Abidjan

Researchers are conducting a global observational study to better understand acute infections in adults who are hospitalized. This study aims to gather important information on risk factors, clinical signs, disease mechanisms, and management strategies for various infectious diseases, including respiratory infections, infections outside the respiratory tract, established infectious diseases, and emerging infections. The data collected will help guide the selection of treatments and the design of future clinical trials. Participants in this study will not receive any intervention as it is purely observational. The study involves collecting data and biological samples from participants across multiple sites worldwide. It focuses on adults admitted to the hospital, or emergency department with expected admission, due to suspected or confirmed acute infections with symptom onset within the past 30 days. The study is designed to build a comprehensive understanding of acute infectious diseases shortly after their emergence. Participants will be monitored during their hospital stay, with researchers collecting clinical data and biospecimens to characterize the infection. The study measures various outcomes including mortality at day 28, days to recovery, time to sustained recovery, clinical improvement by day 7, organ support-free days, and organ failure scores at day 28. This continuous monitoring will help to establish early knowledge about infectious diseases and inform future trials and management approaches.

Researchers are evaluating the clinical performance of the MagIA H3S, an In-Vitro Diagnostics Medical Device that performs multiplex testing for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis. This device is designed as a point-of-care test to detect antibodies and antigens related to these infections using serum and plasma samples collected both prospectively and retrospectively in Ivory Coast and Kenya. The study focuses on assessing the accuracy and effectiveness of this combined testing approach in a sub-Saharan African context. The MagIA H3S test is studied for its ability to detect HIV antibodies, Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis C antibodies, and syphilis antibodies from blood samples. The study involves testing both positive and negative serum or plasma samples, including samples from various populations such as blood donors, hospitalized patients, vulnerable groups, and those with potential interfering substances like pregnancy or other infections. Samples include those with known infections and those without, to thoroughly evaluate the device's detection performance. Participants provide informed consent, and samples are evaluated for the presence of specific infections or potential interfering factors. Researchers measure the device's performance at baseline by detecting antibodies and antigens for the targeted infections. The study excludes samples from individuals under 18 years old. Data collected will help determine the effectiveness of this multiplex point-of-care test in detecting multiple infections from a single blood sample under clinical conditions.

Researchers are evaluating the eSkinHealth app, a digital health tool designed to improve detection and treatment of skin neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and other skin conditions in both rural and urban areas of Côte d'Ivoire. The study focuses on chronic skin NTDs such as Buruli ulcer, leprosy, mycetoma, lymphatic filariasis, scabies, and yaws. The goal is to assess the app's impact on case detection and treatment outcomes, comparing its use in different settings and exploring its potential for wider regional use. The eSkinHealth app is a tablet-based tool that supports community health workers and primary healthcare workers in screening, diagnosing, and managing skin diseases remotely via teledermatology with specialist dermatologists. Healthcare workers will be trained in using the app, dermatological photography, and skin NTDs. Suspected patients will have their identification data and lesion photos uploaded to the app for remote diagnosis. Confirmed cases will be referred for treatment and receive regular follow-up through remote consultations to support better treatment outcomes. Participants include healthcare workers and patients with suspected or diagnosed skin NTDs or other skin conditions. Healthcare workers will be selected from health districts in urban and rural areas and will use the app for 12 months. Researchers will track the number of cases detected and treatment results over this period. Data collection includes clinical diagnoses, photographs, and follow-up information. The study also involves voluntary dermatologists who will assist remotely. The total participation duration for healthcare workers is 12 months, during which impact and utility of the app will be evaluated.

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.

This research aims to collect real world data on patient characteristics, disease management, healthcare use, and outcomes for people living with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. It focuses on understanding how these conditions are managed and the quality of care patients receive in everyday clinical practice across many countries. The registry is observational and voluntary, designed to fill gaps in knowledge about these diseases globally. The study uses a multinational, observational registry with a cloud-based electronic case report form (eCRF) to gather both prospective and retrospective data. This system is accessible to doctors managing patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease worldwide. There are no specific treatments or interventions given as part of this study since it is a data collection registry. Participants provide information for an average of 3 years during the study. Researchers will collect data on patient characteristics, disease management, healthcare use, quality of care indicators, cardiovascular outcomes, kidney outcomes, and other related complications. The registry allows ongoing data entry and monitoring to better understand real world outcomes and care quality for these conditions.

Cervical cancer is a major global health issue, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where it is the leading cancer in women with over 70,000 new cases yearly. Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) is a key preventive measure usually given to children aged 9 to 15 years. This research evaluates how combining HPV vaccination with adolescent primary care and preventive health services in Ivory Coast might improve vaccine uptake and overall adolescent health. The study aims to optimize existing health services to better meet the needs of both in-school and out-of-school adolescents through integrated approaches across schools, communities, and health facilities. The intervention being studied is called the Optimized Systematic Medical Visits (VMS), which expands availability of health services for adolescents by using community and facility platforms and enhancing health worker skills to deliver integrated care. It also includes community sensitization efforts to increase demand for these services. The study compares districts where the intervention is implemented with districts offering routine services, using a quasi-experimental design with mixed methods including quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and administrative data collection. Participants include adolescents aged 9 to 15 and their parents or caregivers from two regions in Ivory Coast. The study involves baseline and endline surveys, monthly monitoring of service coverage, and in-depth interviews with various stakeholders. Researchers will track the number and proportion of adolescent girls vaccinated for HPV and those intending to get vaccinated, along with measures of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to HPV vaccination and integrated adolescent health services. The study also assesses feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability of the intervention over time.

Researchers are conducting small-scale pilot studies in Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, and Uganda to evaluate different methods for distributing arpraziquantel (arPZQ), a child-friendly form of praziquantel, to preschool-aged children (ages 2 to under 5) who are often missed in schistosomiasis treatment programs. The goal is to assess how well these platforms work in terms of coverage, feasibility, and acceptability, and to identify social mobilization and training needs for effective delivery. The intervention involves giving arPZQ 150mg dispersible tablets as a single oral dose based on weight: 50mg/kg in Kenya and Uganda for Schistosoma mansoni infection, and 60mg/kg in Côte d'Ivoire for mixed infections of S. mansoni and S. haematobium. The study is embedded within routine mass drug administration campaigns using selected promising health intervention platforms in each country. Participants will be monitored before, during, and after drug distribution to document social mobilization, training activities, and the overall implementation process. Data will be collected on drug logistics, training, distribution, pharmacovigilance, and supervision. Adverse events will be recorded following standard safety guidelines. The main outcome is the performance of the platforms in delivering arPZQ to the target children, with documentation from 3 months before up to 12 weeks after drug distribution.

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness and safety of different anti-malarial drugs in adults, adolescents, and children with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. This study aims to assess how well these medications kill the malaria parasite and their potential to cure the infection, while also studying how well the drugs are tolerated and how they behave in the body to determine appropriate dosing for future research. The study is a multi-part, multi-center platform trial in Phase 2. Participants may receive one or a combination of oral anti-malarial agents, including INE963, KAE609 (Cipargamin), KLU156 (a combination of KAF156 and lumefantrine), or the standard of care drug Coartem. Treatments are given either alone or in combination, and different parts of the study include specific age and weight groups to evaluate these drugs. The study includes several parts, with participants receiving assigned treatments and being monitored closely. During the study, participants will have their parasite levels checked up to day 7 to measure how quickly the infection clears. On day 29, researchers will evaluate the clinical and parasitological response using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Participants will undergo various assessments including parasite counts, vital signs, and safety monitoring. The study involves detailed follow-up to assess treatment effectiveness and safety over time, with the total participation duration depending on the study part.

Researchers are evaluating treatment recommendations for children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), focusing on redefining risk criteria and introducing new induction and consolidation therapies for high-risk cases. This study, conducted by the GFAOP group, builds on previous work aimed at improving the prognosis of children with ALL in developing countries by using precise protocols and logistical support. The goal is to confirm the feasibility of these recommendations and achieve a complete remission rate close to 85% after induction treatment, with an expected 65% survival without relapse at 5 years. The study follows the LALGFA2019 recommendations, which include anthracycline induction for high-risk patients, such as those with leukocytosis greater than or equal to 50 G/L, children under 1 year old or over 10 years old, and the use of Endoxan and high-dose Methotrexate in consolidation therapy. The treatment is aimed at both standard and high-risk forms of ALL, with careful application of therapeutic protocols. Participants will be monitored for the feasibility and correct application of these treatment recommendations, with key outcome measures assessed at 5 weeks, 2 years, and 5 years. The study will track complete remission rates post-induction and long-term outcomes including survival without relapse. This comprehensive monitoring aims to evaluate both short-term treatment success and long-term patient outcomes over a five-year period.