Relationship between Uricemia and Other Biochemical Markers with the Materno-Fetal Complications during Pre-Eclampsia

Goal: Determining the place of Uricemia associated with other biochemical makers in the prediction of fetal-maternal complications during preeclampsia. Material and method: This is a prospective, cross-sectional study of 75 pre-eclamptic women in three maternities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, during the January to December 2013. The values of the following biochemical markers: uricemia, proteinuria and creatinemia were correlated with maternal and fetal prognosis. Results: This study showed that hyper uricemia associated with massive proteinuria and a high creatinine level correlated with an unfavorable pregnancy outcome and the occurrence of major materno-fetal complications such as eclampsia (X-squared = 24.3598, ddl = 2, p-value = 0.000005) and low birth weight (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.08). Conclusion: In view of these results, it appears necessary to ensure these biochemical markers systematically in the monitoring of pre-eclampsia.

Seric Calcium and Magnesium in Normal and Pre Eclamptic Pregnant Women: A Case-Control Study in Kinshasa, D R Congo

Goal: The present study aimed to determine the profile of seric calcium and magnesium in pre-eclamptic and eclamptic pregnant women of Kinshasa province in the Democratic Republic of Congo where preeclampsia is characterized not only by a high incidence, but also by a seasonal variation probably related to nutritional intake. Study Design: This is a case-control study that took place during the period from September 2014 to March 2015 in four quaternary and tertiary maternity hospitals in Kinshasa. A total of 113 healthy pregnant women (controls) and 112 pre-eclamptic and eclamptic pregnant women (cases) were included in this study. Seric calcium and magnesium were measured in all these gravidas by the principle of spectrophotometry with a HUMALYSER Primus semi-automaton. Results: The mean age of those gravidas was 26.8 ± 6.3 years (26.7 vs 26.9, p = 0.11). The majority of these gravidas were primiparous. The mean gestational age in both groups was 31.35 ± 0.9 weeks (32.1 vs 30.6, p = 0.21). The average seric calcium value was 4.47 ± 0.23 mEq /L in healthy pregnant women compared to 3.80 ± 0.71 mEq/l in pre-eclamptics (P 0.001). The mean of seric magnesium was 1.56 ± 0.15 mg/dL in healthy pregnant women compared to 1.20 ± 0.41 mg/dL in pre eclamptics (P 0.001). Seric calcium and magnesium values were low in the pre-eclamptic group and lower in the eclamptic group (P 0.001). Conclusion: This study establishes a relationship between the low concentration of seric calcium and magnesium with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, which could be one of the determinants of the high prevalence and seasonality of the disease in Kinshasa.

Comparison of the Bacterial Microbiota in a Bale of Collected Cardboard Determined by 454 Pyrosequencing and Clone Library

Biofouling, the accumulation of microorganisms, is a major problem in paper mills processing paper and cardboard. This leads to the production of lower quality recycled products. Several studies have focused on the microbial content in the paper mill and the final products. Our aim was to determine the microbial biota in a bale of collected cardboard prior to entering the paper mill. Total genomic DNA was isolated and analyzed using two different methods for comparison purposes: 454 pyrosequencing and clone library. A total of 3268 V6-V8 454 pyrosequencing reads and 322 cloned V6-V8 16S rRNA nucleotide sequences were obtained. Both methods showed the presence of three major bacterial genera: Bacillus, Solibacillus and Paenibacillus, all members of the spore-forming phylum Firmicutes. Pyrosequencing, however, revealed a richer and more diverse bacterial community than clone library. It showed the presence of additional minor Firmicute genera and of a small number of Proteobacteria. The sorting at the recycling plant, the storing, and the processing at the paper mill, the end uses, will all contribute to the bacterial microbiota present in a bale of collected cardboard as revealed here.

Phenotipic Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in Gabon

Background: The increasing phenomenon of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a real public health problem. The main causes are poor management of hygiene and water quality, but also the use of antibiotics without precaution. The objective of this study was to isolate and determine the antibiotic resistance profile of the different bacteria found in the main hospitals and bacteriology laboratories in Gabon. Methods: 6034 samples were taken from hospitals in seven main cities of Gabon, and analyzed according to the usual techniques. The pathogenic strains were identified by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time Of Flight Mass Spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by the agar disc diffusion method, according to the Antibiogram Committee of the French Society for Microbiology guidelines. Results: 974 pathogenic bacterial strains were found, including 890/974 (91.4%) Gram-negative bacilli. The systematic antimicrobial susceptibility testings identified 160/974 (16.4%) multi-resistant strains. Escherichia coli was the most represented species. 12.5% - 25% of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, and Citrobacter sedlakii strains were resistant to amoxicillin + clavulanic acid, third and fourth generation cephalosporins. Aminoglycoside resistance rates of 8.5% - 19% were also noted. 4.5% to 25% of the bacteria found were resistant to quinolones and cotrimoxazole. Resistance rates to carbapenems ranged from 1% to 10.5%. 16% of Staphylococcus aureus were methicillin-resistant (MRSA). Rates of extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) ranged from 2.5% to 25%. Conclusion: This study showed an increasing evolution of bacterial resistance to antibiotics that are spreading throughout Gabon. This constitutes a threat to the health of Gabonese population.