Spatial and temporal variation of malaria entomological parameters at the onset of a hydro-agricultural development in central Côte d'Ivoire

A deeper understanding of the ecology and small-scale heterogeneity of malaria transmission is essential for the design of effective prevention, control and elimination interventions. The spatial and temporal distribution of malaria vectors was investigated in five villages in close proximity to a hydro-agricultural system in Côte d'Ivoire over the course of construction and the early phase of irrigated rice farming.; The study was carried out in five villages (Raffierkro, N'Douakro, Ahougui, Kpokahankro, Koffikro) near Bouaké, central Côte d'Ivoire, between early 2007 and late 2009. In each village, mosquitoes were collected by human landing catches and identified morphologically at genus and species level, and entomological parameters were determined. Plasmodium infection was assessed by dissection and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.; A total of 19,404 mosquitoes belonging to the genus Anopheles were sampled during 328 human-night catches. Before the construction of the hydro-agricultural system, comparable densities of Anopheles gambiae were observed in all villages. In subsequent years, densities in Raffierkro and Ahougui were significantly higher than the other villages [Kruskal-Wallis (KW) test = 31.13, p > 0.001]. The density of Anopheles funestus in the five villages was comparable in the early stage of the project, while a high density was reported in Koffikro at the end (KW test = 11.91, p = 0.018). Transmission of Plasmodium falciparum is perennial in the study area. Over the course of the study, high entomological inoculation rates (EIRs) were found: 219-328 infectious bites per person per year with An. gambiae. For An. funestus considerably lower EIRs were observed (5.7-39.4). Changing patterns of An. gambiae were not correlated with malaria transmission.; In this study setting, located in the bioclimatic transition zone of Côte d'Ivoire, rice cultivation was not observed to increase malaria transmission. The entomological parameters recorded until the onset of rice-growing activities in a hydro-agricultural system presented considerable heterogeneity both in space and time; a strong increase of Anopheles mosquitoes was observed in two of the five villages located in close proximity to the dam and irrigated rice fields. Malaria still is a main public health problem in all villages that require adequate control measures

Strong gametocytocidal effect of methylene blue-based combination therapy against falciparum malaria

With the availability of new preventive and curative interventions, global malaria control has been strengthened significantly in recent years. Drugs effective in reducing malaria gametocytaemia might contribute to local elimination and possible long-term eradication. We here report on the effects of methylene blue (MB)-based malaria combination therapy on gametocytaemia during a randomised-controlled trial in Burkina Faso. An open-label randomised controlled phase II study in 180 children aged 6-10 years with uncomplicated falciparum malaria was conducted in Nouna, north-western Burkina Faso. Children were randomised to MB-artesunate (AS), MB-amodiaquine (AQ), and AS-AQ (local standard of care). Overall follow-up was for 28 days, follow-up for gametocytaemia was for 14 days. The treatment groups were similar in baseline characteristics and there was only one loss to follow-up. Compared to AS-AQ, both MB-containing regimens were associated with significantly reduced gametocyte carrier rates during follow-up days 3, 7, and 14. This effect was seen both in patients with and without P. falciparum gametocytaemia at baseline. MB reveals pronounced gametocytocidal activity which appears to act against both existing and developing P. falciparum gametocytes. MB-based combination therapy thus has the potential to reduce transmission of P. falciparum malaria in endemic regions, which has important implications for future elimination and eradication strategies

Etude comparative de la commercialisation et la consommation du tilapia eleve en Cote d’ivoire et importe de la chine

La production aquacole en Afrique subsaharienne, en général, et en Côte d’Ivoire, en particulier, est faible, malgré de nombreuses années de pratique. En effet, la pisciculture ivoirienne ne contribue qu’à hauteur de 4,12 % de la production nationale. Une telle situation oblige le  gouvernement ivoirien a  importé de la Chine des poissons congelés, notamment le tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Cette situation crée une compétition entre le tilapia élevé en Côte d’Ivoire et le tilapia importé de la Chine sur le marché ivoirien. La présente étude vise à comparer la commercialisation et la consommation du tilapia élevé en Côte d’Ivoire et du tilapia importé de Chine. Une enquête a été réalisée à l’aide d’un questionnaire auprès de 479 personnes dans les marchés locaux, les restaurants, les maquis et chez les consommateurs, de février 2017 à novembre 2018, dans les dix communes d’Abidjan. Les résultats ont montré que 74,95 % des détaillants sur les marchés locaux vendent le tilapia en provenance de la Chine. Seulement 25,05 % de détaillants enquêtés vendent du tilapia élevé et/ou pêché en Côte d’Ivoire. Concernant les restaurants et les maquis, l’enquête a montré que 73,77 %de ces derniers cuisinent du tilapia importé de la Chine. Les autres 26,23 % de restaurants et maquis utilisent le tilapia produits en Côte d’Ivoire. En ce qui concerne les consommateurs, l’enquête a montré que 83 % des ménages consomment le tilapia d’élevage ou pêché en Côte d’Ivoire. Seulement 17 % des ménages disent avoir consommé régulièrement du tilapia importé de Chine. L’étude a révélé que le tilapia importé de la Chine est rentré dans les habitudes culinaires des ménages ivoiriens. Il est commercialisé sur les marchés locaux et servi en consommation dans les restaurants et les maquis des communes d’Abidjan.Mots clés : Compétition, Tilapia élevé, Tilapia importé, Côte d’Ivoire, Chine. English title: Comparative study of the marketing and consumption of high tilapia in Côte d’Ivoire and importy of ChinaAquaculture production in sub-Saharan Africa, in general, and in Côte d’Ivoire, in particular, is low, despite many years of practice. In fact, Ivorian fish farming contributes only 4.12% of national production. This situation forces the Ivorian government to import frozen fish from China, including the tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. This situation creates competition between tilapia grown in Côte d’Ivoire and tilapia imported from China into the Ivorian market. The present study aims to compare the marketing and consumption of high tilapia in Ivory Coast and tilapia imported from China. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire with 479 people in local markets, restaurants, maquis and consumers, from February 2017 to November 2018, in the ten municipalities of Abidjan. The results showed that 74.95% of retailers in local markets sell tilapia from China. Only 25.05% of retailers surveyed sell tilapia high and / or caught in Côte d’Ivoire. Regarding restaurants and maquis, the survey showed that 73.77% of them cook tilapia imported from China. The remaining 26.23% of restaurants and maquis use tilapia products in Côte d’Ivoire. With regard to consumers, the survey showed that 83% of households consume farmed tilapia or caught in Côte d’Ivoire. Only 17% of households say they have regularly consumed tilapia imported from China. The study revealed that tilapia imported from China has returned to the culinary habits of Ivorian households. It is marketed in local markets and served in consumption in restaurants and scrub in the municipalities of Abidjan.Keywords: Competition, High Tilapia, Imported Tilapia, Ivory Coast, China

Principaux facteurs qui affectent l’état nutritionnel et de santé des enfants exposés à l’aflatoxine au Bénin: Application du model Probit

Une enquête diagnostique a été conduite en zones agro-écologiques côtière et guinéenne du Bénin pour évaluer le niveau d’exposition à l’aflatoxine d’origine alimentaire et l’état nutritionnel et de santé des enfants de moins de 5 ans. La régression multiple et une analyse économétrique (Probit) ont été effectuées pour identifie les principaux facteurs qui affectent l’état nutritionnel et de santé de ces enfants. Les résultats de l’analyse du sang montrent que presque tous les enfants (99%) sont testés positifs à l’aflatoxine avec un taux moyen de concentration de 0,56 pg/ml de sang. Les principaux facteurs socioéconomiques dont le revenu hebdomadaire du ménage, la superficie de culture emblavée et le niveau d’éducation formelle font diminuer la malnutrition chez les enfants de moins de 5 ans exposés à l’aflatoxine. La présence d’aflatoxine dans le sang des enfants est négativement corrélée au taux d’hémoglobine et positivement corrélé à la morbidité observée chez ces enfants. D’autres facteurs comme les bonnes techniques de stockage du maïs, la pré-préparation hygiénique des aliments destinés aux enfants réduisent significativement l’aflatoxine dans le sang pendant que la fréquence de consommation du maïs relativement élevée contribue à sa concentration dans le sang. Mots clés: facteurs, aflatoxine, santé, état nutritionnelfacteurs, aflatoxine, santé, état nutritionnel, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Health Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Marketing, Production Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Présentations de l’adénite tuberculeuse de la tête et du cou au CHU de Bobo- Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Les ganglions de la tête et du cou sont parmi les localisations les plus fréquentes de la tuberculose, un problème de santé publique dans le monde. Une étude rétrospective conduite entre 2001 et 2010 rapporte les caractéristiques épidémiologiques et cliniques de l'adénite tuberculeuse de la tête et du cou, au CHU Sanou Souro, au Burkina Faso. Au total, 115 patients ont été observés dont l'âge était compris entre 2 ans et 64 ans (moyenne 31,46 ans). Il y avait 53 patients de sexe masculin (46,1%) et 62 de sexe féminin (53,9%). Un pic de fréquence de 39,8 % était observé entre 30 et 39 ans. Les adénopathies cervicales étaient multiples chez 96,5% des patients et abcédées chez 30%. Elles étaient associées à des adénopathies extra cervicales chez 16,6% des patients. Chez 83,4% des patients, il a été noté un ou plusieurs signes à type d'asthénie et ou d'amaigrissement (70,8%), de fièvre 25% ou de toux (20,8%). L'infection associée la plus fréquente était celle par le VIH, observée chez 43,3% des patients. Les résultats de cette étude commandent la recherche systématique de l'infection par le VIH chez tout patient porteur d'adénite cervicale tuberculeuse dans un contexte de double endémicité de la tuberculose et de l'infection à VIH.Key words: Adénite, Tête et cou, Tuberculose, VI

Les fièvres dans un centre PMI d'Abidjan : étiologies et pratiques thérapeutiques

Les auteurs ont étudié les caractéristiques clinicobiologiques de tous les enfants consultant pour fièvre dans un centre de Protection Maternelle et Infantile d'un quartier populaire d'Abidjan; soit du 01.02.1987 au 30.04.1987, 354 enfants avec plus de 37°8 C de température rectale. Le diagnostic le plus fréquent est celui de rougeole (184) suivi des infections respiratoires aiguës (90). Seuls 11 cas de paludisme ont été diagnostiqués cliniquement mais 29 enfants sont porteurs de plasmodium dont 4 #P. malariae$ et 26 avec une parasitémie supérieure à 1000 GR parasités par mm3. Il semble que la stratégie de chimiothérapie présomptive des accès fébriles continue à se justifier, les infirmiers se montrant capables de suspecter les causes d'hyperthermie autres que palustres. (Résumé d'auteur

Safety and efficacy of methylene blue combined with artesunate or amodiaquine for uncomplicated falciparum malaria

Besides existing artemisinin-based combination therapies, alternative safe, effective and affordable drug combinations against falciparum malaria are needed. Methylene blue (MB) was the first synthetic antimalarial drug ever used, and recent studies have been promising with regard to its revival in malaria therapy. The objective of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of two MB-based malaria combination therapies, MB-artesunate (AS) and MB-amodiaquine (AQ), compared to the local standard of care, AS-AQ, in Burkina Faso. Open-label randomised controlled phase II study in 180 children aged 6-10 years with uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Nouna, north-western Burkina Faso. Follow-up was for 28 days and analysis by intention-to-treat. The treatment groups were similar in baseline characteristics and there was only one loss to follow-up. No drug-related serious adverse events and no deaths occurred. MB-containing regimens were associated with mild vomiting and dysuria. No early treatment failures were observed. Parasite clearance time differed significantly among groups and was the shortest with MB-AS. By day 14, the rates of adequate clinical and parasitological response after PCR-based correction for recrudescence were 87% for MB-AS, 100% for MB-AQ (p = 0.004), and 100% for AS-AQ (p = 0.003). By day 28, the respective figure was lowest for MB-AS (62%), intermediate for the standard treatment AS-AQ (82%; p = 0.015), and highest for MB-AQ (95%; p<0.001; p = 0.03). MB-AQ is a promising alternative drug combination against malaria in Africa. Moreover, MB has the potential to further accelerate the rapid parasite clearance of artemisinin-based combination therapies. More than a century after the antimalarial properties of MB had been described, its role in malaria control deserves closer attention. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00354380

Heterosis Increases Fertility, Fecundity and Survival of Laboratory-Produced F1 Hybrid Males of the Malaria Mosquito Anopheles coluzzii

The success of vector control strategies aiming to decrease disease transmission via the release of sterile or genetically-modified male mosquitoes critically depends on mating between laboratory-reared males and wild females. Unfortunately, mosquito colonization, laboratory rearing, and genetic manipulations can all negatively affect male competitiveness. Heterosis is commonly used to produce domestic animals with enhanced vigor and homogenous genetic background and could therefore potentially improve the mating performance of mass-reared male mosquitoes. Here, we produced enhanced hybrid males of the malaria mosquito Anopheles coluzzii by crossing two strains colonized 35+ and 8 years ago. We compared the amount of sperm and mating plug proteins they transferred to females, as well as their insemination rate, reproductive success and longevity under various experimental conditions. Across experiments widespread adaptations to laboratory mating were detected in the older strain. In large-group mating experiments, no overall hybrid advantage in insemination rates and the amount of sperm and accessory gland proteins transferred to females was detected. Despite higher sperm activity, hybrid males did not appear more fecund. However, individual-male mating and laboratory-swarm experiments revealed that hybrid males, while inseminating fewer females than older inbred males, were significantly more fertile, producing larger mating plugs and drastically increasing female fecundity. Heterotic males also showed increased longevity. These results validate the use of heterosis for creating hybrid males with improved fitness from long-established inbred laboratory strains. Therefore, this simple approach could facilitate disease control strategies based on male mosquito releases with important ultimate benefits to human health