Baobab Index

This study reports the draft genome of a clinical isolate of

Pediatric tuberculosis is challenging to diagnose due to the limited presence of bacteria and difficulties in obtaining high-quality sputum samples. This study assessed the effectiveness of stool samples versus gastric contents analyzed with GeneXpert Ultra for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis in children under five years old. A diagnostic study was conducted in Niger over a one-year period (January 1 to December 31, 2024), at multiple centers. Socio-demographic data and GeneXpert Ultra results from stool and gastric samples were collected in accordance with STARD guidelines. Data analysis was performed using Excel 2020 and JAMOVI 2.3.28 software to calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). This study included 401 patients with a median age of 18 months (interquartile range (IQR) 11-24 months) and a sex ratio of 1.37. The diagnostic performance of the test showed a sensitivity of 77.8% and a specificity of 99%, with an overall accuracy of 98.5%. The positive and negative predictive values were 63.6% and 99.5% respectively. GeneXpert stool testing is a valuable complementary approach to gastric content examination for detecting tuberculosis. Integrating it into screening strategies, especially in resource-limited settings, can enhance pediatric tuberculosis detection and management.

Wildlife conservation has traditionally focused on the maintenance of population size, preserving genetic diversity and protecting habitats, with success typically measured through stable or increasing population estimates, slower population declines, and reduced threats. However, preserving animal cultures and behavioural diversity is gaining recognition as important for conservation. This shift reflects growing awareness that cultural behaviours can contribute to the resilience and long-term survivability of species, with some socially learned behaviours promoting a species' adaptive potential. Despite increasing public support and adoption of policies within this domain, questions persist about how cultural behaviours can be applied to conservation. Drawing on our collective expertise, we outline practical pathways to integrate animal culture into conservation decision-making through a cross-species framework. First, we describe how animal culture and behavioural diversity can be deployed in practice as conservation goals, conservation targets, and conservation tools. As conservation goals, they provide overall direction for conservation efforts, while as conservation targets, they serve as the specific units of focus to meet a conservation goal. These targets may be specific cultural behaviours or variants, the socio-ecological conditions that support them, cultural diversity, or the processes that sustain cultural diversity within and across populations. As conservation tools, they can be invoked to conserve targets or more generally to meet a broader goal. For example, incorporating cultural behaviour as a conservation-relevant characteristic when defining management units (tool) can be used to protect specific song dialects or foraging traditions in cetaceans (target), while simultaneously improving conservation outcomes by explicitly including culture in decision-making (goal). Consequently, we show how culture-based conservation goals, targets and tools are interconnected within conservation planning and decision making, and are actionable across taxa. By providing this toolkit we emphasise that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to applying animal cultures to conservation and encourage practitioners to consider how our multidimensional framework can be tailored to their current and planned conservation efforts.

Junin virus (JUNV) is a zoonotic virus and is the main cause of Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF). Despite the availability of the Candid#1 live-attenuated vaccine, safety concerns and limited accessibility necessitate the development of a safer, more effective alternative. This study employed computational and bioinformatics approaches to design a multi-epitope mRNA vaccine targeting JUNV glycoproteins. Antigenic glycoprotein sequences were retrieved and screened for Linear B-cell (LBL), cytotoxic T-cell (CTL), and helper T-cell (HTL) epitopes, ensuring high antigenicity, non-toxicity, and non-allergenicity. Eight B-cell, fifteen CTL, and five HTL epitopes were selected based on high antigenicity, non-allergenicity, and non-toxicity. Population coverage analysis revealed an 88.19% global coverage, suggesting broad vaccine applicability. The designed vaccine constructs incorporated immunogenic linkers and 50S ribosomal protein L7/L12 as an adjuvant to enhance immune activation. Physicochemical and post-translational modification analyses confirmed the stability, structural integrity, and immunogenic potential of the constructs. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated strong and stable interactions with TLR4, MHCI, MHCII, and CTL2 receptors, essential for effective immune stimulation. Codon optimization and mRNA secondary structure analysis ensured efficient expression and stability in human cells. Finally, in silico immune simulation predicted robust humoral and cellular immune responses, characterized by high IgG and IgM titers, cytokine production (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10), and memory B-cell activation, confirming long-term immunity. These findings highlight the potential of the designed mRNA vaccine for effective JUNV immunization, warranting further in vitro and in vivo validation for clinical application.

The capacity of the 49 sub-Saharan African countries, which account for 85% of tuberculosis cases in Africa (WHO, 2025), to monitor the genomic dynamics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains responsible for the disease was examined for the period 2000-2025. A total of 8141 GenBank entries, supplemented by 163 as yet unreported whole genome sequences prepared at the Institut Hospitalier-Universitaire, Marseille, France and the Institut de Recherche en Santé, de Surveillance Épidémiologique et de Formation, Dakar, Sénégal were analysed using TB-Profiler. M. tuberculosis sub-lineage L2.2.1 dominated the sub-continent, while other lineages and sub-lineages featured a discrete pattern of geographical distribution, here illustrated by interactive maps. Although three-quarters of the genomes showed a predicted antibiotic-susceptibility, the predicted resistant recovered in 80% countries largely comprised multidrug-resistant (MDR) genomes (12.19% of genomes), followed by Rifampicin-susceptible, isoniazid-resistant (HR-TB) genomes (4.47%), Rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB) genomes (3.31%), extensively drug-resistant (XDR) genomes (1.78%), and pre-XDR genomes (0.64%). Resistance to second-line antibiotics was observed with prevalence lower than that of first-line drugs. This review gives an updated, accurate, and interactive overview of tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa and provides a strong basis for following the current evolution of tuberculosis in African regions.

A field investigation was conducted during the winter seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV), Jabalpur, Central India, to identify and characterize the phytoplasma strains associated with niger (var. JNC6) and sesame (var. RT315) exhibiting severe phyllody symptoms. Disease incidence ranged from 0-3%, and 3 to 15% were recorded in niger and sesame crops during the study period. Nested PCR assays using universal phytoplasma primer pairs P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 consistently amplified ~1.25 kb fragments of the 16S rRNA gene from both the symptomatic plants, confirming phytoplasma association. Additional amplification of phytoplasma-specific

Senegalia senegal produces a hydrocolloid known as gum arabic, which is rich in arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) and of high economic importance. Despite its economic value, the anatomical origin and formation mechanisms of gum arabic remain poorly understood. In this study, we combined histological, histochemical, and immunolocalization techniques to investigate the spatial, cellular, and temporal dynamics of gum formation in S. senegal. We show that gum pockets are formed exclusively in the inner secondary phloem, between phloem rays, and are initiated by companion cells. Using Yariv reagent and JIM4 antibody, we identified AGP accumulation as an early hallmark of pocket initiation. Gum pocket development occurs via a schizogenous process, involving progressive cell wall separation at the middle lamella, without signs of cell lysis. We also demonstrate that gum pocket formation is seasonally regulated, peaking during the dry season and followed by a gradual resorption phase. The decline in AGP signal and the formation of new phloem tissues suggest a possible metabolic recycling of non-exuded gum to fuel cambial reactivation. Importantly, the surface area of gum pockets correlates with the amount of gum harvested, offering a potential anatomical proxy for selecting high-yielding trees. Our findings redefine the developmental and physiological framework of gum arabic production and provide new perspectives for genetic improvement and sustainable resource management in Sahelian ecosystems.

The high genetic diversity of HIV-1, persistent immune activation and rising antiretroviral drug resistance continue to hinder HIV treatment, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined inflammatory responses in relation to HIV-1 genetic subtypes and antiretroviral drug (ARVD) resistance among patients experiencing virological failure in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional design involved people living with HIV-1 (PLWH-1) on ART with virological failure (defined as repeated viral load ≥ 1000 copies/mL). Plasma levels of IL-6, IL-10, hs-CRP, and TNF-α were assessed as markers of inflammation; CD4 + counts and viral load served as immune and virological indicators. Genotypic analysis targeting the HIV-1 protease and reverse transcriptase regions was performed to identify subtypes and resistance mutations. HIV-1 subtypes G and CRF02_AG predominated. Subtype G was linked to elevated TNF-α and IL-6 levels and a higher frequency of drug resistance mutations, suggesting subtype-specific polymorphisms and elevated pro-inflammatory markers which correlated with poor treatment outcomes. Co-infections with HBV, HCV, and Mtb were also common, especially among individuals with heightened inflammatory markers and virological failure, complicating disease progression. IL-6, IL-10, hs-CRP, and TNF-α emerged as potential surrogate biomarkers for predicting virological failure and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). The findings underscore the importance of integrating inflammatory profiling and genotypic resistance testing to inform clinical decisions and improve ART outcomes. A personalized approach to HIV care, accounting for viral subtype, immune-inflammatory status, and resistance patterns are recommended to enhance treatment efficacy and reduce HIV-related morbidity and mortality in resource-limited settings.

Children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) are at high risk of invasive infection. In sub-Saharan Africa, invasive non-typhoidal

This study aims to characterize the resistance gene profiles in cultured isolates and clonal diversity of bacterial isolates from wastewater collected at three major hospitals in Niamey. Samples of raw and treated wastewater were collected at the Niamey National Hospital, the Amirou Boubacar Diallo National Hospital, and the General Referral Hospital. An approach combining classical microbiology and whole-genome sequencing was used to identify bacterial species and characterize their carbapenem resistance mechanisms. Analysis revealed a strong predominance of This preliminary study provides crucial baseline data on carbapenem resistance in hospital wastewater in Niamey. This study provides the first baseline genomic data on carbapenemases dynamics in hospital wastewater in Niamey. The persistence of international elite clones (ST11, ST773) and epidemic plasmids (IncFII, IncL, IncX3) throughout the treatment process underscores the ineffectiveness of current sanitation barriers. These findings necessitate the following actions: (i) the adoption of environmental genomic surveillance as an early warning system for emerging clinical clones, (ii) the revision of disinfection protocols to target the stability of mobile genetic elements, and (iii) the urgent integration of this approach into national action plans for combating antimicrobial resistance in Niger and West Africa to prevent irreversible environmental dissemination.