Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Canarium schweinfurthii Engl. Essential oil from Centrafrican Republic

The antioxidant activity of the essential oil was investigated using 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and the -carotene bleaching test. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) wasemployed as a positive control. The essential oil showed antioxidant and DPPH radical scavenging activities, and it displayed the inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the essential oil of Canarium schweinfurthii from Centrafrican Republic were also evaluated against twelve strains of bacteria and three strains of fungi using agar diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The essential oil showed antimicrobial activity against almost the strains studied. The resultssuggest that C. schweinfurthii essential oil could be a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agent

Hygienic status assessment of dish washing waters, utensils, hands and pieces of money from street food processing sites in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

During investigations on street food vendors’ materials, seventy samples of three types of dish washing water (E1, E2, E3), eighty-five pieces of money, eighty utensils were collected for microbiological assessment. Hands microbiological status of one hundred twenty-five consumers andseventy sellers were also assessed. The analysis revealed that 100% of E1 washing waters were very impure, while, 44.5% of second washing water (E2) were impure, 44.5% very impure and 11% acceptable. 45.45% of E3 washing water were acceptable, 27.27% impure and 27.27% very impure. The spoons and the dinner plates were sometimes contaminated with unacceptable levels (above 102) of different bacteria such as, coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus (P 0.05). Knives microbiological examination revealed presence of numerous bacteria (8.6 x 105 cfu/knife) such as coliforms, S. Aureus, Salmonella and Shigella. Pieces of money analysis revealed presence of coliforms and S. aureus. These data showing pathogen bacteria in food vending sites indicates hygiene monitoring failure

Meningococcal carriage and cerebrospinal meningitis after MenAfriVac mass immunization in Burkina Faso

The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of conjugate vaccine A, MenAfriVac, on Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) asymptomatic carriage and cerebrospinal meningitis in three health districts (Bogodogo, Kaya, and Dandé) of Burkina Faso. Asymptomatic carriage of Nm was assessed by performing cross-sectional studyrepeated (rounds 1 to 10) before and after introduction of the conjugate vaccine against serogroup A of N. meningitidis (NmA), MenAfriVac. In each round at least 1,500 people were enrolled in each district for a month. Data oncases of meningococcal meningitis in the three studied health districts were collected through meningitides epidemiological surveillance of Burkina Faso.Nm was identified in680 of 23,885 throat swabs before vaccination (2. 84%)withNmYasthe dominant serogroup(1.87%). During the same period (2009 and 2010), 891 cases of suspected meningitis were reported in the three health districts among whom 42 were due toNm (4.71%) withNmX (3.70%) asthe most frequently identified serogroup. After vaccination, Nm was identified in 1117 of 27,245 pharyngeal samples (6.42%); NmX (4.42%) wasthe dominantserogroup. From 2011 to 2013, 965 cases of suspected meningitis were reported in all health facilities in the three studied health districts located in the geographical study area; 91 was due toNm (9.43%) andNmWasthe most commonserogroup(52 cases= 5.38%).After introduction of conjugate vaccine A (MenAfriVac), the NmAserogroup almost disappeared both in asymptomatic carriers and in patients with cerebrospinal meningitis. However the presence of the NmW and NmXserogroups, which appear to have replaced serogroup A, is very worrying with regard to meningitis prevention and control in Burkina Faso. It appears necessary to strengthen surveillance and laboratory diagnosis of the different meningococcal serogroups circulating in Africa.Keywords: meningococcal meningitis, serogroups W and X, meningococcal carriage, MenAfriVac

Intestinal parasitic infections in schoolchildren in different settings of Côte d'Ivoire : effect of diagnostic approach and implications for control

BACKGROUND: Social-ecological systems govern parasitic infections in humans. Within the frame of assessing the accuracy of a rapid diagnostic test for Schistosoma mansoni in Cote d'Ivoire, three different endemicity settings had to be identified and schoolchildren's intestinal parasitic infection profiles were characterized. METHODS: In September 2010, a rapid screening was conducted in 11 schools in the Azaguie district, south Cote d'Ivoire. In each school, 25 children were examined for S. mansoni and S. haematobium. Based on predefined schistosome endemicity levels, three settings were selected, where schoolchildren aged 8-12 years were asked to provide three stool and three urine samples for an in-depth appraisal of parasitic infections. Triplicate Kato-Katz thick smears were prepared from each stool sample for S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminth diagnosis, whereas urine samples were subjected to a filtration method for S. haematobium diagnosis. Additionally, a formol-ether concentration method was employed on one stool sample for the diagnosis of helminths and intestinal protozoa. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to analyse associations between schoolchildren's parasitic infections, age, sex and study setting. RESULTS: The prevalences of S. mansoni and S. haematobium infections in the initial screening ranged from nil to 88% and from nil to 56%, respectively. The rapid screening in the three selected areas revealed prevalences of S. mansoni of 16%, 33% and 78%. Based on a more rigorous diagnostic approach, the respective prevalences increased to 92%, 53% and 33%. S. haematobium prevalences were 0.8%, 4% and 65%. Prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma spp., soil-transmitted helminths and intestinal protozoan infections showed setting-specific patterns. Infections with two or more species concurrently were most common in the rural setting (84%), followed by the peri-urban (28.3%) and urban setting (18.2%). CONCLUSIONS: More sensitive diagnostic tools or rigorous sampling approaches are needed to select endemicity settings with high fidelity. The observed small-scale heterogeneity of helminths and intestinal protozoan infections has important implications for contro

Progress towards elimination of onchocerciasis in the Region du Sud-Ouest of Burkina Faso which was previously subject to a recrudescence event after vector control

Background The Sud-Ouest region of Burkina Faso (especially the Bougouriba valley) has been historically problematic with respect to onchocerciasis control, with a recrudescence of infections after vector control carried out the WHO Onchocerciasis Control Programme was halted in 1989. After 1996, mass drug administration of ivermectin was instigated to control the recrudescence so that it would no longer constitute a public health problem. However, in 2010 WHO changed its recommended policy from control to elimination, and in 2013 biannual Community-Directed Treatment with Ivermectin (CDTI) was instigated. Epidemiological surveys were carried-out in 2011 and 2018 to determine whether CDTI was producing a decline in infection levels and progress towards elimination. Methodology/Principal findings A cross-sectional study was conducted across 20 villages in four health districts in 2011 and 29 villages in 2018. Individuals aged five years and above were examined by skin-snip, and the prevalence and microfilarial load was determined for each village. In 2011, 75% of villages had some infections and 20% had prevalences >5%, with a mean prevalence across all villages of 2.63% (range 0.0–9.7%), and community microfilarial load ranging from 0 to 0.25 microfilariae per biopsy. In 2018, nine villages (= 31% of total) had some infections, with prevalences ranging from 0.41% to 3.54%, and a mean prevalence across all villages of 0.37%. Community microfilarial load ranged from 0 to 0.1. Amongst those people found to be microfilarial positive, 87% had a history of migration. Conclusions/significance The endemicity of onchocerciasis infection in the Sud-Ouest region has declined to low levels and seems to be progressing towards elimination. Our findings indicated that biannual CDTI is having good effect, but it should continue for a number of years to ensure elimination of transmission. However, progress towards elimination has a troublesome history in this region, and it would be advisable to select more sentinel villages to have confidence in any future epidemiological and entomological surveys, especially Stop-MDA surveys. With positive individuals migrating between countries, cross-border collaboration needs more attention to ensure effective treatment for onchocerciasis elimination

Correlates of Physical Activity among Young Children with Moderate Acute Malnutrition.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the levels of physical activity among young children with moderate acute malnutrition and to identify clinical, biochemical, anthropometric, and sociodemographic correlates of physical activity. STUDY DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, 1609 children aged 6-23 months wore a triaxial accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3x+; ActiGraph, Pensacola, Florida) for 6 consecutive days, from which total physical activity were determined. Data on morbidity were collected based by history and physical examination, and serum C-reactive protein and α₁-acid glycoprotein were measured. RESULTS: A total of 1544 (96%) children had physical activity measured, of whom 1498 (97%) completed 6 consecutive days of physical activity recording with a daily median wear time of 24 hours. The mean (±SD) total physical activity was 707 (±180) vector magnitude counts per minute (cpm). Age was negatively correlated with physical activity; compared with children below 12 months of age, those 12-17 months of age, and 18-23 months of age had 51 (95% CI, 26; 75) and 106 (95% CI, 71; 141) cpm lower physical activity, respectively. Fever and malaria were associated with 49 (95% CI, 27; 70) and 44 (95% CI, 27; 61) cpm lower activity, respectively. Elevated serum C-reactive protein and α₁-acid glycoprotein were both negative correlates of physical activity, and hemoglobin was a positive correlate. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity declines with age in children with moderate acute malnutrition and is also inversely related to infection and inflammatory status. Future studies are needed to ascertain cause and effect of these associations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Controlled-Trials.com: ISRCTN42569496.Funded by the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA; 09-097 LIFE [to C.W.]), Médecins Sans Frontières (Denmark and Norway), World Food Program (received support from the US Agency for International Development's Office of Food for Peace), Alliance for International Medical Action, the European Union, Action Contre la Faim, and Arvid Nilsson Foundation. The authors declare no conflicts of interest

A comprehensive analysis of drug resistance molecular markers and Plasmodium falciparum genetic diversity in two malaria endemic sites in Mali.

BACKGROUND: Drug resistance is one of the greatest challenges of malaria control programme in Mali. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies provide new and effective ways of tracking drug-resistant malaria parasites in Africa. The diversity and the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum drug-resistance molecular markers were assessed in Dangassa and Nioro-du-Sahel in Mali, two sites with distinct malaria transmission patterns. Dangassa has an intense seasonal malaria transmission, whereas Nioro-du-Sahel has an unstable and short seasonal malaria transmission. METHODS: Up to 270 dried blood spot samples (214 in Dangassa and 56 in Nioro-du-Sahel) were collected from P. falciparum positive patients in 2016. Samples were analysed on the Agena MassARRAY® iPLEX platform. Specific codons were targeted in Pfcrt, Pfmdr1, Pfdhfr, and Pfdhps, Pfarps10, Pfferredoxin, Pfexonuclease and Pfmdr2 genes. The Sanger's 101-SNPs-barcode method was used to assess the genetic diversity of P. falciparum and to determine the parasite species. RESULTS: The Pfcrt_76T chloroquine-resistance genotype was found at a rate of 64.4% in Dangassa and 45.2% in Nioro-du-Sahel (p = 0.025). The Pfdhfr_51I-59R-108N pyrimethamine-resistance genotype was 14.1% and 19.6%, respectively in Dangassa and Nioro-du-Sahel. Mutations in the Pfdhps_S436-A437-K540-A581-613A sulfadoxine-resistance gene was significantly more prevalent in Dangassa as compared to Nioro-du-Sahel (p = 0.035). Up to 17.8% of the isolates from Dangassa vs 7% from Nioro-du-Sahel harboured at least two codon substitutions in this haplotype. The amodiaquine-resistance Pfmdr1_N86Y mutation was identified in only three samples (two in Dangassa and one in Nioro-du-Sahel). The lumefantrine-reduced susceptibility Pfmdr1_Y184F mutation was found in 39.9% and 48.2% of samples in Dangassa and Nioro-du-Sahel, respectively. One piperaquine-resistance Exo_E415G mutation was found in Dangassa, while no artemisinin resistance genetic-background were identified. A high P. falciparum diversity was observed, but no clear genetic aggregation was found at either study sites. Higher multiplicity of infection was observed in Dangassa with both COIL (p = 0.04) and Real McCOIL (p = 0.02) methods relative to Nioro-du-Sahel. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals high prevalence of chloroquine and pyrimethamine-resistance markers as well as high codon substitution rate in the sulfadoxine-resistance gene. High genetic diversity of P. falciparum was observed. These observations suggest that the use of artemisinins is relevant in both Dangassa and Nioro-du-Sahel

Survival of enteric bacteria in source-separated human urine used as fertiliser: Effects of temperature and ammonia

No Abstract

Sites of Autologous Bone Grafts in Orthopaedic Traumatology. Analysis of complications

Background: The use of autologous bone graft in orthopaedic traumatology is not uncommon. But little work, from West African subregion, has been devoted to sites used as sources of autologous bone grafts. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evolution of these different sampling sites of autologous graft. Materials and methods: The authors report the results of a retrospective study of 84 patients operated on between 2000 and 2005 for various bone diseases requiring autologous bone graft at CHU Treichville (in Abidjan). Excluded from this study were bone grafts sourced from femoral heads harvested during arthroplasty of the hip. The series consist of 52 men and 32 women. Sites of bone autografts were iliac in 55 patients, 18 ends of the upper tibia, 7 olecranons, 3 fibulas and 1 greater trochanter of the femur. The evaluation of patients was clinical and radiographic and included the existence or not of pain, stiffness, assessment of the scar and the existence of a local deformation. Results: Outcome was satisfactory in 72 patients. 6 patients reported pain in the iliac crest. In 11 patients, the scar to the iliac crest was unsightly. Conclusion: The authors conclude that the commonly used donor sites for autologous bone grafts are safe. Keywords:autologous bone graft, pseudoarthrosis, bone reconstructionNigerian Journal of Orthopaedics and Trauma Vol. 7 (1) 2008 pp. 20-2