[Evaluation of the Senegal leprosy endemic in 2002]. / Evaluation de l'endémie lépreuse au Sénégal en 2002.

UNLABELLED: The authors had for aim to assess the epidemiology of leprosy in Senegal after 7 years of efficient prevention. METHODS: A retrospective study was made on epidemiologic data in Senegal collected between January 1 and December 31, 2002. The indicators of eradication (total number of new cases diagnosed in that year compared to the country's population, expressed in cases per 100,00 inhabitants), the coverage rate (number of cases treated compared to the number of patients recorded for treatment), as well as the cure rate (percentage of patients having complied to the duration of treatment) were all noted. RESULTS: The mean detection rate was 0.5 case per 100,000 inhabitants with 434 new cases reported. The prevalence rate was 0.99 per 10,000 with 981 cases recorded for total management. The coverage rate for total management was 100%. The observed cure rate was 89% and 8% of the patients were lost to follow-up.

[Non-religious prohibitions of meat consumption in Senegal]. / Interdits non religieux de la consommation de viandes au Sénégal.

680 persons belonging to all ethnical and religious groups in various regions of Senegal, have been questioned to know types of meat they avoid for non religious beliefs. The results show that: 25% of responses are related to prohibited meat for patronymic names (family names), reason comparable to "totemism". Camel flesh is in this group. 75% of responses deal with prohibitions of consumption connected with various beliefs. So is the case of goat meat avoided by 13% of persons, because it would transmit leprosy or reveal incubating diseases. 14% of persons questioned said that Spiegel lobule of liver must be exclusively consumed by only sons or only daughters. Meat taboos connected with socio-cultural beliefs (totemism, mimetism) have a minor impact on the global consumption of this food.