Project description:Generation of single cell and single nuclei transcriptomic data of post-mortem tissues from a Malawi cohort. We aim to explore differences in the immune response between Covid-19, Non-Covid19 LRTD (lower respiratory tract disease) and no-LTRD at the single cell level from lung, nasal and blood. Autopsies were conducted through minimally invasive autopsy using needle-biopsy. Samples were then processed with a 10X Chromium in Blantyre, Malawi. Some samples were run individually and others pooled. Pooled samples were split using single nucleotide polymorphisms or through hashtag oligonucelotides. Data processing and analysis was performed in R using the Seurat package.
Project description:The study aimed to define transcriptional signatures for detection of active TB (TB) compared to latent TB infection (LTBI) as well as to other diseases (OD) with similar clinical phenotypes in patients with and without HIV in two African paediatric populations. Transcriptional signatures were identified that distinguished active TB from LTBI, and active TB from other diseases. Children were recruited from Cape Town, South Africa (n=157) and Blantyre, Malawi (n=177) who were either HIV+ or HIV - with either active TB, LTBI or OD. Blood was collected into PAX gene tubes (PreAnalytiX). Total RNA integrity was assessed using an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer (Agilent, Palo Alto, CA). Labeled cRNA was hybridized to Illumina Human HT-12 Beadchips. Data were analysed in R.
Project description:BackgroundReference ranges for haematological and other laboratory tests in most African countries are based on populations in Europe and America and, because of environmental and genetic factors, these may not accurately reflect the normal reference ranges in African populations.AimTo determine the distribution of haematological parameters in healthy individuals residing in Blantyre, Malawi. We also examined the effect of sociodemographic and nutritional factors on the haematological variables.MethodsWe conducted a proof-of-concept cross-sectional study, involving 105 healthy blood donors at Malawi Blood Transfusion Service in Blantyre. Eligible participants were HIV-negative males and females, aged 19 to 35 years, who did not have any evidence of acute or chronic illness, or blood-borne infection. We performed the haematological tests at the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust laboratory in Blantyre, and the screening tests at Malawi Blood Transfusion Service laboratories.ResultsOut of 170 consenting healthy volunteers, haematological results were available for 105 participants. The proportions of results which were below the lower limit of the manufacturer's reference ranges were 35.2% (37/105) for haemoglobin, 15.2% (16/105) for neutrophils, 23.8% (25/105) for eosinophils, and 88.6 % (93/105) for basophils. The proportions of results that were above the upper limit of the manufacturer's reference ranges were 9.5% (10/105) for platelets and 12.4% (13/105) for monocytes. We also observed that the mean leucocyte and basophil counts were significantly higher in males than females (p = 0.042 and p = 0.015, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in haematological results observed among different ethnic, age, and body mass index groups.ConclusionsOver half of otherwise healthy study participants had at least one abnormal haematological result, using previously established foreign standards. More detailed studies are needed to establish locally relevant normal ranges for different age groups and other demographic characteristics of the Malawian population. This will lead to accurate interpretation of laboratory results.
Project description:Whole-genome methylomes and total transcriptomes for muscle and liver tissues of Lake Malawi cichlid species characterised in the context of phenotypic diversification.