Onchocerciasis prevalence, human migration and risks for onchocerciasis elimination in the Upper Mouhoun, Nakambé and Nazinon river basins in Burkina Faso.

Historically, the whole of Burkina Faso was considered to be endemic for onchocerciasis (except a small area in the far north of the country) with prevalence rates 60-80%, but all endemic areas were included in the World Health Organisation Onchocerciasis Control Programme, which operated a system of vector control by larviciding beginning in 1974. In Burkina Faso larviciding had been phased out by 1989 when it was considered that onchocerciasis had been reduced to levels below the transmission breakpoint (and any residual infections would disappear without further intervention). There was never any mass drug administration against onchocerciasis in Burkina Faso, except in the Bougouriba and Comoé river basins (from 1996 and 2011 to present respectively) because in each of these two areas there was a resurgence of infection, and in parts of the Nakambé River basin and Sissili River basin from 1992 to 1998. However, mass drug administration with ivermectin was also phased in across the whole country starting in 2000 using ivermectin against lymphatic filariasis and is currently being phased out (depending upon the epidemiological parameters). In this publication we report a new epidemiological survey for onchocerciasis which was carried out in 2014 in the Upper Mouhoun, Nakambé and Nazinon river basins in Burkina Faso to evaluate the prevalence and intensity of infection of onchocerciasis. A total of 11,195 people from 61 villages were examined across these three river basins, and onchocerciasis prevalence by skin-snip was below 5% in all villages, below 1% in 57 villages (93% of 61 villages) and zero in 47. In the 14 villages with positive skin snips, prevalence figures ranged from 0.31% to 3.50%. During the survey 31 infected individuals were found. All of them were Burkinabé, of whom 30 had a recent history of residence in Côte d'Ivoire (with a range of 0.5 to 73 microfilariae per skin-snip from two snips per person) and only one had no history of migration and presumably had an autochthonous infection (mean of 0.5 microfilariae per skin snip from two snips). According to parasitological indicators listed by the World Health Organization African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control in 2010, the situation for onchocerciasis was considered to be satisfactory in all three river basins and probably below the transmission threshold, in which case the disease should disappear naturally without the need for further intervention in the absence of continuing immigration. However, the results clearly indicate that infected persons coming from endemic zones of Côte d'Ivoire are settling in small communities which are otherwise nearly free from onchocerciasis in Burkina Faso. They are thus a source of continuing re-introduction of the parasite into the basins and could be a risk for the achievement of onchocerciasis elimination in all three basins. This would justify the continuation of periodic epidemiological surveys to monitor the possible recrudescence of the disease, and entomological (vector) surveys should be undertaken to assess and monitor the residual transmission

Fifteen Years of Annual Mass Treatment of Onchocerciasis with Ivermectin Have Not Interrupted Transmission in the West Region of Cameroon

We followed up the 1996 baseline parasitological and entomological studies on onchocerciasis transmission in eleven health districts in West Region, Cameroon. Annual mass ivermectin treatment had been provided for 15 years. Follow-up assessments which took place in 2005, 2006, and 2011 consisted of skin snips for microfilariae (mf) and palpation examinations for nodules. Follow-up Simulium vector dissections for larval infection rates were done from 2011 to 2012. mf prevalence in adults dropped from 68.7% to 11.4%, and nodule prevalence dropped from 65.9% to 12.1%. The decrease of mf prevalence in children from 29.2% to 8.9% was evidence that transmission was still continuing. mf rates in the follow-up assessments among adults and in children levelled out after a sharp reduction from baseline levels. Only three health districts out of 11 were close to interruption of transmission. Evidence of continuing transmission was also observed in two out of three fly collection sites that had infective rates of 0.19% and 0.18% and ATP of 70 (Foumbot) and 300 (Massangam), respectively. Therefore, halting of annual mass treatment with ivermectin cannot be done after 15 years as it might escalate the risk of transmission recrudescence

The Radiative Forcing of Aerosols in a West Africa Sahelian Urban City: Case Study of Ouagadougou

International audienc

Caractérisation expérimentale de l’émission d’oxydes d’azote dans l’incinération des déchets ménagers en four à grilles

International audienceIn front of a deposit of waste in constant evolution, the incineration became a very interesting alternative within the fields of management of waste. Nevertheless the combustion is generative of polluting, notably gas among whom nitrogen oxides. The study of the mechanisms of formation of these species shows a very strong dependence of their yield face to face of the local level in oxygen. So, our study was led to determine the influence of the excess air on the formation of NOx during the incineration of municipal solid wastes. This study allows to note the importance of the distribution of the airs between the primary and secondary injections.Face à un gisement de déchets en constante évolution, l’incinération est devenue une alternative très intéressante au sein des filières de gestion des déchets. Néanmoins la combustion est génératrice de polluants, notamment gazeux parmi lesquels les oxydes d’azote. L’étude des mécanismes de formation de ces espèces montre une très forte dépendance de leur rendement de formation vis à vis de la richesse locale en oxygène. Ainsi, notre étude a été menée afin d’étudier l’influence des débits d’air comburant sur la formation des NOx lors de l’incinération des déchets ménagers en four à grille. Cette étude permet de noter l’importance de la répartition des airs entre les injections primaires et secondaires

Embargo on Lion Hunting Trophies from West Africa: An Effective Measure or a Threat to Lion Conservation?

<div><p>The W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) ecosystem, shared among Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger, represents the last lion stronghold of West Africa. To assess the impact of trophy hunting on lion populations in hunting areas of the WAP, we analyzed trends in harvest rates from 1999 to 2014. We also investigated whether the hunting areas with higher initial hunting intensity experienced steeper declines in lion harvest between 1999 and 2014, and whether lion densities in hunting areas were lower than in national parks. Lion harvest rate remained overall constant in the WAP. At initial hunting intensities below 1.5 lions/1000km², most hunting areas experienced an increase in lion harvest rate, although that increase was of lower magnitude for hunting areas with higher initial hunting intensity. The proportion of hunting areas that experienced a decline in lion harvest rate increased at initial hunting intensities above 1.5 lions/1000km². In 2014, the lion population of the WAP was estimated with a spoor count at 418 (230–648) adults and sub-adult individuals, comparable to the 311 (123–498) individuals estimated in the previous 2012 spoor survey. We found no significant lion spoor density differences between national parks and hunting areas. Hunting areas with higher mean harvest rates did not have lower lion densities. The ratio of large adult males, females and sub-adults was similar between the national parks and the hunting areas. These results suggested that the lion population was not significantly affected by hunting in the WAP. We concluded that a quota of 1 lion/1000km² would be sustainable for the WAP. Based on our results, an import embargo on lion trophies from the WAP would not be justified. It could ruin the incentive of local actors to conserve lions in hunting areas, and lead to a drastic reduction of lion range in West Africa.</p></div

Results of the lion count.

<p>Area in km², Number of transects, Transects length in km, Substrate quality, Number of fresh spoors observed, Track density (N/100 km), estimated lion population density (N/100 km²), lion estimate (N), Coefficient of variation (CV) in %, minimum and maximum 95% Confidence Interval (CI) in each stratum of < and > 5 km from water and for the entire W Arly Pendjari Ecosystem. Details per area is given in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0155763#pone.0155763.s002" target="_blank">S2 Table</a>.</p

Lion density in 2014 (N/100 km²), vs. the mean of 16 years harvest between 1999 and 2014 (mean number of lions harvested/1000 km²).

<p>Each point represents a hunting area.</p

Data for: Onchocerciasis prevalence, human migration and risks for onchocerciasis elimination in the Upper Mouhoun, Nakambé and Nazinon river basins in Burkina Faso

The data relate to historical epidemiological surveys for the prevalence in onchocerciasis in some areas in Burkina Faso

Traceability of Blood Transfusions and Reporting of Adverse Reactions in Developing Countries: A Six-Year Postpilot Phase Experience in Burkina Faso.

Traceability is an essential tool for haemovigilance and transfusion safety. In Burkina Faso, the implementation of haemovigilance has been achieved as part of a pilot project from 2005 to 2009. Our study aims to evaluate the traceability of blood transfusions and reporting of adverse reactions over the 6-year postpilot phase. A cross-sectional study including all blood units ordered between 2010 and 2015 has been conducted in public and private health care facilities supplied with blood products by the transfusion center of Bobo-Dioulasso. The complete traceability was possible for 83.5% of blood units delivered. Adverse reactions were reported in 107 cases representing 2.1/1,000 blood units per annum. Transfusions of wrong blood to wrong patient were reported in 13 cases. Our study shows that the haemovigilance system in Burkina Faso must be improved. Healthcare workers have to be sensitized on how traceability and haemovigilance could impact the quality of care provided to patients