Trend of soil salinization in Africa and implications for agro-chemical use in semi-arid croplands.

Soil salinization is a gradual degradation process that begins as a minor problem and grows to become a significant economic loss if no control action is taken. It progressively alters the soil environment which eventually negatively affects plants and organism that were not originally adapted for saline conditions. Soil salinization arises from diverse sources such as side-effects of long-term use of agro-chemicals, saline parent rocks, periodic inundation of soil with saline water, etc. In Africa, soil salinization has not been adequately documented particularly in the croplands. The objective of this study was to identify trends of cropland salinization in Africa and how its relationship with long-term land use practices affected the soil environment. The study analysed soil salinization between 1965 and 2020 using measured electrical conductivity (EC), spatial modelling with environmental covariates, and national statistics on cropland expansion and application of mineral fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. The results showed increasing trends of EC in Africa due to climatic and land use drivers. Increasing trends of EC, which evidenced salinization, was found in 31 million hectares of topsoils and 18 million hectares of subsoils. About 2 million hectares of croplands were depicted with salinization and >25 million hectares at the risk of salinization in the arid and semi-arid areas. The study also found statistical relationships between semi-arid cropland salinization and trends of agro-chemical use and cropland sizes. There were significant (p < 0.001) positive correlations between semi-arid cropland salinization and trends of cropland expansion and applied nitrogenous fertilizers. It found that increasing trend of applied mineral nitrogenous fertilizers could double the odds of salinization in semi-arid croplands while cropland expansion could increase the odds of semi-arid cropland salinization by >10 %. These findings present ground-breaking baseline information for future works on sustainable land-use practices that can control cropland soil salinization in Africa.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Antibiotic Resistance of Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria in West Africa Between 2010 and 2020.

OBJECTIVE: In the past, studies on antimicrobial resistance were carried out on pathogens in the clinical areas. However, since then, this phenomenon has become a general case both in the environment and in the food sector. This systematic review aimed to review the various scientific publications on the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics in foods in West Africa. METHODS: An extensive literature search was carried out through an electronic database including PubMed, Google Scholar, Research Gate, and African Journals Online (AJOL). Articles published from fifteen countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) between 2010 and 2020 on antibiotic resistance of foodborne pathogens were included in the study. The titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles and then the full texts of the selected articles were reviewed. RESULTS: Out of the 565 articles found in our initial research, 149 publications (26.55%) were considered suitable for inclusion in this review. Globally, 2018, 2019, and 2020 had more included papers (n = 21 to 25) than the other years. Of the 149 publications analyzed, four types of food commodities were identified as products of high consumption based on the number of publications in the field such as poultry (39/149), read-to-eat food (22/149), meat, and animal products (20/149). Most studies have shown that E. coli has the highest prevalence followed by Salmonella and Staphylococcus. Only 33 (22.14%) of the 149 publications were based on further molecular characterization of the isolates. Publications analyzed showed that the most prevalent detected genes were tet(A), tet(B), tet(C), tet(K) blaTEM, catA1, catA2, cmlA, blaCTXM and qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, parC, and qepA4. CONCLUSION: From these results, antibiotic use in the food areas must be strongly regulated, especially in developing countries, particularly in Africa. This highlights the need to implement suitable and appropriate control strategies to reduce complications and prevent the dissemination of resistant bacteria isolates in foods. One health antimicrobial resistance surveillance system in the region must be a great concern.

Gold panner blast hand.

"Blast hand" is a traumatic hand injury related to an explosion. Artisanal gold miners use dynamite to excavate gold pits; such activities expose them to blast hand injuries. This work aims to study blast injuries to gold miners' hands. A 25-month retrospective study was performed. Data on the traumatic event, patients, and injuries were collected and analyzed. Dedicated classifications and scores were used to evaluate the injury topography, injury severity, physical dependence, and aesthetic impact. Data were analyzed statistically. Thirty patients with 46 blast hand injuries among 516 hand injuries were collected. All patients were males and full-time artisanal gold miners. They were seen in the emergency room an average of 10.2hours (1-72) after the explosion. Explosions were caused by a 500g dynamite charge in all cases. The detonation was mainly thermal (n=13), triggered by the patient himself (n=24) and inside the gold pit (n=20). Injuries were bilateral (53%) or left side predominant (59%). Complex injuries were present in 21 hands. The MHISS (Modified Hand Injury Severity Score) was severe (n=7) and major (n=32). Associated injuries were musculoskeletal (n=12), ophthalmologic (n=14) and maxillofacial (n=10). Complexes injuries were correlated to being inside the pit at the time of the explosion. Treatment was conservative more often (n=33) than amputation (n=13). The functional recovery was complete in 22 hands (10 patients). Return to work at the same level was possible for only eight hands (5 patients). The presence of local sequelae or associated injuries negatively impacted the return to work. In Burkina Faso, gold miner's blast hand injuries cause post-traumatic social and professional reintegration issues. Better regulation of artisanal gold mining and expansion of treatment modalities (microsurgery, hand rehabilitation, splinting) may improve the outcome.

[Onchocerciasis in Burkina Faso: a Re-Emerging Vector-Borne Endemic Disease]. / Onchocercose au Burkina Faso : une endémie à transmission vectorielle en voie de réémergence.

Burkina Faso, like other countries, reported a focal interruption of onchocerciasis transmission and was thus placed under post-therapeutic surveillance. However, the country seems to be experiencing a resurgence of the disease according to recent surveys at certain sentinel sites and data from various surveys. The aim of our study is to take stock of the evolution of the current epidemiological situation of onchocerciasis in Burkina Faso. For data collection, in addition to the scientific articles, we have used data from different epidemiological and entomological surveys conducted by the National Program for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases (PNLMTN) through its onchocerciasis elimination unit in Burkina Faso. Prior to implementation of the Onchocerciasis Control Program in West Africa (OCP), Burkina Faso had onchocerciasis prevalence between 60% and 80%. In 2002, the maximum prevalence dropped to 15%. However, in 2010 and 2011, epidemiological surveys indicated that some villages in the Comoé River basin had prevalence rate ranging from 0.7% to 71%. Thirteen (13) villages had prevalence rates above the tolerable threshold of 5%. Despite the implementation of the community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) since 2011, recent surveys show a tendency for a recrudescence of the disease in some sites, yet covered by the TIDC. This suggests that the elimination of onchocerciasis requires the integration of new control strategies. Thus, an essential condition for the elimination of onchocerciasis is the analysis of the situation in each focus in order to define the most cost-effective strategy for permanently interrupting the transmission of the parasite. National onchocerciasis elimination committees put in place will play a key role in determining the best strategy.

Le Burkina Faso, comme d'autres pays, avait signalé une interruption focale de la transmission de l'onchocercose et était ainsi placé sous surveillance post-thérapeutique. Cependant, le pays semble connaître une résurgence de la maladie selon les récentes enquêtes au niveau de certains sites sentinelles et les données de diverses enquêtes. Le but de notre étude est de faire le point sur l'évolution de la situation épidémiologique actuelle de l'onchocercose au Burkina Faso. Pour la collecte des données, nous nous sommes servis, en plus des articles scientifiques, des données des différentes enquêtes épidémiologiques et entomologiques menées par le Programme national de lutte contre les maladies tropicales négligées (PNLMTN) au travers de son unité d'élimination de l'onchocercose au Burkina Faso. Avant la mise en oeuvre du Programme de lutte contre l'onchocercose en Afrique de l'Ouest (Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa), le Burkina Faso enregistrait des prévalences de l'onchocercose comprises entre 60 et 80 %. En 2002, la prévalence maximale a chuté à 15 %. Cependant, en 2010 et 2011, des enquêtes épidémiologiques indiquent que certains villages du bassin de la Comoé avaient des prévalences allant de 0,7 à 71 %. Treize villages avaient des prévalences supérieures au seuil tolérable de 5 %.Malgré la mise en place du traitement à l'ivermectine sous directives communautaires (TIDC) depuis 2011, les récentes enquêtes montrent une tendance à la recrudescence de la maladie dans certains sites, pourtant couverts par le TIDC. Cela suggère que l'élimination de l'onchocercose nécessite l'intégration de nouvelles stratégies de lutte. Ainsi, une condition essentielle pour l'élimination de l'onchocercose est l'analyse de la situation dans chaque foyer afin de définir la stratégie la plus rentable pour interrompre de manière permanente la transmission du parasite. Les comités nationaux d'élimination de l'onchocercose mis en place joueront un rôle clé dans la détermination de la meilleure stratégie.

Prevalence of non-adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy and its related clinical and therapeutic factors in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).

Introduction : Non-adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy is deleterious in HIV/AIDS programs. This study contributes to the identification of its frequency and of the clinical and therapeutic factors that determine it. Material and methods : This cross-sectional study took place from December 15, 2013, to February 18, 2014, at the Saint Camille health care center and the Pietro Annigoni biomolecular research center in Ouagadougou. It includes adults who had been receiving antiretroviral therapy for at least three months and agreed to participate. The Chi-square test or Fisher's test was used to compare proportions in the univariate analysis. A logistic regression model was applied for the multivariate analysis. P values less than 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: The study included 152 patients. Their mean age was 40.7±7.8 years, and the sex-ratio 0.3. The frequency of non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy was 38.2%. In the univariate analysis, laboratory and clinical factors associated with non-adherence were severe immune depression (P=0.03), opportunistic infections (P=0.001), and lack of clinical improvement (P=0.001), while the therapeutic factors associated with it were inadequate knowledge (P=0.001), side effects (P=0.003), and using the treatment secretly (P=0.001). In the multivariate analysis, opportunistic infections (OR=13.51, 95% CI 3.15-58.82, P=0.000), lack of clinical improvement (OR=4.16, 95% CI 1.06-16.32, P=0.04), inadequate knowledge (OR=16.12, 95% CI 1.67-166.66, P=0.01), and secret treatment use (OR=11.36, 95% CI 3.18-40.00, P=0.000) remained associated with non-adherence. CONCLUSION: The study underlines the need to improve strategies for the prescription of this therapy and for reinforcing patients' education and support.

[Evaluation of stool microscopy and culture to assist the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in a tuberculosis endemic country]. / Évaluation de la microscopie et de la culture des selles dans le diagnostic de la tuberculose pulmonaire dans un pays d'endémie tuberculeuse.

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of stool microscopy and culture in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). MATERIAL AND METHOD: In resource-limited settings, PTB is mainly diagnosed in sputum by microscopy methods. In patients unable to provide sputum, invasive procedures are necessary to obtain alternative respiratory tract specimens. Because Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) organisms are known to survive in gastric fluid, we hypothesized that swallowed MTC organisms would be detectable in stool samples. We compared the presence of MTC organisms in sputum and stool specimens collected at the same time from the same patients. RESULTS: We included samples routinely submitted to our laboratory of microbiological diagnosis from patients with suspected PTB. In addition, a stool specimen was collected within 24 h of the sputum collection or gastric aspirate. In the 57 patients included, sputum microcopy and culture confirmed respectively 9 (21%) and 15 (26%) cases. Stool samples made it possible to confirm 9 cases by microscopy and 5 cases by culture. The sensitivity of microscopy was 60% and that of culture 33%. Sputum analysis was negative for one HIV-infected patient, but the stool sample was positive and permitted the diagnosis of PTB. CONCLUSION: This study proves that despite the low sensitivity of stool cultures it can be an alternative or additional interesting sample for the diagnosis of PTB in patients who have difficulty expectorating.