Livestock and feed water productivity in the mixed crop-livestock system.

Recently with limited information from intensified grain-based farming systems in developed countries, livestock production is challenged as being huge consumer of freshwater. The smallholder mixed crop-livestock (MCL) system which is predominant in developing countries like Ethiopia, is maintained with considerable contributions of crop residues (CR) to livestock feeding. Inclusion of CR is expected to reduce the water requirement for feed production resulting improvement in livestock water productivity (LWP). This study was conducted to determine feed water productivity (FWP) and LWP in the MCL system. A multistage sampling procedure was followed to select farmers from different wealth status. Wealth status dictated by ownership of key farm resources such as size of cropland and livestock influenced the magnitude of livestock outputs, FWP and LWP. Significant difference in feed collected, freshwater evapotranspired, livestock outputs and water productivity (WP) were observed between wealth groups, where wealthier are relatively more advantaged. Water productivity of CR and grazing land (GL) analyzed separately showed contrasting differences where better-off gained more on CR, whereas vice versa on GL. These counterbalancing of variations may justify the non-significant difference in total FWP between wealth groups. Despite observed differences, low WP on GL indicates the need of interventions at all levels. The variation in WP of CR is attributed to availability of production factors which restrained the capacity of poor farmers most. A linear relationship between the proportion of CR in livestock feed and FWP was evident, but the relationship with LWP was not likely linear. As CR are inherently low in digestibility and nutritive values which have an effect on feed conversion into valuable livestock products and services, increasing share of CR beyond an optimum level is not a viable option to bring improvements in livestock productivity as expressed in terms of LWP. Ensuring land security, installing proper grazing management, improved forage seed supply and application of soil and water conservation are expected to enhance WP on GL. Given the relationship of production factors with crop biomass and associated WP, interventions targeted to improve provision of inputs, credit, extension and training support due emphasis to the poor would increase CR yield and reduce part of water use for feed production. Optimizing feed value of CR with treatment and supplementation, following water efficient forage production methods and maintenance of healthy productive animals are expected to amplify the benefits from livestock and eventually improve LWP.

The SARE tool for rabies control: Current experience in Ethiopia.

The Stepwise Approach towards Rabies Elimination (SARE) tool was developed through a joint effort of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), to provide a standard mechanism for countries to assess their rabies situation and measure progress in eliminating the disease. Because the African continent has the highest per capita death rate from rabies, and Ethiopia is estimated to have the second largest number of rabies deaths of all African countries, Ethiopia undertook a self-assessment by means of the Stepwise Approach towards Rabies Elimination (SARE) tool. In February 2016, the Ethiopian government hosted an intersectoral consultative meeting in an effort to assess the progress that has been made towards the control and elimination of canine rabies. The SARE assessment identified a number of critical gaps, including poor inter-sectoral collaboration and limited availability and access to dog vaccine, while the existence of a surveillance system for rabies and legislation for outbreak declaration and response were among the strengths identified. The SARE tool enabled key criteria to be prioritized, thereby accelerating the National Strategy and ensuring that Ethiopia will progress rapidly in line with the goals set by the global community for the elimination of human rabies deaths by 2030. Although the analysis showed that Ethiopia is still in the early stages of rabies control (Stage 0.5/5), the country shows great promise in terms of developing a SARE-guided National Rabies Prevention and Control Strategy.

[Sexual behavior, knowledge and attitudes to AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases of students at the University of Benin (Togo)]. / Comportements sexuels, connaissances et attitudes des étudiants de l'Université du Bénin (Togo) face au sida et aux maladies sexuellement transmissibles.

Many studies have shown that in Africa, particularly in Togo, the 20- to 29-year-old age group is the age group most frequently affected by AIDS. This age group accounts for 84% of the students of the University of Benin. We studied students, most of the age group thought to be most at risk, investigating sexual behavior, knowledge and attitudes to AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The level of knowledge about the problems of AIDS and STDs was similar for both sexes and for all ages and levels of education of the students. Students had a reasonable knowledge of AIDS, particularly concerning the transmission of HIV (88.6% of students aware), risk behavior (80.8%), AIDS treatment (57.0%) and more general information about HIV (49.4%). They were poorly informed about the transmission (42.9%) and complications (0.69%) of other STDs. Most students had positive attitudes towards HIV issues, particularly the use of preventive measures (3.41 in 5) and the acceptance of infected individuals (3.98 in 5). However, few had seriously considered that AIDS and STDs might impact on their own sex lives (1. 84 in 5) and some were even fatalistic concerning HIV infection. The students were highly sexually active, having intercourse a mean of 31 times per year. Their sexual behavior depended on age and sex. The 15- to 19-year-olds preferred occasional partners. They had sexual intercourse 1 to 3 times per month and used condoms 10 to 20% of the time. The 20- to 29-year-olds had multiple partners. They had sexual intercourse 3 to 5 times per month and used condoms more than 30% of the time. Students over the age of 30 had many partners in addition to their regular partner. They had sexual intercourse 5 to 10 times per month and used condoms 0 to 20% of the time. Significantly more women than men had high-risk sexual behavior (40. 5% of men claimed to regularly use condoms, versus only 22.7% of the women and 11.9% of the women accepted anal penetration versus only 8. 4% of men). The general assumption is that students, who have a high level of education, should be well informed concerning AIDS and STDs and should therefore have positive attitudes and responsible sexual behavior. This study demonstrates that the assumption bears no resemblance to reality. The students were aware of the way in which HIV is transmitted and of what construes risky behavior, but there was nonetheless a high frequency of high-risk behavior (e.g. multiple sexual partners, anal and oral sex, homosexuality, intravenous drug use). The behavior of the students was not significantly different from that of young people living on the streets of Lomé. There were significant relationships between knowledge and attitudes and between some types of sexual behavior and knowledge. However, there was no correlation between attitudes and behavior. The education of young people should focus on both the prevention of AIDS and STDs and on facing up to these diseases.

[Pulmonary abscess in Lomé. Apropos of 144 cases collected in the Pneumo-Phthisiology Department of the University Hospital Center-Tokoin from 1981-1993]. / Abcès pulmonaires à Lomé. A propos de 144 cas colligés dans le service de pneumo-phtisiologie du CHU-Tokoin de 1981 à 1993.

The authors report the results of a retrospective study of 144 cases of lung abscess observed in the Pneumo-Phthisiology Department of Tokoin University Teaching Hospital of Lomé (Togo) between 1981 and 1993 for to determine epidemiological, clinical, therapeutical and evolutive aspects of this affection on West Africa. The results like those of other authors confirm still grievous evolution nowadays of lung abscess in spite of medical drugs efficacy.

A propos de 144 cas d'abces pulmonaires a Lome colliges dans le Service de Pneumophtisiologie du CHU-Tokoin de 1981 a 1993

Les auteurs font une etude retrospective de 144 dossiers d'abces pulmonaires colliges au Service de Pneumophtisiologie du CHU-Tokoin de Lome afin de determiner les profils epidemiologique; clinique; therapeutique et evolutif de cette affection dans la sous-region ouest-africaine. Les resultats comme ceux d'autres auteurs confirment l'evolution encore mortelle des abces pulmonaires malgre l'efficacite de la therapeutique anti-infectieuse

Organisation de la surveillance epidemiologique du VIH/SIDA

Pour maitriser les tendances de l'infection a VIH/SIDA; le Programme National de Lutte contre le SIDA au Togo; a mis sur pied une fiche de notification. Il ressort de cette etude que le nombre total des cas cumules de SIDA de 1987 a 1994 s'eleve a 4756. Ceci a pousse le Programme a opter depuis 1992 pour une decentralisation de ses activites. La realisation des activites de la surveillance epidemiologique est favorisee par la formation d'un reseau de laboratoires formant ensemble le Centre National de Reference pour les tests VIH (CNR/VIH)

[Carriage of Streptococcus B in the mother and infant pair at birth. Apropos of 106 cases]. / Portage du streptocoque B dans le couple mère-enfant a la naissance. A propos de 106 cas.

Streptococcus of group B found in the upper respiratory tract, the genito-urinary tract and the intestines of humans and animals is responsible for peri- and neonatal infections with serious outcomes: septicemia, meningitis. In Togo, the high frequency of neo-natal infections brought us to question the importance of streptococcus B in the mother-child couple at birth and to undertake a study conducted simultaneously in two maternities in the city of Lomé. During 8 weeks, from 19 March-19 May we studied 100 mother-child couples and 300 placentas. The following laboratory samples were taken: from the mother a vaginal smear during labor at 5 cm dilatation and rectal swabbing, from the new-born, a swabbing of the outer ear canal and an aspiration of gastric liquid, a fragment of the placenta taken under conditions of surgical asepsis. The results obtained prove that streptococcus B play an important role in the mother-child couple in Togo. The authors propose that more systematic research be conducted on children at birth with regard to this issue.

[Neonatal tetanus in Lomé-Tokoin University Teaching Hospital. Apropos of 145 cases]. / Tétanos néonatal au CHU de Lomé-Tokoin. A propos de 145 cas.

The authors report on series of 145 cases of neonatal tetanus observed in the infectious disease ward of the University Teaching Hospital in Lomé from 1980-1988. The point of entry of infection was in all cases the umbilical cord. Neonatal tetanus is endemic in Togo with a high mortality rate of 71.03% in this series. The prevention of neonatal tetanus still poses a number of problems.

[Antitetanus immunity in mother-child pairs]. / Etude de l'immunité antitétanique dans le couple mère-enfant.

A study on tetanus toxoid immunity in mothers and their children by passive hemagglutination using "Vacci T Pasteur" was conducted in two stages: an initial study of 100 mothers and their newborns was conducted with no particular selection criteria used. Tetanus toxoid titers were measured on serum directly for the mothers and on whole blood using filter paper for the children; a second study of 100 mothers and children was conducted using defined criteria for enrollment. Blood was drawn directly from the veins of both the mother and child in this study. Titers were measured for both mother and child on serum. In both studies it was verified that the pregnant women has good vaccination coverage. However, the study of immunity levels among the newborns showed different results in the two studies. The authors discuss the reasons for these differences and formulate recommendations for an use of these tests during sero-epidemiologic studies in tropical climates.

Social and economic factors affecting women's health.

PIP: Women in developing countries work 10-16 hours a day within and outside their homes while exposed to the risks of multiple pregnancy, and consequently often suffer physical exhaustion. The health risks to mother and child of high fertility have been well studied. Infertility is not statistically common in most of the world but in some regions infertility has grave consequences for women so afflicted. Third world females are at great risk of mortality in infancy when they may receive less care than boys and in their childbearing years when they are subject to high maternal mortality rates due largely to hemorrhage, postpartum infection, and septic abortion. Illegal abortion with its risks appears to be increasing in countries with no legalized abortion. The difficulty of controlling venereal disease also has strong impact on women's health in many areas. The number of anemic women in Third World countries is probably about 260 million, with Asian women at greatest risk. Substandard working conditions in industry and increasing stress from new and conflicting roles have deleterious effects on women's health. Health care for women if available at all has often been limited to care during pregnancy and childbirth. Primary health care which takes into account women's total situation and provision of health-related services can help alleviate the health problems of women and should be encouraged.^ieng