March 06, 2024 | London,UK
Marithe Mukoka-Ntumba
National Institute of Biomedical Research, Congo
Marithe Mukoka Ntumba has been a doctor of medicine since 2019 at Bel Campus University of Technology. She is a medical doctor in the department of specimen collection and reporting of results and a member of the department of immune serology, She has been working at the Rodolphe Merieux INRB-Goma laboratory for 3 years and acted as the local supervisor for ALERRT CCP Covid study in two health facilities in Goma, collaborating with ITM-Antwerp (From 2021 to 2023). To date, She involved in several studies:1) a Serological survey of the contacts of Ebola outbreak survivors (US CDC, Vysnova), 2) Biobanking study and evaluation of the performance of rapid point-of-care diagnostics for Monkeypox virus (FIND), 3) Ebo-boost: Safety and immunogenicity of Ervebo® and Zabdeno® Ebola booster vaccines after previous vaccination with Zabdeno/Mvabea® or Ervebo® vaccine regimens in the DRC: phase II randomized controlled trial (mix and-match) in collaboration with ITM-Antwerp.
Context: Co-morbidity linked to dual HIV-malaria infection is a real public health problem because of the multiple implications for the health of populations living in countries with limited resources. However, data-t-on malaria-HIV co-infection are lacking in the DRC. We will contribute to knowledge on the epidemiology and management of HIV/malaria co-infection in Kinshasa. Objective: This study aims to provide a clinical and biological profile of people living with HIV (PLHIV) followed up for malaria at the Bandalungwa Central Military Hospital (HMCB) in Kinshasa. Methodology: We conducted a descriptive retrospective study from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2018 among PLHIV hospitalised for malaria at the HMCB. We collected sociodemographic,clinical and biological data from medical records.The data were transcribed onto a pre-established collection form, entered into Microsoft Excel 2016® and analysed using SPSS 21.0 software.® Results: We registered 187 PLHIV, 27.8% (40/187) of whom were co-infected with malaria. The mean age of subjects with HIV-malaria co-infection was 41.7±12 years, and 57.5% (23/40) of them were female. The majority of subjects with HIV malaria co-infection [80% (32/40)] had stage 3 HIV infection (WHO classification), and 85% (34/40) of the study population had uncomplicated malaria. Fever was the most common symptom [65% (26/40)] in co-infected patients, followed by headache in 37.5% (15/40), cough in 20% (8/40) and physical asthenia in 12.5% (5/40). Biologically, 62.5% (25/40) of subjects with HIV malaria co-infection had a viral load 10,000 copies/ml and 2.5% (1/40) Conclusion: HIV-malaria co-infection is present in Kinshasa and manifests itself through a range of symptoms in the majority of PLHIV. Systematic screening for malaria needs to be incorporated into the clinical and biological monitoring of PLHIV at various visits.
