Menstrual hygiene management to improve the attendance of primary school-aged girls in Central North, Burkina Faso

How to improve the conditions for girls to attend school, to reduce failure and drop-out rates of adolescent girls, while ensuring their dignity and protection? This was the consideration that motivated the Kom-Yilma project, implemented by Catholic Relief Services in Burkina Faso and financed by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, to undertake a behavior-change strategy for menstrual-hygiene management in 118 schools in Bam and Sanmatenga Provinces. Discussions and behavior-change communication activities, providing an appropriate space for girls and the active participation of women leaders have already demonstrated positive results for a subject generally considered taboo in the intervention zone

In silico identification of a candidate synthetic peptide (Tsgf1(18-43)) to monitor human exposure to tsetse flies in West Africa

Background: The analysis of humoral responses directed against the saliva of blood-sucking arthropods was shown to provide epidemiological biomarkers of human exposure to vector-borne diseases. However, the use of whole saliva as antigen presents several limitations such as problems of mass production, reproducibility and specificity. The aim of this study was to design a specific biomarker of exposure to tsetse flies based on the in silico analysis of three Glossina salivary proteins (Ada, Ag5 and Tsgf1) previously shown to be specifically recognized by plasma from exposed individuals. Methodology/Principal Findings: Synthetic peptides were designed by combining several linear epitope prediction methods and Blast analysis. The most specific peptides were then tested by indirect ELISA on a bank of 160 plasma samples from tsetse infested areas and tsetse free areas. Anti-Tsgf1(18-43) specific IgG levels were low in all three control populations (from rural Africa, urban Africa and Europe) and were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in the two populations exposed to tsetse flies (Guinean HAT foci, and South West Burkina Faso). A positive correlation was also found between Anti-Tsgf1(18-43) IgG levels and the risk of being infected by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in the sleeping sickness foci of Guinea. Conclusion/Significance: The Tsgf1(18-43) peptide is a suitable and promising candidate to develop a standardize immunoassay allowing large scale monitoring of human exposure to tsetse flies in West Africa. This could provide a new surveillance indicator for tsetse control interventions by HAT control programs

Key constraints to smallholder village chicken production and marketing systems in Centre-Nord region, Burkina Faso

Objective Chicken keeping among rural households in low-income countries like Burkina Faso provides an important source of income, nutrition, and gifts to strengthen social ties. However, the sector is hampered by high losses mostly due to diseases, limited access to farm inputs and value chain inefficiency impacting on productivity, marketing and human health. To better understand these issues, we investigated challenges faced by male and female poultry producers and other value chain actors, with emphasis given to animal health and welfare issues. Material and methods This study was conducted in the framework of the Poultry Losses and One Health (POLOH) project implemented by the International Livestock research Institute and partners. Two stakeholder workshops and one field site scoping visit were carried out but the research team. Various village poultry value chain stakeholders were engaged in group discussions or informal interviews in September and October 2022. National workshop participants (22 men, 8 women) included national and international research organizations, private sector, extension agents, government and development organizations. A site scoping visit included meetings with 14 stakeholders (9 men, 5 women) and field visits to poultry farms and markets. The workshop in Centre-Nord was attended by 60 stakeholders (50 men, 10 women) including representatives of producer cooperatives, traders, project area village leaders, private veterinarians, government (animal health, human health and environment) and development NGOs. Discussions focused on issues negatively affecting the village poultry value chain, and specific gender constraints and recommendations for upgrading the value chain. Results The national workshop identified a range of constraints, including lack of feed associated with increased cereal prices; insufficient veterinary service coverage due to the low number of animal health workers; insufficient producer knowledge of poultry farming good practices; persistence of poultry diseases; inadequate housing; difficulty accessing micro-credit finances; and insecurity in the region. The Nord-Centre regional workshop with grassroot stakeholders, raised similar constraints. The top three constraints cited by input suppliers were: low level of actor knowledge about good management practices; low formal education of actors; and emergence of poultry diseases. Producers cited: non-availability of veterinary pharmaceuticals; difficulty accessing feeds; and insufficient funds to purchase farm inputs. Market actors cited: lack of poultry slaughter sites; unsuitable poultry transport and lack of dedicated poultry markets. Women's issues included: lack of financial resources to grow farming business; lack knowledge on how to tackle zoonotic diseases; and the high costs of veterinary inputs. Recommendations to boost the poultry sector in the Centre-Nord region, included: build producer capacity; train processing node actors on good hygiene practices; strengthen extension agent capacity; facilitate access to loans; train actors in herd management and marketing; involve all stakeholders in the consultation process and decision-making to develop the poultry sector; and raise awareness of on the merits of empowering women in production activities such as leadership and their participation in meeting household needs. Conclusion These findings will guide interventions to improve poultry productivity and provision of safe chicken products to consumers. In-depth qualitative interviews and household surveys are ongoing to support context specific interventions that will be scaled up to sustainably increase livelihoods food and nutrition security

Whole-genome sequencing in diverse subjects identifies genetic correlates of leukocyte traits: The NHLBI TOPMed program

Many common and rare variants associated with hematologic traits have been discovered through imputation on large-scale reference panels. However, the majority of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have been conducted in Europeans, and determining causal variants has proved challenging. We performed a GWAS of total leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, and basophil counts generated from 109,563,748 variants in the autosomes and the X chromosome in the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) program, which included data from 61,802 individuals of diverse ancestry. We discovered and replicated 7 leukocyte trait associations, including (1) the association between a chromosome X, pseudo-autosomal region (PAR), noncoding variant located between cytokine receptor genes (CSF2RA and CLRF2) and lower eosinophil count; and (2) associations between single variants found predominantly among African Americans at the S1PR3 (9q22.1) and HBB (11p15.4) loci and monocyte and lymphocyte counts, respectively. We further provide evidence indicating that the newly discovered eosinophil-lowering chromosome X PAR variant might be associated with reduced susceptibility to common allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis and asthma. Additionally, we found a burden of very rare FLT3 (13q12.2) variants associated with monocyte counts. Together, these results emphasize the utility of whole-genome sequencing in diverse samples in identifying associations missed by European-ancestry-driven GWASs

Adoption of the One Health approach to improve zoonosis control in low-income countries: Insights from the case of rabies management in Burkina Faso

Background and Aim: Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease transmissible to humans and domestic and wild animals through biting, scratching, or licking. This study aimed to analyze the adoption of the One Health approach by the stakeholders involved in rabies control in Burkina Faso. Materials and Methods: The stakeholders involved in rabies control were from the Ministry of Livestock, Ministry of Health, Ministry of the Territory Administration, Ministry of Environment and Wildlife, and Ministry of Higher Education and Research. A structured questionnaire was used in face-to-face interviews to collect data from the stakeholders. The collected data included stakeholders’ knowledge of rabies and the One Health approach and their levels of involvement in the multisectoral collaboration. Results: Most participants could not describe rabies correctly (80%), and only 52.9% had heard of the One Health approach. In addition, there was no significant association between knowledge of rabies and participants’ characteristics, and the knowledge of the One Health approach was significantly influenced by a participant’s affiliation (place of work). Conclusion: The results call for an increase in One Health education for its effective adoption by all the rabies control stakeholders. Additional efforts should focus on continual training of the One Health workforce, from policy-makers to frontline personnel

Profil microbiologique des infections génitales basses chez les femmes en âge de procréer dans la ville de Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Selon l’organisation Mondiale de la Santé (oMS), l’afrique  Sub-saharienne est l’une des régions les plus touchées par les infections sexuellement transmissibles (iST). au Burkina Faso, la prise en charge des infections génitales repose sur une approche syndromique, et les données sur leurs étiologies sont rares. Cette  étude a pour objectif d’établir le profil microbiologique des   infections génitales basses chez patientes âgées d’au moins 15 ans dans la ville de Bobo-dioulasso. il s’est agi d’une transversale et prospective qui s’est déroulée d’octobre 2014 à Juillet 2015 dans le  laboratoire d’analyse de biologie médicale eXalaB. Chez chaque femme consentante se présentant avec un bulletin  d’examen, un prélèvement cervico-vaginal a été réalisé, examiné à la  microscopie, puis mis en culture pour l’identification des  pathogènes. la susceptibilité aux  antimicrobiens a été déterminée par la méthode de diffusion sur gélose selon les recommandations(2013) du comité de l’antibiogramme de la société française de microbiologie (Ca-SFM). au total, 195 femmes âgées de 16-45 ans ont été incluses dans cette étude. au moins un germe a été détecté chez 155 (79,5 %) femmes. Candida albicans (C. albicans) (34,3 %), Gardnerella vaginalis (G. vaginalis) (18,8 %),  Escherichia colis (E. colis) (13,1 %) étaient les pathogènes  prédominants. l’antifongigramme a montré une très bonne activité de la nystatine (100,0 %) et de l’amphotéricine B (97,8 %). Quant à l’antibiogramme, la gentamycine, l’imipenème et la Ceftriaxone ont montré une activité &gt; à 67 % sur les bacilles gram négatif. Sur les cocci gram positif, on notait une résistance d’environ 30 % à l’erythromycine. C. albicans représente l’agent prédominant de ces infections génitales basses et est le plus souvent associés à des bactéries.Mots-clés : infections génitales, etiologie, Bobo-dioulasso.according to who, the Sub-Saharan africa is one of the most  regions affected by STis. in Burkina Faso, the treatment of genital infections among women of childbearing age is based on a  syndromic approach, and data on their etiologies are limited. This study aims to establish the microbiological profile of lower genital infections in females aged over 15 years in Bobo-dioulasso. From october to July 2015, a cross sectional study was conducted in the medical laboratory of eXalaB. genital secretions were taken from consenting women, examined in microscopy and then cultured to identify infectious agents. The susceptibility to antimicrobial was determined by the agar diffusion method as recommended (2013) by the French Society for Microbiology (SFM). a total of 195 women aged from 16 to 45 years were included in this study.Candida albicans (34.3%), Gardnerella vaginalis (18.8%),  Escherichia colis (13.1%) were the most causative agents detected. The antifungal susceptibility showed a very good activity of the nystatin (100.0%) and the amphotericin B (97.8%). as for antibiotic susceptibility, gentamicin, imipenem and Ceftriaxone showed an activity &gt; 67% for gram negative bacilli. on gram positive cocci, resistance is noted at about 30% for erythromycin. C. albicans is the predominant agent of genital infections and is most often associated with bacteria.Keywords: genital infections, etiology, Bobo-dioulasso.

Delivery fee exemption and subsidy policies: how have they affected health staff? Findings from a four-country evaluation

Many countries, especially in Africa, have in recent years introduced fee exemptions or subsidies targeting deliveries and emergency obstetric care. A number of aspects of these policies have been studied but there are few studies which look at how staff have been affected and how they have responded. This article focuses on this question, comparing data from Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Morocco. It is nested in wider evaluation of the policies. The article analyses responses to a health worker survey, carried out in 2012 on 683 health staff (doctors, nurses, midwives and others such as auxiliaries) across the four countries. The survey focused on working hours, workloads, pay, motivation and perceptions of the policies, as well as reported changes in workload and remuneration over the period of policy introduction. Self-reported staff output ratios suggest that midwives are over-worked across all settings, but facility data presents lower estimates, making it hard to judge the adequacy of workforces. Staff are generally positive about the policies' effects on the health system (increasing supervised delivery rates, benefiting the poor, improving access to medicines and supplies and improving quality of care). In personal terms, staff in Mali and Burkina Faso report increased satisfaction with work as a result of the policies, while in Benin, there is little change and in Morocco a deterioration (which correlated with recommendations about extending exemption policies in future). Awareness of policies was high amongst staff but only a small minority had received any written guides or training on policy implementation. It is crucial that planned health financing changes engage with their implications for staffing - estimating whether specific cadres can absorb increase demand, for example, as well as how to engage them in the policy implementation such that their personal needs are met and their professionalism enhanced.sch_iihBertone, M. & Witter, S. 2015, The complex remuneration of Human Resources for Health in low income settings: policy implications and a research agenda for designing effective financial incentives, Human Resources for Health, vol. 13, no. 62. Boukhalfa, C., Abouchadi, S., Cunden, N., & Witter, S. 2014, Les rsultats de l'enqute des personnels de sant au Maroc, FEMHealth report, Aberdeen. http://www.abdn.ac.uk/femhealth/documents/Deliverables/Low_res/Overall_cost_and_effects_report_final_2015.pdf. Accessed 29/07/16 Campbell, O. & Graham, W. 2006, Strategies for reducing maternal mortality: getting on with what works, The Lancet, vol. Maternal Survival series, pp. 25-40. Carasso, B., Lagarde, M., Cheelo, C., Chansa, C., & Palmer, N. 2012, Health worker perspectives on user fee removal in Zambia, Human Resources for Health, vol. 10, no. 40. Cavallaro, F., Cresswell, J., Franca, G., Victora, C., Barros, A. & Ronsmans, C. 2013, Trends in caesarean delivery by country and wealth quintile: cross-sectional surveys in southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, Bulletin of the World Health Organisation, vol. 91, pp. 914-922D. Cresswell, J., Assarag, B., Meski, F., Filippi, V. & Ronsmans, C. 2015, Trends in health facility deliveries and caesarean sections by wealth quintile in Morocco between 1987 and 2012, Tropical Medicine & International Health, vol. 20, pp. 607-616. Dieleman, M., Toonen, J., Toure, H., & Martineau, T. 2006, The match between motivation and performance management of health sector workers in Mali, Human Resources for Health, vol. 4, no. 2. Direction Nationale de la Sant 2010, Bilan de la gratuit de la csarienne 2005 - 2009, Ministere de la Sant, Bamako. Goufodji, S. & et al. 2014, Rapport de synthse: l'valuation de la politique de gratuit de la csarienne dans cinq zones sanitaires, Bnin, FEMHealth. FEMHealth, Cotonou. http://www.abdn.ac.uk/femhealth/documents/Deliverables/Rapport_FP7_Sourou_Benin_310314_without_table_17_2.pdf. Accessed 29/07/16 Ilboudo, P., Ganaba, R., Cunden, N., & Witter, S. 2014, Les rsultats de l'enqute sur le personnel de sant, Burkina Faso, FEMHealth report, Aberdeen. http://www.abdn.ac.uk/femhealth/documents/Deliverables/Low_res/Rapport_HWIS_March_2014_final.pdf. Accessed 29/07/16 Kouanda, S. & et al. 20123, La charge de travail du personnel de sant face la gratuit des soins au Burkina Faso, Afrique contemporaine, vol. 243, pp. 104-105. Maestad, O., Torsvik, G., & Aakvik, A. 2010, Overworked? On the relationship between workload and health worker performance, Journal of Health Economics, vol. 29, p. 686-698. Marchal, B., Van Belle, S., De Brouwere, V. & Witter, S. 2013, Studying complex interventions - from theory to practice: designing the FEMHealth evaluation of fee exemption policies in West Africa and Morocco, BMC Health Services Research, vol. 13, no. 469. McCoy, D., Bennett, S., Witter, S., Pond, B., Baker, B., Gow, J., Chand, S., Ensor, T., & McPake, B. 2008, Salaries and incomes of health workers in sub-Saharan Africa, The Lancet, vol. 371, pp. 677-683. McPake, B., Witter S., Ensor, T., Fustukian, S., Newlands, D., & Martineau, T. 2013, Removing financial barriers to access reproductive, maternal and newborn health services: the challenges and policy implications for human resources, Human Resources for Health, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 46. Meessen, B., Hercot, D., Noirhomme, M., Ridde, V., Tibouti, A., Tashobya, C., & et al. 2011, Removing user fees in the health sector: a review of policy processes in six sub-Saharan African countries, Health Policy and Planning, vol. Supplement 2, no. 26, p. ii16-ii29. Ministre de la Sant 2006, Stratgie nationale de subvention des accouchements et des soins obstetricaux et neonatals d'urgence au Burkina Faso, Direction de la Sant de la Famille, Ougadougou. Ministere de la sant 2008, Instauration de la gratuit de l'accouchement et la csarienne au niveau des hpitaux. Circulaire n 108. 11 Decembre 2008., Ministry of Health, Rabat. Richard, F., Witter S., & De Brouwere, V. 2008, Reducing financial barriers to access to obstetric care ITG Press, Antwerp. Shiffman, J. 2007, Generating political priority for maternal mortality reduction in five developing countries, American Journal of Public Health, vol. 97, no. 796, p. 803. Van Leberghe, W., Conceicao, C., Van Damme, W. & Ferrinho, P. 2002, When staff is underpaid: dealing with the individual coping strategies of health personnel, WHO Bulletin, vol. 80, no. 7, pp. 581-584. Walker, L. & Gilson, L. 2004, 'We are bitter but we are satisfied': nurses as street-level bureaucrats in South Africa, Social Science and Medicine, vol. 59, pp. 1251-1261. Witter, S. 2009, Service- and population-based exemptions: are these the way forward for equity and efficiency in health financing in low income countries?, Advances in Health Economics and Health Services Research, vol. 21, pp. 249-286. Witter, S. 2010, Mapping user fees for health care in low-income countries - evidence from a recent survey, HLSP Institute, London. Witter, S., Bertone, M., Wurie, H., Edem-Hotah, J., & Samai, M. 2014a, Health worker incentives post-conflict: survey report from Sierra Leone, ReBUILD. http://www.rebuildconsortium.com/media/1193/hwisreportslfinal.pdf. Accessed 29/07/16 Witter, S., Boukhalfa, C., Cresswell, J., Daou, Z., Filippi, V., Ganaba, R., Goufodji, S., Lange, I., & Richard, F. 2016, Cost and impact of policies to remove and reduce fees for obstetric care in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Morocco, forthcoming with International Journal for Equity in Health. Witter, S., Boukhalfa, C., Filippi, V., & et al. 2014b, Cost and impact of policies to remove fees for obstetric care in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Morocco, FEMHealth, Aberdeen. http://www.abdn.ac.uk/femhealth/documents/Deliverables/Low_res/Overall_cost_and_effects_report_final_2015.pdf. Accessed 29/07/16 Witter, S., Dieng, T., Mbengue, D., Moreira, I., & De Brouwere, V. 2010, The free delivery and caesarean policy in Senegal - how effective and cost-effective has it been?, Health Policy and Planning, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 384-392. 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Biological activity and persistence of four essential oils towards the main pest of stored cowpeas, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

International audienceThe use of essential oils extracted from native aromatic plants is perceived as a promising alternative to protect stored cowpeas in West Africa. However the optimal conditions for their efficiency remain to be determined. A study was therefore carried out to compare the biological activity and temperature-related persistence of four selected essential oils towards Callosobruchus maculatus, the main pest of stored cowpeas. Essential oil extracted from Ocimum americanum proved to be very toxic towards C. maculatus adults (LC50 = 0.23 μl/l) while the oils from Hyptis suaveolens, Hyptis spicigera and Lippia multiflora exhibited higher LC50 values (1.30 μl/l; 5.53 μl/l and 6.44 μl/l respectively). The persistence of the biological activity of the four oils was variable and that from O. americanum was most persistent. Fourteen days post-application, this oil was still as active on C. maculatus adults as it was immediately after its application. Exposure of this oil to a high temperature, close to temperatures occurring during storage in Burkina Faso in the dry season, however, resulted in a rapid decrease in its efficacy. Our results emphasize the need to take into account environmental factors such as temperature to optimize the use of promising essential oils for controlling stored-product pests in West Africa

Influence of host origin on host choice of the parasitoid [i]Dinarmus basalis[/i]: Does upbringing influence choices later in life?

International audienceThe aim of this study was to investigate the influence of volatile compounds from four secondary host plants on the ability of [i]Dinarmus basalis[/i] Rond. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) to locate, recognize, and parasitize its host, 4th instar larvae or pupae of [i]Callosobruchus maculatus[/i] F. ([i]Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae[/i]). To examine this, strains of [i]D. basalis[/i] were transferred from cowpea seeds [i](Vigna unguiculata[/i] (L.) Walp. (Fabales: [i]Fabaceae[/i])) to pigeon pea ([i]Cajanus cajan[/i] (L.) Millsp.) and two varieties of Bambara groundnut ([i]Vigna subterranea[/i] (L.) Verdc.) seeds. The ability of D. [i]basalis[/i] females to recognize the volatile compounds emanating from their complex host plant was tested by using a Y-tube olfactometer and a three-dimensional device. The results suggest that when females have a choice between pure air and the air emanating from their complex host of origin, they are attracted to the air tainted by the volatile compounds they have become accustomed to. They spent significantly more time (p < 0.0001) in the branch of the tube leading to the odorous air than in the tube leading to the pure air. When females from pigeon pea seed hosts were offered a choice between cowpea and pigeon pea seeds, all containing 4th instar larvae, the familiar odor of pigeon pea seeds were most attractive. When females from Bambara groundnut (white and striped) seed hosts were offered a choice between cowpea and pigeon pea seeds, all containing 4th instar larvae, they were significantly attracted to the odour of cowpea seeds. In the three-dimensional system, the females from the four strains did not appear to have any preference for a given type of seed containing 4th instar larvae or pupae. The parasitism rate remained high on all four types of seeds used. These results show that the use of D. [i]basalis[/i] as a biological control agent is possible in host changing situations where C. maculatus starts to attack other legumes. The results of this study also provide information supporting the behavioral plasticity of D. [i]basalis[/i]. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the adaptive phenomena of biological control agents is discussed in the context of the development of adequate methods of pest control