TITLE:
Mass Screening Using Antigenic and Molecular Diagnostic Tests of COVID-19 in Bangui at the Beginning of the Second Wave in July 2021
AUTHORS:
Clotaire Donatien Rafaï, Marie-Roseline Darnycka Belizaire, Pierre Somse, Wilfrid Sylvain Nambei, Ernest Lango-Yaya, Oscar Senzongo, Luc Salva Hereidebona, Ulrich Jeffrey Kotemossoua, Rabbi Mermoz Senekian, Simon Pounguinza, Christian-Diamant Mossoro-Kpinde, Alain Le Faou, Jean De Dieu Longo, François-Xavier Mbopi-Keou, Gérard Grésenguet, Boniface Koffi
KEYWORDS:
COVID-19, Variants, Central African Republic
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Tuberculosis Research,
Vol.12 No.1,
February
29,
2024
ABSTRACT: Objective: COVID-19 surveillance was established as early as March 2020 in the
Central African Republic (CAR), after the WHO statement relating to the
identification of several cases outside China. However, given the
non-performing molecular biology technical platform in many developing
countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the second wave promised to be surprising and
formidable. In this context, a mass survey was launched in Bangui to determine
the prevalence of COVID-19. Patients and Methods: From March 18 to April
2, 2021, a mass screening campaign took place in tourist places, companies and
the main hospital infrastructures. Nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected
from participants with and without symptoms of Influenza-like illness (ILI) and
stored in VTM tubes. The Ag (COVID-19) and RT-PCR tests were carried out in Bangui at the LNBCSP. The
sequencing of RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 positives was carried out at the INRB. Results: We included 1480 participants of whom 33 (2.23%) were SARS-COV-2 positive,
of whom 24 were male and 9 female. This sex difference was statistically
significant (p = 0.012) as the sex ratio M/F was 1.09. Sampling sites located
in the 1st arrondissement were the most prolific (p = 0.006) and were
sequenced. In addition to the analysis of the 33 samples from the predefined
sites under study, 17 control sequences from the provinces generated during the
same period are added. We detected 2 Variants Of Concern (VOC) including the
predominant B.1.620 (43.86%) followed by B.1.1.7 or Alpha (5.10%). Conclusion: The study showed the importance of surveillance and the availability of
means of diagnosis of COVID-19. The identified risk factors were sex and
sampling site. This study has shown the importance of setting up sentinel sites
for COVID-19 surveillance in all regions of the country and the appropriate use
of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine.