La morbimortalité du tétanos à l'hôpital Sominé Dolo de Mopti

Introduction. Le tétanos est un problème de santé publique. La létalité qui lui est associée est très élevée. L'objectif de ce travail était de décrire les aspects cliniques, thérapeutiques et évolutifs du tétanos chez l'adulte. Méthodes. Il s'agissait d'une étude rétrospective des cas de tétanos à l'hôpital Sominé Dolo de Mopti. Les données ont été collectées à partir des dossiers des malades et portaient sur le nom, le sexe, l'âge, la profession, la provenance, le statut vaccinal, la porte d'entrée. Le score de Dakar a été utilisé pour évaluer le pronostic des patients. Résultats. Nous avons colligé 11 cas dont un tétanos obstétrical. La prévalence hospitalière était de 1,03% ; l'âge moyen de 41ans avec des extrêmes de 21 et 70 ans. La tranche d'âge de 20 - 30 ans était la plus affectée avec 36,36%. Aucun des patients n'avait été antérieurement vacciné contre le tétanos. La durée moyenne d'hospitalisation a été de 11,36 jours. Tous les patients ont présenté le trismus, dans plus de 50% des cas, la fièvre était associée aux paroxysmes. Nous rapportons un taux de létalité de 54,54% dont 83,33% sont survenus dans les quatre jours qui ont suivi l'hospitalisation. Le délai moyen de survenu du décès était de 4 jours. Conclusion. Le tétanos continue d'être une menace à l'atteinte de l'objectif de la couverture sanitaire universelle. Des efforts de sensibilisation et des programmes de vaccination plus inclusifs devraient permettre d'en réduire la morbimortalité

Evaluation de l'outil de sélection des candidats au don pour améliorer la qualité des produits dérivés de sang à l'Hôpital du Mali

Introduction : La sécurité transfusionnelle constitue un défi majeur dans les pays en développement. La sélection médicale est un élément essentiel dans la stratégie visant à réduire la transmission d'agents infectieux Mali. Dans ce travail nous avons évalué l'outil utilisé pour le screening pré-don dans l'unité de banque de sang de l'hôpital du Mali. Matériel et Méthodes : Il s'agissait d'une étude prospective du 30 mars 2016 au 14 février 2017 incluant tous les candidats au don de sang. Après la sélection médicale, une qualification biologique a été réalisée au niveau du Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine notamment pour les 4 infections transmissibles obligatoires de l'OMS (VHB, VHC, VIH et Syphilis). Résultats : Au total, 726 candidats au don ont été inclus. La moyenne d'âge était de 30,72 ± 8,8 ans, compris entre 17 et 60 ans. Le sex-ratio H/F était : 8,48. Il s'agissait dans 83,5% des cas d'un don de compensation, 67% étaient à leur premier don. La sélection médicale a permis d'écarter 108 candidats pour des raisons diverses. Sur les 618 candidats retenus, 79 soit 12,8% des PSL n'étaient pas qualifiés pour la distribution pour VIH (0,3%), VHB (10,7%), VHC (1,8%), syphilis (0,3%) et co-infection VHB+VHC (0,3%). Conclusion : Cette étude nous a permis d'identifier quelques insuffisances de l'outil. Nous concluons que cet outil utilisé pour la sélection médicale doit être amélioré

Correlates of whole-blood polyunsaturated fatty acids among young children with moderate acute malnutrition.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) has been associated with low polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) status. However, investigations regarding PUFA status and correlates in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) from low-income countries are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe whole-blood PUFA levels in children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and to identify correlates of PUFAs. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using baseline data from a prospective nutritional intervention trial among 1609 children with MAM aged 6-23 months in Burkina Faso,West Africa. Whole-blood PUFAs were measured by gas chromatography and expressed as percent of total whole-blood fatty acids (FA%). Potential correlates of PUFAs including infection, inflammation, hemoglobin, anthropometry (difference between children diagnosed as having MAM based on low mid-upper-arm-circumference (MUAC) only, low MUAC and weight-for-height z-score (WHZ), or low WHZ only) and diet were assessed by linear regression adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: Children with MAM had low concentrations of whole-blood PUFAs, particularly n-3 PUFAs. Moreover, children diagnosed with MAM based only on low MUAC had 0.32 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.14; 0.50) and 0.40 (95% CI, 0.16; 0.63) FA% lower arachidonic acid (AA) than those recruited based on both low WHZ as well as low MUAC and those recruited with low WHZ only, respectively. Infection and inflammation were associated with low levels of all long-chain (LC)-PUFAs, while hemoglobin was positively associated with whole-blood LC-PUFAs. CONCLUSION: While PUFA deficiency was not a general problem, overall whole-blood PUFA concentrations, especially of n-3 PUFAs, were low. Infection, inflammation, hemoglobin, anthropometry and diet were correlates of PUFAs concentrations in children with MAM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered at http://www.isrctn.com ( ISRCTN42569496 ).

Microbial diversity and biochemical characteristics of Borassus akeassii wine.

UNLABELLED: Palm wine produced traditionally and consumed by many people in the South-West of Burkina Faso is subject to alteration. In this study, we carried out a follow-up of two palm wines' fermentation during the 10 days in which palm wines are classically produced and consumed. We monitored biochemical characteristics of fermenting wines as well as followed the microflora kinetics using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. The analysis of the acid content and the bacterial population revealed the correlation between the development of Lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid, and total acidity. Ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis and sequencing results revealed different yeast and bacterial populations for the two palm wines. Although Saccharomyces cerevisiae remained the sole yeast species in one fermentation, it was quickly replaced by Clavispora lusitaniae in the second fermentation, which had never been described until now in palm wine. When considering bacteria, the species Corynebacterium sp., Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei and Leuconostoc sp. were detected in both palm wines. But we also detected Acetobacter pasteurianus, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis in the second fermentation. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Our results highlight the evolution of palm wine during the 10 days separating palm tapping and consumption of the fermented wine. The fermentation step is performed within few hours and completed after 24 h. The next days, its acidity increases progressively with the production of lactic and acetic acids by bacteria. The high production of acetic acid is very likely one of the main cause of palm wine degradation during this period. This indicates that the solution to palm wine preservation might be protection against oxygen, as well as the limit of bacterial growth through the use of preservatives.

Streptococcus pneumoniae invasive infections in Burkina Faso, 2007 to 2011.

OBJECTIVE: We had for aim to determine the epidemiology of meningeal and lung invasive infections due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in Burkina Faso. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We screened for S. pneumoniae with the usual bacteriology techniques and with real time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) in 7917 samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and pleural fluid (PF) collected in the Ouagadougou Yalgado Ouedraogo Teaching Hospital, from 2007 to 2011. RESULTS: S. pneumoniae was identified in 476 (6%) samples including 455 (5.7%) in CSF and 21 (0.3%) in PF. Sixty-seven percent of invasive infections occurred in patients 15 years of age or less, without any significant sex ratio difference. The infections occurred most frequently between January and August, with the first and most important peak between January and May (dry season) and the second peak between June and August (at the beginning of rain season). The introduction of rt-PCR proved the under diagnosing of invasive infections by usual bacteriological methods (latex agglutination assay and culture). CONCLUSION: Invasive pneumococcal infections occur mainly in patients 15 years of age or less, without any difference in sex ratio and with peaks in the dry season. Vaccinal schedules should include all age ranges in Burkina Faso.

Diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli detected by 16-plex PCR in children with and without diarrhoea in Burkina Faso.

The importance of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) in Africa is poorly understood, and is unknown in Burkina Faso. This study investigated the occurrence of five major DEC pathogroups in primary cultures of stool samples from 658 Burkinabe children under 5 years old using 16-plex PCR for virulence-associated genes. At least one DEC pathogroup was detected in 45% of 471 children with diarrhoea and in 29% of 187 children without diarrhoea (p <0.001). More than one DEC pathogroup was detected in 11% of children with and 1% of children without diarrhoea (p <0.001). Enteroaggregative E. coli was the most common pathogroup in both children with diarrhoea (26%) and children without diarrhoea (21%). Enteropathogenic E. coli and enterotoxigenic E. coli were detected significantly more often in children with diarrhoea (16% and 13%) than in children without diarrhoea (5% and 4%; p <0.001 for both pathogroups). Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and enteroinvasive E. coli were detected only in children with diarrhoea (2% and 1%, respectively). Diarrhoeagenic E. coli, especially enteropathogenic and enterotoxigenic, may be important, unrecognized causes of childhood diarrhoea in Burkina Faso.

Identification of surfactin producing strains in Soumbala and Bikalga fermented condiments using Polymerase Chain Reaction and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Mass Spectrometry methods.

In this study, 67 strains were isolated from two fermented condiments from Burkina Faso: Soumbala and Bikalga. Phenotypical methods, biochemical tests and molecular approaches were used to determinate their genus or species. Twenty-two of them belong to the Bacillus genus. Six strains were selected for their antibacterial or antifungal properties. Their ability to produce lipopeptides synthesized by Non Ribosomal Peptide Synthetases was investigated using two different approaches: PCR with specific degenerated primers and Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) performed on whole cells cultivated on a solid medium. PCR revealed that the six strains contain genes involved in the biosynthesis of surfactins whereas surfactins C14 and C15 were only detected by MALDI-ToF MS in two of the six strains. For the first time, the presence of surfactins C14 and C15 was also identified by MALDI-ToF MS analyses directly performed on Soumbala methanolic crude extracts. The structure of these compounds was confirmed by +MS2 and +MS3 of sample and reference surfactins.

In vitro anti Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv activity of Lannea acida A. Rich from Burkina Faso.

The cytotoxic and anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv activities of hydro-alcoholic extract of Lannea acida A. Rich (Anacardiaceae) were assessed. The cytoxicity evaluation was carried out on THP1 monocytoid cell line (after 24 h at 1; 5 and 10 microg mL(-1)) and showed only a slight modification of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. The rate of monocytes in different stages of mitosis had been amended in absence and presence of extract as follows: Go/G1 58.83-59.83%; synthesis 21.95-18.64%; mitosis 16.67-15.77%; necrosis 2.65-5.64%. The percentage of inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis proliferation was respectively 77.6 and 36.8% at 1.2 and 0.6 mg mL(-1) of extract. This is an interesting experimental study on antimicrobial and immune-stimulating properties of Lannea acida ethanol-water (70% v/v) extract which may contain potential antibacterial and immune-stimulating agents for clinical use.

Anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in new and previously treated pulmonary tuberculosis cases in Burkina Faso.

SETTING: National Tuberculosis (TB) Control Centre in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance among newly diagnosed and previously treated cases. METHODS: A total of 416 M. tuberculosis complex strains were isolated from 323 new and 93 previously treated patients under DOTS. Susceptibility to four anti-tuberculosis drugs (isoniazid [INH], rifampicin [RMP], streptomycin [SM] and ethambutol [EMB]) was determined using the proportion method. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status was determined in 316 patients, 249 new and 67 previously treated cases, with informed consent. RESULTS: Among new cases, 12.4% of strains were resistant to any drug, and 3.4% were multidrug-resistant (MDR). Resistance rates were very high in previously treated patients: INH (66.7%), RMP (51.6%), SM (44.1%), EMB (50.5%) and MDR (INH+RMP; 50.5%). Of 316 patients tested, 28.7% were HIV-positive. There was no statistically significant association between HIV status and MDR-TB in new (P = 0.95) and previously treated patients (P = 0.5). CONCLUSION: Drug resistance is high in Burkina Faso. Early detection of infectious patients and completion of treatment are essential.

Isolation of a tannic acid-degrading Streptococcus sp. from an anaerobic shea cake digester.

An anaerobic digester fed with shea cake rich in tannins and phenolic compounds rich-shea cake and previously inoculated with anaerobic sludge from the pit of a slaughterhouse, enabled six months acclimatization of the bacteria to aromatic compounds. Afterwards, digester waste water samples were subject to successive culture on media with 1 g L(-1) tannic acid allowing the isolation of a bacterial strain coded AB. Strain AB was facultatively anaerobic, mesophilic, non-motile, non-sporulating, catalase and oxidase negative bacterium, namely strain AB, was isolated from an anaerobic digester fed with shea cake rich in tannins and phenolic compounds, after inoculation with anaerobic sludge from the pit of a slaughterhouse and enrichment on tannic acid. The coccoid cells occurred in pair, short or long chains and stained Gram-positive. Strain AB fermented a wide range of carbohydrates including glucose, fructose, galactose, raffinose, arabinose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, starch and cellulose. Optimum growth occurred with glucose and tannic acid at 37 degrees C and pH 8. The pH, temperature and salt concentration for growth ranged from 5 to 9, 20 to 45 degrees C and 0 to 15 g L(-1), respectively. Strain AB converted tannic acid to gallic acid. These features were similar to those of the Streptococcus genus. The determination of tannic acid hydrolysis end products, ability to utilize various organic acids, alcohols and peptides, GC% of the DNA, the sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and DNA-DNA hybridization will permit to confirm this affiliation and to determine the species.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug-resistance in previously treated patients in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis drug-resistance becomes common in sub-Saharan Africa; however, very few data are available in Burkina Faso. The aim of this study is to assess the acquired resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains identified in TB patients to four first-line drugs in Ouagadougou. METHODS: One hundred and ten (110) pulmonary tuberculosis patients with acid-fast bacilli-positive sputum and in situation of failure, relapse, or treatment abandonment were included in the study. Ninety six strains, including 92 (95.8%) M. tuberculosis and 4 (4.2%) M. africanum, were isolated from the sputum samples of these patients. Their drug susceptibility testing was performed using the proportion method. The first-line drugs tested were isoniazid (INH), streptomycin (STR), ethambutol (EMB), and rifampicin (RIF). RESULTS: The overall drug-resistance rate of M. tuberculosis was 67.4% (n=60), including 3.4% to one drug, 18% to two, 10.1% to three, and 35.9% to four drugs. The resistance to INH, RIF, EMB, and STR were 67.4%, 51.7%, 50.6%, and 44.9%, respectively. Two strains of M. africanum were resistant to all drugs. Forty-six (51.7%) strains were multidrug-resistant (resistant to at least INH and RIF). CONCLUSIONS: In previously treated patients, the level of resistance of M. tuberculosis complex to commonly used anti-tuberculosis drugs is very high in Ouagadougou. Our results showed that multidrug-resistant tuberculosis could be a public health problem in Burkina Faso.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Drug-Resistance in Previously Treated Patients in Ouagadougou; Burkina Faso

Background: Tuberculosis drug-resistance becomes common in sub-Saharan Africa; however; very few data are available in Burkina Faso. The aim of this study is to assess the acquired resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains identified in TB patients to four first-line drugs in Ouagadougou. Methods: One hundred and ten (110) pulmonary tuberculosis patients with acid-fast bacilli-positive sputum and in situation of failure; relapse; or treatment abandonment were included in the study. Ninety six strains; including 92 (95.8) M. tuberculosis and 4 (4.2) M. africanum; were isolated from the sputum samples of these patients. Their drug susceptibility testing was performed using the proportion method. The first-line drugs tested were isoniazid (INH); streptomycin (STR); ethambutol (EMB); and rifampicin (RIF). Results: The overall drug-resistance rate of M. tuberculosis was 67.4(n=60); including 3.4to one drug; 18to two; 10.1to three; and 35.9to four drugs. The resistance to INH; RIF; EMB; and STR were 67.4; 51.7; 50.6; and 44.9; respectively. Two strains of M. africanum were resistant to all drugs. Forty-six (51.7) strains were multidrug-resistant (resistant to at least INH and RIF). Conclusions: In previously treated patients; the level of resistance of M. tuberculosis complex to commonly used anti-tuberculosis drugs is very high in Ouagadougou. Our results showed that multidrug-resistant tuberculosis could be a public health problem in Burkina Faso

Drug Resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex among Newly Diagnosed Tuberculosis Cases in Burkina Faso

BACKGROUND:In Burkina Faso; there is no recent data about the level of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains among newly diagnosed tuberculosis cases. OBJECTIVE: To provide an update of the primary drug resistance of mycobacterium tuberculosis among patients in Burkina faso. METHODS: Mycobacterium strains were identified in 323 newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients between April 2005 and September 2006; and their susceptibility to isoniazid; rifampicin; streptomycin; and ethambutol was determined according to the proportions method. Among these patients; 243 accepted voluntarily to be tested for antibodies to HIV. RESULTS: The age range of the patients was 11 and 75 years and included 221 (68.4) males and 102 (21.6) females. The isolates included 314 (97.2) M. tuberculosis; eight (0.3) M. africanum and one M. bovis. Thirty-nine (12.4) of the M. tuberculosis strains were resistant; with 7.3resistant to one drug; 2.9to two drugs; 0.3to three drugs and 1.9to four drugs. In total 3.2of the isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR). One isolate of M. africanum was resistant to all drugs while the single strain of M. bovis was sensitive to all the drugs. Among the 243 patients tested for HIV 77 were positive. However; there was no relationship between drug resistance and gender; age group or HIV serostatus of the patients. CONCLUSION: The resistance rate of M. tuberculosis strains to all the four drugs tested (12.4) and the rate of MDR (3.2) are high. These results demand an increased effort by the National Tuberculosis Program to limit the spread of MDR strains of tuberculosis

In vitro antiplasmodial and antibacterial activities of Canthium multiflorum Schum and Thonn (Rubiacea) extracts.

Because of the resistance of pathogens to actually available drugs, there is a continuous need for new agents to cure several diseases such as malaria and microbial infections. In the establishment of new drugs, plant are often a source of new leads, indeed aqueous, acetone and methanol extracts of Canthium multiflorum were tested for antiplasmodial and antibacterial activities. The antiplasmodial activity was performed on fresh clinical strains of Plasmodium falciparum using light microscopy. The results revealed that the methanol extract was the most active with IC50 of 4.69 microg mL(-1). The NCCLS microdilution method performed on clinical and reference strains of pathogenic bacteria yielded MIC and MBC values ranging from 312 to 1250 and 625 to 2500 microg mL(-1), respectively. The qualitative analysis of the extract revealed the presence of several chemical groups such as alkaloids, terpens and tannins that might be responsible for the activity of the plant. The issue of this study showed that C. multiflorum is a plant that many attention should be paid to because of it pharmacological potentials.

Drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex among newly diagnosed tuberculosis cases in Burkina Faso.

BACKGROUND: In Burkina Faso, there is no recent data about the level of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains among newly diagnosed tuberculosis cases. OBJECTIVE: To provide an update of the primary drug resistance of mycobacterium tuberculosis among patients in Burkina faso. METHODS: Mycobacterium strains were identified in 323 newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients between April 2005 and September 2006, and their susceptibility to isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin, and ethambutol was determined according to the proportions method. Among these patients, 243 accepted voluntarily to be tested for antibodies to HIV. RESULTS: The age range of the patients was 11 and 75 years and included 221 (68.4%) males and 102 (21.6%) females. The isolates included 314 (97.2%) M. tuberculosis, eight (0.3%) M. africanum and one M. bovis. Thirty-nine (12.4%) of the M. tuberculosis strains were resistant, with 7.3% resistant to one drug, 2.9% to two drugs, 0.3% to three drugs and 1.9% to four drugs. In total 3.2% of the isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR). One isolate of M. africanum was resistant to all drugs while the single strain of M. bovis was sensitive to all the drugs. Among the 243 patients tested for HIV 77 were positive. However, there was no relationship between drug resistance and gender, age group or HIV serostatus of the patients. CONCLUSION: The resistance rate of M. tuberculosis strains to all the four drugs tested (12.4%) and the rate of MDR (3.2%) are high. These results demand an increased effort by the National Tuberculosis Program to limit the spread of MDR strains of tuberculosis.

[Hygienic quality of meat used in institutional food services: university cafeterias in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)]. / Qualité hygiénique de la viande utilisée en restauration collective dans trois restaurants universitaires de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).

This present study was conducted to assess the hygienic quality of meals served in three cafeterias at the national university in Ouagadougou and the compliance of kitchen staff with good hygiene practices. Microbiological analyses assessed the hygienic quality of the raw meat and of meat-based meals. The results showed poor hygiene practices by food handlers along the food chain. These observations were confirmed by the identification of salmonella, coliform and staphylococcal bacteria in raw meat and cooked meals. Overall, 60% of the raw meat samples were unsatisfactory for aerobic mesophilic flora and 6.6% for salmonella. For the cooked meat meals, on the other hand, 45% of the samples were satisfactory for aerobic mesophilic flora, 100% for salmonella, 93.3% for fecal thermotolerant coliforms and 96.6% for staphylococci. These results showed poor hygiene in the handling of raw meat, but a clear improvement in hygienic quality after cooking. Raising the awareness of cafeteria staff about compliance with hygiene rules appears primordial. Moreover improvement of the food environment, the kitchen equipment, and organization as well as the introduction of a cleaning-disinfection programme would make it possible to provide more hygienic meals in these institutional facilities.

Abiotic transmission of Rice yellow mottle virus through soil and contact between plants.

The roles of guttation fluid, irrigation water, contact between plants and transplantation into contaminated soil in the transmission of Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV) were assessed. RYMV presence and infectivity were tested by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and by inoculation to susceptible rice cultivar BG90-2. The virus was readily detected in guttation fluid collected from infected rice plants. Transmission tests from this fluid led to high disease incidence (86.6%). Irrigation water collected at the base of infected plants growing in pots was less infectious, as inoculations led to disease incidences below 40%. No virus was detected and could be transmitted from field-irrigation water. Up to 44% healthy rice plants whose leaves were in contact with those of infected plants became infected but, no transmission occurred through intertwined roots. Transplantation of rice seedling into virus-contaminated soil also led to plant infection. However, virus survival in the soil decrease rapidly and infectivity was completely lost 14 days after soil contamination. Altogether, these results indicated that high planting densities of rice are likely to favour secondary spread of rice yellow mottle disease. Transplantation of rice seedlings not earlier than 2 weeks after soil preparation should prevent soil transmission of the virus. Although guttation fluid is highly infectious its contribution to virus infectivity in irrigation water is negligible as field-irrigation water was not found to be an infectious source for RYMV.

Comparative study of leaf and stem bark extracts of Parkia biglobosa against enterobacteria.

Hydroethanolic and aqueous extracts of leaf and stem bark of Parkia biglobosa (Jacq) Benth. (Mimosaceae) were tested against clinical isolates Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae and Enterococcus faecalis, and corresponding collection strains E. coli CIP 105 182, Salmonella enterica CIP 105 150, Shigella dysenteriae CIP 54-51 and Enterococcus faecalis CIP 103 907. Discs of Gentamicin, a broad spectrum antibiotic were used as positive controls. The results showed that all the extracts possess antimicrobial activities. A comparative study of the antibacterial activity of the leaves and that of the bark showed that for all the tested microorganisms, the hydroalcoholic extract of the bark is more active than the aqueous extract of the leaf. The hydroethanolic extract of the leaves is as effective as the aqueous extract of the stem bark prescribed by the traditional healer, suggesting it is possible to use leaves other than the roots and bark. The phytochemical screening showed that sterols and triterpenes, saponosides, tannins, reducing compounds, coumarins, anthocyanosides, flavonosides are present in both bark and leaf but in different concentrations.

Technological properties of Lactobacillus fermentum involved in the processing of dolo and pito, West African sorghum beers, for the selection of starter cultures.

AIM: Technological properties of Lactobacillus fermentum isolates involved in spontaneous fermentation of dolo and pito wort were examined to select starter cultures. METHODS AND RESULTS: 264 isolates were screened for antimicrobial activity, acidifying activity, exopolysaccharides (EPSs) and amylase production. An antimicrobial activity was detected for 33.3%, 31.8%, 22.7% and 15.9% of the isolates towards Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin A producer, Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin A and B producer, Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua, respectively. A similarity was found between the isolates which were clustered in four groups according to their rates of acidification of sorghum malt broth. The faster acidifying group of isolates (43.48%) had a rate of acidification evaluated as Delta pH of 1.14 +/- 0.15 pH unit after 6 h of fermentation, followed by a second group of isolates (38.08%) with a similar rate of acidification after 9 h of fermentation. From the isolates endowed with an antimicrobial activity, 5.76% belonged to the faster acidifying group and 40.38% belonged to the second group. 88.7% of the isolates had the ability for producing EPSs but not amylase. CONCLUSION: Lactobacillus fermentum ferments dolo and pito wort by lowering the pH and providing organic acids, EPSs and antimicrobial compounds. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Strains with a rapid rate of acidification, an antimicrobial activity and producing EPSs are suggested to have potential for starter cultures.