Vulnerability and ageing in Ouagadougou: The crucial role of gender and migration status in older people’s support

AbstractThe issue of care for older people brings up a number of concerns in African cities, which are characterized by rapid urban growth, economic crisis, transformation in social relationships, and the near absence of institutional support for older people. Based on quantitative and qualitative data collected through the Ouagadougou Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Ouagadougou HDSS, 2010-2017), this article examines the situation of older men and women living in the capital of Burkina Faso, whether they have always lived there or moved there from elsewhere. It aims to better understand the vulnerabilities of these older people, what becomes of them over time, and the issues and family dynamics that surround them. The results highlight important differences according to the sex and migration status of older people as determinants of vulnerabilities and emphasize the role in their care played by the sociocultural context.RésuméLa problématique de la prise en charge des personnes âgées suscite de nombreuses inquiétudes dans les villes africaines, caractérisées par une urbanisation rapide, la crise économique, la transformation des rapports sociaux, et la quasi inexistencede l’assistance institutionnelle aux personnes âgées. A partir de données quantitatives et qualitatives collectées dans l’Observatoire de Population de Ouagadougou, cet article s’intéresse à la situation et au devenir des hommes et femmes âgées vivant dans la capitale du Burkina Faso, qu’ils y vivent depuis toujours ou qu’ils y soient arrivés plus ou moins récemment. Il vise à mieux connaître leurs vulnérabilités, ce qu’elles deviennent au fil du temps, ainsi que les enjeux et les dynamiques familiales qui se mettent en place autour d’elles. Les résultats soulignent des différences importantes selon le sexe et le statut migratoire des personnes âgées, etmettent en évidence le rôle du contexte socio-culturel dans leur prise en charge

Damage mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria in drinking water during chlorine and solar disinfection

This study aimed at elucidating the inactivation mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria in drinking water during chlorine and solar disinfection using a simple plating method. The well-known bacterial model Escherichia coli was used as pathogenic bacteria for the experiments. The damage mechanisms of E. coli were evaluated by simple plating method on selective, less selective and non-selective media. Results showed that, injured E. coli were detected at different levels during chlorine and solar disinfection. The use of selective media during water quality control showed effectively the destruction of E. coli during solar disinfection while the removal of E. coli during chlorine disinfection was not ensured. The damage of cell components and/or metabolic functions showed that there is a primary and mainly damage of E. coli during chorine and solar disinfection. Chlorination firstly and mainly damaged membrane cell followed by that of enzymatic functions and nucleic acid; while solar disinfection damaged mainly nucleic acid. The use of simple plating method in water quality control is limited by the choice of plating media depending on the disinfectant used. The understanding of the damage mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria cells during disinfection helps improve drinking water quality control and develops more effective disinfection strategies.© 2016 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Drinking water, pathogenic bacteria, E. coli, damage mechanisms, chlorine disinfection, solar disinfectio

Detection, identification and characterization of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases producing Enterobacteriaceae in wastewater and salads marketed in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) represent a threat for failure of empirical antibiotic therapy and are associated with high mortality, morbidity and expenses. The aims of this study was to determine the prevalence of ESBL-PE and multidrug resistant enterobacteria (MDR), enterobacteria profil, investigate the associated resistance in wastewater and salads. After wastewater and salad sampling, enterobacteria was isoled on (EMB + 4μg / L cefotaxim). The stains of Enterobacteriaceae were identified by using biochemical methods and confirmed as ESBL by double-disc synergy test (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid with cefotaxime 30 μg, ceftazidime 30 μg and ceftriaxone 30 μg). Finally, the associated resistance was investigated by testing the susceptibility of the strains by the disc diffusion method. Global prevalence of ESBL-PE was 53.92% (95% CI: 48,2-59,5) (153/293), 61.11% from wastewater and 42.47% from salads. Major ESBL-E was Escherichia coli (73.44%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (21.88%). Resistance to the aminoglycoside , fluroquinolonones and sulfonamides classes were dominant, observed in 53,83%, 93,86% and 98,95% of the isolates, respectively. The frequence of MDR was hight to channel1 (32,40%) and channel2 (26,26%). This study reports very worrying results. There is an urgent need to develop measures to monitor the spread of these multidrug-resistant strains.Keywords: Wastewater, ESBL-PE, Salads, Ouagadougou

Genomic Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Western Burkina Faso, West Africa.

BACKGROUND: After its initial detection in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly, causing successive epidemic waves worldwide. This study aims to provide a genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Burkina Faso. METHODS: Three hundred and seventy-seven SARS-CoV-2 genomes obtained from PCR-positive nasopharyngeal samples (PCR cycle threshold score < 35) collected between 5 May 2020, and 31 January 2022 were analyzed. Genomic sequences were assigned to phylogenetic clades using NextClade and to Pango lineages using pangolin. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were performed to determine the geographical sources and time of virus introduction in Burkina Faso. RESULTS: The analyzed SARS-CoV-2 genomes can be assigned to 10 phylogenetic clades and 27 Pango lineages already described worldwide. Our analyses revealed the important role of cross-border human mobility in the successive SARS-CoV-2 introductions in Burkina Faso from neighboring countries. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides additional insights into the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in West Africa. It highlights the importance of land travel in the spread of the virus and the need to rapidly implement preventive policies. Regional cross-border collaborations and the adherence of the general population to government policies are key to prevent new epidemic waves

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

La consolidation democratique a l’epreuve des etats de l’afrique subsaharienne: le cas de lacote d’ivoire

ABSTRACTThe issue of democratization in Black Africa was the subject of several analyzes and interprÉtat ions in light of many theoretical approaches of which economic and sociocultural ones seem to be dominant. Most theories that have been formulated to explain the failure of democratization in African states base their legitimacy on culturalist theories for which the culture and particularly the multiethnic nature of the societies is the main barrier. Moreover, the synopsis of 25 years of experience (since 1990s) does not say less because some multiethnic states have demonstrated consolidated democracy and other homogeneous states so far have not passed the transition overcoming the fratricidal wars. From then these cases allowed lifting the clichés of ethnic negationism on democratization and redirect researches on instrumentalizations or the politicization of ethnic groups which show themselves through formation of parties and political groupings with an ethnic, religious or / and regionalist character.In Sub-Saharan Africa, it is the transfer of the phenomenon of ethnicity in the public place by political actors which seems to hinder generally the process of democratization through contrast impacts on the formation of the national unity, the rule of law and reliable state institutions, of which the implementation remains a prerequisite for registration in democracy. Ethnicity itself does not constitute a barrier in the democratization. The examples of India and South Africa are very illustrative there. The return to the multiparty system has re-appeared ethnic tensions that were buried throughout the colonial period and under the regime of the unique party. These tensions which are the expression of the civil wars, recurring armed rebellions on the continent were several times the object of barrier in the current process of democratization. It is typically the case of Ivory Coast that since its first trial of transition in 1990 has difficulty in completing its process of democratization coloured of more often by breaks due to the interventions of military coup and armed rebellions of 1999 and 2002. ` RESUMELa question de la démocratisation en Afrique Noire a fait l’objet de plusieurs analyses et interprétations à la lumière de maintes approches théoriques parmi lesquelles celle économique et socioculturelle semblent être dominantes. La plupart des thèses qui ont été formulées pour expliquer l’échec de la démocratisation dans les États africains fondent leur légitimité des théories culturalistes pour laquelle la culture et notamment le caractère multiethnique des sociétés en constitue la barrière principale. À ce constat, le bilan des 25 ans d’expériences (depuis les années 1990) ne dit pas moins le contraire, car certains États multiethniques ont fait preuve de démocratie consolidée et d’autres également homogènes ont jusque-là pas franchi le cap de la transition en surmontant les guerres fratricides. Dès lors ces cas de figure ont permis de lever les clichés du négationnisme ethnique sur la démocratisation et de réorienter les recherches sur les instrumentalisations ou à la politisation de ces ethnies qui, dans la scène politique, se manifeste à travers des formations des partis et des regroupements politiques à caractère ethnique, religieux ou/ et régionaliste.En Afrique subsaharienne, c’est bien le transfert du phénomène de l’ethnicité dans l’espace public par les acteurs politiques qui semble entraver généralement le processus de démocratisation à travers des impacts contrastes sur la formation de l’unité nationale , de l’État de droit et des institutions étatiques fiables, dont la mise en place reste un préalable pour l’inscription de la démocratie. L’ethnicité en soi ne constitue pas une barrière à la démocratisation. Les exemples de l’Inde et de l’Afrique du Sud en sont très illustratifs. Par contre, le retour au multipartisme a fait ressurgir des tensions ethniques enterrées dans la période coloniale et sous le régime du parti unique. Ces tensions qui sont l’expression des guerres civiles, des rebellions armées récurrentes sur le continent ont plusieurs fois fait l’objet de barrière au processus de démocratisation en cours. C’est précisément le cas de la Côte d’Ivoire qui depuis son premier essai de transition en 1990 peine à parachever son processus de démocratisation teinté de plus souvent par des ruptures dues aux interventions de coup d’état militaire et rebellions armées de 1999 et de 2002.