[First detection of Rift Valley Fever Virus among Culex pipiens in Tahoua, Niger]. / Détection du virus de la fièvre de la vallée du Rift chez Culex pipiens à Tahoua au Niger.

Background: The Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is an arbovirus disease responsible of regular epizootics and epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa and Arabian Peninsula. In 2016, Niger experienced its first outbreak of RVF in Tahoua region, which resulted in high consequences in animal and human health. The aim of this study was to investigate on the RVFV circulation among potential vectors of the disease. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey carried out in Tahoua and Agadez regions in August 2021. Adult mosquitoes were collected by using the morning spray in human dwellings and the CDC light trap methods. After morphological identification, viral RNA was extracted. The RNA was extracted by using QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit (Qiagen). The RVFV detection was performed by using the qRT-PCR method. Results: A total of 2487 insects (1978 mosquitoes, 509 sandflies and 251 biting midges) were identified and divided into three families (Culicidae, Psychodidae and Ceratopogonidae). The Culicidae family composed of the Culex genus being the most abundant with a predominance of Cx.pipiens (31.88%; n = 793) followed by Mansonia sp (21.51%; n = 535), Anophelesgambiae s.l. (8.44%; n = 210), An. pharoensis (0.72%; n = 18), An. rufipes (0.48%; n = 12), Cx. quinquefasciatus (6.39%; n = 159), the Psychodidae with sandflies (20.46%; n = 509), and the Ceratopogonidae with Culicoides genus (10.09%; n = 251). The qRT-PCR carried out on a sample of mosquitoes (N = 96) highlighted that one individual of Cx.pipiens was found positive to RVFV. This specimen was from Tassara locality (Tahoua) and collected by CDC Light Trap method. Conclusion: This study reveals for the first time the circulation of RVFV among Cx.pipiens in Niger and highlights the possible vectorial role of this vector in the disease transmission. Further investigations should be carried out to identify the biological and ecological determinants that support the maintenance of the virus in this area in order to guide control interventions.

Clinical and etiological profile of epilepsy at the regional hospital center of Tahoua (Niger): A 4-year retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate epilepsy management at the regional hospital center (RHC) of Tahoua (Niger) to determine the intrahospital deficiencies to optimize to improve the management of people with epilepsy. METHODS: A descriptive retrospective study was carried out at the Psychiatric Unit of the RHC of Tahoua between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2019. We collected from the registers of consultation all patients followed by nurse technicians in mental health for epilepsy whose diagnosis was made by nonspecialist physicians or internists. The study included patients with epilepsy who had a medical follow-up at least 6 months. RESULTS: Of the 2022 patients seen during the period of the study, 246 patients were consulted for epilepsy with a hospital frequency of 12.2%. The mean age was 22.38 years, with a slight predominance of men (57.7%). Only generalized tonic-clonic seizures (95.1%) and focal-aware seizures (4.9%) were reported. The main etiologies were cerebral malaria (18.7%), bacterial meningitis (8.1%), and head trauma (4.9%). In 60.2% of cases, the etiology was undetermined, but the etiological diagnosis investigation was incomplete (CT scan not done). Only the first-generation antiepileptic drugs were used. Only 2.8% of the patients had drug-resistant epilepsy, and 97.2% of the patients had controlled seizures. CONCLUSION: The study shows a predominance of infectious causes, particularly cerebral malaria. We found a high proportion of epilepsies with unknown etiologies with incomplete workup. The RHC of Tahoua should facilitate access to the CT scan for people with epilepsy to improve etiological diagnosis investigation.

Teachers' Knowledge About Epilepsy and Their Attitudes Toward Students with Epilepsy: A Cross-Sectional Survey in the City of Tahoua (Niger).

PURPOSE: In this survey, first, we aimed to investigate the views held about epilepsy of primary and secondary school teachers in the city of Tahoua (Niger, a Sub-Saharan African country), and secondarily, how their experience and knowledge about epilepsy influence their attitudes towards school children with epilepsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out between November and December 2019. We used a self-administered questionnaire survey in French-language comprising sociodemographic part, and knowledge and attitudes about epilepsy part. Composite scores of knowledge and attitudes were calculated, and statistical analyses were performed to assess their association with sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-four (284) school teachers had agreed to answer the questionnaire survey, among which 25% had already witnessed an epileptic seizure in the classroom or the schoolyard. Epilepsy is considered as a chronic brain disease and psychiatric illness in 31% and 32.4% of cases, respectively. In 41.9% of cases, epilepsy is considered as a contagious disease. Significantly, we found that the composite score of knowledge and attitudes was lower in younger school teachers (p = 0.007) and those with fewer years of teaching experience (p = 0.048). High school teachers had better score composite than those of primary school and college (p = 0.072). Regarding the composite score of attitudes, we did not find an association with sociodemographic characteristics. CONCLUSION: Teachers' attitudes were not associated with their level of school taught, years of teaching experience, and their religion. It is necessary to integrate educational training courses about epilepsy into the curriculum of teachers' training.

[Clinical and Therapeutic Profile and Outcomes of Patients with Tuberculosis at the Regional Hospital of Tahoua, Republic of the Niger]. / Profil clinique, thérapeutique et évolutif de la tuberculose au centre hospitalier régional (CHR) de Tahoua, république du Niger.

This study aims to describe the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic characteristics of patients followed for tuberculosis at the Regional Hospital Center of Tahoua (Niger) as well as their outcomes.We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study from the medical records of patients followed for tuberculosis between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019. A total of 465 patients were included in the present study (304 men and 161 women; mean age: 30 years). Patients coming from urban areas represented 51% of the cases. Bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis represented 63% of the cases, 15% of clinically diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis and 22% of extrapulmonary tuberculosis including Pott's disease. The HIV testing rate was 97.8%. Tuberculosis-HIV association represented 13% of the cases. The therapeutic success was 90.5%. The lethality rate was 5.2% (24/465). Among 24 patients who died, three had tuberculosis-HIV association.

L'objectif de cette étude était de décrire le profil clinique, thérapeutique et évolutif des patients suivis pour tuberculose (TB) au centre hospitalier régional de Tahoua (Niger). Nous avons mené une étude rétrospective, descriptive à partir des dossiers des patients suivis pour TB entre le 1er janvier 2017 et le 31 décembre 2019. Au total, 465 patients ont été inclus dans la présente étude (304 hommes et 161 femmes, âge moyen : 30 ans). Les patients provenant du milieu urbain représentaient 51 % des cas. La TB pulmonaire confirmée bactériologiquement représentait 63 % des cas, la TB pulmonaire cliniquement diagnostiquée 15 %, la TB extrapulmonaire, notamment le mal de Pott, 22 %. L'association TB­VIH représentait 13 % des cas. Le succès thérapeutique était de 90,5 %. Le taux de létalité était de 5,2 % (24/465). Parmi les 24 patients décédés, trois présentaient l'association TB­VIH.