than cows. Of the 26 microscopically positive samples, 84.61% (22/26) were confirmed by Dra1 qPCR. Molecular PCR analyses detected the genus Schistosoma ( ITS2 ) in 26.92% of cases and the species S. haematobium ( COX1 ) in 23.08% of the samples tested. Conclusion: This study suggest the potential circulation of S. haematobium in domestic ruminants in Niger, that livestock could constitute a significant local reservoir for urinary schistosomiasis. These results highlight the need to adopt a One Health approach integrating animal health into control strategies to effectively interrupt human transmission.
