, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a pandemic by WHO, there were comparatively few cases reported from Africa. 1 Our Comment draws on early imported COVID-19 cases in South Africa, Senegal, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Egypt as case studies to discuss important mitigation strategies of COVID-19 in Africa.Early COVID-19 cases in Africa were mostly imported from Europe, due to the higher volume of business and tourism airline traffic between African countries and Europe, and less from China. 2 The first confirmed case was reported in Egypt on Feb 14, 2020, (an adult male whose 17 contacts tested negative) and prompted African preparedness efforts. 3,4 In South Africa, on Feb 29, 2020, a group of nine adult travellers returned from a skiing holiday in Italy, where the COVID-19 epidemic was rampant. After developing a flu-like illness, one traveller tested positive for COVID-19, which was confirmed by RT-PCR on March 5, 2020; his wife was asymptomatic but tested positive on March 8, 2020. Overall, seven of the nine travellers were positive for COVID-19, five of whom were asymptomatic. In Senegal, the first COVID-19 case was reported on March 7, 2020, in a traveller returning from Italy. Contact tracing identified a cluster of transmission of 20 cases within his immediate household. Democratic Republic of the Congo confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 10, 2020: an adult male who tested positive in the capital city of Kinshasa after developing a cough and fever, 2 days after returning from France. These early index cases show the imported nature of the epidemic in Africa among young affluent adult travellers from Europe. However, the majority of COVID-19 cases currently being identified and reported from African countries are due to local transmission.Early estimates of case fatality rates (CFRs) also seem to vary substantially. As of April 24, 2020, South Africa had reported 3635 cases with 65 deaths (CFR 1•8%) and Senegal had reported 442 cases with 6 deaths (CFR 1•3%). These CFRs seem lower than in most European countries (eg, Italy had reported 187 327 cases

BackgroundDespite the adoption of the provider-initiated HIV testing strategy, the rate of HIV testing is still very low in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the factors associated with HIV testing among sexually active women and men in Senegal. Knowledge of HIV status is the gateway to antiretroviral treatment.MethodsA secondary analysis of the 2017 Senegal Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) was performed, using data on sexually active women aged 15–49 and men aged 15–59. The outcome variable was the proportion of women and men who reported ever being tested for HIV in the last 12 months before the survey. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the socio-demographic, HIV-knowledge, media exposure, and behavioral factors associated with HIV testing in Senegal.ResultsThe study found that 61.1% (95%CI: 59.2–62.9) of women and 26.2% (95%CI: 24.2–28.3) of men were tested for HIV at the last 12 months. In multivariate analysis, among men the factors independently associated with being tested for HIV were: age groups 20–24 to 40–44 and age group 50–54; a higher level of education; being in the richest household wealth quintile; being married; knowing about the efficacy of HAART during pregnancy; having 2 or more lifetime sex partners and owning a mobile phone. Among women factors independently associated with HIV testing were: being in any age groups versus 15–19; a higher level of education; being in the richest household wealth quintile; being married; knowing about the efficacy of HAART during pregnancy; having any STI in last 12 months; fearing stigma; owning a mobile phone; and having any number of ANC visits, versus none.ConclusionAlthough HIV remains a public health threat, HIV testing’s prevalence is still low in Senegal, making it difficult to interrupt the transmission chain within the community and to reach the UNAIDS goal for 2020 of “90–90-90”. Innovative community-based strategies are needed to address barriers and improve access to HIV testing in Senegal, particularly for men and for the youngest and poorest populations.

Methanogens belong to the anaerobic community responsible for brain abscess, and M. oralis may participate in the pathogenicity of this deadly infection. In mice, a synergy of M. oralis and S. intermedius was observed. Antibiotic treatment of brain abscess should contain anti-archaeal compounds such as imidazole derivatives in most cases.