[Knowledge, behaviors and practices among ironworkers about tetanus in Senegal]. / Connaissances, attitudes et pratiques a propos du tétanos chez les ferronniers a Dakar, Sénégal.

Tetanus is still a major health problem in Sénégal. In order to understand some of these reasons, we conducted a study. The aim of this study is to assess ironworkers' knowledge, behaviors and practices about tetanus. This knowledge, behaviors and practices survey was carried out in ironworks of two neighborhoods of Dakar from April 5 to May 10, 2008. 41 ironworks were identified and 32 agreed to participate in the study. In this ironworks, 120 ironworkers were interviewed. Their average age was 29 years +/- 15, education in French schools was low and 78.3% of them had a source of information. Despite some inaccuracies, most ironworkers were aware of tetanus (97.5%), severity (93.3%), causes (89.2%). However 35% did not evaluate the risk of tetanus and almost all the ironworkers or 96.7% had no preventive measures after injury. Moreover, no ironworker was fully immunized against tetanus. In some occupations at risk, awareness of tetanus should be increased by all available channels and methods emphasizing the importance of prevention.

[Tolerance study of a triple first-line antiretroviral combination zidovudine, lamivudine and efavirenz in Dakar, Senegal]. / Etude de la tolérance d'une trithérapie antirétro- virale de première intention associant zidovudine, lamivudine et efavirenz à Dakar, Sénégal.

This study aimed at describing the side-effects reported in patients infected with HIV-1 treated initially by the association zidovudine, lamivudine and efavirenz between 2002 and 2007 in the Regional Centre of Clinical Research and Training in Dakar as part of the cohort of the Senegalese Initiative Access to Antiretroviral. Adverse effects were entered and analysed using the software Epi Info version 6.04. The average age of the patients was 38 years old. During the follow-up (average = 741 days), adverse effects were reported 75 times and 39 patients were concerned. The most frequent type of side-effects was neuropsychiatric (47%), digestive (20%) and dermatological (16%). They were severe in 13% of cases and severe anaemia was noted in eight cases. These required a change of therapy in 19%, mainly for severe anaemia (15%). The association zidovudine, lamivudine and efavirenz doesn't seem to induce severe side-effects. Nevertheless, considering the frequency of neuropsychiatric side-effects and severity of hematological side-effects, attention should be paid to neuropsychiatric and blood examination of patients undergoing this combination antiretroviral therapy.