[Anti-rubella antibodies in pregnant women in Niamey (Niger)]. / Anticorps antirubéoliques chez les femmes enceintes a Niamey (Niger).

A total of 345 serum samples from pregnant Nigerian women were tested for the presence of anti-rubella antibodies. A technique of inhibition of haemagglutination was used and 40 or more was considered as a positive titer. Rubella antibodies were found in 244 (70.7%) of the samples. These results are quite similar to those from other west African surveys.

[Preliminary evaluation of usable indicators during a control program for urinary bilharziosis in Niger]. / Evaluation préliminaire des indicateurs utilisables au cours d'un programme de lutte contre la bilharziose urinaire au Niger.

The performance of several indirect screening tests was evaluated during the start-up phase of a urinary schistosomiasis control program in Niger. Urine tests were carried out on a total of 354 children attending 3 primary schools on five consecutive days. Tests included filtration of 10 ml of urine, search for microscopic hematuria using reagent strips, and gross examination of urine. In addition a questionnaire was administered on the first day to identify signs of dysuria and hematuria. Repeat testing had a strong effect on the epidemiological profile of urinary schistosomiasis in the 3 schools. Although day-to-day counts varied greatly, egg excretion could be considered as high in all infected subjects. The screening sensitivity of urine filtration was low when the level of endemicity was moderate (up to 55 p. 100). Microscopic hematuria was common. However the sensitivity of this method was overestimated in comparison with urine filtration alone and use of reagent strips can be inconvenient. Using carefully defined diagnostic criteria, gross examination of urine was as effective as urine filtration and easier to perform. The value of the questionnaire for evaluation of morbidity was low despite relatively good performance of the diagnostic techniques. The children's responses concerning hematuria were not objective and questions concerning dysuria were poorly understood and time-consuming. In the next phase of study, these findings will be validated by ultrasound imaging.

[Toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Niamey (Niger)]. / La toxoplasmose chez les femmes enceintes de Niamey (Niger).

An investigation of antitoxoplasma antibodies was performed with ELISA among 218 pregnant women in Niamey (Niger). The overall prevalence is of 15.1%. Low prevalence rates are found like in most of the studies conducted in Sahelian Africa.