Yaounde

Onchocerciasis, also called river blindness, is a serious infectious disease targeted for elimination by the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of the Neglected Tropical Diseases group. It is the second leading cause of infectious blindness worldwide, mainly affecting people in Africa. Current diagnostic tools have limitations that make it difficult to accurately map the disease, assess its spread, and confirm elimination. WHO's 2021-2030 roadmap highlights the need for new or improved diagnostic tests to help achieve the goal of ending onchocerciasis transmission. This research involves a series of cross-sectional studies conducted over one year in several regions of Cameroon. The study focuses on adults aged 18 and over who are either uninfected or mono-infected with one of the filarial parasites: Onchocerca volvulus, Loa loa, or Mansonella perstans. During the study, blood and feces samples will be collected from volunteers. Blood samples will be processed and stored to support the development and evaluation of a new rapid diagnostic test for onchocerciasis. Participants will first undergo screening to diagnose infections before enrollment. After consent, blood samples will be drawn and carefully handled for laboratory analysis. The study will update data on the presence of onchocerciasis, loiasis, and mansonellosis in selected communities and aims to produce a new rapid diagnostic test that could improve monitoring of onchocerciasis control programs. The test's performance will be evaluated for up to 52 weeks following sample collection.

Researchers are evaluating a same-day cervical cancer screening strategy in Cameroon that uses HPV self-sampling followed by digital telecytology triage for women who test positive for HPV. The study focuses on women aged 30 to 49 years, or 25 to 49 years if HIV-positive, and aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of this approach to detect cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). Secondary goals include assessing AI-assisted telecytology and visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), as well as the acceptability of screening and treatment methods among women and healthcare providers. Participants will perform HPV self-sampling, and primary HPV testing will be conducted using the GeneXpert system, which provides rapid detection and extended genotyping of high-risk HPV types. Women positive for HPV type 16 may receive immediate treatment with thermal ablation after clinical assessment. Those positive for other high-risk HPV types will undergo same-day triage with digital telecytology, VIA, and cervical cytology. Women with abnormal cytology results (ASC-US or worse) will be offered same-day thermal ablation treatment. Follow-up visits and additional testing are planned depending on initial results. During the study, participants will undergo biopsies and endocervical sampling for histological confirmation, which serves as the reference standard for diagnosis. Women receiving treatment will be followed up by telephone 4 to 6 weeks after to check for adverse effects and acceptability. A 12-month follow-up visit will include repeat HPV testing and other examinations as needed. The study also measures the diagnostic accuracy of the HPV-based screening combined with digital and AI-assisted methods, along with evaluating how well the screening and treatment strategies are accepted by participants and healthcare workers.

Researchers are evaluating doravirine combined with tenofovir and lamivudine as an alternative to dolutegravir combined with tenofovir and lamivudine or emtricitabine in adults living with HIV-1 who have never received treatment before. This Phase III, open-label, randomized, non-inferiority trial is conducted in multiple countries including Brazil, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, France, Mozambique, and Thailand. The study aims to compare the effectiveness of these regimens by measuring the control of HIV viral load at 48 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either doravirine plus tenofovir and lamivudine or dolutegravir plus tenofovir and lamivudine or emtricitabine, all given orally. The study will follow 610 participants for a total of 96 weeks after starting antiretroviral therapy. Primary evaluation focuses on the proportion of participants who achieve a viral load below 50 copies/mL at week 48. Secondary assessments will be performed at weeks 48 and 96. During the trial, participants will undergo regular monitoring including laboratory tests to measure viral load and kidney and liver function. The study will also assess safety and adherence to treatment. Participants must provide informed consent and will be closely followed throughout the study duration to ensure accurate outcome measurements and safety monitoring.

Researchers are collecting detailed information about children with cancer who are treated at pediatric oncology units in French-speaking Africa. This registry aims to provide accurate data on the number of cases, disease stage, treatments, and outcomes to help improve pediatric cancer care and support local and national health planning. The project focuses on children and adolescents under 18 years old diagnosed with any type of cancer. The data includes demographic and socioeconomic details along with clinical status and treatment results. Information on vital status, treatment abandonment, and loss to follow-up is also gathered. Data is entered locally into an online system called REDCap and securely stored by the IT department at Gustave ROUSSY in Paris-Villejuif. Participants are children under 18 who come to participating hospitals for cancer treatment. Researchers track the number of children suspected of having cancer, their health status, treatment progress, and survival over any 12-month period. This ongoing registry helps monitor outcomes and supports efforts to improve pediatric oncology services in the region.

Researchers are investigating how three types of menstrual products—menstrual pads, tampons, and menstrual cups—affect the bacterial makeup of the vaginal microbiome. The study takes place in three countries: Peru, Cameroon, and Switzerland. It uses a randomized crossover design where participants use each product in a specific sequence over a total duration of six months, with each menstrual product used for two menstrual cycles before switching to the next. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of six different sequences to use the menstrual products. Each participant will adopt each product for two menstrual cycles, providing vaginal microbiome samples through self-collected swabs at three points during each menstrual cycle. Self-sampling kits with swabs and menstrual products will be supplied before each menstrual cycle. Throughout the study, participants will collect vaginal samples monthly after menstruation ends, for approximately six months. These samples will be analyzed to measure changes in the bacterial populations, focusing on the balance between Dialister and Lactobacillus crispatus. The study does not include a separate control group due to its crossover design. Researchers will monitor the vaginal microbiome composition, and participants will be closely followed during the entire study period.

Researchers are investigating why some HIV-infected children treated early with antiretroviral therapy in the ANRS 12225-Pediacam III cohort in Cameroon show negative results on immunoenzymatic (EIA) serology tests. The study explores possible factors including immune system response, viral load, and genetic markers like HLA phenotype and KIR genotypes that might influence this unusual serological outcome. The study has two phases: a retrospective case-control phase using existing data and blood samples collected during early infection, after vaccination, and at two years; and a prospective cross-sectional phase using a specially created biobank for new measurements. Blood samples from children in the Pediacam III cohort will be analyzed to assess immune responses, viral levels, and genetic factors. Participants will undergo blood sampling for laboratory tests measuring pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines over 18 months. Researchers will review previous data and samples to compare children with negative and positive HIV serology and viral load levels. Consent and assent procedures are in place, and children will be monitored as part of the cohort with matched controls based on birth timing and gestational age.

About 75% of recently emerging viruses in humans come from other animals. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) share many biological features with humans and are sources of several infectious agents, including simian retroviruses. This research focuses on foamy viruses, which are widespread in many animals and cause persistent infections but appear non-disease causing in humans. The study aims to understand how foamy viruses transmit from monkeys to humans, especially in high-risk populations like hunters in southern Cameroon's dense forests, and to explore possible family transmission and clinical effects in infected individuals. The study involves four phases conducted in rural areas of southern Cameroon. Phase 1 offers testing to all adults, involving physical exams and blood samples. Phase 2 targets adults with known contact with NHPs, collecting epidemiological data and blood samples. Phase 3 extends surveys to family members of infected individuals, again collecting blood samples. Phase 4 involves detailed clinical and biological exams at the Pasteur Center in Yaoundé, including saliva and oral specimen collection, with support for travel and accommodation costs. Participants undergo physical exams, blood draws, and provide saliva and oral samples for testing. Plasma is tested for antibodies against foamy viruses, and molecular studies analyze viral DNA from blood cells. Researchers assess infection prevalence, risk factors, and possible family transmission. Clinical and biological abnormalities in infected individuals are also studied. The trial includes long-term monitoring of infection status and uses questionnaires to collect relevant risk data. Samples are analyzed in Cameroon and Paris to understand early viral emergence and transmission mechanisms over a period of up to three years.

This trial involves non-pregnant women aged 25 years or older who are undergoing cervical cancer screening and have a Type 3 transformation zone (TZ) detected during examination. The study is designed as a double-blind randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of Misoprostol compared to a placebo in this population. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either 600 mcg of Misoprostol (3 tablets) or a placebo (3 tablets). Both treatments are administered vaginally at two time points: 2-3 hours and 4-6 hours before the visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) procedure. This timing is intended to optimize the prevention of cervical cancer by potentially converting the transformation zone. During the study, researchers will monitor how many participants experience a change from Type 3 transformation zone to Types 1 or 2 within approximately 2-3 hours and 4-6 hours after drug administration. The study will track these changes to evaluate the treatment's impact on cervical cancer screening outcomes under double-blind conditions.