Nutritional, Microbiological, and Toxicological Quality Assessment of Foods Sold in Urban and Suburban Markets in Burkina Faso.

Food safety risks are becoming a public health problem with important socioeconomic consequences for human wellbeing, especially for pregnant women and infants. In this article, we describe findings from microbiological, toxicological, and nutritional quality assessments of foods from 5 localities in Burkina Faso, with the aim to provide baseline data on the quality of food and the risks to mothers and children. Samples for assessment included food sold in markets, stores, and restaurants (eg, cereals, oilseeds, vegetables, edible oils, powdered milk, dried fish, packaged water, ready-to-eat meals). The research team selected the samples using the random route method and analyzed them at the National Public Health Laboratory in Ouagadougou between January and December 2020. A total of 443 food samples were collected, of which 101 were analyzed for microbial contamination, 360 were analyzed for the presence of toxins, and 59 were analyzed for their nutritional value. The microbiological quality of 11.88% of the food samples was unsatisfactory, and 41.50% were contaminated with aflatoxins. At least 1 pesticide residue and cyfluthrin were detected in 58.10% of samples. The most detected contaminant (cyfluthrin) was found in 79.10% of the analyzed samples. A peroxide index higher than the normal value (10 mEq/kg) was found in 3.38% of the oil samples and 76.27% of the oil samples had a vitamin A content lower than the recommended limit of 11 mg/kg. This study is the first in Burkina Faso that provides baseline data on the quality of food and potential health risks to mothers and children in Burkina Faso. Considering the level of contaminants reported in this article, it is imperative to enhance routine monitoring of foods in the country.

The African Network for Improved Diagnostics, Epidemiology and Management of common infectious Agents.

BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, acute respiratory infections (ARI), acute gastrointestinal infections (GI) and acute febrile disease of unknown cause (AFDUC) have a large disease burden, especially among children, while respective aetiologies often remain unresolved. The need for robust infectious disease surveillance to detect emerging pathogens along with common human pathogens has been highlighted by the ongoing novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The African Network for Improved Diagnostics, Epidemiology and Management of Common Infectious Agents (ANDEMIA) is a sentinel surveillance study on the aetiology and clinical characteristics of ARI, GI and AFDUC in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: ANDEMIA includes 12 urban and rural health care facilities in four African countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of South Africa). It was piloted in 2018 in Côte d'Ivoire and the initial phase will run from 2019 to 2021. Case definitions for ARI, GI and AFDUC were established, as well as syndrome-specific sampling algorithms including the collection of blood, naso- and oropharyngeal swabs and stool. Samples are tested using comprehensive diagnostic protocols, ranging from classic bacteriology and antimicrobial resistance screening to multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) systems and High Throughput Sequencing. In March 2020, PCR testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and analysis of full genomic information was included in the study. Standardised questionnaires collect relevant clinical, demographic, socio-economic and behavioural data for epidemiologic analyses. Controls are enrolled over a 12-month period for a nested case-control study. Data will be assessed descriptively and aetiologies will be evaluated using a latent class analysis among cases. Among cases and controls, an integrated analytic approach using logistic regression and Bayesian estimation will be employed to improve the assessment of aetiology and associated risk factors. DISCUSSION: ANDEMIA aims to expand our understanding of ARI, GI and AFDUC aetiologies in sub-Saharan Africa using a comprehensive laboratory diagnostics strategy. It will foster early detection of emerging threats and continued monitoring of important common pathogens. The network collaboration will be strengthened and site diagnostic capacities will be reinforced to improve quality management and patient care.