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ObjectivesPublic awareness and the dissemination of tailored information to lay populations are essential for highly endemic countries like Senegal to achieve hepatitis B elimination targets by 2030. In Senegal, despite its high prevalence, hepatitis B has not received sufficient attention in health communication campaigns compared with other health issues like HIV. We aimed to explore knowledge and perceptions surrounding hepatitis B virus (HBV), as well as the influence of digital media on the information accessed by individuals living with HBV in Senegal.DesignWe employed a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative semistructured interviews conducted with people living with HBV enrolled in the Senegalese hepatitis B cohort (SEN-B), with a quantitative content analysis of online news coverage focused on HBV within the online media of Senegal.SettingA referral University hospital in Dakar, Senegal.Participants29 individuals aged >18 years presenting with a positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) with a median age of 40 years (IQR 27–54), of whom 51.7% were female.Outcomes and analysisQualitative interviews were conducted between December 2019 and October 2021, and we employed purposive sampling to select participants enrolled in SEN-B. Thematic analysis facilitated a systematic synthesis of respondents’ narratives. All data analyses were performed using Atlas.ti (V.22). For content analysis of online media news collected from September 2019 to May 2022, a structured data extraction form was developed to collect relevant information from the selected online news articles. Data on readers’ comments spaces were extracted using an inductive approach and were processed using thematic analyses. The quantitative data issued from content analysis were exported to Stata SE V.17.0 (StataCorp) for statistical analysis.ResultsWe observed a generalised lack of knowledge about HBV among participants, some of whom had never heard of the virus prior to their screening. Incomprehension regarding the disease contributed to feelings of fear and anxiety, leading participants to express various concerns about their personal health status, transmission, cure and treatment(s). The presence of rumours surrounding the disease further underscored the limited awareness of HBV revealing the marginal recognition of HBV as a significant societal concern. In many cases, the absence of effective health communication strategies at the national level resulted in individuals turning to traditional and online media for information, which often intensified their fears and concerns about HBV. An analysis of Senegalese media coverage about HBV included 157 articles published between 2009 and 2022. 55.4% (87/157) of these publications appeared in July, coinciding with World Hepatitis Day, while 65.0% (102/157) focused on general HBV epidemiology and activities led by the National Hepatitis Programme. Online media also served as informal spaces where unaccredited actors within the health sector promoted treatments lacking official verification. Additionally, the reactions’ spaces provided a venue for the exchange of information, though without any guarantee of its accuracy.ConclusionsFacilitating collaboration and engagement between health communication stakeholders and communities is crucial for effectively disseminating structured information and culturally appropriate messages, ultimately contributing to raising awareness of HBV.

Background Northern Senegal is a zone of very low malaria transmission, with an annual incidence of < 5/1000 inhabitants. This area, where the Senegal National Malaria Control Programme has initiated elimination activities, hosts Fulani, nomadic, pastoralists that spend the dry season in the south where malaria incidence is higher (150–450/1000 inhabitants) and return to the north with the first rains. Previous research demonstrated parasite prevalence of < 1% in this Fulani population upon return from the south, similar to that documented in the north in cross-sectional surveys. Methods A modified snowball sampling survey of nomadic pastoralists was conducted in five districts in northern Senegal during September and October 2014. Demographic information and dried blood spots were collected. Multiplex bead-based assays were used to assess antibody responses to merozoite surface protein (MSP-1 19 ) antigen of the four primary Plasmodium species, as well as circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and liver stage antigen (LSA-1) of Plasmodium falciparum . Results In the five study districts, 1472 individuals were enrolled, with a median age of 22 years (range 1 to 80 years). Thirty-two percent of subjects were under 14 years and 57% were male. The overall seroprevalence of P. falciparum MSP-1 19 , CSP and LSA-1 antibodies were 45, 12 and 5%, respectively. Plasmodium falciparum MSP-1 19 antibody responses increased significantly with age in all study areas, and were significantly higher among males. The highest seroprevalence to P. falciparum antigens was observed in the Kanel district (63%) and the lowest observed in Podor (28%). Low seroprevalence was observed for non- falciparum species in all the study sites: 0.4, 0.7 and 1.8%, respectively, for Plasmodium ovale , Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium malariae MSP-1. Antibody responses to P. vivax were observed in all study sites except Kanel. Conclusion Prevalence of P. falciparum MSP-1 19 antibodies and increases by study participant age provided data for low levels of exposure among this transient nomadic population. In addition, antibody responses to P. falciparum short half-life markers (CSP and LSA-1) and non- falciparum species were low. Further investigations are needed to understand the exposure of the Fulani population to P. vivax .

Background The diagnosis of malaria cases in regions where the malaria burden has decreased significantly and prevalence is very low is more challenging, in part because of reduced clinical presumption of malaria. The appearance of a cluster of malaria cases with atypical symptoms in Mbounguiel, a village in northern Senegal where malaria transmission is low, in September 2018 exemplifies this scenario. The collaboration between the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) at the Senegal Ministry of Health and the Laboratory of Parasitology and Mycology at Cheikh Anta Diop University worked together to evaluate this cluster of malaria cases using molecular and serological tools. Methods Malaria cases were diagnosed primarily by rapid diagnostic test (RDT), and confirmed by photo-induced electron transfer-polymerase chain reaction (PET-PCR). 24 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) barcoding was used for Plasmodium falciparum genotyping. Unbiased metagenomic sequencing and Luminex-based multi-pathogen antibody and antigen profiling were used to assess exposure to other pathogens. Results Nine patients, of 15 suspected cases, were evaluated, and all nine samples were found to be positive for P. falciparum only. The 24 SNPs molecular barcode showed the predominance of polygenomic infections, with identifiable strains being different from one another. All patients tested positive for the P. falciparum antigens. No other pathogenic infection was detected by either the serological panel or metagenomic sequencing. Conclusions This work, undertaken locally within Senegal as a collaboration between the NMCP and a research laboratory at University of Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) revealed that a cluster of malaria cases were caused by different strains of P. falciparum . The public health response in real time demonstrates the value of local molecular and genomics capacity in affected countries for disease control and elimination.

The chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is spread by Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitos worldwide; infection can lead to disease including joint pain, fever, and rash, with some convalescent persons experiencing chronic symptoms. Historically, CHIKV transmission has occurred in Africa and Asia, but recent outbreaks have taken place in Europe, Indonesia, and the Americas. From September to October 2014, a survey was undertaken with nomadic pastoralists residing in the northeast departments of Senegal. Blood dried on filter paper (dried blood spots; DBS) were collected from 1465 participants of all ages, and assayed for Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against CHIKV E1 antigen by a bead-based multiplex assay. The overall seroprevalence of all participants to CHIKV E1 was 2.7%, with no persons under 10 years of age found to be antibody positive. Above 10 years of age, clear increases of seroprevalence and IgG levels were observed with increasing age; 7.6% of participants older than 50 years were found to be positive for anti-CHIKV IgG. Reported net ownership, net usage, and gender were all non-significant explanatory variables of seropositivity. These data show a low-level historical exposure of this pastoralist population to CHIKV, with no evidence of recent CHIKV transmission in the past decade.

Background Diagnosis of malaria cases in regions where the malaria burden has decreased significantly and prevalence is very low becomes more challenging, in part because of reduced clinical presumption of malaria. The appearance of a cluster of malaria cases with atypical symptoms in Mbounguiel, a village in northern Senegal where malaria transmission is low, in September 2018 exemplifies this scenario. The collaboration between the national malaria control program (NMCP) at the Senegal ministry of health and the laboratory of parasitology mycology at Cheikh Anta Diop University worked together to evaluate this cluster of malaria cases using molecular and serology tools. Results Nine of the fifteen patients were evaluated, and all nine samples were found to be positive for P. falciparum only. The 24 SNP molecular barcode showed the predominance of polygenomic infections, with identifiable strains being different from one another. All patients tested positive for the P. falciparum antigens. No other pathogenic infection was detected by either the serological panel or metagenomic sequencing. Conclusions This work undertaken locally within Senegal as a collaboration between the NMCP and a research malaria laboratory at University of Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) revealed that a cluster of malaria cases were caused by different strains of P. falciparum. The public health response in real time demonstrates the value of local molecular and genomics capacity in affected countries disease control and elimination.