Edgard Brice Ngoungou

• University of Health Sciences in Libreville

Background The burden of cancer is expected to nearly double in sub-Saharan Africa over the next 20 years. In Gabon, the primary population-based cancer registry to be established is located in the Grand Libreville. This study presents cancer incidence rates covering the first 5-year period of registration in this region. Patients and methods 1,549...

Introduction les motifs d'hésitation vaccinale dans la communauté doivent être identifiés afin d'y remédier. L'analyse des connaissances, attitudes et perceptions des parents, permettrait d'expliquer les faibles performances du Programme élargi de vaccination (PEV). Méthodes une enquête auprès des ménages de la ville de Makokou a été réalisée dura...

Background Access to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is crucial for adolescent health and well-being. Following UNESCO’s recommendations, Gabon revised its sex education policy in 2017 to better address adolescents’ sexual health needs. This study aims to map the capacities of the public health and education sector to implement Gabon’s CSE...

Seroconversion surveys of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies provide accurate estimates of the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections. This nationwide population-based cross-sectional serosurvey aimed to evaluate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among residents in Gabon and compare the estimated cumulative number of COVID-19 cases with the officially r...

Aim(s) To describe advanced practice nursing (APN) in the French healthcare landscape and to provide insights on how the role is defined and implemented and how the role is perceived by physicians. Design A mixed‐method approach incorporating qualitative and quantitative data to offer a global understanding of APN implementation in France was used...

Seroconversion surveys of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies provide accurate estimates of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. This nationwide population-based cross-sectional serosurvey aimed to evaluate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among residents in Gabon and compare the estimated cumulative number of COVID-19 cases with the officially registered numbe...

Background 31.4 million people in low- and middle-income countries die from chronic diseases annually, particularly in Africa. To address this, strategies such as task-shifting from doctors to nurses have been proposed and have been endorsed by the World Health Organization as a potential solution; however, no comprehensive review exists describing...

Objective To evaluate the use of the Foetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) algorithm in routine practice for early pre-eclampsia (PE) screening in Libreville. Materials and Methods We conducted a cohort study on pregnant women within their 11–13 + 6 weeks of gestation (WG). We had measured mean blood pressure (MBP), placental growth factor (PlGF), solu...

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is still one of the main causes of death in sub-Saharan Africa. Antiretroviral therapies (ARTs) have significantly improved the health conditions of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Consequently, a significant drop in morbidity and mortality, along with a reduced inc...

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are repeating DNA sequences used in forensic human identity testing and the diagnosis of aneuploidies. Many STRs like Penta D and TPOX are used routinely for paternity tests, but these tests are not widely used in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study we recruited individuals from Gabonese families seeking a paternity test....

Aim To describe the expectations, acceptability, and challenges identified by nurses and key healthcare stakeholders regarding the implementation of advanced practice nursing in Gabon. Background Advanced practice nursing presents an opportunity to address the epidemiological transition and the shortage of healthcare professionals in Africa. In an...

Background. In Central Africa, it is difficult to tackle antibiotic resistance, because of a lack of data and information on bacterial resistance, due to the low number of studies carried out in the field. To fill this gap, we carried out a systematic review of the various studies, and devised a molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance fr...

Background: In Central Africa, it is difficult to fight against antibiotic resistance, because of a lack of data and information on bacterial resistance, due to the low number of studies carried out in the field. To fill this gap, we carried out a systematic review of the various studies, and devise a molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial resista...

While the incidence of stroke is increasing in developing countries, resulting in an extremely high economic burden, very few costing studies have been carried out to date. This study aims to measure the direct hospital costs of stroke management in Gabon. The study adopts a retrospective approach, based on a review of patient records in the Neurol...

Background: In Central Africa, it is difficult to fight against antibiotic resistance, because of a lack of data and information on bacterial resistance, due to the low number of studies carried out in the field. To fill this gap, we carried out a systematic review of the various studies, and devise a molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial resista...

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are repeating DNA sequences used in forensic human identity testing and the diagnosis of aneuploidies. Many STRs like Penta D and TPOX are used routinely for paternity tests, but these tests are not widely used in sub-Saharan Africa. The study population consisted of Gabonese families seeking a paternity test. After DNA...

Background In Gabon, children under 5 years of age and pregnant women are the populations who are most at risk of malaria. Despite the presence of accessible health facilities, the community-based management of childhood fever remains a very common practice in Gabon, which may have serious consequences on child health. As such, the objective of thi...

Background: In Central Africa, it is difficult to fight against antibiotic resistance, because of a lack of data and information on bacterial resistance, due to the low number of studies carried out in the field. To fill this gap, we carried out a systematic review of the various studies, and devise a molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial resista...

Introduction Malaria remains a significant public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Child mortality due to severe malaria remains high in developing countries despite improvements in malaria management and a better understanding of its pathophysiology. To address the lack of epidemiological studies on severe malaria in Gabon, this study describ...

Background Malaria is the most deadly parasitic disease and continues to claim more than a half million of deaths across the world each year, mainly those of under-fives children in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features of patients with severe malaria at the Centre Hospitali...

Background: In Central Africa, it is difficult to fight against antibiotic resistance, because of a lack of data and information on bacterial resistance, due to the low number of studies carried out in the field. To fill this gap, we carried out a systematic review of the various studies, and devise a molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial resista...

BACKGROUND Every organization, especially healthcare-related ones, must have access to high-quality data. In reality, quality data enables any healthcare system to adhere to and analyze its specified objectives in order to meet the needs of its users. Therefore, it is essential that the processes used to generate these data are well-structured and...

Data collection and monitoring of carbapenemase-producing (CP) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are often limited. This study determined CP-GNB prevalence in Gabon and the genetic origins of the resistance genes. From January 2016 to March 2018, 869 clinically significant GNB isolates from inpatients and outpatients, and 19 fecal samples (inpatients) w...

Background In Gabon, a new national malaria control policy was implemented in 2003. It resulted in a decrease in the number of malaria cases in the country. In March 2020, the disruption of routine health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in cases and deaths due to malaria. However, in Franceville, south-east Gabon, no da...

Introduction Erectile dysfunction (ED) is very common in diabetic males, especially type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Many factors and complications of diabetes such as macro- and micro-angiopathy are associated with risks leading to ED in male patients. Aim Analysis of factors associated with ED in T2DM. The purpose of this study is to shed light...

Introduction Health systems in several countries have integrated information and communication technologies into their operations. Electronic medical records (EMRs) are at the core of patient care. The working of these EMRs requires their acceptance and use by medical and paramedical personnel. The objective of this study was to empirically evaluat...

Background Malaria is the most deadly parasitic disease and continues to claim more than a half million of deaths across the world each year, mainly those of under-fives children in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features of patients with severe malaria at the Centre Hospitali...

BACKGROUND: Achieving health goals requires informed decision-making supported by transparent, reliable, and relevant health information. This helps decision makers, such as health managers, to better understand the functioning of their health system and improve their ability to respond quickly to health demands. To achieve this, the health system...

Background: Quality data is a key element for every organization including the organization of the healthcare system. In fact, quality data allows any healthcare system to follow and evaluate the defined objectives in order to meet the needs of their customers. Therefore, it is necessary that the processes of producing these data are well structure...

Introduction: mainly occurring in low and middle income countries, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) represents 84% of hyperglycemia during pregnancy throughout the world. Moreover, being black is a risk factor to develop the disease. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and the associated factors of GDM in Libreville (Gabon). Methods:...

This study aims at establishing specimens pooling approach for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 using the RT-PCR BGI and Sansure-Biotech kits used in Gabon. To validate this approach, 14 positive samples, stored at -20°C for three to five weeks were analyzed individually (as gold standard) and in pools of five, eight and ten in the same plate. We create...

Objective: We aimed to assess hepatitis B vaccination coverage (vaccine coverage) among preschool children in Libreville, Gabon, and determine associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done evaluating hepatitis B vaccination records, bycluster random sampling of children aged 4 months to 5 years from 5 medical centres. Results:...

BACKGROUND Effective health information systems support decision-making. In some sub-Saharan African countries, including Gabon, there is a problem with data quality. Indeed, the tools supporting the data collection process in health facilities are limited and tend to favour manual data processing. OBJECTIVE This study presents the conceptual appr...

Background Achieving health goals requires informed decision-making supported by transparent, reliable, and relevant health information. This helps decision makers, such as health managers, to better understand the functioning of their health system and improve their ability to respond quickly to health demands. To achieve this, the health system n...

Background In developing countries, health information system (HIS) is experiencing more and more difficulties to produce quality data. The lack of reliable health related information makes it difficult to develop effective health policies. In order to understand the organization of HIS in African countries, we undertook a literature review. Metho...

Background Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in African countries. It is one of the leading causes of hospital visits and hospitalization in pediatric wards for children under 5 years old. Interestingly however, the economic burden of this disease remains unknown in these endemic countries including Gabon. The purpose...

In Gabon, few data exist on extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE). This study investigated ESBL-PE prevalence and the associated resistance genes in clinical samples (n = 5,956) and anal swabs (n = 78) analyzed in eight hospitals and a medical analysis laboratory in Gabon from January 2016 to March 2018. Matrix-As...

Introduction Les données épidémiologiques sur les troubles psychiques, les troubles neurocognitifs et l’épilepsie mettent en évidence des maladies ubiquitaires, présentes dans toutes cultures et latitudes, avec des prévalences élevées, notamment dans les pays en développement. Objectifs L’objectif principal était d’évaluer les connaissances, attit...

Background: The increasing incidence of recorded stroke cases is straining the economies of many developing countries. Very few studies have assessed the financial burden of stroke management in Gabon. The aim of this study was to assess the direct costs of stroke management in the neurology and cardiology departments at the University Hospital of...

Objective: The need for an efficient and reliable health information system motivated Gabon, with the support of the World Bank, to finance a project to reinforce its health information system. An audit of this system was required to report on the reality of the existing system and tools. Methods: Over the course of two periods, May to September...

Introduction: Vaccination is targeted to selected adolescents and their vaccination status is little known. The purpose of this study is to assess the vaccination status and to identify factors associated with vaccination compliance in adolescents attending school in Libreville. Methods: A cross sectional observational descriptive survey was con...

Background: In developing countries, health information systems (HIS) is experiencing more and more difficult to produce quality data. The lack of reliable health information makes it difficult to develop effective health policies. In order to understand the organization of HIS in African countries, we undertook a literature review. Methods: Our st...

Background: In developing countries, health information systems (HIS) are experiencing more and more difficulties to produce quality data. The lack of reliable health related information makes it difficult to develop effective health policies. In order to understand the organization of HIS in African countries, we undertook a literature review. Met...

Background: In developing countries, health information system (HIS) is experiencing more and more difficulties to produce quality data. The lack of reliable health related information makes it difficult to develop effective health policies. In order to understand the organization of HIS in African countries, we undertook a literature review. Metho...

Introduction: Neurological disorders are an important cause of disability and death worldwide. The distribution of these disorders differs significantly in developing countries. Screening questionnaires have been used as an important tool to detect neurological illnesses. This systematic literature review aimed to report the validity of screening...

Purpose: Perceptions, beliefs and culture influence attitude towards epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa. Misconceptions on epilepsy contribute to the persistence of negative attitudes in children with epilepsy particularly on their school enrollment. The aim of the study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and sociocultural factors affecting schooling...

Measles is a respiratory disease caused by the measles virus (MV) belonging to the Paramyxovirus family and the Morbillivirus genus. Due to a failure in maintaining immunization coverage in some countries, measles is a re-emerging disease in the human population, especially in Africa. The aim of this study was to describe a measles epidemic in Gabo...

Most people with epilepsy live in tropical countries. Perinatal factors seem to play a significant role in the occurrence of epilepsy. Available data provide different and sometimes contradictory conclusions on the role and the burden of these factors. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of these perinatal factors on the development of...

OBJECTIVE: Epilepsy is a major public health issue in low- and middle-income countries, where the availability and accessibility of quality treatment remain important issues, the severity of which may be aggravated by poor quality antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). The primary objective of this study was to measure the quality of AEDs in rural and urban a...

There are many common denominators that justify carrying out an analysis of neuroepidemiological studies at the level of the sub-Saharan African region. This region is currently in epidemiologic transition. The development of chronic diseases is linked to changes in lifestyle, behavior, aging populations and will dramatically increase in the future...

Abstract Background In sub-tropical countries, infectious diseases remain one of the main causes of mortality. Because of their lack of active immunity, pregnant women and their unborn children represent the most susceptible people. In Gabon, data on infectious diseases of pregnant women such as syphilis and rubella are either scarce or very old. F...

Background We reviewed studies that analyzed cysticercosis (CC), neurocysticercosis (NCC) and epilepsy across Latin America, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, to estimate the odds ratio and etiologic fraction of epilepsy due to CC in tropical regions. Methodology We conducted a systematic review of the literature on cysticercosis and epilepsy in the tr...

PRISMA checklist. (PDF)

La macrosomie et le faible poids de naissance du nouveau-né sont, respectivement, les conséquences du diabète gestationnel (DG) et du paludisme placentaire (PP). Cependant, les conséquences combinées du DG et du PP restent inconnues. Quel est alors l’impact de ces deux pathologies sur la croissance foetale ? Pour y répondre, une étude de cohorte de...

Toxoplasmosis is an important, widespread, parasitic infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii. The chronic infection in immunocompetent patients, usually considered as asymptomatic, is now suspected to be a risk factor for various neurological disorders, including epilepsy. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available lit...

Abstract The purpose of this work is to evaluate the epidemiological aspects of vision problems and their repercussions in the schooling of children in Libreville and Owendo. Methodology: This transversal and descriptive study was carried out in May and June 2011. Included in the study were children in the 7th and 8th grades of the primary schools...

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease in tropical countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Previous work on epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa has shown that many cases are severe, partly a result of some specific causes, that it carries a stigma, and that it is not adequately treated in many cases. Many studies on the epidemiology, aetiology...

Background Surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) in Central Africa began only recently, and few data are therefore available on the circulation of influenza virus and other respiratory viruses. In Gabon, a Central African country, we established a surveillance network in four major towns in order to analyze cases of ILI among patients who vi...

Is epilepsy truly an “African ailment”? We aimed to determine this, since international health agencies often refer to epilepsy as an African disease and the scientific literature has spoken the same tone. Various published materials, mainly reports, articles, were used to gather Asian and African evidence on various aspects of epilepsy and many of...

Méta-analyse du lien entre toxoplasmose et épilepsie

Background: Malaria remains a major public health problem, due largely to emergence and widespread P. falciparum drug resistance. WHO recommends artemisinine combination based therapy (ACT) to overcome P. falciparum drug resistance, but reports of declining ACT efficacy have been published. A thorough understanding of the molecular bases of P. fal...

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the difficulties of applying neuroepidemiological methods in low income countries or developing countries, which are mostly tropical countries, taking advantage of the experience of the Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Neurology, which was created in Limoges in 1982. These difficulties could be r...

Data supporting epidemiological transition from a predominant burden of infectious diseases to one of chronic diseases in Africa result mostly from hospital surveys. To estimate the cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden in Gabon. The study was conducted in Ntoum (8765 inhabitants). All subjects aged greater or equal to 40 years were invited to partic...

Estimate the prevalence of epilepsy in the 15 years and older in Benin. We used a random multistage sampling design to select a representative sample of the 15 years and older in Benin. From March to May 2010, people were screened door-to-door in the twelve regions of Benin. Screening and data collection were performed using a validated standardise...

Objective Onychomycosis is the most frequent nail disease, it stands for half of all nail abnormalities. The frequency of onychomycosis in the whole population ranges between 2 and 26.9% according to published data. In temperate countries, yeasts, dermatophytes and moulds are the main agents. Few studies on onychomycosis have been led in Sub-Sahara...

The need for comparable epidemiologic data on epilepsy from various locations in tropical areas has led in 1994 to the creation of a questionnaire able to standardize information. The Limoges' questionnaire was created to collect information independently of the objectives of each survey performed, and since it has been employed in various continen...

Unlabelled: The strategies recently implemented in Gabon have been effective in improving immunization coverage. These include, in particular, the integration of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in primary health care centers, the integration of immunization outside of EPI, immunization by peripheral health centers according to pre-set...

Malaria, one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases around the world, is responsible for the death of nearly one million children in subsaharan Africa each year. Besides, it is also responsible for neurological complications that are not compatible with a harmonious development of children with neuromalaria. In this paper, we summarize recent stu...

More than 50 millions people are suffering from epilepsy in the world, and more than 80% are living in the developing world, in particular in tropical areas, where the transmission of infectious diseases is favoured by geographical, economical, political, sociological and cultural factors. Infectious diseases play a major role in the aetiology of s...

Pediatric drug formulations of artemisinin combination therapies are urgently needed for improving the treatment of children suffering from uncomplicated malaria. The aim of this clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of a novel pediatric fixed-dose granule formulation of artesunate-mefloquine and a new co-blister tabl...

The new recommendations to prevent malaria in pregnant women have recently been implemented in Gabon. There is little information on the pregnancy indicators that are useful for their evaluation. A cross-sectional study for the assessment of the prevalence of peripheral, placental, and cord malaria and anemia among delivering women was performed at...