Campylobacter Spp. Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Susceptibility in a Developing Country, Burkina Faso (West Africa)

Data on campylobacteriosis are almost nonexistent in Burkina Faso. In this study conducted from 2006 to 2008 in Ouagadougou, stool specimens and sociodemographic data were collected from 1 246 patients attending the university teaching hospital for enteritis. Stool samples were analyzed for the presence of Campylobacter by the direct culture method on selective mCCDA agar followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing on the isolated strains. The isolation rate of Campylobacter was 2.3%,comprising of the following species C. jejuni (51.8%), C. coli (13.8%), and C. upsaliensis (3.5%). However, 30.9% of the isolates were unidentified. No resistant strain was found to gentamicin. The resistance to amoxicillin+clavulanic acid (3.4%) was lower than those (10.3-34.5%) to the other antibiotics: erythromycin (10.3%), tetracycline (10.3%), ciprofloxacin (13.8%), amoxicillin (24.1%) and ceftriaxone (34.5%), nalidixic acid (34.5%). Significant associations were found between Campylobacter enteritis and contact with animals (P=0.03), and HIV infection (P<0.0001), in contrast to other sociodemographic and seasonal factors. From the data obtained Amoxicillin+clavulanic acid appear to be the first choice for treatment. The implementation of a national program may be helpful in controlling the spread of the disease and the increase of resistance to antibiotics.Keywords: Campylobacter, epidemiology, HIV, drug resistance, Burkina Fas

Is the onset of disabling chronic conditions in later childhood associated with exposure to social disadvantage in earlier childhood? a prospective cohort study using the ONS Longitudinal Study for England and Wales

Background: The aetiology of disabling chronic conditions in childhood in high income countries is not fully understood, particularly the association with socio-economic status (SES). Very few studies have used longitudinal datasets to examine whether exposure to social disadvantage in early childhood increases the risk of developing chronic conditions in later childhood. Here we examine this association, and its temporal ordering, with onset of all-cause disabling chronic later childhood in children reported as free from disability in early childhood. Methods: The study comprised a prospective cohort study, using data from the Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study (ONSLS) for England and Wales. The study sample included 52,839 children with complete data born between 1981–1991 with no disabling chronic condition/s in 1991. Index cases were children with disability recorded in 2001. Comparison cases were children with no recorded disability in 1991. A socio-economic disadvantage index (SDI) was constructed from data on social class, housing tenure and car/van access. Associations were explored with logistic regression modelling controlling sequentially for potentially confounding factors; age, gender, ethnicity and lone parenthood. Results: By 2001, 2049 (4%) had at least one disability. Socio-economic disadvantage, age, gender and lone parenthood but not ethnicity were significantly associated with onset of disabling chronic conditions. The SDI showed a finely graded association with onset of disabling chronic conditions in the index group (most disadvantaged OR 2·11 [CI 1·76 to 2·53]; disadvantaged in two domains OR 1·45 [CI 1·20 to 1·75]; disadvantaged in one domain OR 1·14 [CI 0·93 to 1·39] that was unaffected by age, gender and ethnicity and slightly attenuated by lone parenthood. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to identify socio-economic disadvantage in earlier childhood as a predisposing factor for onset of all-cause disabling chronic conditions in later childhood. Temporal ordering and gradation of the response indicate socio-economic disadvantage may play a causal role. This suggests that targeting preventative efforts to reduce socio-economic disadvantage in early childhood is likely to be an important public health strategy to decease health inequalities in later childhood and early adulthood

Evaluation de l’utilisation du partogramme pour la surveillance du travail d’accouchement dans le district sanitaire de kaya

Cette étude avait pour objectif de déterminer le taux d’utilisation du partogramme, identifier les facteurs influençant son utilisation, analyser la qualité des partogrammes réalisés, décrire le niveau de connaissance du partogramme par les agents accoucheurs.Elle s’est déroulée dans le district sanitaire de Kaya où l’Institut de  Recherche en Sciences de la Santé a mis en place un site de surveillance démographique épidémiologique qui couvre huit maternités. Il s’agissait d’une analyse rétrospective des dossiers d’accouchements. Etaient inclus dans notre étude tous les accouchements qui ont eu lieu du 01 Juillet 2007 au 30 Juin 2009 dans les 08 maternités concernées par notre étude.Nous avons enregistré 600 accouchements et réalisés 51 interviews des agents. Le taux d’utilisation du partogramme était de 20,2 %. Cette utilisation était influencée par le niveau de la structure sanitaire (p < 0,001), par la gestité (OR 1,54 IC95 % 1,1-2,2), les antécédents de mort-nés et d’avortements (OR 2,05 IC95 % 1,3-3,2), l’aspect du liquide amniotique (OR 1,83 IC95 % 1,1-3), la tension artérielle (OR 2,1 IC95 % 1,2- 3,5), l’existence d’OMI ou de complication (p < 0,001). La proportion des partogrammes qui avaient un niveau de qualité satisfaisant (Score de qualité ³ 7/10) était de 57,9 %. Selon le score de connaissance du partogramme, 46 % avaient un bon niveau de connaissance du partogramme et 27 % avaient un niveau moyen.Mots clés : Mortalité maternelle, Mortalité néonatale, Partogramme, Accouchement, Surveillance

Factors affecting antenatal care attendance: results from qualitative studies in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Antenatal care (ANC) is a key strategy to improve maternal and infant health. However, survey data from sub-Saharan Africa indicate that women often only initiate ANC after the first trimester and do not achieve the recommended number of ANC visits. Drawing on qualitative data, this article comparatively explores the factors that influence ANC attendance across four sub-Saharan African sites in three countries (Ghana, Kenya and Malawi) with varying levels of ANC attendance. METHODS: Data were collected as part of a programme of qualitative research investigating the social and cultural context of malaria in pregnancy. A range of methods was employed interviews, focus groups with diverse respondents and observations in local communities and health facilities. RESULTS: Across the sites, women attended ANC at least once. However, their descriptions of ANC were often vague. General ideas about pregnancy care - checking the foetus' position or monitoring its progress - motivated women to attend ANC; as did, especially in Kenya, obtaining the ANC card to avoid reprimands from health workers. Women's timing of ANC initiation was influenced by reproductive concerns and pregnancy uncertainties, particularly during the first trimester, and how ANC services responded to this uncertainty; age, parity and the associated implications for pregnancy disclosure; interactions with healthcare workers, particularly messages about timing of ANC; and the cost of ANC, including charges levied for ANC procedures - in spite of policies of free ANC - combined with ideas about the compulsory nature of follow-up appointments. CONCLUSION: In these socially and culturally diverse sites, the findings suggest that 'supply' side factors have an important influence on ANC attendance: the design of ANC and particularly how ANC deals with the needs and concerns of women during the first trimester has implications for timing of initiation

Antimalarial plant remedies from Burkina Faso: Their potential for prophylactic use.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Saye, a combination remedy prepared from Cochlospermum planchonii Hook.f. (Cochlospermaceae), Cassia alata L. (Fabaceae) and Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. et Thonn. (Euphorbiaceae), N’Dribala, a Cochlospermum planchonii root decoction, and a fruit preparation of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae) are plant remedies of the folk medicine in Burkina Faso and are commonly used by traditional healers for the treatment of malaria. Aim of the study: This study aimed at validating the antiplasmodial activity of the preparations and at estimating their potential for prophylaxis, using the murine malaria system Plasmodium berghei/Anopheles stephensi. Materials and methods: Aqueous extracts were orally administered to mice (6 animals per treatment group) at a daily dose of 200 mg/kg body weight for nine days, applying protocols that mimic as much as possible traditional recipes and treatment schemes. Results: Saye, N’Dribala and Azadirachta indica preparations revealed prophylactic activity, reducing parasitaemia in treated mice, with respect to controls, by 52.0% (CI95 46.1–57.9), 45.5% (CI95 44.5–46.5) and 45.0% (CI95 41.1–48.9), respectively. No evidence of transmission blocking effects was detected with any of the tested remedies. Conclusions: This study confirms, in the murine malaria system, the antiplasmodial properties of the examined remedies on the Plasmodium stages developing in the vertebrate host, thus encouraging studies aiming at identifying the active fractions and compounds responsible for the described activity and to develop standardized prophylactic remedies

Child abdominal tumour in tropical context: Think about schistosomiasis!

International audienc

Consommation des psychotropes en milieu scolaire, au Burkina Faso : Prévalences et facteurs de risque

L’utilisation des substances psycho-actives est un phénomène récurrent et persistant en Afrique et le milieu scolaire n’en est pas épargné. Mesurer la prévalence de la consommation des principales substances psycho-actives et d’en déterminer les facteurs de risque en milieu scolaire de l’enseignement secondaire de la ville de Ouagadougou était notre objectif. Pour ce faire, nous avons mené une étude épidémiologique transversale, par questionnaire auto administré. Elle a été conduite en 2006 auprès des élèves des établissements d’enseignement secondaire de la ville de Ouagadougou. Au total, 3301 élèves ont participé à l’étude. L’âge moyen des élèves était de 15 ± 3 ans. Les filles représentaient 55,5 % de l’échantillon. D’une manière générale, l’alcool est la substance la plus expérimentée par les élèves (34,14 %), suivi du tabac (10,16 %), les somnifères et tranquillisants (5,12 %), les autres substances (7,1%) et le cannabis (1,73 %). La fréquence de consommation de toutes les substances augmente avec l’âge. Les facteurs associés à la consommation du tabac dans l’échantillon sont le fait de passer des soirées hors domicile sans autorisation des parents (OR-IC 3,82 [2,50-5,83]), le fait de « sécher des cours » (2,14 [1,52-3 ,02]), la consommation dans l’entourage aussi bien parmi les parents (1,50 [1,05-2,15]) que par les amis (5,66 [4,02-7,96]). Pour l’alcool, les facteurs les plus significativement associés à la consommation par les élèves sont la consommation dans l’entourage familial (5,52 [3,83-7,96]) ou par les amis (3,55 [2,56-4,91]) et la consommation du cannabis par les élèves est surtout associée au fait d’avoir un ami qui en consomme (16.29 [5.89-45.03]). Les résultats de cette étude montrent que la consommation des substances psycho-actives par les jeunes scolarisés est une réalité dans notre pays. D’où l’importance du renforcement de la sensibilisation aussi bien des parents d’élèves que des élèves eux-mêmes autour des méfaits des substances psychotropes.Mots clés : psychotropes, santé des adolescents, milieu scolaires, prévalence, facteurs de risque, Pays en développement