Perceptions et pratiques à risque face au Covid-19 dans les milieux de coiffure et de tresse des femmes à Abidjan

Covid-19 is a disease that affects people from all walks of life, especially high-traffic areas. This is a concern for the world given the complexity of its control due to the resistance of the populations in the face of barrier measures. This text aims to analyze the perceptions and social practices at risk in the face of Covid-19 in women's hairstyles and braids in Abidjan. It is a mixed study (qualitative and quantitative) which mobilized a questionnaire administered to 90 women, an interview guide which made it possible to carry out interviews with 15 people and an observation grid. The results showed a multiplicity of interpretations of Covid-19, an increased risk of transmission and spread of this scourge in these environments and the use of local practices in the face of this disease. Also, the study reveals that the fight against Covid-19 can impact social relations within communities. This can influence the fight against this pandemic in Côte d'Ivoire.Le Covid-19 est une maladie qui affecte les populations de tous les milieux de la société, notamment les zones de grande affluence. C’est une préoccupation pour le monde vu la complexité de sa maitrise due aux résistances des populations face aux mesures barrières. Ce texte a pour objectif d’analyser les perceptions et pratiques sociales à risque face au Covid-19 dans les milieux de coiffures et de tresses de femmes à Abidjan. C’est une étude mixte (qualitative et quantitative) qui a mobilisé un questionnaire administré à 90 femmes, un guide d’entretien qui a permis de faire des interviews avec 15 personnes et une grille d’observation. Les résultats ont montré une multiplicité des interprétations du Covid-19, un risque accru de transmission et de propagation de ce fléau dans ces milieux et un usage de pratiques locales face à cette maladie. Également, l’étude révèle que la lutte contre le Covid-19 peut avoir un impact sur les relations sociales au sein des communautés. Ainsi, le non-respect des mesures barrières lié aux normes sociales peut-il influencer négativement la lutte contre cette pandémie en Côte d’Ivoire

Perceptions et pratiques à risque face au Covid-19 dans les milieux de coiffure et de tresse des femmes à Abidjan

Covid-19 is a disease that affects people from all walks of life, especially high-traffic areas. This is a concern for the world given the complexity of its control due to the resistance of the populations in the face of barrier measures. This text aims to analyze the perceptions and social practices at risk in the face of Covid-19 in women's hairstyles and braids in Abidjan. It is a mixed study (qualitative and quantitative) which mobilized a questionnaire administered to 90 women, an interview guide which made it possible to carry out interviews with 15 people and an observation grid. The results showed a multiplicity of interpretations of Covid-19, an increased risk of transmission and spread of this scourge in these environments and the use of local practices in the face of this disease. Also, the study reveals that the fight against Covid-19 can impact social relations within communities. This can influence the fight against this pandemic in Côte d'Ivoire.Le Covid-19 est une maladie qui affecte les populations de tous les milieux de la société, notamment les zones de grande affluence. C’est une préoccupation pour le monde vu la complexité de sa maitrise due aux résistances des populations face aux mesures barrières. Ce texte a pour objectif d’analyser les perceptions et pratiques sociales à risque face au Covid-19 dans les milieux de coiffures et de tresses de femmes à Abidjan. C’est une étude mixte (qualitative et quantitative) qui a mobilisé un questionnaire administré à 90 femmes, un guide d’entretien qui a permis de faire des interviews avec 15 personnes et une grille d’observation. Les résultats ont montré une multiplicité des interprétations du Covid-19, un risque accru de transmission et de propagation de ce fléau dans ces milieux et un usage de pratiques locales face à cette maladie. Également, l’étude révèle que la lutte contre le Covid-19 peut avoir un impact sur les relations sociales au sein des communautés. Ainsi, le non-respect des mesures barrières lié aux normes sociales peut-il influencer négativement la lutte contre cette pandémie en Côte d’Ivoire

DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS FOR HUMAN AFRICAN TRYPANOSOMIASIS ELIMINATION AND CLINICAL TRIALS: THE DITECT-HAT PROJECT

Background Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (Tbg) causes human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), one of the neglected tropical diseases targeted for elimination. Integration of diagnosis and case management into the general health system, sustainable monitoring of eliminated foci and development of safe and efficacious drugs, remain important challenges. Methods The DiTECT-HAT project tackles these challenges. For passive case detection, we will determine the diagnostic performance and cost of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) performed on clinical suspects in peripheral health centres, whether or not combined with serological and/or molecular tests on filter paper done at regional reference centres. Cost-effective diagnostic algorithms with high positive predictive values might allow test-and-treat scenarios without the need for complicated parasitological confirmations. Secondly, health workers performing house to house visits in foci with very low HAT prevalence can easily collect blood on filter paper and send it to regional HAT reference centres for analysis. The feasibility and cost of diagnostic algorithms with RDTs, serological and molecular high-throughput tests for post-elimination monitoring will be determined. An appropriate threshold will be established to trigger active case finding to avoid re-emergence of HAT, without unnecessarily raising the alarm. Finally, the accuracy of neopterin and RNA detection as early test-of-cure will be determined in therapeutic trials. Earlier treatment outcome assessment will speed up the development of new drugs for HAT, and improve management of relapses in routine care. Results An update of ongoing and planned activities is given. The passive case detection sub-project is being set up in DR Congo, Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea. The inclusions for the early test-of-cure sub-project are ongoing in DR Congo. Conclusions The proposed research will provide evidence to support policies for improved HAT diagnosis and patient management within a context of disease elimination, and will contribute to successful and sustainable HAT elimination

Standardising Visual Control Devices for Tsetse Flies: Central and West African Species <i>Glossina palpalis palpalis</i>

Background: Glossina palpalis palpalis (G. p. palpalis) is one of the principal vectors of sleeping sickness and nagana in Africa with a geographical range stretching from Liberia in West Africa to Angola in Central Africa. It inhabits tropical rain forest but has also adapted to urban settlements. We set out to standardize a long-lasting, practical and cost-effective visually attractive device that would induce the strongest landing response by G. p. palpalis for future use as an insecticide impregnated tool in area-wide population suppression of this fly across its range. Methodology/Principal Findings: Trials were conducted in wet and dry seasons in the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola to measure the performance of traps (biconical, monoconical and pyramidal) and targets of different sizes and colours, with and without chemical baits, at different population densities and under different environmental conditions. Adhesive film was used as a practical enumerator at these remote locations to compare landing efficiencies of devices. Independent of season and country, both phthalogen blue-black and blue-black-blue 1 m2 targets covered with adhesive film proved to be as good as traps in phthalogen blue or turquoise blue for capturing G. p. palpalis. Trap efficiency varied (8–51%). There was no difference between the performance of blue-black and blue-blackblue 1 m2 targets. Baiting with chemicals augmented the overall performance of targets relative to traps. Landings on smaller phthalogen blue-black 0.25 m2 square targets were not significantly different from either 1 m2 blue-black-blue or blue-black square targets. Three times more flies were captured per unit area on the smaller device. Conclusions/Significance:Blue-black 0.25 m2 cloth targets show promise as simple cost effective devices for management of G. p. palpalis as they can be used for both control when impregnated with insecticide and for population sampling when covered with adhesive film

The cost of tsetse control using 'Tiny Targets' in the sleeping sickness endemic forest area of Bonon in Côte d'Ivoire: Implications for comparing costs across different settings.

BACKGROUND Work to control the gambiense form of human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT), or sleeping sickness, is now directed towards ending transmission of the parasite by 2030. In order to supplement gHAT case-finding and treatment, since 2011 tsetse control has been implemented using Tiny Targets in a number of gHAT foci. As this intervention is extended to new foci, it is vital to understand the costs involved. Costs have already been analysed for the foci of Arua in Uganda and Mandoul in Chad. This paper examines the costs of controlling Glossina palpalis palpalis in the focus of Bonon in Côte d'Ivoire from 2016 to 2017. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Some 2000 targets were placed throughout the main gHAT transmission area of 130 km2 at a density of 14.9 per km2. The average annual cost was USD 0.5 per person protected, USD 31.6 per target deployed of which 12% was the cost of the target itself, or USD 471.2 per km2 protected. Broken down by activity, 54% was for deployment and maintenance of targets, 34% for tsetse surveys/monitoring and 12% for sensitising populations. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The cost of tsetse control per km2 of the gHAT focus protected in Bonon was more expensive than in Chad or Uganda, while the cost per km2 treated, that is the area where the targets were actually deployed, was cheaper. Per person protected, the Bonon cost fell between the two, with Uganda cheaper and Chad more expensive. In Bonon, targets were deployed throughout the protected area, because G. p. palpalis was present everywhere, whereas in Chad and Uganda G. fuscipes fuscipes was found only the riverine fringing vegetation. Thus, differences between gHAT foci, in terms of tsetse ecology and human geography, impact on the cost-effectiveness of tsetse control. It also demonstrates the need to take into account both the area treated and protected alongside other impact indicators, such as the cost per person protected

Diversite Phlebotomienne Dans Trois Villages De La Commune De Bouake (Côte D’ivoire) Durant La Periode De Mars A Juin 2019

La leishmaniose cutanée est une parasitose due à des protozoaires du genre Leishmania et répandue dans le monde. Une enquête médicale réalisée dans trois villages de la ville de Bouaké, autour de cas suspects de leishmaniose cutanée, a permis de confirmer la présence de cette pathologie dans ces villages. Dans le cadre de l’identification des acteurs du cycle épidémiologique de la leishmaniose cutanée, une étude entomologique a été conduite dans ces villages afin d’identifier les phlébotomes potentiels vecteurs de leishmanies. Les pièges huileux et les pièges lumineux CDC, ont été posés entre mars et juin 2019, suivant une méthode de rotation entre les sites de piégeage. Ils ont été posés entre 17h et 18h et relevés le lendemain matin entre 7h et 8h. La diversité spécifique des espèces identifiées a été déterminée à partir des indices écologiques d’équitabilité et de Hill. Ces pièges ont permis la capture de 135 phlébotomes, dont 78 ont été morphologiquement identifiés. Le genre Sergentomyia constituait 91% de nos récoltes contre 9% pour le genre Phlebotomus. Ph. bergeroti, Ph. rodhaini et Ph. sergenti étaient les espèces du genre Phlebotomus, capturées dans ces sites. Des travaux approfondis portant sur l’identification du parasite à la fois chez les phlébotomes et chez l’homme doivent être effectués, afin d’identifier les phlébotomes incriminés dans la transmission des leishmanies à Bouaké. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a parasitosis caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania and is widespread worldwide. A medical survey carried out in three villages of the city of Bouaké, around suspected cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, confirmed the presence of this pathology in these villages. As part of the identification of the actors of the epidemiological cycle of cutaneous leishmaniasis, an entomological study was conducted in these villages in order to identify potential phlebotomus vectors of leishmaniasis. Oil traps and CDC light traps were set between March and June 2019, following a rotation method between trapping sites. They were set between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm and were collected the next morning between 7:00 am and 8:00 am. The specific diversity of the identified species was determined from the ecological indices of equitability and Hill's ecological indices. These traps allowed the capture of 135 sandfish, 78 of which were morphologically identified. The genus Sergentomyia constituted 91% of our harvests against 9% for the genus Phlebotomus. Ph. bergeroti, Ph. rodhaini and Ph. sergenti were the species of the genus Phlebotomus caught at these sites. Further work on the identification of the parasite in both sandflies and humans should be carried out in order to identify the sandflies incriminated in the transmission of leishmania in Bouaké

Towards an optimal design of target for tsetse control: comparisons of novel targets for the control of Palpalis group tsetse

Abstract Background: Tsetse flies of the Palpalis group are the main vectors of sleeping sickness in Africa. Insecticide impregnated targets are one of the most effective tools for control. However, the cost of these devices still represents a constraint to their wider use. The objective was therefore to improve the cost effectiveness of currently used devices