Sample records for abidjan cote divoire

  1. Acceptance of HIV in Cote d'Ivoire earns praise.

    PubMed

    1996-04-22

    The first known case of AIDS in Cote d'Ivoire was diagnosed in 1985. After that, the number of people identified as having AIDS grew rapidly, but the social stigmatization of people with HIV and AIDS caused the discussion of HIV/AIDS to remain taboo for years. Even health workers only mentioned the virus within the privacy of their clinics. The government of Cote d'Ivoire finally decided in 1994 to acknowledge the existence of an HIV epidemic in the country and launched an anti-AIDS campaign supported by social workers and nongovernmental organizations. These actions have earned international support for the authorities of Cote d'Ivoire. As a result of the campaign, growing numbers of people have been taking care of infected relatives, while some people with AIDS have publicly declared their HIV-positive serostatus. An HIV laboratory, the first of its kind in West Africa, will be established in Cote d'Ivoire, and the UN Program Against AIDS will base its regional office for West Africa in the city. Peter Piot, the program's executive director, has stated that the UN chose Abidjan because of the Cote d'Ivoire's new honest approach toward fighting HIV and AIDS. Cote d'Ivoire, a member of the UN AIDS Coordination Committee, plans to host an International Conference on AIDS in 1997. The US Centers for Disease Control also plan to finance the creation of a virological laboratory in Abidjan to determine how the virus is reproduced in humans with the goal of developing a vaccine against it; to identify how HIV is transmitted, how it kills, and how to prevent its propagation; and to serve as a training center for young Ivoirian virologists. Construction began upon the Abidjan Virology Laboratory in late March 1996. The laboratory is expected to cost 400 million CFA francs (almost $850,000) and should start operating in July 1997.

  2. AIDS soap opera generates massive interest. Eye witness: Cote d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Dodd, R

    1995-12-01

    SIDA Dans La Cite (AIDS in the City) is a popular weekly soap opera first broadcast in Cote d'Ivoire in 1991 with 11 15-minute episodes. The series is part of a campaign by Population Services International (PSI) to raise awareness about AIDS among Ivorian youth. Actors worked for a nominal fee, editing studios were provided at substantial discounts, and filming equipment was borrowed for next to nothing. Production director realized how important the soap opera had become after the fourth episode. A study of 700 households in Abidjan found that of the 75% who had access to a television, two-thirds had seen at least one episode. Cote d'Ivoire may be one of the most religiously conservative countries in Africa. 10% of the adult population, however, is infected with HIV. All sectors of society therefore understand the need to openly understand and discuss sexual issues in the context of such high HIV prevalence. Studies indicate that virtually everyone in Cote d'Ivoire has heard of AIDS and knows that it is a sexually transmitted disease, but persuading people to change their behavior is difficult. PSI sells approximately 750,000 of its subsidized Prudence condoms. Prudence has the same brand recognition in the country as Nescafe and Toyota. A recent survey of sexually active teens found that 30% of girls and 45% of boys used condoms. A weekly radio show is broadcast live from one of the poorest ghettos of Abidjan. Guests include popular singers, comedians, and television personalities. The actors are often from SIDA Dans La Cite.

  3. Effects of climatological parameters in modeling and forecasting seasonal influenza transmission in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    N'gattia, A K; Coulibaly, D; Nzussouo, N Talla; Kadjo, H A; Chérif, D; Traoré, Y; Kouakou, B K; Kouassi, P D; Ekra, K D; Dagnan, N S; Williams, T; Tiembré, I

    2016-09-13

    In temperate regions, influenza epidemics occur in the winter and correlate with certain climatological parameters. In African tropical regions, the effects of climatological parameters on influenza epidemics are not well defined. This study aims to identify and model the effects of climatological parameters on seasonal influenza activity in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. We studied the effects of weekly rainfall, humidity, and temperature on laboratory-confirmed influenza cases in Abidjan from 2007 to 2010. We used the Box-Jenkins method with the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) process to create models using data from 2007-2010 and to assess the predictive value of best model on data from 2011 to 2012. The weekly number of influenza cases showed significant cross-correlation with certain prior weeks for both rainfall, and relative humidity. The best fitting multivariate model (ARIMAX (2,0,0) _RF) included the number of influenza cases during 1-week and 2-weeks prior, and the rainfall during the current week and 5-weeks prior. The performance of this model showed an increase of >3 % for Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and 2.5 % for Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) compared to the reference univariate ARIMA (2,0,0). The prediction of the weekly number of influenza cases during 2011-2012 with the best fitting multivariate model (ARIMAX (2,0,0) _RF), showed that the observed values were within the 95 % confidence interval of the predicted values during 97 of 104 weeks. Including rainfall increases the performances of fitted and predicted models. The timing of influenza in Abidjan can be partially explained by rainfall influence, in a setting with little change in temperature throughout the year. These findings can help clinicians to anticipate influenza cases during the rainy season by implementing preventive measures.

  4. How to Certify Learning in a Country Split into Two by a Civil War: Governmental and Non-Governmental Initiatives in Cote d'Ivoire, 2002-06

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamer, Magali Chelpi-den

    2007-01-01

    Following political turmoil and rising socio-economic difficulties, Cote d'Ivoire has been split into two since September 2002. The rebellion controls the northern part of the country and the main towns of Bouake, Korhogo and Man, while the government controls the southern part with Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Daloa and all the ports in the coastal…

  5. Exploring risk behaviors and vulnerability for HIV among men who have sex with men in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire: poor knowledge, homophobia and sexual violence.

    PubMed

    Aho, Josephine; Hakim, Avi; Vuylsteke, Bea; Semde, Gisèle; Gbais, Honorat G; Diarrassouba, Mamadou; Thiam, Marguerite; Laga, Marie

    2014-01-01

    Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk of HIV. Few data are available on MSM and HIV-related risk behaviors in West Africa. We aimed to describe risk behaviors and vulnerability among MSM in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. We conducted a cross-sectional respondent-driven sampling survey with 601 MSM in 2011-2012. Sociodemographic and behavioural data as well as data related to emotional state and stigma were collected. Population estimates with 95% confidence intervals were produced. Survey weighted logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with inconsistent condom use in the prior 12 months. Most MSM were 24 years of age or younger (63.9%) and had attained at least primary education (84.4%). HIV risk behaviors such as low condom and water-based lubricant use, high numbers of male and female sex partners, and sex work were frequently reported as well as verbal, physical and sexual abuse. Inconsistent condom use during anal sex with a male partner in the prior 12 months was reported by 66.0% of the MSM and was positively associated with history of forced sex, alcohol consumption, having a regular partner and a casual partner, having bought sex, and self-perception of low HIV risk. MSM in Abidjan exhibit multiple and frequent HIV-related risk behaviors. To address those behaviours, a combination of individual but also structural interventions will be needed given the context of stigma, homophobia and violence.

  6. 3 CFR - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Cote d'Ivoire

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Cote d'Ivoire Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Presidential Determination No. 2011-7 of March 7, 2011 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Cote d'Ivoire Memorandum for the Secretary of State By the...

  7. Prevalence of diabetes mellitus among children and adolescents in the district of Abidjan in Cote d'Ivoire: a population-based study.

    PubMed

    Agbre-Yace, Marie Laurette; Oyenusi, Elizabeth Eberechi; Oduwole, Abiola Olufunmilayo; Ake, Michèle Dominique; Abodo, Jacko Rhedoor

    2015-01-01

    World Health Organization has predicted a worldwide rise in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus. Cote d'Ivoire is not exempted as evidenced by such factors as obesity and sedentary life style amongst others. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) among children and adolescents in the district of Abidjan in Cote d'Ivoire. A cross-sectional descriptive survey using a multi-stage sampling approach was conducted from March to April 2013. 1572 children and adolescents aged 02-19 years were surveyed in 687 randomly selected households in three municipalities. Capillary fasting glucose was performed in all subjects, and when abnormal was followed by an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Definitions of Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) and DM (Diabetes Mellitus) were according to International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) Guidelines. The prevalence of DM and IFG were 0.4 % and 14.5 % respectively. There was no significant differences between patients with different glycemic status in terms of ethnicity/nationality (p = 0.98) or gender (0.079). In the rural areas, 565 (81.1 %) subjects were normoglycaemic and 132 (18.9 %) subjects hyperglycaemic while there were 773 (88.3 %) normoglycaemic subjects and 102 (11.7 %) hyperglycaemic subjects respectively from the urban areas of residence and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.000). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was identical (0.4 %) in the two age groups (2-9 years and 10-19 years). Seventy-seven (4.9 %) children who participated in the study had at least one diabetic parent. The proportion of participants with a diabetic father (59, 3.8. %) was twice the proportion with a diabetic mother (30,1.9 %) and this was statistically significant (p = 0.002). Only 10 out of 228 patients with IFG reported for the follow up OGTT and no impaired glucose tolerance was identified in these patients. The prevalence rate of DM

  8. Epidemiology of congenital abnormalities in West Africa: Results of a descriptive study in teaching hospitals in Abidjan: Cote d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Kouame, Bertin Dibi; N'guetta-Brou, Isabelle Ama; Kouame, Guy Serge Yapo; Sounkere, Moufidath; Koffi, Maxime; Yaokreh, Jean Baptiste; Odehouri-Koudou, Thierry; Tembely, Samba; Dieth, Gaudens Atafi; Ouattara, Ossenou; Dick, Ruffin

    2015-01-01

    Congenital abnormalities constitute one of the major causes of infant mortality, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of congenital anomalies in Cote d'Ivoire. It was a multicentric study of three academic hospitals and the Heart Institute of Abidjan over 10 years. The epidemiologic Data concerned the Parturients, the annual frequency of congenital abnormalities. Distribution of the congenital abnormalities according to the organs, overall mortality and lethality of congenital abnormalities were evaluated. Over 10 years, 1.632 newborns with 1.725 congenital anomalies were recorded. Frequency was 172.5 congenital anomalies per annum. Parturients were less than 35 years in 33% of cases, multigravida in 20%, multiparous in 18% and had a low socio economic status in 96% of cases. Prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies was performed in 1.5%. Congenital anomalies were orthopedic in 34%, neurological in 17%, gastrointestinal in 15%, facial in 11.5%, parietal in 13%, urogenital in 9% and cardiac in 0.5% of cases. The overall mortality rate of congenital anomalies was 52% and gastroschisis was the most lethal disease with 100% mortality. This descriptive study reveals the low socio economic status of Parturients with congenital anomalies and their poor prenatal diagnosis. These factors explain the very high mortality of congenital anomalies due to a delay management in our country in which medical expenses were borne by parents and where technical platforms remain obsoletes for good resuscitation and neonatal surgery.

  9. Physico-chemical characterization of African urban aerosols (Abidjan in Cote d'Ivoire and Cotonou in Benin) and their toxic effects in human bronchial epithelial cells during the dry season 2016.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adon, Jacques; Liousse, Cathy; Yoboue, Veronique; Baeza, Armelle; Akpo, Aristide; Bahino, Julien; Chiron, Christelle; Galy-Lacaux, Corinne; Keita, Sékou

    2017-04-01

    This study is a contribution to the WP2-DACCIWA program with the aim to characterize particulate pollution on domestic fire site, traffic sites and waste burning site of two West-African capitals (Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire and Cotonou, Benin) and to study aerosol biological impacts on lung inflammation. Such an impact is still largely unknown, especially for the particles emitted by intense African traffic sources and domestic fires. In this context, fundamental research of this study is centered on the following key scientific question: what is the link between aerosol size differentiated composition and inflammation markers for the main combustion sources prevailing in South West Africa during dry and wet seasons? To tackle this question, intensive campaigns in Abidjan and Cotonou have been conducted in July 2015, January and July 2016, and January 2017. In this paper, we will present our first results for the campaign of January 2016. In terms of aerosol size differentiated composition, main aerosol components (mass, black carbon, organic carbon, water soluble particles ...) were measured. We may notice that PM measured for all the sites is generally higher than WHO norms. Organic carbon and dust particles are the two more important contributors for the ultra-fine and fine particle sizes with more organic carbon in Abidjan and dust particles in Cotonou respectively. In terms of in vitro biological studies on sampled aerosols on these sites, size-fractionated PM from the different sampling sites were compared for their ability to induce a proinflammatory response characterized by the release of the cytokine IL-6 by human bronchial epithelial cells. PM from waste burning site did not induce significant IL-6 release whatever the size fraction whereas PM from domestic fire were the most reactive especially the ultra-fine fraction. Ultra-fine particles from traffic (Abidjan and Cotonou) always induced a dose-dependent IL-6 release. A tentative cross-analysis between

  10. The Epidemiology of HIV and Prevention Needs of Men Who Have Sex with Men in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Hakim, Avi J; Aho, Josephine; Semde, Gisele; Diarrassouba, Mamadou; Ehoussou, Konan; Vuylsteke, Bea; Murrill, Christopher S; Thiam, Marguerite; Wingate, Therese

    2015-01-01

    To determine HIV prevalence and associated risk factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. We conducted a cross-sectional RDS survey of MSM in Abidjan from October 2011 to February 2012. Eligibility criteria included age ≥ 18 years and having had oral or anal sex with another man in the last 12 months. Weighted data analysis was conducted with RDSAT and SAS. We enrolled 603 participants, of whom 601 (99.7%) completed the questionnaire and 581 (96.7%) consented to HIV testing. HIV population prevalence was estimated as 18.0% (95% CI: 13.0-23.1); 86.4% (95% CI: 75.1-94.9) of HIV-positive MSM were unaware of their serostatus. In multivariable analysis, adjusting for age, education, and income, HIV infection was associated with unprotected sex at last sex with a woman, more than two male anal sex partners in last 12 months, inconsistent condom use during anal sex with a man, self-perceived risk of HIV, history of forced sex, history of physical abuse due to MSM status, and not receiving last HIV test result prior to study. HIV prevalence among MSM in Abidjan is more than four times as high as that of general population men. MSM engage in high-risk sexual behavior and most HIV-positive MSM are unaware of their serostatus. Greater access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment services targeted to MSM is necessary.

  11. 76 FR 50284 - Request for Public Comments on Interim Review of Eligibility of Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Niger...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-12

    ... Eligibility of Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Niger for Benefits Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.... SUMMARY: The African Growth and Opportunity Act Implementation Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff... eligibility of Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Niger to receive the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity...

  12. [Pornography and sexual behaviour of schoolchildren in the Cocodydistrict of Abidjan].

    PubMed

    N Dri, Kouamé Mathias; Yaya, Issifou; Saka, Bayaki; Aboubakari, Abdoul Samadou; Kouassi, Damus Paquin; Ekou, Kokora Franck

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to document the influence of pornography on the sexual behaviour of school children in the Cocody district of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. This cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study was conducted from October to November 2013 with pupils from four schools in Cocody, Abidjan. A total of 398 pupils (224 boys and 174 girls) were interviewed: 14.3% of them had access to pornography on internet or television. 52.8% (210) of the 398 pupils interviewed were sexually active at the time of the survey, 41.9% (88/210) of whom had at least two sexual partners. On bivariate analysis,access to pornography was statistically associated with being sexually active (OR= 2.61; 95%CI [1.41; 4.83]), early onset of sexual intercourse (OR= 2.38; 95%CI = [1.19; 4.76]) and multiples exual partners (OR== 6.09; 95%CI= [2.79; 13.3])Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that access to pornography had a negative influence on the sexual behaviour of school children in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire].

  13. Zones of Difference, Boundaries of Access: Moral Geography and Community Mapping in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Thomann, Matthew

    2016-01-01

    In Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, 18% of men who have sex with men (MSM) are HIV-positive. Based on ethnographic research conducted among HIV peer educators and activists in Abidjan, I examine their narratives and hand-drawn maps of city space. I draw on a methodological process of map-making to examine research participants' evaluations of neighborhoods and link these evaluations to debates over national and cultural belonging in Côte d'Ivoire. I suggest a moral geography emerges from the maps and narratives and ask what the bioethical implications of moral geography are in the context of service delivery and activism among sexual minorities.

  14. Groundwater vulnerability in the District of Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kouame, Agnes; Jaboyedoff, Michel; Derron, Marc-Henri; Tacher, Laurent

    2014-05-01

    The District of Abidjan, located on the coastal sedimentary basin south of Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa) covers an area of 2,1 km2. This sedimentary basin is composed of continuous groundwater aquifers in Quaternary, Tertiary and Upper Cretaceous rocks. Our study focuses on the unconfined Quaternary groundwater called the Continental Terminal which formations are composed mainly of lenticular stratification of coarse sands, clays, ferruginous sandstone and iron ore. This Continental Terminal aquifer is the main source of drinking water for the city of Abidjan. Indeed, the city of Abidjan is facing various pollution problems such as illegal dumping of household waste, waste oils garages, domestic and industrial wastewater, gas stations, public discharge Akouédo and the spill of approximately 500 tons of toxic waste from the ship "Probo Koala" the night of 19 August 2006. These toxic wastes have killed more than 10 people and several infections. The infiltration of these contaminants under the influence of rainwater in the basement is a serious threat to groundwater from the District of Abidjan especially as the rains are very strong in this part of the country. What would be the fate of pollutants such as organochlorines, hydrogen sulfide, sulfides and hydrocarbons contained in toxic waste, knowing that this aquifer is the main source of supply of drinking water to the city of Abidjan? It therefore seems necessary to study the vulnerability of groundwater of Abidjan District. The overall objective of this study is to assess the risk of groundwater contamination by organochlorines, sulfides, hydrogen sulfide and hydrocarbons. This project is to develop groundwater flow and contaminant transport models such as organochlorines models, hydrogen sulfide and sulfides with two digital codes, Visual Modflow and Feflow. Then several scenarios with different pollutants are finally made to realize maps of groundwater vulnerability from Abidjan to these contaminants.

  15. The Equity Impact of Public Finance of Private Education Provision in Cote d'Ivoire

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sakellariou, Chris; Patrinos, Harry Anthony

    2009-01-01

    The equity effects of public subsidization of private schools in Cote d'Ivoire are analyzed. The subsidy per student in private (and public) schools increases as one goes to higher household per capita expenditure groups. Students from families in the highest expenditure quartile receive twice the subsidy received by students from families in the…

  16. HEALTH SURVEY INCLUDING SELECTED BLOOD PARAMETERS IN THE AFRICAN SLENDER SNOUTED CROCODILE (MECISTOPS CATAPHRACTUS) AT THE ABIDJAN ZOO IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE.

    PubMed

    Bradford, Carol; Eschenbrenner, Matt

    2017-06-01

    The Zoo National d'Abidjan (Abidjan Zoo) in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa, holds the world's largest captive population of African slender-snouted crocodiles (Mecistops cataphractus, formerly Crocodylus cataphractus), at 36 adults, 16 yearlings, and 23 hatchlings. Twelve yearling and 12 adult slender-snouted crocodiles at the Abidjan Zoo were restrained for physical exam, body condition scoring, and venipuncture in September 2015. Blood samples collected from the supravertebral venous sinus were analyzed using a handheld blood analyzer (Abaxis® I-stat, Abaxis, Inc., Union City, California 94587, USA) with Chem8+ cartridges (CLIAwaived, Inc., San Diego, California 92130, USA). The adult crocodiles appeared in good general health and demonstrated blood values similar to those of other reptiles. The yearlings had low, ionized calcium values and low hematocrit and hemoglobin levels compared with the adult crocodiles and to other crocodile reference ranges. These findings may dramatically improve the health of the crocodiles and help to ensure a thriving captive population of this critically endangered species.

  17. Particulate matter in Southwestern Africa cities of Cotonou (Benin) and Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leon, J. F.; Djossou, J.; Liousse, C.; Akpo, A.; Veronique, Y.; Gardrat, E.; Bedou, M.; Bodjrenou, M.

    2017-12-01

    Air quality observations in the major cities of South-Western Africa still remains few with regards to economic growth and the large increase in the urban population. The main cities lying on the Gulf of Guinea experiences low air quality because of the contribution of local emissions and advection of pollutants from the African continent. We present in this paper new observations acquired from February 2015 to March 2017 in the major cities of Cotonou (Bénin) and Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire). The PM2.5 mass concentration and carbon composition (elemental and organic carbon) were recorded on a weekly basis at 4 different locations representative of major emission sources, i.e. traffic emission, domestic fire and waste burning. Additionally, the aerosol optical depth (AOD) was also recorded daily inside and outside the cities. We observe large similarly between both cities. The mean PM2.5 concentration of around 30 µg.m-3 is coherent with previous studies for sub-Saharan western Africa and is 3 times higher than the concentrations recommended by the World Health Organization. The sampled collected at the domestic fire site shows a large pollution by smoking activity with an average concentration of 145 µg.m-3, nearly 5 times the traffic background. The seasonality of PM2.5 is affected by the contribution of desert dust and biomass burning emissions that is clearly observed from the AOD time series. We observe that dust events contribute sporadically to large amount of PM2.5, above 100 µg.m-3, during the dry seasons. Moreover, the biomass burning activity is also maximum before and during the dry season and contributes to increase the PM2.5 concentration. Low PM2.5 observed during the minor dry season can be explain by an enhancement of the atmospheric dispersion due to the increase in the wind intensity and the absence of biomass burning activity. We observe a significant difference in the carbonaceous aerosols between the traffic site in Abidjan and Cotonou. The

  18. Dengue: etiology of acute febrile illness in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, in 2011-2012.

    PubMed

    L'Azou, Maïna; Succo, Tiphanie; Kamagaté, Mamadou; Ouattara, Abdoulaye; Gilbernair, Elia; Adjogoua, Edgar; Luxemburger, Christine

    2015-11-01

    The burden of dengue in Africa is not well understood. A prospective study was conducted in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire from December 2011 to December 2012 to estimate the proportion of dengue and malaria cases among febrile patients during a period when dengue was not known to be circulating in the region, and to describe the clinical and virological characteristics of laboratory-diagnosed dengue cases. Blood samples were taken from febrile patients (body temperature ≥ 38°C) at two study sites. Patients with fever lasting more than 7 days, with fever of known origin and with jaundice were excluded. Thick blood film tests, ELISA for anti-dengue IgM and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) were performed. A total of 812 patients were enrolled (51.7% male [48.3% female]; 46.4% aged <10 years) of whom 796 (98.0%) provided IgM ELISA and RT-PCR data, and 807 (99.4%) had thick blood film results. Three (0.4%) patients had laboratory-diagnosed dengue (one with DENV-3 serotype), none of whom were diagnosed clinically, and 234 (28.8%) had confirmed malaria. This study suggests that dengue virus circulates in Abidjan outside an epidemic and that there should be an increase in awareness of dengue as a possible diagnosis in cases of undifferentiated fever. These results stress the importance of implementing laboratory capacity to assess dengue burden in Africa. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  19. Biology of two larval morphological phenotypes of Aedes aegypti in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Guindo-Coulibaly, N; Diakite, N R; Adja, A M; Coulibaly, J T; Bassa, K F; Konan, Y L; N'Goran, K E

    2017-11-23

    Since 2008, several outbreaks of yellow fever and dengue occurred in Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire. A better knowledge of the biology of Aedes aegypti populations, the main vector of yellow fever and dengue viruses, is necessary to tailor vector control strategies implemented in the city. This study was designed to determine some biological parameters, occurring during the life cycle of two morphological phenotypes of Ae. aegypti larvae. Mosquitoes were sampled in a suburb of Abidjan (Treichville) using the WHO layer-traps technique. Biological parameters were studied in laboratory under standard conditions of temperature (27°C ± 2°C) and relative humidity (80% ± 10%). Our results indicated that the mean eggs laid by females from 'brown larvae' (BL) (85.95, 95% confidence interval (CI 95%) 78.87-93.02) was higher than those from 'white larvae' (WL) (64.40%, CI 95% 55.27-73.54). The gonotrophic cycle was 3 and 4 days in females from BL and WL, respectively. The overall yield of breeding mosquitoes from BL (63.88%, CI 95% 62.61-65.14) was higher compared with those of mosquitoes from WL (59.73%, CI 95% 58.35-61.12). The sex ratio (male/female) was 0.95 and 1.68 in Ae. aegypti populations from BL and WL, respectively. Females from BL lived slightly longer than those from WL (t = -2.332; P = 0.021). This study shows that Ae. Aegypti populations from BL and WL present different biological parameters during their life cycle. This could have an implication on their ability to transmit human disease viruses such as dengue and yellow fever. Further molecular studies are needed to determine genetic divergence between these Ae. aegypti populations.

  20. [Entomological investigation following the re-emergence of yellow fever in 2008 in Abidjan area (Côte d'Ivoire)].

    PubMed

    Konan, Y L; Koné, A B; Ekra, K D; Doannio, J M C; Odéhouri, K P

    2009-06-01

    In April 2008, Abidjan was again faced with another case of yellow fever after the epidemic of 2001 causing mass immunization campaign. In order to evaluate the extent of amaril virus circulation and the risk for local people, an entomological investigation was carried out by the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of Côte d'Ivoire. At "Entent" area of Treichville, Breteau index was estimated at 34, recipient index at 20% and house index at 25%. Those indexes were respectively 53, 21 and 31% at "Vridi canal" of Port Bouet. In the both neighborhood, Aedes aegypti accounted for more than 80% of mosquitoes caught and more than 90% of mosquitoes adults obtained from larval breeding. This new situation of epidemic risk could be explained by several factors including the reception of 70% of forced migration people caused by the crisis in the country occurred in 2002, the probable drop of preventive immunization, the environment deterioration creating of more breeding sites of Ae. aegypti.

  1. High prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections among male sex workers in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: need for services tailored to their needs

    PubMed Central

    Semde, Gisèle; Sika, Lazare; Crucitti, Tania; Ettiegne Traore, Virginie; Buve, Anne; Laga, Marie

    2012-01-01

    Objectives To assess condom use and prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV among male sex workers (MSW) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 2007 and January 2008 among MSW attending a sex worker clinic in Abidjan. A short questionnaire was administered in a face-to-face interview, and the participants were asked to provide a urine sample for STI testing and to self-collect transudate of the gingival mucosa for anonymous HIV testing, using a rapid test. A rectal swab for STI testing was taken by a physician. Molecular amplification assays were performed for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis. Results 96 MSW participated in the survey, their median age was 27 years and the median duration of sex work was 5 years. Consistent condom use with clients during the last working day was 86.0%, and consistent condom use with the regular partner during the last week was 81.6%. HIV infection was detected in 50.0% of the participants. The prevalence of N gonorrhoeae was 12.8%, chlamydia infection was present in 3.2% and T vaginalis in 2.1% of the study participants. Conclusions HIV and STI rates found in this study confirm the high risk and vulnerability status of MSW in Côte d'Ivoire. There is a definite need for studies exploring risk and risk perceptions among MSW in more depth and for services tailored to their needs, including developing and validating simple algorithms for the diagnosis of STI in MSW and men who have sex with men. PMID:22328644

  2. Mass concentration, optical depth and carbon composition of particulate matter in the major southern West African cities of Cotonou (Benin) and Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Djossou, Julien; Léon, Jean-François; Barthélemy Akpo, Aristide; Liousse, Cathy; Yoboué, Véronique; Bedou, Mouhamadou; Bodjrenou, Marleine; Chiron, Christelle; Galy-Lacaux, Corinne; Gardrat, Eric; Abbey, Marcellin; Keita, Sékou; Bahino, Julien; Touré N'Datchoh, Evelyne; Ossohou, Money; Awanou, Cossi Norbert

    2018-05-01

    Air quality degradation is a major issue in the large conurbations on the shore of the Gulf of Guinea. We present for the first time PM2.5 time series collected in Cotonou, Benin, and Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from February 2015 to March 2017. Measurements were performed in the vicinity of major combustion aerosol sources: Cotonou/traffic (CT), Abidjan/traffic (AT), Abidjan/landfill (AL) and Abidjan/domestic fires (ADF). We report the weekly PM2.5 mass and carbonaceous content as elemental (EC) and organic (OC) carbon concentrations. We also measure the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and the Ångström exponent in both cities. The average PM2.5 mass concentrations were 32 ± 32, 32 ± 24 and 28 ± 19 µg m-3 at traffic sites CT and AT and landfill site AL, respectively. The domestic fire site shows a concentration of 145 ± 69 µg m-3 due to the contribution of smoking and roasting activities. The highest OC and EC concentrations were also measured at ADF at 71 ± 29 and 15 ± 9 µg m-3, respectively, while the other sites present OC concentration between 8 and 12 µg m-3 and EC concentrations between 2 and 7 µg m-3. The OC / EC ratio is 4.3 at CT and 2.0 at AT. This difference highlights the influence of two-wheel vehicles using gasoline in Cotonou compared to that of four-wheel vehicles using diesel fuel in Abidjan. AOD was rather similar in both cities, with a mean value of 0.58 in Cotonou and of 0.68 in Abidjan. The seasonal cycle is dominated by the large increase in surface mass concentration and AOD during the long dry season (December-February) as expected due to mineral dust advection and biomass burning activities. The lowest concentrations are observed during the short dry season (August-September) due to an increase in surface wind speed leading to a better ventilation. On the other hand, the high PM2.5 / AOD ratio in the short wet season (October-November) indicates the stagnation of local pollution.

  3. Investigation of a Large Collection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteriophages Collected from a Single Environmental Source in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Essoh, Christiane; Latino, Libera; Midoux, Cédric; Blouin, Yann; Loukou, Guillaume; Nguetta, Simon-Pierre A; Lathro, Serge; Cablanmian, Arsher; Kouassi, Athanase K; Vergnaud, Gilles; Pourcel, Christine

    2015-01-01

    Twenty two distinct bacteriophages were isolated from sewage water from five locations in the city of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire over a two-year period, using a collection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains with diverse genotypes. The phages were characterized by their virulence spectrum on a panel of selected P. aeruginosa strains from cystic fibrosis patients and by whole genome sequencing. Twelve virions representing the observed diversity were visualised by electron microscopy. The combined observations showed that 17 phages, distributed into seven genera, were virulent, and that five phages were related to temperate phages belonging to three genera. Some showed similarity with known phages only at the protein level. The vast majority of the genetic variations among virulent phages from the same genus resulted from seemingly non-random horizontal transfer events, inside a population of P. aeruginosa phages with limited diversity. This suggests the existence of a single environmental reservoir or ecotype in which continuous selection is taking place. In contrast, mostly point mutations were observed among phages potentially capable of lysogenisation. This is the first study of P. aeruginosa phage diversity in an African city and it shows that a large variety of phage species can be recovered in a limited geographical site at least when different bacterial strains are used. The relative temporal and spatial stability of the Abidjan phage population might reflect equilibrium in the microbial community from which they are released.

  4. HIV vulnerability and the erasure of sexual and gender diversity in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Thomann, Matthew

    2016-01-01

    In the fight against concentrated HIV epidemics, men who have sex with men (MSM) are often framed as a homogeneous population, with little attention paid to sexual and gender diversity and its impact on HIV vulnerability. This article draws on ethnographic research conducted in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire among les branchés - a local term encompassing several categories of same-sex desire and practice. In the context of increased HIV prevention programming targeting Ivoirian sexual and gender minorities, such diversity is effectively erased. This obfuscation of difference has particularly negative impacts for travestis, who may be at higher risk for HIV infection, though research and prevention efforts in which they are grouped with 'MSM' render them underrepresented and make their vulnerability difficult to quantify. Branchés whose class and/or ethnic backgrounds compound their stigmatised status as sexual and gender minorities also bear the burden of this exclusion. Furthermore, some branchés deploy 'MSM' as a form of self-identification, further complicating who such categories represent. By highlighting the ways in which constructions of gender and sexuality within HIV/AIDS programming obscure complex social realities, I aim to reorient thinking around the development of purposeful HIV programming that engages the complexity of sexual and gender minority experience.

  5. Exploring Risk Behaviors and Vulnerability for HIV among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Abidjan, Cote d′Ivoire: Poor Knowledge, Homophobia and Sexual Violence

    PubMed Central

    Aho, Josephine; Hakim, Avi; Vuylsteke, Bea; Semde, Gisèle; Gbais, Honorat G.; Diarrassouba, Mamadou; Thiam, Marguerite; Laga, Marie

    2014-01-01

    Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk of HIV. Few data are available on MSM and HIV-related risk behaviors in West Africa. We aimed to describe risk behaviors and vulnerability among MSM in Abidjan, Cote d′Ivoire. We conducted a cross-sectional respondent-driven sampling survey with 601 MSM in 2011–2012. Sociodemographic and behavioural data as well as data related to emotional state and stigma were collected. Population estimates with 95% confidence intervals were produced. Survey weighted logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with inconsistent condom use in the prior 12 months. Most MSM were 24 years of age or younger (63.9%) and had attained at least primary education (84.4%). HIV risk behaviors such as low condom and water-based lubricant use, high numbers of male and female sex partners, and sex work were frequently reported as well as verbal, physical and sexual abuse. Inconsistent condom use during anal sex with a male partner in the prior 12 months was reported by 66.0% of the MSM and was positively associated with history of forced sex, alcohol consumption, having a regular partner and a casual partner, having bought sex, and self-perception of low HIV risk. MSM in Abidjan exhibit multiple and frequent HIV-related risk behaviors. To address those behaviours, a combination of individual but also structural interventions will be needed given the context of stigma, homophobia and violence. PMID:24959923

  6. [Analysis of the healthcare service decentralization process in Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Soura, B D; Coulibaly, S S

    2014-01-01

    The decentralization of healthcare services is becoming increasingly important in strategies of public sector management. This concept is analyzed from various points of view, including legal, economic, political, and sociological. Several typologies have been proposed in the literature to analyze this decentralization process, which can take different forms ranging from simple deconcentration to more elaborate devolution. In some instances, decentralization can be analyzed by the degree of autonomy given to local authorities. This article applies these typologies to analyze the healthcare system decentralization process in Cote d'Ivoire. Special attention is paid to the new forms of community healthcare organizations. These decentralized structures enjoy a kind of autonomy, with characteristics closer to those of devolution. The model might serve as an example for population involvement in defining and managing healthcare problems in Cote d'Ivoire. We end with proposals for the improvement of the process.

  7. Operational issues in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, 1998-99.

    PubMed Central

    Msellati, P.; Hingst, G.; Kaba, F.; Viho, I.; Welffens-Ekra, C.; Dabis, F.

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the feasibility, from the public health standpoint, of preventing mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in Africa. METHODS: Voluntary counselling and HIV serotesting were routinely provided in four health centres in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, for six months in 1998-99. Peripartum treatment with zidovudine and alternatives to breastfeeding were provided free to HIV-infected women. FINDINGS: Of the 4309 pregnant women in the study who attended their first antenatal care visit, 3756 benefited from individual counselling and pretesting (87.2%), and 3452 (80.1%) agreed to undergo HIV serotesting. Overall HIV prevalence was (12.89%) and 5% for women aged under 18 years. Among the 2998 HIV-negative women, 71% returned for their test result, whereas only 60% of the 445 HIV-positive women did so. A total of 124 HIV-positive women were informed of their serostatus and the possibility of preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV; 100 started treatment and 80 completed zidovudine prophylaxis. At 6 weeks of age, 36 of the 78 liveborn children were being breastfed (46%), two were being mixed-fed and 41 (52%) were being artificially fed. CONCLUSIONS: In Abidjan, voluntary counselling and HIV testing with a view to preventing mother-to-child transmission was feasible in antenatal care units and was well accepted by pregnant women. An insufficient proportion of women returned to obtain their test results. This was especially so among HIV-positive women, the target group for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Additional staff were required in order to offer voluntary counselling and HIV testing to the study women. Close supervision and strong commitment of health workers were essential. Alternatives to breastfeeding were effectively proposed to HIV-positive women, with active follow-up of children and clinical, nutritional and social support. PMID:11477967

  8. Physical and Sexual Violence Affecting Female Sex Workers in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: Prevalence, and the Relationship with the Work Environment, HIV, and Access to Health Services.

    PubMed

    Lyons, Carrie E; Grosso, Ashley; Drame, Fatou M; Ketende, Sosthenes; Diouf, Daouda; Ba, Ibrahima; Shannon, Kate; Ezouatchi, Rebecca; Bamba, Amara; Kouame, Abo; Baral, Stefan

    2017-05-01

    Violence is a human rights violation, and an important measure in understanding HIV among female sex workers (FSW). However, limited data exist regarding correlates of violence among FSW in Côte d'Ivoire. Characterizing prevalence and determinants of violence and the relationship with structural risks for HIV can inform development and implementation of comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment programs. FSW > 18 years were recruited through respondent driven sampling (RDS) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. In total, 466 participants completed a socio-behavioral questionnaire and HIV testing. Prevalence estimates of violence were calculated using crude and RDS-adjusted estimates. Relationships between structural risk factors and violence were analyzed using χ tests and multivariable logistic regression. The prevalence of physical violence was 53.6% (250/466), and sexual violence was 43.2% (201/465) among FSW in this study. Police refusal of protection was associated with physical (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7 to 4.4) and sexual violence (aOR: 3.0; 95% CI: 1.9 to 4.8). Blackmail was associated with physical (aOR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.5 to 4.2) and sexual violence (aOR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.5 to 4.0). Physical violence was associated with fear (aOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.1) and avoidance of seeking health services (aOR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.5 to 3.8). Violence is prevalent among FSW in Abidjan and associated with features of the work environment and access to care. These relationships highlight layers of rights violations affecting FSW, underscoring the need for structural interventions and policy reforms to improve work environments, and to address police harassment, stigma, and rights violations to reduce violence and improve access to HIV interventions.

  9. HIV Vulnerability and the Erasure of Sexual and Gender Diversity in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Thomann, Matthew

    2016-01-01

    In the fight against concentrated HIV epidemics, men who have sex with men (MSM) are often framed as a homogeneous population, with little attention paid to sexual and gender diversity and its impact on HIV vulnerability. This article draws on ethnographic research conducted in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire among les branchés – a local term encompassing several categories of same-sex desire and practice. In the context of increased HIV prevention programming targeting Ivoirian sexual and gender minorities, such diversity is effectively erased. This obfuscation of difference has particularly negative impacts for travestis, who may be at higher risk for HIV infection, though research and prevention efforts in which they are grouped with “MSM” render them underrepresented and make their vulnerability difficult to quantify. Branchés whose class and/or ethnic backgrounds compound their stigmatized status as sexual and gender minorities also bear the burden of this exclusion. Furthermore, some branchés deploy “MSM” as a form of self-identification, further complicating who such categories represent. By highlighting the ways in which constructions of gender and sexuality within HIV/AIDS programming obscure complex social realities, I aim to reorient thinking around the development of purposeful HIV programming that engages the complexity of sexual and gender minority experience. PMID:26894990

  10. What Factors Contribute to Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Urban, Conflict-Affected Settings? Qualitative Findings from Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Cardoso, L F; Gupta, J; Shuman, S; Cole, H; Kpebo, D; Falb, K L

    2016-04-01

    Rapid urbanization is a key driver of the unique set of health risks facing urban populations. One of the most critical health hazards facing urban women is intimate partner violence (IPV). In post-conflict urban areas, women may face an even greater risk of IPV. Yet, few studies have examined the IPV experiences of urban-dwelling, conflict-affected women, including those who have been internally displaced. This study qualitatively examined the social and structural characteristics of the urban environment that contributed to the IPV experiences of women residing in post-conflict Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Ten focus groups were conducted with men and women, both internally displaced (IDPs) and non-displaced. Lack of support networks, changing gender roles, and tensions between traditional gender norms and those of the "modern" city were reported as key contributors to IPV. Urban poverty and with it unemployment, food insecurity, and housing instability also played a role. Finally, IDPs faced heightened vulnerability to IPV as a result of displacement and discrimination. The relationship between economic strains and IPV are similar to other conflict-affected settings, but Abidjan's urban environment presented other unique characteristics contributing to IPV. Understanding these factors is crucial to designing appropriate services for women and for implementing IPV reduction interventions in urban areas. Strengthening formal and informal mechanisms for help-seeking, utilizing multi-modal interventions that address economic stress and challenge inequitable gender norms, as well as tailoring programs specifically for IDPs, are some considerations for IPV program planning focused on conflict-affected women in urban areas.

  11. Apport de l'information geographique dans l'elaboration d'un indicateur de developpement urbain: Abidjan et l'ile de Montreal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zoro, Emma-Georgina

    The objective of this project is to carry out a comparative analysis of two urban environments with remote sensing and Geographic Informations Systems, integrating multi-source data. The city of Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) and Montreal Island (Quebec) were selected. This study lies within the context of the strong demographic and space growths of urban environments. A supervised classification based on the theory of evidence allowed the identification of mixed pixels. However, the accuracy of this method is lower than that of the bayesian theory. Nevertheless, this method showed that the most credible classes (maximum believes in "closed world") are most probable (maximum probabilities) and thus confirms the bayesian maximum-likelihood decision. On the other hand, the contrary is not necessarily true because of the rules of combination. The urban cover map resulting from classification by the maximum likelihood method was then used to determine a relation between the residential surface and the number of inhabitants in a sector. Moreover, the area of green spaces was an input data (environmental component) for the Urban Development Indicator (IDU), the elaborated model for quantifying the quality of life in urban environment. Moreover, this indicator was defined to allow a total and efficient comparison of urban environments. Following a thorough bibliographical review, seven criteria were retained to describe the optimal conditions for the populations well-being. These criteria were then estimated from standardized indices. The choice of these criteria is a function of the availability of the data to be integrated into the GIS. As the criteria selected have not the same importance in the definition of the quality of urban life, one needed to rank by the method of multicriteria hierarchy and to normalize them in order to join them together in only one parameter. The composite indicator IDU thus obtained allowed to establish that Abidjan had an average development in

  12. [Topography of ischemic strokes in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire): a computed tomographic approach].

    PubMed

    Cowppli-Bony, Pascale; Yapi-Yapo, Paulette; Douayoua-Sonan, Thérèse; Kouamé, Blaise; Yapo, Félix Boa; Kouassi, Ernest Beugré

    2006-01-01

    The authors used computed tomography (CT) to assess and categorize the topography of ischemic strokes (IS) among blacks living in Abidjan, the commercial and administrative center of Côte d'Ivoire, in West Africa. This retrospective study analyzed CT data of patients admitted to the Sainte Anne Marie Polyclinic (the principal private hospital in the country) and to the neurology department of the university hospital center in Cocody, from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2001. The study included patients who met World Health Organisation criteria for stroke and had CT performed during the hospitalization for this stroke. We examined CT data to find early and late signs of IS, analyze lesion diameter (15 mm cutoff used to distinguish infarcts from lacuna), and determine their topography (cerebral arterial territory and localization, that is, brain lobes, basal ganglia and posterior cerebral fossa). We included 260 subjects (58% males) with a median age of 45 years (range: 20-80 years). CT findings were abnormal for 224 patients with infarcts (72.7%), lacuna (27.3%), or both (8%). As reported elsewhere, the anterior arterial territory was most often affected (83.9%) with a middle cerebral artery lesion in 79.4% of patients. Posterior territory (16.1%) lesions and lacuna were probably underestimated because CT exploration is reported to be less useful for this area than for the carotid area. On the other hand, CT diagnoses infarcts more easily than it does lacuna. CT was normal for 36 patients although performed no more than 3 days after IS. These patients did not undergo CT angiography, which might have shown cerebral artery occlusion. Our study included IS of all types and typography. Stroke registries in Africa would provide useful data for better assessment of prevalence for specific topographic and etiologic types of stroke.

  13. High Awareness but Low Coverage of a Locally Produced Fortified Complementary Food in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey.

    PubMed

    Leyvraz, Magali; Rohner, Fabian; Konan, Amoin G; Esso, Lasme J C E; Woodruff, Bradley A; Norte, Augusto; Adiko, Adiko F; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Aaron, Grant J

    2016-01-01

    Poor complementary feeding practices among infants and young children in Côte d'Ivoire are major contributing factors to the country's high burden of malnutrition. As part of a broad effort to address this issue, an affordable, nutritious, and locally produced fortified complementary food product was launched in the Côte d'Ivoire in 2011. The objective of the current research was to assess various levels of coverage of the program and to identify coverage barriers. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted among caregivers of children less than 2-years of age living in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Four measures of coverage were assessed: "message coverage" (i.e., has the caregiver ever heard of the product?), "contact coverage" (i.e., has the caregiver ever fed the child the product?), "partial coverage" (i.e., has the caregiver fed the child the product in the previous month?), and "effective coverage" (i.e., has the caregiver fed the child the product in the previous 7 days?). A total of 1,113 caregivers with children between 0 and 23 months of age were interviewed. Results showed high message coverage (85.0%), moderate contact coverage (37.8%), and poor partial and effective coverages (8.8% and 4.6%, respectively). Product awareness was lower among caregivers from poorer households, but partial and effective coverages were comparable in both poor and non-poor groups. Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices were generally poor and did not appear to have improved since previous assessments. In conclusion, the results from the present study indicate that availability on the market and high awareness among the target population is not sufficient to achieve high and effective coverage. With market-based delivery models, significant efforts are needed to improve demand. Moreover, given the high prevalence of malnutrition and poor IYCF practices, additional modes of delivering IYCF interventions and improving IYCF practices should be considered.

  14. Epidemiology of congenital abnormalities in West Africa: Results of a descriptive study in teaching hospitals in Abidjan: Cote d’Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Kouame, Bertin Dibi; N’guetta-Brou, Isabelle Ama; Kouame, Guy Serge Yapo; Sounkere, Moufidath; Koffi, Maxime; Yaokreh, Jean Baptiste; Odehouri-Koudou, Thierry; Tembely, Samba; Dieth, Gaudens Atafi; Ouattara, Ossenou; Dick, Ruffin

    2015-01-01

    Background: Congenital abnormalities constitute one of the major causes of infant mortality, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of congenital anomalies in Cote d’Ivoire. Materials and Methods: It was a multicentric study of three academic hospitals and the Heart Institute of Abidjan over 10 years. The epidemiologic Data concerned the Parturients, the annual frequency of congenital abnormalities. Distribution of the congenital abnormalities according to the organs, overall mortality and lethality of congenital abnormalities were evaluated. Results: Over 10 years, 1.632 newborns with 1.725 congenital anomalies were recorded. Frequency was 172.5 congenital anomalies per annum. Parturients were less than 35 years in 33% of cases, multigravida in 20%, multiparous in 18% and had a low socio economic status in 96% of cases. Prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies was performed in 1.5%. Congenital anomalies were orthopedic in 34%, neurological in 17%, gastrointestinal in 15%, facial in 11.5%, parietal in 13%, urogenital in 9% and cardiac in 0.5% of cases. The overall mortality rate of congenital anomalies was 52% and gastroschisis was the most lethal disease with 100% mortality. Conclusion: This descriptive study reveals the low socio economic status of Parturients with congenital anomalies and their poor prenatal diagnosis. These factors explain the very high mortality of congenital anomalies due to a delay management in our country in which medical expenses were borne by parents and where technical platforms remain obsoletes for good resuscitation and neonatal surgery. PMID:25659551

  15. Estimating the number of female sex workers in Côte d'Ivoire: results and lessons learned.

    PubMed

    Vuylsteke, Bea; Sika, Lazare; Semdé, Gisèle; Anoma, Camille; Kacou, Elise; Laga, Marie

    2017-09-01

    To report on the results of three size estimations of the populations of female sex workers (FSW) in five cities in Côte d'Ivoire and on operational lessons learned, which may be relevant for key population programmes in other parts of the world. We applied three methods: mapping and census, capture-recapture and service multiplier. All were applied between 2008 and 2009 in Abidjan, San Pedro, Bouaké, Yamoussoukro and Abengourou. Abidjan was the city with the highest number of FSW by far, with estimations between 7880 (census) and 13 714 (service multiplier). The estimations in San Pedro, Bouaké and Yamoussoukro were very similar, with figures ranging from 1160 (Yamoussoukro, census) to 1916 (San Pedro, capture-recapture). Important operational lessons were learned, including strategies for mapping, the importance of involving peer sex workers for implementing the capture-recapture and the identification of the right question for the multiplier method. Successful application of three methods to estimate the population size of FSW in five cities in Côte d'Ivoire enabled us to make recommendations for size estimations of key population in low-income countries. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Attitude of pregnant women towards HIV testing in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire and Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. DITRAME Study Group (ANRS 049 Clinical Trial). Diminution de la Transmission Mère Enfant du VIH. Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le SIDA.

    PubMed

    Cartoux, M; Msellati, P; Meda, N; Welffens-Ekra, C; Mandelbrot, L; Leroy, V; Van de Perre, P; Dabis, F

    1998-12-03

    To evaluate the attitude of pregnant women towards HIV testing in two cities of West Africa: Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire and Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. In the context of a clinical trial to prevent HIV vertical transmission, HIV counselling and testing was offered systematically to women attending antenatal clinics. Informed consent was obtained and test results were given anonymously. Multiple logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with refusal for testing and failure to return for test results. A total of 9724 pregnant women were interviewed from January 1995 to September 1996. In Abidjan (n=5766) and Bobo-Dioulasso (n=3958), 78 and 92.4% of the women consented to HIV testing, respectively, and 58.4 and 81.8% of them returned for the test results disclosure, respectively. In the two sites, the counsellors themselves and high educational level of the women appeared to be related to refusal of the test, whereas last trimester gestation was associated with failure to return for test results. In Abidjan, foreigners and employees were more likely to refuse testing, and HIV-infected women were three times less likely to return for results than uninfected women. Future implementation of interventions to reduce vertical transmission of HIV that require antenatal HIV testing and counselling will have to solve issue of acceptability of HIV testing by pregnant women.

  17. Microfinance and HIV mitigation among people living with HIV in the era of anti-retroviral therapy: emerging lessons from Cote d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Holmes, Kathleen; Winskell, Kate; Hennink, Monique; Chidiac, Sybil

    2011-01-01

    The effects of HIV/AIDS have been far-reaching in Africa. Beyond adverse health outcomes and the tremendous toll on life, AIDS has serious economic impacts on households, increasing livelihood insecurity while simultaneously depleting socio-economic resources. Although microfinance is believed to have the potential to mitigate the economic impacts of HIV by helping affected households and communities better prepare for and cope with HIV-related economic shocks, little empirical research exists on this subject. This qualitative study examines the socio-economic impacts of economic strengthening activities on people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the era of increased access to anti-retroviral therapy to determine if savings-led, community-managed microfinance is a justified activity for HIV programmes. Findings from a village savings and loan programme, implemented by CARE International in Cote d'Ivoire, revealed that when appropriate medical treatment is available PLHIV are capable of participating in and benefit from microfinance activities, which increased HIV-positive clients' access to money and economic self-sufficiency. By bringing individuals with similar experiences together, savings and loan groups also acted as self-support groups providing psychosocial support while reducing stigmatisation and increasing members' sense of dignity and self-worth.

  18. Parametric study of the impact of waste pollutants on groundwater: the case of Abidjan District (Ivory Coast)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Agnès Kouamé, Amenan; Jaboyedoff, Michel; Tacher, Laurent; Derron, Marc-Henri; Franz, Martin

    2015-04-01

    .4 and 2.9E-8 and 2.48E-5 m/s, respectively. These values of permeability are low. They were therefore multiplied by 10 in order to calibrate the model. This suggests that the environment of deposition of the sands is heterogeneous with coarse sand channels in places as it can be expected in such lagoon environment. The result of the model simulation in steady state indicates the groundwater flow direction (North-South) and the approach of pollutants plumes to some well fields after 20 years. References: Deh S. K. (2013). Contributions de l'évaluation de la vulnérabilité spécifique aux nitrates et d'un modèle de transport des organochlorés a la protection des eaux souterraines du district d'Abidjan (sud de la Côte d'Ivoire) 230p. Jourda J. P. (1987). Contribution à l'étude géologique et hydrogéologique de la région du Grand Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire). Thèse de doctorat de 3ème cycle, Université scientifique, technique et médicale de Grenoble, 319p. Kouamé K. J. (2007). Contribution à la Gestion Intégrée des Ressources en Eaux (GIRE) du District d'Abidjan (Sud de la Côte d'Ivoire) : Outils d'aide à la décision pour la prévention et la protection des eaux souterraines contre la pollution, Thèse de doctorat unique de l'Université de Cocody, 229p.

  19. [Neonatal and child tetanus morbidity and mortality in the University hospitals of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (2001-2010)].

    PubMed

    Aba, Y T; Cissé, L; Abalé, A K; Diakité, I; Koné, D; Kadiané, J; Diallo, Z; Kra, O; Oulaï, S; Bissagnéné, E

    2016-08-01

    The lack of data on neonatal tetanus and children in university hospitals (UH) in Abidjan for over a decade has motivated the realization of this study. The objective of this study is to evaluate the morbidity and mortality related to neonatal tetanus (NT) and child tetanus (CT) in Abidjan University Hospital from 2001 to 2010. It is a retrospective study, multicenter analysis with records of newborns and children suffering from tetanus in the three UH of Abidjan. The collection and analysis of data were made by the SPHINX 4.5 and EPI.INFO 6.0 software. In ten years, 242 cases of tetanus (53 NT cases and 189 CT cases) were collected with a predominance of cases after the fifth year of life (59.5%). The incidence rate of NT was less than 1 case per 1,000 live births. All mothers of the newborns were inhabiting the city of Abidjan. Their median age was 19 years [16-32] and 64% were teenagers. Gateways were dominated by umbilical wounds (77.3%) in the NTand skin wounds (59%) in CT. The cure rate was 30.2% in the NT and 60% in the CT. Lethality was 60% for NT and 22% for CT with a positive correlation with young age (neonates: p = 4.10-7, age <5 years: p = 0.01), lack of intraspinal injection of tetanus serum (p = 8.10-6), the absence of conventional antibiotic therapy (p = 0.023), the existence of metabolic complications (p = 2.10-5), the score of ≥ 4 Dakar (p = 0.005). Tetanus remains a real morbidly cause among children in Abidjan University Hospital with high lethality. However, the incidence of NT seems consistent with the incidence threshold desired by WHO.

  20. Complementary feeding adequacy in relation to nutritional status among early weaned breastfed children who are born to HIV-infected mothers: ANRS 1201/1202 Ditrame Plus, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Becquet, Renaud; Leroy, Valériane; Ekouevi, Didier K; Viho, Ida; Castetbon, Katia; Fassinou, Patricia; Dabis, François; Timite-Konan, Marguerite

    2006-04-01

    In high HIV prevalence resource-constrained settings, exclusive breastfeeding with early cessation is one of the conceivable interventions aimed at the prevention of HIV through breast milk. Nevertheless, this intervention has potential adverse effects, such as the inappropriateness of complementary feeding to take over breast milk. The purpose of our study first was to describe the nature and the ages of introduction of complementary feeding among early weaned breastfed infants up to their first birthday and second was to assess the nutritional adequacy of these complementary foods by creating a child feeding index and to investigate its association with child nutritional status. A prospective cohort study in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, was conducted in HIV-infected pregnant women who were willing to breastfeed and had received a perinatal antiretroviral prophylaxis. They were requested to practice exclusive breastfeeding and initiate early cessation of breastfeeding from the fourth month to reduce breast milk HIV transmission. Nature and ages of introductory complementary feeding were described in infants up to their first birthday by longitudinal compilation of 24-hour and 7-day recall histories. These recalls were done weekly until 6 weeks of age, monthly until 9 months of age, and then quarterly. We created an index to synthesize the nutritional adequacy of infant feeding practices (in terms of quality of the source of milk, dietary diversity, food, and meal frequencies) ranging from 0 to 12. The association of this feeding index with growth outcomes in children was investigated. Among the 262 breastfed children included, complete cessation of breastfeeding occurred in 77% by their first birthday, with a median duration of 4 months. Most of the complementary foods were introduced within the seventh month of life, except for infant food and infant formula that were introduced at age 4 months. The feeding index was relatively low (5 of 12) at age 6 months, mainly

  1. Notification of HIV status disclosure and its related factors in HIV-infected adolescents in 2009 in the Aconda program (CePReF, CHU Yopougon) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, The PRADO-CI Study.

    PubMed

    Meless, Guanga David; Aka-Dago-Akribi, Hortense; Cacou, Chantal; Eboua, Tanoh François; Aka, Addi Edmond; Oga, Aimé Maxime; Bouah, Belinda; Eugène, Messou; Moh, Corinne; Arrivé, Elise; Timité-Konan, Marguerite; Leroy, Valériane

    2013-06-18

    We studied the frequency of documentation of disclosure of HIV status in medical charts and its correlates among HIV-infected adolescents in 2009, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The PRADO-CI is a cross-sectional study aimed at studying HIV-infected adolescents' social, psychological, and behavioural difficulties and their determinants in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. In this study, we present specific analyses on disclosure. All HIV-infected adolescents aged 13-21 years and followed at least once in 2009 in two urban HIV-care centres in Abidjan (Cepref and Yopougon Teaching Hospital) were enrolled in the study. Standardized data were extracted from medical records to document if there was notification of disclosure of HIV status in the medical record. Frequency of notification of HIV disclosure was estimated with its 95% confidence interval (CI) and correlates were analyzed using logistic regression. In 2009, 229 adolescents were included: 126 (55%) males; 93% on antiretroviral therapy (ART), 61% on cotrimoxazole prophylaxis. Their median age was 15 years at the time of the study. Among the 193 patients for whom information on HIV status disclosure was documented (84%), only 63 (32.6%; 95% CI=26.0-39.3%) were informed of their status. The proportion of adolescents informed increased significantly with age: 19% for 13-15 years, 33% for 16-18 years and 86% for 19-21 years (p <0.0001). Adolescents on ART tended to be more likely to be informed of their HIV status (34.5%) than those not treated (13.3%) (p=0.11). Those on cotrimoxazole were significantly more likely to be informed (39.6%) than those not (21.9%) (p=0.01). Disclosure was significantly higher in adolescents with a history of ART regimen change (p=0.003) and in those followed in the Cepref (48.4%) compared to the Yopougon Teaching Hospital (24.8%), (p=0.001). In multivariate analyses, disclosed HIV status was significantly higher in those followed-up in the Cepref compared to the other centre: adjusted odds ratio

  2. Building and strengthening capacity for cardiovascular research in Africa through technical training workshops: a report of the joint course on health research methods by the Clinical Research Education Networking and Consultancy and the Ivorian Society of Cardiology.

    PubMed

    Dzekem, Bonaventure Suiru; Kacou, Jean Baptiste; Abanda, Martin; Kramoh, Euloge; Yapobi, Yves; Kingue, Samuel; Kengne, Andre Pascal; Dzudie, Anastase

    Africa bears a quarter of the global burden of disease but contributes less than 2% of the global research publications on health, partially due to a lack of expertise and skills to carry out scientific research. We report on a short course on research methods organised by the Clinical Research Education Networking and Consultancy (CRENC) during the third international congress of the Ivorian Cardiac Society (SICARD) in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Results from the pre- and post-test evaluation during this course showed that African researchers could contribute more to scientific research and publications, provided adequate support and investment is geared towards the identification and training of motivated early-career scientists.

  3. Organizational and operational capabilities of specialist centres for children with psychomotor disability in Abidjan.

    PubMed

    Alloh, D; Nandjui, B; Bombo, J; Manou, B; Twoolys, A; Alloukou, R; Ake, N; Konate-Konan, E; Pillah, L; Coulibaly, A

    2009-06-01

    To describe the organizational and operational capabilities of specialized centres for children with psychomotor disability in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. This descriptive study was carried out from February to May, 2006 at the various specialized centres for children with psychomotor disability that exist in the district of Abidjan. The procedure comprised a clinical description of the disabled children admitted to these centres and an assessment of the centres' organization and operational capabilities. Six specialist centres for children with psychomotor disability were identified, namely the Infant Guidance Centre, the Awakening and Stimulation Centre for disabled Children, the "Sainte-Magdeleine" Centre, the Medical and Training Institute, the "Page Blanche" institute and the "Colombes Notre Dame de la Paix" Centre. Among the children, 97.15% were day patients, 66.37% were mentally challenged, 30.96% had psychomotor impairment and 2.66% had motor impairments. The level of organization varied but the centres nevertheless had operational administrative, medical and paramedical staff, despite the absence of certain specialties. However, the lack of personnel, equipment and infrastructure is hindering the delivery of adequate services to the children. In Abidjan District, reception centres for children with psychomotor impairments are essentially privately run. Organizational and operational performances were suboptimal, with a low carer-to-patient ratio. Reinforcement of the centres' operational capabilities appears to be necessary.

  4. [Herpetological data and management of ophidian envenomation at university hospitals in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Djohan, V; Menan, E I H; Yavo, W; Barro, P C K; Vanga, H; Dempah, J A; N'Dri, D K; Mignonsin, D; Akaffou, M H; Koné, K

    2010-02-01

    This study was carried in the intensive care units of Abidjan university hospitals and in the herpetology department of Pasteur Institute between January 2001 and April 2003. The purpose was to identify ophidian species that were dangerous for man and to document cases of snakebite in Abidjan. The study was carried out in two phases, i.e., collection and identification of snake species followed by review of case records involving snake envenomation at Cocody and Treichville university hospitals. A total of 5 snake families, 14 genera and 17 species including some that were dangerous for man were identified. All species except Naja nigricollis live in forest areas. Most snakebites led to simple clinical signs that regressed within 72 hours with only symptomatic treatment. However, a few cases required immunotherapy. Traditional methods of snakebite treatment were used for first line treatment in 50% of cases.

  5. The Epidemiology of HIV and Prevention Needs of Men Who Have Sex with Men in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Hakim, Avi J; Aho, Josephine; Semde, Gisele; Diarrassouba, Mamadou; Ehoussou, Konan; Vuylsteke, Bea; Murrill, Christopher S.; Thiam, Marguerite; Wingate, Therese

    2015-01-01

    To determine HIV prevalence and associated risk factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. We conducted a cross-sectional RDS survey of MSM in Abidjan from October 2011 to February 2012. Eligibility criteria included age ≥ 18 years and having had oral or anal sex with another man in the last 12 months. Weighted data analysis was conducted with RDSAT and SAS. We enrolled 603 participants, of whom 601 (99.7%) completed the questionnaire and 581 (96.7%) consented to HIV testing. HIV population prevalence was estimated as 18.0% (95% CI: 13.0-23.1); 86.4% (95% CI: 75.1-94.9) of HIV-positive MSM were unaware of their serostatus. In multivariable analysis, adjusting for age, education, and income, HIV infection was associated with unprotected sex at last sex with a woman, more than two male anal sex partners in last 12 months, inconsistent condom use during anal sex with a man, self-perceived risk of HIV, history of forced sex, history of physical abuse due to MSM status, and not receiving last HIV test result prior to study. HIV prevalence among MSM in Abidjan is more than four times as high as that of general population men. MSM engage in high-risk sexual behavior and most HIV-positive MSM are unaware of their serostatus. Greater access to HIV prevention, care, and treatment services targeted to MSM is necessary. PMID:25909484

  6. Hazard identification and exposure assessment for bacterial risk assessment of informally marketed milk in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Kouamé-Sina, Sylvie Mireille; Makita, Kohei; Costard, Solenne; Grace, Delia; Dadié, Adjehi; Dje, Marcellin; Bonfoh, Bassirou

    2012-12-01

    Animal-source foods are important causes of food-borne illness, and milk and dairy products can contain pathogenic microorganisms. We conducted a stochastic assessment of the risk of ingesting milk contaminated with specific microbial pathogens (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus spp.) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. We carried out structured interviews and focus group discussions with farmers (n = 15), vendors (n = 17), and consumers (n = 188) to characterize dairy production systems and milk consumption behavior. Microbiological sampling was conducted at different points between milking and sale. A risk model was developed, and the risk of consuming contaminated raw milk was estimated by Monte Carlo simulation. The investigation into local raw milk consumption patterns showed that the proportion of raw milk consumption was 51.6% in people who consume milk. The probability of ingestion of marketed raw milk that failed to meet standards for this group of bacteria was 29.9% and about 652 consumers per day were estimated to ingest contaminated milk. Microbiological tests from the farm showed that 7.2% of samples taken from milkers' hands, 4.4% of water samples (water used to rinse milk containers or milking utensils (calabash, plastic bottle, filters, buckets), 4.4% of environmental samples (air pollution), 13.2% of samples from milking utensils, and 4.9% of samples from cows' udders were contaminated with one or more of these pathogens. About 624.6 L of marketed raw milk would need to be discarded per day if discarding milk was chosen as the option of risk reduction. The destruction of this milk would result in a potential loss of Euro623.9 per day for all producers. The risk of human illness from consumption of raw milk could be mitigated by raising awareness about heat treatment of milk and good hygiene practices in the dairy chain.

  7. Moving data off the shelf and into action: an intervention to improve data-informed decision making in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Nutley, Tara; Gnassou, Léontine; Traore, Moussa; Bosso, Abitche Edwige; Mullen, Stephanie

    2014-01-01

    Improving a health system requires data, but too often they are unused or under-used by decision makers. Without interventions to improve the use of data in decision making, health systems cannot meet the needs of the populations they serve. In 2008, in Côte d'Ivoire, data were largely unused in health decision-making processes. To implement and evaluate an intervention to improve the use of data in decision making in Cote d'Ivoire. From 2008 to 2012, Cote d'Ivoire sought to improve the use of national health data through an intervention that broadens participation in and builds links between data collection and decision-making processes; identifies information needs; improves data quality; builds capacity to analyze, synthesize, and interpret data; and develops policies to support data use. To assess the results, a Performance of Routine Information System Management Assessment was conducted before and after the intervention using a combination of purposeful and random sampling. In 2008, the sample consisted of the central level, 12 districts, and 119 facilities, and in 2012, the sample consisted of the central level, 20 districts, and 190 health facilities. To assess data use, we developed dichotomous indicators: discussions of analysis findings, decisions taken based on the analysis, and decisions referred to upper management for action. We aggregated the indicators to generate a composite, continuous index of data use. From 2008 to 2012, the district data-use score increased from 40 to 70%; the facility score remained the same - 38%. The central score is not reported, because of a methodological difference in the two assessments. The intervention improved the use of data in decision making at the district level in Côte d'Ivoire. This study provides an example of, and guidance for, implementing a large-scale intervention to improve data-informed decision making.

  8. Cardiac surgery in Africa: a thirty-five year experience on open heart surgery in Cote d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Yangni-Angate, Koffi Herve; Meneas, Christophe; Diby, Florent; Diomande, Manga; Adoubi, Anicet; Tanauh, Yves

    2016-10-01

    Few centers for open heart surgery (OHS) are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lack of OHS results is also noted. By reporting our African experience on OHS, the aim of this study was to fill the gap. It is a retrospective study on 2,612 patients who were subject to an OHS between 1978 and 2013. Data were collected from demographical, clinical, investigative studies, surgical and outcomes parameters. There were 1,475 cases of rheumatic heart diseases (RHD), 126 endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF), 741 congenital heart diseases (CHDs) and 270 various affections. Related to rheumatic valvular surgery we enumerated 1,175 monovalvular (mitral n=778, aortic n=336, tricuspid n=61); 280 bivalvular (mitral + aortic n=150, mitral + tricuspid n=130) and 20 trivalvular. For RHD, average age was 26±10.1 years (4-69 years) and 60% of our patients presented a functional class III or IV according to New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. A total of 1,481 valvular replacements (bioprostheses n=489, mechanical prostheses n=992) and 445 valvular repair were carried out with a global and late mortality surgery respectively at 7% and 8%. One hundred and twenty-six [126] cases of EMF with right sided form 39, left sided form 40, and bilateral form 47 were colligated. Average age was 12±0.6 years (2-15 years). All patients with EMF underwent surgery; an endocardectomy in all patients combined with valvular reconstruction (n=36) or valvular replacement (n=90) was carried out with a hospital mortality at 16% (n=20). Concerning CHD, the most frequent were ventricular septal defect (VSD) (n=240), atrial septal defect (ASD) (n=200), partial atrio-ventricular sepal defect (n=30) and tetralogy of Fallot (T4F) (n=220), a total correction was performed for those CHD with an early mortality at 6.4% (n=44). OHS in Cote d'Ivoire was successfully performed in most of our patients, the spectrum of acquired valvular heart diseases and CHDs in our country is similar to others in Sub-Saharan Africa.

  9. [Detection and management of the yellow fever epidemic in the Ivory Coast, 2001].

    PubMed

    Akoua-Koffi, C; Ekra, K D; Kone, A B; Dagnan, N S; Akran, V; Kouadio, K L; Loukou, Y G; Odehouri, K; Tagliante-Saracino, J; Ehouman, A

    2002-01-01

    From March to December 2001, an outbreak of yellow fever was observed in Cote d'Ivoire. Sentinel surveillance for hemorrhagic fever allowed detection of the first case in the Duekoue health district in the heavily wooded western part of the country. A weekly reporting system was established. For each suspected case recorded and reported to the Epidemiological Surveillance Department at the National Institute of Public Hygiene, a sample was collected and sent for confirmation at the Pasteur Institute of the Cote d'Ivoire. The outbreak progressed from West to East reaching Abidjan, the economic capital of the country located in the southeast. The epidemic emergency plan consisted of setting up a crisis committee to implement epidemiological, entomological and virological surveillance, mass vaccination campaigns in areas around confirmed cases, and vector control. A total of 280 cases were reported including 32 confirmed cases and 6 deaths. Eleven out of 62 districts were affected with most cases occurring in cities with more than 10000 inhabitants. Over 3.7 million persons were vaccinated for an overall coverage of 92.2% in the areas where campaigns were carried out. As a result of this outbreak, surveillance for potentially epidemic diseases has been reinforced and surveillance of viral transmission is now being considered. A vaccination program for adults has also been established.

  10. An innovative fast-track development for Cote d`Ivoire

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kreider, G.J.; Barnes, J.E.; Smitherman, J.E.

    1996-12-31

    In May, 1994, approval was received for the development of the Panthere Gas Field and Lion Oil Field by UMC Petroleum Corporation as operator. At that time, UMC had drilled one well from a jackup at Panthere in 270 feet of water and had set a guyed caisson. Following the Panthere gas discovery, the Lion oil discovery well was drilled in 235 feet of water and another guyed caisson was set. Paragon Engineering Services had been hired in late 1993 to develop project scenarios and cost estimates and as the project evolved, detailed engineering, procurement and construction management services. Productionmore » equipment for 30,000 BOPD, 16,000 BWPD and 75 MMSCFD was to be installed on a jackup drilling rig converted to a Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) located at the Lion A caisson. Production from Panthere would flow through an 8-inch line to the MOPU. The production equipment on the MOPU would (1) separate oil, water and gas, (2) treat the oil for sale and the water for discharge, (3) pump the oil into an 8-inch pipeline to the refinery in Abidjan, (4) compress the oil well and gas well gas as needed, and (5) dehydrate it for sale. A CALM buoy with shuttle tanker was included in the original plan for early production and as a backup to the oil pipeline. It was also unknown at project initiation whether a gas sales contract would be successfully negotiated, and thus the project was to proceed on the basis of flaring produced gas with capability to add equipment at a later date for gas sales. This paper describes how the project was organized and how this organization allowed the project to accommodate changes and construction problems as they developed while completing the project on time.« less

  11. [Impact of children with multiple disabilities on families in Abidjan].

    PubMed

    N Dri, Koumé Mathias; Yaya, Issifou; Zigoli, Robertine; Endemel Ayabakan, François; Ipou, Stéphane Yves; Lambert Moke, Botty

    A child's multiple disabilities have a major impact on families in both developed and developing countries. In Côte d'Ivoire, very few data are available concerning the real experiences of families of children with multiple disabilities. The objective of this study was to improve our knowledge of the impact of children with multiple disabilities on families in Côte d'Ivoire. A qualitative study was conducted among the families consulting the Child Guidance Centre of the National Institute of Public Health in Abidjan. Data were collected in May 2015 by semi-structured individual interviews with mothers of children with multiple disabilities. Twenty mothers of multiply disabled children between the ages of 2 and 14 years were interviewed. The child's multiple disability was found to have a negative impact on finances, health, and social life. Health check-ups, treatment and transport are the main additional costs. Mothers suffer from insomnia, fatigue, back pain and anxiety and were often held responsible for their child's disability. A disabled child was a source of discord in several couples and a cause of school drop-out in some families.This study partially addresses the experiences of families with children with multiple disabilities. It confirms the results of several other studies, highlighting the vulnerability and social dysfunction of these families. The presence of a child with multiple disabilities in a family is a source of psychological, financial and social upheaval. This study raises questions about the impact of multiple disabilities on the whole family and a more detailed analysis of economic aspects.

  12. Tumor size and stage of breast cancer in Côte d'Ivoire and Republic of Congo - Results from population-based cancer registries.

    PubMed

    Islami, Farhad; Lortet-Tieulent, Joannie; Okello, Catherine; Adoubi, Innocent; Mbalawa, Charles Gombé; Ward, Elizabeth M; Parkin, D Maxwell; Jemal, Ahmedin

    2015-12-01

    Breast cancer is now the leading female cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, but there is relatively little information on breast cancer characteristics from this region. We studied, on a population basis, the size and stage of female breast cancer at diagnosis in Côte d'Ivoire and Republic of Congo. Data on tumor size and stage of breast cancer at diagnosis were collected by population-based cancer registries in Abidjan (the capital of Côte d'Ivoire; 141 cases) and Brazzaville (the capital of Republic of Congo; 139 cases) from a random group of female breast cancer cases that were diagnosed in 2008-2009 using the same protocol. The majority of breast cancers in both countries were advanced cancers. In Côte d'Ivoire, 68% of tumors were ≥5 cm in diameter and 74% of cancers were stage III or IV at diagnosis; the corresponding proportions in Republic of Congo were 63% and 81%. These results underscore the importance of increased awareness about early detection of breast cancer, as well as expansion of the capacity to provide appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care in sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A pilot study of gaseous pollutants' measurement (NO2, SO2, NH3, HNO3 and O3) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire: contribution to an overview of gaseous pollution in African cities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bahino, Julien; Yoboué, Véronique; Galy-Lacaux, Corinne; Adon, Marcellin; Akpo, Aristide; Keita, Sékou; Liousse, Cathy; Gardrat, Eric; Chiron, Christelle; Ossohou, Money; Gnamien, Sylvain; Djossou, Julien

    2018-04-01

    This work is part of the DACCIWA FP7 project (Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa) in the framework of the Work Package 2 Air Pollution and Health. This study aims to characterize urban air pollution levels through the measurement of NO2, SO2, NH3, HNO3 and O3 in Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire. Measurements of inorganic gaseous pollutants, i.e. NO2, SO2, NH3, HNO3 and O3 were performed in Abidjan during an intensive campaign within the dry season (15 December 2015 to 16 February 2016), using INDAAF (International Network to study Deposition and Atmospheric chemistry in AFrica) passive samplers exposed in duplicate for 2-week periods. Twenty-one sites were selected in the district of Abidjan to be representative of various anthropogenic and natural sources of air pollution in the city. Results from this intensive campaign show that gas concentrations are strongly linked to surrounding pollution sources and show a high spatial variability. Also, NH3, NO2 and O3 gases were present at relatively higher concentrations at all the sites. NH3 average concentrations varied between 9.1 ± 1.7 ppb at a suburban site and 102.1 ± 9.1 ppb at a domestic fires site. NO2 mean concentration varied from 2.7 ± 0.1 ppb at a suburban site to 25.0 ± 1.7 ppb at an industrial site. Moreover, we measured the highest O3 concentration at the two coastal sites of Gonzagueville and Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport located in the southeast of the city, with average concentrations of 19.1 ± 1.7 and 18.8 ± 3.0 ppb, respectively. The SO2 average concentration never exceeded 7.2 ± 1.2 ppb over all the sites, with 71.5 % of the sampling sites showing concentrations ranging between 0.4 and 1.9 ppb. The HNO3 average concentration ranged between 0.2 and 1.4 ppb. All these results were combined with meteorological parameters to provide the first mapping of gaseous pollutants on the scale of the district of Abidjan using geostatistical

  14. Incidence and risk factors of severe adverse events with nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected women. MTCT-Plus program, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background In resource-limited settings where nevirapine-containing regimen is the preferred regimen in women, data on severe adverse events (SAEs) according to CD4 cell count are limited. We estimated the incidence of SAEs according to CD4 cell count and identify their risk factors in nevirapine-treated women. Methods All HIV-infected women who initiated nevirapine-containing regimen in the MTCT-Plus operational program in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, were eligible for this study. Laboratory and clinical (rash) SAEs were classified as grade 3 and 4. Cox models were used to identify factors associated with the occurrence of SAEs. Results From August 2003 to October 2006, 290 women initiated a nevirapine-containing regimen at a median CD4 cell count of 186 cells/mm3 (IQR 124-266). During a median follow-up on treatment of 25 months, the incidence of all SAEs was 19.5/100 patient-years. The 24-month probability of occurrence of hepatotoxicity or rash was not different between women with a CD4 cell count >250 cells/mm3 and women with a CD4 cell count ≤250 cells/mm3 (8.3% vs. 9.9%, Log-rank test: p = 0.75). In a multivariate proportional hazard model, neither CD4 cell count >250 cells/mm3 at treatment initiation nor initiation NVP-based regimen initiated during pregnancy were associated with the occurrence of SAEs. Conclusion CD4 cell count >250 cells/mm3 was not associated with a higher risk of severe hepatotoxicity and/or rash, as well as initiation of ART during pregnancy. Pharmacovogilance data as well as meta-analysis on women receiving NVP in these settings are needed for better information about NVP toxicity. PMID:20576111

  15. Occurrence of ochratoxin A in spices commercialized in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

    PubMed

    Manda, Pierre; Adanou, Ketty Michele; Ardjouma, Dembelé; Adepo, Aholia Jean Baptiste; Dano, Djédjé Sébastien

    2016-08-01

    Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced mostly by several species of Aspergillus and Penicillium. OTA is nephrotoxic in all animal species in which it has been tested and is cancerogenic in rodents. It is associated with Balkan endemic nephropathy. It is naturally present in many crop products such as cereals (barley, wheat, maize) and dried fruits, spices, coffee, wine, olives, and cocoa. The aim of this study was to assess the contamination of three Ivoirian spices with OTA (ginger, chili, and pepper) widely consumed by the population. A total of 90 spice samples (ginger: n = 30; chili: n = 30; pepper n = 30) was taken from various sales outlets of Abidjan. OTA was quantified using an HPLC apparatus coupled with a fluorimetric detector. The chili and ginger samples were contaminated with OTA at a mean concentration of 57.48 ± 174 and 0.12 ± 0.15 μg/kg, respectively. No contamination of the pepper samples was detected. Eight (26.67 %) of the chili samples exceeded the maximum limit of 15 μg/kg established by European regulation. These results should serve as an alert on the risk to the consumer population of these products that are highly contaminated with OTA.

  16. Mapping malaria risk among children in Côte d'Ivoire using Bayesian geo-statistical models.

    PubMed

    Raso, Giovanna; Schur, Nadine; Utzinger, Jürg; Koudou, Benjamin G; Tchicaya, Emile S; Rohner, Fabian; N'goran, Eliézer K; Silué, Kigbafori D; Matthys, Barbara; Assi, Serge; Tanner, Marcel; Vounatsou, Penelope

    2012-05-09

    In Côte d'Ivoire, an estimated 767,000 disability-adjusted life years are due to malaria, placing the country at position number 14 with regard to the global burden of malaria. Risk maps are important to guide control interventions, and hence, the aim of this study was to predict the geographical distribution of malaria infection risk in children aged <16 years in Côte d'Ivoire at high spatial resolution. Using different data sources, a systematic review was carried out to compile and geo-reference survey data on Plasmodium spp. infection prevalence in Côte d'Ivoire, focusing on children aged <16 years. The period from 1988 to 2007 was covered. A suite of Bayesian geo-statistical logistic regression models was fitted to analyse malaria risk. Non-spatial models with and without exchangeable random effect parameters were compared to stationary and non-stationary spatial models. Non-stationarity was modelled assuming that the underlying spatial process is a mixture of separate stationary processes in each ecological zone. The best fitting model based on the deviance information criterion was used to predict Plasmodium spp. infection risk for entire Côte d'Ivoire, including uncertainty. Overall, 235 data points at 170 unique survey locations with malaria prevalence data for individuals aged <16 years were extracted. Most data points (n = 182, 77.4%) were collected between 2000 and 2007. A Bayesian non-stationary regression model showed the best fit with annualized rainfall and maximum land surface temperature identified as significant environmental covariates. This model was used to predict malaria infection risk at non-sampled locations. High-risk areas were mainly found in the north-central and western area, while relatively low-risk areas were located in the north at the country border, in the north-east, in the south-east around Abidjan, and in the central-west between two high prevalence areas. The malaria risk map at high spatial resolution gives an

  17. Spatial mapping and prediction of Plasmodium falciparum infection risk among school-aged children in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Houngbedji, Clarisse A; Chammartin, Frédérique; Yapi, Richard B; Hürlimann, Eveline; N'Dri, Prisca B; Silué, Kigbafori D; Soro, Gotianwa; Koudou, Benjamin G; Assi, Serge-Brice; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Fantodji, Agathe; Utzinger, Jürg; Vounatsou, Penelope; Raso, Giovanna

    2016-09-07

    In Côte d'Ivoire, malaria remains a major public health issue, and thus a priority to be tackled. The aim of this study was to identify spatially explicit indicators of Plasmodium falciparum infection among school-aged children and to undertake a model-based spatial prediction of P. falciparum infection risk using environmental predictors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, including parasitological examinations and interviews with more than 5,000 children from 93 schools across Côte d'Ivoire. A finger-prick blood sample was obtained from each child to determine Plasmodium species-specific infection and parasitaemia using Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films. Household socioeconomic status was assessed through asset ownership and household characteristics. Children were interviewed for preventive measures against malaria. Environmental data were gathered from satellite images and digitized maps. A Bayesian geostatistical stochastic search variable selection procedure was employed to identify factors related to P. falciparum infection risk. Bayesian geostatistical logistic regression models were used to map the spatial distribution of P. falciparum infection and to predict the infection prevalence at non-sampled locations via Bayesian kriging. Complete data sets were available from 5,322 children aged 5-16 years across Côte d'Ivoire. P. falciparum was the predominant species (94.5 %). The Bayesian geostatistical variable selection procedure identified land cover and socioeconomic status as important predictors for infection risk with P. falciparum. Model-based prediction identified high P. falciparum infection risk in the north, central-east, south-east, west and south-west of Côte d'Ivoire. Low-risk areas were found in the south-eastern area close to Abidjan and the south-central and west-central part of the country. The P. falciparum infection risk and related uncertainty estimates for school-aged children in Côte d'Ivoire represent the most up

  18. Cote d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    1987-12-01

    The Republic on the Ivory Coast in Africa is profiled in a Dec. 1987 publication of the U.S. State Department. The geography of the country is described as generally flat, with dense forests in the west, scrub savannah stretching in a narrow strip along the coast midway to Ghana, and a tropical forest and a savannah lying inland. A brief history of the country prior to and during its experience as a French colony is also included. The country's 1986 population of 10.2 million contains more than 60 ethnic groups; literacy rate is 35%, life expectancy is 52 years, and the 1983 infant mortality rate was 121/1,000. Per capita income in 1986 was $921. Petroleum is a natural resource but thus far its exploitation has been financially disappointing. Agriculture produces 25% of the country's gross domestic product, while the food, processing, and textile industries produce 20%. Political conditions have been relatively stable since the Ivory Coast gained its independence from France in 1960. The publication also describes the country's government structure, political conditions, national defense system, and foreign relations policy. It includes general information for travelers to the country and lists principal government officials and U.S. officials to the country as of date of the publication. A bibliography and map are also provided.

  19. Impact of drug stock-outs on death and retention to care among HIV-infected patients on combination antiretroviral therapy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Pasquet, Armelle; Messou, Eugène; Gabillard, Delphine; Minga, Albert; Depoulosky, Ayeby; Deuffic-Burban, Sylvie; Losina, Elena; Freedberg, Kenneth A; Danel, Christine; Anglaret, Xavier; Yazdanpanah, Yazdan

    2010-10-15

    To evaluate the type and frequency of antiretroviral drug stock-outs, and their impact on death and interruption in care among HIV-infected patients in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. We conducted a cohort study of patients who initiated combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in three adult HIV clinics between February 1, 2006 and June 1, 2007. Follow-up ended on February 1, 2008. The primary outcome was cART regimen modification, defined as at least one drug substitution, or discontinuation for at least one month due to drug stock-outs at the clinic pharmacy. The secondary outcome for patients who were on cART for at least six months was interruption in care, or death. A Cox regression model with time-dependent variables was used to assess the impact of antiretroviral drug stock-outs on interruption in care or death. Overall, 1,554 adults initiated cART and were followed for a mean of 13.2 months. During this time, 72 patients discontinued treatment and 98 modified their regimen because of drug stock-outs. Stock-outs involved nevirapine and fixed-dose combination zidovudine/lamivudine in 27% and 51% of cases. Of 1,554 patients, 839 (54%) initiated cART with fixed-dose stavudine/lamivudine/nevirapine and did not face stock-outs during the study period. Among the 975 patients who were on cART for at least six months, stock-out-related cART discontinuations increased the risk of interruption in care or death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.83; 95%CI, 1.25-6.44) but cART modifications did not (adjusted HR, 1.21; 95%CI, 0.46-3.16). cART stock-outs affected at least 11% of population on treatment. Treatment discontinuations due to stock-outs were frequent and doubled the risk of interruption in care or death. These stock-outs did not involve the most common first-line regimen. As access to cART continues to increase in sub-Saharan Africa, first-line regimens should be standardized to decrease the probability of drug stock-outs.

  20. Neoliberal policy, rural livelihoods, and urban food security in West Africa: a comparative study of The Gambia, Cote d'Ivoire, and Mali.

    PubMed

    Moseley, William G; Carney, Judith; Becker, Laurence

    2010-03-30

    This study examines the impact of two decades of neoliberal policy reform on food production and household livelihood security in three West African countries. The rice sectors in The Gambia, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mali are scrutinized as well as cotton and its relationship to sorghum production in Mali. Although market reforms were intended to improve food production, the net result was an increasing reliance on imported rice. The vulnerability of the urban populations in The Gambia and Côte d'Ivoire became especially clear during the 2007-2008 global food crisis when world prices for rice spiked. Urban Mali was spared the worst of this crisis because the country produces more of its own rice and the poorest consumers shifted from rice to sorghum, a grain whose production increased steeply as cotton production collapsed. The findings are based on household and market surveys as well as on an analysis of national level production data.

  1. Investigation of a Large Collection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteriophages Collected from a Single Environmental Source in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Essoh, Christiane; Latino, Libera; Midoux, Cédric; Blouin, Yann; Loukou, Guillaume; Nguetta, Simon-Pierre A.; Lathro, Serge; Cablanmian, Arsher; Kouassi, Athanase K.; Vergnaud, Gilles; Pourcel, Christine

    2015-01-01

    Twenty two distinct bacteriophages were isolated from sewage water from five locations in the city of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire over a two-year period, using a collection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains with diverse genotypes. The phages were characterized by their virulence spectrum on a panel of selected P. aeruginosa strains from cystic fibrosis patients and by whole genome sequencing. Twelve virions representing the observed diversity were visualised by electron microscopy. The combined observations showed that 17 phages, distributed into seven genera, were virulent, and that five phages were related to temperate phages belonging to three genera. Some showed similarity with known phages only at the protein level. The vast majority of the genetic variations among virulent phages from the same genus resulted from seemingly non-random horizontal transfer events, inside a population of P. aeruginosa phages with limited diversity. This suggests the existence of a single environmental reservoir or ecotype in which continuous selection is taking place. In contrast, mostly point mutations were observed among phages potentially capable of lysogenisation. This is the first study of P. aeruginosa phage diversity in an African city and it shows that a large variety of phage species can be recovered in a limited geographical site at least when different bacterial strains are used. The relative temporal and spatial stability of the Abidjan phage population might reflect equilibrium in the microbial community from which they are released. PMID:26115051

  2. Molecular Epidemiology of Malaria in Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire. XXXI. Kelch 13 Propeller Sequences in Plasmodium falciparum Isolates before and after Implementation of Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy.

    PubMed

    Djaman, Joseph Allico; Olefongo, Dagnogo; Ako, Aristide Berenger; Roman, Jocelyne; Ngane, Vincent Foumane; Basco, Leonardo K; Tahar, Rachida

    2017-07-01

    Artemisinin-resistant malaria has not been reported from Africa, but resistance can possibly spread from Asia or arise independently in Africa. The emergence of artemisinin resistance in Africa can be monitored by molecular assay of Kelch 13 (K13) propeller sequences. A total of 251 archived DNA samples of Plasmodium falciparum isolates collected in 2002, 2003, and 2006 in Yaounde, Cameroon, and 47 samples collected in 2006 and 2013 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, were analyzed for K13-propeller sequence polymorphism. Only one isolate carried a mutant K13-propeller allele (E602D). None of the isolates carried the key mutant alleles (Y493H, R539T, I543T, and C580Y) associated with artemisinin resistance in Cambodia. The presence of the mutant allele was not correlated with in vitro response to dihydroartemisinin determined by the classical hypoxanthine incorporation assay. There was no evidence of K13 mutations associated with artemisinin resistance before and soon after the introduction of artemisinin-based combination therapies in Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire.

  3. No Paragonimus in high-risk groups in Côte d'Ivoire, but considerable prevalence of helminths and intestinal protozoon infections.

    PubMed

    Traoré, Sylvain G; Odermatt, Peter; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Utzinger, Jürg; Aka, N'da D; Adoubryn, Koffi D; Assoumou, Aka; Dreyfuss, Gilles; Koussémon, Marina

    2011-06-03

    Paragonimiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by an infection with lung flukes that is transmitted through the consumption of undercooked crabs. The disease is often confused with tuberculosis. Paragonimiasis is thought to be endemic in south-western Côte d'Ivoire. Two cross-sectional surveys were carried out in the first half of 2009 in patients attending two tuberculosis centres of Abidjan. A third cross-sectional survey was conducted in May 2010 in children of two primary schools in Dabou, where crabs are frequently consumed. Patients with chronic cough provided three sputum samples plus one stool sample. Sputum samples were examined for tuberculosis with an auramine staining technique and for Paragonimus eggs using a concentration technique. Stool samples were subjected to the Ritchie technique. Schoolchildren provided a single stool sample, and samples were subjected to the Kato-Katz and an ether-concentration technique. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered to patients and schoolchildren to investigate food consumption habits. Additionally, between June 2009 and August 2010, shellfish were purchased from markets in Abidjan and Dabou and examined for metacercariae. No human case of paragonimiasis was diagnosed. However, trematode infections were seen in 32 of the 272 shellfish examined (11.8%). Questionnaire results revealed that crab and pig meat is well cooked before consumption. Among the 278 patients with complete data records, 62 had tuberculosis, with a higher prevalence in males than females (28.8% vs. 13.9%, χ2 = 8.79, p = 0.003). The prevalence of helminths and intestinal protozoa was 4.6% and 16.9%, respectively. In the school survey, among 166 children with complete data records, the prevalence of helminths and intestinal protozoa was 22.3% and 48.8%, respectively. Boys had significantly higher prevalences of helminths and intestinal protozoa than girls. Hookworm was the predominant helminth species and Entamoeba coli was the most

  4. No Paragonimus in high-risk groups in Côte d'Ivoire, but considerable prevalence of helminths and intestinal protozoon infections

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Paragonimiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by an infection with lung flukes that is transmitted through the consumption of undercooked crabs. The disease is often confused with tuberculosis. Paragonimiasis is thought to be endemic in south-western Côte d'Ivoire. Methods Two cross-sectional surveys were carried out in the first half of 2009 in patients attending two tuberculosis centres of Abidjan. A third cross-sectional survey was conducted in May 2010 in children of two primary schools in Dabou, where crabs are frequently consumed. Patients with chronic cough provided three sputum samples plus one stool sample. Sputum samples were examined for tuberculosis with an auramine staining technique and for Paragonimus eggs using a concentration technique. Stool samples were subjected to the Ritchie technique. Schoolchildren provided a single stool sample, and samples were subjected to the Kato-Katz and an ether-concentration technique. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered to patients and schoolchildren to investigate food consumption habits. Additionally, between June 2009 and August 2010, shellfish were purchased from markets in Abidjan and Dabou and examined for metacercariae. Results No human case of paragonimiasis was diagnosed. However, trematode infections were seen in 32 of the 272 shellfish examined (11.8%). Questionnaire results revealed that crab and pig meat is well cooked before consumption. Among the 278 patients with complete data records, 62 had tuberculosis, with a higher prevalence in males than females (28.8% vs. 13.9%, χ2 = 8.79, p = 0.003). The prevalence of helminths and intestinal protozoa was 4.6% and 16.9%, respectively. In the school survey, among 166 children with complete data records, the prevalence of helminths and intestinal protozoa was 22.3% and 48.8%, respectively. Boys had significantly higher prevalences of helminths and intestinal protozoa than girls. Hookworm was the predominant helminth species and

  5. Risk of Vibrio transmission linked to the consumption of crustaceans in coastal towns of Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Traoré, S G; Bonfoh, B; Krabi, R; Odermatt, P; Utzinger, J; Rose, K-N; Tanner, M; Frey, J; Quilici, M-L; Koussémon, M

    2012-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of Vibrio spp. transmission from crustaceans to humans in two coastal towns of Côte d'Ivoire. Bacteriologic analysis was performed on 322 crustacean samples obtained from six markets in Abidjan and one in Dabou. Suspected Vibrio colonies were identified by morphological, cultural, biochemical, and molecular tests and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. PCR assays were used to further characterize Vibrio strains. A survey on consumption of crustaceans was conducted among 120 randomly selected households in Abidjan. Overall, Vibrio spp. were isolated from 7.8% of the crustacean samples studied, at levels as high as 6.3 log CFU/g. Of the Vibrio strains identified, 40% were V. alginolyticus, 36% were V. parahaemolyticus, and 24% were nontoxigenic V. cholerae; the latter two species can cause mild to severe forms of seafood-associated gastroenteritis. Among interviewed households, 11.7% reported daily consumption of crustaceans, confirming the high probability of exposure of human population to Vibrio spp., and 7.5% reported symptoms of food poisoning after consumption of crustaceans. The absence of genes encoding major virulence factors in the studied strains, i.e., cholera toxin (ctxA and ctxB) in V. cholerae and thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh) and thermostable direct hemolysin-related hemolysin (trh) in V. parahaemolyticus, does not exclude the possibility of exposure to pathogenic strains. However, human infections are not common because most households (96.7%) boil crustaceans, usually for at least 45 min (85.9% of households) before consumption.

  6. [Malaria and intestinal parasitosis in pregnant woman at Abobo district (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire)].

    PubMed

    Coulibaly, G; Yao, K P; Koffi, M; Ahouty, B A; Louhourignon, L K; N'Cho, M; N'Goran, E K

    2017-05-01

    A prospective study was carried out from 2010 to 2012 at the Hôpital Général d'Abobo (HGA) in Abidjan, in order to determine the impact of infectious and parasitic diseases on child cognitive development. Blood samples were examined by means of thick drop and blood smear; as for stool by direct examination and concentration by formalin-ether method. We evaluated the prevalence, the parasite load of malaria and gastrointestinal parasites; then we investigated the risk factors for these disorders. Overall, 331 pregnant women in the last trimester of their pregnancy were enrolled. The plasmodic index was 3.9% with infestation specific rates of P. falciparum from 100%. Concerning digestive protozoa, it has been observed 71.3% of nonpathogenic, against 9.7 % of pathogens, either an overall prevalence of 51.4% of digestive parasites. The calculated average parasitic loads revealed 3089.2 tpz/μl of blood (95 % CI: 591.1-5587.3) for malaria, 6.5 eggs per gram of stool (95 % CI: 0.4-13.4) for intestinal helminths and one parasite by microscopic field for protozoa (common infestation). It has been shown that the occurrence of malaria has been linked to the non-use of impregnated mosquito nets (x 2 = 0.012; p = 0.018), not to age. No link could be established between the presence of digestive parasites and the age of pregnant women, or socioeconomic conditions (level of education, profession, type of toilet). Malaria is less common in pregnant women while the rate of digestive parasites remains high.

  7. Identification of yeasts during alcoholic fermentation of tchapalo, a traditional sorghum beer from Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    N'guessan, Kouadio Florent; Brou, Kouakou; Jacques, Noémie; Casaregola, Serge; Dje, Koffi Marcellin

    2011-05-01

    This study investigated the diversity and dynamics of yeasts involved in alcoholic fermentation of a traditional sorghum beer from Côte d'Ivoire, tchapalo. A total of 240 yeast strains were isolated from fermenting sorghum wort inoculated with dry yeast from two geographic regions of Côte d'Ivoire (Abidjan and Bondoukou). Initial molecular identification to the species level was carried out using RFLP of PCR-amplified internal transcribed spacers of rDNA (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). Ten different profiles were obtained from the restriction of PCR products with the three endonucleases HaeIII, CfoI and HinfI. Sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rDNA and the ACT1 gene allowed us to assign these groups to six different species: Saccharomyces cerevisiae-like, Candida tropicalis, Pichia kudriavzevii, Pichia kluyveri, Kodamaea ohmeri and Meyerozyma caribbica. The most frequent species associated with tchapalo fermentation was S. cerevisiae-like (87.36%), followed by C. tropicalis (5.45%) and M. caribbica (2.71%). S. cerevisiae-like strains were diploid heterozygotes and exhibited three to four nucleotides divergence from the type strain in the D1/D2 domain and several indels in the more discriminant sequence of the intron of the ACT1 gene. During the process, the yeast species isolated and their frequencies varied according to the geographic origin of the dry yeast. The occurrence of some species was sporadic and only two non-Saccharomyces species were found in the final product.

  8. [Impact of a targeted technical assistance to improve vaccine coverage in Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mauritania in 2014].

    PubMed

    Ahanhanzo, Y Glèlè; Palenfo, D; Saussier, C; Gbèdonou, P; Tonda, A; Da Silva, A; Aplogan, A

    2016-08-01

    Within the framework of its strategic goal of vaccine coverage (VC) improvement, GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance has entrusted the Agence de médecine préventive (agency for preventive medicine, AMP) with technical assistance services to Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), and Mauritania. This support was provided to selected priority districts (PDs) with the worst Penta3 coverage performances. In 2014, PDs benefited from technical and management capacities in vaccinology strengthening for district medical officers, supportive supervisions and technical assistance in health logistics, data management and quality. We analyzed the effects of the AMP technical assistance on the improvement of the cumulative Penta3 coverage, which is the key performance indicator of the expanded programme on immunization (EPI) performance. We compared Penta3 coverage between PDs and other non-priority districts (NPDs), Penta3 coverage evolution within each PD, and the distribution of PDs and NPDs according to Penta3 coverage category between January and December 2014. Technical assistance had a positive effect on the EPI performance. Indeed Penta3 coverage progression was higher in PDs than in NPDs throughout the period. Besides, between January and December 2014, the Penta3 VC increased in 70%, 100% and 86% of DPs in Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire and Mauritania, respectively. Furthermore, the increase in the number of PDs with a Penta3 coverage over 80% was higher in DPs than in NPDs: 20% versus 8% for Cameroon, 58% versus 29% for Côte d'Ivoire and 17% versus 8% for Mauritania. Despite positive and encouraging results, this technical assistance service can be improved and efforts are needed to ensure that all health districts have a VC above 80% for all EPI vaccines. The current challenge is for African countries to mobilize resources for maintaining the knowledge and benefits and scaling such interventions in the public health area.

  9. 75 FR 42164 - Notice of Final Determination Updating the List of Products Requiring Federal Contractor...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-20

    ..., Pakistan. Charcoal Brazil. Coal Pakistan. Coca (stimulant plant) Colombia. Cocoa Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria... Argentina, India, Thailand. Gold Burkina Faso. Granite Nigeria. Gravel (crushed stones) Nigeria. Pornography...

  10. Malnutrition: prevalence and risk factors among the children younger than five years in a semi-urban area of Abidjan.

    PubMed

    Sackou Kouakou, J G; Aka, B S; Hounsa, A E; Attia, R; Wilson, R; Ake, O; Oga, S; Houenou, Y; Kouadio, L

    2016-08-01

    In Côte d'Ivoire, the prevalence of malnutrition among children younger than 5 years exceeded 5% in 2011 and was thus considered serious. This overall prevalence may nonetheless mask differences and specificities between regions and municipalities. This study sought to determine the prevalence and risk factors of malnutrition among children in this age group in a semi-urban area of Abidjan. This exhaustive, descriptive, cross-sectional survey took place from May 6 to July 31, 2010. The children's nutritional status was determined according to the WHO criteria. Univariate and multivariate analysis of factors associated with malnutrition (social and demographic characteristics, immunization status, children's eating practices, and household characteristics) were studied. We visited 668 households and recruited 809 children. The prevalence of malnutrition was 22.5%. Multivariate analysis showed that the introduction of porridge after 6 months halved the risk of malnutrition. Risk tripled for children whose father's occupation did not guarantee a regular income. Among the factors highlighted by this study, dietary practices seem the most amenable to corrective action. For example, the adoption of outreach programs by the Maternal and Child Protection services could improve nutritional practices in households.

  11. [Multidrug resistant tuberculosis among health personnel in Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Bakayoko, A S; Ahui, B J M; Nguessan, R; Kone, A; Kone, Z; Daix, A T; Badoum, G; Adou, G; Kouakou, O A; Kouakou, J; Coulibaly, G; Domoua, K; Aka-Danguy, E

    2016-04-01

    Multidrug resistance tuberculosis (MDR-TB) of health workers raises the question of hospital-borne transmission of infection. We report 4 cases of MDR-TB confirmed at the health workers over a period of 8 years (January, 2005 to December 2012), in the 2 services of pulmonology from Abidjan to Côte d'Ivoire). It was about young grown-up patients (aged between 28 and 39 years), all HIV negatives, in a no-win situation of antituberculosis treatment (3 patients/4). The most concerned staffs were the male nurses (2/4). Two agents worked in general hospital and the only one in a pulmonology department at the time of the diagnosis. The tuberculosis was of lung seat with bilateral radiographic hurt (3/4) and multiples excavations (4/4). The case index, when it was identified (2/2), was a family case. Among 3 agents who benefited from a second line treatment, 1 died further to an extensive drug resistance and 2 are declared to be cured. The fourth died before the beginning of the treatment. These cases of cure were in touch with a premature care. Multidrug resistant tuberculosis at the health workers could have a negative impact on the antituberculosis fight imposing rigorous measures of infection control and better implication of the occupational medicine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Phenotypic Profile of Rh and Kell Blood Group Systems among Blood Donors in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa

    PubMed Central

    Siransy Bogui, L.; Dembele, B.; Sekongo, Y.; Abisse, S.; Konaté, S.; Sombo, M.

    2014-01-01

    Few countries in sub-Saharan Africa make systematic searches for antigens C, c, E, and e of the Rh and Kell system antigens in the donor and recipient, thereby exposing transfused patients. Purpose and Objectives. In this paper, we propose to determine the red cell Rh and Kell blood groups among blood donors from traditional techniques to improve medical care of transfused patients. This study will allow us to assess the frequency of blood group antigens in these systems. Study Design and Methods. We carried out a study on the red cell typing in the blood donor population of the National Blood Transfusion Center in Abidjan. This study was performed on 651 blood donors. Results. For the Rh system, the antigen frequencies of D, c, e, C, and E are, respectively, 92.93%, 99.85%, 99.85%, 21.97%, and 13.82%. K antigen is found in 0.77% of donors. Discussion and Conclusion. Although the frequencies of the most immunogenic antigens are lower than in the white race, lack of preventive measures makes the immunological risk high in Africa. Furthermore, Africa is full of specificities that are important to note for a better care of our patients. PMID:25328758

  13. Exposure to toxic waste containing high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide illegally dumped in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Dongo, Kouassi; Tiembré, Issiaka; Koné, Blaise Atioumonou; Zurbrügg, Christian; Odermatt, Peter; Tanner, Marcel; Zinsstag, Jakob; Cissé, Guéladio

    2012-09-01

    On August 2006, a cargo ship illegally dumped 500 t of toxic waste containing high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide in numerous sites across Abidjan. Thousands of people became ill. Seventeen deaths were associated with toxic waste exposure. This study reports on environmental and health problems associated with the incident. A cross-sectional transect study was conducted in five waste dumping site areas. Of the households, 62.1% (n = 502) were exposed to the effects of the pollutants and 51.1% of the interviewed people (n = 2,368) in these households showed signs of poisoning. Most important symptoms were cough (37.1%), asthenia (33.1%), pruritus (29.9%) and nausea (29.1%). The health effects showed different frequencies in the five waste impact sites. Among the poisoned persons, 21.1% (n = 532) presented symptoms on the survey day (i.e., 4 months after incident). Transect sampling allowed to determine a radius of vulnerability to exposure of up to 3 km from the point of toxic waste disposal. The area of higher vulnerability is influenced by various environmental factors, such as size and severity of pollution site, duration of toxic waste pollution on the impact site and locally climatic conditions. The surveillance of effects on environment and human health is warranted to monitor the development.

  14. Drought in West Africa

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2007-01-01

    Drought settled over West Africa's Ivory Coast region when wet season rains came late in 2007. Instead of beginning in February, the rainy season didn't start until March, and steady rains didn't start until late March, said the Famine Early Warning System Network. Though the rain had started to alleviate the drought, vegetation was still depressed in parts of Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) between March 22 and April 6, 2007, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured the data used to make this image. The image shows current vegetation conditions compared to average conditions recorded since 2000. Areas where plants are growing more slowly or more sparsely than average are brown, while areas where vegetation is denser than average are green. The brown tint that dominates the image indicates that plants through most of the country are more sparse than normal. Among the crops affected by the lack of rain was West Africa's cocoa crop. About 70 percent of the world's cocoa comes from West Africa, and Cote d'Ivoire is a top grower, said Reuters. Cocoa prices climbed as the crop fell short. Farmers called the drought the worst in living memory, Reuters said. The delay in rainfall also led to water shortages in parts of Cote d'Ivoire, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

  15. Youth access to cigarettes in six sub-Saharan African countries.

    PubMed

    Chandora, Rachna; Song, Yang; Chaussard, Martine; Palipudi, Krishna Mohan; Lee, Kyung Ah; Ramanandraibe, Nivo; Asma, Samira

    2016-10-01

    Tobacco smoking is initiated and established mostly during adolescence. The World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 16 outlines the obligation of parties to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors. This study examined where and how student smokers obtain cigarettes. We examined Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) data from 2009 to 2011 on cigarette access among students aged 13-15 in six sub-Saharan African countries. In all countries analyzed, over 20% of student smokers obtained their cigarettes in a store or shop (52.6% in South Africa, 37.7% in Republic of Congo, 28.2% in Swaziland, 27.4% in Cote d'Ivoire, 26.9% in Ghana, and 22.6% in Uganda). In Cote d'Ivoire and South Africa, 68.9% and 68.7% of student cigarette smokers, respectively, were not refused the sale of cigarettes because of age. The percentage of students who were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company representative ranged from 4.7% in Cote d'Ivoire to 12.1% in South Africa. The method of obtaining cigarettes and access to cigarettes among students varies among sub-Saharan African countries. Adopting and enforcing interventions that prevent youth from accessing tobacco products could be an effective strategy for reducing smoking initiation among youth in sub-Saharan African countries. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. Urban development and employment in Abidjan.

    PubMed

    Joshi, H; Lubell, H; Mouly, J

    1975-04-01

    The city of Abidjan in the Ivory Coast has grown physically, economically, and demographically at rates exceeding all reasonable expectation. Yet, as in many other development nations, the employment generated by Abidjan's rapid economic expansion has failed to keep pace with the increase in working population it has attracted. Consequently, economic success has been accompanied by a variety of social strains. Some of these have been discussed in earlier issues of the "International Labour Review" by Louis Roussel. This discussion expands on Roussel's earlier treatment by focusing more specifically on several facets of the urban employment problem created by the rapid growth of Abidjan. Attention is directed to labor supply and employment, factors affecting migration, foreign Africans in the Ivory Coast labor force; the urban informal sector; urban infrastructure and development; social problems of population pressure; employment policy options (current government policies and other policy options); and general issues and policy alternatives (motivations for rural urban migration, smaller urban centers as alternative growth poles, and distributing the gains from development). Several essential features of the employment problem stem from the rural urban distribution of the workforce. The rural labor force, including temporary seasonal workers from the savannah countries to the north, remains more or less in balance with increasing rural employment opportunities, since the migration of Ivory Coast nationals to the cities is balanced by the inflow of foreign workers. In contrast, the influx of migrants into urban areas has led to a more rapid increase in the urban labor force than in urban employment, with a consequent rise in unemployment. In 1970 the Abidjan rate of open unemployment was probably around 20%. At this time, most people's idea of a desirable job is one in the formal sector of the urban economy. If there is to be any hope of an eventual balance between

  17. HIV and STI Prevalence among Female Sex Workers in Côte d'Ivoire: Why Targeted Prevention Programs Should Be Continued and Strengthened

    PubMed Central

    Vuylsteke, Bea; Semdé, Gisèle; Sika, Lazare; Crucitti, Tania; Ettiègne Traoré, Virginie; Buvé, Anne; Laga, Marie

    2012-01-01

    Objective To assess condom use and prevalence of STIs and HIV among female sex workers (FSWs), as part of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan of a nationwide sex worker prevention project in Côte d'Ivoire. Design and Methods Cross sectional surveys were conducted among FSWs attending five project clinics in Abidjan and San Pedro (2007), and in Yamoussoukro and Gagnoa (2009). A standardized questionnaire was administered in a face-to-face interview, which included questions on socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behaviour and condom use. After the interview, the participants were asked to provide samples for STI and HIV testing. Results A total of 1110 FSWs participated in the surveys. There were large differences in socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics between FSW coming for the first time as compared to FSW coming on a routine visit. The prevalence of N. gonorrhoeae or C.trachomatis was 9.1%, 11.8% among first vs. 6.9% routine attendees (p = 0.004). The overall HIV prevalence was 26.6%, it was lower among first time attendees (17.5% as compared to 33.9% for routine attendees, p<0.001). The HIV prevalence among first attendees was also lower than the proportion of HIV positive tests from routine testing and counselling services in the same clinics. Conclusions The results show a relatively high STI and HIV prevalence among FSWs in different cities in Côte d'Ivoire. In the light of these results, prevention efforts should continue to focus on FSWs in the country. PMID:22403685

  18. "In the city, everybody only cares for himself": social relations and illness in Abidjan, Co˘te d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Bossart, Rita

    2003-12-01

    Various studies on African solidarity, survival strategies and the 'therapy man agement group' [J. M. Janzen (1978) The Quest for Therapy in Lower Zaire, Berkeley, Los Angeles & London: University of California Press] have suggested that institutionalized relationships in the form of networks or groups afford an individual access to resources, also in case of illness. My study reconsiders these arguments in ethnographic research about everyday illness management. It focuses on a heterogeneous urban neighbourhood in Abidjan and analyses who offers help to whom, and what kind of help people offer to one another. The findings show that social networks play an important but at the same time restricted role in illness management. The main source of assistance in response to affliction is household members. Apart from emotional and moral support, relatives living outside the household and non-kin play only a minor role. The social network offers help only sporadically, and very often the sick person has to ask friends and family several times before she or he receives financial or practical support. The emphasis given to social networks in the existing literature is often overestimated, at least in the case of illness. These findings implicate the importance of strengthening informal and formal security systems, especially in an urban context of economic hardship and political insecurity.

  19. ABO/Rh Blood Groups and Risk of HIV Infection and Hepatitis B Among Blood Donors of Abidjan, Côte D'ivoire.

    PubMed

    Siransy, Liliane Kouabla; Nanga, Zizendorf Yves; Zaba, Flore Sandrine; Tufa, Nyasenu Yawo; Dasse, Sery Romuald

    2015-09-01

    Hepatitis B and HIV infection are two viral infections that represent real global public health problems. In order to improve their management, some hypotheses suggest that genetic predispositions like ABO and Rh blood groups would influence the occurrence of these diseases. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between ABO and Rhesus blood groups and the susceptibility to HIV infection and hepatitis B. We conducted a cross-sectional and analytical study in a population of voluntary blood donors in the Blood Transfusion Center of Abidjan. All blood donors who donated blood between January and June 2014 were tested for HBs antigen and anti-HIV antibodies (ELISA tests) and were ABO typed. The total number of examined blood donors during this period was 45,538, of which 0.32% and 8.07% were respectively infected with HIV and hepatitis B virus. O-group donors were more infected than non-O donors. Our study is an outline concerning the search for a link between ABO and Rh blood groups and hepatitis B and HIV infection. Further studies should be conducted to confirm the interaction between these two infections and contribute to the search for new therapeutic approaches.

  20. [Integration of demographic factors in the characterization of risk areas for sleeping sickness in Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Fournet, F; Kone, A; Meda, A H; Traore, S; Hervouet, J P

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to classify the risk for transmission of African human trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) according to population and settlement densities in four different areas of Zoukougbeu, Cote d'Ivoire, where the exact location of cases reported since 1990 is known. Epidemiological risk indexes were calculated from entomological data obtained from three surveys and analyzed with respect to presence of patients and occupancy rate in each area. Results indicated that there was a risk of transmission near the village of Bahigbeu II where the population density is between 30 and 40 inhabitants per km2 and settlement density is 4 per km2. There was also a risk in less inhabited areas such as Ouatigbeu where the population density is less than 30 inhabitants per km2 and dwelling density less than 4 per km2. In fact, cases are regularly reported in Ouatigbeu but never in Bahigbeu II. Based on these findings, we conclude that, while land occupancy can be considered as a risk factor for sleeping sickness, other factors such as human mobility must be taken into account to characterize risk areas and predict outbreaks.

  1. The Spore Coat Protein CotE Facilitates Host Colonization by Clostridium difficile

    PubMed Central

    Hong, Huynh A; Ferreira, William T; Hosseini, Siamand; Anwar, Saba; Hitri, Krisztina; Wilkinson, Anthony J; Vahjen, Wilfried; Zentek, Jürgen; Soloviev, Mikhail; Cutting, Simon M

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is an important hospital-acquired infection resulting from the germination of spores in the intestine as a consequence of antibiotic-mediated dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Key to this is CotE, a protein displayed on the spore surface and carrying 2 functional elements, an N-terminal peroxiredoxin and a C-terminal chitinase domain. Using isogenic mutants, we show in vitro and ex vivo that CotE enables binding of spores to mucus by direct interaction with mucin and contributes to its degradation. In animal models of CDI, we show that when CotE is absent, both colonization and virulence were markedly reduced. We demonstrate here that the attachment of spores to the intestine is essential in the development of CDI. Spores are usually regarded as biochemically dormant, but our findings demonstrate that rather than being simply agents of transmission and dissemination, spores directly contribute to the establishment and promotion of disease. PMID:28968845

  2. Antiretroviral chemoprophylaxis in children and adolescents victims of rape in Abidjan.

    PubMed

    Ehui, E; Couitchéré, L S; Kouakou, G A; Doumbia, A; Kassi, A N; Mossou, C M; Guié, P Y; Eholié, S

    2015-08-01

    We described the use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV transmission among children and adolescents victims of rape in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study on children (0-9 years) and adolescents (10-19 years) victims of rape between 2000 and 2013. We analyzed the patients' socio-demographic characteristics and the modality of the chemoprophylaxis. We included 10 children and 89 adolescents in the study. The median age was 16 years old (3-19 years). The median time to consultation was 23.5 hours (5-152 hours). The antiretroviral chemoprophylaxis was administered to 92 patients (93%). No HIV and HBV seroconversion was observed after a 3-month follow-up. A better management of rape victims is required in Abidjan. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  3. [Description of sexual practices of women who have sex with other women to HIV / AIDS in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)].

    PubMed

    Konan, Y E; Dagnan, N S; Tetchi, E O; Aké, O; Tiembré, I; Zengbé, P; Ekou, F K; Sablé, P S; Kpebo, D O D; Saraka, K W O; Kouamé, K S; Akani, B C; Anoma, C

    2014-12-01

    The response to HIV must be based on all situations of risk and vulnerability related to sexual behavior. Sexual practices of women who have sex with other women to HIV described in his study come within this framework. This transversal and descriptive study on the sexual practices of 150 women who have sex with other women to HIV was conducted from July to September 2010 in Abidjan. Mean age of the respondents was 26.6 years. Among them, 21.3% was illiterate, 41.4% had no earned income and 57.3% was Christians. At the time of data collection, the majority (70.7%) did not know their HIV status. The analysis of sexual practices has found 13.3% of lesbians, bisexual, 36% and 50.7% of women who say they are lesbian even if they have had sex with men. Women who have sex with other women had sexual risk behavior. It was mostly the non-systematic use of the condom during sexual relation (60%). Among the 26.7% of respondents who had lesbian practices with penetration, 40% took no precaution to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Taking into account these results could help to develop specific strategies to promote responsible sexual practices among women who have sex with other women.

  4. 6. PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF ENTRY VESTIBULE, WINDOW AND BELL COTE, ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    6. PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF ENTRY VESTIBULE, WINDOW AND BELL COTE, LOOKING NORTHWEST, WITH THE OLDEST TOMBSTONES IN THE FOREGROUND - Christ Church at Accokeek, 600 West Farmington Road, Accokeek, Prince George's County, MD

  5. Siblings' premarital childbearing and the timing of first sex in three major cities of Cote d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Diop-Sidibe, Nafissatou

    2005-06-01

    The association between youths' sexual and reproductive attitudes and behaviors and those of their peers and parents has been documented; however, information on siblings' influence is scarce, especially for developing countries. Data on 1,395 female and 1,242 male survey respondents aged 15-24 from three cities in Côte d'Ivoire were analyzed. Life-table analysis was conducted to examine respondents' probability of remaining sexually inexperienced according to siblings' history of premarital childbearing. Cox multivariate regressions were used to estimate respondents' relative risks of sexual debut by age 17 and by age 24. At any age between 15 and 24 years, the life-table probability of remaining sexually inexperienced was typically lower among persons who had at least one sibling with a premarital birth than among those who had no such sibling. In general, among those with at least one sibling who had had a premarital birth, the probability was lower if the sibling or siblings and the respondent were of the same gender rather than opposite genders, and the probability was lowest among those who had a brother and a sister with a history of premarital childbearing. In the multivariate analysis for males, having one or more brothers only, or having at least one brother and at least one sister, with a history of premarital childbearing was associated with increased relative risks of being sexually experienced by ages 17 and 24. No such association was found for females. Programs that seek to reduce premarital sexual activity among young people should develop strategies that take into account the potential influence of siblings.

  6. [Sacroiliac joint disorders in Abidjan: epidemiological, clinical, radiological and etiological characteristics].

    PubMed

    Diomandé, Mohamed; Eti, E; Ouattara, B; Cheteu, K E; Kouakou Ehaulier Soh, C L; Gbané-Koné, M; Djaha Kouassi, Jean-Mermoze; Kouakou N'zué, M

    2014-10-01

    The sacroiliac joint remains unknown in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies about the sacroiliac diseases are rare Aim : Describe the epidemiological, clinical, radiological and etiological characteristics of sacroiliac joint diseases in Abidjan Methods : Retrospective and descriptive study concerning 17 patients hospitalized from February 2003 to April 2010 in the department of rheumatology of university hospital center of Cocody (Abidjan) for buttock pain or others functional signs evoking sacroiliac joint which were attested by radiographic lesions. We were interested on the epidemiological, clinical and radiological characteristics and the etiologies in the sacroiliac disease. The hospital prevalence of sacroiliac diseases was 0.55% corresponding in 17 of 3067 rheumatological diseases. The female sex predominated (82.35%) and the mean age of 25.58 years. Gyneco-obstetric events were the predominant risk factors (47.05%). Sacroiliac damage was manifested by inflammatory pain (64.7%) localized at the buttock or lumbar spine, radiating to the thigh (52.9%) and was accompanied by functional disability (82.2%) and fever was not present every time (64.7%). The physical findings were the tripod sign positive (58.8%), the monopodal backing positive (41.2%) and palpation painful of sacroiliac joint. The standard radiograph revealed a blurring aspect and widening of joint space associated with demineralization (68.4%), a joint space narrowing and erosion of articular banks (23.5%). The etiologies found were bacterial arthritis (82.3%) mainly pyogenic (70.58%), osteoarthritis (11.7%) and ankylosing spondylitis (5.9%). Sacroiliac joint diseases are rare in rheumatology practice in Abidjan, concern younger subjects and are dominated by pyogenic sacroiliitis.

  7. Universal HIV Screening at Postnatal Points of Care: Which Public Health Approach for Early Infant Diagnosis in Côte d'Ivoire?

    PubMed Central

    Ndondoki, Camille; Brou, Hermann; Timite-Konan, Marguerite; Oga, Maxime; Amani-Bosse, Clarisse; Menan, Hervé; Ekouévi, Didier; Leroy, Valériane

    2013-01-01

    Background Universal HIV pediatric screening offered at postnatal points of care (PPOC) is an entry point for early infant diagnosis (EID). We assessed the parents' acceptability of this approach in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Methods In this cross-sectional study, trained counselors offered systematic HIV screening to all children aged 6–26 weeks attending PPOC in three community health centers with existing access to HAART during 2008, as well as their parents/caregivers. HIV-testing acceptability was measured for parents and children; rapid HIV tests were used for parents. Both parents' consent was required according to the Ivorian Ethical Committee to perform a HIV test on HIV-exposed children. Free HIV care was offered to those who were diagnosed HIV-infected. Findings We provided 3,013 HIV tests for infants and their 2,986 mothers. While 1,731 mothers (58%) accepted the principle of EID, only 447 infants had formal parental consent 15%; 95% confidence interval (CI): [14%–16%]. Overall, 1,817 mothers (61%) accepted to test for HIV, of whom 81 were HIV-infected (4.5%; 95% CI: [3.5%–5.4%]). Among the 81 HIV-exposed children, 42 (52%) had provided parental consent and were tested: five were HIV-infected (11.9%; 95% CI: [2.1%–21.7%]). Only 46 fathers (2%) came to diagnose their child. Parental acceptance of EID was strongly correlated with prenatal self-reported HIV status: HIV-infected mothers were six times more likely to provide EID parental acceptance than mothers reporting unknown or negative prenatal HIV status (aOR: 5.9; 95% CI: [3.3–10.6], p = 0.0001). Conclusions Although the principle of EID was moderately accepted by mothers, fathers' acceptance rate remained very low. Routine HIV screening of all infants was inefficient for EID at a community level in Abidjan in 2008. Our results suggest the need of focusing on increasing the PMTCT coverage, involving fathers and tracing children issued from PMTCT programs in low HIV prevalence countries

  8. French-African Cultures: A Resource Unit.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forbes, Barbara

    This resource unit concerns French-African cultures and their influence on other cultures. The materials may be incorporated into Levels 3, 4, and 5 French classes. Topics in the outline include environmental aspects; historical background; and cultural differences expressed in Senegal, Guinee, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Haute Volta, Togo, Dahomey,…

  9. Open-label, randomized, non-inferiority clinical trial of artesunate-amodiaquine versus artemether-lumefantrine fixed-dose combinations in children and adults with uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Toure, Offianan A; Assi, Serge B; N'Guessan, Tiacoh L; Adji, Gbessi E; Ako, Aristide B; Brou, Marie J; Ehouman, Marie F; Gnamien, Laeticia A; Coulibaly, M'Lanhoro A A; Coulibaly, Baba; Beourou, Sylvain; Bassinka, Issiaka; Soumahoro, Adama; Kadjo, Florence; Tano, Mea A

    2014-11-19

    Emergence of artemisinin resistance has raised concerns that the most potent anti-malarial drug may be under threat. Artesunate-amodiaquine (AS-AQ) and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) are, respectively, the first- and second-line treatments for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Côte d'Ivoire. Constant monitoring by National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) of drug efficacy is an important tool in establishing rational anti-malarial drug policies in Côte d'Ivoire. In an open label, randomized controlled clinical trial, children and adults were randomized to receive AS-AQ or AL. Both drug regimens were given for three days, and follow-up was for 42 days. The primary endpoint was the 42-day cure rate and was defined as proportion of patients with PCR-corrected cure rate after 42 days of follow-up. A total of 383 patients who were attending the Anonkoua-koute (Abidjan), Petit Paris (Korhogo) and Libreville (Man) hospitals and presenting with symptomatic acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria were randomized to receive AS-AQ (188) and AL (195). The intention-to-treat analysis showed effectiveness rates of 94.7% and 96.4% for AS-AQ and AL, respectively on day 42. After adjustment for PCR, these rates were 96.8% and 99%, respectively. At day 42, in per-protocol analysis, Adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) PCR uncorrected was 97.8% and 97.4% for AS-AQ and AL, respectively. The PCR adjusted ACPR was 100% for each combination and both regimens were well tolerated. This study has shown the high efficacy of AS-AQ in patients of all ages with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria and AS-AQ was non-inferior to AL. Continuous efficacy monitoring is recommended.

  10. Memories of an Aid Worker

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daoust, Isabelle

    2010-01-01

    The author had come to Cote d'Ivoire in April 1999 to work for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), an independent humanitarian organization dedicated to persuading governments to respect the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL), which are found in the Geneva Conventions. These rules provide impartial protection for the…

  11. 76 FR 30954 - Notification of the Imposition of Conditions of Entry for Certain Vessels Arriving to the United...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-27

    ...-Leste, and Venezuela. This current list is also available in the policy notice available on the Homeport... Union of the Comoros and the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire. DATES: The policy announced in this notice will..., except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329. This policy is also available at http...

  12. [Abortion practices in high school students in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Aké-Tano, Sassor Odile Purifine; Kpebo, Denise Olga; Konan, Yao Eugène; Tetchi, Ekissi Orsot; Sable, Stéphane Parfait; Ekou, Franck Kokora; Attoh, Touré Harvey; Aka, Lepri Nicaise; Diarassouba, Barakissa; Dagnan, N Cho Simplice

    2017-12-05

    Induced abortion is illegal in Cote d'Ivoire, except when the mother's life is in danger. The primary objective of this study was to describe abortion practices among Yamoussoukro high school students. More specifically, this study estimated the prevalence of induced abortion, described the pathway and the methods used for abortion and determined any abortion-related complications. This cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2011 on 312 randomly selected girls attending the Lycée Jeunes Filles in Yamoussoukro. These girls had a mean age (SD) of 16.1 (4.7) years; 258 (82.7%) of them had already had sexual intercourse and 81 (31.4%) had already been pregnant. Fifty (61.7% [56.3-67.1%]) of these 81 girls had already had an abortion. The abortion pathway was as follows: the main method was self-prescribed medication (70%) as first attempt, followed, in case of failure, by traditional healers (56.4%). Healthcare practitioners were usually consulted at the third attempt (85.7%). The most commonly used methods of abortion were drugs (91.9%), ingestion of plants/beverages (68.5%) and introduction of devices into the uterine cavity (62.3%). Twenty-two (44%) out of 50 induced abortions resulted in complications, mostly infectious complications (81.8%), and bleeding (68.2%). Complications were significantly associated with self-induced abortions or abortions performed by traditional healers (p < 0.001). More intensive sexual education, access to modern methods of contraception, awareness campaigns concerning the risks related to unwanted pregnancies and abortions performed by non-medical personnel need to be implemented to prevent school abortions. The quality and accessibility of post-abortion services also need to be reinforced.

  13. Basic Education in Ivory Coast: From Education for All to Compulsory Education, Challenges and Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oyeniran, Rassidy

    2017-01-01

    Ivorian authorities, for years, are employing various strategies as part of reforms to ensure universal education in Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire). In this regard, great efforts are done each year through public funding and partnership development support to face the challenge of Education for All whose term of the implementation was 2015. The…

  14. Aghien lagoon: a sustainable resource of fresh water for the city of Abidjan (Ivory Coast)? Description of the project and preliminary results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamagaté, Bamory; Effebi, Rose K.; Goula Bi, Tié Albert; Lanciné Goné, Droh; Noufé, Djibril; Diallo, Seydou; Ehouman, Serge K.; Koffi, Thierry; Zamblé Trabi, Armand; Lazare, Kouakou; Paturel, Jean Emmanuel; Perrin, Jean-Louis; Salles, Christian; Seguis, Luc; Tournoud, Marie-George; Karoui, Hela

    2016-04-01

    With more than 6 million inhabitants, Abidjan district faces tremendous difficulties in water supply. The aquifer of the Continental Terminal which is actually the only drinking water source of the city shows a decline of resources and water demand is increasing due to the population growth. Moreover significant evidences of chemical and biological pollution of the groundwater are observed The Aghien lagoon, the largest freshwater pool located near Abidjan, has been identified by the State of Côte d'Ivoire as a potential resource for the production of drinking water.. The main objective of this project is to assess the quantitative and qualitative capacity of the Aghien lagoon to complement the water supply of Abidjan city in the near future. The main components of the project are: • to assess the water budget of the lagoon and its tributaries, • to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of contaminant levels and fluxes from the tributaries toward the lagoon, • to assess the sustainability of the water resources (quantity and quality) of the lagoon according to land use changes in the catchments . The project started in January 2015. The first year was devoted to the set-up of hydro-meteorological gauges within the lagoon watershed. Three major tributaries of the lagoon are considered, the Mé (4000 km2), the Djibi (78 km2) and Bete (206 km2) rivers. Since the start of the project, bi-monthly hydrochemical sampling surveys have been carried out along the tributaries and in the lagoon. The data available from the surveys concern the physico-chemical parameters, trace elements, all the forms of nitrogen and phosphorus, organic carbon, suspended solids. The Djibi and Bete watersheds are partly urbanized while the Mé basin is mainly rural. Baseflow has been identified as the major contribution to streamflow at the annual scale. The Mé flows into a channel downstream to the Aghien lagoon but during the floods, water from the Mé River can flow up the

  15. The Origin and Development of the African Evaluation Guidelines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rouge, Jean-Charles

    2004-01-01

    In May 1990, the first evaluation seminar in Africa took place in Cote d'Ivoire. It was the first in a series of regional seminars on evaluation planned by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The seminar was jointly presented by the DAC and African Development Bank (ADB).…

  16. Performance of rapid tests and algorithms for HIV screening in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

    PubMed

    Loukou, Y G; Cabran, M A; Yessé, Zinzendorf Nanga; Adouko, B M O; Lathro, S J; Agbessi-Kouassi, K B T

    2014-01-01

    Seven rapid diagnosis tests (RDTs) of HIV were evaluated by a panel group who collected serum samples from patients in Abidjan (HIV-1 = 203, HIV-2 = 25, HIV-dual = 25, HIV = 305). Kit performances were recorded after the reference techniques (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The following RDTs showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity higher than 99%: Determine, Oraquick, SD Bioline, BCP, and Stat-Pak. These kits were used to establish infection screening strategies. The combination with 2 or 3 of these tests in series or parallel algorithms showed that series combinations with 2 tests (Oraquick and Bioline) and 3 tests (Determine, BCP, and Stat-Pak) gave the best performances (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 100%). However, the combination with 2 tests appeared to be more onerous than the combination with 3 tests. The combination with Determine, BCP, and Stat-Pak tests serving as a tiebreaker could be an alternative to the HIV/AIDS serological screening in Abidjan.

  17. Can the Language of Rights Get Hold of the Complex Realities of Child Domestic Work?: The Case of Young Domestic Workers in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacquemin, Melanie

    2006-01-01

    This review examines refractions of children's rights in development practice from an anthropological point of view and considers the case of young domestic girls working in Abidjan. The author argues that child labour legislation and the children's rights perspective in Abidjan is permeated by patriarchal values that mask the exploitation of work…

  18. [Epidemiology of otomycoses at the University Hospital of Yopougon (Abidjan-Ivory Coast)].

    PubMed

    Adoubryn, K D; N'Gattia, V K; Kouadio-Yapo, G C; Nigué, L; Zika, D K; Ouhon, J

    2014-06-01

    Otomycosis is a fungal infection, which leads to a damage of the external auditory meatus. The disease is worldwide in distribution but is said to be more common in tropical countries. Though otomycosis presumably occurs frequently in Africa, reports on its incidence and etiology are rare from Côte d'Ivoire. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of the disease and to identify aetiological agents as well as the risk factors. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Otorhinolaryngology Department of the University Teaching Hospital of Yopougon from September 2007 to February 2008. For laboratory investigation, specimens were collected by means of a sterile swab. Samples were inoculated on Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar with and without antibiotics and incubated at 30°C for a period of 1 to 2 weeks. Identification was performed by direct microscopic examination on Cotton Blue Mount preparation and slide culture examination was used for differentiation of morphology. Biotyping was performed using Carbohydrate Fermentation tests, Carbohydrate Assimilation Tests (galerie Api 20 CAux TM - Sanofi Pasteur), Germ tube Test, detection of chlamydospore formation on corn meal agar. A total of 110 patients (sex-ratio=1.2) with suspected cases of otomycosis were investigated. Itching, otalgia, and hypoacusis were the symptoms reported by the patients and the apparent signs were debris in the ear, scabs and inflammation of the external auditory meatus. Of these, 88 cases (80%) were confirmed specifically of mycotic etiology on the basis of positive culture with 92 isolates consisting of yeasts (65.2%) and moulds (34.8%). The predominant etiological agents were Aspergillus flavus (28.4%), Candida guilliermondii (19.3%) and Candida parapsilosis (18.2%). The predisposing factors included previous otological pathology (P=0.010), frequent scratching of the external ear canal and use of ear drops (RR=3.47; IC 95%=1.3-9.27). This study revealed the great

  19. Rapid Urban Malaria Appraisal (RUMA) III: epidemiology of urban malaria in the municipality of Yopougon (Abidjan)

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Shr-Jie; Lengeler, Christian; Smith, Thomas A; Vounatsou, Penelope; Cissé, Guéladio; Tanner, Marcel

    2006-01-01

    Background Currently, there is a significant lack of knowledge concerning urban malaria patterns in general and in Abidjan in particular. The prevalence of malaria, its distribution in the city and the fractions of fevers attributable to malaria in the health facilities have not been previously investigated. Methods A health facility-based survey and health care system evaluation was carried out in a peripheral municipality of Abidjan (Yopougon) during the rainy season of 2002, applying a standardized Rapid Urban Malaria Appraisal (RUMA) methodology. Results According to national statistics, approximately 240,000 malaria cases (both clinical cases and laboratory confirmed cases) were reported by health facilities in the whole of Abidjan in 2001. They accounted for 40% of all consultations. In the health facilities of the Yopougon municipality, the malaria infection rates in fever cases for different age groups were 22.1% (under one year-olds), 42.8% (one to five years-olds), 42.0% (> five to 15 years-olds) and 26.8% (over 15 years-olds), while those in the control group were 13.0%. 26.7%, 21.8% and 14.6%, respectively. The fractions of malaria-attributable fever were 0.12, 0.22, 0.27 and 0.13 in the same age groups. Parasitaemia was homogenously detected in different areas of Yopougon. Among all children, 10.1% used a mosquito net (treated or not) the night before the survey and this was protective (OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.29–0.97). Travel to rural areas within the last three months was frequent (31% of all respondents) and associated with a malaria infection (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.25–2.45). Conclusion Rapid urbanization has changed malaria epidemiology in Abidjan and endemicity was found to be moderate in Yopougon. Routine health statistics are not fully reliable to assess the burden of disease, and the low level of the fractions of malaria-attributable fevers indicated substantial over-treatment of malaria. PMID:16584575

  20. [Epidemiology of induced abortion in Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Vroh, Joseph Benie Bi; Tiembre, Issaka; Attoh-Toure, Harvey; Kouadio, Daniel Ekra; Kouakou, Lucien; Coulibaly, Lazare; Kouakou, Hyacinthe Andoh; Tagliante-Saracino, Janine

    2012-06-08

    The objective of this study was to examine induced abortion in Côte d'Ivoire. A nationwide cross-sectional descriptive study of induced abortion was carried out in 2007 among 3,057 women aged 15-49 years. The study showed that induced abortion is a widespread practice in Côte d'Ivoire, with a prevalence estimated at 42.5%. The women who had undergone an abortion were generally under 25, unmarried, and illiterate, and had used contraception. More than half (52.1%) of all induced abortions were performed at home by traditional abortionists or were self-induced with plants or decoctions. The main reasons for induced abortion were concern about the reaction of parents (27.7%), age (22.2%), a lack of financial resources (21.3%) and the desire of women to continue their education. More than half of the participants (55.8%) stated that they had suffered complications, which were more common after a home abortion than after a hospital abortion. Political and legal measures or reforms aimed at changing abortion laws in Côte d'Ivoire and better access to family planning are required in order to prevent or treat the social issue of induced abortion.

  1. Simulation of the transfer of hydrocarbons in unconfined aquifer in tropical zone: the case of benzene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Agnès Kouamé, Amenan; Jaboyedoff, Michel; Derron, Marc-Henri; Kouamé, Kan Jean

    2016-04-01

    Groundwater is the largest global reserves of continental freshwater (Bosca, 2002) and also an important source of drinking water in many parts of the world (Brassington. 2007). However, this resource is today threatened by pollution such as inadequate supply of drinking water services, inaccessibility and / or dilapidated sanitation facilities and excessive use fertilizers, and industrial wastewater and solid waste pesticides (Boubacar, 2010) and the rapid urbanization in great cities (Foster, 2001). Abidjan, the largest city in Côte d'Ivoire is also facing pollution problems such as illegal dumping of waste, waste oil spilled garages, land application of domestic and industrial wastewater, automotive workshops, overexploitation of sand in the Ebrié lagoon, open waste dump of Akouédo and the spill of about 400,000 liters of toxic waste from the ship "Probo Koala" in August 2006. The Abidjan aquifer or the Continental terminal aquifer is the main source of supply drinking water. It is mainly composed of sandy and it is an unconfined aquifer as a whole (Jourda, 1987). According to Gilli and al., (2012), the recharge of unconfined aquifers comes mostly from the infiltration of surface water including rainwater. These waters on their transport in the basement could carry certain pollutants into groundwater. Kouamé (2007) reports a potential groundwater pollution of the "Continental terminal" aquifer in Abidjan. In addition to the cases cited pollution, there has been a proliferation of service stations in the district of Abidjan and this can cause possible pollution. We deemed it necessary to conduct a study on the groundwater pollution of Abidjan by oil in general. We chose benzene to simulate organic pollution in case of accident. To observe the likely evolution of such contaminants in the subsurface, we developed hydrogeological models that couple groundwater flow and benzene transport with FEFLOW software in steady and transient states. The models are composed

  2. [Results of the thoracic radiography profile of 247 candidates at the recruiting office of a land-transport society in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    N'Goan-Domoua, A M; Konan, A N; Kouame, N; N'Gbesso, R D

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this prospective study done from May to July 2007 was to show the interest of systematic chest X-Ray of future bus conductors. The main abnormalities were big heart, parenchymal lesion and pleural effusion.

  3. External validation of ADO, DOSE, COTE and CODEX at predicting death in primary care patients with COPD using standard and machine learning approaches.

    PubMed

    Morales, Daniel R; Flynn, Rob; Zhang, Jianguo; Trucco, Emmanuel; Quint, Jennifer K; Zutis, Kris

    2018-05-01

    Several models for predicting the risk of death in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exist but have not undergone large scale validation in primary care. The objective of this study was to externally validate these models using statistical and machine learning approaches. We used a primary care COPD cohort identified using data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Age-standardised mortality rates were calculated for the population by gender and discrimination of ADO (age, dyspnoea, airflow obstruction), COTE (COPD-specific comorbidity test), DOSE (dyspnoea, airflow obstruction, smoking, exacerbations) and CODEX (comorbidity, dyspnoea, airflow obstruction, exacerbations) at predicting death over 1-3 years measured using logistic regression and a support vector machine learning (SVM) method of analysis. The age-standardised mortality rate was 32.8 (95%CI 32.5-33.1) and 25.2 (95%CI 25.4-25.7) per 1000 person years for men and women respectively. Complete data were available for 54879 patients to predict 1-year mortality. ADO performed the best (c-statistic of 0.730) compared with DOSE (c-statistic 0.645), COTE (c-statistic 0.655) and CODEX (c-statistic 0.649) at predicting 1-year mortality. Discrimination of ADO and DOSE improved at predicting 1-year mortality when combined with COTE comorbidities (c-statistic 0.780 ADO + COTE; c-statistic 0.727 DOSE + COTE). Discrimination did not change significantly over 1-3 years. Comparable results were observed using SVM. In primary care, ADO appears superior at predicting death in COPD. Performance of ADO and DOSE improved when combined with COTE comorbidities suggesting better models may be generated with additional data facilitated using novel approaches. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile in cooked beef sold in Côte d'Ivoire and their antimicrobial susceptibility.

    PubMed

    Kouassi, Kra Athanase; Dadie, Adjéhi Thomas; N'Guessan, Kouadio Florent; Dje, Koffi Marcellin; Loukou, Yao Guillaume

    2014-08-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens in cooked beef sold in the streets in Côte d'Ivoire and their antimicrobial susceptibility. A total of 395 kidney and flesh samples of cooked beef were collected from vendors at Abidjan and subjected to C. difficile and C. perfringens isolation and identification by using biochemical tests, API 20A system and PCR detection. Subsequently, the antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed for confirmed isolates. Our results showed the prevalence of 12.4% for C. difficile (11.04% in kidney and 13.45% in flesh) and 5.06% for C. perfringens (2.32% in kidney and 7.17% in flesh). Metronidazole and vancomycin remained the most potent antimicrobial agents against C. difficile while metronidazole and penicillin G were the most potent agents against C. perfringens. The resistance rates to tetracycline, doxycycline, chloramphenicol and erythromycin against C. difficile and C. perfringens isolates ranged from 2.05% to 8.16% and from 20% to 50%, respectively. Among all antimicrobial agents tested against C. difficile, percentages of resistance to quinolones ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and nalidixic acid as well as to gentamicin and cefotaxime were the highest. Eight resistant phenotypes were defined for C. difficile isolates and eleven resistant phenotypes for C. perfringens isolates. Clindamycin/gentamicin/cefotaxime/ciprofloxacin/norfloxacin/nalidixic acid resistance was the most common phenotype for C. difficile (55.10% of isolates) while norfloxacin/nalidixic acid resistance was the most common phenotype for C. perfringens (20% of isolates). Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  5. 3 CFR - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya and Côte d'Ivoire

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya and Côte d'Ivoire Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Presidential Determination No. 2011-11 of June 8, 2011 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya and Côte d'Ivoire Memorandum for the Secretary of...

  6. Prevalence and incidence of Entamoeba histolytica infection in South Africa and Egypt.

    PubMed

    Stauffer, William; Abd-Alla, Mohamed; Ravdin, Jonathan I

    2006-02-01

    There are little data on the true prevalence and incidence of Entamoeba histolytica infection in Africa. This is due to the inability, historically, to differentiate Entamoeba histolytica from the more common, but non-pathogenic, Entamoeba dispar. In addition, newer studies have demonstrated that the previous gold standard, culture with zymodeme analysis, is insensitive in detecting the presence of infection, especially when compared to PCR. Recent published articles as well as data from the authors' previous work are reviewed and summarized to elucidate what is known about prevalence and incidence of Entamoeba histolytica in Africa. The majority of data on asymptomatic infection are published from South Africa, Egypt and Cote d'Ivoire. Egypt has high rates of asymptomatic infection detected in the stool (>21%), whereas South Africa and Cote d'Ivoire rates range between 0 and 2%. Seroprevalence estimates the rate of recent infection, because anti-amebic antibodies generally persist for <5 years. Seropositivity rates (IgG, IgA) range from approximately 10 to 20%, indicating recent infection in this proportion of the population. Entamoeba histolytica infects a significant proportion of many populations of Africa; however, little data are currently available to indicate true prevalence and incidence. Further studies are needed to determine the burden of infection and disease in Africa.

  7. Sporulation Temperature Reveals a Requirement for CotE in the Assembly of both the Coat and Exosporium Layers of Bacillus cereus Spores.

    PubMed

    Bressuire-Isoard, Christelle; Bornard, Isabelle; Henriques, Adriano O; Carlin, Frédéric; Broussolle, Véronique

    2016-01-01

    The Bacillus cereus spore surface layers consist of a coat surrounded by an exosporium. We investigated the interplay between the sporulation temperature and the CotE morphogenetic protein in the assembly of the surface layers of B. cereus ATCC 14579 spores and on the resulting spore properties. The cotE deletion affects the coat and exosporium composition of the spores formed both at the suboptimal temperature of 20°C and at the optimal growth temperature of 37°C. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that ΔcotE spores had a fragmented and detached exosporium when formed at 37°C. However, when produced at 20°C, ΔcotE spores showed defects in both coat and exosporium attachment and were susceptible to lysozyme and mutanolysin. Thus, CotE has a role in the assembly of both the coat and exosporium, which is more important during sporulation at 20°C. CotE was more represented in extracts from spores formed at 20°C than at 37°C, suggesting that increased synthesis of the protein is required to maintain proper assembly of spore surface layers at the former temperature. ΔcotE spores formed at either sporulation temperature were impaired in inosine-triggered germination and resistance to UV-C and H2O2 and were less hydrophobic than wild-type (WT) spores but had a higher resistance to wet heat. While underscoring the role of CotE in the assembly of B. cereus spore surface layers, our study also suggests a contribution of the protein to functional properties of additional spore structures. Moreover, it also suggests a complex relationship between the function of a spore morphogenetic protein and environmental factors such as the temperature during spore formation. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  8. The effects of topical agent (kelo-cote or contractubex) massage on the thickness of post-burn scar tissue formed in rats.

    PubMed

    Ko, Won Jin; Na, Young Cheon; Suh, Bum Sin; Kim, Hyeon A; Heo, Woo Hoe; Choi, Gum Ha; Lee, Seo Ul

    2013-11-01

    We conducted an experimental study to compare the effect of massage using topical agents (Kelo-cote or Contractubex) on scar formation by massaging the healed burn wound on the dorsal area of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Four areas of second degree contact burn were made on the dorsal area of each of 15 SD rats, using a soldering iron 15 mm in diameter. After gross epithelialization in the defect, 15 SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: the Kelo-cote group, Contractubex group, Vaseline group, and control group. Rats in three of the groups (all but the Control group) were massaged twice per day for 5 minutes each day, while those in the Control group were left unattended. For histologic analysis, we performed a biopsy and evaluated the thickness of scar tissue. In the Kelo-cote and Contractubex groups, scar tissue thicknesses showed a significant decrease, compared with the Vaseline and control groups. However, no significant differences were observed between the Kelo-cote and Contractubex groups. In the Vaseline group, scar tissue thicknesses showed a significant decrease, compared with the control groups. The findings of this study suggest that massage using a topical agent is helpful in the prevention of scar formation and that massage only with lubricant (no use of a topical agent) also has a considerable effect, although not as much as the use of a topical agent. Thus, we recommend massage with a topical agent on the post-burn scar as an effective method for decreasing the scar thickness.

  9. The Effects of Topical Agent (Kelo-Cote or Contractubex) Massage on the Thickness of Post-Burn Scar Tissue Formed in Rats

    PubMed Central

    Ko, Won Jin; Suh, Bum Sin; Kim, Hyeon A; Heo, Woo Hoe; Choi, Gum Ha; Lee, Seo Ul

    2013-01-01

    Background We conducted an experimental study to compare the effect of massage using topical agents (Kelo-cote or Contractubex) on scar formation by massaging the healed burn wound on the dorsal area of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods Four areas of second degree contact burn were made on the dorsal area of each of 15 SD rats, using a soldering iron 15 mm in diameter. After gross epithelialization in the defect, 15 SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: the Kelo-cote group, Contractubex group, Vaseline group, and control group. Rats in three of the groups (all but the Control group) were massaged twice per day for 5 minutes each day, while those in the Control group were left unattended. For histologic analysis, we performed a biopsy and evaluated the thickness of scar tissue. Results In the Kelo-cote and Contractubex groups, scar tissue thicknesses showed a significant decrease, compared with the Vaseline and control groups. However, no significant differences were observed between the Kelo-cote and Contractubex groups. In the Vaseline group, scar tissue thicknesses showed a significant decrease, compared with the control groups. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that massage using a topical agent is helpful in the prevention of scar formation and that massage only with lubricant (no use of a topical agent) also has a considerable effect, although not as much as the use of a topical agent. Thus, we recommend massage with a topical agent on the post-burn scar as an effective method for decreasing the scar thickness. PMID:24286041

  10. Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis among prison inmates: A cross-sectional survey at the Correctional and Detention Facility of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Koffi, Ange; Danel, Christine; Ouassa, Timothée; Blehoué, Marcel-Angora; Ouattara, Eric; Assemien, Jeanne-d’Arc; Masumbuko, Jean-Marie; Coffie, Patrick; Cartier, Nathalie; Laurent, Arnaud; Raguin, Gilles; Malvy, Denis; N’Dri-Yoman, Thérèse; Eholié, Serge P.; Domoua, Serge K.

    2017-01-01

    Background In Côte d’Ivoire, a TB prison program has been developed since 1999. This program includes offering TB screening to prisoners who show up with TB symptoms at the infirmary. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of pulmonary TB among inmates at the Correctional and Detention Facility of Abidjan, the largest prison of Côte d’Ivoire, 16 years after this TB program was implemented. Methods Between March and September 2015, inmates, were screened for pulmonary TB using systematic direct smear microscopy, culture and chest X-ray. All participants were also proposed HIV testing. TB was defined as either confirmed (positive culture), probable (positive microscopy and/or chest X-ray findings suggestive of TB) or possible (signs or symptoms suggestive of TB, no X-Ray or microbiological evidence). Factors associated with confirmed tuberculosis were analysed using multivariable logistic regression. Results Among the 943 inmates screened, 88 (9.3%) met the TB case definition, including 19 (2.0%) with confirmed TB, 40 (4.2%) with probable TB and 29 (3.1%) with possible TB. Of the 19 isolated TB strains, 10 (53%) were TB drug resistant, including 7 (37%) with multi-resistance. Of the 10 patients with TB resistant strain, only one had a past history of TB treatment. HIV prevalence was 3.1% overall, and 9.6%among TB cases. Factors associated with confirmed TB were age ≥30 years (Odds Ratio 3.8; 95% CI 1.1–13.3), prolonged cough (Odds Ratio 3.6; 95% CI 1.3–9.5) and fever (Odds Ratio 2.7; 95% CI 1.0–7.5). Conclusion In the country largest prison, pulmonary TB is still 10 (confirmed) to 44 times (confirmed, probable or possible) as frequent as in the Côte d’Ivoire general population, despite a long-time running symptom-based program of TB detection. Decreasing TB prevalence and limiting the risk of MDR may require the implementation of annual in-cell TB screening campaigns that systematically target all prison inmates. PMID:28759620

  11. [Impact of HIV counseling and testing during antenal consultation for HIV- women in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire): a quantitative and qualitative study (Ditrame Plus 3 project, ANRS 1253)].

    PubMed

    Brou, Hermann; Agbo, Hélène; Desgrees Du Loû, Annabel

    2005-01-01

    This study takes place in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, inside a program of reduction of the mother-to-child HIV transmission, the Ditrame Plus study, ANRS 1201-1202. In this program, HIV test is proposed to women during antenatal consultations. After the test, we have followed during twelve months after childbirth 400 women who were HIV negative. We examine in this paper how these women who have been HIV tested during pregnancy and who are HIV seronegative communicate with their partner about HIV test and about the risk of HIV infection. We analyse also the behaviour of the partners in terms of HIV testing and condom use with their wife. Among the 400 women followed, for 6 upon 10, the HIV test allowed them to reinforced communication with their partner upon STD and AIDS. For 2 upon 10, the HIV test was the occasion to start a dialogue on this subject. On the whole, communication between spouses on these questions became more frequent after HIV test in all socio- demographic classes. They were more frequent when the husband was instructed and they were more easy in monogamous couples. Overall, the spouses discussed about the protection by condoms of the eventual extramarital sexual intercourse of the husband, in order to avoid the risk of infection of the HIV- wife. Ninety per cent of women asked their husband (or regular sexual partner) to use condoms if he would have sexual intercourse "outside". Women used different strategies to tackle this difficult subject of extramarital intercourse with their husband : they approached it as a simple discussion, or as a joke, or when they had a conjugal dispute. Ninety seven per cent of the followed women notified their partner they had been HIV tested. This notification was easy because they were seronegative. Then 94 % of these women told their partner he should be HIV tested also. But, despite this high figure, only a quarter of the partners asked an HIV test and were tested. Many of them were scared by a possible infection

  12. Cigarette smoking and cigarette marketing exposure among students in selected African countries: Findings from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Luhua; Palipudi, Krishna M; Ramanandraibe, Nivo; Asma, Samira

    2016-10-01

    To investigate cigarette smoking prevalence and exposure to various forms of cigarette marketing among students in 10 African countries. We used data collected during 2009-2011 from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), a school-based cross-sectional survey of students aged 13-15years, to measure the prevalence of cigarette smoking and exposure to cigarette marketing; comparisons to estimates from 2005 to 2006 were conducted for five countries where data were available. Current cigarette smoking ranged from 3.4% to 13.6% among students aged 13-15 in the 10 countries studied, although use of tobacco products other than cigarettes was more prevalent in all countries except in Cote D'Ivoire. Cigarette smoking was higher among boys than girls in seven out of the 10 countries. Among the five countries with two rounds of surveys, a significant decrease in cigarette smoking prevalence was observed in Mauritania and Niger; these two countries also experienced a decline in three measures of cigarette marketing exposure. It is also possible that smoking prevalence might have risen faster among girls than boys. Cigarette smoking among youth was noticeable in 10 African countries evaluated, with the prevalence over 10% in Cote D'Ivoire, Mauritania, and South Africa. Cigarette marketing exposure varied by the types of marketing; traditional venues such as TV, outdoor billboards, newspapers, and magazines were still prominent. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Implementing a national early awareness and alert system for new and emerging health technologies in Italy: the COTE Project.

    PubMed

    Migliore, Antonio; Perrini, Maria Rosaria; Jefferson, Tom; Cerbo, Marina

    2012-07-01

    The aim of this study was to establish a national Early Awareness and Alert (EAA) system for the identification and assessment of new and emerging health technologies in Italy. In 2008, Agenas, a public body supporting Regions and the Ministry of Health (MoH) in health services research, started a project named COTE (Observatory of New and Emerging Health Technologies) with the ultimate aim of implementing a national EAA system. The COTE project involved all stakeholders (MoH, Regions, Industry, Universities, technical government bodies, and Scientific Societies), in defining the key characteristics and methods of the EAA system. Agreement with stakeholders was reached using three separate workshops. During the workshops, participants shared and agreed methods for identification of new and emerging health technologies, prioritization, and assessment. The structure of the Horizon Scanning (HS) reports was discussed and defined. The main channels for dissemination of outputs were identified as the EuroScan database, and the stakeholders' Web portals. During the final workshop, Agenas presented the first three HS reports produced at national level and proposed the establishment of a permanent national EAA system. The COTE Project created the basis for a permanent national EAA system in Italy. An infrastructure to enable the stakeholders network to grow was created, methods to submit new and emerging health technologies for possible evaluation were established, methods for assessment of the technologies selected were defined, and the stakeholders involvement was delineated (in the identification, assessment, and dissemination stages).

  14. A Nation Struggling To Identify Itself Cote d’Ivoire As A Neopatrimonial State

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-04-01

    Both cocoa and coffee are labor intensive crops. Therefore in order to produce a larger crop and cultivate a greater area of the land, Houphouet...also Houphouet- Boigny’s prosperity was cocoa . Cote d’Ivoire was the world’s largest producer of cocoa accounting for just over 40% of the world’s...or coffee- cocoa stabilization fund controlled by the government that was meant to ensure stable prices even to producers even if the world price

  15. Long-term trends in Anopheles gambiae insecticide resistance in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Edi, Constant A V; Koudou, Benjamin G; Bellai, Louise; Adja, Akre M; Chouaibou, Mouhamadou; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Barry, Sarah J E; Johnson, Paul C D; Müller, Pie; Dongus, Stefan; N'Goran, Eliezer K; Ranson, Hilary; Weetman, David

    2014-11-28

    Malaria control is heavily dependent on the use of insecticides that target adult mosquito vectors via insecticide treated nets (ITNs) or indoor residual spraying (IRS). Four classes of insecticide are approved for IRS but only pyrethroids are available for ITNs. The rapid rise in insecticide resistance in African malaria vectors has raised alarms about the sustainability of existing malaria control activities. This problem might be particularly acute in Côte d'Ivoire where resistance to all four insecticide classes has recently been recorded. Here we investigate temporal trends in insecticide resistance across the ecological zones of Côte d'Ivoire to determine whether apparent pan-African patterns of increasing resistance are detectable and consistent across insecticides and areas. We combined data on insecticide resistance from a literature review, and bioassays conducted on field-caught Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes for the four WHO-approved insecticide classes for ITN/IRS. The data were then mapped using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and the IR mapper tool to provide spatial and temporal distribution data on insecticide resistance in An. gambiae sensu lato from Côte d'Ivoire between 1993 and 2014. Bioassay mortality decreased over time for all insecticide classes, though with significant spatiotemporal variation, such that stronger declines were observed in the southern ecological zone for DDT and pyrethroids than in the central zone, but with an apparently opposite effect for the carbamate and organophosphate. Variation in relative abundance of the molecular forms, coupled with dramatic increase in kdr 1014F frequency in M forms (An. coluzzii) seems likely to be a contributory factor to these patterns. Although records of resistance across insecticide classes have become more common, the number of classes tested in studies has also increased, precluding a conclusion that multiple resistance has also increased. Our analyses attempted synthesis of 22

  16. Safety and acceptability of vaginal disinfection with benzalkonium chloride in HIV infected pregnant women in west Africa: ANRS 049b phase II randomized, double blinded placebo controlled trial. DITRAME Study Group

    PubMed Central

    Msellati, P.; Meda, N.; Leroy, V.; Likikouet, R.; Van de Perre, P.; Cartoux, M.; Bonard, D.; Ouangre, A.; Combe, P.; Gautier-Charpenti..., L.; Sylla-Koko, F.; Lassalle, R.; Dosso, M.; Welffens-Ekra, C.; Dabis, F.; Mandelbrot, L.

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To study the tolerance and acceptability in Africa of a perinatal intervention to prevent vertical HIV transmission using benzalkonium chloride disinfection. DESIGN: A randomized, double blinded phase II trial. SETTING: Prenatal care units in Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) and Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso). PATIENTS: Women accepting testing and counselling who were seropositive for HIV-1 and under 37 weeks of pregnancy were eligible. A total of 108 women (54 in each group) enrolled from November 1996 to April 1997, with their informed consent. INTERVENTION: Women self administered daily a vaginal suppository of 1% benzalkonium chloride or matched placebo from 36 weeks of pregnancy, and a single intrapartum dose. The neonate was bathed with 1% benzalkonium chloride solution or placebo within 30 minutes after birth. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adverse events were recorded weekly, with a questionnaire and speculum examination in women through delivery, and examination of the neonate through day 30. The incidence of genital signs and symptoms in the women and cutaneous or ophthalmological events in newborns were compared between groups on an intent to treat basis. RESULTS: The median duration of prepartum treatment was 21 days (range 0-87 days). Compliance was 87% for prepartum and 69% for intrapartum treatment, and 88% for the neonatal bath, without differences between the two groups. In women, the most frequent event was leucorrhoea; the incidence of adverse events did not differ between treatment groups. In children, the incidence of dermatitis and conjunctivitis did not differ between the benzalkonium chloride and placebo groups (p = 0.16 and p = 0.29, respectively). CONCLUSION: Vaginal disinfection with benzalkonium chloride is a feasible and well tolerated intervention in west Africa. Its efficacy in preventing vertical HIV transmission remains to be demonstrated. 


 PMID:10754950

  17. Building and strengthening capacity for cardiovascular research in Africa through technical training workshops: a report of the joint course on health research methods by the Clinical Research Education Networking and Consultancy and the Ivorian Society of Cardiology

    PubMed Central

    Dzekem, Bonaventure Suiru; Abanda, Martin; Dzudie, Anastase; Kacou, Jean Baptiste Anzouan; Kramoh, Euloge; Yapobi, Yves; Kingue, Samuel; Dzudie, Anastase; Kengne, Andre Pascal

    2017-01-01

    Summary Africa bears a quarter of the global burden of disease but contributes less than 2% of the global research publications on health, partially due to a lack of expertise and skills to carry out scientific research. We report on a short course on research methods organised by the Clinical Research Education Networking and Consultancy (CRENC) during the third international congress of the Ivorian Cardiac Society (SICARD) in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Results from the pre- and post-test evaluation during this course showed that African researchers could contribute more to scientific research and publications, provided adequate support and investment is geared towards the identification and training of motivated early-career scientists. PMID:29144534

  18. Gastroschisis: Bellwether for neonatal surgery capacity in low resource settings?

    PubMed

    Ford, Kat; Poenaru, Dan; Moulot, Olivier; Tavener, Kate; Bradley, Sarah; Bankole, Rouma; Tshifularo, Nyaweleni; Ameh, Emmanuel; Alema, Nelson; Borgstein, Eric; Hickey, Ann; Ade-Ajayi, Niyi

    2016-08-01

    Economic disadvantage may adversely influence the outcomes of infants with gastroschisis (GS). Gastroschisis International (GiT) is a network of seven paediatric surgical centres, spanning two continents, evaluating GS treatment and outcomes. A 2-year retrospective review of GS infants at GiT centres. Primary outcome was mortality. Sites were classified into high, middle and low income country (HIC, MIC, and LIC). MIC and LIC were sometimes combined for analysis (LMIC). Disability adjusted life years (DALYs) were calculated and centres with the highest mortality underwent a needs assessment. Mortality was higher in the LICs and LMICs: 100% in Uganda and Cote d'Ivoire, 75% in Nigeria and 60% in Malawi. 29% and 0% mortality was reported in South Africa and the UK, respectively. Septicaemia was the commonest cause of death. Averted and non-avertable DALYs were nil in Uganda and Cote d'Ivoire (no survivors). In the UK (100% survival) averted DALYs (met need) was highest, representing death and disability prevented by surgical intervention. Performance improvement measures were agreed: a prospectively maintained GS register; clarification of the key team members of a GS team and management pathway. We propose the use of GS as a bellwether condition for assessing institutional capacity to deliver newborn surgical care. Early access to care, efficient multidisciplinary team working, appropriate resuscitation, avoidance of abdominal compartment syndrome, stabilization prior to formal closure and proactive nutritional interventions may reduce GS-associated burden of disease in low resource settings. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. [Fungal aetiologies and contributing factors of interdigital tinea pedis among policemen in Abidjan (Ivory Coast)].

    PubMed

    Kiki-Barro, P C M; Konaté, A; Angora, E K; Kassi, F K; Bosson-Vanga, H; Bedia-Tanoh, A V; Djohan, V; Yavo, W; Menan, E I H

    2017-12-01

    Fungal interdigital tinea pedis are poorly documented in Ivory Coast. This study aimed to determine the distribution of fungal species and contributing factors of the disease among policemen in Abidjan. Our cross-sectional study was carried out at the police school in Abidjan. Our patients consisted of symptomatic or non-symptomatic police students. Samples of scales or serosities taken from inter-toes spaces were examinated with KOH mount and cultured on Sabouraud-chloramphenicol and Sabouraud-chloramphenicol-actidione media. The method of identification depended on the observed fungus. Among the 303 police students with clinical lesions of the inter-toe folds, 233 (76.9%; IC 95%=71.9-81.4) had a positive diagnosis after mycological examination. Lesions were predominantly located in the 3rd and 4th interdigital plantar spaces, with desquamation (100%) followed by maceration (82.5%) as the predominant functional sign. Dermatophytes accounted for 86.3% of the strains isolated with as majority species : Trichophyton interdigitale (40.3%), Microsporum langeronii (30.0%) and Trichophyton rubrum (15.5%). Yeasts accounted for 13.7% of the strains with Candida albicans (7.7%) as the most found species. The duration at the police school (P=0.004) and the practice of sports activities (P=0.0001) were statistically associated with the occurrence of the disease. A good hygiene of feet would reduce the incidence of the disease among the defense and security forces. Also, investigations for the influence of the seasons in the occurrence of interdigital tinea pedis will allow a better understand of epidemiology of this dermatomycosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Implementing family-focused HIV care and treatment: the first 2 years' experience of the mother-to-child transmission-plus program in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Tonwe-Gold, Besigin; Ekouevi, Didier Koumavi; Amani-Bosse, Clarisse; Toure, Siaka; Koné, Mamadou; Becquet, Renaud; Leroy, Valériane; Toro, Patricia; Dabis, François; El Sadr, Wafaa M.; Abrams, Elaine J.

    2009-01-01

    Summary Objectives To describe a family-focused approach to HIV care and treatment and report on the first two years’ experience of implementing the MTCT-Plus program in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Program implementation New effective models of care are being sought to provide successful strategies to deliver safe, efficient and appropriate HIV care and treatment in resource limited settings. The MTCT-Plus Initiative aims to engage pregnant and postpartum women identified as HIV-infected to initiate comprehensive HIV care and treatment for the woman and her family. Main outcomes Between August 2003 and August 2005, 605 HIV-infected pregnant or post-partum women and 582 HIV-exposed infants were enrolled. Amongst 568 male partners reported alive by enrolled women, 300 (52%) were aware of their wife’s HIV status and 169 (30%) have been tested for HIV. Amongst these partners, 88 (53%) were found to be HIV-infected and 69 (78%) were enrolled into the program. Overall only 10% of the women were enrolled together with their infected partner. On the other hand, a success of the program was also to involve a significant number of seronegative men (half of those who came for VCT) in the care of their families. Amongst 1,624 children <15 years reported alive by their mothers (excluding the last newborn infants of the most recent pregnancy systematically screened for HIV), only 146 (10.8%) were brought in for HIV testing, of whom 18 (12.3%) were found to be HIV-infected. Lessons learned and challenges The family-focused model of HIV care pays attention to the needs of families and household members. The program was successful in enrolling HIV women, their partners and infants in continuous follow-up. However engaging partners and family members of newly enrolled women into care involves numerous challenges outlined in the cascade of necessary events that must take place to achieve this goal. This involves the difficult issue of disclosure of HIV status by women to their

  1. [Complete immunization coverage and reasons for non-vaccination in a periurban area of Abidjan].

    PubMed

    Sackou, K J; Oga, A S S; Desquith, A A; Houenou, Y; Kouadio, K L

    2012-10-01

    An immunization coverage survey was conducted among children aged 12-59 months in a suburban neighbourhood in Abidjan. The objective was to determine the complete immunization coverage, the reasons for non-vaccination and factors influencing the immunization status of children. The method of exhaustive sampling enabled us to interview the mothers of 669 children using a questionnaire. Overall vaccination coverage was 68.6% with 1.2%, with 1.2% of children never having received vaccine. The logistic regression analysis showed that the level of education, knowledge of the immunization schedule and the marital status of mothers, as well as the type of habitat, were associated with full immunization of children. These determinants must be taken into account to improve vaccination coverage.

  2. [Chronic malnutrition among children under five years of age in the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Aké-Tano, Odile; Tiembré, Issaka; Konan, Yao Eugène; Donnen, Philippe; Dagnan, Simplice N'cho; Dramaix, Michelle; Koffi, Kouamé; Diarra-Nama, Alimata Jeanne

    2010-01-01

    The malnutrition of children under five years of age constitutes a major public health problem in most developing countries. A cross-section study was carried in 2003 in the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire to determine the prevalence of chronic malnutrition and to identify risk factors among children under five years of age living in urban and rural areas of the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire. A total of 292 and 268 children under five years of age residing respectively in urban and rural areas were included in the study. Their median age was 24 months. Chronic malnutrition was more frequent in children from rural areas (39.9%) than in those living in urban areas (16.7%). Malnutrition was significantly associated with the type of food consumed by children under two years of age in urban areas, and it was strongly linked to emaciation of the mother and presence of childhood fever in rural areas. In light of these results, we advocate a healthy diet and adequate health status for the mother and child to improve the nutritional status of children. Moreover, these results need to be completed and complemented by further studies for more detailed information to contribute to a better definition of actions to fight efficiently against malnutrition among children of the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire.

  3. Task-sharing with nurses to enhance access to HIV treatment in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    McNairy, Margaret L; Bashi, Jules B; Chung, Hannah; Wemin, Louise; Lorng, Marie-Nicole Akpro; Brou, Hermann; Nioble, Cyprien; Lokossue, A; Abo, Kouame; Achi, Delphine; Ouattara, Kiyali; Sess, Daniel; Sanogo, Pongathie Adama; Ekra, Alexandre; Ettiegne-Traore, Virginie; Diabate, Conombo J; Abrams, Elaine J; El-Sadr, Wafaa M

    2017-04-01

    We report the first national programme in Côte d'Ivoire to evaluate the feasibility of nurse-led HIV care as a model of task-sharing with nurses to increase coverage and decentralisation of HIV services. Twenty-six public HIV facilities implemented either a nurse-with-onsite-physician or a nurse-with-visiting-physician model of HIV task-sharing. Routinely collected patient data were reviewed to analyse patient characteristics of those enrolling in care and initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART). Retention, loss to programme and death were compared across facility-level characteristics. A total of 1224 patients enrolled in HIV care, with 666 initiating ART, from January 2012 to May 2013 (median follow-up 13 months). The majority (94%) were adults ≥15 years. Fourteen facilities provided ART initiation for the first time during the pilot period; 20 facilities were primary level. Nurse-led care with a visiting physician was provided in 14 of the primary-level facilities. Nurse-led ART care with an onsite physician was provided in all secondary-level facilities and six of the primary-level facilities. During the pilot, 567 (85%) of patients were retained, 28 (4.2%) died, 47 (7.1%) were lost to follow-up, and 24 (3.6%) transferred. Five deaths (10.9%) were recorded among children as compared to 23 deaths (3.7%) among adults (P = 0.037). There were no differences in retention by model of nurse-led ART care. Task-sharing of HIV care and ART initiation with nurses in Côte d'Ivoire is feasible. This pilot illustrates two models of nurse-led HIV care and has informed national policy on nurse-led HIV care in Côte d'Ivoire. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Traditional practices and medicinal plants use during pregnancy by Anyi-Ndenye women (Eastern Côte d'Ivoire).

    PubMed

    Malan, Djah F; Neuba, Danho F R

    2011-03-01

    The use of plants during pregnancy is a common practice in Africa. In Côte d'Ivoire, despite modern antenatal medical prescriptions, most pregnant women resort to traditional medicine to ensure foetus development and facilitate childbirth. Yet, there is not enough research on the African traditional medicine concerning this aspect of health. Therefore, the plants used by pregnant women need to be better known in order to offer integrated antenatal care. This study analyzes the salience of plants used, the associated practices and reasons of such practices by pregnant women in Yakassé-Féyassé, an Anyi-Ndenye town of the Eastern Côte d'Ivoire. Methods include an ethnobotany survey (freelist method, interview with pregnant women during their antenatal consultation and with specialists). The survey led to a list of 75 plants distributed in 3 class of salience. In addition, 90.3 % of pregnant women use these practices which are nevertheless ignored by Midwives during antenatal visits.

  5. A comprehensive review of available epidemiologic and HIV service data for female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs in select West and Central African countries.

    PubMed

    MacAllister, Jack; Sherwood, Jennifer; Galjour, Joshua; Robbins, Sarah; Zhao, Jinkou; Dam, Kim; Grosso, Ashley; Baral, Stefan D

    2015-03-01

    To identify gaps in epidemiologic and HIV service coverage data for key populations (KP), including men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), people who inject drugs (PWID), and transgender persons, in 8 West and Central Africa countries: Cameroon, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, and Nigeria. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed literature was conducted using PubMed and MEDLINE. This search was supplemented by an additional search of relevant non-peer-reviewed, or gray, literature. Available data on HIV prevalence, KP size estimates, HIV prevention service targets, and HIV prevention service coverage, including the availability of population-specific minimum packages of services, were included in the review. No data for transgender persons were found. HIV prevalence data and size estimates were more frequently available for FSW, followed by MSM. Only 2 countries (Ghana and Nigeria) had both KP size estimates and HIV prevalence data for PWID. The degree to which HIV prevention service targets were adopted was highly variable across the selected countries, and the collection of relevant HIV prevention service coverage data for those targets that were identified was inconsistent. Population-specific minimum packages of services were identified in 3 countries (Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria), although only Ghana and Nigeria included services for PWID. Epidemiologic and HIV prevention service data for FSW, MSM, PWID, and transgender persons remain sparse, and these KP are inconsistently accounted for in-service delivery and nationally endorsed minimum packages of HIV services in West and Central Africa. The strengthening of data collection and reporting to consistently include KP and the inclusion of that data in national planning is imperative for effectively addressing the HIV epidemic.

  6. [Human African trypanosomiasis in Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso: optimization of epidemiologic surveillance strategies].

    PubMed

    Kambiré, R; Lingué, K; Courtin, F; Sidibé, I; Kiendrébéogo, D; N'gouan, K E; Blé, L; Kaba, D; Koffi, M; Solano, P; Bucheton, B; Jamonneau, V

    2012-11-01

    The objective of this paper was to describe recent data from Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire on Human African Trypanosomosis medical monitoring in order to (i) update the disease situation in these two countries that have been sharing important migratory, economic and epidemiological links for more than a century and (ii) to define the future strategic plans to achieve the goal of a sustainable control/elimination process. Results of active and passive surveillance indicate that all sleeping sickness patients diagnosed these last years in Burkina Faso were imported cases from Côte d'Ivoire. Nevertheless the re-introduction of the parasite is effective and the risk of a resumption of transmission exists. In Côte d'Ivoire, few cases are still diagnosed in several historical foci and the fear exists that the disease could reemerge in these foci or spread to other areas. In order to achieve a sustainable elimination of sleeping sickness in these two countries, control entities have to adapt their strategy to the different epidemiological contexts. At the exception of specific cases, the current disease prevalence no longer justifies the use of expensive medical surveys by exhaustive screening of the population. New disease control strategies, based on the exchange of epidemiological information between the two countries and integrated to the regular national health systems are required to target priority intervention areas. Follow-up in time of both treated patients and serological suspects that are potential asymptomatic carriers of parasite is also important. In parallel, researchers need to better characterize the respective roles of the human and animal reservoir in the maintenance of transmission and evaluate the different control strategies taken by National Control Programs in term of cost/effectiveness to help optimize them.

  7. An application of a proposed framework for formulary listing in low-income countries: the case of Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Diaby, Vakaramoko; Lachaine, Jean

    2011-11-01

    The General Mutual Benefit Fund for Civil Servants and State Employees of Côte d'Ivoire (MUGEFCI; Mutuelle Générale des Fonctionnaires et Agents de l'État de Côte d'Ivoire) is a health mutual fund providing coverage (medical consultations, laboratory tests and treatment) for its enrolees (government officials and agents). This organization aims to improve its current drug reimbursement process because of budgetary constraints. One method of achieving this is to implement a formulary-listing framework specifically developed for low-income countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of developing a new formulary for the MUGEFCI in Côte d'Ivoire, by implementing a formulary-listing framework specifically designed for under-researched settings. The application of this formulary-listing framework (based on multi-criteria decision analysis [MCDA]) consisted of four steps. First, relevant formulary-listing criteria and their levels of variation were identified and weighted according to their importance in the decision making around drug reimbursement. Second, a set of priority treatments to be assessed was determined. Once the treatments eligible for reimbursement were determined, scores were assigned to these treatments according to their performance on the formulary-listing criteria levels. Finally, a composite league table (weighted matrix) was constructed to rank the set of treatments by priority order of reimbursement. A budget-impact analysis (BIA) was also conducted to appraise the economic implications of the new composite drugs league table. The extent to which the new priority list of reimbursable drugs was affordable for the MUGEFCI was then measured. Policy makers in Côte d'Ivoire considered severity of disease and cost effectiveness of treatment to be the most significant criteria for priority reimbursement of drugs. This translated into a general preference for antimalarials, treatments for asthma and antibacterials for urinary

  8. First highlights of the Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) field campaigns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liousse, C.; Knippertz, P.; Flamant, C.; Adon, J.; Akpo, A.; Annesi-Maesano, I.; Assamoi, E.; Baeza, A.; Julien, B.; Bedou, M.; Brooks, B. J.; Chiu, J. Y. C.; Chiron, C.; Coe, H.; Danuor, S.; Djossou, J.; Evans, M. J.; Fayomi, B.; Fink, A. H.; Galy-Lacaux, C.; Gardrat, E.; Jegede, O.; Kalthoff, N.; Kedote, M.; Keita, S.; Kouame, K.; Konare, A.; Leon, J. F.; Mari, C. H.; Lohou, F.; Roblou, L.; Schlager, H.; Schwarzenboeck, A.; Toure, E. N.; Veronique, Y.

    2016-12-01

    The EU-funded project DACCIWA (Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa) is investigating the relationship between weather, climate, air pollution and health in southern West Africa. The air over the coastal region of West Africa is a unique mixture of natural and anthropogenic gases, liquids and particles, emitted in an environment, in which multi-layer cloud decks frequently form. These exert a large influence on the local weather and climate, which has never been studied in detail over West Africa: this information is currently not included in the majority of weather and climate models. For the first time, the entire chain of impacts of natural and manmade emissions on the West African atmosphere was investigated in a coordinated field campaign. As part of this campaign, three research aircraft (Falcon 20, Twin Otter and ATR) based in Lomé (Togo) flew targeted 50 missions over West Africa from 27 June to 16 July 2016. In that campaign also, three highly instrumented measuring sites inland were set up with weather balloons launched several times a day across the region. The main objective was to build robust statistics of cloud properties in southern West Africa in different chemical landscapes (background state, ship/flaring emissions, polluted megacities, agricultural and forest areas, dust from the Sahel/Sahara). In addition, DACCIWA scientists working on measurements of urban emissions, air pollution, and health have set up four urban sites in Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) and Cotonou (Benin) focusing on main specific regional combustion sources (domestic fires, traffic and waste burning). Long-term measurements of gases and particles and census of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases were started in January 2015 and will continue until March 2017 to determine the links between human health and air pollution. Intensive measurement periods took place in July 2015, January 2016, and July 2016 (a final one is planned for January 2017) in

  9. 77 FR 6463 - Definition of the Term “Financial, Material, or Technological Support” Under the Côte d'Ivoire...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-08

    ..., Darfur, and Democratic Republic of the Congo Sanctions Regulations AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets... Control (``OFAC'') is amending the C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire Sanctions Regulations, the Darfur Sanctions... Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 543 (the ``CDISR''), the Darfur Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 546...

  10. 76 FR 35719 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya and C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-20

    ... June 8, 2011 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya and C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire... laws of the United States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of... amount not to exceed $15 million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund...

  11. Using a Software Package to Publish EAD Encoded Finding Aids: A Practical Approach and Gradual Implementation at the Archives Departementales de la Cote-d'Or, France

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Devarrewaere, Anthony; Roelly, Aude

    2005-01-01

    The Archives Departementales de la Cote-d'Or chose as a priority for its automation plan the acquisition of a search engine, to publish online archival descriptions and the library catalogue. The Archives deliberately opted for a practical approach, using for the encoding of the finding aids an automatic data export from an archival management…

  12. Breastfeeding: the hidden barrier in Côte d'Ivoire's quest to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

    PubMed

    Buesseler, Heather M; Kone, Ahoua; Robinson, Julia; Bakor, Albert; Senturia, Kirsten

    2014-01-01

    Côte d'Ivoire has one of the worst HIV/AIDS epidemics in West Africa. This study sought to understand how HIV-positive women's life circumstances and interactions with the public health care system in Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, influence their self-reported ability to adhere to antiretroviral prophylaxis during pregnancy. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 HIV-positive women not eligible for antiretroviral therapy and five health care workers recruited from four public clinics in which prevention of mother-to-child transmission services had been integrated into routine antenatal care. Self-reported adherence to prophylaxis is high, but women struggle to observe (outdated) guidelines for rapid infant weaning. Women's positive interactions with health providers, their motivation to protect their infants and the availability of free antiretrovirals seem to override most potential barriers to prophylaxis adherence. This study reveals the importance of considering the full continuum of prevention of mother-to-child transmission interventions, including infant feeding, instead of focussing primarily on prophylaxis for the mother and newborn.

  13. [Health care, needs and barriers in seeking medical care for global health and sexual and reproductive health, among students from Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Inghels, M; Coffie, P A; Larmarange, J

    2017-09-01

    In Ivory Coast, little is known about health needs and health access barriers among young people. The aim of this study was to describe health provision, health needs and barriers when seeking medical care, with an emphasis on sexual and reproductive health, and the acceptability of a medical examination for students attending their first year at the Houphouët-Boigny University, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. We conducted a representative cross-sectional study among second year students who were selected by two-stage equiprobable random sampling. In-depth interviews were conducted among students and the university health center staff. Five hundred and forty three students (322 men and 221 women) answered a questionnaire (participation rate 98.4%). Among women who ever had sex, 38.4% (95%CI [30.5%-47.0%]) had unmet contraception needs and 31.2% [23.7%-40.0%] had experienced an unwanted pregnancy. Fear about impaired fertility was the leading reason for non-use of hormonal contraception, the method of choice among most students. The main health problems among students, by order of frequency were malaria (54.3%), respiratory infection (44.6%), constipation (28.0%) and psychological problems (25.9%). High cost perception of services offered, despite their gratuity, were the main barriers against access to the university health center, indicating a lack of communication about this structure and its services. The majority of students favored the establishment of a medical examination during the first year at the university. Establishing a medical examination would improve health center visibility. The following services could be offered: (i) HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea screening, (ii) hepatitis B virus screening and vaccination, (iii) provision and information about contraceptive methods, (iv) presentation of the university health center services. Dedicated spaces where students could have access to information about health-related topics (e.g. sexuality, nutrition, depression

  14. Nutritive Evaluation of the Bambara Groundnut Ci12 Landrace [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc. (Fabaceae)] Produced in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Yao, Denis N'Dri; Kouassi, Kouakou Nestor; Erba, Daniela; Scazzina, Francesca; Pellegrini, Nicoletta; Casiraghi, Maria Cristina

    2015-09-07

    The nutritional evaluation of the Bambara groundnut Ci12 landrace (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) seeds produced in Côte d'Ivoire shows a 19% content of protein, containing all the essential amino acids with tryptophan as the limiting amino acid, a total dietary fiber level of 10%, with a low soluble fraction content, and a fat content of 1.4%, with a high proportion of total unsaturated fatty acids (61%) of which 36% were n-6 fatty acids. This legume contains phosphorus, as the major mineral, followed by magnesium and calcium, and trace elements (iron, copper and zinc). It is characterized by the same amount of α-tocopherol and antioxidant capacity as common legumes. The high concentration of essential amino acids, n-6 fatty acids and minerals, mainly Fe, in the Ci12 landrace of Bambara groundnut indicates that this local legume has the potentiality to improve the nutritional status in Côte d'Ivoire and it could be regarded as a nutrient dense food.

  15. Causes of death in the Taabo health and demographic surveillance system, Côte d'Ivoire, from 2009 to 2011.

    PubMed

    Koné, Siaka; Fürst, Thomas; Jaeger, Fabienne N; Esso, Emmanuel L J C; Baïkoro, Nahoua; Kouadio, Kouamé A; Adiossan, Lukas G; Zouzou, Fabien; Boti, Louis I; Tanner, Marcel; Utzinger, Jürg; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Dao, Daouda; N'Goran, Eliézer K

    2015-01-01

    Current vital statistics from governmental institutions in Côte d'Ivoire are incomplete. This problem is particularly notable for remote rural areas that have limited access to the health system. To record all deaths from 2009 to 2011 and to identify the leading causes of death in the Taabo health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) in south-central Côte d'Ivoire. Deaths recorded in the first 3 years of operation of the Taabo HDSS were investigated by verbal autopsy (VA), using the InterVA-4 model. InterVA-4 is based on the World Health Organization 2012 VA tool in terms of input indicators and categories of causes of death. Overall, 948 deaths were recorded, of which 236 (24.9%) had incomplete VA data. Among the 712 deaths analyzed, communicable diseases represented the leading causes (58.9%), with most deaths attributed to malaria (n=129), acute respiratory tract infections (n=110), HIV/AIDS (n=80), and pulmonary tuberculosis (n=46). Non-communicable diseases accounted for 18.9% of the deaths and included mainly acute abdomen (n=38), unspecified cardiac diseases (n=15), and digestive neoplasms (n=13). Maternal and neonatal conditions accounted for 8.3% of deaths, primarily pneumonia (n=19) and birth asphyxia (n=16) in newborns. Among the 3.8% of deaths linked to trauma and injury, the main causes were assault (n=6), accidental drowning (n=4), contact with venomous plants/animals (n=4), and traffic-related accidents (n=4). No clear causes were determined in 10.0% of the analyzed deaths. Communicable diseases remain the predominant cause of death in rural Côte d'Ivoire. Based on these findings, measures are now being implemented in the Taabo HDSS. It will be interesting to monitor patterns of mortality and causes of death in the face of rapid demographic and epidemiological transitions in this part of West Africa.

  16. [Estimated operational costs of vaccination campaign to combat yellow fever in Abidjan].

    PubMed

    Zengbe-Acray, Pétronille; Douba, Alfred; Traore, Youssouf; Dagnan, Simplice; Attoh-Toure, Harvey; Ekra, Daniel

    2009-01-01

    A cost effectiveness study was conducted with the main objective to assess the operational costs of a vaccination campaign against yellow fever organised and implemented in Abidjan from September 21st to October 2nd, 2001. The study was carried out from the perspective of the health authorities. Data was collected retrospectively on all information related to resources needed and required activities. The justification of the monetary value of resources was provided with written proof and receipts as well as other supporting documents. The coverage achieved was 91.33% with 2 584 360 doses of vaccine having been administered. Spending on vaccines and vaccine supplies amounted to 1 123 177 128 FCFA; the average cost per dose was 539.40 FCFA. Human resource costs amounted to 2590 people who were mobilized for a total cost of 125 678 400 FCFA. The total operational cost of the vaccination campaign was 1 394 010 829 FCFA. Vaccines and supplies were the largest item of expenditure, or 80.57% of the total spent. The results of this study could serve as a tool for decision-making related to funding a vaccination campaign. Taking account of these results could contribute to the development of strategies to effectively reduce the operational cost of a vaccination campaign.

  17. [Five years of cholera surveillance in Ivory Coast during social and political crisis, 2001 to 2005].

    PubMed

    Ekra, K D; Attoh-Touré, H; Bénié, B V J; Coulibaly, D; Koutouan, M G; Aka, L N; Dagnan, S N; Coulibaly, A; Douba, A; Tiembré, I; Odéhouri-Koudou, P; Tagliante-Saracino, J

    2009-05-01

    For an efficient struggle against infectious diseases with epidemic potential, the Cdte d'Ivoire set up a precocious alert system in 2001 with a main objective: to detect epidemics of cholera, measles, yellow fever and meningitis and to provide necessary information for their control and their prevention. During the 2001 to 2005 period, the country was marked by military and political crisis which occurred in 2002; the country had to face up to a reappearance of cholera. How did it evolve in such a context? The question was to describe the performances of the system and the evolution of cholera from weekly data collected by the centers of epidemiological monitoring in health districts. The cases and declared deaths were compiled and the indicators of morbidity and mortality were then studied according to time site and individual features on the period of 2001 to 2005. From 2001 to 2005, 11,874 cases were notified with 564 deaths and a lethal rate of 4.7%. In 2001, from the initial source of infection, the civil jail, the epidemic of cholera disseminated itself through visitors in the whole city of Abidjan where 3250 cases were notified. Out of city, 20 outbreaks have been declared with a total of 3010 cases. The yearly highest impact, 37 living cases/100,000 inhabitants recorded in 2001, decreased regularly until 2005 with 0.2 living cases/100,000. After 2002, outbreaks were located mainly in the half south of the country which welcomed displaced populations from the north, preferably in transition or settling zones near the front line. The lethal rate in Abidjan (2.3%) was less important than that of other health districts (8.6%). The lethal rate globally increased as the impact decreased. Vibrio cholerae was responsible for the epidemics. The group of 15 years old and over was the most affected (12.69 living cases/100,000) whereas the highest lethal rate appeared in the group under 5 years old (6.6%). The reappearance and constant cholera epidemics in Côte d'Ivoire

  18. [Management of dental records: an example of the Department of Restorative Dentistry of the School of Odonto-Stomatology in Abidjan].

    PubMed

    Assoumou, N M; Gnagne-Agnéro Koffi, N D Y; Avoaka Boni, M C; Adou, J; Adiko, E F

    2002-06-01

    The patient's file is often mismanaged because of the crowd and the frequency of emergencies caused by pain. The practitioner is worrying about handling it in first place. The objective of this work is to recall the importance of a good management of the dental records and to suggest a charting system. The interest of the dental chart, fundamental part of the patient dental file, is described before developing the implications related to an adequate management. The charting system of the service of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics of Abidjan Dental school is described. It translates the target of a good dental records management, which presents appreciable assets for practitioner, patient and administration.

  19. First report of the East African kdr mutation in an Anopheles gambiae mosquito in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Chouaïbou, Mouhamadou; Kouadio, Fodjo Behi; Tia, Emmanuel; Djogbenou, Luc

    2017-02-09

    Background . The intensive use of insecticides in public health and agriculture has led to the development of insecticide resistances in malaria vectors across sub-Saharan Africa countries in the last two decades. The kdr target site point mutation which is among the best characterised resistance mechanisms seems to be changing its distribution patterns on the African continent. The 1014F  kdr mutation originally described only in West Africa is spreading to East Africa while the 1014S  kdr mutation originally described in East Africa, is spreading to West and Central Africa. However, the East- kdr mutation has not been reported in Côte d'Ivoire so far. Methods . Immature stages of Anopheles gambiae s.l. were collected from breeding sites at the outskirts of Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire. Emerging 3-5 day old adult female mosquitoes were tested for susceptibility to deltamethrin 0.05%, malathion 5%, bendiocarb 1% and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) 4% according to WHO standard procedures. A total of 50 An. gambiae s.l. specimens were drawn at random for DNA extraction and identification down to the species level. A subsample of 30 mosquitoes was tested for the East-African kdr mutation using a Taqman assay. Results . The tested mosquito population appeared to be strongly resistant to deltamethrin (1.03% mortality), bendiocarb (38.46% mortality) and DDT (0% mortality) with probable resistance observed for malathion (92.47%). Among the 41 mosquitoes that were successfully characterized, An. coluzzii was predominant (68.3%) followed by An. gambiae   s.s. (19.5%) and a few hybrids (7.3%). Out of 30 specimens genotyped for East- kdr , a single hybrid mosquito appeared to be heterozygous for the mutation. Conclusion . The present study revealed the presence of the East- kdr mutation in Côte d'Ivoire for the first time in An. gambiae and highlights the urgent need to start monitoring the allele and genotype frequencies.

  20. Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis control in Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire: implementing control on a limited budget.

    PubMed

    Tchuenté, L A Tchuem; N'goran, E K

    2009-11-01

    Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis occur throughout the developing world and remain a major public health problem in the poorest communities with enormous consequences for development. The extent of the problem has long been neglected because these diseases rarely kill at a young age and also because of their insidious nature. Today there exists a momentum and an unprecedented opportunity for a cost-effective control of these neglected tropical diseases. The control of these diseases has become a priority on the agenda of many governments, donors and international agencies. This paper highlights the progress made and future control activities in Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire, where schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis control measures have been implemented over the past decade with limited budgets. In Cameroon, deworming activities were increased to encompass all ten regions in 2007 as a result of a co-ordinated effort of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education with national and international partners. In Côte d'Ivoire, focal control activities were achieved with support from various partners. Prospects, opportunities and challenges for the control of neglected tropical diseases in these two countries are discussed.

  1. High prevalence of shared international type 53 among Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains in retreated patients from Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Ouassa, Timothée; Borroni, Emanuele; Loukou, Guillaume Yao; Faye-Kette, Hortense; Kouakou, Jacquemin; Menan, Hervé; Cirillo, Daniela Maria

    2012-01-01

    Genotyping methods are useful tools to provide information on tuberculosis epidemic. They can allow a better response from health authorities and the implementation of measures for tuberculosis control. This study aimed to identify the main lineages and clades of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains circulating in Côte d'Ivoire. Strains isolated from sputum samples of patients ongoing retreatment from all the country were characterized by spoligotyping and by MIRU-VNTR. Profiles obtained by spoligotyping were first compared to the SITVIT/SpolDB4 database for family assignment. Of 194 strains analysed, 146 (75.3%) belonged to the T lineage. The most predominant spoligotype was the shared international type 53 with 135 strains (69.6%). In contrast with neighbouring countries, LAM (11 strains, 5.7%) and H (9 strains 4.6%) lineages were slightly represented. Only 3 Beijing strains (1.5%) and 4 strains of Mycobacterium africanum (2%) were found. Analysis of the results obtained with MIRU-VNTR revealed also a high level of clustering. The population of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains among retreatment cases in Côte d'Ivoire exhibits a low diversity, allowing to assume recent transmission and locally based infection.

  2. Calculation of greenhouse gas emissions of jatropha oil and jatropha biodiesel as alternative fuels for electricity production in Côte d'Ivoire

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Atta, Pascal Atta; N'guessan, Yao; Morin, Celine; Voirol, Anne Jaecker; Descombes, Georges

    2017-02-01

    The electricity in Côte d'Ivoire is mainly produced from fossil energy sources. This causes damages on environment due to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The aim of this paper is to calculate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of jatropha oil and jatropha biodiesel as alternative fuels for electricity production in Côte d'Ivoire by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The functional unit in this LCA is defined as 1 kWh of electricity produced by the combustion of jatropha oil or jatropha biodiesel in the engine of a generator. Two scenarios, called short chain and long chain, were examined in this LCA. The results show that 0.132 kg CO2 equivalent is emitted for the scenario 1 with jatropha oil as an alternative fuel against 0.6376 kg CO2 equivalent for the scenario 2 with jatropha biodiesel as an alternative fuel. An 87 % reduction of kg CO2 equivalent is observed in scenario 1 and a 37 % reduction of kg CO2 equivalent is observed in the scenario 2, when compared with a Diesel fuel.

  3. Epidemiology of paediatric meningitis in central Côte d'Ivoire after the implementation of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination.

    PubMed

    Touré, Fidèle S; Kouame, Samson; Tia, Honoré; Monemo, Pacôme; Cissé, Amadou; Diané, Bamourou; Becker, Sören L; Akoua-Koffi, Chantal

    2017-07-01

    Infectious meningitis accounts for enormous morbidity worldwide, but there is a paucity of data on its regional epidemiology in resource-constrained settings of sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we present a study on the aetiology of paediatric meningitis in central Côte d'Ivoire. Between June 2012 and December 2013, all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples drawn at the University Teaching Hospital Bouaké were examined for the presence of bacterial and fungal pathogens. A causative agent was detected in 31 out of 833 CSF specimens (3.7%), with the most prevalent pathogens being Streptococcus pneumoniae (n=15) and Neisseria meningitidis (n=5). With the exception of neonates, these two bacteria were the most common agents in all age groups. Of note, only a single case of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis was detected. Hence, this study reports a considerable shift in the epidemiology of paediatric meningitis in central Côte d'Ivoire. Following the implementation of a nation-wide childhood vaccination programme against H. influenzae type b, this pathogen was much less frequently reported than in previous studies. The integration of specific vaccines against S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis into the childhood vaccination programme in Côted'Ivoire holds promise to further reduce the burden due to infectious meningitis.

  4. Microbiological risk infection assessment using QMRA in agriculture systems in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa.

    PubMed

    Kouamé, Parfait K; Nguyen-Viet, Hung; Dongo, Kouassi; Zurbrügg, Christian; Biémi, Jean; Bonfoh, Bassirou

    2017-10-28

    Poor wastewater management that results from a lack of appropriate sanitation infrastructure contributes to increasing health risks in urban areas in Côte d'Ivoire. We assessed the health risks associated with the use of wastewater for watering salad destined for human consumption, to help local authorities in developing appropriate risk mitigation measures for Yamoussoukro, the political capital of Côte d'Ivoire. We applied a stochastic approach based on quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA), focusing on wastewater for farming activities and salad consumption at the household level. Farming activities rely on a large degree on contaminated water and are conducted without any protection. The QMRA highlights that the poor quality of watering water increased the microbiological risk of the two assessed groups of urban farmers and individual households. The annual risk of infection due to watering wastewater in the city is estimated at 0.01 per person per year (pppy) for Giardia lamblia and 0.2 pppy for Escherichia coli O157:H7. The annual risk from salad consumption is 0.01 pppy for G. lamblia and 0.9 pppy for E. coli O157:H7. Both the annual risks from farming activities and salad consumption were higher than the tolerable standard of risk of 10 -4 pppy as defined by the World Health Organization. There is a need to conduct a risk analysis and a cost-effectiveness study on intervention to improve public health and the livelihoods of the producers which are women in majority in Yamoussoukro.

  5. First ecotoxicological assessment assay in a hydroelectric reservoir: the Lake Taabo (Côte d'Ivoire).

    PubMed

    Roche, Hélène; Tidou, Abiba

    2009-03-01

    Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) contamination was assessed in marketable species, two fishes (tilapia and catfish) and a prawn from the Lake Taabo (Côte d'Ivoire). Lindane and endosulfan were the main contaminants, suggesting their current use. DDT, endrin, heptachlor plus traces of chlordane, aldrin and fipronil were also detected. In fishes and in prawns, enzymatic biomarkers exhibited significant correlations with OCPs levels, showing the feasibility of a biomonitoring. The transfer of OCPs along the aquatic food web and their immunosuppressive effects in human are discussed. This preliminary study highlights that the pesticide contamination was concomitant with the increase in infectious diseases in the bordering population of this African lake.

  6. Epidemiology of brucellosis, Q Fever and Rift Valley Fever at the human and livestock interface in northern Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Kanouté, Youssouf B; Gragnon, Biégo G; Schindler, Christian; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Schelling, Esther

    2017-01-01

    Northern Côte d'Ivoire is the main livestock breeding zone and has the highest livestock cross-border movements in Côte d'Ivoire. The aim of this study was to provide updated epidemiological data on three neglected zoonotic diseases, namely brucellosis, Q Fever and Rift Valley Fever (RVF). We conducted three-stage cross-sectional cluster surveys in livestock and humans between 2012 and 2014 in a random selection of 63 villages and a sample of 633 cattle, 622 small ruminants and 88 people. We administered questionnaires to capture risk factors and performed serological tests including the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), Brucella spp. indirect and competitive ELISAs, Coxiella burnetii indirect ELISA and RVF competitive ELISA. The human seroprevalence for Brucella spp. was 5.3%. RBPT-positive small ruminants tested negative by the indirect ELISA. The seroprevalence of Brucella spp. in cattle adjusted for clustering was 4.6%. Cattle aged 5-8 years had higher odds of seropositivity (OR=3.5) than those aged ≤4years. The seropositivity in cattle was associated with having joint hygromas (OR=9), sharing the pastures with small ruminants (OR=5.8) and contact with pastoralist herds (OR=11.3). The seroprevalence of Q Fever was 13.9% in cattle, 9.4% in sheep and 12.4% in goats. The seroprevalence of RVF was 3.9% in cattle, 2.4% in sheep and 0% in goats. Seropositive ewes had greater odds (OR=4.7) of abortion than seronegative ones. In cattle, a shorter distance between the night pens and nearest permanent water bodies was a protective factor (OR=0.1). The study showed that the exposure to the three zoonoses is rather low in northern Côte d'Ivoire. Within a One Health approach, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness of control measures should be assessed for an integrated control. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. [Investigation surrounding a fatal case of yellow fever in Côte d'Ivoire in 1999].

    PubMed

    Akoua-Koffi, C; Diarrassouba, S; Bénié, V B; Ngbichi, J M; Bozoua, T; Bosson, A; Akran, V; Carnevale, P; Ehouman, A

    2001-08-01

    Côte d'Ivoire is an endemic country for yellow fever, but no case was officially notified in recent years. In July 1999, however, one fatal case was reported. A German citizen was infected in the national park of Comoe, in the north eastern area of the country. In order to evaluate the extent of amaril virus circulation and the risk for local people, a virological, entomological and epidemiological investigation was carried out by the ministry of health, the OCCGE, the Côte d'Ivoire Pasteur Institute (IPCI) and the World Health Organisation in the area where the fatal case had been staying. 18 suspected and 24 confirmed mosquito catchers were identified by interview and a blood specimen was collected from each of them. In addition, 159 batches of mosquitoes from which 94 batches of potential vectors were collected; among the suspected cases, 22% were immunised against yellow fever. Serological and virological analyses were made at IPCI and the Paris Pasteur Institute by ELISA technique and isolation on cells cultures and newborn mice. All the suspicious sera and 87.5% of the catchers were positive for IgG anti-amaril virus. One catcher's serum was positive for IgM anti-amaril virus. 11 suspected sera were positive for IgG anti-dengue virus with 1 positive for IgM. 1 strain of amaril virus and 3 strains of Zika virus were isolated from mosquitoes at IPCI and confirmed by CRORA in Dakar. These results indicated that there is a yellow fever and dengue virus are prevalent among the human and vector populations in the study area. Preventive measures must be adopted to protect human beings at risk for amaril infection.

  8. Surface display of bacterial tyrosinase on spores of Bacillus subtilis using CotE as an anchor protein.

    PubMed

    Hosseini-Abari, Afrouzossadat; Kim, Byung-Gee; Lee, Sang-Hyuk; Emtiazi, Giti; Kim, Wooil; Kim, June-Hyung

    2016-12-01

    Tyrosinases, copper-containing monooxygenases, are widely used enzymes for industrial, medical, and environmental applications. We report the first functional surface display of Bacillus megaterium tyrosinase on Bacillus subtilis spores using CotE as an anchor protein. Flow Cytometry was used to verify surface expression of tyrosinase on the purified spores. Moreover, tyrosinase activity of the displayed enzyme on B. subtilis spores was monitored in the presence of L-tyrosine (substrate) and CuSO 4 (inducer). The stability of the spore-displayed tyrosinase was then evaluated after 15 days maintenance of the spores at room temperature, and no significant decrease in the enzyme activity was observed. In addition, the tyrosinase-expressing spores could be repeatedly used with 62% retained enzymatic activity after six times washing with Tris-HCl buffer. This genetically immobilized tyrosinase on the spores would make a new advance in industrial, medical, and environmental applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Ledantevirus: A Proposed New Genus in the Rhabdoviridae Has A Strong Ecological Association with Bats

    PubMed Central

    Blasdell, Kim R.; Guzman, Hilda; Widen, Steven G.; Firth, Cadhla; Wood, Thomas G.; Holmes, Edward C.; Tesh, Robert B.; Vasilakis, Nikos; Walker, Peter J.

    2015-01-01

    The Le Dantec serogroup of rhabdoviruses comprises Le Dantec virus from a human with encephalitis and Keuriliba virus from rodents, each isolated in Senegal. The Kern Canyon serogroup comprises a loosely connected set of rhabdoviruses many of which have been isolated from bats, including Kern Canyon virus from California, Nkolbisson virus from Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Cote d'Ivoire, Kolente virus from Guinea, Mount Elgon bat and Fikirini viruses from Kenya, and Oita virus from Japan. Fukuoka virus isolated from mosquitoes, midges, and cattle in Japan, Barur virus from a rodent in India and Nishimuro virus from pigs in Japan have also been linked genetically or serologically to this group. Here, we analyze the genome sequences and phylogenetic relationships of this set of viruses. We show that they form three subgroups within a monophyletic group, which we propose should constitute the new genus Ledantevirus. PMID:25487727

  10. Application of unweighted pair group methods with arithmetic average (UPGMA) for identification of kinship types and spreading of ebola virus through establishment of phylogenetic tree

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andriani, Tri; Irawan, Mohammad Isa

    2017-08-01

    Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a disease caused by a virus of the genus Ebolavirus (EBOV), family Filoviridae. Ebola virus is classifed into five types, namely Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV), Sudan ebolavirus (SEBOV), Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BEBOV), Tai Forest ebolavirus also known as Cote d'Ivoire ebolavirus (CIEBOV), and Reston ebolavirus (REBOV). Identification of kinship types of Ebola virus can be performed using phylogenetic trees. In this study, the phylogenetic tree constructed by UPGMA method in which there are Multiple Alignment using Progressive Method. The results concluded that the phylogenetic tree formation kinship ebola virus types that kind of Tai Forest ebolavirus close to Bundibugyo ebolavirus but the layout state ebola epidemic spread far apart. The genetic distance for this type of Bundibugyo ebolavirus with Tai Forest ebolavirus is 0.3725. Type Tai Forest ebolavirus similar to Bundibugyo ebolavirus not inuenced by the proximity of the area ebola epidemic spread.

  11. Reprint of "Epidemiology of brucellosis, Q Fever and Rift Valley Fever at the human and livestock interface in northern Côte d'Ivoire".

    PubMed

    Kanouté, Youssouf B; Gragnon, Biégo G; Schindler, Christian; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Schelling, Esther

    2017-11-01

    Northern Côte d'Ivoire is the main livestock breeding zone and has the highest livestock cross-border movements in Côte d'Ivoire. The aim of this study was to provide updated epidemiological data on three neglected zoonotic diseases, namely brucellosis, Q Fever and Rift Valley Fever (RVF). We conducted three-stage cross-sectional cluster surveys in livestock and humans between 2012 and 2014 in a random selection of 63 villages and a sample of 633 cattle, 622 small ruminants and 88 people. We administered questionnaires to capture risk factors and performed serological tests including the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), Brucella spp. indirect and competitive ELISAs, Coxiella burnetii indirect ELISA and RVF competitive ELISA. The human seroprevalence for Brucella spp. was 5.3%. RBPT-positive small ruminants tested negative by the indirect ELISA. The seroprevalence of Brucella spp. in cattle adjusted for clustering was 4.6%. Cattle aged 5-8 years had higher odds of seropositivity (OR=3.5) than those aged ≤4years. The seropositivity in cattle was associated with having joint hygromas (OR=9), sharing the pastures with small ruminants (OR=5.8) and contact with pastoralist herds (OR=11.3). The seroprevalence of Q Fever was 13.9% in cattle, 9.4% in sheep and 12.4% in goats. The seroprevalence of RVF was 3.9% in cattle, 2.4% in sheep and 0% in goats. Seropositive ewes had greater odds (OR=4.7) of abortion than seronegative ones. In cattle, a shorter distance between the night pens and nearest permanent water bodies was a protective factor (OR=0.1). The study showed that the exposure to the three zoonoses is rather low in northern Côte d'Ivoire. Within a One Health approach, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness of control measures should be assessed for an integrated control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Two Major Clades of Bradyrhizobia Dominate Symbiotic Interactions with Pigeonpea in Fields of Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Fossou, Romain K.; Ziegler, Dominik; Zézé, Adolphe; Barja, François; Perret, Xavier

    2016-01-01

    In smallholder farms of Côte d'Ivoire, particularly in the northeast of the country, Cajanus cajan (pigeonpea) has become an important crop because of its multiple beneficial facets. Pigeonpea seeds provide food to make ends meet, are sold on local markets, and aerial parts serve as forage for animals. Since it fixes atmospheric nitrogen in symbiosis with soil bacteria collectively known as rhizobia, C. cajan also improves soil fertility and reduces fallow time. Yet, seed yields remain low mostly because farmers cannot afford chemical fertilizers. To identify local rhizobial strains susceptible to be used as bio-inoculants to foster pigeonpea growth, root nodules were collected in six fields of three geographically distant regions of Côte d'Ivoire. Nodule bacteria were isolated and characterized using various molecular techniques including matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and DNA sequencing. These molecular analyses showed that 63 out of 85 nodule isolates belonged to two major clades of bradyrhizobia, one of which is known as the Bradyrhizobium elkanii super clade. Phylogenies of housekeeping (16S-ITS-23S, rpoB) and symbiotic (nifH) genes were not always congruent suggesting that lateral transfer of nitrogen fixation genes also contributed to define the genome of these bradyrhizobial isolates. Interestingly, no field-, plant-, or cultivar-specific effect was found to shape the profiles of symbiotic strains. In addition, nodule isolates CI-1B, CI-36E, and CI-41A that belong to distinct species, showed similar symbiotic efficiencies suggesting that any of these strains might serve as a proficient inoculant for C. cajan. PMID:27891120

  13. Sexual abstinence behavior among never-married youths in a generalized HIV epidemic country: evidence from the 2005 Côte d'Ivoire AIDS indicator survey.

    PubMed

    Koffi, Alain K; Kawahara, Kazuo

    2008-12-16

    Sexual abstinence is the best available option for preventing both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. Identifying the factors associated with sexual abstinence among youths would have meaningful implications in a generalized HIV epidemic country such as the Côte d'Ivoire. Thus, we explored sexual abstinence behavior among never-married individuals aged 15 to 24 in Côte d'Ivoire and assessed factors that predict sexual abstinence. We obtained data from the nationally representative and population-based 2005 Côte d'Ivoire AIDS Indicator Survey, conducted from September 2004 to October 2005. Our sample included 3041 never-married people aged 15 to 24. Of these, 990 reported never having sexual intercourse (primary abstinence) and 137 reported sexual experience but not in the 12 months prior to the survey (secondary abstinence). In all, 1127 youths reported sexual abstinence practice. Of the 3041 never-married youths, 54.4% were male and 45.6% were female. About 33.0%, 6.7%, and 37.1% of them were practicing primary, secondary, and sexual abstinence behavior, respectively. Females of higher education level were significantly 11.14 times as likely as those of no education to practice either primary or secondary abstinence. Males who were animists, had no religion, or were practicing religions other than Christianity or Muslim were significantly less likely than other male youths to practice sexual abstinence (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.30-0.95). Living in the north-west region of the country significantly decreased the odds of sexual abstinence among female youths. Similarly, female youths living in rural areas were significantly 0.42 times as likely as those in the urban zones to practice sexual abstinence. HIV/AIDS prevention program components could include media campaigns, educational intervention improvement, as well as promoting policies that shape female youth livelihoods. Likewise, youth involvement in initiatives to design

  14. Ledantevirus: a proposed new genus in the Rhabdoviridae has a strong ecological association with bats.

    PubMed

    Blasdell, Kim R; Guzman, Hilda; Widen, Steven G; Firth, Cadhla; Wood, Thomas G; Holmes, Edward C; Tesh, Robert B; Vasilakis, Nikos; Walker, Peter J

    2015-02-01

    The Le Dantec serogroup of rhabdoviruses comprises Le Dantec virus from a human with encephalitis and Keuriliba virus from rodents, each isolated in Senegal. The Kern Canyon serogroup comprises a loosely connected set of rhabdoviruses many of which have been isolated from bats, including Kern Canyon virus from California, Nkolbisson virus from Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Cote d'Ivoire, Kolente virus from Guinea, Mount Elgon bat and Fikirini viruses from Kenya, and Oita virus from Japan. Fukuoka virus isolated from mosquitoes, midges, and cattle in Japan, Barur virus from a rodent in India and Nishimuro virus from pigs in Japan have also been linked genetically or serologically to this group. Here, we analyze the genome sequences and phylogenetic relationships of this set of viruses. We show that they form three subgroups within a monophyletic group, which we propose should constitute the new genus Ledantevirus. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  15. Effects of human dynamics on epidemic spreading in Côte d'Ivoire

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Ruiqi; Wang, Wenxu; Di, Zengru

    2017-02-01

    Understanding and predicting outbreaks of contagious diseases are crucial to the development of society and public health, especially for underdeveloped countries. However, challenging problems are encountered because of complex epidemic spreading dynamics influenced by spatial structure and human dynamics (including both human mobility and human interaction intensity). We propose a systematical model to depict nationwide epidemic spreading in Côte d'Ivoire, which integrates multiple factors, such as human mobility, human interaction intensity, and demographic features. We provide insights to aid in modeling and predicting the epidemic spreading process by data-driven simulation and theoretical analysis, which is otherwise beyond the scope of local evaluation and geometrical views. We show that the requirement that the average local basic reproductive number to be greater than unity is not necessary for outbreaks of epidemics. The observed spreading phenomenon can be roughly explained as a heterogeneous diffusion-reaction process by redefining mobility distance according to the human mobility volume between nodes, which is beyond the geometrical viewpoint. However, the heterogeneity of human dynamics still poses challenges to precise prediction.

  16. [Tobacco consumption of students ages 8 to 22 in Abidjan, 2002].

    PubMed

    Bogui, P; Yessoh, M; Tuo, N; Ouattara, S; Dah, C; Kouamé, N

    2004-09-01

    To update full time educated youth data on smoking prevalence related to gender and to assess perception and behaviour related to smoking, we have led a self-administrated question-study from January to June 2002 in Abidjan with students from 8 to 22 years old. Our population was divided in 3 groups: T1 (812 years), T2 (13-17 years) and T3 (18-22 years). The size of each group has been determined using the smoking estimated rate in each of them. 2742 students had returned a well-full questionnaire, with the following rates, expressed by mean and standard deviation in%: a total smoking rate at 7.9 +/- 0.5, with statistic difference between boys and girls (11 +/- 0,8 versus 3,7 +/- 0,5; p<0.001). This rate increased with age: 3.7 +/- 0.8 in T1; 12.9 +/- 1.0 in T2 and 17.1 +/- 1,1% in T3. Globally, the rate was 0.7 +/- 0.2 for regular smokers (>or=1 cigarette/day) (10% of C.D.T.) and 1.7 +/- 0.2% for ex-smokers. 99.2% of current smokers used cigarettes only. On average, the tobacco consumption was 3.4 cigarettes/day. In non-smokers group, 88% had respiratory symptoms linked to smoke exposure, with 17% of major dyspnea. Non smokers reported public places as the most frequent (66.7 +/- 1.3%) and the highest long time exposure (44.3 +/- 1.9%) places to second hand smoke. A similar smoking prevalence between asthmatics and non-asthmatics subjects, and between sporty type and non sporty type subjects, suggested that students had superficial knowledge or under assessment on smoking detrimental effect. However, their perception of smoking health hazard was sufficient to give 95 +/- 1% favourable opinions on necessary smoking place regulations and 85 +/- 1% favourable opinions on tobacco product advertising ban. The epidemiological and behaviour information given by this study might contribute to the development of a national youth tobacco control program, provided a complementary national survey would be led including non educated youth.

  17. [Hearing aids at the International Center of Auditory rehabilitation in Abidjan: Prosthetics gains and satisfaction in patients].

    PubMed

    Mobio, M N A; Ilé, S; Yavo, N; Koffi-Aka, V; Kouassi-Ndjeundo, J; Tea, B

    To evaluate patients wearing hearing aid at the International Center of Auditory Correction in Abidjan. It is a descriptif and transversal study from 07/01/99 to 06/30/10. We have included the files of patients completely filled. We have stu­died the indications, prosthetics gains and the satisfaction after hearing aid. We have achieved 536 files. The ave­rage was 36 years. The indications have been in 76.1% cases of sensorineural hearing loss. The hearing loss has been associa­ted in 13.2% cases to language disorder. For all patient we have noticed bilateral hearing loss in 496 cases (92.5%). The behind the ear aids have been chosen in 69% cases. The type was analogical or digital respectively in 65% and 35% des cas. The prosthetic pure tonal gain was more than 30 dB in 66.8% cases and the prosthetic speech reception threshold gain more than 30 dB in 55.3% cases. The patients have been respectively satisfied less satisfacted, no satisfacted in 68.47%, 22.76% and 8.7% cases. The hearing aids have improved the audition in most of the indications. The proportion of patients satisfied was proportionally equivalent to the audiometric results.

  18. The Potential of Food Fortification to Add Micronutrients in Young Children and Women of Reproductive Age – Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Rohner, Fabian; Leyvraz, Magali; Konan, Amoin G.; Esso, Lasme J. C. E.; Wirth, James P.; Norte, Augusto; Adiko, Adiko F.; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Aaron, Grant J.

    2016-01-01

    Poor micronutrient intakes are a major contributing factor to the high burden of micronutrient deficiencies in Côte d’Ivoire. Large-scale food fortification is considered a cost-effective approach to deliver micronutrients, and fortification of salt (iodine), wheat flour (iron and folic acid), and vegetable oil (vitamin A) is mandatory in Côte d’Ivoire. A cross-sectional survey on households with at least one child 6–23 months was conducted to update coverage figures with adequately fortified food vehicles in Abidjan, the capital of and largest urban community in Côte d’Ivoire, and to evaluate whether additional iron and vitamin A intake is sufficient to bear the potential to reduce micronutrient malnutrition. Information on demographics and food consumption was collected, along with samples of salt and oil. Wheat flour was sampled from bakeries and retailers residing in the selected clusters. In Abidjan, 86% and 97% of salt and vegetable oil samples, respectively, were adequately fortified, while only 32% of wheat flour samples were adequately fortified, but all samples contained some added iron. There were no major differences in additional vitamin A and iron intake between poor and non-poor households. For vitamin A in oil, the additional percentage of the recommended nutrient intake was 27% and 40% for children 6–23 months and women of reproductive age, respectively, while for iron from wheat flour, only 13% and 19% could be covered. Compared to previous estimates, coverage has remained stable for salt and wheat flour, but improved for vegetable oil. Fortification of vegetable oil clearly provides a meaningful additional amount of vitamin A. This is not currently the case for iron, due to the low fortification levels. Iron levels in wheat flour should be increased and monitored, and additional vehicles should be explored to add iron to the Ivorian diet. PMID:27384762

  19. Effects of hygiene and defecation behavior on helminths and intestinal protozoa infections in Taabo, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Schmidlin, Thomas; Hürlimann, Eveline; Silué, Kigbafori D; Yapi, Richard B; Houngbedji, Clarisse; Kouadio, Bernadette A; Acka-Douabélé, Cinthia A; Kouassi, Dongo; Ouattara, Mamadou; Zouzou, Fabien; Bonfoh, Bassirou; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg; Raso, Giovanna

    2013-01-01

    More than 1 billion people are currently infected with soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomes. The global strategy to control helminthiases is the regular administration of anthelmintic drugs to at-risk populations. However, rapid re-infection occurs in areas where hygiene, access to clean water, and sanitation are inadequate. In July 2011, inhabitants from two villages and seven hamlets of the Taabo health demographic surveillance system in south-central Côte d'Ivoire provided stool and urine samples. Kato-Katz and ether-concentration methods were used for the diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni, soil-transmitted helminths (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm), and intestinal protozoa. Urine samples were subjected to a filtration method for the diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium. A questionnaire was administered to households to obtain information on knowledge, attitude, practice, and beliefs in relation to hygiene, sanitation, and defecation behavior. Logistic regression models were employed to assess for associations between questionnaire data and parasitic infections. A total of 1,894 participants had complete data records. Parasitological examinations revealed prevalences of hookworm, S. haematobium, T. trichiura, S. mansoni, and A. lumbricoides of 33.5%, 7.0%, 1.6%, 1.3% and 0.8%, respectively. Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar were detected in 15.0% and 14.4% of the participants, respectively. Only one out of five households reported the presence of a latrine, and hence, open defecation was common. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age, sex, socioeconomic status, hygiene, and defecation behavior are determinants for helminths and intestinal protozoa infections. We found that inadequate sanitation and hygiene behavior are associated with soil-transmitted helminths and intestinal protozoa infections in the Taabo area of south-central Côte d'Ivoire. Our data will serve as a benchmark to monitor the

  20. 27 CFR 12.31 - List of approved names by country.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ..., Chateau Yquem, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Chenas, Chevalier-Montrachet, Chiroubles, Clos de la Roche, Clos de Vougeot, Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Cote de Beaune, Cote de Beaune-Villages, Cote de Brouilly, Cote de Nuits, Cote de Nuits-Villages, Cote Rotie, Coteaux du Layon, Cotes du Rhone, Echezeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers...

  1. 27 CFR 12.31 - List of approved names by country.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ..., Chateau Yquem, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Chenas, Chevalier-Montrachet, Chiroubles, Clos de la Roche, Clos de Vougeot, Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Cote de Beaune, Cote de Beaune-Villages, Cote de Brouilly, Cote de Nuits, Cote de Nuits-Villages, Cote Rotie, Coteaux du Layon, Cotes du Rhone, Echezeaux, Entre-Deux-Mers...

  2. Assessment of Mycotoxin Exposure in Côte d'ivoire (Ivory Coast) Through Multi-Biomarker Analysis and Possible Correlation with Food Consumption Patterns.

    PubMed

    Kouadio, James Halbin; Lattanzio, Veronica M T; Ouattara, Djeneba; Kouakou, Brou; Visconti, Angelo

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the presented study was to investigate the mycotoxin exposure of Ivorian population related to the consumption patterns of maize, peanuts, millet, and cassava product (attiéké). Maize flour samples (n = 51) were purchased from all Abidjan local markets, in the south of Ivory Coast, and urine (n = 99) was collected during the same reference period (July-September 2011) from volunteers living in Abidjan and Daloa cities. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) was used to analyze aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins (FB1, FB2), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEA), and T-2 and HT-2 toxins in maize flour samples, and their relevant biomarkers (AFM1, DON, DON + de-epoxydeoxynivalenol (DOM-1), FB1, α-zearalenol (ZOL), β-ZOL, and OTA) in urine samples. Critical maize contamination was observed by AFs occurrence (total AFs 4.5 - 330.0 μg/kg) while OTA was found in 13% of samples analyzed. AFM1 was detected in 40% of urines samples (0.06 - 14.11 ng/ml), OTA in 37% (0.01 - 0.42 ng/ml), FB1 in 27% (0.07 to 15.31 ng/ml) and, DON was found in 21% of samples at levels up to 10.0 ng/ml. The correlation coefficients (R(2)) obtained by plotting the percentage of biomarker occurrence (positive samples) versus the frequency of food consumption revealed maize, peanuts, millet and attiéké were strongly linked to AFB1 and OTA exposure with values of R(2) ranged from 0.462 to 0.956. The present study provided data on mycotoxin risk in Ivory Coast, revealing a frequent co-exposure to the major mycotoxins such as AFs, OTA, and fumonisins, which appeared to be related to the frequency of peanuts, maize, millet and attiéké consumption.

  3. [Gingival displacement techniques in daily practice. Survey among dental surgeons in Abidjan, Ivory Coast].

    PubMed

    Pesson, D M; Bakou, O D; Didia, E L E; Kouame, A; Blohoua, M R J J; Djeredou, K B

    2015-12-01

    Access to cervical margins allows the practitioner to record the entire cervical margin in order to provide a true copy to the technician. This requires a gingival displacement obtainable by different techniques. This study aimed to assess the implementation of gingival displacement methods prior to impression taking in fixed prosthodontics. This is a descriptive and cross-sectional survey of sample of 71 dentists practising in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; which ran from October 2nd, 2010 to November 14th, 2010. A survey form was administered to dentists. The questionnaire was organised around the following headings: identification of dentists and practice of gingival displacement methods. The data processing done using software Epi Info 6 and Excel XP on Window XP, allowed calculation of frequencies, means and proportions and the establishment of connection between variables with the chi2 test. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. The results of the survey indicate that non-surgical methods of gingival displacement, including retraction cords and temporary crowns are those they use most frequently (76.4%) because the vast majority of practitioners (87.22%) believe the most traumatic to the periodontium are surgical methods. Our study showed that the gingival displacement methods are frequently carried out in daily practice, regardless of the topography of the abutment teeth and their number, but with a preference for non-surgical methods, particularly those using retraction cords and temporary crowns. The use of injectable gingival displacement paste is not harmful to the periodontal tissues, easy to use and have a very efficient haemostatic action. It should also be known and practiced.

  4. Spectrum and impact of health problems during deployment: a prospective, multicenter study of French soldiers operating in Afghanistan, Lebanon and Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Aoun, Olivier; Roqueplo, Cédric; Rapp, Christophe

    2014-01-01

    More than 15 000 French soldiers are continuously deployed abroad. Along with combat-related injuries, they are exposed to non-combat-related diseases with an underestimated burden. Our objectives were to assess the incidence and impact of health problems on their operating capacity. A prospective multicenter study was conducted over more than three months in Lebanon, Côte d'Ivoire and Afghanistan including exclusively French soldiers. We collected 4349 consultations (Afghanistan {n = 719}, Lebanon {n = 1401} and Côte d'Ivoire {n = 2229}) encompassing 4600 health problems. Injuries (21%), diarrhea (19%), dermatoses (17.5%) and respiratory tract infections (10.45%) were the most frequent health issues. Infectious diseases represented 41% of all health problems. Almost nine out of ten patients were managed as outpatients. Ten combat-related deaths were observed. We reported 68 (1.5%) medical repatriations of which 28 and 26 were psychiatric and trauma cases respectively. Partial or complete incapacity was estimated 724 days/1000 men/month. Etiological spectrum was similar in all three countries however, the incidence of diarrhea (p < 0.05) as well as inpatient management and medical evacuation rates were higher (p < 0.0001) in Afghanistan. There was a wide spectrum of health problems occurring during military deployments with a predominance of common infections. Non-combat-related pathology represented an important burden for the loss of operating capacity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Sleep-wake cycle of adolescents in Côte d'Ivoire: influence of age, gender, religion and occupation.

    PubMed

    Borchers, Claudia; Randler, Christoph

    2012-12-01

    The human sleep-wake cycle is characterized by significant individual differences. Those differences in the sleep-wake cycle are partially heritable but are also influenced by environmental factors like the light/dark cycle or social habits. In this study we analyse for the first time the sleep-wake rhythm of adolescent pupils and working adolescents in a less industrialised country in West Africa near the equator. The aim of this study was to explore the sleep wake cycle in this geographical region, using Côte d'Ivoire as an example. Data collection took place between 2nd of March and 10th of June 2009. 588 adolescents (338 girls, 250 boys) between 10 and 15 years (mean ± SD: 12.72 ± 1.63) participated in this study. We collected data on the religion of the participants (Christian (N = 159), Muslim (N = 352), other/no religion (N = 77)) and their occupation. Participants were either pupils attending school (N = 336) or adolescents that were already working (N = 252) and not attending school. The interviewer filled in the questionnaire. We found significant effects of age (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), occupation (p = 0.002), religion (p < 0.001) and region (p < 0.001). The midpoint of sleep was on average 1:26 (SD: 00:30) on weekdays and 1:37 (SD: 00:42) on weekend days. There are significant differences between weekdays and weekend days, but these were only small. Sleep duration suggests that adolescents in Côte d'Ivoire may gain sufficient sleep during week and weekend days, and thus, may live more in accordance with their own biological clock than adolescents in the northern hemisphere. In contrast, the data can be interpreted that adolescents live in a permanent 'jetlag'. Factors may be the more continuous light/dark cycle in the tropics, low amount of ambient light and less electricity.

  6. Urbanization is a main driver for the larval ecology of Aedes mosquitoes in arbovirus-endemic settings in south-eastern Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Zahouli, Julien B Z; Koudou, Benjamin G; Müller, Pie; Malone, David; Tano, Yao; Utzinger, Jürg

    2017-07-01

    Failure in detecting naturally occurring breeding sites of Aedes mosquitoes can bias the conclusions drawn from field studies, and hence, negatively affect intervention outcomes. We characterized the habitats of immature Aedes mosquitoes and explored species dynamics along a rural-to-urban gradient in a West Africa setting where yellow fever and dengue co-exist. Between January 2013 and October 2014, we collected immature Aedes mosquitoes in water containers in rural, suburban, and urban areas of south-eastern Côte d'Ivoire, using standardized sampling procedures. Immature mosquitoes were reared in the laboratory and adult specimens identified at species level. We collected 6,159, 14,347, and 22,974 Aedes mosquitoes belonging to 17, 8, and 3 different species in rural, suburban, and urban environments, respectively. Ae. aegypti was the predominant species throughout, with a particularly high abundance in urban areas (99.374%). Eleven Aedes larval species not previously sampled in similar settings of Côte d'Ivoire were identified: Ae. albopictus, Ae. angustus, Ae. apicoargenteus, Ae. argenteopunctatus, Ae. haworthi, Ae. lilii, Ae. longipalpis, Ae. opok, Ae. palpalis, Ae. stokesi, and Ae. unilineatus. Aedes breeding site positivity was associated with study area, container type, shade, detritus, water turbidity, geographic location, season, and the presence of predators. We found proportionally more positive breeding sites in urban (2,136/3,374, 63.3%), compared to suburban (1,428/3,069, 46.5%) and rural areas (738/2,423, 30.5%). In the urban setting, the predominant breeding sites were industrial containers (e.g., tires and discarded containers). In suburban areas, containers made of traditional materials (e.g., clay pots) were most frequently encountered. In rural areas, natural containers (e.g., tree holes and bamboos) were common and represented 22.1% (163/738) of all Aedes-positive containers, hosting 18.7% of the Aedes fauna. The predatory mosquito species

  7. The HRD Competencies as Perceived by the Human Resource Development Professionals in Banks in Cote d'Ivoire

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Konan, Affoue Zitagisele

    2010-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to identify how Ivorian HRD professionals in banks perceived their current expertise levels of the HRD competencies, and how these professionals perceived the importance of these competencies needed to be successful in their occupations. In addition, this study determined competencies that are perceived to have the…

  8. Surveillance Training for Ebola Preparedness in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Mali.

    PubMed

    Cáceres, Victor M; Sidibe, Sekou; Andre, McKenzie; Traicoff, Denise; Lambert, Stephanie; King, Melanie; Kazambu, Ditu; Lopez, Augusto; Pedalino, Biagio; Guibert, Dionisio J Herrera; Wassawa, Peter; Cardoso, Placido; Assi, Bernard; Ly, Alioune; Traore, Bouyagui; Angulo, Frederick J; Quick, Linda

    2017-12-01

    The 2014-2015 epidemic of Ebola virus disease in West Africa primarily affected Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Several countries, including Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal, experienced Ebola importations. Realizing the importance of a trained field epidemiology workforce in neighboring countries to respond to Ebola importations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Field Epidemiology Training Program unit implemented the Surveillance Training for Ebola Preparedness (STEP) initiative. STEP was a mentored, competency-based initiative to rapidly build up surveillance capacity along the borders of the at-risk neighboring countries Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau. The target audience was district surveillance officers. STEP was delivered to 185 participants from 72 health units (districts or regions). Timeliness of reporting and the quality of surveillance analyses improved 3 months after training. STEP demonstrated that mentored, competency-based training, where learners attain competencies while delivering essential public health services, can be successfully implemented in an emergency response setting.

  9. Tracing health system challenges in post-conflict Côte d'Ivoire from 1893 to 2013.

    PubMed

    Gaber, Sabrina; Patel, Preeti

    2013-07-01

    While scholarship on health in conflict-affected countries is growing, there has been relatively little analysis of how armed conflict affects health systems in specific African countries, especially former French colonies. There is even less literature on the role of history in shaping health systems and how historical factors such as inequity may influence health impacts of armed conflict. Based on Côte d'Ivoire, this article argues that historical multidisciplinary analysis can provide valuable insight into the macro-level political, economic and social determinants of the health system over time. It explores how armed conflict has affected health services and exacerbates historically inherited challenges to the health system including unequal distribution of health services, bias towards curative care in urban areas, inadequate human resources and weak health governance. In the post-conflict period, this understanding may assist governments and other stakeholders to develop more appropriate health policies that address both urgent and long-term health needs.

  10. Impact of climate variability on the transmission risk of malaria in northern Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    M'Bra, Richard K; Kone, Brama; Soro, Dramane P; N'krumah, Raymond T A S; Soro, Nagnin; Ndione, Jacques A; Sy, Ibrahima; Ceccato, Pietro; Ebi, Kristie L; Utzinger, Jürg; Schindler, Christian; Cissé, Guéladio

    2018-01-01

    Since the 1970s, the northern part of Côte d'Ivoire has experienced considerable fluctuation in its meteorology including a general decrease of rainfall and increase of temperature from 1970 to 2000, a slight increase of rainfall since 2000, a severe drought in 2004-2005 and flooding in 2006-2007. Such changing climate patterns might affect the transmission of malaria. The purpose of this study was to analyze climate and environmental parameters associated with malaria transmission in Korhogo, a city in northern Côte d'Ivoire. All data were collected over a 10-year period (2004-2013). Rainfall, temperature and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were the climate and environmental variables considered. Association between these variables and clinical malaria data was determined, using negative binomial regression models. From 2004 to 2013, there was an increase in the annual average precipitation (1100.3-1376.5 mm) and the average temperature (27.2°C-27.5°C). The NDVI decreased from 0.42 to 0.40. We observed a strong seasonality in these climatic variables, which resembled the seasonality in clinical malaria. An incremental increase of 10 mm of monthly precipitation was, on average, associated with a 1% (95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.7 to 1.2%) and a 1.2% (95% CI: 0.9 to 1.5%) increase in the number of clinical malaria episodes one and two months later respectively. A 1°C increase in average monthly temperature was, on average, associated with a decline of a 3.5% (95% CI: 0.1 to 6.7%) in clinical malaria episodes. A 0.1 unit increase in monthly NDVI was associated with a 7.3% (95% CI: 0.8 to 14.1%) increase in the monthly malaria count. There was a similar increase for the preceding-month lag (6.7% (95% CI: 2.3% to 11.2%)). The study results can be used to establish a malaria early warning system in Korhogo to prepare for outbreaks of malaria, which would increase community resilience no matter the magnitude and pattern of climate change.

  11. AIDS chief says nonoxynol-9 not effective against HIV.

    PubMed

    According to Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the international multi-site trial of the spermicide nonoxynol-9 in gel form has shown that it is not effective in protecting women from HIV infection. This large-scale Phase III efficacy trial was conducted among female sex workers in Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa, and Thailand. Apart from receiving the trial microbicide or a placebo, participants also received classical HIV prevention support, such as free condoms, free treatment for sexually transmitted infections, counseling, and peer support. One positive outcome of the trial is that fewer of the sex workers who participated became infected with HIV, compared with the sex workers who did not participate at all in the study. However, Piot states that even if the results of the trials are disappointing, the search for an effective microbicide continues. To this effect, at least 36 compounds are at the preclinical testing stage, while 20 are ready for early safety trials in human volunteers and three additional compounds are being considered for large-scale trials.

  12. Cocoa Intensification Scenarios and Their Predicted Impact on CO2 Emissions, Biodiversity Conservation, and Rural Livelihoods in the Guinea Rain Forest of West Africa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gockowski, Jim; Sonwa, Denis

    2011-08-01

    The Guinean rain forest (GRF) of West Africa, identified over 20 years ago as a global biodiversity hotspot, had reduced to 113,000 km2 at the start of the new millennium which was 18% of its original area. The principal driver of this environmental change has been the expansion of extensive smallholder agriculture. From 1988 to 2007, the area harvested in the GRF by smallholders of cocoa, cassava, and oil palm increased by 68,000 km2. Field results suggest a high potential for significantly increasing crop yields through increased application of seed-fertilizer technologies. Analyzing land-use change scenarios, it was estimated that had intensified cocoa technology, already developed in the 1960s, been pursued in Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon that over 21,000 km2 of deforestation and forest degradation could have been avoided along with the emission of nearly 1.4 billion t of CO2. Addressing the low productivity of agriculture in the GRF should be one of the principal objectives of REDD climate mitigation programs.

  13. Winning the battle against the scourge of poliomyelitis in the African Region.

    PubMed

    Moeti, Matshidiso

    2016-10-10

    Recently we have recorded some progress against the transmission of poliovirus in the African Region. This is attributable to a number of factors, including commitment of global partnerships against polio, improvement of existing strategies as well as a number of innovations in response to the disease in the Region. The WHO Regional Office in Africa documented these practices that led to the noticeable progress in the polio eradication initiative in the African Region, as lessons learnt and as part of polio legacy planning. The documentation exercise covered eight countries, namely Angola, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Togo. A number of practices were identified. Some of these practices cut across countries while others were peculiar to specific countries. We have thus developed some manuscripts to capture these practices for publication in scientific journal so as to place them in the public domain for use. It is hoped that these practices will be deployed to other public health programmes in the Region and beyond. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. Decision Lists for Lexical Ambiguity Resolution: Application to Accent Restoration in Spanish and French

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-06-01

    and compute a table of accent pa t tern distributions as follows: De -accented Form Accent Pat tern cesse cesse cessd cout cofit couta coute...c6td du laisser de cote faute de temps (1) c6td appeler l’ autre cote de l’ at lantique (1) c6td passe de notre cote de la frontiere (2) cSte...vivre sur notre cote ouest toujours verte (2) c6te creer sur la cote du labrador des (2) cSte travaillaient cote a cote , ils avaient The training

  15. Oviposition ecology and species composition of Aedes spp. and Aedes aegypti dynamics in variously urbanized settings in arbovirus foci in southeastern Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Zahouli, Julien B Z; Utzinger, Jürg; Adja, Maurice A; Müller, Pie; Malone, David; Tano, Yao; Koudou, Benjamin G

    2016-09-29

    Aedes mosquito-transmitted outbreaks of dengue and yellow fever have been reported from rural and urban parts of Côte d'Ivoire. The present study aimed at assessing Aedes spp. oviposition ecology in variously urbanized settings within arbovirus foci in southeastern Côte d'Ivoire. Aedes spp. eggs were sampled using a standard ovitrap method from January 2013 to April 2014 in different ecosystems of rural, suburban and urban areas. Emerged larvae were reared until the adult stage for species identification. Aedes spp. oviposition ecology significantly varied from rural-to-urban areas and according to the ecozones and the seasons. Species richness of Aedes spp. gradually decreased from rural (eight species) to suburban (three species) and urban (one species) areas. Conversely, emerged adult Aedes spp. mean numbers were higher in the urban (1.97 Aedes/ovitrap/week), followed by the suburban (1.44 Aedes/ovitrap/week) and rural (0.89 Aedes/ovitrap/week) areas. Aedes aegypti was the only species in the urban setting (100 %), and was also the predominant species in suburban (85.5 %) and rural (63.3 %) areas. The highest Ae. aegypti mean number was observed in the urban (1.97 Ae. aegypti/ovitrap/week), followed by the suburban (1.20 Ae. aegypti/ovitrap/week) and rural (0.57 Ae. aegypti/ovitrap/week) areas. Aedes africanus (9.4 %), Ae. dendrophilus (8.0 %), Ae. metallicus (1.3 %) in the rural, and Ae. vittatus (6.5 %) and Ae. metallicus (1.2 %) in the suburban areas each represented more than 1 % of the total Aedes fauna. In all areas, Aedes species richness and abundance were higher in the peridomestic zones and during the rainy season, with stronger variations in species richness in the rural and in abundance in the urban areas. Besides, the highest Culex quinquefasciatus abundance was found in the urban areas, while Eretmapodites chrysogaster was restricted to the rural areas. Urbanization correlates with a substantially higher abundance in Aedes mosquitoes and

  16. [Acquired caustic vagina stenosis: Surgical outcomes of 21 cases].

    PubMed

    Séni, K; Horo, A G; Koffi, A; Aka, K E; Fomba, M; Koné, M

    2016-03-01

    To document epidemiology, causes, anatomical varieties and surgical management outcomes of caustic acquired vagina stenosis. Retrospective study of 21 patients involved from 1996 to 2012 at the department of obstetrics and gynecology of Yopougon's teaching hospital in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Vaginal stenosis due to genital malformation, vaginal irradiation of pelvic tumours, repair of bladder and vaginal fistulae or intersexual disorders were excluded. The prevalence was 0.14/1000 admissions, mean age was 32.1 years, mean gravidity was 1.76 and mean parity was 1.1. Vaginal stenosis seat and extent were variable and 100 % had a caustic origin by use of traditional medicine vaginal pessaire. Of the patients, 95.2 % underwent surgical treatment followed by several dilations sessions with glass dilators. Successful surgical outcome allowing coitus was achieved in 47.6 % of cases with 52.4 % failure. Acquired caustic vagina stenosis are frequently occurring and are a public health problem related to ignorance. Health education and establishment of expert centers with exchange of experiences in West Africa should be able to improve surgical outcomes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier SAS.

  17. [Clinical and developmental aspects of care-related tetanus in the reference service of the teaching hospital of Abidjan].

    PubMed

    Aba, T; Kra, O; Ehui, E; Tanon, K A; Kacou, A R; Ouatara, B; Bissagnéné, E; Kadio, A

    2011-02-01

    A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from medical data of inpatients with tetanus in the Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases of the University Hospital of Treichville in Abidjan from January 2003 to December 2007. In five years, 221 cases of tetanus have been hospitalized. The tetanus gateway was found in 188 patients (85%). Tetanus gateway linked to care was found in 22 patients (11.7%). Acts of care in question were intramuscular injections (10 cases) and operative procedures (12 cases). Concerning medical care by intramuscular injection, quinine (four cases), sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (one case), and long-acting penicillin (one case) were the identified drugs. The operative procedures mainly involved were skin sutures (nine cases), cures of hernia (two cases), and flattening of Fournier's gangrene (one case). The average incubation period was 9.5 days. The invasion lasted for an average of 1.8 days. On admission, tetanus was immediately generalized for all patients with the presence of paroxysms in 20 patients (90.9%). The lethality of tetanus related care was 54.5%. The death rate in the first 48 hours of hospitalization was estimated at 83.3%. The average length of hospital stay was 14.6 days. Health workers should be involved in the prevention of tetanus in improving the quality of care and especially in reducing intramuscular injections. Also, any patient not immunized against tetanus should receive anti-tetanus serum and an update of its tetanus vaccine before any invasive procedures.

  18. [Medical emergencies related to HIV/AIDS in tropical zones: a prospective study in Cote d'Ivoire (1999-2000)].

    PubMed

    Tanon, A; Eholié, S; Binan, Y; Ehui, E; Zana, E; Maurice, C; Bissagnené, E; Aoussi, E; Kakou, A; Kadio, A

    2006-04-01

    At the beginning of the HIV epidemic, the incidence of the complications considered as emergencies was high in developed countries but with the advent of new therapeutic strategies the frequency of such complications and the associated need for emergency treatment decreased drastically. In developing countries where management resources remain limited, HIV/AIDS patients are still exposed to the risk of serious complications. However few studies have documented exact implication of HIV/AIDS in medical emergencies hospitals in developing countries. The purpose of this prospective study was to describe medical emergencies related to HIV infection in adult patients admitted at Treichvilie University Hospital Center. Evaluation of prevalence was carried out in the infections disease and internal medicine emergency units between May 1999 and January 2000. All patients over the age of 15 years were included after informed consent to undergo pre-testing and HIV serology. A total of 400 patients were recruited including 312 that were HIV positive (78%). Mean patient age of patients was 35 years. The male-to-female sex ratio was 1. The most frequent motives for emergency consultation were deterioration of general condition (62%), diarrhea (39.1%) and cough (20.5%). Illness was chronic in 54% of cases. Physical signs were severe weight lost (84%), fever (50%), pale conjunctivas (29%), respiratory signs (19.2%) and dehydration (19%). The most frequent organic involvement causing admission was digestive (39.7%), neurological (24.4%) and pulmonary (20.5%). No deaths were observed. Most medical emergencies related to the HIV infection in the adult involved opportunistic diseases. They pose a challenge for therapeutic management.

  19. Evolution of hepatocellular carcinoma epidemiology in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Didi-Kouko Coulibaly, Judith; Yeboua, Mireille; Kouassi Mbengue, Alphonsine; Kouadio, Emile Allah; Anzouan-Kacou Kissi, Henriette; Binan, Allah Yves-Omer; Lohoues Kouacou, Marie-Jeanne; Attia, Alain; Yao, Dowlo N'dri Athanase; Toutou, Toussaint; Adoubi, Innocent; Pineau, Pascal

    2017-11-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma is a major concern for Public health in West Africa. In Côte d'Ivoire, the bulk of our knowledge stems from studies conducted decades ago. Our aim was, thus, to assess whether the epidemiological features of this tumor changed recently. Records from 863 patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2014 were analyzed. We observed major drifts concerning hepatocellular carcinoma with regards to the 1970-1980 period. Age at presentation is substantially delayed (49.4±14.1 years) whereas sex ratio decreased substantially (M:F=2.6). Patients seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus represented 65% and 25% of cases whereas alcohol intake was reported in 36%. AFP level was above 400ng/mL in 36% of cases and tumors were already multinodular and/or metastatic at diagnosis in 77% and 26% of patients. Geographical and anthropological variations were observed with excesses of female cases affecting regions (Lagunes) or linguisitic groups (Kru). North-Mande speakers were more often identified as nonBnonC than others. Ivorian epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma was reshaped during the last decades. These changes, most likely due to the spread of hepatitis C virus, resulted in an older and feminized population of patients. We fear that the current and future prevalence of anti-HCV cases might thwart the expected benefits of anti-hepatitis B immunization. Appropriate measures should be taken to prevent further transmission of hepatitis C in the country. Copyright © 2017 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Scope and Limits of an anamnestic questionnaire in a control-induced low-endemicity helminthiasis setting in south-central Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Fürst, Thomas; Ouattara, Mamadou; Silué, Kigbafori D; N'Goran, Dje N; Adiossan, Lukas G; Bogoch, Isaac I; N'Guessan, Yao; Koné, Siaka; Utzinger, Jürg; N'Goran, Eliézer K

    2014-01-01

    Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis are two high-burden neglected tropical diseases. In highly endemic areas, control efforts emphasize preventive chemotherapy. However, as morbidity, infection, and transmission begin to decrease, more targeted treatment is likely to become more cost-effective, provided that comparatively cheap diagnostic methods with reasonable accuracy are available. Adults were administered an anamnestic questionnaire in mid-2010 during a cross-sectional epidemiological survey in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system in south-central Côte d'Ivoire. Questions pertaining to risk factors and signs and symptoms for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis were included. The individuals' helminth infection status and their belonging to three different anthelmintic treatment groups were compared with the questionnaire results (i) to inform the local health authorities about the epidemiological and clinical footprint of locally prevailing helminthiases, and (ii) to explore the scope and limits of an anamnestic questionnaire as monitoring tool, which eventually could help guiding the control of neglected tropical diseases in control-induced low-endemicity settings. Our study sample consisted of 195 adults (101 males, 94 females). We found prevalences of hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Schistosoma haematobium, and Schistosoma mansoni of 39.0%, 2.7%, 2.1%, and 2.1%, respectively. No Ascaris lumbricoides infection was found. Helminth infection intensities were generally very low. Seven, 74 and 79 participants belonged to three different treatment groups. Multivariable logistic regression models revealed statistically significant (p<0.05) associations between some risk factors, signs, and symptoms, and the different helminth infections and treatment groups. However, the risk factors, signs, and symptoms showed weak diagnostic properties. The generally low prevalence and intensity of helminth infection in this part of

  1. Changing tracks as situations change: humanitarian and health response along the Liberia-Côte d'Ivoire border.

    PubMed

    Derderian, Katharine

    2014-10-01

    In recent years, protracted crises and fragile post-conflict settings have challenged the co-existence, and even the linear continuum, of relief and development aid. Forced migration has tested humanitarian and development paradigms where sudden-onset emergencies, violence and displacement arise alongside ongoing development work. Drawing on Médecins Sans Frontières interventions in the region from December 2010 to May 2011, this paper examines aid and healthcare responses to displacement in Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia; it focuses on challenges to the maintenance of preparedness for such foreseeable emergencies and to adaptation in response to changing situations of displacement and insecurity. This 'backsliding' from development to emergency remains a substantial challenge to aid; yet, in exactly such cases, it also presents the opportunity to ensure access to medical care that is much more urgently needed in times of crisis, including the suspension of user fees for medical care. © 2014 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2014.

  2. A Measure of the Forest Protected Areas Benefits for the Surrounding Population: A Case Study of the Bouaflé Protected Forest (CÔTE D'IVOIRE)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kouame, B. N. P.

    2015-12-01

    Côte d'Ivoire located in West Africa, registers high level of biodiversity which occurs mainly in forest land. The country has suffered severe deforestation. However, deforestation and forest degradation release Greenhouse Gases into the atmosphere which contributes to Climate Change. In order to address the deforestation, many actions are taken, one of which is the implementation of protected areas within countries. These measures put restrictions on the access of local communities to forest services. However, local communities supplement their daily livelihood from forests, especially from timber and non-timber forest products. What are the effects of forests conservation in protected areas on surrounding population? This study focuses on the Bouaflé protected forest (foret classée de Bouaflé) in the western part of Côte d'Ivoire. The forest is 20350 ha and was made a protected forest in 1974. It is one of the most deforested protected areas in the country. Firstly, we described the perception of forest benefits by the population. Secondly, we estimated the benefits of forest conservation using a contingent valuation approach, particularly the Willingness to Pay (WTP) methodology. From our sample size of 156 households, it appears that most of the individuals are aware of the importance of the forest (94 % against 6%). According to the estimate of the benefits, it results on average, people are willing to pay 1658.491F CFA (2.53 Euros). The median WTP is 1000 FCFA. This study will be helpful by adding to the scientific literature and for inducing local people implication in conservation.

  3. [Seroprevalence of HIV infection in the context of a mobile counseling and voluntary testing strategy in rural areas of Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Dagnan, N'cho Simplice; Tiembré, Issaka; Bi Vroh, Joseph Benié; Diaby, Badara; Zengbe-Acray, Pétronille; Attoh-Touré, Harvey; Adjoua, Didier; Ekra, Kouadio Daniel; Tagliante-Saracino, Janine

    2013-01-01

    In Côte d'Ivoire, HIV testing and counselling has been identified as a priority in the National 2006-2010 AIDS Strategic Plan, which is designed to evaluate the prevalence of HIV in rural areas measured by means of a mobile strategy. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study from 1st April, 2007 to 31st March 2008 in six rural areas of Côte d'Ivoire: Dabou, San Pedro, Abengourou, Tanda, Daloa, and Soubré*. The study population consisted of subjects attending the mobile voluntary counselling and testing units. The mean prevalence of HIV infection in this study was 5.30%. The mean prevalence rate in men was 5.26%, with a peak of 7.55% in the 30-34 years age-group. The mean prevalence rate in women was 5.35%, with a peak of 6.59% in the same age-group. Type HIV-1 was predominant (84.2% of the total). The most affected area was Dabou, with a rate three times higher (15.83%) than the average rate observed during the study. More educated people (university level) presented 3.5-fold (for men) or 6-fold (for women) higher infection rates than illiterate people. Although 100% of people who tested positive received a medical or community referral according to their specific needs, only 62.1% were first-line referred for medical care. In the light of the results of this study, we believe that community mobilization must be redirected to the most severely affected populations to facilitate earlier diagnosis. Actions such as training and prevention based on communication to encourage changes of behaviour should therefore be priorities in the national counselling and testing programme.

  4. Effect of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections on Physical Fitness of School Children in Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Müller, Ivan; Coulibaly, Jean T.; Fürst, Thomas; Knopp, Stefanie; Hattendorf, Jan; Krauth, Stefanie J.; Stete, Katarina; Righetti, Aurélie A.; Glinz, Dominik; Yao, Adrien K.; Pühse, Uwe; N'Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg

    2011-01-01

    Background Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis are important public health problems in sub-Saharan Africa causing malnutrition, anemia, and retardation of physical and cognitive development. However, the effect of these diseases on physical fitness remains to be determined. Methodology We investigated the relationship between schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and physical performance of children, controlling for potential confounding of Plasmodium spp. infections and environmental parameters (i.e., ambient air temperature and humidity). A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 156 school children aged 7–15 years from Côte d'Ivoire. Each child had two stool and two urine samples examined for helminth eggs by microscopy. Additionally, children underwent a clinical examination, were tested for Plasmodium spp. infection with a rapid diagnostic test, and performed a maximal multistage 20 m shuttle run test to assess their maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) as a proxy for physical fitness. Principal Findings The prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium, Plasmodium spp., Schistosoma mansoni, hookworm and Ascaris lumbricoides infections was 85.3%, 71.2%, 53.8%, 13.5% and 1.3%, respectively. Children with single, dual, triple, quadruple and quintuple species infections showed VO2 max of 52.7, 53.1, 52.2, 52.6 and 55.6 ml kg−1 min−1, respectively. The VO2 max of children with no parasite infections was 53.5 ml kg−1 min−1. No statistically significant difference was detected between any groups. Multivariable analysis revealed that VO2 max was influenced by sex (reference: female, coef. = 4.02, p<0.001) and age (years, coef. = −1.23, p<0.001), but not by helminth infection and intensity, Plasmodium spp. infection, and environmental parameters. Conclusion/Significance School-aged children in Côte d'Ivoire showed good physical fitness, irrespective of their helminth infection status. Future studies on children's physical fitness

  5. Moussa virus: a new member of the Rhabdoviridae family isolated from Culex decens mosquitoes in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Quan, Phenix-Lan; Junglen, Sandra; Tashmukhamedova, Alla; Conlan, Sean; Hutchison, Stephen K; Kurth, Andreas; Ellerbrok, Heinz; Egholm, Michael; Briese, Thomas; Leendertz, Fabian H; Lipkin, W Ian

    2010-01-01

    Characterization of arboviruses at the interface of pristine habitats and anthropogenic landscapes is crucial to comprehensive emergent disease surveillance and forecasting efforts. In context of a surveillance campaign in and around a West African rainforest, particles morphologically consistent with rhabdoviruses were identified in cell cultures infected with homogenates of trapped mosquitoes. RNA recovered from these cultures was used to derive the first complete genome sequence of a rhabdovirus isolated from Culex decens mosquitoes in Côte d'Ivoire, tentatively named Moussa virus (MOUV). MOUV shows the classical genome organization of rhabdoviruses, with five open reading frames (ORF) in a linear order. However, sequences show only limited conservation (12-33% identity at amino acid level), and ORF2 and ORF3 have no significant similarity to sequences deposited in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis indicates a potential new species with distant relationship to Tupaia and Tibrogargan virus.

  6. [Epidemiologic and clinical aspects of toxic waste poisoning in Abidjan].

    PubMed

    Tiembre, Issaka; Koné, Blaise A; Dongo, Kouassi; Tanner, Marcel; Zinsstag, Jakob; Cissé, Guéladio

    2009-01-01

    In the nights of 19 to 21 August, 2006, highly toxic waste products were dumped at various sites in Abidjan, and numerous cases of poisoning were reported to the health authorities, who were unprepared for such a problem. The research group on Environment and Health in Urban Environment from the Swiss Center of Scientific Research and its partners at the Swiss Tropical Institute undertook this study whose objectives were to: describe the epidemiologic profile of the people poisoned; identify the main clinical symptoms and the risk factors for poisoning; and recommend steps to attenuate the effects and to prevent intermediate- and long-term consequences. This cross-sectional study examined the populations living around the discharge sites (n=6). The sample size was calculated at 619 people per site, to identify a 1% risk and a standard error of 0.4%, because of variability of the human impact factor at the different sites. Households were chosen at each site by the transect technique. Six teams, each including a physician, a public health agent and a local guide collected the data, after specific training. A pilot investigation made it possible to validate the final questionnaire. Of 4573 people surveyed, 4344 people, about 95%, were home during the toxic waste discharge. In all, 2369 (51.8%) had signs of poisoning. Sex, district of residence, and presence at home at the time of the discharge were all statistically related to poisoning. The distribution of poison victims according to health centre shows that 1297 people (64.4%) visited a health center AA(3/4) 615 of them (about 47.4%) a public or official centre, and 778 (about 60%), an unofficial centre; 379 (29.2%) were managed by an NGO, 159 individuals (12.3%) by mobile units, 63 individuals (4.8%) by the unofficial public health centre, and 35 (2.7%) at an unspecified site. Of those who sought care, 673 people (about 51.8%) received a medical prescription, and 815 (or 62.7%) had been given the drug directly

  7. Sensitivity and Specificity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Rapid Serologic Assays and Testing Algorithms in an Antenatal Clinic in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

    PubMed Central

    Koblavi-Dème, Stéphania; Maurice, Chantal; Yavo, Daniel; Sibailly, Toussaint S.; N′guessan, Kabran; Kamelan-Tano, Yvonne; Wiktor, Stefan Z.; Roels, Thierry H.; Chorba, Terence; Nkengasong, John N.

    2001-01-01

    To evaluate serologic testing algorithms for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) based on a combination of rapid assays among persons with HIV-1 (non-B subtypes) infection, HIV-2 infection, and HIV-1–HIV-2 dual infections in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a total of 1,216 sera with known HIV serologic status were used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of four rapid assays: Determine HIV-1/2, Capillus HIV-1/HIV-2, HIV-SPOT, and Genie II HIV-1/HIV-2. Two serum panels obtained from patients recently infected with HIV-1 subtypes B and non-B were also included. Based on sensitivity and specificity, three of the four rapid assays were evaluated prospectively in parallel (serum samples tested by two simultaneous rapid assays) and serial (serum samples tested by two consecutive rapid assays) testing algorithms. All assays were 100% sensitive, and specificities ranged from 99.4 to 100%. In the prospective evaluation, both the parallel and serial algorithms were 100% sensitive and specific. Our results suggest that rapid assays have high sensitivity and specificity and, when used in parallel or serial testing algorithms, yield results similar to those of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based testing strategies. HIV serodiagnosis based on rapid assays may be a valuable alternative in implementing HIV prevention and surveillance programs in areas where sophisticated laboratories are difficult to establish. PMID:11325995

  8. Antepartum depression and anxiety associated with disability in African women: cross-sectional results from the CDS study in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Bindt, Carola; Appiah-Poku, John; Te Bonle, Marguerite; Schoppen, Stefanie; Feldt, Torsten; Barkmann, Claus; Koffi, Mathurin; Baum, Jana; Nguah, Samuel Blay; Tagbor, Harry; Guo, Nan; N'Goran, Eliezer; Ehrhardt, Stephan

    2012-01-01

    Common mental disorders, particularly unipolar depressive disorders, rank among the top 5 with respect to the global burden of disease. As a major public health concern, antepartum depression and anxiety not only affects the individual woman, but also her offspring. Data on the prevalence of common mental disorders in pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. We provide results from Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. We subsequently recruited and screened n = 1030 women in the third trimester of their pregnancy for depressed mood, general anxiety, and perceived disability using the Patient Health Questionnaire depression module (PHQ-9), the 7-item Anxiety Scale (GAD-7), and the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHO-DAS 2.0, 12-item version). In addition to estimates of means and prevalence, a hierarchical linear regression model was calculated to determine the influence of antepartum depression and anxiety on disability. In Ghana, 26.6% of women showed substantially depressed mood. In Côte d'Ivoire, this figure was even higher (32.9%). Clear indications for a generalized anxiety disorder were observed in 11.4% and 17.4% of pregnant women, respectively. Comorbidity of both conditions was common, affecting about 7.7% of Ghanaian and 12.6% of Ivorian participants. Pregnant women in both countries reported a high degree of disability regarding everyday activity limitations and participation restrictions. Controlled for country and age, depression and anxiety accounted for 33% of variance in the disability score. Antepartum depression and anxiety were highly prevalent in our sample and contributed substantially to perceived disability. These serious threats to health must be further investigated and more data are needed to comprehensively quantify the problem in sub-Saharan Africa.

  9. Age of smoking initiation among adolescents in Africa.

    PubMed

    Veeranki, Sreenivas P; John, Rijo M; Ibrahim, Abdallah; Pillendla, Divya; Thrasher, James F; Owusu, Daniel; Ouma, Ahmed E O; Mamudu, Hadii M

    2017-01-01

    To estimate prevalence and identify correlates of age of smoking initiation among adolescents in Africa. Data (n = 16,519) were obtained from nationally representative Global Youth Tobacco Surveys in nine West African countries. Study outcome was adolescents' age of smoking initiation categorized into six groups: ≤7, 8 or 9, 10 or 11, 12 or 13, 14 or 15 and never-smoker. Explanatory variables included sex, parental or peer smoking behavior, exposure to tobacco industry promotions, and knowledge about smoking harm. Weighted multinomial logit models were conducted to determine correlates associated with adolescents' age of smoking initiation. Age of smoking initiation was as early as ≤7 years; prevalence estimates ranged from 0.7 % in Ghana at 10 or 11 years age to 9.6 % in Cote d'Ivoire at 12 or 13 years age. Males, exposures to parental or peer smoking, and industry promotions were identified as significant correlates. West African policymakers should adopt a preventive approach consistent with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to prevent an adolescent from initiating smoking and developing into future regular smokers.

  10. Prevalence and public health relevance of micronutrient deficiencies and undernutrition in pre-school children and women of reproductive age in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa.

    PubMed

    Rohner, Fabian; Northrop-Clewes, Christine; Tschannen, Andres B; Bosso, Patrice E; Kouassi-Gohou, Valérie; Erhardt, Juergen G; Bui, Mai; Zimmermann, Michael B; Mascie-Taylor, C G Nicholas

    2014-09-01

    To provide nationally representative data on the prevalence of anaemia, vitamin A and Fe deficiencies among pre-school age children (pre-SAC) and non-pregnant women of reproductive age (WRA), and on vitamin B₁₂ and folate deficiencies in WRA, and the influence of inflammation on their interpretation. A cross-sectional survey to measure anthropometry, malaria parasitaemia and micronutrient status. Specifically, blood samples were analysed for Hb, plasma ferritin, soluble transferrin receptors, C-reactive protein, α₁-acid glycoprotein, retinol-binding protein, vitamin B₁₂ and folate. Côte d'Ivoire in 2007. Nine hundred and twenty-eight WRA and 879 pre-SAC. In WRA, prevalence of Plasmodium parasitaemia (5 %) was low, but inflammation (34 %) was higher. Anaemia was a severe public health problem and prevalence differed by residency and eco-region. Inflammation-adjusted Fe deficiency was highest in urban areas (20 %). Nationally, folate deficiency was 86 %, higher in urban areas and varied by eco-region. Prevalence of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency was low but higher in the rural areas and the north. Inflammation-adjusted vitamin A deficiency was very low (1 %). In pre-SAC, prevalence of inflammation (67 %) and Plasmodium parasites (25 %) was high; the latter was associated with poverty, rural residency and higher ferritin concentrations. Anaemia was classified as a severe public health problem (72 %), and was higher in rural areas (76 %) and the north (87 %). A quarter of pre-SAC suffered from vitamin A deficiency (inflammation-adjusted) and prevalence of undernutrition was high. Prevalence of inflammation, Plasmodium parasitaemia and micronutrient deficiencies were high in Côte d'Ivoire, particularly in pre-SAC. Nutritional interventions should be accompanied by strategies to reduce exposure to infections.

  11. [Acceptability of HIV testing provided to infants in pediatric services in Cote d'Ivoire, meanings for pediatric diagnostic coverage].

    PubMed

    Oga, Maxime; Brou, Hermann; Dago-Akribi, Hortense; Coffie, Patrick; Amani-Bossé, Clarisse; Ekouévi, Didier; Yapo, Vincent; Menan, Hervé; Ndondoki, Camille; Timité-Konan, M; Leroy, Valériane

    2014-01-01

    HIV testing in children had rarely been a central concern for researchers. When pediatric tracking retained the attention, it was more to inform on the diagnosis tools' performances rather than the fact the pediatric test can be accepted or refused. This article highlights the parents' reasons which explain why pediatric HIV test is accepted or refused. To study among parents, the explanatory factors of the acceptability of pediatric HIV testing among infant less than six months. Semi-structured interview with repeated passages in the parents of infants less than six months attending in health care facilities for the pediatric weighing/vaccination and consultations. We highlight that the parents' acceptance of the pediatric HIV screening is based on three elements. Firstly, the health care workers by his speech (which indicates its own knowledge and perceptions on the infection) directed towards mothers' influences their acceptance or not of the HIV test. Secondly, the mother who by her knowledge and perceptions on HIV, whose particular status, give an impression of her own wellbeing for her and her child influences any acceptance of the pediatric HIV test. Thirdly, the marital environment of the mother, particularly characterized by the ease of communication within the couple, to speak about the HIV test and its realization for the parents or the mother only are many factors which influence the effective realization of the pediatric HIV testing. The preventive principle of HIV transmission and the desire to realize the test in the newborn are not enough alone to lead to its effective realization, according to certain mothers confronted with the father's refusal. On the other hand, the other mothers refusing the realization of the pediatric test told to be opposed to it; of course, even if their partner would accept it. The mothers are the principal facing the pediatric HIV question and fear the reprimands and stigma. The father, the partner could be an obstacle, when he is opposed to the infant HIV testing, or also the facilitator with his realization if he is convinced. The father position thus remains essential face to the question of pediatric HIV testing acceptability. The mothers are aware of this and predict the difficulties of achieving their infant to be tested without the preliminary opinion of their partner at the same time father, and head of the family. The issue of pediatric HIV testing, at the end of our analysis, highlights three elements which require a comprehensive management to improve the coverage of pediatric HIV test. These three elements would not exist without being influenced; therefore they are constantly in interaction and prevent or support the realization or not pediatric test. Also, with the aim to improve the pediatric HIV test coverage, it is necessary to take into account the harmonious management of these elements. Firstly, the mother alone (with her knowledge, and perceptions), its marital environment (with the proposal of the HIV test integrating (1) the partner and/or father with his perceptions and knowledge on HIV infection and (2) facility of speaking about the test and its realization at both or one about the parents, the mother) and of the knowledge, attitudes and practices about the infection of health care workers of the sanitary institution. Our recommendations proposed taking into account a redefinition of the HIV/AIDS approach towards the families exposed to HIV and a more accentuated integration of the father facilitating their own HIV test acceptation and that of his child.

  12. Developpement D'un Modele Climatique Regional: Fizr Simulation des Conditions de Janvier de la Cote Ouest Nord Americaine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goyette, Stephane

    1995-11-01

    Le sujet de cette these concerne la modelisation numerique du climat regional. L'objectif principal de l'exercice est de developper un modele climatique regional ayant les capacites de simuler des phenomenes de meso-echelle spatiale. Notre domaine d'etude se situe sur la Cote Ouest nord americaine. Ce dernier a retenu notre attention a cause de la complexite du relief et de son controle sur le climat. Les raisons qui motivent cette etude sont multiples: d'une part, nous ne pouvons pas augmenter, en pratique, la faible resolution spatiale des modeles de la circulation generale de l'atmosphere (MCG) sans augmenter a outrance les couts d'integration et, d'autre part, la gestion de l'environnement exige de plus en plus de donnees climatiques regionales determinees avec une meilleure resolution spatiale. Jusqu'alors, les MCG constituaient les modeles les plus estimes pour leurs aptitudes a simuler le climat ainsi que les changements climatiques mondiaux. Toutefois, les phenomenes climatiques de fine echelle echappent encore aux MCG a cause de leur faible resolution spatiale. De plus, les repercussions socio-economiques des modifications possibles des climats sont etroitement liees a des phenomenes imperceptibles par les MCG actuels. Afin de circonvenir certains problemes inherents a la resolution, une approche pratique vise a prendre un domaine spatial limite d'un MCG et a y imbriquer un autre modele numerique possedant, lui, un maillage de haute resolution spatiale. Ce processus d'imbrication implique alors une nouvelle simulation numerique. Cette "retro-simulation" est guidee dans le domaine restreint a partir de pieces d'informations fournies par le MCG et forcee par des mecanismes pris en charge uniquement par le modele imbrique. Ainsi, afin de raffiner la precision spatiale des previsions climatiques de grande echelle, nous developpons ici un modele numerique appele FIZR, permettant d'obtenir de l'information climatique regionale valide a la fine echelle spatiale

  13. Local concepts of anemia-related illnesses and public health implications in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Kouadio, M'Bra Kd; Righetti, Aurélie A; Abé, Noël N; Wegmüller, Rita; Weiss, Mitchell G; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg

    2013-05-06

    A 14-month prospective longitudinal study conducted in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system (HDSS), south-central Côte d'Ivoire, revealed high prevalence of anemia in different population groups in three types of settings (i.e., small town, village, and hamlet). Demographic parameters and several variables related to parasitic infections, micronutrient status, and inflammation were significantly associated with higher odds of anemia. However, cultural concepts and knowledge of various anemia-related illnesses and their relation with people's behaviors have not been investigated. Sixteen focus group discussions and six key informant interviews were performed with village authorities, health workers, and traditional healers. Questionnaires were administrated to 200 school-aged children and 115 young women. Of these individuals, 206 participated in the preceding longitudinal study, whereas the remaining 109 people were not exposed to prior research, but had similar age and sex profiles. Mean prominence of participants' responses was compared between groups of participants and across study settings. Local concepts of anemia-related illnesses referred to its perceived causes based on two logical frameworks - biomedical and sociocultural - although a clear distinction was often blurred. We found few differences in knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors across study settings and between participants who were exposed to prior research and newly recruited ones. Malaria und nutritional issues as understood and managed by the population differed from definitions and recommendations provided by the health system. Malaria was not acknowledged as an exclusive mosquito-transmitted disease and participants referred to the quantity, rather than the quality, of food when talking about nutritional issues. Local concepts and ideas about anemia have public health implications, inasmuch as they are related to people's attitudes, risk-related and help-seeking behaviors, which in

  14. Skin disease prevalence study in schoolchildren in rural Côte d'Ivoire: Implications for integration of neglected skin diseases (skin NTDs).

    PubMed

    Yotsu, Rie Roselyne; Kouadio, Kouamé; Vagamon, Bamba; N'guessan, Konan; Akpa, Amari Jules; Yao, Aubin; Aké, Julien; Abbet Abbet, Rigobert; Tchamba Agbor Agbor, Barbine; Bedimo, Roger; Ishii, Norihisa; Fuller, L Claire; Hay, Roderick; Mitjà, Oriol; Drechsler, Henning; Asiedu, Kingsley

    2018-05-01

    Early detection of several skin-related neglected tropical diseases (skin NTDs)-including leprosy, Buruli ulcer, yaws, and scabies- may be achieved through school surveys, but such an approach has seldom been tested systematically on a large scale in endemic countries. Additionally, a better understanding of the spectrum of skin diseases and the at-risk populations to be encountered during such surveys is necessary to facilitate the process. We performed a school skin survey for selected NTDs and the spectrum of skin diseases, among primary schoolchildren aged 5 to 15 in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. This 2-phase survey took place in 49 schools from 16 villages in the Adzopé health district from November 2015 to January 2016. The first phase involved a rapid visual examination of the skin by local community healthcare workers (village nurses) to identify any skin abnormality. In a second phase, a specialized medical team including dermatologists performed a total skin examination of all screened students with any skin lesion and provided treatment where necessary. Of a total of 13,019 children, 3,504 screened positive for skin lesions and were listed for the next stage examination. The medical team examined 1,138 of these children. The overall prevalence of skin diseases was 25.6% (95% CI: 24.3-26.9%). The predominant diagnoses were fungal infections (n = 858, prevalence: 22.3%), followed by inflammatory skin diseases (n = 265, prevalence: 6.9%). Skin diseases were more common in boys and in children living along the main road with heavy traffic. One case of multi-bacillary type leprosy was detected early, along with 36 cases of scabies. Our survey was met with very good community acceptance. We carried out the first large-scale integrated, two-phase pediatric multi-skin NTD survey in rural Côte d'Ivoire, effectively reaching a large population. We found a high prevalence of skin diseases in children, but only limited number of skin NTDs. With the lessons learned

  15. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the central roles of two African countries in the evolution and worldwide spread of Zika virus.

    PubMed

    Shen, Shu; Shi, Junming; Wang, Jun; Tang, Shuang; Wang, Hualin; Hu, Zhihong; Deng, Fei

    2016-04-01

    Recent outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV) infections in Oceania's islands and the Americas were characterized by high numbers of cases and the spread of the virus to new areas. To better understand the origin of ZIKV, its epidemic history was reviewed. Although the available records and information are limited, two major genetic lineages of ZIKV were identified in previous studies. However, in this study, three lineages were identified based on a phylogenetic analysis of all virus sequences from GenBank, including those of the envelope protein (E) and non-structural protein 5 (NS5) coding regions. The spatial and temporal distributions of the three identified ZIKV lineages and the recombination events and mechanisms underlying their divergence and evolution were further elaborated. The potential migration pathway of ZIKV was also characterized. Our findings revealed the central roles of two African countries, Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire, in ZIKV evolution and genotypic divergence. Furthermore, our results suggested that the outbreaks in Asia and the Pacific islands originated from Africa. The results provide insights into the geographic origins of ZIKV outbreaks and the spread of the virus, and also contribute to a better understanding of ZIKV evolution, which is important for the prevention and control of ZIKV infections.

  16. Quantitative targets in DND and ICPD-PA: the prospects for West Africa.

    PubMed

    1999-01-01

    This article presents an overview of the population estimates and projections of the UN for total fertility rates (TFRs), contraceptive prevalence rates, infant mortality rates (IMRs), and life expectancy at birth (LEAB) in West Africa. Countries with a good potential to reach a TFR of 4 children or less within 10-15 years are Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and perhaps Gambia and Guinea, while the TFRs of countries such as Niger and Mali will remain above 5 in the coming decade. Low contraceptive prevalence is one of the reasons behind the slow progress in attaining low fertility levels in the subregion. When basing the data on this indicator, it appears that only Ghana and Cape Verde will attain the target of 20% by the year 2000 and 40% by the year 2010. Moreover, IMRs will continue to decline, but none of the West African countries will reach the quantitative objectives set in the Dakar/Ngor Declaration (DND) and in the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (ICPD-PA). Similarly, considerable improvements will be seen in the LEAB during the next decade, but, with the exception of Cape Verde and Ghana, none of the other countries are expected to come close to the goals set in the DND and ICPD-PA.

  17. Out of Africa: Uganda and UNAIDS advance a bold experiment.

    PubMed

    Zuniga, J

    1999-10-01

    The UNAIDS HIV Drug Access Initiative was launched in 1997 to aid four resource-limited countries: Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, Uganda, and Viet Nam. This multipronged initiative between pharmaceutical companies and government officials aims to expand access to HIV-related drugs on a small, sustainable scale in developing countries. Uganda's experience in the implementation of the UNAIDS HIV Drug Access Initiative is presented. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was struck by the reality of AIDS in 1986 when he learned that up to 25 percent of Ugandan troops might be HIV-infected. The overall Ugandan incidence of AIDS has been reduced since that time from 30 percent to about 14.5 percent due, in part, to cooperation between government and international institutions. Various charts are included, indicating cost estimates for the delivery of HIV care, and a flow chart diagrams drug procurement from six pharmaceutical companies for distribution to Ugandans living with HIV/AIDS. Minister of Health Crispus Kiyonga appointed a 15-member National Advisory Board in 1998 that established subcommittees on Drug Policy and Financing, Care and Practice, and Vertical Transmission to implement and oversee responsibilities. The establishment of Uganda's antiretroviral (ARV) treatment guidelines, standards, and educational and treatment efforts are discussed.

  18. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hartman, J.B.; Walker, T.L.

    Significant rightholding changes took place in central and southern Africa during 1987. Angola, Benin, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Seychelles, Somali Republic, Tanzania, Zaire, and Zambia announced awards or acreage open for bidding. Decreases in exploratory rightholdings occurred in Cameroon, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, and Tanzania. More wells and greater footage were drilled in 1987 than in 1986. Total wells increased by 18% as 254 wells were completed compared to 217 in 1986. Footage drilled during the year increased by 46% as about 1.9 million ft were drilled compared to about 1.3more » million ft in 1986. The success rate for exploration wells in 1987 improved slightly to 36% compared to 34% in 1986. Significant discoveries were made in Nigeria, Angola, Congo, and Gabon. Seismic acquisition in 1987 was the major geophysical activity during the year. Total oil production in 1987 was 773 million bbl (about 2.1 million b/d), a decrease of 7%. The decrease is mostly due to a 14% drop in Nigerian production, which comprises 60% of total regional production. The production share of OPEC countries (Nigeria and Gabon) versus non-OPEC countries of 67% remained unchanged from 1986. 24 figs., 5 tabs.« less

  19. Interrupting seasonal transmission of Schistosoma haematobium and control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in northern and central Côte d'Ivoire: a SCORE study protocol.

    PubMed

    Tian-Bi, Yves-Nathan T; Ouattara, Mamadou; Knopp, Stefanie; Coulibaly, Jean T; Hürlimann, Eveline; Webster, Bonnie; Allan, Fiona; Rollinson, David; Meïté, Aboulaye; Diakité, Nana R; Konan, Cyrille K; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg

    2018-01-29

    To achieve a world free of schistosomiasis, the objective is to scale up control and elimination efforts in all endemic countries. Where interruption of transmission is considered feasible, countries are encouraged to implement a comprehensive intervention package, including preventive chemotherapy, information, education and communication (IEC), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and snail control. In northern and central Côte d'Ivoire, transmission of Schistosoma haematobium is seasonal and elimination might be achieved. In a cluster-randomised trial, we will assess different treatment schemes to interrupt S. haematobium transmission and control soil-transmitted helminthiasis over a 3-year period. We will compare the impact of (i) arm A: annual mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel and albendazole before the peak schistosomiasis transmission season; (ii) arm B: annual MDA after the peak schistosomiasis transmission season; (iii) arm C: two yearly treatments before and after peak schistosomiasis transmission; and (iv) arm D: annual MDA before peak schistosomiasis transmission, coupled with chemical snail control using niclosamide. The prevalence and intensity of S. haematobium and soil-transmitted helminth infections will be assessed using urine filtration and Kato-Katz thick smears, respectively, in six administrative regions in northern and central parts of Côte d'Ivoire. Once a year, urine and stool samples will be collected and examined from 50 children aged 5-8 years, 100 children aged 9-12 years and 50 adults aged 20-55 years in each of 60 selected villages. Changes in S. haematobium and soil-transmitted helminth prevalence and intensity will be assessed between years and stratified by intervention arm. In the 15 villages randomly assigned to intervention arm D, intermediate host snails will be collected three times per year, before niclosamide is applied to the selected freshwater bodies. The snail abundance and infection rates over time

  20. A novel Coltivirus-related virus isolated from free-tailed bats from Côte d'Ivoire is able to infect human cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Weiss, Sabrina; Dabrowski, Piotr Wojtek; Kurth, Andreas; Leendertz, Siv Aina J; Leendertz, Fabian H

    2017-09-18

    Zoonotic transmission events play a major role in the emergence of novel diseases. While such events are virtually impossible to predict, wildlife screening for potential emerging pathogens can be a first step. Driven by recent disease epidemics like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and Ebola, bats have gained special interest as reservoirs of emerging viruses. As part of a bigger study investigating pathogens in African bats we screened animals for the presence of known and unknown viruses. We isolated and characterised a novel reovirus from blood of free-tailed bats (Chaereophon aloysiisabaudiae) captured in 2006 in Côte d'Ivoire. The virus showed closest relationship with two human pathogenic viruses, Colorado tick fever virus and Eyach virus, and was able to infect various human cell lines in vitro. The study shows the presence of a coltivirus-related virus in bats from Sub-Sahara Africa. Serological studies could help to assess its impact on humans or wildlife health.

  1. Etiology of Anemia Among Infants, School-Aged Children, and Young Non-Pregnant Women in Different Settings of South-Central Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Righetti, Aurélie A.; Koua, Ahou-Yah G.; Adiossan, Lukas G.; Glinz, Dominik; Hurrell, Richard F.; N'Goran, Eliézer K.; Niamké, Sébastien; Wegmüller, Rita; Utzinger, Jürg

    2012-01-01

    Anemia affects one-quarter of the world's population, but its etiology remains poorly understood. We determined the prevalence of anemia and studied underlying risk factors in infants (6–23 months), young school-aged children (6–8 years), and young non-pregnant women (15–25 years) in south-central Côte d'Ivoire. Blood, stool, and urine samples were subjected to standardized, quality-controlled methods. We found high prevalence of anemia, malaria, inflammation, and deficiencies of iron, riboflavin, and vitamin A but low prevalence and intensities of soil-transmitted helminth and schistosome infections. Multivariate regression analysis revealed significant associations between anemia and Plasmodium falciparum for infants, inflammation for school-aged children, and cellular iron deficiency for both school-aged children and non-pregnant women. Women with riboflavin deficiency had significantly lower odds of anemia. Our findings call for interventions to protect infants from malaria, improved intake of dietary iron, better access to health care, and health education. PMID:22848097

  2. Comorbidities and risk of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

    PubMed

    Divo, Miguel; Cote, Claudia; de Torres, Juan P; Casanova, Ciro; Marin, Jose M; Pinto-Plata, Victor; Zulueta, Javier; Cabrera, Carlos; Zagaceta, Jorge; Hunninghake, Gary; Celli, Bartolome

    2012-07-15

    Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are afflicted by comorbidities. Few studies have prospectively evaluated COPD comorbidities and mortality risk. To prospectively evaluate COPD comorbidities and mortality risk. We followed 1,664 patients with COPD in five centers for a median of 51 months. Systematically, 79 comorbidities were recorded. We calculated mortality risk using Cox proportional hazard, and developed a graphic representation of the prevalence and strength of association to mortality in the form of a "comorbidome". A COPD comorbidity index (COPD specific comorbidity test [COTE]) was constructed based on the comorbidities that increase mortality risk using a multivariate analysis. We tested the COTE index as predictor of mortality and explored whether the COTE index added predictive information when used with the validated BODE index. Fifteen of 79 comorbidities differed in prevalence between survivors and nonsurvivors. Of those, 12 predicted mortality and were integrated into the COTE index. Increases in the COTE index were associated with an increased risk of death from COPD-related (hazard ratio [HR], 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.18; P < 0.001) and non-COPD-related causes (HR, 1.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-1.21; P < 0.001). Further, increases in the BODE and COTE were independently associated with increased risk of death. A COTE score of greater than or equal to 4 points increased by 2.2-fold the risk of death (HR, 2.26-2.68; P < 0.001) in all BODE quartile. Comorbidities are frequent in COPD and 12 of them negatively influence survival. A simple disease-specific comorbidities index (COTE) helps assess mortality risk in patients with COPD.

  3. Preventing gender-based violence engendered by conflict: The case of Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Blay-Tofey, Morkeh; Lee, Bandy X

    2015-12-01

    Despite a growing awareness of the increased prevalence of intimate partner violence and sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict settings, much less is known about the dynamics, as well as the interventions that would be effective at individual, relational, and structural levels. In addition to the human capital lost by conflict violence, gender-based violence (GBV) poses a grave threat to the post-conflict rehabilitation process. With regard to violence that occurs during and post conflict, research must take into consideration the different types of violence that share similar causes as the larger conflict as well as become widespread as a result of the conflict and use existing frameworks to build future interventions. Researchers are trying to understand the interplay of personal, situational, and socio-cultural factors in conflict settings that combine to cause GBV and lead to guidelines for program planning to address the health and social needs of survivors as well as to prevent further GBV. These actions result from a growing recognition that violence represents a serious public health problem, is an important cause of many physical and psychological illnesses, and can cause social disruptions that impede reconstruction efforts for generations. This review studies the manifestations of GBV during and following the Ivoirian Civil War, juxtaposes them against narratives, as well as lists relevant interventions at the individual, relational, community, and institutional levels. Part of a growing literature that aims to better understand the nature of violence during and after conflict and to plan effective responses to it, this study hopes to suggest solutions for the situation of Côte d'Ivoire and elsewhere. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. [Hepatitis B knowledge among secondary school students in Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Lohouès-Kouacou, Marie-Jeanne; Assi, Constant; Ouattara, Amadou; Bonao, Sax Gohean; Koné, Siaka; Soro, Dramane; Allah-Kouadio, Emilie; Okon, Anassi Jean-Baptiste; Diakité, Mamadou; Doffou, Stanislas; Nigué, Luc; Camara, Benôit-Mathieu

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess hepatitis B knowledge among secondary school students' in Côte d'Ivoire in order to promote the inclusion of hepatitis B education in school curricula. a single cross-sectional survey involving six schools (7,376 students) was conducted. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. All students present on the day of the survey agreed to participate in the study (100%, n = 3,352). The mean age of the participants was 17.9 years (10-26 years), with a male-to-female sex ratio of 1.68. Among them, 2,552 (76.6%) had heard of the HVB. School was the main source of information (12%), after the mass media (62%). The causative agent of the disease was known by 74.1% of students (n = 2,484), sexual transmission by 39.3% (n = 1316), and blood-borne transmission by 57.2% (n = 1919). Respectively 29%, 40% and 41% of the students were aware that acupuncture, body piercing and tattooing are high-risk practices. Only 35.7% of the students knew that there was an effective vaccine. The factors associated with hepatitis B knowledge were: being aged 16 to 20 years (OR = 1.73 [95% CI 1.198 to 2.49]), living in a permanent house or apartment (OR = 1.58 [95% CI 1.234 to 2.02]) or in a house or apartment with no more than 2 persons per room (OR = 1.41 [95% CI 1.15 to 1.74]), being in terminale (final year of high school) (OR = 2.54 [2.01 to 3, 20IC95%]), and having two working parents (OR =1.54 [95% CI 1.25 to 1.88]). The students' knowledge of the hepatitis B virus was found to be inadequate and superficial. Early awareness programs provided as part of the official curriculum and measures to improve the social conditions of students should help to improve knowledge in this area.

  5. Comparison of a possession score and a poverty index in predicting anaemia and undernutrition in pre-school children and women of reproductive age in rural and urban Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Rohner, Fabian; Tschannen, Andres B; Northrop-Clewes, Christine; Kouassi-Gohou, Valérie; Bosso, Patrice E; Mascie-Taylor, C G Nicholas

    2012-09-01

    To determine whether a possession score or a poverty index best predicts undernutrition and anaemia in women of reproductive age (15-49 years; WRA) and children aged 6-59 months living in Côte d'Ivoire. Anthropometric measurements were converted to Z-scores to assess stunting, wasting and underweight in children, and converted to BMI in WRA. A venous blood sample was drawn, and Hb concentration and Plasmodium spp. infection were determined. A possession score was generated with categories of zero to four possessions. A five-point (quintile) poverty index using household assets was created using principal component analysis. These socio-economic measures were compared for their ability to predict anaemia and malnutrition. Data were from a nationally representative survey conducted in Côte d'Ivoire in 2007. A sample of 768 WRA and 717 children aged 6-59 months was analysed. Overall, 74·9 % of children and 50·2 % of WRA were anaemic; 39·5 % of the children were stunted, 28·1 % underweight and 12·8 % wasted, while 7·4 % of WRA had BMI < 18·5 kg/m2. In general, there were more stunted and underweight children and thin WRA in rural areas. The poverty index showed a stronger relationship with nutritional status than the possession score; mean Hb difference between the poorest and wealthiest quintiles in children and WRA was 8·2 g/l and 6·5 g/l, respectively (13·9 % and 19·8 % difference in anaemia, respectively; P < 0·001), and Z-scores and BMI were significantly better in the wealthiest quintile (P < 0·001). The poverty index was generally a better predictor of undernutrition in WRA and pre-school children than the possession score.

  6. Sustaining the Control of Schistosoma mansoni in Western Côte d'Ivoire: Baseline Findings before the Implementation of a Randomized Trial

    PubMed Central

    Assaré, Rufin K.; Hürlimann, Eveline; Ouattara, Mamadou; N'Guessan, Nicaise A.; Tian-Bi, Yves-Nathan T.; Yapi, Ahoua; Yao, Patrick K.; Coulibaly, Jean T.; Knopp, Stefanie; N'Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg

    2016-01-01

    We report baseline findings before the implementation of a 4-year intervention trial designed to assess the impact of three different school-based treatment schedules with praziquantel to sustain the control of intestinal schistosomiasis. The baseline survey was conducted in 75 schools of western Côte d'Ivoire previously identified with moderate Schistosoma mansoni endemicity (prevalence: 10–24% in children aged 13–14 years). Three stool samples collected over consecutive days were subjected to duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears each. A questionnaire was administered to collect village-specific information that is relevant for schistosomiasis transmission. Overall, 4,953 first graders (aged 5–8 years) and 7,011 school children (aged 9–12 years) had complete parasitologic data. The overall prevalence of S. mansoni was 5.4% among first graders and 22.1% in 9- to 12-year-old children. Open defecation was practiced in all villages. The current baseline findings will be important to better understand the dynamics of S. mansoni prevalence and intensity over the course of this trial that might be governed by village characteristics and specific treatment interventions. PMID:26598571

  7. Rapid screening for Schistosoma mansoni in western Côte d'Ivoire using a simple school questionnaire.

    PubMed Central

    Utzinger, J.; N'Goran, E. K.; Ossey, Y. A.; Booth, M.; Traoré, M.; Lohourignon, K. L.; Allangba, A.; Ahiba, L. A.; Tanner, M.; Lengeler, C.

    2000-01-01

    The distribution of schistosomiasis is focal, so if the resources available for control are to be used most effectively, they need to be directed towards the individuals and/or communities at highest risk of morbidity from schistosomiasis. Rapid and inexpensive ways of doing this are needed, such as simple school questionnaires. The present study used such questionnaires in an area of western Côte d'Ivoire where Schistosoma mansoni is endemic; correctly completed questionnaires were returned from 121 out of 134 schools (90.3%), with 12,227 children interviewed individually. The presence of S. mansoni was verified by microscopic examination in 60 randomly selected schools, where 5047 schoolchildren provided two consecutive stool samples for Kato-Katz thick smears. For all samples it was found that 54.4% of individuals were infected with S. mansoni. Moreover, individuals infected with S. mansoni reported "bloody diarrhoea", "blood in stools" and "schistosomiasis" significantly more often than uninfected children. At the school level, Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the prevalence of S. mansoni significantly correlated with the prevalence of reported bloody diarrhoea (P = 0.002), reported blood in stools (P = 0.014) and reported schistosomiasis (P = 0.011). Reported bloody diarrhoea and reported blood in stools had the best diagnostic performance (sensitivity: 88.2%, specificity: 57.7%, positive predictive value: 73.2%, negative predictive value: 78.9%). The study, which is probably the largest of its kind ever undertaken in Africa, revealed a moderate diagnostic performance of questionnaires for identifying individuals and/or communities at high risk from S. mansoni. PMID:10812739

  8. Implications of Societal Fragmentation for State Formation: Can Democracy Succeed in Afghanistan

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-03-01

    Conflict,” in Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict, Eds. Michael E. Brown, Owen R. Cote Jr., Sean M . Lynn-Jones, and Steven E. Miller (Cambridge and London: The...Cote Jr., Sean M . Lynn-Jones, and Steven E. Miller (Cambridge and London: The MIT Press, 1997), 49. 21 conceptions of legitimacy, they are...and Ethnic Conflict, Eds. Michael E. Brown, Owen R. Cote Jr., Sean M . Lynn-Jones, and Steven E. Miller (Cambridge and London: The MIT Press, 1997

  9. Factors Associated with PMTCT Cascade Completion in Four African Countries.

    PubMed

    Dionne-Odom, Jodie; Welty, Thomas K; Westfall, Andrew O; Chi, Benjamin H; Ekouevi, Didier Koumavi; Kasaro, Margaret; Tih, Pius M; Tita, Alan T N

    2016-01-01

    Background. Many countries are working to reduce or eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Prevention efforts have been conceptualized as steps in a cascade but cascade completion rates during and after pregnancy are low. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was performed across 26 communities in Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa, and Zambia. Women who reported a pregnancy within two years were enrolled. Participant responses were used to construct the PMTCT cascade with all of the following steps required for completion: at least one antenatal visit, HIV testing performed, HIV testing result received, initiation of maternal prophylaxis, and initiation of infant prophylaxis. Factors associated with cascade completion were identified using multivariable logistic regression modeling. Results. Of 976 HIV-infected women, only 355 (36.4%) completed the PMTCT cascade. Although most women (69.2%) did not know their partner's HIV status; awareness of partner HIV status was associated with cascade completion (aOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.01-2.0). Completion was also associated with receiving an HIV diagnosis prior to pregnancy compared with HIV diagnosis during or after pregnancy (aOR 14.1, 95% CI 5.2-38.6). Conclusions. Pregnant women with HIV infection in Africa who were aware of their partner's HIV status and who were diagnosed with HIV before pregnancy were more likely to complete the PMTCT cascade.

  10. Factors Associated with PMTCT Cascade Completion in Four African Countries

    PubMed Central

    Welty, Thomas K.; Westfall, Andrew O.; Chi, Benjamin H.; Ekouevi, Didier Koumavi; Tih, Pius M.; Tita, Alan T. N.

    2016-01-01

    Background. Many countries are working to reduce or eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Prevention efforts have been conceptualized as steps in a cascade but cascade completion rates during and after pregnancy are low. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was performed across 26 communities in Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa, and Zambia. Women who reported a pregnancy within two years were enrolled. Participant responses were used to construct the PMTCT cascade with all of the following steps required for completion: at least one antenatal visit, HIV testing performed, HIV testing result received, initiation of maternal prophylaxis, and initiation of infant prophylaxis. Factors associated with cascade completion were identified using multivariable logistic regression modeling. Results. Of 976 HIV-infected women, only 355 (36.4%) completed the PMTCT cascade. Although most women (69.2%) did not know their partner's HIV status; awareness of partner HIV status was associated with cascade completion (aOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.01–2.0). Completion was also associated with receiving an HIV diagnosis prior to pregnancy compared with HIV diagnosis during or after pregnancy (aOR 14.1, 95% CI 5.2–38.6). Conclusions. Pregnant women with HIV infection in Africa who were aware of their partner's HIV status and who were diagnosed with HIV before pregnancy were more likely to complete the PMTCT cascade. PMID:27872760

  11. Progress toward poliomyelitis eradication--poliomyelitis outbreak in Sudan, 2004.

    PubMed

    2005-02-04

    After the World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) resolved in 1988 to eradicate poliomyelitis globally, the number of countries in which polio is endemic declined from 125 to six by 2003. However, in 2004, polio cases caused by wild poliovirus (WPV) originating from northern Nigeria were reported in 11 countries--Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Guinea, Mali, Saudi Arabia, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, and Sudan--reestablishing transmission in the latter five countries. Sudan, a member state of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, initiated poliomyelitis eradication activities in the northern area of the country in 1994 and in the south in 1998. Since 1998, Sudan has made substantial progress in implementing polio eradication strategies, with no WPV reported from May 2001 through April 2004. However, in May 2004, a WPV case was detected in West Darfur, and a polio outbreak is currently affecting 17 of the country's 26 states. This report describes the outbreak and response and provides an update on acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance and supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in Sudan. The outbreak underscores the importance of continued SIAs in polio-free countries with low routine vaccination coverage, even in areas with moderate to low population density, as well as the need to ensure uniformly high-quality AFP surveillance.

  12. Cardiac surgery in Africa: a thirty-five year experience on open heart surgery in Cote d’Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Meneas, Christophe; Diby, Florent; Diomande, Manga; Adoubi, Anicet; Tanauh, Yves

    2016-01-01

    Background Few centers for open heart surgery (OHS) are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lack of OHS results is also noted. By reporting our African experience on OHS, the aim of this study was to fill the gap. Methods It is a retrospective study on 2,612 patients who were subject to an OHS between 1978 and 2013. Data were collected from demographical, clinical, investigative studies, surgical and outcomes parameters. Results There were 1,475 cases of rheumatic heart diseases (RHD), 126 endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF), 741 congenital heart diseases (CHDs) and 270 various affections. Related to rheumatic valvular surgery we enumerated 1,175 monovalvular (mitral n=778, aortic n=336, tricuspid n=61); 280 bivalvular (mitral + aortic n=150, mitral + tricuspid n=130) and 20 trivalvular. For RHD, average age was 26±10.1 years (4–69 years) and 60% of our patients presented a functional class III or IV according to New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. A total of 1,481 valvular replacements (bioprostheses n=489, mechanical prostheses n=992) and 445 valvular repair were carried out with a global and late mortality surgery respectively at 7% and 8%. One hundred and twenty-six [126] cases of EMF with right sided form 39, left sided form 40, and bilateral form 47 were colligated. Average age was 12±0.6 years (2–15 years). All patients with EMF underwent surgery; an endocardectomy in all patients combined with valvular reconstruction (n=36) or valvular replacement (n=90) was carried out with a hospital mortality at 16% (n=20). Concerning CHD, the most frequent were ventricular septal defect (VSD) (n=240), atrial septal defect (ASD) (n=200), partial atrio-ventricular sepal defect (n=30) and tetralogy of Fallot (T4F) (n=220), a total correction was performed for those CHD with an early mortality at 6.4% (n=44). Conclusions OHS in Cote d’Ivoire was successfully performed in most of our patients, the spectrum of acquired valvular heart diseases and CHDs in our country is

  13. Novel Arenavirus Sequences in Hylomyscus sp. and Mus (Nannomys) setulosus from Côte d'Ivoire: Implications for Evolution of Arenaviruses in Africa

    PubMed Central

    Kouassi, Stéphane K.; Fichet-Calvet, Elisabeth; Becker-Ziaja, Beate; Rieger, Toni; Ölschläger, Stephan; Dosso, Hernri; Denys, Christiane; ter Meulen, Jan; Akoua-Koffi, Chantal; Günther, Stephan

    2011-01-01

    This study aimed to identify new arenaviruses and gather insights in the evolution of arenaviruses in Africa. During 2003 through 2005, 1,228 small mammals representing 14 different genera were trapped in 9 villages in south, east, and middle west of Côte d'Ivoire. Specimens were screened by pan-Old World arenavirus RT-PCRs targeting S and L RNA segments as well as immunofluorescence assay. Sequences of two novel tentative species of the family Arenaviridae, Menekre and Gbagroube virus, were detected in Hylomyscus sp. and Mus (Nannomys) setulosus, respectively. Arenavirus infection of Mus (Nannomys) setulosus was also demonstrated by serological testing. Lassa virus was not found, although 60% of the captured animals were Mastomys natalensis. Complete S RNA and partial L RNA sequences of the novel viruses were recovered from the rodent specimens and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Gbagroube virus is a closely related sister taxon of Lassa virus, while Menekre virus clusters with the Ippy/Mobala/Mopeia virus complex. Reconstruction of possible virus–host co-phylogeny scenarios suggests that, within the African continent, signatures of co-evolution might have been obliterated by multiple host-switching events. PMID:21695269

  14. Opportunities and limiting factors of intensive vegetable farming in malaria endemic Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Girardin, Olivier; Dao, Daouda; Koudou, Benjamin G; Essé, Clémence; Cissé, Guéladio; Yao, Tano; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Tschannen, Andreas B; Bordmann, Gérard; Lehmann, Bernard; Nsabimana, Christian; Keiser, Jennifer; Killeen, Gerry F; Singer, Burton H; Tanner, Marcel; Utzinger, Jürg

    2004-01-01

    Poverty reduction policies guide development strategies. In economies that depend heavily on agriculture, in the face of rapid population growth, innovative approaches are required to satisfy food needs, increase household welfare and alleviate poverty. Irrigated agriculture is an important strategy to enhance crop production, but it must be well tailored to specific socio-ecological settings, as otherwise, it might increase the burden of water-related parasitic diseases and delay economic advance. The purpose of this study is to assess and quantify the effect of ill health, particularly malaria, on the performance of farm activity, with an emphasis on drip-irrigated vegetable farming in rural Côte d'Ivoire. Vegetable yields and revenues were monitored among 12 farmers and linked with longitudinal medical and entomological surveys. Over the course of 10 months, farmers were classified as sick, on average, for 14-15 days, with malaria accounting for 8-9 days (58%), confirming that malaria is the most important disease in this setting. There was a large heterogeneity among farmers, with malaria-related work losses ranging between 0 and 26 days. Work absenteeism correlated with overall yields and revenues. During a single cabbage production cycle, those farmers who were prescribed sick because of malaria for more than 2 days (mean: 4.2 days) had 47% lower yields and 53% lower revenues than farmers who missed a maximum of 2 days (mean: 0.3 days). This is consequential in an intensive cropping system, where substitutes for qualified workers are not readily available. We conclude that mitigating the burden of malaria is an important step towards reducing the vulnerability of people engaged in intensive agricultural production. This calls for targeted interventions to facilitate agriculture-based rural development that might spur social and economic development and reduce inequities in sub-Saharan Africa.

  15. [Socio-economic impact at the household level of the health consequences of toxic waste discharge in Abidjan in 2006].

    PubMed

    Koné, B A; Tiembré, I; Dongo, K; Tanner, M; Zinsstag, J; Cissé, G

    2011-02-01

    In August 2006, toxic wastes were discharged in the district of Abidjan, causing important health consequences in many households in the area. In order to appreciate the socio-economic impact of the consequences of toxic waste discharge on the households and of the measures taken by the authorities to deal with this catastrophe, and to appreciate the spatial extent of the pollution, we undertook a multidisciplinary transversal investigation at the sites of discharge of oxic waste, from October the 19th to December the 8th, 2006, using a transect sampling methodology. This paper presents the results related to the socio-economic aspects of the survey while the environmental and epidemiological results are presented in two other published papers. The socioeconomics investigation, conducted using a questionnaire, concerned 809 households across the various sites of discharge of toxic waste. More than 62% of households had at least one person who had been affected by toxic waste (affected households). 62.47% of these households were in Cocody district (with 2 sites and 4 points of discharge), 30.14% in Abobo district (with 2 sites and 3 points) and 7.39% in Koumassi district (with 1 site and 1 point). To escape the bad smell and the nuisance, 22.75% of the 501 "affected" households had left their houses. To face the health consequences generated by the toxic waste, 30.54% of the "affected" households engaged expenses. Those were on average of 92 450 FCFA (€141), with a minimum of 1 000 FCFA (€1.5) and a maximum of 1500000 FCFA (€2.287), in spite of the advertisement of the exemption from payment treatment fees made by the government. The decision of destroying cultures and farms near the points of discharge of the toxic products in a radius of 200 meters, taken by the authorities, touched 2.22% of the households. For these households, it did nothing but worsen their state of poverty, since the zone of influence of the toxic waste went well beyond the 200 meters

  16. No association between antenatal common mental disorders in low-obstetric risk women and adverse birth outcomes in their offspring: results from the CDS study in Ghana and Côte D'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Bindt, Carola; Guo, Nan; Bonle, Marguerite Te; Appiah-Poku, John; Hinz, Rebecca; Barthel, Dana; Schoppen, Stefanie; Feldt, Torsten; Barkmann, Claus; Koffi, Mathurin; Loag, Wibke; Nguah, Samuel Blay; Eberhardt, Kirsten A; Tagbor, Harry; N'goran, Eliezer; Ehrhardt, Stephan

    2013-01-01

    Evidence linking common mental disorders (CMD) in pregnant women to adverse birth outcomes is inconsistent, and studies often failed to control for pregnancy complications. This study aimed to explore the association between antenatal depression and anxiety symptoms and birth outcomes in a low-obstetric risk sample of mother/child dyads in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. In 2010-2011, a prospective cohort of 1030 women in their third trimester in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire was enrolled. Depression and anxiety were assessed in the third trimester using the Patient Health Questionnaire depression module and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale. 719 mother/child dyads were included in the analysis. We constructed multivariate regression models to estimate the association between CMD and low birth weight (LBW), and preterm birth (PTB) to control for potential confounders. The prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms were 28.9% and 14.2% respectively. The mean birth weight was 3172.1g (SD 440.6) and the prevalence of LBW was 1.7%. The mean gestational age was 39.6 weeks and the proportion of PTB was 4%. Multivariate linear regression revealed no significant association between maternal depression (B=52.2, 95% CI -18.2 122.6, p=0.15) or anxiety (B=17.1, 95% CI -74.6 108.7, p=0.72) and birth weight. Yet, low socio-economic status, female sex of the child, and younger maternal age were associated with lower birth weight. Multivariate logistic regression suggested no significant association between maternal depression (OR: 2.1, 95% CI 0.8 5.6, p=0.15) or anxiety (OR: 1.8, 95% CI 0.6 5.5, p=0.29) with PTB. Our data suggests that depression and/or anxiety in the 3(rd) trimester of pregnancy are not independent predictors of adverse birth outcomes in low obstetric risk women. The role of pregnancy complications as confounders or effect modifiers in studies of maternal CMD and their impact on birth outcomes should be investigated.

  17. Mental health related determinants of parenting stress among urban mothers of young children--results from a birth-cohort study in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Guo, Nan; Bindt, Carola; Te Bonle, Marguerite; Appiah-Poku, John; Tomori, Cecilia; Hinz, Rebecca; Barthel, Dana; Schoppen, Stefanie; Feldt, Torsten; Barkmann, Claus; Koffi, Mathurin; Loag, Wibke; Nguah, Samuel Blay; Eberhardt, Kirsten A; Tagbor, Harry; Bass, Judith K; N'Goran, Eliezer; Ehrhardt, Stephan

    2014-05-29

    There are limited data on the parenting stress (PS) levels in sub-Saharan African mothers and on the association between ante- and postnatal depression and anxiety on PS. A longitudinal birth cohort of 577 women from Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire was followed from the 3rd trimester in pregnancy to 2 years postpartum between 2010 and 2013. Depression and anxiety were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire depression module (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) at baseline, 3 month, 12 month and 24 month postpartum. PS was measured using the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) at 3, 12 and 24 month. The mean total PS score and the subscale scores were compared among depressed vs. non-depressed and among anxious vs. non-anxious mothers at 3, 12 and 24 month postpartum. The proportions of clinical PS (PSI-SF raw score > 90) in depressed vs. non-depressed and anxious vs. non-anxious mothers were also compared. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach was used to estimate population-averaged associations between women's depression/anxiety and PS adjusting for age, child sex, women's anemia, education, occupation, spouse's education, and number of sick child visits. A total of 577, 531 and 264 women completed the PS assessment at 3 month, 12 month and 24 month postpartum across the two sites and the prevalences of clinical PS at each time point was 33.1%, 24.4% and 14.9% in Ghana and 30.2%, 33.5% and 22.6% in Côte d'Ivoire, respectively. At all three time points, the PS scores were significantly higher among depressed mothers vs. non-depressed mothers. In the multivariate regression analyses, antepartum and postpartum depression were consistently associated with PS after adjusting for other variables. Parenting stress is frequent and levels are high compared with previous studies from high-income countries. Antepartum and postpartum depression were both associated with PS, while antepartum and postpartum anxiety were not after

  18. Modélisation à long terme et optimisation du stock d'énergie des installations solaires autonomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maafi, A.; Delorme, C.

    1996-04-01

    A sizing approach of storage capacity for autonomous solar system has been developed by analyzing the difference between solar radiation input and energy demand on long-term periods. This approach has been implemented using series of daily global irradiation data recorded or generated on a horizontal surface in the meteorological stations of Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Algiers and Tamanrasset (Algeria) and Carpentras (France). The obtained results show that for an energy demand equaling the pluriannual mean of solar irradiation a storage of several months is needed to obtain the autonomy of solar systems located in Algiers, Carpentras and Tamanrasset. It should be too expensive investment to set-up such solar systems in these locations. Therefore, the size of the storage is minimized by using a non-zero initial energy storage and reducing the energy demand. This procedure show that it is possible to provide every day a programmed energy using autonomous solar systems which are competitive economically. Une approche de dimensionnement de la capacité de stockage des installations solaires autonomes a été développé. Elle est basée sur l'analyse de la différence entre l'énergie incidente et la consommation requise. Cette méthode a été mise au point à partir de données journalières d'irradiation globale enregistrées ou reconstituées sur plan horizontal dans les stations météorologiques d'Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), d'Alger et de Tamanrasset (Algérie) et de Carpentras (France). Pour une demande énergétique correspondant à la production moyenne pluriannuelle d'énergie solaire, les résultats montrent qu'un stockage de plusieurs mois est requis pour garantir l'autonomie de fonctionnement des installations solaires implantées à Alger, Carpentras et Tamanrasset. L'autonomie ainsi obtenue n'est pas économiquement rentable. Aussi, la taille du stockage a été minimisée en utilisant un stock initial d'énergie au démarrage de l'installation et en r

  19. Ecohealth approach to urban waste management: exposure to environmental pollutants and health risks in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Kouamé, Parfait K; Dongo, Kouassi; Nguyen-Viet, Hung; Zurbrügg, Christian; Lüthi, Christoph; Hattendorf, Jan; Utzinger, Jürg; Biémi, Jean; Bonfoh, Bassirou

    2014-10-02

    Poor waste management is a key driver of ill-health in urban settlements of developing countries. The current study aimed at assessing environmental and human health risks related to urban waste management in Yamoussoukro, the political capital of Côte d'Ivoire. We undertook trans-disciplinary research within an Ecohealth approach, comprised of a participatory workshop with stakeholders and mapping of exposure patterns. A total of 492 randomly selected households participated in a cross-sectional survey. Waste deposit sites were characterised and 108 wastewater samples were subjected to laboratory examinations. The physico-chemical parameters of the surface water (temperature, pH, conductivity, potential oxidise reduction, BOD5, COD, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, ammonia and total Kendal nitrogen) did not comply with World Health Organization standards of surface water quality. Questionnaire results showed that malaria was the most commonly reported disease. Diarrhoea and malaria were associated with poor sanitation. Households having dry latrines had a higher risk of diarrhoea (odds ratio (OR) = 1.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-2.7) compared to latrines with septic tanks and also a higher risk for malaria (OR = 1.9, 95% (CI) 1.1-3.3). Our research showed that combining health and environmental assessments enables a deeper understanding of environmental threats and disease burdens linked to poor waste management. Further study should investigate the sanitation strategy aspects that could reduce the environmental and health risks in the study area.

  20. 27 CFR 12.21 - List of examples of names by country.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ...-Fronsac, Cassis, Cerons, Charlemagne, Chateau Chalon, Chateau-Grillet, Chinon, Chorey-les-Beaunes, Clos de Tart, Clos des Lambrays, Clos Saint-Denis, Collioure, Condrieu, Cornas, Coteaux de l'Aubance, Coteaux du Languedoc, Coteaux du Loir, Coteaux du Lyonnais, Coteaux du Tricastin, Cotes de Duras, Cotes de...

  1. 27 CFR 12.21 - List of examples of names by country.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ...-Fronsac, Cassis, Cerons, Charlemagne, Chateau Chalon, Chateau-Grillet, Chinon, Chorey-les-Beaunes, Clos de Tart, Clos des Lambrays, Clos Saint-Denis, Collioure, Condrieu, Cornas, Coteaux de l'Aubance, Coteaux du Languedoc, Coteaux du Loir, Coteaux du Lyonnais, Coteaux du Tricastin, Cotes de Duras, Cotes de...

  2. Human quarantine: Toward reducing infectious pressure on chimpanzees at the Taï Chimpanzee Project, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Grützmacher, Kim; Keil, Verena; Leinert, Vera; Leguillon, Floraine; Henlin, Arthur; Couacy-Hymann, Emmanuel; Köndgen, Sophie; Lang, Alexander; Deschner, Tobias; Wittig, Roman M; Leendertz, Fabian H

    2018-01-01

    Due to their genetic relatedness, great apes are highly susceptible to common human respiratory pathogens. Although most respiratory pathogens, such as human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV), rarely cause severe disease in healthy human adults, they are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality in wild great apes habituated to humans for research or tourism. To prevent pathogen transmission, most great ape projects have established a set of hygiene measures ranging from keeping a specific distance, to the use of surgical masks and establishment of quarantines. This study investigates the incidence of respiratory symptoms and human respiratory viruses in humans at a human-great ape interface, the Taï Chimpanzee Project (TCP) in Côte d'Ivoire, and consequently, the effectiveness of a 5-day quarantine designed to reduce the risk of potential exposure to human respiratory pathogens. To assess the impact of quarantine as a preventative measure, we monitored the quarantine process and tested 262 throat swabs for respiratory viruses, collected during quarantine over a period of 1 year. Although only 1 subject tested positive for a respiratory virus (HRSV), 17 subjects developed symptoms of infection while in quarantine and were subsequently kept from approaching the chimpanzees, preventing potential exposure in 18 cases. Our results suggest that quarantine-in combination with monitoring for symptoms-is effective in reducing the risk of potential pathogen exposure. This research contributes to our understanding of how endangered great apes can be protected from human-borne infectious disease. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Effect of land-use changes on the abundance, distribution, and host-seeking behavior of Aedes arbovirus vectors in oil palm-dominated landscapes, southeastern Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Zahouli, Julien B Z; Koudou, Benjamin G; Müller, Pie; Malone, David; Tano, Yao; Utzinger, Jürg

    2017-01-01

    Identifying priority areas for vector control is of considerable public health relevance. Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) spread by Aedes mosquitoes are (re)emerging in many parts of the tropics, partially explained by changes in agricultural land-use. We explored the effects of land-use changes on the abundance, distribution, and host-seeking behavior of Aedes mosquitoes along a gradient of anthropogenic disturbance in oil palm-dominated landscapes in southeastern Côte d'Ivoire. Between January and December 2014, eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of Aedes mosquitoes were sampled in four types of macrohabitats (rainforest, polyculture, oil palm monoculture, and rural housing areas), using standard procedures (bamboo-ovitraps, metallic-ovitraps, larval surveys, and human-baited double-net traps). Immature stages were reared and adult mosquitoes identified at species level. A total of 28,276 Aedes specimens belonging to 11 species were collected. No Aedes-positive microhabitat and only four specimens of Ae. aegypti were found in oil palm monoculture. The highest abundance of Aedes mosquitoes (60.9%) was found in polyculture, while the highest species richness (11 species) was observed in rainforest. Ae. aegypti was the predominant Aedes species, and exhibited high anthropophilic behavior inflicting 93.0% of total biting to humans. The biting rate of Aedes mosquitoes was 34.6 and 7.2-fold higher in polyculture and rural housing areas, respectively, compared to rainforest. Three species (Ae. aegypti, Ae. dendrophilus, and Ae. vittatus) bit humans in polyculture and rural housing areas, with respective biting rates of 21.48 and 4.48 females/person/day. Unexpectedly, all three species were also feeding during darkness. Aedes females showed bimodal daily feeding cycles with peaks at around 08:00 a.m. and 05:00 p.m. Host-seeking activities were interrupted between 11:00 a.m. and 02:00 p.m. in rural housing areas, while no such interruption was observed in polyculture

  4. Cultural Myths in Stories about Human Resource Development: Analysing the Cross-Cultural Transfer of American Models to Germany and the Cote d'Ivoire.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hansen, Carol D.

    2003-01-01

    Analysis of reactions of 14 German and 20 Ivory Coast managers to informant stories from 14 U.S. human resource professionals revealed differences in work myths that reflected national differences, e.g., individual versus collective orientation, business development patterns, and management approaches. Awareness of the ethnocentrism of work myths…

  5. [Relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-AIDS) and conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma: A clinical epidemiological study of 26 cases in the ophthalmology department of the university hospital of Treichville-Abidjan (Abidjan-Côte d'Ivoire)].

    PubMed

    Berete, C R; Desjardins, L; Kouassi, L J; Coulibaly, F; Kouakou, K S; Gbe, K; Fanny, A

    2016-05-01

    To describe the epidemiological and clinical parameters of conjunctival squamous cell carcinomas and their association with HIV-AIDS in the ophthalmology department of the university hospital of Treichville. This is a prospective and descriptive cross sectional study carried out in the ophthalmology department of the university hospital of Treichville from July 2007 to June 2011. Twenty-six (26) patients who were selected presented with a tumor of the globe and/or adnexa. A CT scan was performed in advanced cases. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen was performed in all cases. HIV serology was performed after informed consent. All patients were referred to the oncology department of the university hospital of Treichville where a unit of care for HIV-positive patients with malignant tumors is available. Statistical analysis was performed using the software program EPI info version 6.0. We note a slight predominance of female patients 15 (57.69%) vs. 11 (42.3%) male patients. The mean age was 42.32 years, and 13 patients (50%) were between 25 and 45 years of age. Intraorbital tumors were the most common reason for consultation, i.e. 38.46%. Seventeen patients (65.38%) had no particular history. Nine patients (34.61%) were already on antiretroviral treatment on admission. Three patients, i.e. 11.54%, had already had tumor biopsy and/or evisceration. The mean duration of the disease before consultation in ophthalmology was 14.28 months. Localized limbal conjunctival tumors were found in 11 cases (42.38%). Advanced tumors with regional or cerebral extension accounted for 34.61% of cases. Six patients (23.078%) were HIV negative vs. 20 (76.92%) HIV positive patients. CD4 lymphocyte typing was performed in 17 patients (85%), and 45% had a CD4 count below 200. Only five patients were able to receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy, but three of them died. The average length of follow-up was 29 months. This study allowed us to establish a statistically significant link between HIV positive status of patients and the occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma, (P=10(-4)), as well as the decline in CD4 count and disease progression (p=10(-3)). The poor prognosis of conjunctival carcinoma reflects the low socioeconomic status of patients, physician under-staffing in our health care facilities, the prohibitive cost of anticancer drugs and the link between this disease and HIV-AIDS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. [Knowledge, and attitudes of Civil Society Organizations in the implementation of the Expanded Program on Immunization in Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Yao, Gnissan Henri Auguste; Aka, Lepri Bernadin Nicaise; Manouan, Nogbou Jean Marc; Effi, Odile Angbo; Douba, Alfred; Zengbé-Acray, Pétronille; Traoré, Youssouf; Soumahoro, Sory Ibrahim; Ak, Koko Aude; Dagnan, N'Cho Simplice

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the level of involvement of leaders of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in implementation of routine EPI activities. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of the knowledge and attitudes of CSOs concerning implementation of routine EPI activities in the health district of Adiaké (Côte d'Ivoire). This study shows that 77.1% of CSO leaders were literate and 92.9% of them were practicing Catholics or Muslims. They had a good knowledge of the existence of EPI (97.1%) and EPI target diseases, but were ignorant about the immunization schedule (82%). 90% of CSO leaders considered EPI to be an important activity for the prevention of childhood diseases. They considered the reception in immunization units to be satisfactory (60%) and believed that rumours about the sterility of women were the cause of refusal of vaccination by communities. Although 41.4% of leaders had participated in social mobilization activities, none had participated in the mobilization of resources. Vaccination was not rejected by CSO leaders, but their lack of participation in implementation of EPI could induce errors and lead them to believe the rumours and refuse vaccination of their community. The effective integration of the socio-cultural bases of communities in which immunization programmes are conducted will promote the adhesion of the people responsible for these programmes.

  7. The relationship between Anopheles gambiae density and rice cultivation in the savannah zone and forest zone of Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Briët, Olivier J T; Dossou-Yovo, Joel; Akodo, Elena; van de Giesen, Nick; Teuscher, Thomas M

    2003-05-01

    In 13 villages in the savannah zone and 21 villages in the forest zone of Côte d'Ivoire, the biting density of the principal malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae, was studied as a function of rice cultivation in the inland valleys in a 2-km radius around each village. In the savannah villages, during the main season cropping period, surface water on rice-cultivated and to a lesser extent on uncultivated inland valleys seems to contribute strongly to the A. gambiae population density. For the off-season cropping period (which starts after the first light rains in the savannah zone), correlations were weaker. Breeding sites other than in inland valleys may play an important role in the savannah zone. In the forest zone, however, the A. gambiae population density was strongly correlated with the surface water availability (SWA) in the rice-cultivated inland valleys, whereas the correlation with the SWA in other (uncultivated) inland valleys was weak. The requirement of sunlit breeding sites for A. gambiae might explain this difference between zones. In the forest zone, only inland valleys cleared for rice cultivation meet this requirement, whereas all other inland valleys are covered with dense vegetation. In the savannah zone, however, most undergrowth is burnt during the dry season, which permits sunlight to reach puddles resulting from the first rains.

  8. The effectiveness of using carbonate isotope measurements of body tissues to infer diet in human evolution: Evidence from wild western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus).

    PubMed

    Fahy, Geraldine E; Boesch, Christophe; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Richards, Michael P

    2015-11-01

    Changes in diet throughout hominin evolution have been linked with important evolutionary changes. Stable carbon isotope analysis of inorganic apatite carbonate is the main isotopic method used to reconstruct fossil hominin diets; to test its effectiveness as a paleodietary indicator we present bone and enamel carbonate carbon isotope data from a well-studied population of modern wild western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) of known sex and age from Taï, Cote d'Ivoire. We found a significant effect of age class on bone carbonate values, with adult chimpanzees being more (13)C- and (18)O-depleted compared to juveniles. Further, to investigate habitat effects, we compared our data to existing apatite data on eastern chimpanzees (P. troglodytes schweinfurthii) and found that the Taï chimpanzees are significantly more depleted in enamel δ(13)Cap and δ(18)Oap compared to their eastern counterparts. Our data are the first to present a range of tissue-specific isotope data from the same group of wild western chimpanzees and, as such, add new data to the growing number of modern non-human primate comparative isotope datasets providing valuable information for the interpretation of diet throughout hominin evolution. By comparing our data to published isotope data on fossil hominins we found that our modern chimpanzee bone and enamel data support hypotheses that the trend towards increased consumption of C4 foods after 4 Ma (millions of years ago) is unique to hominins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Vancouver AIDS conference: special report. The role of the military: to protect society -- and themselves.

    PubMed

    Whiteside, A; Winsbury, R

    1996-01-01

    Military personnel are at particularly high risk of becoming infected with HIV because they are in the age group at highest risk for infection, age 15-24 years; they are away from home for long periods of time; many feel invulnerable and ready to take risks; there are usually prostitutes and drugs in military areas; and troops have cash, but maybe not condoms, in their pockets. The level of attention given to HIV/AIDS in the military has grown over the course of the last few international AIDS conferences. One roundtable on HIV/AIDS in the armed forces was held at the 11th International Conference on AIDS held in Vancouver during July 7-12, 1996. A large-scale survey reported at the conference found the level of sexual activity to be significantly higher among US military personnel than in the civilian population. Even the oldest soldiers reported higher levels of multiple partner sex habits than the most sexually active young men in the UK and France. The data further indicate that significant numbers of those men who were infected continued to knowingly have unprotected sex. Data from Angola, Cambodia, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Thailand, and Zimbabwe show significantly higher levels of HIV infection among military personnel compared to the civilian populations. The authors stress the important role the military can play in preventing the spread of HIV and the need to involve military personnel in AIDS prevention programs.

  10. WHO still reeling from racism charges.

    PubMed

    1995-06-01

    The World Health Organization (WHO) is not as prestigious as it used to be. It operates on a relatively small annual budget of $1.8 billion, the WHO 1995 audit suggested irregularities in the way contracts were awarded and criticized a lack of control over funds at the WHO's African headquarters in the Congo, and its director, Hiroshi Nakajima, has been accused of being a racist against Africans. Nakajima complained during a January 1995 WHO board meeting that some African members had poor English skills. Delegates from several African nations to the annual World Health Assembly, which began in Geneva on May 1, subsequently raised the issue and called for the Japanese director to resign. The release of the recent WHO health report, "Bridging the Gaps," was an attempt by the organization to regain some its international respect, but little new was reported. Basic messages were that poverty is the most important cause of ill health, 60% of all new HIV infections occur among people aged 15-24 in many countries, 50% of people with HIV globally are younger than 25 years old, 60% of infections in women occur by age 20, and life expectancy is increasing in all countries except Cote d'Ivoire, Central African Republic, Congo, Uganda, and Zambia, all countries hard-hit by HIV/AIDS. For now, Nakajima has retained his position, although British and US donors stress that they will keep closer watch over the organization and that reforms must be made.

  11. Living in the paddies: a social science perspective on how inland valley irrigated rice cultivation affects malaria in Northern Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    De Plaen, Renaud; Geneau, Robert; Teuscher, Thomas; Koutoua, Amalaman; Seka, Marie-Louise

    2003-05-01

    The potential impact of irrigated agriculture on water-related vector-borne diseases has been an increasing source of concern for researchers from the bio-medical sector. While most research on the potential impacts of irrigation on the health of local populations focuses on vector densities, levels of exposures, health services and technologies (prophylaxis, mosquito nets), we argue that it is essential to enlarge the scope of investigation and consider the complex mechanisms by which factors such as agriculture-generated changes in ecosystems, gender repositioning in the family organization as a result of access to new crops, and production activities combine together in increasing disease risks and producing new scenarios in the management of disease. This paper presents the results of an investigation of how transformations induced on the local society by the intensification of inland valley irrigated rice cultivation influence malaria health care systems and modulate risks to the health of local populations, within well-defined geographical boundaries in northern Côte d'Ivoire. Our results indicate that socio-economic transformations and gender repositioning induced, or facilitated, by the intensification of inland valley irrigated rice cultivation lead to a reduction of the capacity of women to manage disease episodes, contributing therefore to increase malaria incidence among farming populations.

  12. Risk factors for schistosomiasis in an urban area in northern Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    M'Bra, Richard K; Kone, Brama; Yapi, Yapi G; Silué, Kigbafori D; Sy, Ibrahima; Vienneau, Danielle; Soro, Nagnin; Cissé, Guéladio; Utzinger, Jürg

    2018-05-18

    Schistosomiasis is a water-based disease transmitted by trematodes belonging to the genus Schistosoma. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the prevalence of schistosomiasis and access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and environmental and socioeconomic factors in the city of Korhogo, northern Côte d'Ivoire. A cross-sectional study including 728 randomly selected households was conducted in Korhogo in March 2015. The heads of the households were interviewed about access to WASH and environmental and socioeconomic factors. All children abed between 5 and 15 years living in the households were selected to provide stool and urine samples for parasitological diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium infection. The relationship between infection with S. mansoni and potential risk factors was analysed by a mixed logistic regression model with 'household' as a random factor. Likelihood ratio tests were used to identify factors that were significantly associated with a Schistosoma spp. infection. The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis among school-aged children in Korhogo was 1.9% (45/2341) composed of 0.3% (3/1248) S. haematobium and 3.5% (42/1202) S. mansoni. Due to the low prevalence of S. haematobium infection, risk factor analysis was limited to S. mansoni. Boys were 7.8 times more likely to be infected with S. mansoni than girls. Children between 10 and 15 years of age were 3.8 times more likely to be infected than their younger counterparts aged 5-10 years. Moreover, living in a house further away from a water access point (odds ratio [OR] = 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.13-0.70) and abstaining from swimming in open freshwater bodies (OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.04-0.56) were significantly associated with decreased odds of S. mansoni infection. The socioeconomic status did not appear to influence the prevalence of S. mansoni. A strategy to reduce the incidence of schistosomiasis should focus on

  13. Contribution of Remote Sensing and GIS for Sustainable Forest Management in Côte d'Ivoire; Case of the classified Forest of TENE in the department of OUME (Côte d'Ivoire).

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yao, N. A.

    2015-12-01

    protected against logging in order to do not disturb them because they are refuge environments for fauna as well as flora conservation. This study will enable the manager of the classified forest of TENE to target those sites considered sensitive to preserve for a sustainable management. Keywords: Spectral signature, Forest, Wetland, Remote Sensing, GIS, Côte d'Ivoire.

  14. [The spread of the wild Poliovirus in the rural environment, the case of the Adzopé health district, Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Akoua-Koffi, C G; Nekouressi, G; Tieoulou, L; Guillot, S; Faye-Kette, H; Ehouman, A

    2004-05-01

    Wild Poliovirus spreading in rural environment in Adzopé, Côte d'Ivoire In order to determine the level of wild Poliovirus spreading among rural children in an endemic poliomyelitis country 469 stools samples, from children aged between three weeks and twelve years old were processed according to WHO procedures for transportation, conservation, isolation and identification of Poliovirus. Intratypic differenciation was performed by an antigenic method using monoclonal antibodies and a genomic RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism). 50 Poliovirus strains (10.7%) were isolated and analyzed: 15 vaccine-like Poliovirus type 1 (30%), 30 vaccine-like Poliovirus type 2 (60%), 4 vaccine-like Poliovirus type 3 (8%) and one wild Poliovirus type 3 (2%). As expected, in the major cases the duration of post-vaccinal viral excretion did not exceed two months. However, in 14% of cases, it varied between 3 and 9 months after the third OPV dose. This long excretion could be due to an inefficient local intestinal immunity or no local immunity at all, in spite of the three OPV doses. These results argue in favor of an increase of the number of OPV doses in such endemic zones. Moreover, OPV strains are well-known to revert to pathogenicity in vaccinees, therefore, the long term excretion of pathogenic OPV derived strains by a certain amount of vaccinees needs to be considered quite seriously.

  15. Diversity and prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in seven non-human primates of the Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Kouassi, Roland Yao Wa; McGraw, Scott William; Yao, Patrick Kouassi; Abou-Bacar, Ahmed; Brunet, Julie; Pesson, Bernard; Bonfoh, Bassirou; N'goran, Eliezer Kouakou; Candolfi, Ermanno

    2015-01-01

    Parasites and infectious diseases are well-known threats to primate populations. The main objective of this study was to provide baseline data on fecal parasites in the cercopithecid monkeys inhabiting Côte d'Ivoire's Taï National Park. Seven of eight cercopithecid species present in the park were sampled: Cercopithecus diana, Cercopithecus campbelli, Cercopithecus petaurista, Procolobus badius, Procolobus verus, Colobus polykomos, and Cercocebus atys. We collected 3142 monkey stool samples between November 2009 and December 2010. Stool samples were processed by direct wet mount examination, formalin-ethyl acetate concentration, and MIF (merthiolate, iodine, formalin) concentration methods. Slides were examined under microscope and parasite identification was based on the morphology of cysts, eggs, and adult worms. A total of 23 species of parasites was recovered including 9 protozoa (Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Entamoeba hartmanni, Endolimax nana, Iodamoeba butschlii, Chilomastix mesnili, Giardia sp., Balantidium coli, and Blastocystis sp.), 13 nematodes (Oesophagostomum sp., Ancylostoma sp., Anatrichosoma sp., Capillariidae Gen. sp. 1, Capillariidae Gen. sp. 2, Chitwoodspirura sp., Subulura sp., spirurids [cf Protospirura muricola], Ternidens sp., Strongyloides sp., Trichostrongylus sp., and Trichuris sp.), and 1 trematode (Dicrocoelium sp.). Diversity indices and parasite richness were high for all monkey taxa, but C. diana, C. petaurista, C. atys, and C. campbelli exhibited a greater diversity of parasite species and a more equitable distribution. The parasitological data reported are the first available for these cercopithecid species within Taï National Park. © R.W.Y. Kouassi et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2015.

  16. Differential Impacts of an Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Program Based on Child Marriage Status in Rural Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Falb, Kathryn L; Annan, Jeannie; Kpebo, Denise; Cole, Heather; Willie, Tiara; Xuan, Ziming; Raj, Anita; Gupta, Jhumka

    2015-11-01

    Little is known about whether effectiveness of intimate partner violence prevention programming varies for women who were married as child brides, given their additional social vulnerabilities. This subanalysis sought to assess treatment heterogeneity based on child marriage status for an intervention seeking to reduce intimate partner violence. A randomized controlled trial assessing the incremental effectiveness of gender dialogue groups in addition to group savings on changing past-year intimate partner violence was conducted in Côte d'Ivoire (2010-2012). Stratified models were constructed based on child marriage status to assess for effect modification. Analysis was restricted to married women with data on age at marriage (n = 682). For child brides (N = 202), there were no statistically or marginally significant decreases in physical and/or sexual violence, physical violence, or sexual violence. The odds of reporting economic abuse in the past year were lower in the intervention arm for child brides relative to control group child brides (odds ratio [OR] = .33; 95% confidence interval [CI] = .13-.85; p = .02). For nonchild brides (N = 480), women were less likely to report physical and/or sexual violence (OR = .54; 95% CI = .28-1.04; p = .06), emotional violence (OR = .44; 95% CI = .25-.77; p = .004), and economic abuse (OR = .36; 95% CI = .20-.66; p = .001) in the combined intervention arm than their group savings-only counterparts. Findings suggest that intervention participants with a history of child marriage may have greater difficulty benefiting from interventions that seek to reduce intimate partner violence. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Major variations in malaria exposure of travellers in rural areas: an entomological cohort study in western Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Orlandi-Pradines, Eve; Rogier, Christophe; Koffi, Bernard; Jarjaval, Fanny; Bell, Melissa; Machault, Vanessa; Pons, Christophe; Girod, Romain; Boutin, Jean-Paul; Pagès, Frédéric

    2009-07-28

    Malaria remains a major threat, to both travellers and military personnel deployed to endemic areas. The recommendations for travellers given by the World Health Organization is based on the incidence of malaria in an area and do not take the degree of exposure into account. The aim of this article is to evaluate the exposure of travellers by entomologic methods, which are the commonly used measures of the intensity of malaria transmission. From February 2004 to June 2004, five groups of 30 military personnel were stationed in up to 10 sites in western Côte d'Ivoire, from one week to several months. Adult mosquitoes were collected by human landing catches at each site during the five months and the level of exposure to malaria transmission of each group was estimated. The level of transmission varied from one site to another one from less than one to approximately more than 100 infective bites per month. In the majority of sites, at least two anopheline species were involved in transmission. The cumulative EIR over the study period varied according to the groups from 29 infected bites per person/per mission to 324. The level of malaria transmission and malaria risk varies widely (varying by a factor of eleven) between groups of travellers travelling in the same region and at the same time. Physicians involved in travel medicine or supporting expatriated populations or refugees should consider this heterogeneity and emphasize the importance of combining appropriate measures, such as chemoprophylaxis and protective measures against mosquitoes.

  18. Major variations in malaria exposure of travellers in rural areas: an entomological cohort study in western Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Orlandi-Pradines, Eve; Rogier, Christophe; Koffi, Bernard; Jarjaval, Fanny; Bell, Melissa; Machault, Vanessa; Pons, Christophe; Girod, Romain; Boutin, Jean-Paul; Pagès, Frédéric

    2009-01-01

    Background Malaria remains a major threat, to both travellers and military personnel deployed to endemic areas. The recommendations for travellers given by the World Health Organization is based on the incidence of malaria in an area and do not take the degree of exposure into account. The aim of this article is to evaluate the exposure of travellers by entomologic methods, which are the commonly used measures of the intensity of malaria transmission. Methods From February 2004 to June 2004, five groups of 30 military personnel were stationed in up to 10 sites in western Côte d'Ivoire, from one week to several months. Adult mosquitoes were collected by human landing catches at each site during the five months and the level of exposure to malaria transmission of each group was estimated. Results The level of transmission varied from one site to another one from less than one to approximately more than 100 infective bites per month. In the majority of sites, at least two anopheline species were involved in transmission. The cumulative EIR over the study period varied according to the groups from 29 infected bites per person/per mission to 324. Conclusion The level of malaria transmission and malaria risk varies widely (varying by a factor of eleven) between groups of travellers travelling in the same region and at the same time. Physicians involved in travel medicine or supporting expatriated populations or refugees should consider this heterogeneity and emphasize the importance of combining appropriate measures, such as chemoprophylaxis and protective measures against mosquitoes. PMID:19638219

  19. Associations between exposure to intimate partner violence, armed conflict, and probable PTSD among women in rural Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Jhumka; Falb, Kathryn L; Carliner, Hannah; Hossain, Mazeda; Kpebo, Denise; Annan, Jeannie

    2014-01-01

    Objectives were to assess associations between intimate partner violence (IPV), violence during armed conflict (i.e. crisis violence), and probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Using a sample of 950 women in rural Côte d'Ivoire, logistic generalized estimating equations assessed associations between IPV and crisis violence exposures with past-week probable PTSD. Over one in 5 (23.4%) women reported past-year IPV, and over one in 4 women (26.5%) reported experiencing IPV prior to the past year (i.e. remote IPV). Crisis violence was experienced by 72.6% of women. In adjusted models including demographics, crisis violence (overall and specific forms), and IPV (remote and past-year), women who reported past-year IPV had 3.1 times the odds of reporting probable past-week PTSD (95%CI: 1.8-5.3) and those who reported remote IPV had 1.6 times the odds (95%CI: 0.9-2.7). Violent exposures during the crisis were not significantly associated with probable PTSD (any crisis violence: aOR: 1.04 (0.7-1.5); displacement: aOR: 0.9 (95%CI: 0.5-1.7); family victimization during crisis: aOR: 1.1 (95%CI: 0.8-1.7); personal victimization during crisis: aOR: 1.7 (95%CI: 0.7-3.7)). Past-year IPV was more strongly associated with past-week probable PTSD than remote IPV and violence directly related to the crisis. IPV must be considered within humanitarian mental health and psychosocial programming.

  20. Schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, and sociodemographic factors influence quality of life of adults in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Fürst, Thomas; Silué, Kigbafori D; Ouattara, Mamadou; N'Goran, Dje N; Adiossan, Lukas G; N'Guessan, Yao; Zouzou, Fabian; Koné, Siaka; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg

    2012-01-01

    Burden of disease estimates are widely used for priority setting in public health and disability-adjusted life years are a powerful "currency" nowadays. However, disability weights, which capture the disability incurred by a typical patient of a certain condition, are fundamental to such burden calculation and their determination remains a widely debated issue. A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted in the recently established Taabo health demographic surveillance system (HDSS) in south-central Côte d'Ivoire, to provide new, population-based evidence on the disability caused by schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Parasitological results from stool, urine, and blood examinations were juxtaposed to quality of life (QoL) questionnaire results from 187 adults. A multivariable linear regression model with stepwise backward elimination was used to identify significant associations, considering also sociodemographic characteristics obtained from the Taabo HDSS database. Prevalences for hookworm, Plasmodium spp., Trichuris trichiura, Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni were 39.0%, 18.2%, 2.7%, 2.1% and 2.1%, respectively. S. mansoni and T. trichiura infections of any intensity reduced the participants' self-rated QoL by 16 points (95% confidence interval (CI): 4-29 points) and 13 points (95% CI: 1-24 points), respectively, on a scale from 0 (worst QoL) to 100 points (best QoL). The only other statistically significant effect was a 1-point (95% CI: 0.1-2 points) increase on the QoL scale per one unit increase in a calculated wealth index. We found consistent and significant results on the negative effects of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis on adults' self-rated QoL, also when taking sociodemographic characteristics into account. Our results warrant further investigation on the disability incurred by helmintic infections and the usefulness of generic QoL questionnaires in this endeavor.

  1. Schistosomiasis, Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis, and Sociodemographic Factors Influence Quality of Life of Adults in Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Fürst, Thomas; Silué, Kigbafori D.; Ouattara, Mamadou; N'Goran, Dje N.; Adiossan, Lukas G.; N'Guessan, Yao; Zouzou, Fabian; Koné, Siaka; N'Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg

    2012-01-01

    Background Burden of disease estimates are widely used for priority setting in public health and disability-adjusted life years are a powerful “currency” nowadays. However, disability weights, which capture the disability incurred by a typical patient of a certain condition, are fundamental to such burden calculation and their determination remains a widely debated issue. Methodology A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted in the recently established Taabo health demographic surveillance system (HDSS) in south-central Côte d'Ivoire, to provide new, population-based evidence on the disability caused by schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Parasitological results from stool, urine, and blood examinations were juxtaposed to quality of life (QoL) questionnaire results from 187 adults. A multivariable linear regression model with stepwise backward elimination was used to identify significant associations, considering also sociodemographic characteristics obtained from the Taabo HDSS database. Principal Findings Prevalences for hookworm, Plasmodium spp., Trichuris trichiura, Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni were 39.0%, 18.2%, 2.7%, 2.1% and 2.1%, respectively. S. mansoni and T. trichiura infections of any intensity reduced the participants' self-rated QoL by 16 points (95% confidence interval (CI): 4–29 points) and 13 points (95% CI: 1–24 points), respectively, on a scale from 0 (worst QoL) to 100 points (best QoL). The only other statistically significant effect was a 1-point (95% CI: 0.1–2 points) increase on the QoL scale per one unit increase in a calculated wealth index. Conclusions/Significance We found consistent and significant results on the negative effects of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis on adults' self-rated QoL, also when taking sociodemographic characteristics into account. Our results warrant further investigation on the disability incurred by helmintic infections and the

  2. Silica in invasive wetland plant species of lagoons, Côte d'Ivoire: Spatio-temporal patterns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    José-mathieu Koné, Yéfanlan; Schoelynck, Jonas

    2017-04-01

    Tropical wetlands are known to accumulate a large quantity of Biogenic Silica (BSi) produced by wetland plant species (Struyf et al., 2015), and approximately 70-80% of the total supply of Dissolved Si (DSi) to the coastal zone occurs in (sub) tropical river systems (Jennerjahn et al. 2006). However, the data at these latitudes are limited. Here, we present the BSi concentration from eleven invasive macrophyte species randomly collected in three small ( 800ha) lagoons of Côte d'Ivoire during 12 months. Our data showed a large spatio-temporal variability of BSi in the three lagoons with no consistent trends. In general, the BSi concentrations obtained were high and values ranged from 0 to 54 mg g-1 through the entire sampling period, with the highest values found in Acroceras zizaniodes (emergent species of Poaceae). In general, free floating species had significantly less BSi than emergent species (P<0.0001) which corroborates with the earlier findings of Schoelynck and Struyf (2016). However, the concentrations of BSi found in Salvinia molesta (a free floating species of fern, Salviniaceae) at the young stage were similar to those found in the emergent species. Based on yearly averages, highest BSi values were observed in Kodjoboué lagoon, and the lowest in the Ono lagoon that is 80% covered by macrophytes. Moreover, the dissolved silica (DSi) concentrations were systematically higher in Ono Lagoon than in Kodjoboué Lagoon. We conclude that in an eutrophic system Si accumulating in aquatic macrophytes is not related to Si availability but to other environmental factors. Jennerjahn, T.C., Knoppers, B.A., de Souze, W.F.L., Brunskill, G.J., Silva, E.I.L., Adi, S. et al., 2006. Factors controlling dissolved silica in tropical rivers. In: Ittekot, V. (ed) The silicon cycle. Island Press, Washington, D. C, pp 29-51 Schoelynck J and Struyf E, 2016. Silicon in aquatic vegetation. Functional Ecology. 30: 1323-1330. Struyf, E., Mosimane, K., Van Pelt, D., Murray

  3. [Management of the yellow fever epidemic in 2010 in Séguéla (Côte d'Ivoire): value of multidisciplinary investigation].

    PubMed

    Konan, Yao Lucien; Coulibaly, Zanakoungo Ibrahima; Allali, Kouadio Bernard; Tétchi, Sopi Mathilde; Koné, Atioumounan Blaise; Coulibaly, Daouda; Ekra, Kouadio Daniel; Doannio, Julien Marie Christian; Oudéhouri-Koudou, Paul

    2014-01-01

    In August 2010, five positive cases of yellow fever were reported in the region of Séguéla, in the northwest of Côte d'Ivoire, affected by an armed conflict since 2002. In order to evaluate the extent of yellow fever virus circulation and the risk for local people, a multidisciplinary investigation was carried out by the Côte-d'Ivoire Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene. Theses investigations were conducted in the villages of confirmed cases and the outpatient and hospitalization centers attended by infected patients, two weeks after the reactive immunization campaign performed in order to stop the spread of the epidemic. The search for suspects identified 16 cases, including 4 cases and 2 deaths in hospital registers and 12 cases during community interviews, including 6 deaths. Stegomyiens indices were relatively low. Aedes aegypti was present among adult mosquitoes. In addition, three wild vectors, varying in number from one locality to another, were detected: Ae. africanus, Ae. luteocephalus and Ae. vittatus with average biting rates of 0.3; 0.1 and 0.05 bite/man/twilight, respectively, at Soba, Ae. africanus and Ae. vittatus with average biting rates of 0.25 and 0.3 bite/man/twilight, respectively, at Yaokro and Ae. luteocephalus with one bite/man/twilight at Kaborékro. Unfortunately, the vaccine response conducted before investigations did not stop progression of the epidemic which broke out three months later in the Worofla health area, close to the Magrékros encampment.

  4. The development of cardiac surgery in West Africa-the case of Ghana

    PubMed Central

    Edwin, Frank; Tettey, Mark; Aniteye, Ernest; Tamatey, Martin; Sereboe, Lawrence; Entsua-Mensah, Kow; Kotei, David; Baffoe-Gyan, Kofi

    2011-01-01

    West Africa is one of the poorest regions of the world. The sixteen nations listed by the United Nations in this sub-region have some of the lowest gross domestic products in the world. Health care infrastructure is deficient in most of these countries. Cardiac surgery, with its heavy financial outlay is unavailable in many West African countries. These facts notwithstanding, some West African countries have a proud history of open heart surgery not very well known even in African health care circles. Many African health care givers are under the erroneous impression that the cardiovascular surgical landscape of West Africa is blank. However, documented reports of open-heart surgery in Ghana dates as far back as 1964 when surface cooling was used by Ghanaian surgeons to close atrial septal defects. Ghana's National Cardiothoracic Center is still very active and is accredited by the West African College of Surgeons for the training of cardiothoracic surgeons. Reports from Nigeria indicate open-heart surgery taking place from 1974. Cote D'Ivoire had reported on its first 300 open-heart cases by 1983. Senegal reported open-heart surgery from 1995 and still runs an active center. Cameroon started out in 2009 with work done by an Italian group that ultimately aims to train indigenous surgeons to run the program. This review traces the development and current state of cardiothoracic surgery in West Africa with Ghana's National Cardiothoracic Center as the reference. It aims to dispel the notion that there are no major active cardiothoracic centers in the West African sub-region. PMID:22355425

  5. Severe morbidity after antiretroviral (ART) initiation: active surveillance in HIV care programs, the IeDEA West Africa collaboration.

    PubMed

    Abo, Yao; Zannou Djimon, Marcel; Messou, Eugène; Balestre, Eric; Kouakou, Martial; Akakpo, Jocelyn; Ahouada, Carin; de Rekeneire, Nathalie; Dabis, François; Lewden, Charlotte; Minga, Albert

    2015-04-09

    The causes of severe morbidity in health facilities implementing Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) programmes are poorly documented in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to describe severe morbidity among HIV-infected patients after ART initiation, based on data from an active surveillance system established within a network of specialized care facilities in West African cities. Within the International epidemiological Database to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA)--West Africa collaboration, we conducted a prospective, multicenter data collection that involved two facilities in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire and one in Cotonou, Benin. Among HIV-infected adults receiving ART, events were recorded using a standardized form. A simple case-definition of severe morbidity (death, hospitalization, fever>38°5C, Karnofsky index<70%) was used at any patient contact point. Then a physician confirmed and classified the event as WHO stage 3 or 4 according to the WHO clinical classification or as degree 3 or 4 of the ANRS scale. From December 2009 to December 2011, 978 adults (71% women, median age 39 years) presented with 1449 severe events. The main diagnoses were: non-AIDS-defining infections (33%), AIDS-defining illnesses (33%), suspected adverse drug reactions (7%), other illnesses (4%) and syndromic diagnoses (16%). The most common specific diagnoses were: malaria (25%), pneumonia (13%) and tuberculosis (8%). The diagnoses were reported as syndromic in one out of five events recorded during this study. This study highlights the ongoing importance of conventional infectious diseases among severe morbid events occurring in patients on ART in ambulatory HIV care facilities in West Africa. Meanwhile, additional studies are needed due to the undiagnosed aspect of severe morbidity in substantial proportion.

  6. Scale-Up of a Titanium Carbonitride Coating System for Titanium Alloys.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-07-01

    Ti-Cote C on JT12 Compressor 7th-Stage Airfoil -Optical Photomicrograph Porosity in Ti-Cote C Titanium 6AI- 4V Substrate - -- Mag: 1000OX FD 171506...30 21 TiCN Coating on Titanium 6A1- 4V ...indication of any corrosive damage to the titanium 6A1- 4V . This had been a matter of concern due to the corrosive nature of the reactive gases and

  7. Aspects épidémiologiques des accidents vasculaires cérébraux (AVC) aux urgences de l'institut de cardiologie d'Abidjan (ICA)

    PubMed Central

    N'goran, Yves N'da Kouakou; Traore, Fatou; Tano, Micesse; Kramoh, Kouadio Euloge; Kakou, Jean-Baptiste Anzouan; Konin, Christophe; Kakou, Maurice Guikahue

    2015-01-01

    Introduction L'objectif de notre étude était de décrire les caractéristiques sociodémographiques et les Facteurs de Risque cardio-Vasculaires (FRV) des patients admis pour accidents vasculaires cérébraux (AVC) dans un service autre que celui de la neurologie. Méthodes Étude transversale rétrospective sur une période de 2 ans (janv. 2010 et déc. 2011), réalisée aux urgences de l'institut de cardiologie d'Abidjan. Résultats Il s'agissait de 176 adultes avec un âge moyen de 60 ans, une prédominance féminine. Les facteurs de risque majeurs retrouvés étaient l'hypertension artérielle dans 86,4% des cas, le diabète dans 11,4% des cas, le tabagisme dans 2,2% des cas. Les motifs de consultation étaient la perte de connaissance dans 36,4% des cas, l'hémiplégie dans 31,8% des cas, les céphalées dans 17,4% des cas, les vertiges dans 10,9% et les palpitations dans 2,2% des cas. La tension artérielle systolique moyenne était à 174 mmHg, la tension artérielle diastolique moyenne était à 105 mmHg et la pression pulsée moyenne était à 70 mmHg. Les AVC étaient associés à une arythmie complète par fibrillation auriculaire dans 11,4% des cas. Les AVC ischémiques représentaient 84,1%. L’évolution aux urgences a été marquée par un décès dans 17% (30) des cas. Conclusion Les AVC constituent un problème majeur de santé publique. Malgré sa prédominance féminine, ils (AVC) touchaient 44% des hommes dans notre étude lorsqu'on sait qu'en Afrique l'activité sociale repose sur les hommes. Ils restent une pathologie grave par la forte létalité. PMID:26327997

  8. Spatial cohesion of adult male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Eckhardt, Nadin; Polansky, Leo; Boesch, Christophe

    2015-02-01

    Group living animals can exhibit fission-fusion behavior whereby individuals temporarily separate to reduce the costs of living in large groups. Primates living in groups with fission-fusion dynamics face numerous challenges in maintaining spatial cohesion, especially in environments with limited visibility. Here we investigated the spatial cohesion of adult male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) living in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, to better understand the mechanisms by which individuals maintain group cohesion during fission-fusion events. Over a 3-year period, we simultaneously tracked the movements of 2-4 males for 4-12 hr on up to 12 consecutive days using handheld GPS devices that recorded locations at one-minute intervals. Analyses of the male's inter-individual distance (IID) showed that the maximum, median, and mean IID values across all observations were 7.2 km, 73 m, and 483 m, respectively. These males (a) had maximum daily IID values below the limits of auditory communication (<1 km) for 63% of the observation time, (b) remained out of visual range (≥100 m) for 46% of observation time, and (c) remained within auditory range for 70% of the time when they were in different parties. We compared the observed distribution of IIDs with a random distribution obtained from permutations of the individuals' travel paths using Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. Observation IID values were significantly smaller than those generated by the permutation procedure. We conclude that these male chimpanzees actively maintain cohesion when out of sight, and that auditory communication is one likely mechanism by which they do so. We discuss mechanisms by which chimpanzees may maintain the level of cohesion observed. This study provides a first analysis of spatial group cohesion over large distances in forest chimpanzees using high-resolution tracking, and illustrates the utility of such data for quantifying socio-ecological processes in primate ecology.

  9. Maritime Claims Reference Manual.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-01-01

    63 Cape Verde 2-78 Chile 2-82 China 2-86 Colombia 2-92 Comoros 2-97 Congo 2-98 Cook Islands 2-99 Costa Rica 2-101 CoteD’lvore 2-104...continental shelf. VII. MARITIME BOUNDARIES 1881 Agreement Boundary agreement with Chile delimiting Tierra del Fuego and Straits of Magellan. Feb74...Agreement Maritime boundary agreement with Uruguay EIF. SeeLISNo.64. May 85 Agreement Agreement with Chile delimiting a boundary in and seaward of

  10. Quality of antenatal and delivery care before and after the implementation of a prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programme in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Delvaux, Thérèse; Konan, Jean-Paul Diby; Aké-Tano, Odile; Gohou-Kouassi, Valérie; Bosso, Patrice Emery; Buvé, Anne; Ronsmans, Carine

    2008-08-01

    To assess whether implementation of a prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) programme in Côte d'Ivoire improved the quality of antenatal and delivery care services. Quality of antenatal and delivery care services was assessed in five urban health facilities before (2002-2003) and after (2005) the implementation of a PMTCT programme through review of facility data; observation of antenatal consultations (n = 606 before; n = 591 after) and deliveries (n = 229 before; n = 231 after) and exit interviews of women; and interviews of health facility staff. HIV testing was never proposed at baseline and was proposed to 63% of women at the first ANC visit after PMTCT implementation. The overall testing rate was 42% and 83% of tested HIV-infected pregnant women received nevirapine. In addition, inter-personal communication and confidentiality significantly improved in all health facilities. In the maternity ward, quality of obstetrical care at admission, delivery and post-partum care globally improved in all facilities after the implementation of the programme although some indicators remained poor, such as filling in the partograph directly during labour. Episiotomy rates among primiparous women dropped from 64% to 25% (P < 0.001) after PMTCT implementation. Global scores for quality of antenatal and delivery care significantly improved in all facilities after the implementation of the programme. Introducing comprehensive PMTCT services can improve the quality of antenatal and delivery care in general.

  11. Spatial variation in mandibular bone elastic modulus and its effect on structural bending stiffness: A test case using the Taï Forest monkeys.

    PubMed

    Le, Kim N; Marsik, Matthew; Daegling, David J; Duque, Ana; McGraw, William Scott

    2017-03-01

    We investigated how heterogeneity in material stiffness affects structural stiffness in the cercopithecid mandibular cortical bone. We assessed (1) whether this effect changes the interpretation of interspecific structural stiffness variation across four primate species, (2) whether the heterogeneity is random, and (3) whether heterogeneity mitigates bending stress in the jaw associated with food processing. The sample consisted of Taï Forest, Cote d'Ivoire, monkeys: Cercocebus atys, Piliocolobus badius, Colobus polykomos, and Cercopithecus diana. Vickers indentation hardness samples estimated elastic moduli throughout the cortical bone area of each coronal section of postcanine corpus. For each section, we calculated maximum area moment of inertia, I max (structural mechanical property), under three models of material heterogeneity, as well as spatial autocorrelation statistics (Moran's I, I MORAN ). When the model considered material stiffness variation and spatial patterning, I max decreased and individual ranks based on structural stiffness changed. Rank changes were not significant across models. All specimens showed positive (nonrandom) spatial autocorrelation. Differences in I MORAN were not significant among species, and there were no discernable patterns of autocorrelation within species. Across species, significant local I MORAN was often attributed to proximity of low moduli in the alveolar process and high moduli in the basal process. While our sample did not demonstrate species differences in the degree of spatial autocorrelation of elastic moduli, there may be mechanical effects of heterogeneity (relative strength and rigidity) that do distinguish at the species or subfamilial level (i.e., colobines vs. cercopithecines). The potential connections of heterogeneity to diet and/or taxonomy remain to be discovered. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. 78 FR 8955 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to C[ocirc...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-02-06

    ... the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire On... International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706), to deal with the unusual and extraordinary... or in relation to C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire and ordered related measures blocking the property of certain...

  13. Identification of yeasts isolated from raffia wine (Raphia hookeri) produced in Côte d'Ivoire and genotyping of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains by PCR inter-delta.

    PubMed

    Tra Bi, Charles Y; N'guessan, Florent K; Kouakou, Clémentine A; Jacques, Noemie; Casaregola, Serge; Djè, Marcellin K

    2016-08-01

    Raffia wine is a traditional alcoholic beverage produced in several African countries where it plays a significant role in traditional customs and population diet. Alcoholic fermentation of this beverage is ensured by a complex natural yeast flora which plays a decisive role in the quality of the final product. This present study aims to evaluate the distribution and the diversity of the yeast strains isolated in raffia wine from four sampling areas (Abengourou, Alépé, Grand-Lahou and Adzopé) in Côte d'Ivoire. Based on the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rDNA sequence analysis, nine species belonging to six genera were distinguished. With a percentage of 69.5 % out of 171 yeast isolates, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the predominant species in the raffia wine, followed by Kodamaea ohmeri (20.4 %). The other species isolated were Candida haemulonii (4.1 %), Candida phangngensis (1.8 %), Pichia kudriavzevii (1.2 %), Hanseniaspora jakobsenii (1.2 %), Candida silvae (0.6 %), Hanseniaspora guilliermondii (0.6 %) and Meyerozyma caribbica (0.6 %). The molecular characterization of S. cerevisiae isolates at the strain level using the PCR-interdelta method revealed the presence of 21 profiles (named I to XXI) within 115 isolates. Only four profiles (I, III, V and XI) were shared by the four areas under study. Phenotypic characterization of K. ohmeri strains showed two subgroups for sugar fermentation and no diversity for the nitrogen compound assimilations and the growth at different temperatures.

  14. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of January 26, 2011 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire On February 7...

  15. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of February 4, 2013 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire On February 7...

  16. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of February 2, 2010 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire On February 7...

  17. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of February 3, 2012 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire On February 7...

  18. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of February 4, 2009 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to Côte d'Ivoire On February 7...

  19. Serological evidence of Ebola virus infection in Indonesian orangutans.

    PubMed

    Nidom, Chairul A; Nakayama, Eri; Nidom, Reviany V; Alamudi, Mohamad Y; Daulay, Syafril; Dharmayanti, Indi N L P; Dachlan, Yoes P; Amin, Mohamad; Igarashi, Manabu; Miyamoto, Hiroko; Yoshida, Reiko; Takada, Ayato

    2012-01-01

    Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) belong to the family Filoviridae and cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates. Despite the discovery of EBOV (Reston virus) in nonhuman primates and domestic pigs in the Philippines and the serological evidence for its infection of humans and fruit bats, information on the reservoirs and potential amplifying hosts for filoviruses in Asia is lacking. In this study, serum samples collected from 353 healthy Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) in Kalimantan Island, Indonesia, during the period from December 2005 to December 2006 were screened for filovirus-specific IgG antibodies using a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with recombinant viral surface glycoprotein (GP) antigens derived from multiple species of filoviruses (5 EBOV and 1 MARV species). Here we show that 18.4% (65/353) and 1.7% (6/353) of the samples were seropositive for EBOV and MARV, respectively, with little cross-reactivity among EBOV and MARV antigens. In these positive samples, IgG antibodies to viral internal proteins were also detected by immunoblotting. Interestingly, while the specificity for Reston virus, which has been recognized as an Asian filovirus, was the highest in only 1.4% (5/353) of the serum samples, the majority of EBOV-positive sera showed specificity to Zaire, Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire, or Bundibugyo viruses, all of which have been found so far only in Africa. These results suggest the existence of multiple species of filoviruses or unknown filovirus-related viruses in Indonesia, some of which are serologically similar to African EBOVs, and transmission of the viruses from yet unidentified reservoir hosts into the orangutan populations. Our findings point to the need for risk assessment and continued surveillance of filovirus infection of human and nonhuman primates, as well as wild and domestic animals, in Asia.

  20. Single-Injection Vaccine Protects Nonhuman Primates against Infection with Marburg Virus and Three Species of Ebola Virus▿

    PubMed Central

    Geisbert, Thomas W.; Geisbert, Joan B.; Leung, Anders; Daddario-DiCaprio, Kathleen M.; Hensley, Lisa E.; Grolla, Allen; Feldmann, Heinz

    2009-01-01

    The filoviruses Marburg virus and Ebola virus cause severe hemorrhagic fever with high mortality in humans and nonhuman primates. Among the most promising filovirus vaccines under development is a system based on recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) that expresses a single filovirus glycoprotein (GP) in place of the VSV glycoprotein (G). Here, we performed a proof-of-concept study in order to determine the potential of having one single-injection vaccine capable of protecting nonhuman primates against Sudan ebolavirus (SEBOV), Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV), Cote d'Ivoire ebolavirus (CIEBOV), and Marburgvirus (MARV). In this study, 11 cynomolgus monkeys were vaccinated with a blended vaccine consisting of equal parts of the vaccine vectors VSVΔG/SEBOVGP, VSVΔG/ZEBOVGP, and VSVΔG/MARVGP. Four weeks later, three of these animals were challenged with MARV, three with CIEBOV, three with ZEBOV, and two with SEBOV. Three control animals were vaccinated with VSV vectors encoding a nonfilovirus GP and challenged with SEBOV, ZEBOV, and MARV, respectively, and five unvaccinated control animals were challenged with CIEBOV. Importantly, none of the macaques vaccinated with the blended vaccine succumbed to a filovirus challenge. As expected, an experimental control animal vaccinated with VSVΔG/ZEBOVGP and challenged with SEBOV succumbed, as did the positive controls challenged with SEBOV, ZEBOV, and MARV, respectively. All five control animals challenged with CIEBOV became severely ill, and three of the animals succumbed on days 12, 12, and 14, respectively. The two animals that survived CIEBOV infection were protected from subsequent challenge with either SEBOV or ZEBOV, suggesting that immunity to CIEBOV may be protective against other species of Ebola virus. In conclusion, we developed an immunization scheme based on a single-injection vaccine that protects nonhuman primates against lethal challenge with representative strains of all human pathogenic filovirus species

  1. Diarrhea management in children under five in sub-Saharan Africa: does the source of care matter? A Countdown analysis.

    PubMed

    Carvajal-Vélez, Liliana; Amouzou, Agbessi; Perin, Jamie; Maïga, Abdoulaye; Tarekegn, Hayalnesh; Akinyemi, Akanni; Shiferaw, Solomon; Young, Mark; Bryce, Jennifer; Newby, Holly

    2016-08-19

    Diarrhea remains a high burden disease, responsible for nine percent of deaths in children under five globally. We analyzed diarrhea management practices in young children and their association with the source of care. We used Demographic and Health Survey data from 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa with high burdens of childhood diarrhea. We classified the quality of diarrhea management practices as good, fair, or poor based on mothers' reports for children with diarrhea, using WHO/UNICEF recommendations for appropriate treatment. We described the prevalence of diarrhea management by type and assessed the association between good management and source of care, adjusting for potential confounders. Prevalence of good diarrhea management is low in 11 of the 12 analyzed surveys, varying from 17 % in Cote d'Ivoire to 38 % in Niger. The exception is Sierra Leone, where prevalence of good practice is 67 %. Prevalence of good management was low even among children taken to health facilities [median 52 %, range: 34-64 %]. Diarrhea careseeking from health facilities or community providers was associated with higher odds of good management than care from traditional/informal sources or no care. Careseeking from facilities did not result systematically in a higher likelihood of good diarrhea management than care from community providers. The odds of good diarrhea management were similar for community versus facility providers in six countries, higher in community than facility providers in two countries, and higher in facility than in community providers in four countries. Many children's lives can be saved with correct management of childhood diarrhea. Too many children are not receiving adequate care for diarrhea in high-burden sub-Saharan African countries, even among those seen in health facilities. Redoubling efforts to increase careseeking and improve quality of care for childhood diarrhea in both health facilities and at community level is an urgent priority.

  2. PEPFAR Funding and Reduction in HIV Infection Rates in 12 Focus Sub-Saharan African Countries: A Quantitative Analysis.

    PubMed

    Chin, Roger J; Sangmanee, Domrongphol; Piergallini, Lisa

    2015-01-01

    HIV and AIDS continue to have a calamitous effect on individuals living on the continent of Africa. U.S. President George W. Bush implemented the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) with the objective of committing approximately $15 billion from 2004 through 2008 to assist with the reduction of the HIV pandemic worldwide. The majority of the PEPFAR policy and funding focused on 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. The policy question this research paper seeks to analyze is whether the PEPFAR funding (as a % of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)) allocated to the 12 countries in Africa had any effect on the decrease of HIV infection rates of males and females between the ages of 15 and 49. A fixed-effects panel regression analysis was conducted to determine if this association exists. This study examined the 12 African countries that received PEPFAR funding over the years 2002 to 2010; even though PEPFAR was only active from 2004 through 2008, this research included two years prior and two years after this timeframe in order to better estimate the effect of PEPFAR funding on HIV reduction. The results illustrate that on average, ceteris paribus, for every 1 percentage point increase in PEPFAR funding per GDP a country received, the country's HIV infection rate decreased by 0.355 percentage points. While the empirical findings in this study suggested that the correlation between PEPFAR funding and HIV reduction is statistically significant, the practical significance is perhaps less obvious. Arguably, the reduction rate should be higher given the extent of funding targeted to this project. The conclusion of this research provides suggestions on future research and the policy implications of PEPFAR.

  3. "Ghana faces ecological disaster".

    PubMed

    Asmah, G F

    1990-05-01

    The rate of deforestation in Ghana is alarming and urgent steps need to be taken to reverse the trend, Robert D. Mann, a British tropical agriculturist, has warned. He says, "There will be further disintegration of the local climate, deterioration of soil fertility and reduced food-crop production, if the present trend of denudation by felling trees and uncontrolled bush fires is not halted and reversed." Mann, who has conducted research on "deforestation, drought and famine in Africa" was in Ghana recently to speak on the "role of the Church in West Africa in stimulating action to combat desertification". Representatives of protestant churches in Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Gambia, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone attended the 3-day conference which was organized by the Overseas Department of the British Methodist Church. It was to enable participants to share perspectives on the nature, scale and seriousness of the deforestation problem. Participants also exchanged experiences on village-based projects for promoting tree planting and agro-forestry, and developed strategies for the rural development programs. Robert Mann noted that Ghana was not only affected by its proximity to the Sahel, but also by its own deforestation. The situation in Ghana, once renowned for her extensive forests and woodland, has now drastically changed. By 1980/81 the area of closed forest had been reduced to 17,000 sq km from 47,9000 sq km in 1937/38. He said in 1939 the volume of wood exported from Ghana was 42,450 cubic meters but it rose to 1,471,600 cubic meters by 1987. Such activities, Mann said, put severe strain on the environment and affected both the economy and sociocultural basis of the country. full text

  4. Single-injection vaccine protects nonhuman primates against infection with marburg virus and three species of ebola virus.

    PubMed

    Geisbert, Thomas W; Geisbert, Joan B; Leung, Anders; Daddario-DiCaprio, Kathleen M; Hensley, Lisa E; Grolla, Allen; Feldmann, Heinz

    2009-07-01

    The filoviruses Marburg virus and Ebola virus cause severe hemorrhagic fever with high mortality in humans and nonhuman primates. Among the most promising filovirus vaccines under development is a system based on recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) that expresses a single filovirus glycoprotein (GP) in place of the VSV glycoprotein (G). Here, we performed a proof-of-concept study in order to determine the potential of having one single-injection vaccine capable of protecting nonhuman primates against Sudan ebolavirus (SEBOV), Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV), Cote d'Ivoire ebolavirus (CIEBOV), and Marburgvirus (MARV). In this study, 11 cynomolgus monkeys were vaccinated with a blended vaccine consisting of equal parts of the vaccine vectors VSVDeltaG/SEBOVGP, VSVDeltaG/ZEBOVGP, and VSVDeltaG/MARVGP. Four weeks later, three of these animals were challenged with MARV, three with CIEBOV, three with ZEBOV, and two with SEBOV. Three control animals were vaccinated with VSV vectors encoding a nonfilovirus GP and challenged with SEBOV, ZEBOV, and MARV, respectively, and five unvaccinated control animals were challenged with CIEBOV. Importantly, none of the macaques vaccinated with the blended vaccine succumbed to a filovirus challenge. As expected, an experimental control animal vaccinated with VSVDeltaG/ZEBOVGP and challenged with SEBOV succumbed, as did the positive controls challenged with SEBOV, ZEBOV, and MARV, respectively. All five control animals challenged with CIEBOV became severely ill, and three of the animals succumbed on days 12, 12, and 14, respectively. The two animals that survived CIEBOV infection were protected from subsequent challenge with either SEBOV or ZEBOV, suggesting that immunity to CIEBOV may be protective against other species of Ebola virus. In conclusion, we developed an immunization scheme based on a single-injection vaccine that protects nonhuman primates against lethal challenge with representative strains of all human pathogenic

  5. Coverage of Nutrition Interventions Intended for Infants and Young Children Varies Greatly across Programs: Results from Coverage Surveys in 5 Countries.

    PubMed

    Leyvraz, Magali; Aaron, Grant J; Poonawala, Alia; van Liere, Marti J; Schofield, Dominic; Myatt, Mark; Neufeld, Lynnette M

    2017-05-01

    Background: The efficacy of a number of interventions that include fortified complementary foods (FCFs) or other products to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) is well established. Programs that provide such products free or at a subsidized price are implemented in many countries around the world. Demonstrating the impact at scale of these programs has been challenging, and rigorous information on coverage and utilization is lacking. Objective: The objective of this article is to review key findings from 11 coverage surveys of IYCF programs distributing or selling FCFs or micronutrient powders in 5 countries. Methods: Programs were implemented in Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Surveys were implemented at different stages of program implementation between 2013 and 2015. The Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT) was developed to assess 3 levels of coverage (message: awareness of the product; contact: use of the product ≥1 time; and effective: regular use aligned with program-specific goals), as well as barriers and factors that facilitate coverage. Analyses included the coverage estimates, as well as an assessment of equity of coverage between the poor and nonpoor, and between those with poor and adequate child feeding practices. Results: Coverage varied greatly between countries and program models. Message coverage ranged from 29.0% to 99.7%, contact coverage from 22.6% to 94.4%, and effective coverage from 0.8% to 88.3%. Beyond creating awareness, programs that achieved high coverage were those with effective mechanisms in place to overcome barriers for both supply and demand. Conclusions: Variability in coverage was likely due to the program design, delivery model, quality of implementation, and product type. Measuring program coverage and understanding its determinants is essential for program improvement and to estimate the potential for impact of programs at scale. Use of the FACT can help overcome this evidence

  6. [Smoking and educational status in Africans].

    PubMed

    Kouassi, B; Kpebo, O D; Horo, K; N'Gom, A; Godé, C; Ahui, B; Koffi, N; Aka-Danguy, E

    2010-03-01

    Tobacco smoking is a scourge that continues to increase in developing countries despite its known consequences. Is the population of the Ivory Coast sufficiently informed about the consequences of smoking? For this reason, we decided to evaluate the knowledge of the effects of smoking among the people of Abidjan. To evaluate the knowledge of the effects of smoking in the population of Abidjan. To relate this knowledge to the educational level and smoking status. We evaluated knowledge about smoking and its consequences as a function of educational level and smoking status in the population of Abidjan over the age of 15 years. This was undertaken in 3 months, from November 2005 to January 2006, in the two busiest communes in Abidjan. The minimum number of persons required was 1152 but, in fact, we interviewed 1409. The prevalence of smoking was 36.5% with a predominance of males (sex ratio = 3:11). They were mainly young with a mean age of 27.44 years. This population's main sources of information on the ill effects of smoking were the mass media. In general, the subjects did not have a good understanding of smoking and its consequences. With regard to the diseases related to smoking, bronchial carcinoma and cardiovascular disorders were the best known, in 53.1 and 18.1%, respectively. With regard to the components of tobacco, nicotine was the best known (92.6%). Knowledge was related to the level of education: the subjects of a higher educational level were the most knowledgeable about the consequences of smoking. As a result, these subjects were less attached to smoking than the less educated. The consequences of smoking are poorly understood by the general population. With regard to the level of education, the better educated had a better understanding of the effects of smoking and were also those who smoked the least. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  7. Medicinal plants and traditional healing practices in Ehotile people, around the Aby Lagoon (eastern littoral of Côte d'Ivoire).

    PubMed

    Malan, Djah F; Neuba, Danho F R; Kouakou, Kouakou L

    2015-03-14

    Access to useful plants is a growing problem in Africa, increased by the loss of natural vegetation and the erosion of traditional knowledge. Ethnobotany contributes to promote these indigenous knowledge. Despite the large diversity of ethnic groups in Côte d'Ivoire, few ethnomedicine researches have targeted these groups. Among the great Akan group, the Ehotile people are one of the smallest and oldest ethnic group around the Aby Lagoon. The goal of this study was to analyze the level of knowledge and use of medicinal plants by the Ehotile people, and moreover, contribute to build a database about useful plants of first Ivorian people. Two sets of surveys were conducted in four Ehotile villages: a house-to-house freelist interview and an individual walk-in-the woods interview with some key informants identified by the community. Frequency of citation, Smith's index, Use value and Informant Consensus Factor were used to estimate the local knowledge of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants are widely used by Ehotile people. Some were used in addition to modern prescriptions while for some disorders commonly called "African diseases" only plants are used. 123 species employed in the treatment of 57 diseases were listed. Specifically, the most common indications included malaria, sexual asthenia, troubles linked to pregnancy, dysmenorrhoea and haemorrhoids. Analysis of freelists suggested that Ehotile people has a good knowledge of medicinal plants and the most salient included Harungana madagascariensis, Alstonia boonei, Ocimum gratissimum and Xylopia acutiflora. Regarding the consensus among key informants, ICF values were low (<0.5), however category of infectious and parasitic diseases obtained the best agreement (ICF = 0.42). Following the local experts, 4 types of plants availability were distinguished: Abundant plants easy to collect, abundant plants difficult to harvest, scarce plants and endangered plants. Despite the virtual disappearance of natural

  8. Assessments of serum copper and zinc concentration, and the Cu/Zn ratio determination in patients with multidrug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Bahi, Gnogbo Alexis; Boyvin, Lydie; Méité, Souleymane; M'Boh, Gervais Melaine; Yeo, Kadjowely; N'Guessan, Kouassi Raymond; Bidié, Alain Dit Philippe; Djaman, Allico Joseph

    2017-04-11

    In Côte d'Ivoire, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a serious public health problem with a prevalence estimated at 2.5% in 2006. Zinc and copper are essential Trace element needed to strengthen the immune system and also useful in the fight against tuberculosis. The Cu / Zn ratio is a good indicator of oxidative stress. The principal aim of this study was to evaluate the serum concentration of some trace element and determine the Cu / Zn ratio in patients with multidrug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-TB) before and after second line treatment of TB. Blood samples were obtained from 100 MDR-TB patients after confirmation of their status through the microscopic and molecular diagnosis of resistance to Isoniazid and Rifampicin by GeneXpert. The concentration level of zinc and copper were determined using flame air / acetylene atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) Type Varian Spectr AA-20 Victoria, Australlia. A significant decrease in zinc levels (P < 0.05) and an increased Cu / Zn ratio (P < 0.05) was observed in MDR-TB patients compared to controls TB free. During treatment a significant reduction in Cu / Zn ratio (P < 0.05) was observed compared to the initial result. The decrease in serum zinc level and the high Cu / Zn ratio could explain the immune system dysfunction and the high level of oxidative stress in patients with MDR-TB. Therefore the evaluation of the zinc and copper status could represent essential parameters in monitoring of TB second line treatment for better treatment management.

  9. Abidjan: new challenges. UNAIDS focus.

    PubMed

    1998-03-01

    This article focuses on the challenges as a result of the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Updated surveillance uncovers 16,000 new infections a day and 30 million people are now living with HIV/AIDS. In addition, 1 in 100 adults in the 15-49 age group are infected with HIV and only 1 in 10 infected persons are aware of their HIV status. At the 10th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Africa in 1997, Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, drew attention to the importance of unmasking what is in many places still an invisible epidemic. Dr. Piot said that the alarming situation calls for an unprecedented global effort. In conclusion, Dr. Piot issued these challenges of: breaking the silence, focusing on the next generation, making AIDS a development issue, and ensuring solidarity to help Africa scale up its response to the epidemic.

  10. Willingness to use a rapid diagnostic test for malaria in a rural area of central Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Comoé, Colombe Coffie; Ouattara, Allassane F; Raso, Giovanna; Tanner, Marcel; Utzinger, Jürg; Koudou, Benjamin G

    2012-12-18

    Malaria mortality is mainly a direct consequence of inadequate and/or delayed diagnosis and case management. Some important control interventions (e.g. long-lasting insecticidal nests) have contributed to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality in different parts of the world. Moreover, the development and effective use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) hold promise to further enhance the control and elimination of malaria, particularly in areas where health services are deficient. The aim of this study was to determine knowledge, attitudes, practices and beliefs in relation to RDTs for malaria in rural Côte d'Ivoire. One hundred individuals from Bozi and Yoho who sought care at the health centre in Bozi and were offered an RDT for malaria were interviewed in April 2010 using a pre-tested questionnaire on practice and perceptions in relation to RDTs for malaria. The relationships between acceptance of RDTs and factors related to opinions were identified, using generalized linear mixed models. Qualitative data from open-ended questions complemented the quantitative analysis. Only 34 out of 100 patients who were offered an RDT for malaria were willing to undergo the test. People who perceived blood as a sacred body fluid were less likely to comply with an RDT. The concurrent availability and use of RDTs for HIV and malaria was associated with an unwilling attitude towards RDTs for malaria (Fisher's exact test, p <0.001). The initial willingness of patients to accept malaria testing with RDTs was significantly related to general fear and wanting to know malaria infection status. For further and regular use of RDTs, a strong relationship was observed between acceptance and the idea that an RDT is a pretext used by health worker to know HIV status (odds ratio (OR) = 16.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03-268.5). Those thinking that blood samples were useful for medical diagnoses were 8.31-times (95% CI = 2.22-31.1) more likely to undergo an RDT compared to those

  11. Clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of making third-line antiretroviral therapy available in sub-Saharan Africa: a model-based analysis in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Ouattara, Eric N; Ross, Eric L; Yazdanpanah, Yazdan; Wong, Angela Y; Robine, Marion; Losina, Elena; Moh, Raoul; Walensky, Rochelle P; Danel, Christine; Paltiel, A David; Eholié, Serge P; Freedberg, Kenneth A; Anglaret, Xavier

    2014-07-01

    In sub-Saharan Africa, HIV-infected adults who fail second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) often do not have access to third-line ART. We examined the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of making third-line ART available in Côte d'Ivoire. We used a simulation model to compare 4 strategies after second-line ART failure: continue second-line ART (C-ART2), continue second-line ART with an adherence reinforcement intervention (AR-ART2), immediate switch to third-line ART (IS-ART3), and continue second-line ART with adherence reinforcement, switching patients with persistent failure to third-line ART (AR-ART3). Third-line ART consisted of a boosted-darunavir plus raltegravir-based regimen. Primary outcomes were 10-year survival and lifetime incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), in $/year of life saved (YLS). ICERs below $3585 (3 times the country per capita gross domestic product) were considered cost-effective. Ten-year survival was 6.0% with C-ART2, 17.0% with AR-ART2, 35.4% with IS-ART3, and 37.2% with AR-ART3. AR-ART2 was cost-effective ($1100/YLS). AR-ART3 had an ICER of $3600/YLS and became cost-effective if the cost of third-line ART decreased by <1%. IS-ART3 was less effective and more costly than AR-ART3. Results were robust to wide variations in the efficacy of third-line ART and of the adherence reinforcement, as well as in the cost of second-line ART. Access to third-line ART combined with an intense adherence reinforcement phase, used as a tool to distinguish between patients who can still benefit from their current second-line regimen and those who truly need third-line ART would provide substantial survival benefits. With minor decreases in drug costs, this strategy would be cost-effective.

  12. Implementation and Operational Research: Impact of a Systems Engineering Intervention on PMTCT Service Delivery in Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Mozambique: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

    PubMed

    Rustagi, Alison Silvis; Gimbel, Sarah; Nduati, Ruth; Cuembelo, Maria de Fatima; Wasserheit, Judith N; Farquhar, Carey; Gloyd, Stephen; Sherr, Kenneth

    2016-07-01

    Efficacious interventions to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) have not translated well into effective programs. Previous studies of systems engineering applications to PMTCT lacked comparison groups or randomization. Thirty-six health facilities in Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, and Mozambique were randomized to usual care or a systems engineering intervention, stratified by country and volume. The intervention guided facility staff to iteratively identify and then rectify barriers to PMTCT implementation. Registry data quantified coverage of HIV testing during first antenatal care visit, antiretrovirals (ARVs) for HIV-positive pregnant women, and screening HIV-exposed infants (HEI) for HIV by 6-8 weeks. We compared the change between baseline (January 2013-January 2014) and postintervention (January 2015-March 2015) periods using t-tests. All analyses were intent-to-treat. ARV coverage increased 3-fold [+13.3% points (95% CI: 0.5 to 26.0) in intervention vs. +4.1 (-12.6 to 20.7) in control facilities] and HEI screening increased 17-fold [+11.6 (-2.6 to 25.7) in intervention vs. +0.7 (-12.9 to 14.4) in control facilities]. In prespecified subgroup analyses, ARV coverage increased significantly in Kenya [+20.9 (-3.1 to 44.9) in intervention vs. -21.2 (-52.7 to 10.4) in controls; P = 0.02]. HEI screening increased significantly in Mozambique [+23.1 (10.3 to 35.8) in intervention vs. +3.7 (-13.1 to 20.6) in controls; P = 0.04]. HIV testing did not differ significantly between arms. In this first randomized trial of systems engineering to improve PMTCT, we saw substantially larger improvements in ARV coverage and HEI screening in intervention facilities compared with controls, which were significant in prespecified subgroups. Systems engineering could strengthen PMTCT service delivery and protect infants from HIV.

  13. "Koko et les lunettes magiques": An educational entertainment tool to prevent parasitic worms and diarrheal diseases in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Essé, Clémence; Koffi, Véronique A; Kouamé, Abel; Dongo, Kouassi; Yapi, Richard B; Moro, Honorine M; Kouakou, Christiane A; Palmeirim, Marta S; Bonfoh, Bassirou; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg; Raso, Giovanna

    2017-09-01

    Integrated control programs, emphasizing preventive chemotherapy along with health education, can reduce the incidence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis. The aim of this study was to develop an educational animated cartoon to improve school children's awareness regarding soil-transmitted helminthiasis, diarrheal diseases, and related hygiene practices in Côte d'Ivoire. The key messages included in the cartoon were identified through prior formative research to specifically address local knowledge gaps. In a first step, preliminary research was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and beliefs of school-aged children regarding parasitic worm infections and hygiene, to identify key health messages to be included in an animated cartoon. Second, an animated cartoon was produced, which included the drafting of the script and story board, and the production of the cartoon's initial version. Finally, the animated cartoon was pilot tested in eight selected schools and further fine-tuned. According to the questionnaire results, children believed that the consumption of sweet food, eating without washing their hands, sitting on the floor, and eating spoiled food were the main causes of parasitic worm infections. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, lack of appetite, failure to grow, and general fatigue were mentioned as symptoms of parasitic worm infections. Most of the children knew that they should go to the hospital for treatment if they experienced symptoms of parasitic worm diseases. The animated cartoon titled "Koko et les lunettes magiques" was produced by Afrika Toon, in collaboration with a scientific team composed of epidemiologists, civil engineers, and social scientists, and the local school children and teachers. Pilot testing of the animated cartoon revealed that, in the short term, children grasped and kept key messages. Most of the children who were shown the cartoon reported to like it. Acceptance of the animated cartoon was high

  14. Access to, and use of, water by populations living in a schistosomiasis and fascioliasis co-endemic area of northern Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Krauth, Stefanie J; Musard, Capucine; Traoré, Seïdinan I; Zinsstag, Jakob; Achi, Louise Y; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg

    2015-09-01

    Water is an essential element of life, but it can also be a source of disease. Apart from direct consumption of unsafe water, direct contact and indirect consumption puts people at risk of many different types of pathogens. Employing a mixed methods approach, consisting of questionnaires and direct observations, we assessed access to, and use of, different water sources by the participants of the district des Savanes in northern Côte d'Ivoire. The use of water sources was put in relation to the potential risk of acquiring schistosomiasis and fascioliasis. Overall, 489 people aged 8 to 82 years participated. While all participants had access to safe water, 63% were in direct contact with unimproved water and 31% directly consumed unsafe water. More than a third of the people who otherwise reported using only improved water for all activities came in contact with unimproved water through crossing open water when going to their workplace, school or other destinations. Self-reported blood in urine - a marker for Schistosoma haematobium with reasonable sensitivity and specificity - was reported by 6% (n=30), self-reported blood in stool - an unspecific marker for Schistosoma mansoni - was reported by 7% (n=35), while blood co-occurring in both urine and stool was reported by another 10% (n=48) of participants. Accessing unimproved water for any activity (including crossing) was associated with higher odds of reporting blood in urine and/or blood in stool (odds ratio: 1.90; 95% confidence interval: 1.07-3.36). Our results have important rami-fications for intervention programmes targeting neglected tropical diseases, and emphasize the need for a wider supply of safe water to rural populations, since the water supply at the workplace needs to be considered as well next to the water supply at home. Crossing of open water sources is an important risk factor for sustained transmission of schistosomiasis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Distribution of intermediate host snails of schistosomiasis and fascioliasis in relation to environmental factors during the dry season in the Tchologo region, Côte d'Ivoire

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krauth, Stefanie J.; Wandel, Nathalie; Traoré, Seïdinan I.; Vounatsou, Penelope; Hattendorf, Jan; Achi, Louise Y.; McNeill, Kristopher; N'Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg

    2017-10-01

    Snail-borne trematodiases, such as fascioliasis and schistosomiasis, belong to the neglected tropical diseases; yet, millions of people and livestock are affected. The spatial and temporal distribution of intermediate host snails plays an important role in the epidemiology and control of trematodiases. Snail distribution is influenced by numerous environmental and anthropomorphic factors. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution and constitution of the snail fauna during the dry season in constructed and natural water bodies in the Tchologo region, northern Côte d'Ivoire, and to relate these findings to environmental factors and human infections. Snails were collected using standard procedures and environmental parameters were assessed from a total of 50 water bodies in and around 30 randomly selected villages. A canonical correspondence analysis was performed to establish the relationship between snail occurrence and environmental factors. Furthermore, a total of 743 people from the same 30 villages and nearby settlements were invited for stool and urine examination for the diagnosis of Fasciola spp., Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni. Snails of medical importance of the genera Biomphalaria, Bulinus, Lymnaea and Physa were found. Differences in snail occurrence from sites sampled in December 2014 and snails sampled in February 2015, as well as between the northern and southern part of the study area, were revealed. Various environmental factors, such as temperature and human activities, were related to the occurrence of intermediate host snail species in the region. Only 2.3% of human participants tested positive for schistosomiasis, while no Fasciola eggs were found in stool samples. We conclude that intermediate host snails of Fasciola and Schistosoma co-occur in water bodies in the Tchologo region and that the distribution of these snails correlates not only with environmental factors, but also with the presence of humans and animals

  16. Effect of an armed conflict on relative socioeconomic position of rural households: case study from western Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Current conceptual frameworks on the interrelationship between armed conflict and poverty are based primarily on aggregated macro-level data and/or qualitative evidence and usually focus on adherents of warring factions. In contrast, there is a paucity of quantitative studies about the socioeconomic consequences of armed conflict at the micro-level, i.e., noncommitted local households and civilians. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of data pertaining to risk factors for malaria and neglected tropical diseases. Standardized questionnaires were administered to 182 households in a rural part of western Côte d'Ivoire in August 2002 and again in early 2004. Between the two surveys, the area was subject to intensive fighting in the Ivorian civil war. Principal component analysis was applied at the two time points for constructing an asset-based wealth-index and categorizing the households in wealth quintiles. Based on quintile changes, the households were labeled as 'worse-off', 'even' or 'better-off'. Statistical analysis tested for significant associations between the socioeconomic fates of households and head of household characteristics, household composition, village characteristics and self-reported events associated with the armed conflict. Most-poor/least-poor ratios and concentration indices were calculated to assess equity changes in households' asset possession. Results Of 203 households initially included in the first survey, 21 were lost to follow-up. The population in the remaining 182 households shrunk from 1,749 to 1,625 persons due to migration and natural population changes. However, only weak socioeconomic dynamics were observed; every seventh household was defined as 'worse-off' or 'better-off' despite the war-time circumstances. Analysis of other reported demographic and economic characteristics did not clearly identify more or less resilient households, and only subtle equity shifts were noted. However, the results indicate

  17. Tsetse flies, biodiversity and the control of sleeping sickness. Structure of a Glossina guild in southwest Côte d'Ivoire

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gouteux, Jean-Paul; Jarry, Marc

    1998-10-01

    Tsetse fly guilds usually comprise two or three species. However, the presence of only one species often indicates that anthropic modifications have occurred in the habitat. On the other hand, more than three species are seldom observed in the same zone and the presence of five is extremely rare. Previous detailed studies have always focused on a single species, without taking into account interactions between species. The authors present the results of observations carried out in Côte d'Ivoire on a guild consisting of Glossina palpalis, G. pallicera, G. nigrofusca, G. longipalpis and G. fusca. Glossina have unusual physiological characteristics: both sexes feed exclusively on blood, they have a highly developed larviparity associated with a slow rhythm of reproduction (one larva about every ten days) and a long life expectancy (up to nine months). The authors report on the size of the flies, the hosts, feeding habits, ecodistribution, resting-places, flying heights, circadian activity and seasonal dynamics of tsetse fly populations in order to understand the organization of this guild. Each species feeds indiscriminately on a wide spectrum of hosts without a particular preference. Different species shared habitat (ecodistribution) and time (circadian and annual cycles). Thus, during an annual cycle, there is always a slight time-lag between the density peaks of G. palpalis and G. pallicera, the peak of the dominant species immediately preceding that of the dominated species. In a village area, 77% of the variations in density of G. pallicera were accounted for by the previous variations in density of the dominant species ( G. palpalis). Experiments show that G. pallicera and G. nigrofusca immediately invade anthropic areas from which G. palpalis has been partially removed by trapping. These species thus appear to confront each other in a global dynamic equilibrium. This suggests that there is a 'conflicting coexistence' between the cohabiting species. Whereas the

  18. Where are we heading with HIV / AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa? The status and trends of HIV / AIDS / STD epidemics.

    PubMed

    Kerkhoven, R

    1998-02-01

    By the end of 1997, an estimated 20.8 million people in sub-Saharan Africa were infected with HIV, 68% of all HIV infections. At the Tenth Annual International Conference on STDs and AIDS in Africa held in Abidjan in 1997, the MAP network continued its series of pre-conference symposia on the shape and status of HIV/AIDS in the various continents. The outcome of the Abidjan symposium was then published in a provisional report made available to the main conference's participants. The main conclusions of the symposium with regard to the following areas and subjects are presented: West Africa, Central Africa, the Horn of Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, life expectancy, HIV/AIDS and STDs, data, determinants of the spread of HIV, the relative importance of determinants, poverty, understanding determinants, the national response, children and the spread of HIV, and the future.

  19. Influence of the agrochemicals used for rice and vegetable cultivation on insecticide resistance in malaria vectors in southern Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Chouaïbou, Mouhamadou S; Fodjo, Behi K; Fokou, Gilbert; Allassane, Ouattara F; Koudou, Benjamin G; David, Jean-Philippe; Antonio-Nkondjio, Christophe; Ranson, Hilary; Bonfoh, Bassirou

    2016-08-24

    Vector control can contribute to the development of resistance to insecticides in malaria vectors. As the swamps and wetlands used for some agricultural activities constitute productive breeding sites for many mosquito species, agricultural pest control may increase the selection pressure for insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. Understanding the use of agrochemicals by farmers is important to plan and initiate effective integrated pest and vector management interventions. A knowledge-attitude-practice study, using questionnaires, was undertaken with 102 rice farmers in Tiassalé and 106 vegetable farmers in Dabou (South Côte d'Ivoire) in order to generate information on pesticide usage. In addition, insecticide susceptibility bioassays were conducted using adult mosquitoes obtained from larvae collected within farms, and the persistence of agricultural pesticides in the farming environment, including sediment and mosquito breeding site water, was investigated by HPLC. Herbicides and insecticides appeared to be the most frequently used pesticides for both crops. Amino phosphonates (mostly glyphosate) represented the most used herbicides (45 % for rice up to 89 % for vegetables). Pyrethroids appeared to be the most used insecticides (accounting for 90 % of all the insecticide use reported). Approximately 75 % of respondents had not been to school and do not understand product labels. Only about 45 % of farmers respect the recommended pesticide dosage and about 10-15 % of pesticides used for rice and vegetable, respectively, are not recommended for these crops. As per WHO criteria, the mosquito local populations from the two localities were resistant to three of the four insecticides tested, as mortalities were less than 35 % for deltamethrin, DDT and bendiocarb. Higher susceptibility was observed for malathion, although the population was considered resistant in Dabou (80 % mortality) and susceptible in Tiassalé (98 % mortality). With the exception of

  20. Accuracy of Mobile Phone and Handheld Light Microscopy for the Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis and Intestinal Protozoa Infections in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Coulibaly, Jean T; Ouattara, Mamadou; D'Ambrosio, Michael V; Fletcher, Daniel A; Keiser, Jennifer; Utzinger, Jürg; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Andrews, Jason R; Bogoch, Isaac I

    2016-06-01

    Handheld light microscopy using compact optics and mobile phones may improve the quality of health care in resource-constrained settings by enabling access to prompt and accurate diagnosis. Laboratory technicians were trained to operate two handheld diagnostic devices (Newton Nm1 microscope and a clip-on version of the mobile phone-based CellScope). The accuracy of these devices was compared to conventional light microscopy for the diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium, S. mansoni, and intestinal protozoa infection in a community-based survey in rural Côte d'Ivoire. One slide of 10 ml filtered urine and a single Kato-Katz thick smear from 226 individuals were subjected to the Newton Nm1 microscope and CellScope for detection of Schistosoma eggs and compared to conventional microscopy. Additionally, 121 sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin (SAF)-fixed stool samples were examined by the Newton Nm1 microscope and compared to conventional microscopy for the diagnosis of intestinal protozoa. The prevalence of S. haematobium, S. mansoni, Giardia intestinalis, and Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar, as determined by conventional microscopy, was 39.8%, 5.3%, 20.7%, and 4.9%, respectively. The Newton Nm1 microscope had diagnostic sensitivities for S. mansoni and S. haematobium infection of 91.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 59.8-99.6%) and 81.1% (95% CI 71.2-88.3%), respectively, and specificities of 99.5% (95% CI 97.0-100%) and 97.1% (95% CI 92.2-99.1%), respectively. The CellScope demonstrated sensitivities for S. mansoni and S. haematobium of 50.0% (95% CI 25.4-74.6%) and 35.6% (95% CI 25.9-46.4%), respectively, and specificities of 99.5% (95% CI 97.0-100%) and 100% (95% CI 86.7-100%), respectively. For G. intestinalis and E. histolytica/E. dispar, the Newton Nm1 microscope had sensitivity of 84.0% (95% CI 63.1-94.7%) and 83.3% (95% CI 36.5-99.1%), respectively, and 100% specificity. Handheld diagnostic devices can be employed in community-based surveys in resource

  1. The Challenge of Urbanization. The World's Large Cities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations New York, NY. Dept. of Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis.

    This publication concentrates on city problems and special city planning issues in the world's large cities, pinpointing their demographic characteristics, economic structure, available social services, and infrastructures, as well as current issues facing city planners. Profiles of 100 large cities across the world, from Abidjan to Yangon, make…

  2. Characterizing the HIV risks and potential pathways to HIV infection among transgender women in Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and Burkina Faso

    PubMed Central

    Stahlman, Shauna; Liestman, Benjamin; Ketende, Sosthenes; Kouanda, Seni; Ky-Zerbo, Odette; Lougue, Marcel; Diouf, Daouda; Anato, Simplice; Tchalla, Jules; Bamba, Amara; Drame, Fatou Maria; Ezouatchi, Rebecca; Kouamé, Abo; Baral, Stefan D

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Transgender women are at high risk for the acquisition and transmission of HIV. However, there are limited empiric data characterizing HIV-related risks among transgender women in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of these analyses is to determine what factors, including sexual behaviour stigma, condom use and engagement in sex work, contribute to risk for HIV infection among transgender women across three West African nations. Methods Data were collected via respondent-driven sampling from men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women during three- to five-month intervals from December 2012 to October 2015 across a total of six study sites in Togo, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire. During the study visit, participants completed a questionnaire and were tested for HIV. Chi-square tests were used to compare the prevalence of variables of interest between transgender women and MSM. A multilevel generalized structural equation model (GSEM) was used to account for clustering of observations within study sites in the multivariable analysis, as well as to estimate mediated associations between sexual behaviour stigma and HIV infection among transgender women. Results In total, 2456 participants meeting eligibility criteria were recruited, of which 453 individuals identified as being female/transgender. Transgender women were more likely than MSM to report selling sex to a male partner within the past 12 months (p<0.01), to be living with HIV (p<0.01) and to report greater levels of sexual behaviour stigma as compared with MSM (p<0.05). In the GSEM, sexual behaviour stigma from broader social groups was positively associated with condomless anal sex (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.09, 1.62) and with selling sex (AOR=1.23, 95% CI=1.02, 1.50). Stigma from family/friends was also associated with selling sex (AOR=1.42, 95% CI=1.13, 1.79), although no significant associations were identified with prevalent HIV infection

  3. Composite Gauss-Legendre Quadrature with Error Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prentice, J. S. C.

    2011-01-01

    We describe composite Gauss-Legendre quadrature for determining definite integrals, including a means of controlling the approximation error. We compare the form and performance of the algorithm with standard Newton-Cotes quadrature. (Contains 1 table.)

  4. The use of insecticide-treated nets for reducing malaria morbidity among children aged 6-59 months, in an area of high malaria transmission in central Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are an important tool for controlling malaria. Much attention has been devoted to determine both the effect of LLINs on the reduction of Plasmodium infection rate and on clinically-confirmed malaria cases in sub-Saharan Africa. We carried out an epidemiological study to investigate whether LLINs impact on Plasmodium prevalence rate and the proportion of clinically-confirmed malaria cases, in five villages in the district of Toumodi, central Côte d'Ivoire. Methods From April 2007 to November 2008, a community-based malaria control programme was implemented in the study villages, which involved large-scale distribution of LLINs, and training and sensitization activities within the community. We determined the effect of this programme on Plasmodium prevalence rate, clinically-confirmed malaria cases and proportion of high parasitaemia rates in children aged 6-59 months through a series of cross-sectional surveys starting in April 2007 and repeated once every 6 months. Results We observed a significant decrease in the mean P. falciparum prevalence rate from April 2007 to April 2008 (p = 0.029). An opposite trend was observed from November 2007 to November 2008 when P. falciparum prevalence rate increased significantly (p = 0.003). Highly significant decreases in the proportions of clinical malaria cases were observed between April 2007 and April 2008 (p < 0.001), and between November 2007 and November 2008 (p = 0.001). Conclusions Large-scale distribution of LLINs, accompanied by training and sensitization activities, significantly reduced Plasmodium prevalence rates among young children in the first year of the project, whereas overall clinical malaria rates dropped over the entire 18-month project period. A decrease in community motivation to sleep under bed nets, perhaps along with changing patterns of malaria transmission, might explain the observed increase in the Plasmodium prevalence rate between November 2007

  5. Towards understanding the presence/absence of Human African Trypanosomosis in a focus of Côte d'Ivoire: a spatial analysis of the pathogenic system

    PubMed Central

    Courtin, Fabrice; Jamonneau, Vincent; Oké, Emmanuel; Coulibaly, Bamoro; Oswald, Yohan; Dupont, Sophie; Cuny, Gérard; Doumenge, Jean-Pierre; Solano, Philippe

    2005-01-01

    Background This study aimed at identifying factors influencing the development of Human African Trypanosomosis (HAT, or sleeping sickness) in the focus of Bonon, located in the mesophile forest of Côte d'Ivoire. A previous study mapping the main daytime activity sites of 96 patients revealed an important disparity between the area south of the town- where all the patients lived- and the area north of the town, apparently free of disease. In order to explain this disparity, we carried out a spatial analysis of the key components of the pathogenic system, i.e. the human host, the tsetse vector and the trypanosomes in their environment using a geographic information system (GIS). Results This approach at the scale of a HAT focus enabled us to identify spatial patterns which linked to the transmission and the dissemination of this disease. The history of human settlement (with the rural northern area exploited much earlier than the southern one) appears to be a major factor which determines the land use pattern, which itself may account for differences found in vector densities (tsetse were found six times more abundant in the southern rural area than in the northern). Vector density, according to the human and environmental context in which it is found (here an intense mobility between the town of Bonon and the rural areas), may explain the observed spatial differences in HAT prevalence. Conclusion This work demonstrates the role of GIS analyses of key components of the pathogenic system in providing a better understanding of transmission and dissemination of HAT. Moreover, following the identification of the most active transmission areas, and of an area unfavourable to HAT transmission, this study more precisely delineates the boundaries of the Bonon focus. As a follow-up, targeted tsetse control activities starting north of Bonon (with few chances of reinvasion due to very low densities) going south, and additional medical surveys in the south will be proposed to

  6. Multiscale analysis of deforestation risk due to commodity crop expansion in sub-Saharan Africa and the role of non-industrial producers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ordway, E.; Asner, G. P.; Naylor, R. L.; Nkongho, R.; Lambin, E.

    2017-12-01

    Rapid integration of global agricultural markets and subsequent cropland displacement in recent decades increased large-scale tropical deforestation in South America and Southeast Asia. Growing land scarcity and more stringent land use regulations in these regions could incentivize the offshoring of export-oriented commodity crop production to sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We assess the effects of domestic- and export-oriented agricultural expansion on deforestation in SSA in recent decades at the global, regional and local scales. Using Cameroon as a case-study, we explore the influence of emerging oil palm expansion on deforestation in greater depth. We found that commodity crops are expanding in SSA, increasing pressure on tropical forests. Four Congo Basin countries, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote d'Ivoire were most at risk in terms of exposure, vulnerability and pressures from agricultural expansion. These countries averaged the highest percent forest cover (58% ±17.9) and lowest proportions of potentially available cropland outside forest areas (1% ±0.9). Foreign investment in these countries was concentrated in oil palm production (81%), with a median investment area of 41,582 thousand ha. Based on remote sensing and field survey results, however, medium- and large-scale non-industrial producers are driving a substantial fraction of the oil palm expansion leading to deforestation in Cameroon. Additionally, unlike Southeast Asia, oil palm expansion in sub-Saharan Africa is associated primarily with domestic market demands. In contrast, cocoa, the fastest expanding export-oriented crop across SSA, accounted for 57% of global expansion in 2000-2013 at a rate of 132 thousand ha yr-1, yet only amounted to 0.9% of foreign land investment. Commodity crop expansion in SSA appears largely driven by small- and medium-scale farmers rather than industrial plantations. Findings highlight that, although most agricultural expansion was associated with domestic demand, there

  7. Proposal for a revised taxonomy of the family Filoviridae: classification, names of taxa and viruses, and virus abbreviations

    PubMed Central

    Kuhn, Jens H.; Becker, Stephan; Ebihara, Hideki; Geisbert, Thomas W.; Johnson, Karl M.; Kawaoka, Yoshihiro; Lipkin, W. Ian; Negredo, Ana I.; Netesov, Sergey V.; Nichol, Stuart T.; Palacios, Gustavo; Peters, Clarence J.; Tenorio, Antonio; Volchkov, Viktor E.; Jahrling, Peter B.

    2011-01-01

    The taxonomy of the family Filoviridae (marburgviruses and ebolaviruses) has changed several times since the discovery of its members, resulting in a plethora of species and virus names and abbreviations. The current taxonomy has only been partially accepted by most laboratory virologists. Confusion likely arose for several reasons: species names that consist of several words or which (should) contain diacritical marks, the current orthographic identity of species and virus names, and the similar pronunciation of several virus abbreviations in the absence of guidance for the correct use of vernacular names. To rectify this problem, we suggest (1) to retain the current species names Reston ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, and Zaire ebolavirus, but to replace the name Cote d'Ivoire ebolavirus [sic] with Taï Forest ebolavirus and Lake Victoria marburgvirus with Marburg marburgvirus; (2) to revert the virus names of the type marburgviruses and ebolaviruses to those used for decades in the field (Marburg virus instead of Lake Victoria marburgvirus and Ebola virus instead of Zaire ebolavirus); (3) to introduce names for the remaining viruses reminiscent of jargon used by laboratory virologists but nevertheless different from species names (Reston virus, Sudan virus, Taï Forest virus), and (4) to introduce distinct abbreviations for the individual viruses (RESTV for Reston virus, SUDV for Sudan virus, and TAFV for Taï Forest virus), while retaining that for Marburg virus (MARV) and reintroducing that used over decades for Ebola virus (EBOV). Paying tribute to developments in the field, we propose (a) to create a new ebolavirus species (Bundibugyo ebolavirus) for one member virus (Bundibugyo virus, BDBV); (b) to assign a second virus to the species Marburg marburgvirus (Ravn virus, RAVV) for better reflection of now available high-resolution phylogeny; and (c) to create a new tentative genus (Cuevavirus) with one tentative species (Lloviu cuevavirus) for the recently

  8. Yellow fever vaccine: an effective vaccine for travelers.

    PubMed

    Verma, Ramesh; Khanna, Pardeep; Chawla, Suraj

    2014-01-01

    Yellow fever (YF) is an acute viral communicable disease transmitted by an arbovirus of the Flavivirus genus. It is primarily a zoonotic disease, especially the monkeys. Worldwide, an estimated 200,000 cases of yellow fever occurred each year, and the case-fatality rate is ~15%. Forty-five endemic countries in Africa and Latin America, with a population of close to 1 billion, are at risk. Up to 50% of severely affected persons from YF die without treatment. During 2009, 55 cases and 18 deaths were reported from Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. Brazil reported the maximum number of cases and death, i.e., 42 cases with 11 deaths. From January 2010 to March 2011, outbreaks of YF were reported to the WHO by Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and Uganda. Cases were also reported in three northern districts of Abim, Agago, and Kitugun near the border with South Sudan. YF usually causes fever, muscle pain with prominent backache, headache, shivers, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting. Most patients improve, and their symptoms disappear after 3 to 4 d. Half of the patients who enter the toxic phase die within 10-14 d, while the rest recover without significant organ damage. Vaccination has been the single most important measure for preventing YF. The 17D-204 YF vaccine is a freeze-dried, live attenuated, highly effective vaccine. It is available in single-dose or multi-dose vials and should be stored at 2-8 °C. It is reconstituted with normal saline and should be used within 1 h of reconstitution. The 0.5 mL dose is delivered subcutaneously. Revaccination is recommended every 10 y for people at continued risk of exposure to yellow fever virus (YFV). This vaccine is available worldwide. Travelers, especially to Africa or Latin America from Asia, must have a certificate documenting YF vaccination, which is required by certain countries for entry under the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the WHO.

  9. Proposal for a revised taxonomy of the family Filoviridae: classification, names of taxa and viruses, and virus abbreviations.

    PubMed

    Kuhn, Jens H; Becker, Stephan; Ebihara, Hideki; Geisbert, Thomas W; Johnson, Karl M; Kawaoka, Yoshihiro; Lipkin, W Ian; Negredo, Ana I; Netesov, Sergey V; Nichol, Stuart T; Palacios, Gustavo; Peters, Clarence J; Tenorio, Antonio; Volchkov, Viktor E; Jahrling, Peter B

    2010-12-01

    The taxonomy of the family Filoviridae (marburgviruses and ebolaviruses) has changed several times since the discovery of its members, resulting in a plethora of species and virus names and abbreviations. The current taxonomy has only been partially accepted by most laboratory virologists. Confusion likely arose for several reasons: species names that consist of several words or which (should) contain diacritical marks, the current orthographic identity of species and virus names, and the similar pronunciation of several virus abbreviations in the absence of guidance for the correct use of vernacular names. To rectify this problem, we suggest (1) to retain the current species names Reston ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, and Zaire ebolavirus, but to replace the name Cote d'Ivoire ebolavirus [sic] with Taï Forest ebolavirus and Lake Victoria marburgvirus with Marburg marburgvirus; (2) to revert the virus names of the type marburgviruses and ebolaviruses to those used for decades in the field (Marburg virus instead of Lake Victoria marburgvirus and Ebola virus instead of Zaire ebolavirus); (3) to introduce names for the remaining viruses reminiscent of jargon used by laboratory virologists but nevertheless different from species names (Reston virus, Sudan virus, Taï Forest virus), and (4) to introduce distinct abbreviations for the individual viruses (RESTV for Reston virus, SUDV for Sudan virus, and TAFV for Taï Forest virus), while retaining that for Marburg virus (MARV) and reintroducing that used over decades for Ebola virus (EBOV). Paying tribute to developments in the field, we propose (a) to create a new ebolavirus species (Bundibugyo ebolavirus) for one member virus (Bundibugyo virus, BDBV); (b) to assign a second virus to the species Marburg marburgvirus (Ravn virus, RAVV) for better reflection of now available high-resolution phylogeny; and (c) to create a new tentative genus (Cuevavirus) with one tentative species (Lloviu cuevavirus) for the recently

  10. [Efficacy of permethrin-impregnated Olyset Net mosquito nets in a zone with pyrethroid resistant vectors. I--Entomologic evaluation].

    PubMed

    Doannio, J M; Dossou-Yovo, J; Diarrassouba, S; Chauvancy, G; Darriet, F; Chandre, F; Henry, M C; Nzeyimana, I; Guillet, P; Carnevale, P

    1999-01-01

    The efficacy of permethrin-treated Olyset Net mosquito nets on malaria transmission and morbidity was studied in Kafine, a village located in the savanna region of the Cote d'Ivoire in Africa. After collecting sociodemographic, entomological, and parasitological data, bednets were distributed first in the southern half of the village and then in the whole village. Throughout the study period, mosquito specimens were captured on the skin of inhabitants at four points in the village between 6 PM and 6 AM both inside (but outside bednets) and outside houses. Prior to distribution of bednets, the mean biting rate (MBR) by Anopheles gambiae was 77.4 bites per man per night (b/m/n). The mean parturity rate (MPR) was 40.6 p. 100, the sporozootic index (SI) was 0.99 p. 100, and the mean entomological inoculation rate (MEIR) was 0.7 infectious bites per man per night (b+/m/n). Six months after distribution of bednets in the southern half of the village, MBR was 80.2 b/m/n, MPR was 32 p. 100, SI was 1.8 p. 100, and MEIR was 0.83 b+/m/n. After extending distribution to the whole village, data from November 1996 to July 1997 were as follows: MBR, 67.8 b/m/n; MPR, 20.1 p. 100; SI, 0.65 p. 100; and MEIR, 0.66 p. 100. From August 1977 to July 1998, data were as follows: MBR, 102.6 b/m/n; MPR, 26.2 p. 100; SI, 1.15 p. 100; and MEIR, 0.74 b+/m/n. Comparative analysis of these data showed that use of bednets had no effect on the bite or entomological inoculation rate. This is in agreement with the documented resistance of vectors in the study zone to permethrin. Despite the known stimulation/repulsion effect of permethrin, use of treated bednets had no real impact on transmission. This inefficacy could be related to the high prevalence (80 p. 100) of the Kdr gene (responsible for resistance) in the savanna form of Anopheles gambiae.

  11. Crude childhood vaccination coverage in West Africa: Trends and predictors of completeness.

    PubMed

    Kazungu, Jacob S; Adetifa, Ifedayo M O

    2017-02-15

    Background : Africa has the lowest childhood vaccination coverage worldwide. If the full benefits of childhood vaccination programmes are to be enjoyed in sub-Saharan Africa, all countries need to improve on vaccine delivery to achieve and sustain high coverage. In this paper, we review trends in vaccination coverage, dropouts between vaccine doses and explored the country-specific predictors of complete vaccination in West Africa.  Methods : We utilized datasets from the Demographic and Health Surveys Program, available for Benin, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, to obtain coverage for Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, polio, measles, and diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) vaccines in children aged 12 - 23 months. We also calculated the DPT1-to-DPT3 and DPT1-to-measles dropouts, and proportions of the fully immunised child (FIC). Factors predictive of FIC were explored using Chi-squared tests and multivariable logistic regression.  Results : Overall, there was a trend of increasing vaccination coverage. The proportion of FIC varied significantly by country (range 24.1-81.4%, mean 49%). DPT1-to-DPT3 dropout was high (range 5.1% -33.9%, mean 16.3%). Similarly, DPT1-measles dropout exceeded 10% in all but four countries. Although no single risk factor was consistently associated with FIC across these countries, maternal education, delivery in a health facility, possessing a vaccine card and a recent post delivery visit to a health facility were the key predictors of complete vaccination.  Conclusions : The low numbers of fully immunised children and high dropout between vaccine doses highlights weaknesses and the need to strengthen the healthcare and routine immunization delivery systems in this region. Country-specific correlates of complete vaccination should be explored further to identify interventions required to increase vaccination coverage. Despite the promise of an

  12. Comparison of Subsidence Rates for Conjugate Margins of the Equatorial and Northern South Atlantic Ocean as A First-Order Constraint on Symmetry of Underlying, Early Rift Structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zavala, O.

    2017-12-01

    We compared subsidence histories from wells into Cretaceous-Cenozoic conjugate margins in the Equatorial and northern South Atlantic as a first-order constraint on whether rifting occurred in a symmetrical, pure shear mode, or whether rifting occurred in an asymmetrical, simple shear mode. For the pure shear mode of rifting, the prediction is for longterm subsidence on both conjugate margins to be similar and reflective of underlying, rift symmetry; for the simple shear mode of rifting, the prediction is that subsidence above the more thinned and wider, lower plate margin is greater than subsidence above the less thinned and more narrow, upper plate margin. A major caveat of this approach is that subsidence variations can be affected by other external factors that include increased sedimentation related to local deltas and structural or hotspot-related uplifts of coastal areas. In the northern Equatorial Atlantic, the longterm subsidence rate for the Guyana basin of northeastern South America of 18.52 m/Ma is less that of the Senegal area of west Africa of 54 m/Ma suggestive of an upper plate to the west and lower plate to the east. Moving southwards, the Potiguar basin of northern Brazil of 23 m/Ma is roughly the same as the Keta-Togo-Benin-Cote d'Ivoire basins of west Africa (21 m/Ma) and suggestive of an underlying rift symmetry. The Bahia Norte-Reconcavo-Sergipe-Alogoas basins of Brazil are less (28 m/Ma) than the Gabon basin (57 m/Ma) of west Africa suggesitive of an lower plate to the east and an upper plate to the west. The Bahia Sul-Espirito Santo basins of Brazil are less (20 m/Ma) than the Lower Congo basin (45 m/Ma) although the latter area includes the localized influence of the Congo delta. We compare additional evidence such as seismic reflection and refraction data and gravity modeling to the predictions of the subsidence values.

  13. Surveillance of travellers: an additional tool for tracking antimalarial drug resistance in endemic countries.

    PubMed

    Gharbi, Myriam; Flegg, Jennifer A; Pradines, Bruno; Berenger, Ako; Ndiaye, Magatte; Djimdé, Abdoulaye A; Roper, Cally; Hubert, Véronique; Kendjo, Eric; Venkatesan, Meera; Brasseur, Philippe; Gaye, Oumar; Offianan, André T; Penali, Louis; Le Bras, Jacques; Guérin, Philippe J

    2013-01-01

    There are growing concerns about the emergence of resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). Since the widespread adoption of ACTs, there has been a decrease in the systematic surveillance of antimalarial drug resistance in many malaria-endemic countries. The aim of this work was to test whether data on travellers returning from Africa with malaria could serve as an additional surveillance system of local information sources for the emergence of drug resistance in endemic-countries. Data were collected from travellers with symptomatic Plasmodium falciparum malaria returning from Senegal (n = 1,993), Mali (n = 2,372), Cote d'Ivoire (n = 4,778) or Cameroon (n = 3,272) and recorded in the French Malaria Reference Centre during the period 1996-2011. Temporal trends of the proportion of parasite isolates that carried the mutant genotype, pfcrt 76T, a marker of resistance to chloroquine (CQ) and pfdhfr 108N, a marker of resistance to pyrimethamine, were compared for travellers and within-country surveys that were identified through a literature review in PubMed. The in vitro response to CQ was also compared between these two groups for parasites from Senegal. The trends in the proportion of parasites that carried pfcrt 76T, and pfdhfr 108N, were compared for parasites from travellers and patients within-country using the slopes of the curves over time; no significant differences in the trends were found for any of the 4 countries. These results were supported by in vitro analysis of parasites from the field in Senegal and travellers returning to France, where the trends were also not significantly different. The results have not shown different trends in resistance between parasites derived from travellers or from parasites within-country. This work highlights the value of an international database of drug responses in travellers as an additional tool to assess the emergence of drug resistance in endemic areas where information is limited.

  14. Geology and total petroleum systems of the Gulf of Guinea province of West Africa

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brownfield, Michael E.; Charpentier, Ronald R.

    2006-01-01

    The Gulf of Guinea Province as defined by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) consists of the coastal and offshore areas of Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin, and the western part of the coast of Nigeria, from the Liberian border east to the west edge of the Niger Delta. The province includes the Ivory Coast, Tano, Central, Saltpond, Keta, and Benin Basins and the Dahomey Embayment. The area has had relatively little hydrocarbon exploration since 1968, with only 33 small to moderate-sized oil and gas fields having been discovered prior to the USGS assessment. Most discoveries to 1995 have been located in water depths less than 500 m. Since 1995, only eight new offshore discoveries have been made, with four of the discoveries in the deep-water area of the province. Although as many as five total petroleum systems exist in the Gulf of Guinea Province, only one, the Cretaceous Composite Total Petroleum System, and its assessment unit, the Coastal Plain and Offshore Assessment Unit, had sufficient data to allow assessment. The province shows two important differences compared to the passive-margin basins south of the Niger Delta: (1) the influence of transform tectonics, and (2) the absence of evaporites and salt deformation. The province also lacks long-lived, large deltaic systems that typically result in rapid source rock burial and abundant high-quality hydrocarbon reservoirs. The USGS assessed the potential for undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Gulf of Guinea Province as part of its World Petroleum Assessment 2000, estimating a mean of 1,004 million barrels of conventional undiscovered oil, 10,071 billion cubic feet of gas, and 282 million barrels of natural gas liquids. Most of the hydrocarbon potential is postulated to be in the offshore, deeper waters of the province. Gas resources may be large, as well as accessible, in areas where the zone of hydrocarbon generation is relatively shallow.

  15. International Priorities for Teacher Education. World Assembly 1969.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Council on Education for Teaching, Washington, DC.

    Four papers are included in this pamphlet, the proceedings of the World Assembly at Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The keynote address, "A Turning Point in History" by Jaime Benitez, President of the University of Puerto Rico, discusses the Apollo 11 moon landing as an object lesson on values with international implications for shifting…

  16. The current insecticide resistance status of Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) (Culicidae) in rural and urban areas of Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Zoh, Dounin Danielle; Ahoua Alou, Ludovic Phamien; Toure, Mahama; Pennetier, Cédric; Camara, Soromane; Traore, Dipomin François; Koffi, Alphonsine Amanan; Adja, Akré Maurice; Yapi, Ahoua; Chandre, Fabrice

    2018-03-02

    Several studies were carried out in experimental hut station in areas surrounding the city of Bouaké, after the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire. They reported increasing resistance levels to insecticide for malaria transmiting mosquitoes. The present work aims to evaluate the current resistance level of An. gambiae (s.l.) in rural and urban areas in the city of Bouaké. Larvae of Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) were collected from five different study sites and reared to adult stages. The resistance status was assessed using the WHO bioassay test kits for adult mosquitoes, with eight insecticides belonging to pyrethroids, organochlorines, carbamates and organophosphates classes. Molecular assays were performed to identify the molecular forms of An. gambiae (s.l.), the L1014F kdr and the ace-1R alleles in individual mosquitoes. The synergist PBO was used to investigate the role of enzymes in resistance. Biochemical assays were performed to detect potential increased activities in mixed function oxidase (MFO) levels, non-specific esterases (NSE) and glutathione S-transferases (GST). High resistance levels to pyrethroids, organochlorines, and carbamates were observed in Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) from Bouaké. Mortalities ranged between 0 and 73% for the eight tested insecticides. The pre-exposure to PBO restored full or partial susceptibility to pyrethroids in the different sites. The same trend was observed with the carbamates in five sites, but to a lesser extent. With DDT, pre-exposure to PBO did not increase the mortality rate of An. gambiae (s.l.) from the same sites. Tolerance to organophosphates was observed. An increased activity of NSE and higher level of MFO were found compared to the Kisumu susceptible reference strain. Two molecular forms, S form [(An. gambiae (s.s)] and M form (An. coluzzi) were identified. The kdr allele frequencies vary from 85.9 to 99.8% for An. gambiae (s.s.) and from 81.7 to 99.6% for An. coluzzii. The ace-1R frequencies vary between 25.6 and 38

  17. Optimizing Schedules for Maritime Humanitarian Cooperative Engagements from a United States Navy Sea Base

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    Amphib upon com- pletion of its mission, which is scheduled to finish on day 82. Because of its exclusive dedication to the Anomie- OPLAT mission, a...add 29 mission– country pairs as follows: 3 in Dakar, 13 in Lagos, 8 in Cotonou , Benin, and 5 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The purple stars in Figure 1

  18. Nuclear field density problems.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1975-01-01

    The densities of subgrade soil at various locations throughout the state were determined using the different model nuclear gages owned by the Department. In addition, some laboratory testing and sand cote testing were carried out. It was concluded th...

  19. Establishment of Maximum Voluntary Compressive Neck Tolerance Levels

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-07-01

    Bridges Casey Pirnstill Chris Burneka John Plaga Grant Roush Biosciences and Performance Division Vulnerability Analysis Branch July 2011...S) Michael Cote, John Buhrman, Nathaniel Bridges, Casey Pirnstill, Chris Burneka, John Plaga , Grant Roush 5d. PROJECT NUMBER OSMS 5e. TASK

  20. Improving Teaching Effectiveness: Florida Essential Competency Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Garfield

    The Florida Council on Teacher Education (COTE) planned and conducted statewide involvement studies to determine competencies that are essential and acceptable to the profession. This included systematic involvement procedures for gaining professional agreement on identification, assessment, implementation, and other development and research on…

  1. Assessing the role of anthropogenic and biogenic sources on PM1 over southern West Africa using aircraft measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brito, Joel; Freney, Evelyn; Dominutti, Pamela; Borbon, Agnes; Haslett, Sophie L.; Batenburg, Anneke M.; Colomb, Aurelie; Dupuy, Regis; Denjean, Cyrielle; Burnet, Frederic; Bourriane, Thierry; Deroubaix, Adrien; Sellegri, Karine; Borrmann, Stephan; Coe, Hugh; Flamant, Cyrille; Knippertz, Peter; Schwarzenboeck, Alfons

    2018-01-01

    As part of the Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project, an airborne campaign was designed to measure a large range of atmospheric constituents, focusing on the effect of anthropogenic emissions on regional climate. The presented study details results of the French ATR42 research aircraft, which aimed to characterize gas-phase, aerosol and cloud properties in the region during the field campaign carried out in June/July 2016 in combination with the German Falcon 20 and the British Twin Otter aircraft. The aircraft flight paths covered large areas of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, focusing on emissions from large urban conurbations such as Abidjan, Accra and Lomé, as well as remote continental areas and the Gulf of Guinea. This paper focuses on aerosol particle measurements within the boundary layer (< 2000 m), in particular their sources and chemical composition in view of the complex mix of both biogenic and anthropogenic emissions, based on measurements from a compact time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (C-ToF-AMS) and ancillary instrumentation. Background concentrations (i.e. outside urban plumes) observed from the ATR42 indicate a fairly polluted region during the time of the campaign, with average concentrations of carbon monoxide of 131 ppb, ozone of 32 ppb, and aerosol particle number concentration ( > 15 nm) of 735 cm-3 stp. Regarding submicron aerosol composition (considering non-refractory species and black carbon, BC), organic aerosol (OA) is the most abundant species contributing 53 %, followed by SO4 (27 %), NH4 (11 %), BC (6 %), NO3 (2 %) and minor contribution of Cl (< 0.5 %). Average background PM1 in the region was 5.9 µg m-3 stp. During measurements of urban pollution plumes, mainly focusing on the outflow of Abidjan, Accra and Lomé, pollutants are significantly enhanced (e.g. average concentration of CO of 176 ppb, and aerosol particle number concentration of 6500 cm-3 stp), as well as PM1

  2. State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2008 Appropriations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-06-13

    political, economic and social reforms. The CRS-3 2 PEPFAR countries include Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria...planning to eliminate several VOA services including Uzbek, Greek, and Cantonese as well as the RFE/RL Macedonia service. BBG also plans to reduce several

  3. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (83rd, Phoenix, Arizona, August 9-12, 2000). Mass Communication and Society Division.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

    The Mass Communication and Society Division section of the proceedings contains the following 12 papers: "Retreads: Recycling American Prime Time Television for Fun and Profit" (Chad Dell); "Partisan and Structural Balance of Election Stories on the 1998 Governor's Race in Michigan" (Frederick Fico and William Cote);…

  4. Identity in Africa's Internal Conflicts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deng, Francis M.

    1996-01-01

    Identifies and defines four models of internal ethnic conflict and discusses those conflicts within various African nations. The corresponding models and countries include Integration Model: Botswana and Somalia; Managed Diversity Model: Ghana, Cote d'Ivorie, Kenya, and Nigeria; Ambivalent Accommodation Model: Ethiopia and Djibouti; and Acute…

  5. [Evaluation of the efficacity of coconut (Cocos nucifera), palm nut (Eleais guineensis) and gobi (Carapa procera) lotions and creams in indivirual protection against Simulium damnosum s.l. bites in Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Sylla, M; Konan, L; Doannio, J M; Traoré, S

    2003-05-01

    With the interruption of larva treatments done by OCP as part of onchocerciasis control in West Africa, Simulium came back in abundance in forest regions and savannah fertile valleys. In addition to the severe discomfort, nuisance by Simulium is in certain cases incompatible with land use. Since ground treatment of larval breading sites using insecticides is not always possible or efficient, it is therefore a necessity to develop other methods among which individual protection against Simulium bites. The general objective of our study was to evaluate different vegetable oil compound repellent formulas against Simulium bites. Activities were carried out in savannah zone (Niakaramandougou) and in forest zone (Soubré) in Côte d'Ivoire. The methodology consisted in catching blackflies on volunteers whose legs were rubbed with a repellent. Gobi raw oil and coconut, palm nut and gobi formulas (lotions and creams) were tested. During each session, which lasted from 07:00 am to 12:00 and from 03:00 pm to 06:00 pm, one person did not apply any repellent and was used as the control person. The results of our experimentations show that for a given zone (savannah, forest), a repellent (coconut, palm nut, gobi) and a compound (shea butter, vaseline), there is no significant difference between protection rates obtained with lotions (maximum: 21 bites/person/day) and those obtained with creams (maximum: 30 bites/person/day). In other respects, the lotion of a given repellent seems to be efficient in savannah as in the forest, in protecting against Simulium bites. It is the same situation with creams. So, repellents can be an efficient solution against Simulium nuisance. However, experimentations should continue to confirm the high repellency of tested formulas, proceed to the identification of principles and evaluate the toxicity and irritant effect of repellents to be applied on the skin.

  6. 31 CFR 543.304 - Entity.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS General Definitions § 543.304 Entity. The term entity means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group...

  7. Dynamique socio-économique et crise familiale et éducative en côte-d'ivoire de 1960 a 1990

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Assy, Edmond Paul

    2003-09-01

    This article reflects on the crisis affecting the sphere of the family and education in Côte d'Ivoire between 1960 and 1990. The country's family structure has been shaken by the market economy, by the conventional school system and by the modern legal code. This has in turn engendered a crisis of parental authority and a variety of problems connected with the instability of marriages in Côte d'Ivoire. How, then, is it possible to redress the situation and establish a partnership between the family, the educational system and society? The author advances a series of propositions for creating a better coordination between the family and the educational sphere and for reinforcing the educative capacity of the family and of society as a whole.

  8. State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2008 Appropriations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-05-30

    countries that have demonstrated a strong commitment to political, economic and social reforms. The CRS-3 2 PEPFAR countries include Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire...and Cantonese as well as the RFE/RL Macedonia service. BBG also plans to reduce several others, such as VOA and RFE/RL service in Ukrainian, Tibetan

  9. 75 FR 21288 - Henry Gas Storage LLC; Notice of Application

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-23

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP10-125-000] Henry Gas Storage LLC; Notice of Application April 16, 2010. Take notice that on April 5, 2010, Henry Gas Storage... developing the Cote Blanche Island salt dome for natural gas storage in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, all as...

  10. Male Circumcision and the Epidemic Emergence of HIV-2 in West Africa.

    PubMed

    Sousa, João Dinis; Temudo, Marina Padrão; Hewlett, Barry Stephen; Camacho, Ricardo Jorge; Müller, Viktor; Vandamme, Anne-Mieke

    2016-01-01

    Epidemic HIV-2 (groups A and B) emerged in humans circa 1930-40. Its closest ancestors are SIVsmm infecting sooty mangabeys from southwestern Côte d'Ivoire. The earliest large-scale serological surveys of HIV-2 in West Africa (1985-91) show a patchy spread. Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau had the highest prevalence rates by then, and phylogeographical analysis suggests they were the earliest epicenters. Wars and parenteral transmission have been hypothesized to have promoted HIV-2 spread. Male circumcision (MC) is known to correlate negatively with HIV-1 prevalence in Africa, but studies examining this issue for HIV-2 are lacking. We reviewed published HIV-2 serosurveys for 30 cities of all West African countries and obtained credible estimates of real prevalence through Bayesian estimation. We estimated past MC rates of 218 West African ethnic groups, based on ethnographic literature and fieldwork. We collected demographic tables specifying the ethnic partition in cities. Uncertainty was incorporated by defining plausible ranges of parameters (e.g. timing of introduction, proportion circumcised). We generated 1,000 sets of past MC rates per city using Latin Hypercube Sampling with different parameter combinations, and explored the correlation between HIV-2 prevalence and estimated MC rate (both logit-transformed) in the 1,000 replicates. Our survey reveals that, in the early 20th century, MC was far less common and geographically more variable than nowadays. HIV-2 prevalence in 1985-91 and MC rates in 1950 were negatively correlated (Spearman rho = -0.546, IQR: -0.553--0.546, p≤0.0021). Guinea-Bissau and Côte d'Ivoire cities had markedly lower MC rates. In addition, MC was uncommon in rural southwestern Côte d'Ivoire in 1930.The differential HIV-2 spread in West Africa correlates with different historical MC rates. We suggest HIV-2 only formed early substantial foci in cities with substantial uncircumcised populations. Lack of MC in rural areas exposed to

  11. 15 CFR 2013.1 - Designations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    .... Afr. Rep. Chad Congo Côte d'Ivoire Dem. Rep. of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea... Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines South Africa St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent...

  12. 15 CFR 2013.1 - Designations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    .... Afr. Rep. Chad Congo Côte d'Ivoire Dem. Rep. of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea... Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines South Africa St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent...

  13. 15 CFR 2013.1 - Designations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    .... Afr. Rep. Chad Congo Côte d'Ivoire Dem. Rep. of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea... Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines South Africa St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent...

  14. 31 CFR 543.508 - Authorization of emergency medical services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS... property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 543.201(a) is authorized, provided that all...

  15. 31 CFR 543.508 - Authorization of emergency medical services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS... property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 543.201(a) is authorized, provided that all...

  16. Promoting Lifelong Physical Activity and High Level Performance: Realising an Achievable Aim for Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacNamara, Aine; Collins, Dave; Bailey, Richard; Toms, Martin; Ford, Paul; Pearce, Gemma

    2011-01-01

    Background: Even though all school-aged children in most countries experience some form of curricular physical education many do not maintain a lifelong involvement in sport or physical activity. From a theoretical perspective, the development models that dominate sport are limited by their staged and linear approaches to development (e.g. Cote's…

  17. Treated and Untreated foam core particleboards with intumescent veneer

    Treesearch

    Mark A. Dietenberger; Ali Shalbafan; Johannes Welling; Charles Boardman

    2013-01-01

    The effectiveness of treatments for the surface layer of novel foam core particleboards was evaluated by means of Cone calorimeter tests, Foam cote particleboards with variations of surface layer treatment, adhesives, and surface layer thicknesses under similar processing conditions were used to produce the test specimen for the Cone calorimeter tests. Ignitability,...

  18. 3. Côte D'Ivoire

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cisse, M'badiala

    1996-01-01

    Entreprendre une recherche sur la politique et la législation en matière d'éducation des adultes, qui couvre plusieurs secteurs, paraît une gageure pour plusieurs raisons: difficultés dans la constitution de plusieurs équipes de recherche avec plusieurs spécialistes ou personnes ressources, difficultés dans la collecte des données, étendue et complexité des domaines à explorer et des points à prendre en compte dans la rédaction, etc. En dépit de ces difficultés majeures, l'essentiel du travail a été accompli dans le souci de respecter les exigences imposées. A l'analyse, nous constatons que plusieurs partenaires interviennent dans la formation, l'éducation et l'encadrement des adultes, et que dans le secteur public, les structures ne sont pas "logées à la même enseigne": Si la formation professionnelle a bénéficié de conditions réellement favorables pour son expansion et son développement, les autres secteurs, sans avoir été négligés, n'ont pas connu les mêmes faveurs. Ainsi plusieurs lois et mesures importantes ont été votées et prises en vue de la dynamisation de la formation professionnelle, alors que le secteur de l'agriculture, qui est la base de succès du développement du pays et occupe 55% de la population, n'a pas bénéficié d'une véritable politique éducative en faveur des agriculteurs. Il en est de même pour l'alphabétisation. On déplore constamment l'absence de politique élaborée et appliquée à l'échelle nationale. Aucune mesure politique n'a été votée par l'Assemblée nationale, alors que l'alphabétisation devrait constituer le levier du développement de l'éducation des adultes en Côte d'lvoire.

  19. 31 CFR 543.201 - Prohibited transactions involving blocked property.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) with the identifier “[COTED].” The SDN...://www.treasury.gov/sdn. Additional information pertaining to the SDN List can be found in appendix A to this chapter. See § 543.411 concerning entities that may not be listed on the SDN List but whose...

  20. 31 CFR 543.201 - Prohibited transactions involving blocked property.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) with the identifier “[COTED].” The SDN...://www.treasury.gov/sdn. Additional information pertaining to the SDN List can be found in appendix A to this chapter. See § 543.411 concerning entities that may not be listed on the SDN List but whose...

  1. 31 CFR 543.201 - Prohibited transactions involving blocked property.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) with the identifier “[COTED].” The SDN...://www.treasury.gov/sdn. Additional information pertaining to the SDN List can be found in appendix A to this chapter. See § 543.411 concerning entities that may not be listed on the SDN List but whose...

  2. 31 CFR 543.201 - Prohibited transactions involving blocked property.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) with the identifier “[COTED].” The SDN...://www.treasury.gov/sdn. Additional information pertaining to the SDN List can be found in appendix A to this chapter. See § 543.411 concerning entities that may not be listed on the SDN List but whose...

  3. Angular photogrammetric analysis and evaluation of facial esthetics of young Ivorians with normal dental occlusion.

    PubMed

    Beugre, Jean-Bertin; Diomande, Moussa; Assi, Assi Raoul; Koueita, Mariam Kadi; Vaysse, Frédéric

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the angular photogrammetric characteristics of subjects according to the facial esthetics criteria applicable in Côte d'Ivoire. This was a horizontal study, concerning of group of young people from Côte d'Ivoire whose attractiveness and photogrammetric characteristics were assessed. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. The limit of statistical significance was P<0.05. Subjects were characterized by PCA. Attractive subjects had a large mid-face section with an upturned nose (P<0.01). Attractive women had facial profiles that were more convex than men who were judged handsome. Despite the subjectivity of the notion of beauty, certain angles of the facial profile contribute to the esthetic balance of black Ivorian faces. Copyright © 2016 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. Sub-Saharan Africa Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-04-06

    24 Feb 87) 5 Briefs Abu Bridge Commissioned 6 IVORY COAST Rescheduling of Swiss Debt Shows ’Confidence’ in Economy (Diaby Aboubakar; FRATERNITE...CSO: 3400/242 IVORY COAST RESCHEDULING OF SWISS DEBT SHOWS ’CONFIDENCE’ IN ECONOMY Abidjan FRATERNITE MATIN in French 30 Jan 87 p 6 [Article by...Diaby Aboubakar] [Text] Minister Seri Gnoleba and Claudio Caratsch, Swiss ambassador to the Ivory Coast, met in the minister’s office yesterday to

  5. 78 FR 78477 - Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-26

    ...) Duane C. Conway (NV) Ronald L. Cote (NV) Brian W. Curtis (IL) Albion C. Doe, Sr. (NH) Robin C. Duckett.... Gartin (OH) Dale L. Giardine (PA) Leslie W. Good (OR) Chester L. Gray (TX) Christian L. Gremillion (LA.... Weinert (NY) Joseph A. Wells (IL) Don S. Williams (VA) Robert L. Williams, Jr. (MS) Kevin W. Wunderlin (OH...

  6. 31 CFR 543.201 - Prohibited transactions involving blocked property.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Persons List (“SDN List”) (which is accessible via the Office of Foreign Assets Control's Web site... “[COTED].” See § 543.411 concerning entities that may not be listed on the SDN list but whose property and... pursuant to this part also are published on the SDN List, published in the Federal Register and...

  7. 33 CFR 117.465 - Lafourche Bayou.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., mile 23.9, at Golden Meadow (2) Galliano Pontoon Bridge, mile 27.8, at Galliano (3) SR 308 (South Lafourche (Tarpon)) Bridge, mile 30.6, at Galliano (4) Cote Blanche Pontoon Bridge, mile 33.9, at Cutoff (5) Cutoff Vertical Lift Bridge, mile 36.3, at Cutoff (6) SR 310 (Larose Pontoon) Bridge, mile 39.1, at...

  8. Cultural Resources Survey of the Burnside Revetment Item, Ascension and St. James Parishes, Louisiana.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-08-27

    he finds.. .that (parish) of Cantrelle... Each of those four communities (the parishes of Clesets Rouges , Cote des Allemands, Bonnet Carre, and...tne vicinity of Whitehall (Office of Public Works, Baton Rouge ) ........................................... 34 9. Excerpt from the 1877 Mississippi... Rouge )............................................ 62 14. Excerpt from Chart 50, Levee setback maps, Pontchartrain Levee District, ca. 1926, showing a

  9. Population-level impact of an accelerated HIV response plan to reach the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target in Côte d'Ivoire: Insights from mathematical modeling.

    PubMed

    Maheu-Giroux, Mathieu; Vesga, Juan F; Diabaté, Souleymane; Alary, Michel; Baral, Stefan; Diouf, Daouda; Abo, Kouamé; Boily, Marie-Claude

    2017-06-01

    National responses will need to be markedly accelerated to achieve the ambitious target of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). This target aims for 90% of HIV-positive individuals to be aware of their status, for 90% of those aware to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), and for 90% of those on treatment to have a suppressed viral load by 2020, with each individual target reaching 95% by 2030. We aimed to estimate the impact of various treatment-as-prevention scenarios in Côte d'Ivoire, one of the countries with the highest HIV incidence in West Africa, with unmet HIV prevention and treatment needs, and where key populations are important to the broader HIV epidemic. An age-stratified dynamic model was developed and calibrated to epidemiological and programmatic data using a Bayesian framework. The model represents sexual and vertical HIV transmission in the general population, female sex workers (FSW), and men who have sex with men (MSM). We estimated the impact of scaling up interventions to reach the UNAIDS targets, as well as the impact of 8 other scenarios, on HIV transmission in adults and children, compared to our baseline scenario that maintains 2015 rates of testing, ART initiation, ART discontinuation, treatment failure, and levels of condom use. In 2015, we estimated that 52% (95% credible intervals: 46%-58%) of HIV-positive individuals were aware of their status, 72% (57%-82%) of those aware were on ART, and 77% (74%-79%) of those on ART were virologically suppressed. Reaching the UNAIDS targets on time would avert 50% (42%-60%) of new HIV infections over 2015-2030 compared to 30% (25%-36%) if the 90-90-90 target is reached in 2025. Attaining the UNAIDS targets in FSW, their clients, and MSM (but not in the rest of the population) would avert a similar fraction of new infections (30%; 21%-39%). A 25-percentage-point drop in condom use from the 2015 levels among FSW and MSM would reduce the impact of reaching the UNAIDS targets

  10. Male Circumcision and the Epidemic Emergence of HIV-2 in West Africa

    PubMed Central

    Hewlett, Barry Stephen; Camacho, Ricardo Jorge

    2016-01-01

    Background Epidemic HIV-2 (groups A and B) emerged in humans circa 1930–40. Its closest ancestors are SIVsmm infecting sooty mangabeys from southwestern Côte d'Ivoire. The earliest large-scale serological surveys of HIV-2 in West Africa (1985–91) show a patchy spread. Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau had the highest prevalence rates by then, and phylogeographical analysis suggests they were the earliest epicenters. Wars and parenteral transmission have been hypothesized to have promoted HIV-2 spread. Male circumcision (MC) is known to correlate negatively with HIV-1 prevalence in Africa, but studies examining this issue for HIV-2 are lacking. Methods We reviewed published HIV-2 serosurveys for 30 cities of all West African countries and obtained credible estimates of real prevalence through Bayesian estimation. We estimated past MC rates of 218 West African ethnic groups, based on ethnographic literature and fieldwork. We collected demographic tables specifying the ethnic partition in cities. Uncertainty was incorporated by defining plausible ranges of parameters (e.g. timing of introduction, proportion circumcised). We generated 1,000 sets of past MC rates per city using Latin Hypercube Sampling with different parameter combinations, and explored the correlation between HIV-2 prevalence and estimated MC rate (both logit-transformed) in the 1,000 replicates. Results and Conclusions Our survey reveals that, in the early 20th century, MC was far less common and geographically more variable than nowadays. HIV-2 prevalence in 1985–91 and MC rates in 1950 were negatively correlated (Spearman rho = -0.546, IQR: -0.553–-0.546, p≤0.0021). Guinea-Bissau and Côte d'Ivoire cities had markedly lower MC rates. In addition, MC was uncommon in rural southwestern Côte d'Ivoire in 1930.The differential HIV-2 spread in West Africa correlates with different historical MC rates. We suggest HIV-2 only formed early substantial foci in cities with substantial uncircumcised

  11. JPRS Report, Near East & South Asia.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-08-14

    to USSR 95 CPI-M in Kerala 95 Asian Bank Aid 96 Rural Labor Commission 96 Cochin Shipyard 96 Lebanese Envoy’s Plea 97 IRAN Head of...Coast’s ungrateful behavior toward Israel. Nevertheless, the Solel-Boneh company continued to build marble and glass edifices in Abidjan and broad...palace carved in Italian marble, with ceilings imported from Morocco, six meat courses for the luncheon of the entourage—those are some of the images

  12. Impact of Military Coups d’etat on West Africa’s Socio-Economic and Political Development

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-12-16

    the 1990s. Under President Doe, the Liberian currency was devalued , corruption was at its peak, and the mismanagement of public funds was the rule...from which they are yet to recover. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Africa, Economic development, Governance, Security, the West, West Africa, Nigeria , Cote... Nigeria and Military Coup d’états 1983-1999 .............................................................. 32 The Second Military Coup after the Second

  13. 18-Month Effectiveness of Short-Course Antiretroviral Regimens Combined with Alternatives to Breastfeeding to Prevent HIV Mother-to-Child Transmission

    PubMed Central

    Leroy, Valériane; Ekouevi, Didier K.; Becquet, Renaud; Viho, Ida; Dequae-Merchadou, Laurence; Tonwe-Gold, Besigin; Rouet, François; Sakarovitch, Charlotte; Horo, Appolinaire; Timité-Konan, Marguerite; Rouzioux, Christine; Dabis, François

    2008-01-01

    Objective We assessed the 18-month effectiveness of short-course (sc) antiretroviral peripartum regimens combined with alternatives to prolonged breastfeeding to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Methodology HIV-1 infected pregnant women received from ≥32–36 weeks of gestation scZidovudine (ZDV)+/−Lamivudine (3TC)+single-dose Nevirapine (sdNVP) at delivery within the ANRS 1201/1202 DITRAME-Plus cohort (2001–2003). Neonates received a sdNVP+7-day ZDV prophylaxis. Two infant-feeding interventions were systematically offered free of charge: formula-feeding or exclusive shortened breastfeeding with early cessation from four months. The reference group was the ANRS 049a DITRAME cohort (1994–2000) exposed to scZDV from 36 weeks, then to prolonged breastfeeding. Pediatric HIV infection was defined by a positive plasma HIV-1 RNA at any age, or if aged ≥18 months, a positive HIV-1 serology. Turnbull estimates of cumulative transmission risks (CTR) and effectiveness (HIV-free survival) were compared by exposure group using a Cox model. Findings Among 926 live-born children enrolled, 107 (11.6%) were HIV-infected at 18 months. CTRs were 22.3% (95% confidence interval[CI]:16–30%) in the 238 ZDV long-term breastfed reference group, 15.9% (CI:10–27%) in the 169 ZDV+sdNVP shortened breastfed group; 9.4% (CI:6–14%) in the 195 ZDV+sdNVP formula-fed group; 6.8% (CI:4–11%) in the 198 ZDV+3TC+sdNVP shortened breastfed group, and 5.6% (CI:2–10%) in the 126 ZDV+3TC+sdNVP formula-fed group. Each combination had a significantly higher effectiveness than the ZDV long-term breastfed group except for ZDV+sdNVP shortened breastfed children, ranging from 51% (CI:20–70%) for ZDV+sdNVP formula fed children to 63% (CI:40–80%) for ZDV+3TC+NVPsd shortened breastfed children, after adjustment for maternal eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART), home delivery and low birth-weight. Substantial MTCT risk reductions are

  14. Gender norms and economic empowerment intervention to reduce intimate partner violence against women in rural Côte d'Ivoire: a randomized controlled pilot study.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Jhumka; Falb, Kathryn L; Lehmann, Heidi; Kpebo, Denise; Xuan, Ziming; Hossain, Mazeda; Zimmerman, Cathy; Watts, Charlotte; Annan, Jeannie

    2013-11-01

    Gender-based violence against women, including intimate partner violence (IPV), is a pervasive health and human rights concern. However, relatively little intervention research has been conducted on how to reduce IPV in settings impacted by conflict. The current study reports on the evaluation of the incremental impact of adding "gender dialogue groups" to an economic empowerment group savings program on levels of IPV. This study took place in north and northwestern rural Côte d'Ivoire. Between 2010 and 2012, we conducted a two-armed, non-blinded randomized-controlled trial (RCT) comparing group savings only (control) to "gender dialogue groups" added to group savings (treatment). The gender dialogue group consisted of eight sessions that targeted women and their male partner. Eligible Ivorian women (18+ years, no prior experience with group savings) were invited to participate. 934 out of 981 (95.2%) partnered women completed baseline and endline data collection. The primary trial outcome measure was an overall measure of past-year physical and/or sexual IPV. Past year physical IPV, sexual IPV, and economic abuse were also separately assessed, as were attitudes towards justification of wife beating and a woman's ability to refuse sex with her husband. Intent to treat analyses revealed that compared to groups savings alone, the addition of gender dialogue groups resulted in a slightly lower odds of reporting past year physical and/or sexual IPV (OR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.58, 1.47; not statistically significant). Reductions in reporting of physical IPV and sexual IPV were also observed (not statistically significant). Women in the treatment group were significantly less likely to report economic abuse than control group counterparts (OR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.60, p < .0001). Acceptance of wife beating was significantly reduced among the treatment group (β = -0.97; 95% CI: -1.67, -0.28, p = 0.006), while attitudes towards refusal of sex did not significantly change Per

  15. Mass Spectrometry and Multiplex Antigen Assays to Assess Microbial Quality and Toxin Production of Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Clinical and Food Samples

    PubMed Central

    Attien, Paul; Sina, Haziz; Moussaoui, Wardi; Zimmermann-Meisse, Gaëlle; Dadié, Thomas; Keller, Daniel; Riegel, Philippe; Edoh, Vincent; Kotchoni, Simeon O.; Djè, Marcellin; Prévost, Gilles

    2014-01-01

    The aim of our study was to investigate the microbial quality of meat products and on some clinical samples in Abidjan focused on Staphylococcus genus and the toxin production profile of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolated. Bacteria were collected from 240 samples of three meat products sold in Abidjan and 180 samples issued from clinical infections. The strains were identified by both microbiological and MALDI-TOF-MS methods. The susceptibility to antibiotics was determined by the disc diffusion method. The production of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin, LukE/D, and epidermolysins was screened using radial gel immunodiffusion. The production of staphylococcal enterotoxins and TSST-1 was screened by a Bio-Plex Assay. We observed that 96/240 of meat samples and 32/180 of clinical samples were contaminated by Staphylococcus. Eleven species were isolated from meats and 4 from clinical samples. Forty-two S. aureus strains were isolated from ours samples. Variability of resistance was observed for most of the tested antibiotics but none of the strains displays a resistance to imipenem and quinolones. We observed that 89% of clinical S. aureus were resistant to methicillin against 58% for those issued from meat products. All S. aureus isolates issued from meat products produce epidermolysins whereas none of the clinical strains produced these toxins. The enterotoxins were variably produced by both clinical and meat product samples. PMID:24987686

  16. An oyster-associated hepatitis A outbreak in France in 2007.

    PubMed

    Guillois-Bécel, Y; Couturier, E; Le Saux, J C; Roque-Afonso, A M; Le Guyader, F S; Le Goas, A; Pernès, J; Le Bechec, S; Briand, A; Robert, C; Dussaix, E; Pommepuy, M; Vaillant, V

    2009-03-12

    Following the notification of nine hepatitis A cases clustered in the Cotes d Armor district in northwestern France, epidemiological, environmental and microbiological investigations were set up in order to identify the source and vehicle of contamination and implement control measures. In total, 111 cases were identified in the outbreak, all of whom lived or had stayed as tourists in the Cotes d Armor district. Of the cases, 87% had eaten raw shellfish, and 81% specifically oysters. Traceback investigations carried out on raw shellfish consumed by the cases showed that the raw shellfish originated from a single shellfish farm. The shellfish were probably contaminated either in the submersible tanks or in a depuration land-based tank where they were stored. The source of contamination was not identified but shellfish could have been tainted by sewage overflows or by wastewater releases from a polluted storm sewer close to the shellfish farm or from on-site sanitation facilities. To prevent future hepatitis A outbreaks due to shellfish consumption from this area, hazards specific to each farm should be analysed. Timely information on sewage overflows should also be part of communities efforts regarding sewage collection and treatment.

  17. Effect of an integrated intervention package of preventive chemotherapy, community-led total sanitation and health education on the prevalence of helminth and intestinal protozoa infections in Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Hürlimann, Eveline; Silué, Kigbafori D; Zouzou, Fabien; Ouattara, Mamadou; Schmidlin, Thomas; Yapi, Richard B; Houngbedji, Clarisse A; Dongo, Kouassi; Kouadio, Bernadette A; Koné, Siaka; Bonfoh, Bassirou; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg; Acka-Douabélé, Cinthia A; Raso, Giovanna

    2018-02-27

    Preventive chemotherapy with donated anthelminthic drugs is the cornerstone for the control of helminthiases. However, reinfection can occur rapidly in the absence of clean water and sanitation coupled with unhygienic behaviour. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of an integrated package of interventions, consisting of preventive chemotherapy, community-led total sanitation (CLTS) and health education, on the prevalence of helminth and intestinal protozoa infections and on participants' knowledge, attitude, practice and beliefs (KAPB) towards these diseases including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). A cross-sectional survey was carried out in nine communities of south-central Côte d'Ivoire to assess people's infection with helminths and intestinal protozoa and KAPB. Subsequently, interventions were targeted to five communities, while the remaining communities served as control. The intervention encouraged latrine construction and an evaluation was done 6-7 months later to determine open defecation status of the respective communities. Anthelminthic treatment was provided to all community members. A follow-up cross-sectional survey was conducted approximately one year later, using the same procedures. Overall, 810 people had complete baseline and follow-up data and were given anthelminthic treatment. The baseline prevalence of hookworm, Schistosoma haematobium, Trichuris trichiura, Schistosoma mansoni and Ascaris lumbricoides was 31.1%, 7.0%, 2.0%, 1.0% and 0.3%, respectively. Four of the five intervention communities were classified open-defecation free. For hookworm infection, we observed higher negative changes in terms of proportion of decrease (-0.10; 95% confidence interval (CI): - 0.16, -0.04) and higher egg reduction rate (64.9 vs 15.2%) when comparing intervention with control communities. For intestinal protozoa, prevalence reduction was higher in intervention compared to control communities (8.2 vs 2.6%) and WASH indicators and

  18. 76 FR 2193 - Designation Pursuant to Executive Order 13396 of February 7, 2006, “Blocking Property of Certain...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of Foreign Assets Control Designation Pursuant to Executive Order 13396 of February 7, 2006, ``Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in... 7, 2006, ``Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire...

  19. 33 CFR 117.465 - Lafourche Bayou.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... (Golden Meadow) Bridge, mile 23.9, at Golden Meadow (2) Galliano Pontoon Bridge, mile 27.8, at Galliano (3) SR 308 (South Lafourche (Tarpon)) Bridge, mile 30.6, at Galliano, need not open for the passage of... a.m.; from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (4) Cote Blanche Pontoon Bridge, mile 33...

  20. 33 CFR 117.465 - Lafourche Bayou.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... (Golden Meadow) Bridge, mile 23.9, at Golden Meadow (2) Galliano Pontoon Bridge, mile 27.8, at Galliano (3) SR 308 (South Lafourche (Tarpon)) Bridge, mile 30.6, at Galliano, need not open for the passage of... a.m.; from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (4) Cote Blanche Pontoon Bridge, mile 33...

  1. Comparison of LASSO and GPS time transfers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lewandowski, W.; Petit, G.; Baumont, F.; Fridelance, P.; Gaignebet, J.; Grudler, P.; Veillet, C.; Wiant, J.; Klepczynski, W. J.

    1994-01-01

    The LASSO is a technique which should allow the comparison of remote atomic clocks with sub-nanosecond precision and accuracy. The first successful time transfer using LASSO has been carried out between the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur in France and the McDonald Observatory in Texas, United States. This paper presents a preliminary comparison of LASSO time transfer with GPS common-view time transfer.

  2. Market Effects of Naval Presence in a Globalized World

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-01-01

    reductions in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The second group of countries, largely the top layer of developing countries led by Mexico , South Africa and...Republic Turkmenistan Germany Malaysia Cote d’Ivorie Chad Uzbekistan Hong Kong Mauritius Ecuador Congo, DR Ireland Mexico Gambia Eritrea...study, Mexico and Norway would experience declines in income associated with forward deployed naval operations. On the other hand movements in

  3. Eye Tracking in the Cockpit: a Review of the Relationships between Eye Movements and the Aviators Cognitive State

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-12-01

    proportional dwell time OTW in order to assess the impact of novel cockpit instruments on situational awareness in nearby airspace (Cote, Krueger, & Simmons...frequency. In particular, Spady (1978) examined eye movements during simulated landing approach under instrument flight rules ( IFR ). Simulated turbulence...al. (2007) found that NNI varied across phases of simulated IFR flight, showing the least random (most clustered) distribution of fixations during

  4. Newly discovered ebola virus associated with hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Towner, Jonathan S; Sealy, Tara K; Khristova, Marina L; Albariño, César G; Conlan, Sean; Reeder, Serena A; Quan, Phenix-Lan; Lipkin, W Ian; Downing, Robert; Tappero, Jordan W; Okware, Samuel; Lutwama, Julius; Bakamutumaho, Barnabas; Kayiwa, John; Comer, James A; Rollin, Pierre E; Ksiazek, Thomas G; Nichol, Stuart T

    2008-11-01

    Over the past 30 years, Zaire and Sudan ebolaviruses have been responsible for large hemorrhagic fever (HF) outbreaks with case fatalities ranging from 53% to 90%, while a third species, Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus, caused a single non-fatal HF case. In November 2007, HF cases were reported in Bundibugyo District, Western Uganda. Laboratory investigation of the initial 29 suspect-case blood specimens by classic methods (antigen capture, IgM and IgG ELISA) and a recently developed random-primed pyrosequencing approach quickly identified this to be an Ebola HF outbreak associated with a newly discovered ebolavirus species (Bundibugyo ebolavirus) distantly related to the Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus found in western Africa. Due to the sequence divergence of this new virus relative to all previously recognized ebolaviruses, these findings have important implications for design of future diagnostic assays to monitor Ebola HF disease in humans and animals, and ongoing efforts to develop effective antivirals and vaccines.

  5. Newly Discovered Ebola Virus Associated with Hemorrhagic Fever Outbreak in Uganda

    PubMed Central

    Towner, Jonathan S.; Sealy, Tara K.; Khristova, Marina L.; Albariño, César G.; Conlan, Sean; Reeder, Serena A.; Quan, Phenix-Lan; Lipkin, W. Ian; Downing, Robert; Tappero, Jordan W.; Okware, Samuel; Lutwama, Julius; Bakamutumaho, Barnabas; Kayiwa, John; Comer, James A.; Rollin, Pierre E.; Ksiazek, Thomas G.; Nichol, Stuart T.

    2008-01-01

    Over the past 30 years, Zaire and Sudan ebolaviruses have been responsible for large hemorrhagic fever (HF) outbreaks with case fatalities ranging from 53% to 90%, while a third species, Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus, caused a single non-fatal HF case. In November 2007, HF cases were reported in Bundibugyo District, Western Uganda. Laboratory investigation of the initial 29 suspect-case blood specimens by classic methods (antigen capture, IgM and IgG ELISA) and a recently developed random-primed pyrosequencing approach quickly identified this to be an Ebola HF outbreak associated with a newly discovered ebolavirus species (Bundibugyo ebolavirus) distantly related to the Côte d'Ivoire ebolavirus found in western Africa. Due to the sequence divergence of this new virus relative to all previously recognized ebolaviruses, these findings have important implications for design of future diagnostic assays to monitor Ebola HF disease in humans and animals, and ongoing efforts to develop effective antivirals and vaccines. PMID:19023410

  6. Architecture and assembly of the Bacillus subtilis spore coat.

    PubMed

    Plomp, Marco; Carroll, Alicia Monroe; Setlow, Peter; Malkin, Alexander J

    2014-01-01

    Bacillus spores are encased in a multilayer, proteinaceous self-assembled coat structure that assists in protecting the bacterial genome from stresses and consists of at least 70 proteins. The elucidation of Bacillus spore coat assembly, architecture, and function is critical to determining mechanisms of spore pathogenesis, environmental resistance, immune response, and physicochemical properties. Recently, genetic, biochemical and microscopy methods have provided new insight into spore coat architecture, assembly, structure and function. However, detailed spore coat architecture and assembly, comprehensive understanding of the proteomic composition of coat layers, and specific roles of coat proteins in coat assembly and their precise localization within the coat remain in question. In this study, atomic force microscopy was used to probe the coat structure of Bacillus subtilis wild type and cotA, cotB, safA, cotH, cotO, cotE, gerE, and cotE gerE spores. This approach provided high-resolution visualization of the various spore coat structures, new insight into the function of specific coat proteins, and enabled the development of a detailed model of spore coat architecture. This model is consistent with a recently reported four-layer coat assembly and further adds several coat layers not reported previously. The coat is organized starting from the outside into an outermost amorphous (crust) layer, a rodlet layer, a honeycomb layer, a fibrous layer, a layer of "nanodot" particles, a multilayer assembly, and finally the undercoat/basement layer. We propose that the assembly of the previously unreported fibrous layer, which we link to the darkly stained outer coat seen by electron microscopy, and the nanodot layer are cotH- and cotE- dependent and cotE-specific respectively. We further propose that the inner coat multilayer structure is crystalline with its apparent two-dimensional (2D) nuclei being the first example of a non-mineral 2D nucleation crystallization

  7. Architecture and Assembly of the Bacillus subtilis Spore Coat

    PubMed Central

    Plomp, Marco; Carroll, Alicia Monroe; Setlow, Peter; Malkin, Alexander J.

    2014-01-01

    Bacillus spores are encased in a multilayer, proteinaceous self-assembled coat structure that assists in protecting the bacterial genome from stresses and consists of at least 70 proteins. The elucidation of Bacillus spore coat assembly, architecture, and function is critical to determining mechanisms of spore pathogenesis, environmental resistance, immune response, and physicochemical properties. Recently, genetic, biochemical and microscopy methods have provided new insight into spore coat architecture, assembly, structure and function. However, detailed spore coat architecture and assembly, comprehensive understanding of the proteomic composition of coat layers, and specific roles of coat proteins in coat assembly and their precise localization within the coat remain in question. In this study, atomic force microscopy was used to probe the coat structure of Bacillus subtilis wild type and cotA, cotB, safA, cotH, cotO, cotE, gerE, and cotE gerE spores. This approach provided high-resolution visualization of the various spore coat structures, new insight into the function of specific coat proteins, and enabled the development of a detailed model of spore coat architecture. This model is consistent with a recently reported four-layer coat assembly and further adds several coat layers not reported previously. The coat is organized starting from the outside into an outermost amorphous (crust) layer, a rodlet layer, a honeycomb layer, a fibrous layer, a layer of “nanodot” particles, a multilayer assembly, and finally the undercoat/basement layer. We propose that the assembly of the previously unreported fibrous layer, which we link to the darkly stained outer coat seen by electron microscopy, and the nanodot layer are cotH- and cotE- dependent and cotE-specific respectively. We further propose that the inner coat multilayer structure is crystalline with its apparent two-dimensional (2D) nuclei being the first example of a non-mineral 2D nucleation crystallization

  8. 31 CFR 543.203 - Holding of funds in interest-bearing accounts; investment and reinvestment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Holding of funds in interest-bearing accounts; investment and reinvestment. 543.203 Section 543.203 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations...´TE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 543.203 Holding of funds in interest-bearing...

  9. 31 CFR 543.406 - Offshore transactions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS Interpretations... blocked property apply to transactions by any U.S. person in a location outside the United States with respect to property held in the name of a person whose property and interests in property are blocked...

  10. Understanding the Root Causes of Military Coups and Governmental Instability in West Africa

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-13

    Africans make their living from subsistence farming . The region has few exports. Oil is the principle revenue-earner for Nigeria, cocoa mainly in Cote...category. Farming and fishing, which at this point are at their rudimentary stages, are the basis of the economy of the newly independent Senegal...1973. Fourteen percent of Niger’s GDP is generated by livestock production (camels, goats , sheep and cattle), which supports 35 percent of the

  11. U.S. Army Chemical Corps Historical Studies, Gas Warfare in World War 1: The 33rd Division along the Meuse, October 1918

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1958-07-01

    down to Cote de ,’Ole (Map Neo 2) The attack was to be made by the 66th Brig- ado , with two battalions each of the 131st and 3.2nrd Infantry in line...Pannevoux had been heavily shelled with HE, yellow cross, and blue cross every nighto He Arko 95 order for 7 porno 3 Oct to 7 aomo 4 Oct (7th Rles Div

  12. Epidemiology of influenza in West Africa after the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic, 2010-2012.

    PubMed

    Talla Nzussouo, Ndahwouh; Duque, Jazmin; Adedeji, Adebayo Abel; Coulibaly, Daouda; Sow, Samba; Tarnagda, Zekiba; Maman, Issaka; Lagare, Adamou; Makaya, Sonia; Elkory, Mohamed Brahim; Kadjo Adje, Herve; Shilo, Paul Alhassan; Tamboura, Boubou; Cisse, Assana; Badziklou, Kossi; Maïnassara, Halima Boubacar; Bara, Ahmed Ould; Keita, Adama Mamby; Williams, Thelma; Moen, Ann; Widdowson, Marc-Alain; McMorrow, Meredith

    2017-12-04

    Over the last decade, capacity for influenza surveillance and research in West Africa has strengthened. Data from these surveillance systems showed influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 circulated in West Africa later than in other regions of the continent. We contacted 11 West African countries to collect information about their influenza surveillance systems (number of sites, type of surveillance, sampling strategy, populations sampled, case definitions used, number of specimens collected and number of specimens positive for influenza viruses) for the time period January 2010 through December 2012. Of the 11 countries contacted, 8 responded: Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo. Countries used standard World Health Organization (WHO) case definitions for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) or slight variations thereof. There were 70 surveillance sites: 26 SARI and 44 ILI. Seven countries conducted SARI surveillance and collected 3114 specimens of which 209 (7%) were positive for influenza viruses. Among influenza-positive SARI patients, 132 (63%) were influenza A [68 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, 64 influenza A(H3N2)] and 77 (37%) were influenza B. All eight countries conducted ILI surveillance and collected 20,375 specimens, of which 2278 (11%) were positive for influenza viruses. Among influenza-positive ILI patients, 1431 (63%) were influenza A [820 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, 611 influenza A(H3N2)] and 847 (37%) were influenza B. A majority of SARI and ILI case-patients who tested positive for influenza (72% SARI and 59% ILI) were children aged 0-4 years, as were a majority of those enrolled in surveillance. The seasonality of influenza and the predominant influenza type or subtype varied by country and year. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 continued to circulate in West Africa along with influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B during 2010-2012. Although ILI surveillance systems produced a robust number of samples

  13. 31 CFR 543.410 - Setoffs prohibited.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS Interpretations § 543.410 Setoffs prohibited. A setoff against blocked property (including a blocked account), whether by a U.S. bank or other U.S. person, is a prohibited transfer under § 543.201 if effected after the...

  14. 31 CFR 543.410 - Setoffs prohibited.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS Interpretations § 543.410 Setoffs prohibited. A setoff against blocked property (including a blocked account), whether by a U.S. bank or other U.S. person, is a prohibited transfer under § 543.201 if effected after the...

  15. 31 CFR 543.410 - Setoffs prohibited.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS Interpretations § 543.410 Setoffs prohibited. A setoff against blocked property (including a blocked account), whether by a U.S. bank or other U.S. person, is a prohibited transfer under § 543.201 if effected after the...

  16. 31 CFR 543.101 - Relation of this part to other laws and regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Relation of this part to other laws and regulations. 543.101 Section 543.101 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CÃTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS...

  17. 31 CFR 543.101 - Relation of this part to other laws and regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Relation of this part to other laws and regulations. 543.101 Section 543.101 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CÃTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS...

  18. 31 CFR 543.101 - Relation of this part to other laws and regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Relation of this part to other laws and regulations. 543.101 Section 543.101 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS...

  19. 31 CFR 543.101 - Relation of this part to other laws and regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Relation of this part to other laws and regulations. 543.101 Section 543.101 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS...

  20. 31 CFR 543.101 - Relation of this part to other laws and regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Relation of this part to other laws and regulations. 543.101 Section 543.101 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS...

  1. Study of the Erosion Corrosion of Alloys and Coatings.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-12-01

    AD-A±94 327 ST Y OF THE ROSION COROSION OF ALLO COTINGS 4 (U) PITTSBURGH UNIV PA DEPT OF MTERIRLS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING N BIRKS ET AL. DEC 87 ARO...AVAILABILITY OF REPORT 2b. DECLASSIFICATION IOOWNGRADING SCHEDULE Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. 4 . PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT...a further regime, based on scale spallation, at certain values of scale thicknesse . The inclusion of sulfur in the atmosphere results in much more

  2. 31 CFR 543.303 - Effective date.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CôTE D'IVOIRE SANCTIONS REGULATIONS General... prohibitions and directives contained in this part as follows: (a) With respect to a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to § 543.201(a)(1), 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, February 8...

  3. 76 FR 5053 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to C[ocirc...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-28

    ... January 26, 2011 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to... emergency, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706), to deal with... constituted by the situation in or in relation to C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire and ordered related measures blocking...

  4. 75 FR 5675 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to C[ocirc...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-02-04

    ... February 2, 2010 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to... emergency, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706), to deal with... constituted by the situation in or in relation to C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire and ordered related measures blocking...

  5. Development of Carbon Based optically Transparent Electrodes from Pyrolyzed Photoresist for the Investigation of Phenomena at Electrified Carbon-Solution Interfaces

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Donner, Sebastian

    2007-01-01

    The work presented herein describes a fundamental investigations of carbon as electrode material by using the pyrolysis of photoresist to create an optically transparent material. The development of these carbon-based optically transparent electrodes (C-OTEs) enables investigations of molecular interactions within the electrical double layer, processes that are central to a wide range of important phenomena, including the impact of changes in the surface charge density on adsorption. The electrochemical importance of carbon cannot be understated, having relevance to separations and detection by providing a wide potential window and low background current in addition to being low cost and light weight.more » The interactions that govern the processes at the carbon electrode surface has been studied extensively. A variety of publications from the laboratories of McCreery and Kinoshita provide in depth summaries about carbon and its many applications in electrochemistry. These studies reveal that defects, impurities, oxidation, and a variety of functional groups create adsorption sites on carbon surfaces with different characteristics. The interest in C-OTEs was sparked by the desire to study and understand the behavior of individual molecules at electrified interfaces. It draws on the earlier development of Electrochemically Modulated Liquid Chromatography (EMLC), which uses carbon as the stationary phase. EMLC takes advantage of changing the applied potential to the carbon electrode to influence the retention behavior of analytes. However, perspectives gained from, for example, chromatographic measurements reflect the integrated response of a large ensemble of potentially diverse interactions between the adsorbates and the carbon electrode. Considering the chemically and physically heterogeneous surface of electrode materials such as glassy carbon, the integrated response provides little insight into the interactions at a single molecule level. To investigate

  6. 77 FR 5983 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to C[ocirc...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-06

    ...--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire... February 3, 2012 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in or in Relation to... emergency, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706), to deal with...

  7. Training of School Teachers in West Africa: Remediation of Reading Difficulties through Training in Phonological Awareness and Letter Names

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Briquet-Duhazé, Sophie

    2014-01-01

    The training of teachers of West Africa is carried out by the Academy of Rouen (France) and organized around an annual training plan approved by the AEFE. Each trainer only supervises twenty teachers for 5 days. Teachers from eight countries (Mauritania, Cape Verde, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso), come to Dakar for…

  8. Environmental Education in Côte d'Ivoire/West Africa: Extra-Curricular Primary School Teaching Shows Positive Impact on Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borchers, Claudia; Boesch, Christophe; Riedel, Julia; Guilahoux, Hilaire; Ouattara, Dabila; Randler, Christoph

    2014-01-01

    This paper surveys the consequences of pupils' participation in the extra-curricular environmental education (EE) programme Club P.A.N. (Peoples, Animals and Nature) by monitoring changes in their respective knowledge as well as in their environmental attitudes. The programme was conducted in Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa with the help of the local…

  9. The Role of Polycomb Group Gene Bmi-1 in the Development of Prostate Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-01

    new tricks. Cell Div. 2006 Jul 24;1:15. 17. Fu M, Wang C, Li Z, Sakamaki T, Pestell RG. Minireview: Cyclin D1: normal and abnormal functions... Pestell RG. Signal transduction mediated by cyclin D1: from mitogens to cell proliferation: a molecular target with therapeutic potential. Cancer...Datar 22 R, Cote R, Pestell R, Albanese C. ErbB-2 induces the cyclin D1 gene in prostate epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Res. 2007

  10. Quadratures with multiple nodes, power orthogonality, and moment-preserving spline approximation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Milovanovic, Gradimir V.

    2001-01-01

    Quadrature formulas with multiple nodes, power orthogonality, and some applications of such quadratures to moment-preserving approximation by defective splines are considered. An account on power orthogonality (s- and [sigma]-orthogonal polynomials) and generalized Gaussian quadratures with multiple nodes, including stable algorithms for numerical construction of the corresponding polynomials and Cotes numbers, are given. In particular, the important case of Chebyshev weight is analyzed. Finally, some applications in moment-preserving approximation of functions by defective splines are discussed.

  11. State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2008 Appropriations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-10-24

    strong commitment to political, economic and social reforms. The CRS-3 2 PEPFAR countries include Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique...Uzbek, Greek, and Cantonese as well as the RFE/RL Macedonia service. BBG also plans to reduce several others, such as VOA and RFE/RL service in Ukrainian... social services to Iraqi refugees. FY2007 Supplemental Request. On April 25 and 26, the House and Senate passed the conference report (H.Rept. 110-107

  12. Mali’s Next Battle: Improving Counterterrorism Capabilities

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-01-01

    most notably nonnoble and non –Kel Adagh clans—and Arab communities joined the fight, with the Arabs form- ing their own rebel group . On April 11...between pro-government and CMA forces Area controlled by jihadist groups in 2012–2013 TOGO COTE D’IVOIRE GHANA SIERRA LEONE BENIN NIGERIA...northern Mali’s larger security issues, both because of ties between and among terrorist and non -jihadi rebel groups —the signatories of the Algiers

  13. Pulmonary Gene Expression Profiling of Inhaled Ricin

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-02-01

    luis.dasilva@amedd.army.mil ( L . DaSilva). Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for the collection of...profiling of inhaled ricin, Toxicon 41:813-822 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) DaSilva, L Cote, D Roy, C...USA, Inc., Torrance, CA). To detect pulmonary alveolar macrophages, replicate sections of formalin-fixed, L . DaSilva et al. / Toxicon 41 (2003) 813

  14. Area Handbook Series. Cote D’Lvoire; A Country Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-11-01

    longevity shaped Ivoirian elites’ into-a wealthy, male; educated social stratum. B y the laie 1980s, wonen were beginning to emrerge within this group...certain experimental crops like tobacco, rice, and cotton. By the mid-1960s, the National Service had expanded into other areas. The Company of Pioneers ...ethnic balance had emerged among the security forces., North- erneis controlled higher positions in the army; the demographi - cally preponderant Baoul6

  15. The Role of Polycomb Group Gene BMI-1 in the Development of Prostate Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-01

    17. Fu M, Wang C, Li Z, Sakamaki T, Pestell RG. Minireview: Cyclin D1: normal and abnormal functions. Endocrinology. 2004 Dec;145(12):5439-47. 18...connecting development to breast cancer. Cell Cycle. 2004 Feb;3(2):145-8. 32. Wang C, Li Z, Fu M, Bouras T, Pestell RG. Signal transduction mediated by...Ferzli G, Johnson K, Fricke S, Diba F, Kallakury B, Ohanyerenwa C, Chen M, Ostrowski M, Hung MC, Rabbani SA, Datar R, Cote R, Pestell R, Albanese C

  16. A Theoretical Analysis of a New Polarimetric Optical Scheme for Glucose Sensing in the Human Eye

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rovati, Luigi L.; Boeckle, Stefan; Ansari, Rafat R.; Salzman, Jack A. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    The challenging task of in vivo polarimetric glucose sensing is the identification and selection of a scheme to optically access the aqueous humor of the human eye. In this short communication an earlier approach of Cote et al. is theoretically compared with our new optical scheme. Simulations of the new scheme using the eye model of Navarro, suggest that the new optical geometry can overcome the limitations of the previous approach for in vivo measurements of glucose in a human eye.

  17. Anagrus nedotepae sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), an egg parasitoid of Nedotepa curta (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), a pest of coconut palm in West Africa.

    PubMed

    Triapitsyn, Serguei V; Kwadjo, K Eric; Rosete, Yaima Arocha

    2017-06-09

    A new Afrotropical species of Anagrus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), A. nedotepae Triapitsyn sp. n., is described and illustrated. The type series was reared from parasitized eggs of the leafhopper Nedotepa curta Dmitriev (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) during a survey for its natural enemies in Côte d'Ivoire. This peculiar leafhopper, recently described from Ghana (Dmitriev 2016), lays its eggs on leaflets of coconut palm, and could be an economically important pest of this crop in West Africa, particularly because it is a suspected vector of the phytoplasma associated with the Côte d'Ivoire Lethal Yellowing disease of coconut, as characterized by Arocha-Rosete et al. (2014). Coconut lethal yellowing diseases cause severe economic losses to the very important coconut growing industry in several West African countries and elsewhere, being considered a threat of global economic and social significance (Gurr et al. 2016). Thus, the parasitoid may be of potential importance for natural biological control of this pest and urgently needs a scientific name to be used in further publications on its biology and ecology. Such studies are currently underway by the second author, who collected the type series of the new species.

  18. Côte d'Ivoire Dual Burden of Disease (CoDuBu): Study Protocol to Investigate the Co-occurrence of Chronic Infections and Noncommunicable Diseases in Rural Settings of Epidemiological Transition.

    PubMed

    Eze, Ikenna C; Esse, Clémence; Bassa, Fidèle K; Koné, Siaka; Acka, Felix; Yao, Loukou; Imboden, Medea; Jaeger, Fabienne N; Schindler, Christian; Dosso, Mireille; Laubhouet-Koffi, Véronique; Kouassi, Dinard; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Probst-Hensch, Nicole

    2017-10-27

    Individual-level concomitance of infectious diseases and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is poorly studied, despite the reality of this dual disease burden for many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study protocol describes the implementation of a cohort and biobank aiming for a better understanding of interrelation of helminth and Plasmodium infections with NCD phenotypes like metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and diabetes. A baseline cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted over one year, in the Taabo health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) in south-central Côte d'Ivoire. We randomly identified 1020 consenting participants aged ≥18 years in three communities (Taabo-Cité, Amani-Ménou, and Tokohiri) reflecting varying stages of epidemiological transition. Participants underwent health examinations consisting of NCD phenotyping (anthropometry, blood pressure, renal function, glycemia, and lipids) and infectious disease testing (infections with soil-transmitted helminths, schistosomes, and Plasmodium). Individuals identified to have elevated blood pressure, glucose, lipids, or with infections were referred to the central/national health center for diagnostic confirmation and treatment. Aliquots of urine, stool, and venous blood were stored in a biobank for future exposome/phenome research. In-person interviews on sociodemographic attributes, risk factors for infectious diseases and NCDs, medication, vaccinations, and health care were also conducted. Appropriate statistical techniques will be applied in exploring the concomitance of infectious diseases and NCDs and their determinants. Participants' consent for follow-up contact was obtained. Key results from this baseline study, which will be published in peer-reviewed literature, will provide information on the prevalence and co-occurrence of infectious diseases, NCDs, and their risk factors. The Taabo HDSS consists of rural and somewhat more urbanized areas, allowing for

  19. Anti-Adhesion Elastomer Seal Coatings for Ultraviolet and Atomic Oxygen Protection

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    De Groh, Henry C., III; Puleo, Bernadette J.; Waters, Deborah L.; Miller, Sharon K.

    2015-01-01

    Radiation blocking sunscreen coatings have been developed for the protection of elastomer seals used in low-Earth-orbit (LEO). The coatings protect the seals from ultraviolet (UV) radiation and atomic oxygen (AO) damage. The coatings were developed for use on NASA docking seals. Docking seal damage from the UV and AO present in LEO can constrain mission time-line, flight mode options, and increases risk. A low level of adhesion is also required for docking seals so undocking push-off forces can be low. The coatings presented also mitigate this unwanted adhesion. Greases with low collected volatile condensable materials (CVCM) and low total mass loss (TML) were mixed with slippery and/or UV blocking powders to create the protective coatings. Coatings were applied at rates up to 2 milligrams per square centimeter. Coated seals were exposed to AO and UV in the NUV (near-UV) and UV-C wavelength ranges (300 to 400 nanometers and 254 nanometers, respectively). Ground based ashers were used to simulate the AO of space. The Sun's UV energy was mimicked assuming a nose forward flight mode, resulting in an exposure rate of 2.5 megajoules per square meter per day. Exposures between 0 and 147 megajoules per square meter (UV-C) and 245 megajoules per square meter (NUV) were accomplished. The protective coatings were durable, providing protection from UV after a simulated docking and undocking cycle. The level of protection begins to decline at coverage rates less than 0.9 milligrams per square centimeter. The leakage of seals coated with Braycote plus 20 percent Z-cote ZnO sunscreen increased by a factor of 40 after moderate AO exposure; indicating that this coating might not be suitable due to AO intolerance. Seals coated with DC-7-16.4 percent Z-cote ZnO sunscreen were not significantly affected by combined doses of 2 x 10 (sup 21) atoms per square AO with 73 megajoules per square meter UV-C. Unprotected seals were significantly damaged at UV-C exposures of 0.3 megajoules per

  20. A Spore Coat Protein, CotS, of Bacillus subtilis Is Synthesized under the Regulation of ςK and GerE during Development and Is Located in the Inner Coat Layer of Spores

    PubMed Central

    Takamatsu, Hiromu; Chikahiro, Yukari; Kodama, Takeko; Koide, Hidekatsu; Kozuka, Satoshi; Tochikubo, Kunio; Watabe, Kazuhito

    1998-01-01

    The spore coat of Bacillus subtilis has a unique morphology and consists of polypeptides of different sizes, whose synthesis and assembly are precisely regulated by a cascade of transcription factors and regulatory proteins. We examined the factors that regulate cotS gene expression and CotS assembly into the coat layer of B. subtilis by Northern blot and Western blot analysis. Transcription of cotS mRNA was not detected in sporulating cells of ςK and gerE mutants by Northern blot analysis. By Western blot analysis using anti-CotS antibody, CotS was first detected in protein samples solubilized from wild-type cells at 5 h after the start of sporulation. CotS was not detected in the vegetative cells and spores of a gerE mutant or in the spores of mutants deficient in ςE, ςF, ςG, or ςK. CotS was detected in the sporangium but not in the spores of a cotE mutant. The sequence of the promoter region of cotS was similar to the consensus sequences for binding of ςK and GerE. These results demonstrate that ςK and GerE are required for cotS expression and that CotE is essential for the assembly of CotS in the coat. Immunoelectron microscopic observation using anti-CotS antibody revealed that CotS is located within the spore coat, in particular in the inner coats of dormant spores. PMID:9603889

  1. Ship Dynamics Identification Using Simulator and Sea Trial Data

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-04-29

    Committee "© Her Majesty the Queen as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2002 "© Sa majest6 la reine, repr~sent~e par le ministre de la...cotes d’instructeurs. Le but du present rapport est de ddterminer la nature de la dynamique des navires virtuels et r6els de mani&re A ce que des...la dynamique du navire. Le pr6sent document pr6cise la dynamique du navire pour un navire de classe Bay des FC, ainsi que pour un navire simul6. Les

  2. VizieR Online Data Catalog: AMBRE project. FEROS archived spectra (Worley+, 2012)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Worley, C. C.; de Laverny, P.; Recio-Blanco, A.; Hill, V.; Bijaoui, A.; Ordenovic, C.

    2017-11-01

    This first release concerns the FEROS data collected from 2005, October to 2009, December. The spectra were reduced by ESO with the corresponding automatic pipeline and then sent to the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur (OCA, Nice) for ingestion into a dedicated pipeline (see paper). All FEROS spectra cover the domain 350nm-920nm at a resolution of about 48000. Before their ingestion into MATISSE, these spectra have been convolved at a lower resolution (Δλ=0.33Å), sliced and resampled (total number of pixels = 11890). (1 data file).

  3. Neuroimaging Field Methods Using Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Neuroimaging to Study Global Child Development: Rural Sub-Saharan Africa.

    PubMed

    Jasińska, Kaja K; Guei, Sosthène

    2018-02-02

    Portable neuroimaging approaches provide new advances to the study of brain function and brain development with previously inaccessible populations and in remote locations. This paper shows the development of field functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) imaging to the study of child language, reading, and cognitive development in a rural village setting of Côte d'Ivoire. Innovation in methods and the development of culturally appropriate neuroimaging protocols allow a first-time look into the brain's development and children's learning outcomes in understudied environments. This paper demonstrates protocols for transporting and setting up a mobile laboratory, discusses considerations for field versus laboratory neuroimaging, and presents a guide for developing neuroimaging consent procedures and building meaningful long-term collaborations with local government and science partners. Portable neuroimaging methods can be used to study complex child development contexts, including the impact of significant poverty and adversity on brain development. The protocol presented here has been developed for use in Côte d'Ivoire, the world's primary source of cocoa, and where reports of child labor in the cocoa sector are common. Yet, little is known about the impact of child labor on brain development and learning. Field neuroimaging methods have the potential to yield new insights into such urgent issues, and the development of children globally.

  4. Mobile phone call data as a regional socio-economic proxy indicator.

    PubMed

    Šćepanović, Sanja; Mishkovski, Igor; Hui, Pan; Nurminen, Jukka K; Ylä-Jääski, Antti

    2015-01-01

    The advent of publishing anonymized call detail records opens the door for temporal and spatial human dynamics studies. Such studies, besides being useful for creating universal models for mobility patterns, could be also used for creating new socio-economic proxy indicators that will not rely only on the local or state institutions. In this paper, from the frequency of calls at different times of the day, in different small regional units (sub-prefectures) in Côte d'Ivoire, we infer users' home and work sub-prefectures. This division of users enables us to analyze different mobility and calling patterns for the different regions. We then compare how those patterns correlate to the data from other sources, such as: news for particular events in the given period, census data, economic activity, poverty index, power plants and energy grid data. Our results show high correlation in many of the cases revealing the diversity of socio-economic insights that can be inferred using only mobile phone call data. The methods and the results may be particularly relevant to policy-makers engaged in poverty reduction initiatives as they can provide an affordable tool in the context of resource-constrained developing economies, such as Côte d'Ivoire's.

  5. Mobile Phone Call Data as a Regional Socio-Economic Proxy Indicator

    PubMed Central

    Šćepanović, Sanja; Mishkovski, Igor; Hui, Pan; Nurminen, Jukka K.; Ylä-Jääski, Antti

    2015-01-01

    The advent of publishing anonymized call detail records opens the door for temporal and spatial human dynamics studies. Such studies, besides being useful for creating universal models for mobility patterns, could be also used for creating new socio-economic proxy indicators that will not rely only on the local or state institutions. In this paper, from the frequency of calls at different times of the day, in different small regional units (sub-prefectures) in Côte d'Ivoire, we infer users' home and work sub-prefectures. This division of users enables us to analyze different mobility and calling patterns for the different regions. We then compare how those patterns correlate to the data from other sources, such as: news for particular events in the given period, census data, economic activity, poverty index, power plants and energy grid data. Our results show high correlation in many of the cases revealing the diversity of socio-economic insights that can be inferred using only mobile phone call data. The methods and the results may be particularly relevant to policy-makers engaged in poverty reduction initiatives as they can provide an affordable tool in the context of resource-constrained developing economies, such as Côte d'Ivoire's. PMID:25897957

  6. Musical and clothing invitations to protection.

    PubMed

    Deniaud, F

    1993-01-01

    The Chaussez Capote Project interviewed 48 youths in Abidjan and Dabou aged 14-25 years on how to best get individuals in their age group to use condoms. 251 individuals aged 15-25 were also surveyed in Abidjan on the same subject. While more than 80% of this latter group had already discussed AIDS, sexually transmitted disease (STD), and prevention with others, 90% still wanted advice on these themes from medical staff and the media. 40% who had already used condoms did so incorrectly, while approximately 33% had experienced condom breakage during use. Respondents felt that condom promotion should be associated with information on AIDS, STDs, and contraception or information on general health. In response to this feedback, the project commissioned the creation of a promotional music cassette with French and African songs of different musical styles. Lyrics imparted technical information and correct misconceptions related to condom use. Free distribution of the cassette commenced August 1992, and approximately 800 were given to organizations and businesses. The cassette also aired on radio and Ivorian television, but met with only limited success. It is thought that its impact was limited due to the small number of copies duplicated and inefficient distribution. A new version was therefore created with different songs and short messages by popular African singers for local duplication and sale at a subsidized price starting December 1993. As a 2nd intervention, clothing metaphors applied to condoms and condom use were applied to the development of a clothing promotion loincloth designed Spring 1993. The cloth was pretested and revised to ultimately consist of panels depicting 2 young couples, a condom, a panther, and the words Entre nous. The cloth has been ordered for use by the National AIDS Committee, a condom social marketing project, and the French agency for development cooperation.

  7. An Integrated Approach to Control Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis, Schistosomiasis, Intestinal Protozoa Infection, and Diarrhea: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Trial.

    PubMed

    Raso, Giovanna; Essé, Clémence; Dongo, Kouassi; Ouattara, Mamadou; Zouzou, Fabien; Hürlimann, Eveline; Koffi, Veronique A; Coulibaly, Gaoussou; Mahan, Virginie; Yapi, Richard B; Koné, Siaka; Coulibaly, Jean Tenena; Meïté, Aboulaye; Guéhi-Kabran, Marie-Claire; Bonfoh, Bassirou; N'Goran, Eliézer Kouakou; Utzinger, Jürg

    2018-06-12

    The global strategy to control helminthiases (schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis) emphasizes preventive chemotherapy. However, in the absence of access to clean water, improved sanitation, and adequate hygiene, reinfection after treatment can occur rapidly. Integrated approaches might be necessary to sustain the benefits of preventive chemotherapy and make progress toward interruption of helminthiases transmission. The aim of this study was to assess and quantify the effect of an integrated control package that consists of preventive chemotherapy, community-led total sanitation, and health education on soil-transmitted helminthiasis, schistosomiasis, intestinal protozoa infection, and diarrhea in rural Côte d'Ivoire. In a first step, a community health education program was developed that includes an animated cartoon to promote improved hygiene and health targeting school-aged children, coupled with a health education theater for the entire community. In a second step, a cluster randomized trial was implemented in 56 communities of south-central Côte d'Ivoire with 4 intervention arms: (1) preventive chemotherapy; (2) preventive chemotherapy plus community-led total sanitation; (3) preventive chemotherapy plus health education; and (4) all 3 interventions combined. Before implementation of the aforementioned interventions, a baseline parasitologic, anthropometric, and hygiene-related knowledge, attitudes, practices, and beliefs survey was conducted. These surveys were repeated 18 and 39 months after the baseline cross-sectional survey to determine the effect of different interventions on helminth and intestinal protozoa infection, nutritional indicators, and knowledge, attitudes, practices, and beliefs. Monitoring of diarrhea was done over a 24-month period at 2-week intervals, starting right after the baseline survey. Key results from this cluster randomized trial will shed light on the effect of integrated approaches consisting of preventive

  8. Satellite Detection of Ebola River Hemorrhagic Fever Epidemics Trigger Events

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tucker, Compton J.; Pinzon, Jorge E.

    2006-01-01

    Ebola hemorrhagic fever, named after the Ebola River in Central Africa, first appeared in June 1976, during an outbreak in Nzara and Maridi, Sudan. In September 1976, a separate outbreak was recognized in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). One fatal case was identified in Tandala, DRC, in June 1977, followed by another outbreak in Nzara, Sudan, in July 1979. Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks results in a very high mortality of patients who contract the disease: from 50 to 80% of infected people perish from this highly virulent disease. Death is gruesome, with those afflicted bleeding to death from massive hemorrhaging of organs and capillaries. The disease was not identified again until the end of 1994, when three outbreaks occurred almost simultaneously in Africa. In October, an outbreak was identified in a chimpanzee community studied by primatologists in Tal, Cote d'lvoire, with one human infection. The following month, multiple cases were reported in northeast Gabon in the gold panning camps of Mekouka, Andock, and Minkebe. Later that same month, the putative index case of the 1995 Kikwit, DRC, outbreak was exposed through an unknown mechanism while working in a charcoal pit. In Gabon, two additional outbreaks were reported in February and JuIy,1996, respectively, in Mayibout II, a village 40 km south of the original outbreak in the gold panning camps, and a logging camp between Ovan and Koumameyong, near Booue. The largest Ebola hemorrhagic fever epidemic occurred in Gulu District, Uganda from August 2000 to January 2001. In December 2001, Ebola reappeared in the Ogooue-lvindo Province, Gabon with extension into Mbomo District, The Republic of the Congo lasting until July 2002. Since 2002 there have been several outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in Gabon and adjacent areas of Congo. Of interest is the seasonal context and occasional temporal clustering of Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks. Near simultaneous appearances of Ebola epidemics in

  9. The study of behavior titanium pure commercially coated with hydroxyapatite and zirconia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aneed, Shaymaa Hashim; Salih, Ayad Ahmed; Khazaal, Ahlam Rashid; Hasan, Aqeel F.; Hamodi, Jamal Fadhil; Jasim, Kareem Ali; Mahdi, Shatha H.; AL-Maiyaly, Bushra K. H.; Hassun, Hanan K.

    2018-05-01

    In this research was studied the effect of adding zirconia to hydroxyapatite in the coting of commercially pure titanium (cpTi), by using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) when using micron particle (waves) size limit (0.25-0.5) micron, and deposition was effected with different coating periods(2,4,6) mints, and annealing at 500 °C, it founded there was an improvement in the corrosion properties, as the value of the open circuit potential (OCP) for coated titanium was reach to (-0.262) volt compared with to uncoated titanium was reach to (-0.528)volt. Note that the coating process is perfectly homogeneous to the entire area of the metal used.

  10. Polarimetric Glucose Sensing Using Brewster Reflection off of Eye Lens: Theoretical Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Boeckle, Stefan; Rovati, Luigi; Ansari, Rafat R.

    2002-01-01

    An important task of in vivo polarimetric glucose sensing is to find an appropriate way to optically access the aqueous humor of the human eye. In this paper two different approaches are analyzed theoretically and applied to the eye model of Le Grand. First approach is the tangential path of Cote, et al. (G.L. Cot6, M.D. Fox, and R.B. Northrop: Noninvasive Optical Polarimetric Glucose Sensing Using a True Phase Measurement Technique. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 39, no. 7, pp. 752-756, 1992.) and the second is a new scheme of this paper of applying Brewster reflection off the eye lens.

  11. Materials Data on CoTe2O5 (SG:133) by Materials Project

    DOE Data Explorer

    Kristin Persson

    2016-04-22

    Computed materials data using density functional theory calculations. These calculations determine the electronic structure of bulk materials by solving approximations to the Schrodinger equation. For more information, see https://materialsproject.org/docs/calculations

  12. KSC-03PD-1086

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2003-01-01

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, United Space Alliance employees (from left) Harrell Watts, Mike Cote, and Jason Levandusky install Thermal Protection System tiles on a main landing gear door of Space Shuttle orbiter Enterprise (OV-101). Sections of Enterprise were borrowed from the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum where the orbiter is being stored at the Washington Dulles International Airport. Enterprise was the first orbiter built in the Shuttle fleet and was used to conduct the Approach and Landing Test Program before the first powered Shuttle flight. After the tile installation is complete, the sections will be transferred to the Southwest Research Institute for testing requested by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

  13. KSC-03PD-1064

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2003-01-01

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, United Space Alliance employee Mike Cote installs Thermal Protection System tiles on a test panel. The test panel and sections of Space Shuttle orbiter Enterprise (OV-101) will be transferred to the Southwest Research Institute for testing after the tile installation is complete. The testing has been requested by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. Sections of Enterprise were borrowed from the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum where the orbiter is being stored at the Washington Dulles International Airport. Enterprise was the first orbiter built in the Shuttle fleet and was used to conduct the Approach and Landing Test Program before the first powered Shuttle flight.

  14. [Breast cancer screening programme: a media campaign for isolated or marginalised women].

    PubMed

    Mansour, Z; Fleur, L; Saugeron, A M; Merle, N; Marquis, D; Lucas, C

    2005-12-01

    The six counties in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region are all well-equipped to offer widespread breast cancer screening programmes. The regional technical committee for breast cancer screening has entrusted the regional health education committee (CRES) with the task of organsing an incentive campaign targeted at reaching disenfranchised or isolated women. With the collaboration of all its partners, the CRES proposed three examples of interventions: training sessions for a variety of health care professionals, publishing communication tools, and creating partnerships with the press. Financed by the state, this campaign essentially relies upon partnership mobilisation, social solidarity, interpersonal communication and the most popular and easily accessible information channels among this population group.

  15. KSC-03PD-1085

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2003-01-01

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, United Space Alliance employees (from left) Mike Cote, Tom Baggitt, and Jason Levandusky install Thermal Protection System tiles on a main landing gear door of Space Shuttle orbiter Enterprise (OV-101). Sections of Enterprise were borrowed from the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum where the orbiter is being stored at the Washington Dulles International Airport. Enterprise was the first orbiter built in the Shuttle fleet and was used to conduct the Approach and Landing Test Program before the first powered Shuttle flight. After the tile installation is complete, the sections will be transferred to the Southwest Research Institute for testing requested by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

  16. Larvicidal potential of some plants from West Africa against Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) and Anopheles gambiae Giles (Diptera: Culicidae).

    PubMed

    Azokou, Alain; Koné, Mamidou W; Koudou, Benjamin G; Tra Bi, Honora F

    2013-01-01

    Mosquitoes increased resistance to insecticides, and environmental concerns about the use of insecticides, pose a major challenge in the search for new molecules to deplete and incapacitate mosquito populations. Plants are the valuable source as practices consisting in exploiting plant materials as repellents, and are still in wide use throughout developing countries. The aim of the present study was to screen plants from Cτte d'Ivoire for larvicidal activity against mosquitoes. Resistant and sensitive larvae (III and IV instar) of Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus were exposed to crude ethanol extracts (90%) of 45 plants and viability observed after 30 min, 6, 12 and 24 h postincubation. After partition of active extracts, each fraction (hexane and chloroform washed with NaCl 1%, tannins and aqueous) was tested using the same protocol at various concentrations (1000- 31.2 ppm). Of 49 extracts tested, 7 exhibited high potential (LC50 = 80 to 370 ppm) against resistant and sensitive III and IV instar larvae of An. gambiae and Cx. quinquefasciatus. These extracts were from Cissus populnea, Cochlospermum planchonii, Heliotropium indicum, Phyllanthus amarus, Vitex grandifolia and Alchornea cordifolia. However, three most active plant species (LC50 = 80- 180 ppm) were Cs. populnea, Cm. planchonii and P. amarus Their hexane and chloroform fractions showed high larvicidal activity. This study demonstrated that plants from Cτte d'Ivoire have a real potential for malaria, yellow fever, filarial and dengue vector control. Those could be used as sources or provide lead compounds for the development of safe plant-based biocides.

  17. Prevalence of human parvovirus B19 in sickle cell disease and healthy controls.

    PubMed

    Teuscher, T; Baillod, B; Holzer, B R

    1991-01-01

    The serological HPV status of 35 patients with SCA (Hb SS), randomly chosen from a sickle cell clinic in rural south-west Togo and of 13 household members with normal haemoglobin type (Hb AA) was assessed. No difference in HPV-IgG seropositivity rate was found. In 30 urban hospital patients from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, who were in acute painful sickle cell crisis HPV-IgG seropositivity rate increased with age. In only one (HIV positive) patient HPV-IgM antibodies were detected. It is concluded that HPV-infection exists in West Africa (1) and that there is no evidence for increased seroprevalence in SCA (2). HPV does not seem to trigger acute painful crises in SCA (3). The age-specific HPV seropositivity increase in urban patients may be due to differing transmission rates in urban and rural areas.

  18. Comparison of community-wide, integrated mass drug administration strategies for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis: a cost-effectiveness modelling study.

    PubMed

    Lo, Nathan C; Bogoch, Isaac I; Blackburn, Brian G; Raso, Giovanna; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Coulibaly, Jean T; Becker, Sören L; Abrams, Howard B; Utzinger, Jürg; Andrews, Jason R

    2015-10-01

    More than 1·5 billion people are affected by schistosomiasis or soil-transmitted helminthiasis. WHO's recommendations for mass drug administration (MDA) against these parasitic infections emphasise treatment of school-aged children, using separate treatment guidelines for these two helminthiases groups. We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of expanding integrated MDA to the entire community in four settings in Côte d'Ivoire. We extended previously published, dynamic, age-structured models of helminthiases transmission to simulate costs and disability averted with integrated MDA (of praziquantel and albendazole) for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. We calibrated the model to data for prevalence and intensity of species-specific helminth infection from surveys undertaken in four communities in Côte d'Ivoire between March, 1997, and September, 2010. We simulated a 15-year treatment programme with 75% coverage in only school-aged children; school-aged children and preschool-aged children; adults; and the entire community. Treatment costs were estimated at US$0·74 for school-aged children and $1·74 for preschool-aged children and adults. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated in 2014 US dollars per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted. Expanded community-wide treatment was highly cost effective compared with treatment of only school-aged children (ICER $167 per DALY averted) and WHO guidelines (ICER $127 per DALY averted), and remained highly cost effective even if treatment costs for preschool-aged children and adults were ten times greater than those for school-aged children. Community-wide treatment remained highly cost effective even when elimination of helminth infections was not achieved. These findings were robust across the four diverse communities in Côte d'Ivoire, only one of which would have received annual MDA for both schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis under the latest WHO

  19. Ethnopharmacological reports on anti-Buruli ulcer medicinal plants in three West African countries.

    PubMed

    Tsouh Fokou, Patrick Valere; Nyarko, Alexander Kwadwo; Appiah-Opong, Regina; Tchokouaha Yamthe, Lauve Rachel; Addo, Phyllis; Asante, Isaac K; Boyom, Fabrice Fekam

    2015-08-22

    Buruli ulcer (BU) is the third most common mycobacterial infection in the world, after tuberculosis and leprosy and has recently been recognized as an important emerging disease. This disease is common in West Africa where more than 99% of the burden is felt and where most affected people live in remote areas with traditional medicine as primary or only option. Reports indicate that the ethnopharmacological control approach of the disease in such settings has shown promise. However, no or very few compilations of traditional knowledge in using medicinal plants to treat BU have been attempted so far. This review aimed to record medicinal plants used traditionally against BU in three countries in West Africa: Ivory Coast, Ghana and Benin and for which ethnopharmacological knowledge supported by pharmacological investigations has been reported. The information recorded in this review will support further pharmacological research to develop appropriate drugs for a better BU control. A systematic review of the literature on ethnobotanical use and anti-BU activity of plants reported for BU treatment was performed. The approach consisted to search several resources, including Technical Reports, Books, Theses, Conference proceedings, web-based scientific databases such as publications on PubMed, Science direct, Springer, ACS, Scielo, PROTA, Google and Google scholar reporting ethnobotanical surveys and screening of natural products against Mycobacterium ulcerans. This study was limited to papers and documents published either in English or French reporting ethnopharmacological knowledge in BU treatment or pharmacological potency in vitro. This review covered the available literature up to December 2014. The majority of reports originated from the three most affected West African countries (Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Benin). Though, 98 plant species belonging to 48 families have been identified as having anti-BU use, many have received no or little attention. Most of the

  20. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Palomar 5 abundance analysis (Koch+, 2017)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koch, A.; Code, P.

    2017-03-01

    The Pal 5 data discussed here were taken as part of a broader program to study the internal dynamics of outer halo GCs (see, e.g., Cote et al., 2002ApJ...574..783C; Jordi et al., 2009AJ....137.4586J; Baumgardt et al., 2009MNRAS.396.2051B; Frank et al., 2012, Cat. J/MNRAS/423/2917). Our Pal 5 target stars were chosen from the red giant branch (RGB) and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) sequences identified in the early photometric studies of Sandage & Hartwick (1977AJ.....82..459S, SH77) and the unpublished photometry and astrometry from Cudworth, Schweitzer, and Majewski (CSM; see Schweitzer et al., 1993, in The Globular Cluster-Galaxy Connection, ASP Conf. Ser., 48, 113). (1 data file).

  1. KSC-03PD-1080

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2003-01-01

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, United Space Alliance employees (from left) John Kuhn, Mike Cote, and Tom Baggitt discuss the installation of Thermal Protection System tiles on a main landing gear door of Space Shuttle orbiter Enterprise (OV-101). Sections of Enterprise were borrowed from the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum where the orbiter is being stored at the Washington Dulles International Airport. Enterprise was the first orbiter built in the Shuttle fleet and was used to conduct the Approach and Landing Test Program before the first powered Shuttle flight. After the tile installation is complete, the sections will be transferred to the Southwest Research Institute for testing requested by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

  2. Sensitivity of inelastic response to numerical integration of strain energy. [for cantilever beam

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kamat, M. P.

    1976-01-01

    The exact solution to the quasi-static, inelastic response of a cantilever beam of rectangular cross section subjected to a bending moment at the tip is obtained. The material of the beam is assumed to be linearly elastic-linearly strain-hardening. This solution is then compared with three different numerical solutions of the same problem obtained by minimizing the total potential energy using Gaussian quadratures of two different orders and a Newton-Cotes scheme for integrating the strain energy of deformation. Significant differences between the exact dissipative strain energy and its numerical counterpart are emphasized. The consequence of this on the nonlinear transient responses of a beam with solid cross section and that of a thin-walled beam on elastic supports under impulsive loads are examined.

  3. 'Candidatus Phytoplasma palmicola', associated with a lethal yellowing-type disease of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) in Mozambique.

    PubMed

    Harrison, Nigel A; Davis, Robert E; Oropeza, Carlos; Helmick, Ericka E; Narváez, María; Eden-Green, Simon; Dollet, Michel; Dickinson, Matthew

    2014-06-01

    In this study, the taxonomic position and group classification of the phytoplasma associated with a lethal yellowing-type disease (LYD) of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) in Mozambique were addressed. Pairwise similarity values based on alignment of nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences (1530 bp) revealed that the Mozambique coconut phytoplasma (LYDM) shared 100% identity with a comparable sequence derived from a phytoplasma strain (LDN) responsible for Awka wilt disease of coconut in Nigeria, and shared 99.0-99.6% identity with 16S rRNA gene sequences from strains associated with Cape St Paul wilt (CSPW) disease of coconut in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Similarity scores further determined that the 16S rRNA gene of the LYDM phytoplasma shared <97.5% sequence identity with all previously described members of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma'. The presence of unique regions in the 16S rRNA gene sequence distinguished the LYDM phytoplasma from all currently described members of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma', justifying its recognition as the reference strain of a novel taxon, 'Candidatus Phytoplasma palmicola'. Virtual RFLP profiles of the F2n/R2 portion (1251 bp) of the 16S rRNA gene and pattern similarity coefficients delineated coconut LYDM phytoplasma strains from Mozambique as novel members of established group 16SrXXII, subgroup A (16SrXXII-A). Similarity coefficients of 0.97 were obtained for comparisons between subgroup 16SrXXII-A strains and CSPW phytoplasmas from Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. On this basis, the CSPW phytoplasma strains were designated members of a novel subgroup, 16SrXXII-B.

  4. [Land-use and urinary schistosomiasis in Daloa (Côte d'Ivoire)].

    PubMed

    Fournet, F; N'Guessan, N A; Cadot, E

    2004-02-01

    The relation between agricultural land development of inland-valleys and health population has been studied in a town of the Ivorian forest area using urinary schistosomiasis as an indicator. Snails were collected during 4 months in rice fields and water holes used for market gardening of two urban inland-valleys (Batagnihi and Gakognihi). Prevalence of schistosomiasis was evaluated in two districts, Kennedy II and Fadiga, located close to the investigated inland-valleys. Schistosomiasis risk was higher in the Batagnihi where rice cultivation was more developed and prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis was higher in the Kennedy II district which is close to this inland-valley particularly among the Northern migrant people. The Kennedy II population has much more contacts with the inland-valley because of rice cultivation and social status. The higher socio-economic level of the Fadiga population limiting its contacts with the inland-valley can explain this result.

  5. Interpretation of leaching data for cementitious waste forms using analytical solutions based on mass transport theory and empiricism

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Spence, R.D.; Godbee, H.W.; Tallent, O.K.

    1991-01-01

    Despite the demonstrated importance of diffusion control in leaching, other mechanisms have been observed to play a role and leaching from porous solid bodies is not simple diffusion. Only simple diffusion theory has been developed well enough for extrapolation, as yet. The well developed diffusion theory, used in data analysis by ANSI/ANS-16.1 and the NEWBOX program, can help in trying to extrapolate and predict the performance of solidified waste forms over decades and centuries, but the limitations and increased uncertainty must be understood in so doing. Treating leaching as a semi-infinite medium problem, as done in the Cote model, resultsmore » in simpler equations, but limits, application to early leaching behavior when less than 20% of a given component has been leached. 18 refs., 2 tabs.« less

  6. SED16 autonomous star tracker night sky testing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foisneau, Thierry; Piriou, Véronique; Perrimon, Nicolas; Jacob, Philippe; Blarre, Ludovic; Vilaire, Didier

    2017-11-01

    The SED16 is an autonomous multi-missions star tracker which delivers three axis satellite attitude in an inertial reference frame and the satellite angular velocity with no prior information. The qualification process of this star sensor includes five validation steps using optical star simulator, digitized image simulator and a night sky tests setup. The night sky testing was the final step of the qualification process during which all the functions of the star tracker were used in almost nominal conditions : Autonomous Acquisition of the attitude, Autonomous Tracking of ten stars. These tests were performed in Calern in the premises of the OCA (Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur). The test set-up and the test results are described after a brief review of the sensor main characteristics and qualification process.

  7. Prevalence and comparison of Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. macedonicus in raw and fermented dairy products from East and West Africa.

    PubMed

    Jans, Christoph; Kaindi, Dasel Wambua Mulwa; Böck, Désirée; Njage, Patrick Murigu Kamau; Kouamé-Sina, Sylvie Mireille; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Lacroix, Christophe; Meile, Leo

    2013-10-15

    Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius (Sii) and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. macedonicus are members of the Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex (SBSEC) associated with human infections. SBSEC-related endocarditis was furthermore associated with rural residency in Southern Europe. SBSEC members are increasingly isolated as predominant species from fermented dairy products in Europe, Asia and Africa. African variants of Sii displayed dairy adaptations to lactose metabolism paralleling those of Streptococcus thermophilus including genome decay. In this study, the aim was to assess the prevalence of Sii and possibly other SBSEC members in dairy products of East and West Africa in order to identify their habitat, estimate their importance in dairy fermentation processes and determine geographic areas affected by this potential health risk. Presumptive SBSEC members were isolated on semi-selective M17 and SM agar media. Subsequent genotypic identification of isolates was based on rep-PCR fingerprinting and SBSEC-specific16S rRNA gene PCR assay. Detailed identification was achieved through application of novel primers enhancing the binding stringency in partial groES/groEL gene amplification and subsequent DNA sequencing. The presence of S. thermophilus-like lacS and lacZ genes in the SBSEC isolates was determined to elucidate the prevalence of this dairy adaptation. Isolates (n = 754) were obtained from 72 raw and 95 fermented milk samples from Côte d'Ivoire and Kenya on semi-selective agar media. Colonies of Sii were not detected from raw milk despite high microbial titers of approximately 10(6)CFU/mL on M17 agar medium. However, after spontaneous milk fermentation Sii was genotypically identified in 94.1% of Kenyan samples and 60.8% of Kenyan isolates. Sii prevalence in Côte d'Ivoire displayed seasonal variations in samples from 32.3% (June) to 40.0% (Dec/Jan) and isolates from 20.5% (June) to 27.7% (Dec/Jan) present at titers of 10

  8. Prevalence and comparison of Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. macedonicus in raw and fermented dairy products from East and West Africa

    PubMed Central

    Jans, Christoph; Kaindi, Dasel Wambua Mulwa; Böck, Désirée; Njage, Patrick Murigu Kamau; Kouamé-Sina, Sylvie Mireille; Bonfoh, Bassirou; Lacroix, Christophe; Meile, Leo

    2016-01-01

    Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius (Sii) and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. macedonicus are members of the Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex (SBSEC) associated with human infections. SBSEC-related endocarditis was furthermore associated with rural residency in Southern Europe. SBSEC members are increasingly isolated as predominant species from fermented dairy products in Europe, Asia and Africa. African variants of Sii displayed dairy adaptations to lactose metabolism paralleling those of Streptococcus thermophilus including genome decay. In this study, the aim was to assess the prevalence of Sii and possibly other SBSEC members in dairy products of East and West Africa in order to identify their habitat, estimate their importance in dairy fermentation processes and determine geographic areas affected by this potential health risk. Presumptive SBSEC members were isolated on semi-selective M17 and SM agar media. Subsequent genotypic identification of isolates was based on rep-PCR fingerprinting and SBSEC-specific16S rRNA gene PCR assay. Detailed identification was achieved through application of novel primers enhancing the binding stringency in partial groES/groEL gene amplification and subsequent DNA sequencing. The presence of S. thermophilus-like lacS and lacZ genes in the SBSEC isolates was determined to elucidate the prevalence of this dairy adaptation. Isolates (n = 754) were obtained from 72 raw and 95 fermented milk samples from Côte d'Ivoire and Kenya on semi-selective agar media. Colonies of Sii were not detected from raw milk despite high microbial titers of approximately 106 CFU/mL on M17 agar medium. However, after spontaneous milk fermentation Sii was genotypically identified in 94.1% of Kenyan samples and 60.8% of Kenyan isolates. Sii prevalence in Côte d'Ivoire displayed seasonal variations in samples from 32.3% (June) to 40.0% (Dec/Jan) and isolates from 20.5% (June) to 27.7% (Dec/Jan) present at titers of 106–108

  9. Tuberculose ostéoarticulaire (mal de Pott exclu): à propos de 120 cas à Abidjan

    PubMed Central

    Gbané-Koné, Mariam; Koné, Samba; Ouali, Boubacar; Djaha, Kouassi Jean -Mermoz; Akoli, Ekoya Ondzala; Nseng, Ingrid Nseng; Eti, Edmond; Daboiko, Jean Claude; Touré, Stanislas André; Kouakou, N'zué Marcel

    2015-01-01

    Introduction La tuberculose ostéoarticulaire (TOA) représente 2 à 5% de l'ensemble des tuberculoses. Elle demeure d'actualité surtout dans les pays à forte endémicité tuberculeuse. L'objectif était de déterminer la prévalence, les aspects topographiques, radiologiques de la TOA en milieu hospitalier ivoirien. Méthodes Les auteurs rapportent une expérience de 11 ans, à travers une étude rétrospective de 120 dossiers de patients atteints de la tuberculose ostéoarticulaire (le mal de Pott est exclu de cette étude). N'ont pas été inclus dans l’étude les dossiers ne comportant pas d'imagerie. Résultats L'atteinte extra vertébrale représentait 09,2% de la tuberculose ostéoarticulaire. Il s'agissait de 54 hommes et 66 femmes, l’âge moyen était de 43,13 ans. On notait 123 cas d'ostéoarthrites, et 8 cas d'ostéites des os plats. L'atteinte des membres inférieurs prédominait dans 91,87% des cas. La hanche était la première localisation (45,04%), suivie du genou (25,19%). Les atteintes étaient multifocales dans 20% des cas. L'atteinte osseuse était associée à une tuberculose pulmonaire dans 05,83% des cas. Des localisations inhabituelles ont été rapportées: poignet (n = 2), branches ischiopubiennes (n = 4), atteinte sternoclaviculaire (n = 4), médiopieds (n = 2). Les lésions radiologiques étaient avancées (stades III et IV) dans 55,73% des cas. A la TDM, la prévalence des abcès était de 77%. Un geste chirurgical a été réalisé sur 16 articulations (2 épaules, 13 genoux, une cheville). Conclusion La TOA des membres est peu fréquente contrairement à l'atteinte vertébrale. La hanche est la principale localisation. Le retard au diagnostic explique l’étendue des lésions anatomoradiologiques. PMID:26587129

  10. Cuban Ocular Toxoplasmosis Epidemiology Study (COTES): incidence and prevalence of ocular toxoplasmosis in Central Cuba.

    PubMed

    Bustillo, Jorge L; Diaz, Jose D; Pacheco, Idarmes C; Gritz, David C

    2015-03-01

    Serological studies indicate that rates of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) vary geographically, with higher rates in tropical regions. Little is known about population-based rates of active OT. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of OT in Central Cuba. This large-population, cross-sectional cohort study used a prospective database at a large regional referral centre in Central Cuba. The patient database was searched for all patients who presented with OT during the 12-month study period from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012. Inclusion criteria were the clinical diagnosis of OT, characterised by focal retinochoroidal inflammation and a response to therapy as expected. Gender-stratified and age-stratified study population data from the 2012 Cuban Census were used to calculate incidence rates and prevalence ratios. Among 279 identified patients with OT, 158 presented with active OT. Of these, 122 new-onset and 36 prior-onset cases were confirmed. Based on the total population in the Sancti Spiritus province (466,106 persons), the overall incidence of active OT was 26.2 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 21.7 to 31.3) with an annual prevalence ratio of 33.9 per 100,000 persons (95% CI 28.8 to 39.6). The incidence of active OT was lowest in the oldest age group and highest in patients aged 25-44 years (4.5 and 42.1 per 100,000 person-years, respectively). This first report describing population-based rates of OT in the Cuban population highlights the importance of patient age as a likely risk factor for OT. Disease rates were found to be highest in females and young to middle-aged adults. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  11. Problematics of open prostatectomy in an Ivorian District Hospital setting.

    PubMed

    Mgbakor, Anthony Chukwura

    2012-09-01

    Benign prostatic hypertrophy forms the bulk of urology workload in many sub-Saharan African hospitals. However, its management in secondary hospitals encounters specific problems that are rarely seen in the bigger tertiary institutions. We have tried to describe these difficulties across an account of open prostatectomy in regional secondary referral hospitals in the Côte d'Ivoire. This is a retrospective account of the specific difficulties encountered in the management of 327 consecutive cases of open prostatectomy carried out between August 1991 and September 2007 mainly in two secondary referral hospitals in the Côte d'Ivoire. The difficulties were at different levels: late presentation with 309 (94.5%) of the patients having experienced at least an episode of acute retention of urine, surgery while most patients were still carrying a catheter, minimal investigations carried out, scoring the patients in the IPSS scale, shortage of funds in the course of the management, and surveillance in the immediate postoperative period. The overall results were relatively satisfactory given our conditions of work. The most frequent complications were wound infection (14.7%), bleeding requiring transfusion (8.6%) and re-operation for clot retention (4.3%). We had a case (0.3%) of the rare prostato-rectal fistula which was managed conservatively. There were 4 deaths (1.2%). Open prostatectomy is the only surgical option for the management of benign prostatic hypertrophy in most of the urology centers of sub-Saharan Africa. Concerning its management away from the Tertiary Institutes, the surgery team is faced with specific problems which demand precise adaptations. Despite difficult working conditions, the results are sufficiently encouraging and gratifying to justify its pursuit while Urologists await the availability of equipments for transurethral resection of the prostate and other novel techniques.

  12. Financing blood transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa: a role for user fees?

    PubMed

    Hensher, M; Jefferys, E

    2000-09-01

    The provision of a secure and safe blood supply has taken on new importance in sub-Saharan Africa with the onset of the AIDS epidemic. Blood transfusion services capable of providing safe blood are not cheap, however, and there has been some debate on the desirability and sustainability of different financing mechanisms for blood transfusion services. This paper examines patterns of financing blood transfusion in three countries--Côte d'Ivoire, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It goes on to consider the conceptual options for financing safe blood, and to examine in detail the possible role of user fees for blood transfusion in Africa, developing a simple model of their likely burden to patients based on data from Côte d'Ivoire. The model indicates that, at best, there can only be a limited role for user fees in the financing of safe blood transfusion services, due mainly to the relatively high cost of producing a unit of safe blood. Charging individuals for the blood they receive is likely to be administratively complex and costly, could realistically recover only a fraction of the production costs involved, and is further complicated by the fact that the main recipients of blood transfusion in sub-Saharan Africa are children and pregnant women. If cost-recovery for safe blood is to be attempted, the most viable option appears to be that of charging a collective fee, levied upon all inpatients, not just on those who receive blood. Such a mechanism is not without problems, not least in its failure to offer incentives for more appropriate blood use, and it is still likely to recover only a portion of the costs of producing safe blood. Whether or not cost-recovery is instituted, there will remain an important role for public funding of blood transfusion services, and, by implication, an important role for foreign donor support.

  13. Modeling and Validation of Environmental Suitability for Schistosomiasis Transmission Using Remote Sensing.

    PubMed

    Walz, Yvonne; Wegmann, Martin; Dech, Stefan; Vounatsou, Penelope; Poda, Jean-Noël; N'Goran, Eliézer K; Utzinger, Jürg; Raso, Giovanna

    2015-11-01

    Schistosomiasis is the most widespread water-based disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Transmission is governed by the spatial distribution of specific freshwater snails that act as intermediate hosts and human water contact patterns. Remote sensing data have been utilized for spatially explicit risk profiling of schistosomiasis. We investigated the potential of remote sensing to characterize habitat conditions of parasite and intermediate host snails and discuss the relevance for public health. We employed high-resolution remote sensing data, environmental field measurements, and ecological data to model environmental suitability for schistosomiasis-related parasite and snail species. The model was developed for Burkina Faso using a habitat suitability index (HSI). The plausibility of remote sensing habitat variables was validated using field measurements. The established model was transferred to different ecological settings in Côte d'Ivoire and validated against readily available survey data from school-aged children. Environmental suitability for schistosomiasis transmission was spatially delineated and quantified by seven habitat variables derived from remote sensing data. The strengths and weaknesses highlighted by the plausibility analysis showed that temporal dynamic water and vegetation measures were particularly useful to model parasite and snail habitat suitability, whereas the measurement of water surface temperature and topographic variables did not perform appropriately. The transferability of the model showed significant relations between the HSI and infection prevalence in study sites of Côte d'Ivoire. A predictive map of environmental suitability for schistosomiasis transmission can support measures to gain and sustain control. This is particularly relevant as emphasis is shifting from morbidity control to interrupting transmission. Further validation of our mechanistic model needs to be complemented by field data of parasite- and snail

  14. Responding to Communicable Diseases in Internationally Mobile Populations at Points of Entry and along Porous Borders, Nigeria, Benin, and Togo

    PubMed Central

    Rogers, Kimberly; Ward, Sarah; Ojo, Olubumni; Kakaī, Clement Glele; Agbeko, Tamekloe Tsidi; Garba, Hassan; MacGurn, Amanda; Oppert, Marydale; Kone, Idrissa; Bamsa, Olutola; Schneider, Dana; Brown, Clive

    2017-01-01

    Recent multinational disease outbreaks demonstrate the risk of disease spreading globally before public health systems can respond to an event. To ensure global health security, countries need robust multisectoral systems to rapidly detect and respond to domestic or imported communicable diseases. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention International Border Team works with the governments of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin, along with Pro-Health International and the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organization, to build sustainable International Health Regulations capacities at points of entry (POEs) and along border regions. Together, we strengthen comprehensive national and regional border health systems by developing public health emergency response plans for POEs, conducting qualitative assessments of public health preparedness and response capacities at ground crossings, integrating internationally mobile populations into national health surveillance systems, and formalizing cross-border public health coordination. Achieving comprehensive national and regional border health capacity, which advances overall global health security, necessitates multisectoral dedication to the aforementioned components. PMID:29155668

  15. Responding to Communicable Diseases in Internationally Mobile Populations at Points of Entry and along Porous Borders, Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.

    PubMed

    Merrill, Rebecca D; Rogers, Kimberly; Ward, Sarah; Ojo, Olubumni; Kakaī, Clement Glele; Agbeko, Tamekloe Tsidi; Garba, Hassan; MacGurn, Amanda; Oppert, Marydale; Kone, Idrissa; Bamsa, Olutola; Schneider, Dana; Brown, Clive

    2017-12-01

    Recent multinational disease outbreaks demonstrate the risk of disease spreading globally before public health systems can respond to an event. To ensure global health security, countries need robust multisectoral systems to rapidly detect and respond to domestic or imported communicable diseases. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention International Border Team works with the governments of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin, along with Pro-Health International and the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organization, to build sustainable International Health Regulations capacities at points of entry (POEs) and along border regions. Together, we strengthen comprehensive national and regional border health systems by developing public health emergency response plans for POEs, conducting qualitative assessments of public health preparedness and response capacities at ground crossings, integrating internationally mobile populations into national health surveillance systems, and formalizing cross-border public health coordination. Achieving comprehensive national and regional border health capacity, which advances overall global health security, necessitates multisectoral dedication to the aforementioned components.

  16. Socioeconomic inequalities in child mortality: comparisons across nine developing countries.

    PubMed Central

    Wagstaff, A.

    2000-01-01

    This paper generates and analyses survey data on inequalities in mortality among infants and children aged under five years by consumption in Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, and Viet Nam. The data were obtained from the Living Standards Measurement Study and the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey. Mortality rates were estimated directly where complete fertility histories were available and indirectly otherwise. Mortality distributions were compared between countries by means of concentration curves and concentration indices: dominance checks were carried out for all pairwise intercountry comparisons; standard errors were calculated for the concentration indices; and tests of intercountry differences in inequality were performed. PMID:10686730

  17. [Doping practices and behaviours among Ivorian soccer players].

    PubMed

    Dah, Cyrille; Bogui, Pascal; Yavo, Jean-Claude; Gourouza, Issa; Ouattara, Soualiho; Keita, Mustapha

    2002-01-01

    We have conducted a survey of doping among soccer players in Côte d'Ivoire with a representative sample of 150 soccer players who filled out an anonymous questionnaire. The aim of this survey was to get a clearer picture of doping in Ivorian soccer in order to suggest preventive actions against doping. The results of this study showed that doping was known by the Ivorian soccer players; about 18.7% admitted to the use of doping substances, 42% recognised that they felt tempted by doping, while 38% knew another soccer player who had already used a doping substance. Government and sports organisations should recognize the importance of education and information in the antidoping campaign and agree on effective preventive as well as repressive strategies.

  18. 4,300-Year-old chimpanzee sites and the origins of percussive stone technology

    PubMed Central

    Mercader, Julio; Barton, Huw; Gillespie, Jason; Harris, Jack; Kuhn, Steven; Tyler, Robert; Boesch, Christophe

    2007-01-01

    Archaeological research in the African rainforest reveals unexpected results in the search for the origins of hominoid technology. The ancient Panin sites from Côte d'Ivoire constitute the only evidence of prehistoric ape behavior known to date anywhere in the world. Recent archaeological work has yielded behaviorally modified stones, dated by chronometric means to 4,300 years of age, lodging starch residue suggestive of prehistoric dietary practices by ancient chimpanzees. The “Chimpanzee Stone Age” pre-dates the advent of settled farming villages in this part of the African rainforest and suggests that percussive material culture could have been inherited from an common human–chimpanzee clade, rather than invented by hominins, or have arisen by imitation, or resulted from independent technological convergence. PMID:17360606

  19. Addressing Cote d’Ivoire’s Deeper Crisis (Africa Security Brief, Number 19, March 2012)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-01

    who have worked the coffee and cocoa plantations in the South, generating billions of dollars in exports for what was once the economic engine of...1960, during which time it developed in the forest-rich coastal South an economy based on coffee and cocoa, resulting in the concept of a “useful...engrained bitterness and political polarization. The decision by the opposi- tion party (largely composed of Gbagbo loyalists) to boycott the parliament is

  20. Earth Observations taken by Expedition 38 crewmember

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2014-01-02

    ISS038-E-025350 (2 Jan. 2014) --- One of the Expedition 38 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station recorded this image which features the Manicouagan Crater and reservoir located primarily in Manicouagan Regional County Municipality in the Cote-Nord region of Quebec, Canada. Scientists believe the crater was caused by the impact of a 5 kilometer (3 mile) diameter asteroid about 215.5 million years ago (Triassic Period). The crater is a multiple-ring structure about 100 kilometers (60 miles) across, with its 70 kilometer (40 mile) diameter inner ring as its most prominent feature; it contains a 70 kilometer (40 mile) diameter annular lake, the Manicouagan Reservoir, surrounding an inner island plateau, Rene-Levasseur Island. Because it is so unique and easily recognizable from the sky and space, the crater has been the subject of hundreds of images from astronauts for 45-plus years.

  1. Pendulums, Pedagogy, and Matter: Lessons from the Editing of Newton's Principia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biener, Zvi; Smeenk, Chris

    Teaching Newtonian physics involves the replacement of students'' ideas about physical situations with precise concepts appropriate for mathematical applications. This paper focuses on the concepts of `matter'' and `mass''. We suggest that students, like some pre-Newtonian scientists we examine, use these terms in a way that conflicts with their Newtonian meaning. Specifically, `matter''and `mass'' indicate to them the sorts of things that are tangible,bulky, and take up space. In Newtonian mechanics, however, the terms are defined by Newton's Second Law: `mass'' is simply a measure of the acceleration generated by an impressed force. We examine the relationship between these conceptions as it was discussed by Newton and his editor, Roger Cotes, when analyzing a series of pendulum experiments. We suggest that these experiments, as well as more sophisticated computer simulations, can be used in the classroom to sufficiently differentiate the colloquial and precise meaning of these terms.

  2. VizieR Online Data Catalog: Virgo cluster ETGs: GC and galaxy diffuse light (Li+, 2015)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, B.; Peng, E. W.; Zhang, H.-X.; Blakeslee, J. P.; Cote, P.; Ferrarese, L.; Jordan, A.; Liu, C.; Mei, S.; Puzia, T. H.; Takamiya, M.; Trancho, G.; West, M. J.

    2017-09-01

    We selected four intermediate-luminosity ETGs from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey (ACSVCS; Cote et al. 2004, J/ApJS/153/223), a homogeneous Hubble Space Telescope survey of 100 ETGs in the nearby Virgo cluster of galaxies using the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS; Ford et al. 1998SPIE.3356..234F). We observed these galaxies with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrographs (GMOS, Hook et al. 2004PASP..116..425H), twin instruments on the Gemini North and Gemini South telescopes. Our target galaxies have sizes (Re~10-18") that fit well within the GMOS field of view (5.5 arcmin2), providing coverage out to 10-16Re. Each galaxy contained ~50 targetable GCs with V<23 mag. VCC 1231, VCC 1062, and VCC 2000 data were taken with GMOS-South, whereas data for VCC 685 was taken with GMOS-North. (3 data files).

  3. [Docimologic analysis of 4th-year preclinical exam questions].

    PubMed

    Gnagne-Agnero, Koffi N; Zinsou, E M; Assoumou, N M; Adiko, E F

    2003-12-01

    Operative Dentistry and Endodontics' Department of the School of Dentistry of Abidjan experienced pre-clinical exam in fourth year of dentistry with MCQ following guided courses which aim was to lead student to be correctly in charge of the patients when they start their first clinical performance. The objective off his this work is to show how one's can analyse exams questions efficiently. In this work the authors present et discuss the results of the evaluation of this preclinical exam performed through calculation of index of success (Ir) which gives us information on the difficulty of a question for all the students who answered, the discriminative index (Id) which allow to determine when a question is selective enough to distinguish weak to strong students in a group. The mean to evaluate is well chosen because the questions asked has a Ir between 46% et 80% (satisfying Ir) and the average Id is between 0.30 and 0.53 (Id discriminates well among 0.30 et 1). This methodology allows an evaluation of a high number of students by stocked questions.

  4. Innovative financing for HIV response in sub-Saharan Africa.

    PubMed

    Atun, Rifat; Silva, Sachin; Ncube, Mthuli; Vassall, Anna

    2016-06-01

    In 2015 around 15 million people living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa. Sustained provision of ART, though both prudent and necessary, creates substantial long-term fiscal obligations for countries affected by HIV/AIDS. As donor assistance for health remains constrained, novel financing mechanisms are needed to augment funding domestic sources. We explore how Innovative Financing has been used to co-finance domestic HIV/AIDS responses. Based on analysis of non-health sectors, we identify innovative financing instruments that could be used in the HIV response. We undertook a systematic review to identify innovative financing instruments used for (1) domestic HIV/AIDS financing in sub-Saharan Africa (2) international health financing and (3) financing in non-health sectors. We analyzed peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2002 and 2014. We examined the nature and volume of funds mobilized with innovative financing, then in consultation with leading experts, identified instruments that held potential for financing the HIV response. Our analysis revealed three innovative financing instruments in use: Zimbabwe's AIDS Trust Fund (a tax/levy-based instrument), Botswana's National HIV/AIDS Prevention Support (BNAPS) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) Buy-Down (a debt conversion instrument), and Côte d'Ivoire's Debt2Health Debt Swap Agreement (a debt conversion instrument). Zimbabwe's AIDS Trust Fund generated US$ 52.7 million between 2008 and 2011, Botswana's IBRD Buy-Down generated US$ 20 million, and Côte d'Ivoire's Debt2Health Debt Swap Agreement generated US$ 27 million, at least half of which was to be invested in HIV/AIDS programs. Four additional categories of innovative financing instruments met our criteria for future use: (1) remittances and diaspora bonds (2) social and development impact bonds (3) sovereign wealth funds (4) risk and credit guarantees. A limited number of

  5. Vulnerability to climate change of cocoa in West Africa: Patterns, opportunities and limits to adaptation.

    PubMed

    Schroth, Götz; Läderach, Peter; Martinez-Valle, Armando Isaac; Bunn, Christian; Jassogne, Laurence

    2016-06-15

    The West African cocoa belt, reaching from Sierra Leone to southern Cameroon, is the origin of about 70% of the world's cocoa (Theobroma cacao), which in turn is the basis of the livelihoods of about two million farmers. We analyze cocoa's vulnerability to climate change in the West African cocoa belt, based on climate projections for the 2050s of 19 Global Circulation Models under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change intermediate emissions scenario RCP 6.0. We use a combination of a statistical model of climatic suitability (Maxent) and the analysis of individual, potentially limiting climate variables. We find that: 1) contrary to expectation, maximum dry season temperatures are projected to become as or more limiting for cocoa as dry season water availability; 2) to reduce the vulnerability of cocoa to excessive dry season temperatures, the systematic use of adaptation strategies like shade trees in cocoa farms will be necessary, in reversal of the current trend of shade reduction; 3) there is a strong differentiation of climate vulnerability within the cocoa belt, with the most vulnerable areas near the forest-savanna transition in Nigeria and eastern Côte d'Ivoire, and the least vulnerable areas in the southern parts of Cameroon, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia; 4) this spatial differentiation of climate vulnerability may lead to future shifts in cocoa production within the region, with the opportunity of partially compensating losses and gains, but also the risk of local production expansion leading to new deforestation. We conclude that adaptation strategies for cocoa in West Africa need to focus at several levels, from the consideration of tolerance to high temperatures in cocoa breeding programs, the promotion of shade trees in cocoa farms, to policies incentivizing the intensification of cocoa production on existing farms where future climate conditions permit and the establishment of new farms in already deforested areas. Copyright © 2016

  6. Efficacy and Safety of Praziquantel in Preschool-Aged Children in an Area Co-Endemic for Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium

    PubMed Central

    Coulibaly, Jean T.; N'Gbesso, Yve K.; Knopp, Stefanie; Keiser, Jennifer; N'Goran, Eliézer K.; Utzinger, Jürg

    2012-01-01

    Background In sub-Saharan Africa the recommended strategy to control schistosomiasis is preventive chemotherapy. Emphasis is placed on school-aged children, but in high endemicity areas, preschool-aged children are also at risk, and hence might need treatment with praziquantel. Since a pediatric formulation (e.g., syrup) is not available outside of Egypt, crushed praziquantel tablets are used, but the efficacy and safety of this treatment regimen is insufficiently studied. Methodology We assessed the efficacy and safety of crushed praziquantel tablets among preschool-aged children (<6 years) in the Azaguié district, south Côte d'Ivoire, where Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium coexist. Using a cross-sectional design, children provided two stool and two urine samples before and 3 weeks after treatment. Crushed praziquantel tablets, mixed with water, were administered at a dose of 40 mg/kg. Adverse events were assessed and graded 4 and 24 hours posttreatment by interviewing mothers/guardians. Principal Findings Overall, 160 preschool-aged children had at least one stool and one urine sample examined with duplicate Kato-Katz thick smears and a point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) cassette for S. mansoni, and urine filtration for S. haematobium diagnosis before and 3 weeks after praziquantel administration. According to the Kato-Katz and urine filtration results, we found high efficacy against S. mansoni (cure rate (CR), 88.6%; egg reduction rate (ERR), 96.7%) and S. haematobium (CR, 88.9%; ERR, 98.0%). POC-CCA revealed considerably lower efficacy against S. mansoni (CR, 53.8%). Treatment was generally well tolerated, but moderately severe adverse events (i.e., body and face inflammation), were observed in four Schistosoma egg-negative children. Conclusions/Significance Crushed praziquantel administered to preschool-aged children at a dose of 40 mg/kg is efficacious against S. mansoni and S. haematobium in a co-endemic setting of Côte d'Ivoire

  7. Aperçu de precambrien de côte d'Ivoire: geologie-metallogenie

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Angoran, Y.; Kadio, E.

    The Ivory Coast is situated at the southern limits of the West African Craton and constitute a part of the 'Dorsale de Man'. The precambrian rocks occupy 97% of the superficial area of the country and include rocks of two orogenic episodes: the Liberian (3000-2580 Ma) and the Eburnian of lower Proterozoic (2400-1550 Ma). Liberian Orogeny, which is the most ancient, consists of gneisses, amphibo-pyroxinites, fine-grained itabirites and coarse-grained ferruginous quartzites. The aluminous gneisses, amphibo-pyroxinites and ferruginous quartzites are supracrustals that have been transformed by a high grade Catasonal metamorphism resulting in highly folded rocks. The Liberian plutons are infracrustals consisting of complex basic and ultrabasic rocks, migmatites, charnockites and granites associated with magmatites. This Liberian complex is intruded by some dolerites (2200 Ma), and kimberlites with diamond (2210-2500 Ma) which have been eroded to produce Birrimian placer deposits of Tortiya and Birrim in Ghana. The eburnian geosyncline consists of alternating subparallel intrageosynclines and intrageanticlines. The volcano-sedimentary complexes were intruded by eburnian plutons of 2100-1550 Ma. About 20 different types of mineralisations are common within the Pre-Cambrian rocks of the Ivory Coast and they are of Archaen to lower Proterozoic age. Examples of these mineral concentrations are cited in this paper.

  8. Software structure for Vega/Chara instrument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clausse, J.-M.

    2008-07-01

    VEGA (Visible spEctroGraph and polArimeter) is one of the focal instruments of the CHARA array at Mount Wilson near Los Angeles. Its control system is based on techniques developed on the GI2T interferometer (Grand Interferometre a 2 Telescopes) and on the SIRIUS fibered hyper telescope testbed at OCA (Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur). This article describes the software and electronics architecture of the instrument. It is based on local network architecture and uses also Virtual Private Network connections. The server part is based on Windows XP (VC++). The control software is on Linux (C, GTK). For the control of the science detector and the fringe tracking systems, distributed API use real-time techniques. The control software gathers all the necessary informations of the instrument. It allows an automatic management of the instrument by using an original task scheduler. This architecture intends to drive the instrument from remote sites, such as our institute in South of France.

  9. On a quadrature formula of Gori and Micchelli

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Shijun

    2005-04-01

    Sparked by Bojanov (J. Comput. Appl. Math. 70 (1996) 349), we provide an alternate approach to quadrature formulas based on the zeros of the Chebyshev polynomial of the first kind for any weight function w introduced and studied in Gori and Micchelli (Math. Comp. 65 (1996) 1567), thereby improving on their observations. Upon expansion of the divided differences, we obtain explicit expressions for the corresponding Cotes coefficients in Gauss-Turan quadrature formulas for and I(fTn;w) for a Gori-Micchelli weight function. It is also interesting to mention what has been neglected for about 30 years by the literature is that, as a consequence of expansion of the divided differences in the special case when , the solution of the famous Turan's Problem 26 raised in 1980 was in fact implied by a result of Micchelli and Rivlin (IBM J. Res. Develop. 16 (1972) 372) in 1972. Some concluding comments are made in the final section.

  10. Methodes de calcul des forces aerodynamiques pour les etudes des interactions aeroservoelastiques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biskri, Djallel Eddine

    L'aeroservoelasticite est un domaine ou interagissent la structure flexible d'un avion, l'aerodynamique et la commande de vol. De son cote, la commande du vol considere l'avion comme une structure rigide et etudie l'influence du systeme de commande sur la dynamique de vol. Dans cette these, nous avons code trois nouvelles methodes d'approximation de forces aerodynamiques: Moindres carres corriges, Etat minimal corrige et Etats combines. Dans les deux premieres methodes, les erreurs d'approximation entre les forces aerodynamiques approximees par les methodes classiques et celles obtenues par les nouvelles methodes ont les memes formes analytiques que celles des forces aerodynamiques calculees par LS ou MS. Quant a la troisieme methode, celle-ci combine les formulations des forces approximees avec les methodes standards LS et MS. Les vitesses et frequences de battement et les temps d'executions calcules par les nouvelles methodes versus ceux calcules par les methodes classiques ont ete analyses.

  11. Temperature and composition dependence of Mg-based amorphous-alloy structure factors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    From, M.; Muir, W. B.

    1992-01-01

    Measurements of the x-ray total structure factors for amorphous Mg70Zn30, Ca70Mg30, and Mg85.5Cu14.5 at 9, 150, and 300 K have been made. The composition dependence of the room-temperature structure factors of MgxZn1-x have also been measured for values of x=0.65, 0.70, and 0.75. These compositional changes can be accounted for by the increase in average atomic size as the fraction of the larger Mg atoms increases with x. Also the Perkus-Yevick hard-sphere model is sufficient to calculate the change in structure factor with composition if an experimental structure factor is available from which the sphere diameters and packing fraction can be extracted. The temperature dependence of the structure factors is consistent with the observed thermal expansion and a Debye phonon model with Meisel and Cote's approximation for the multiphonon contribution to the structure factor.

  12. Molecular analysis of markers associated with chloroquine and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites from southeastern Côte-d'Ivoire by the time of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy adoption in 2005.

    PubMed

    Ako, Berenger Aristide; Offianan, André Toure; Johansson, Marnie; Penali, Louis Koné; Nguetta, Simon-Pierre Assanvo; Sibley, Carol Hopkin

    2012-01-01

    Artemisin-based combination therapies became the recommended therapy in Côte-d'Ivoire in 2005, but both chloroquine (CQ) and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) have been heavily used for many decades. Despite this long history, little is known about the geographical distribution of drug resistance-conferring genotypes outside the capital city of Abidjan. In this work, we compared the prevalence of drug-resistant genotypes in Bonoua, an urban area, and Samo, a rural agricultural area, in southeastern Côte-d'Ivoire, about 59 km from Abidjan. Samples were collected from symptomatic patients in both sites during the rainy season in 2005. Genomic DNA was isolated and codons associated with resistance to CQ and SP were analyzed: pfcrt codons Cys-72-Ser, Val-73-Val, Met-74-Ile, Arg-75-Glu, Lys-76-Thr; pfdhfr codons Ala-16-Val, Arg-51-Ile, Cys-59-Arg, Ser-108-Arg/Thr, and Ile-164-Leu; pfdhps codons Ser-436-Ala, Ala-437-Gly, Lys-540-Glu, Ala-581-Gly, and Ala-613-Thr/Ser. A limited number of genotypes were found in Bonoua compared with Samo. In both sites, the triple-mutant allele CVIET of pfcrt predominated: 100% in Bonoua and 86.2% in Samo. The wild-type allele, NCSI of pfdhfr, was common - 50% in Bonoua and 38.7% in Samo - but the triple-mutant IRNI and double-mutant NRNI were also frequent (IRNI, 32.6% in Bonoua and 19.4% in Samo; NRNI, 15.2% in Bonoua and 9.7% in Samo). In Samo, a wide range of different genotypes of Pfdhps was observed, with alleles carrying the Gly-437 codon fixed in Bonoua and comprising 73% of the isolates in Samo. Although these two sites are only 8 km apart, they belonged to very different ecological environments. The overall prevalence of alleles of single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with resistance to CQ and SP in both locations was among the highest of the region by 2005, although the more rural site showed a more diverse set of alleles and mixed infections. Continued surveillance of these markers will be a useful tool for drug policy, as

  13. Development of a Two-Dimensional Hybrid-Kinetic Code for Simulations of Low-Altitude Auroral Flux-Tubes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sydorenko, D.; Rankin, R.; Kabin, K.

    2009-12-01

    This paper presents initial results based on kinetic extensions of a nonlinear two-dimensional (2D) multi-fluid (three ion species and fluid electrons) MHD model that is designed to study propagation of shear Alfven waves in low-altitude auroral flux tubes. It is intended to use the model for scientific support of the “enhanced polar outflow probe” e-POP/CASSIOPE spacecraft mission (launch scheduled in 2010). Effects of gravity, thermal pressure, and geomagnetic field curvature are included, while the parallel electric field along geomagnetic field lines is calculated under the assumption of plasma quasineutrality. The model has been used successfully to study excitation of eigenmodes of the ionospheric Alfven resonator (IAR) by an Alfven wave packet injected from the magnetospheric end of the simulated plasma region. The formation of density cavities due to the ponderomotive force of standing oscillations in the IAR [Sydorenko, Rankin, and Kabin, 2008], and excitation of double layers and ion-acoustic wave packets, has been demonstrated. The kinetic extension of the multi-fluid code involves replacing the fluid electron model with a kinetic module that solves the simplified drift-kinetic Vlasov equation for the electron velocity distribution function (EVDF). To avoid undue complexity, it is assumed that (i) the electrons move only along geomagnetic field lines and (ii) the electron magnetic moment is conserved. As a result, the evolution of the EVDF is reduced to the problem of advection in 2D phase space “distance along the field line - velocity along the field line”. This problem is solved using a semi-Lagrangian algorithm [Staniforth and Cote, 1991]. The kinetic simulation starts from the initial equilibrium state similar to [Ergun et al., 2000]. The equilibrium assumes that the plasma consists of two electron populations: cold electrons with isotropic EVDF originating from the ionosphere, and hot anisotropic electrons with a loss-cone EVDF coming from

  14. The French Muskoka Fund: origin, objectives, and implementation.

    PubMed

    Aboubaker, S; Grimaldi, C

    2016-11-01

    Through its Priority Solidarity Fund, France set up a partnership with four United Nations agencies, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN WOMEN for the years 2011-2015 with an annual budget of 19 M €. An additional sixth year supplementary is underway. The program was developed through a common framework of actions coordinated and harmonized at the level of the target countries: integrated management of childhood diseases, mother-child nutrition, prenatal, perinatal, and postpartum follow-up, sexual and reproductive health, and adolescent health. The contribution of WHO was based on its normative role; UNICEF offered its operational capacity in the field, and UNFPA its focus on reproductive health, while UN WOMEN dealt with gender questions. The countries targeted specifically were: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Haiti, Mali, Nigeria, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Chad, and Togo.

  15. Chemical variability of Xylopia quintasii Engl. & Diels leaf oil from Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Yapi, Thierry Acafou; Boti, Jean Brice; Tonzibo, Zanahi Félix; Ahibo, Coffy Antoine; Bighelli, Ange; Casanova, Joseph; Tomi, Félix

    2014-02-01

    The chemical composition of 42 essential-oil samples isolated from the leaves of Xylopia quintasii harvested in three Ivoirian forests was investigated by GC-FID, including the determination of retention indices (RIs), and by (13) C-NMR analyses. In total, 36 components accounting for 91.9-92.6% of the oil composition were identified. The content of the main components varied drastically from sample to sample: (E)-β-caryophyllene (0.9-56.9%), (Z)-β-ocimene (0.3-54.6%), β-pinene (0.8-27.9%), α-pinene (0.1-22.8%), and furanoguaia-1,4-diene (0.0-17.6%). The 42 oil compositions were submitted to hierarchical cluster and principal components analysis, which allowed the distinction of three groups within the oil samples. The composition of the oils of the major group (22 samples) was dominated by (E)-β-caryophyllene. The oils of the second group (12 samples) contained β-pinene and α-pinene as the principal compounds, while the oils of the third group (8 samples) were dominated by (Z)-β-ocimene, germacrene D, (E)-β-ocimene, and furanoguaia-1,4-diene. The oil samples of Group I and II came from clay-soil forests, while the oil samples belonging to Group III were isolated from leaves harvested in a sandy-soil forest. Copyright © 2014 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  16. Bridging the gender gap: a blue-print for global guidelines? Human rights: women's issues.

    PubMed

    Tapper, A

    1998-04-01

    This article reports the issues discussed during the 10th African AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) conference in Abidjan. The conference focuses on the gender gap in providing HIV/AIDS preventive measures and it passes certain recommendations on how to disclose the subject. During the discussion, the participants identified special problems of women that place them at risk for HIV/AIDS. Also, the meeting came up with four areas that need immediate action: 1) more services for women of reproductive age at STD, family planning, and maternal clinics; more voluntary testing; more partner counseling; 2) education and information for very young girls (and boys) before the onset of sexual activity; 3) it was agreed that the constructive and supportive involvement of men has to be sought by all means; and 4) the economic condition of women and families affected by HIV must be improved by access to credit. The main recommendations approved by the UNFPA/UNAIDS workshops are: 1) create greater equality (especially in program implementation); 2) review of educational programs; 3) better prevention and care; and 4) improve the economic status of women and HIV-infected families.

  17. [Prevalence and characteristics of acute coronary syndromes in a sub-Saharan Africa population].

    PubMed

    N'Guetta, R; Yao, H; Ekou, A; N'Cho-Mottoh, M P; Angoran, I; Tano, M; Konin, C; Coulibaly, I; Anzouan-Kacou, J B; Seka, R; Adoh, A M

    2016-04-01

    To assess prevalence, characteristics and management of acute coronary syndromes in sub-Saharan Africa population. Prospective survey from January, 2010 to December, 2013, carried out among patients aged 18 years old, admitted to intensive care unit of Abidjan Heart Institute for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Four hundred and twenty-five (425) patients were enrolled in this study. Prevalence of ACS was 13.5%. Mean age was 55.4±11 years. Clinical presentation was predominantly ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in 71.5% of subjects, non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) accounted for 28.5%. Two hundred and eighty patients (65.9%) were transferred by unsafe transportation. Among the 89 patients admitted within 12hours of the onset of symptoms, primary percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 20 patients (22.5%), or 6.6% of STEMI as a whole. Twenty-five patients (8.2%) received fibrinolytic therapy with alteplase. In-hospital death rate was 10%. The prevalence of acute coronary syndromes is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. Excessive delays of admission and limited technical facilities are the major difficulties of their management in our regions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) contribution in strengthening public health laboratories systems in the African region.

    PubMed

    Gumede, Nicksy; Coulibaly, Sheick Oumar; Yahaya, Ali Ahmed; Ndihokubwayo, Jean-Bosco; Nsubuga, Peter; Okeibunor, Joseph; Dosseh, Annick; Salla, Mbaye; Mihigo, Richard; Mkanda, Pascal; Byabamazima, Charles

    2016-10-10

    The laboratory has always played a very critical role in diagnosis of the diseases. The success of any disease programme is based on a functional laboratory network. Health laboratory services are an integral component of the health system. Efficiency and effectiveness of both clinical and public health functions including surveillance, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, research and health promotion are influenced by reliable laboratory services. The establishment of the African Regional polio laboratory for the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) has contributed in supporting countries in their efforts to strengthen laboratory capacity. On the eve of the closing of the program, we have shown through this article, examples of this contribution in two countries of the African region: Côte d'Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Descriptive studies were carried out in Côte d'Ivoire (RCI) and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from October to December 2014. Questionnaires and self-administered and in-depth interviews and group discussions as well as records and observation were used to collect information during laboratory visits and assessments. The PEI financial support allows to maintain the majority of the 14 (DRC) and 12 (RCI) staff involved in the polio laboratory as full or in part time members. Through laboratory technical staff training supported by the PEI, skills and knowledge were gained to reinforce laboratories capacity and performance in quality laboratory functioning, processes and techniques such as cell culture. In the same way, infrastructure was improved and equipment provided. General laboratory quality standards, including the entire laboratory key elements was improved through the PEI accreditation process. The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is a good example of contribution in strengthening public health laboratories systems in the African region. It has established strong Polio Laboratory network that contributed to the

  19. Rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in sputum Samples using PURE TB-LAMP assay.

    PubMed

    N'guessan, K; Horo, K; Coulibaly, I; Adegbele, J; Kouame-Adjei, N; Seck-Angu, H; Guei, A; Kouakou, J; Dosso, M

    2016-12-01

    Lack of rapid and accurate diagnostic testing is a critical obstacle to global tuberculosis (TB) control. Sensitivity of sputum smear microscopy (SSM) is not optimal; however, it remains the most prevalent tool for TB confirmation in poor countries. As a part of passive case finding of TB detection, this study was conducted to determine the clinical performance of PURE TB-LAMP assay using liquid culture medium as the gold standard. Centre Antituberculeux de Yopougon is one of the 17 intermediate Tuberculosis centers in Côte d'Ivoire. A standardized questionnaire was submitted to patients with signs and symptoms consistent with tuberculosis by a trained caregiver. After obtaining signed consent forms, sputum samples were collected according to National TB Control Programme guidelines (spot-morning). SSM after Ziehl-Neelsen staining and TB-LAMP assay were blindly performed on the first sample. Samples transported to Institut Pasteur de Côte d'Ivoire were decontaminated according to the N-acetyl-L-Cystein method. In Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT), 500mL of pellets were inoculated and incubated in the MGIT 960 system. MPT64 antigen was detected in positive cultures. Of the 500 patients enrolled, 469 (232men and 239 women) patients were included. The mean ages of men and women were 36.9 (15-86) and 37.3 (15-37.3) years, respectively. There were 56 (12.2%) HIV-infected patients, including 14 women. Clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis complex were detected for 157 (33.5%) patients. Compared with culturing, the overall sensitivity and specificity of SSM were 86% (95% confidence interval [CI]=81-91) and 96% (95% CI=94-98), respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity for TB-LAMP was 92% (95% CI=0.88-0.96) and 94% (95% CI=0.91-0.97), respectively. Positive likelihood ratios for TB-LAMP and SSM were 15.3 and 21.5, respectively, and negative likelihood ratios for TB-LAMP and SSM were 0.09 and 0.15, respectively. Among the 469 patients, active

  20. Lassa Virus Seroprevalence in Sibirilia Commune, Bougouni District, Southern Mali.

    PubMed

    Sogoba, Nafomon; Rosenke, Kyle; Adjemian, Jennifer; Diawara, Sory Ibrahim; Maiga, Ousmane; Keita, Moussa; Konaté, Drissa; Keita, Abdoul Salam; Sissoko, Ibrahim; Boisen, Matt; Nelson, Diana; Oottamasathien, Darin; Millett, Molly; Garry, Robert F; Branco, Luis M; Traoré, Sékou F; Doumbia, Seydou; Feldmann, Heinz; Safronetz, David

    2016-04-01

    Lassa virus (LASV) is endemic to several nations in West Africa. In Mali, LASV was unknown until an exported case of Lassa fever was reported in 2009. Since that time, rodent surveys have found evidence of LASV-infected Mastomys natalensis rats in several communities in southern Mali, near the border with Côte d'Ivoire. Despite increased awareness, to date only a single case of Lassa fever has been confirmed in Mali. We conducted a survey to determine the prevalence of LASV exposure among persons in 3 villages in southern Mali where the presence of infected rodents has been documented. LASV IgG seroprevalence ranged from 14.5% to 44% per village. No sex bias was noted; however, seropositivity rates increased with participant age. These findings confirm human LASV exposure in Mali and suggest that LASV infection/Lassa fever is a potential public health concern in southern Mali.

  1. [New statuses of women and urbanization in Africa].

    PubMed

    Antoine, P; Nanitelamio, J

    1990-01-01

    Statistical representations of demographic phenomena are imperfect mirrors of social practices at a given time. In Africa, where traditional marital customs are influenced by western ways and where new modes of male-female relations are becoming established, the classic demographic categories of marital status do not reflect the diversity of forms of union encountered in large cities. Data from Brazzaville, Abidjan, and Dakar are the basis for some hypotheses concerning the development of new statuses of women. The discussion of female statuses is conducted in terms of an analysis of the different markets, or places of exchange, where women compete: the labor market, the marriage market, and the sexual market. In the labor market, most African women are in occupations that are directly related to traditional sexual division of labor. But the modern sector offers women the means of achieving a more independent economic status, although the proportion of women with high salaries is still small. The marriage market has been strongly influenced by changes underway in African cities. The status of single, which used to be a status of waiting, has become definitive for some women. The number of women living alone or heads of households has become high in some African cities. Increasing age at marriage and female employment opportunities in cities have increased the phenomenon of relations between men and women not dictated by the family group. Polygamy is still found at all social levels. A debate is underway in the Abidjan press concerning the new status "mistress", which is sometimes interpreted as a western form of polygamy. The practice exists in all social categories; what changes is the nature and value of the gifts given to the woman. The 2 defining features of the mistress phenomenon are its economic aspects and its existence at the margin of the matrimonial system. It can be said to belong to the sexual market, which includes all physical and affective relations

  2. Apport maternel chez la balane tropicale : Plasticite de l'allocation de la ressource trophique pour la production larvaire en conditions de limitation nutritionnelle et de stress environnemental

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Freuchet, Florian

    Dans le milieu marin, l'abondance du recrutement depend des processus qui vont affecter les adultes et le stock de larves. Sous l'influence de signaux fiables de la qualite de l'habitat, la mere peut augmenter (effet maternel anticipatoire, 'anticipatory mother effects', AME) ou reduire (effet maternel egoiste, 'selfish maternai effects', SME) la condition physiologique de la progeniture. Dans les zones tropicales, generalement plus oligotrophes, la ressource nutritive et la temperature sont deux composantes importantes pouvant limiter le recrutement. Les effets de l'apport nutritionnel et du stress thermique sur la production de larves et sur la stategie maternelle adoptee ont ete testes dans cette etude. Nous avons cible la balane Chthamalus bisinuatus (Pilsbry) comme modele biologique car el1e domine les zones intertidales superieures le long des cotes rocheuses du Sud-Est du Bresil (region tropicale). Les hypotheses de depart stipulaient que l'apport nutritionnel permet aux adultes de produire des larves de qualite elevee et que le stress thermique genere une ponte precoce, produisant des larves de faible qualite. Afin de tester ces hypotheses, des populations de C. bisinuatus ont ete elevees selon quatre groupes experimentaux differents, en combinant des niveaux d'apport nutritionnel (eleve et faible) et de stress thermique (stresse et non stresse). Des mesures de survie et de conditions physiologiques des adultes et des larves ont permis d'identifier les reponses parentales pouvant etre avantageuses dans un environnement tropical hostile. L'analyse des profils en acides gras a ete la methode utilisee pour evaluer la qualite physiologique des adultes et de larves. Les resultats du traitement alimentaire (fort ou faible apport nutritif), ne montrent aucune difference dans l'accumulation de lipides neutres, la taille des nauplii, l'effort de reproduction ou le temps de survie des nauplii en condition de jeune. Il semble que la faible ressource nutritive est

  3. [Prevalence of dental caries in school milieu in the northwest of Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Yao, K J; N'Da, N A; Koffi, N M

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of tooth decay and its correlation with dental care habits in northwestern Ivory Coast. Study was carried out in primary schools in the city of Odienne in January 1999. The study cohort comprised 500 students of both genders ranging in age from 4 to 15 years. The prevalence of tooth decay was 77.2% and the mean CAO index was 2.43. Dental care involved use of a chewing stick in 49% and a tooth brush in 50.8%. Only 5.6% of children cleaned their teeth three-times a day on a regular basis. Statistical analysis of study data demonstrated a correlation between the frequency of tooth cleaning and incidence of tooth decay. The incidence of tooth decay was 60.7% in students that cleaned their teeth three times a day versus 78.2% in students who cleaned their teeth less regularly. An educational campaign has been undertaken to inform students of the importance of oral hygiene in maintaining healthy teeth. A dental examination program would be useful to provide routine check-ups. A group study will be needed to monitor oral hygiene in students and evaluate the impact of these measures on tooth decay.

  4. Status of pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles gambiae sensu lato.

    PubMed Central

    Chandre, F.; Darrier, F.; Manga, L.; Akogbeto, M.; Faye, O.; Mouchet, J.; Guillet, P.

    1999-01-01

    The present study confirms the presence of pyrethroid resistance among Anopheles gambiae s.l mosquitos in Côte d'Ivoire and reports the observation of such resistance in two other countries in West Africa (Benin and Burkina Faso). Malaria vector populations from Cameroon (Central Africa), Senegal (West Africa) and Botswana (southern Africa) were found to be susceptible to pyrethroids. In the most resistant mosquito populations, resistance to permethrin was associated with reduced mortality, not only with respect to this compound but also towards deltamethrin. Moreover, a significant increase in knockdown time was observed in some mosquito populations before any decrease in mortality, suggesting that knockdown time could be a good indicator for the early detection of pyrethroid resistance. In view of the current extension of such resistance, there is an urgent need to set up a network in Africa to evaluate its development. It is also vital that the impact of this resistance on pyrethroid-impregnated bednets be assessed. PMID:10212513

  5. [Malaria serology test: what contribution does it make in an endemic country such as Ivory Coast?

    PubMed

    Goran-Kouacou, Amah Patricia Victorine; Dou, Gonat Serge; Zika, Kalou Dibert; Adou, Adjoumanvoulé Honoré; Yéboah, Oppong Richard; Aka, Rita Ahou; Hien, Sansan; Siransy, Kouabla Liliane; N'Guessan, Koffi; Djibangar, Tariam Agnès; Dassé, Séry Romuald; Adoubryn, Koffi Daho

    2017-01-01

    Malaria serology test seems to have attracted very little interest in endemic countries such as Ivory Coast. However, this examination has been regularly performed in the parasitology laboratory at the Training and Research Unit of Medical Sciences in Abidjan. Our study aimed to highlight the contribution of malaria serology test in our endemic country context. We conducted a retrospective study of malaria serology test using Falciparum-Spot IF (bioMerieux) kit for the detection of IgG antiplasmodial antibodies. It included all malaria serology tests performed from January 2007 to February 2011 and whose results were available in the registry. In total, 136 patients were selected. The average age of patients was 36,3 years, ranging from 1 to 81 years, and sex ratio was 0,97. Indications for malaria serology test were varied and dominated by splenomegaly (49.3%), cytopenias (14.7%), indeterminate fever (13.2%). Almost all of the patients (98.5%) had antiplasmodial antibodies with high medium titer of 1057,35IU/ml. There was no link between age and Ab titer, which was higher in cytopenias, prolonged fevers and the splenomegaly. Malaria serology test seems to have attracted very little interest in routine clinical practice provided in our endemic area because, whatever the reason of the prescription, titers were high.

  6. Impact of biomass burning on pollutant surface concentrations in megacities of the Gulf of Guinea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Menut, Laurent; Flamant, Cyrille; Turquety, Solène; Deroubaix, Adrien; Chazette, Patrick; Meynadier, Rémi

    2018-02-01

    In the framework of the Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project, the tropospheric chemical composition in large cities along the Gulf of Guinea is studied using the Weather and Research Forecast and CHIMERE regional models. Simulations are performed for the May-July 2014 period, without and with biomass burning emissions. Model results are compared to satellite data and surface measurements. Using numerical tracer release experiments, it is shown that the biomass burning emissions in Central Africa are impacting the surface aerosol and gaseous species concentrations in Gulf of Guinea cities such as Lagos (Nigeria) and Abidjan (Ivory Coast). Depending on the altitude of the injection of these emissions, the pollutants follow different pathways: directly along the coast or over land towards the Sahel before being vertically mixed in the convective boundary layer and transported to the south-west and over the cities. In July 2014, the maximum increase in surface concentrations due to fires in Central Africa is ≈ 150 µg m-3 for CO, ≈ 10 to 20 µg m-3 for O3 and ≈ 5 µg m-3 for PM10. The analysis of the PM10 chemical composition shows that this increase is mainly related to an increase in particulate primary and organic matter.

  7. Increasing Use of Postpartum Family Planning and the Postpartum IUD: Early Experiences in West and Central Africa.

    PubMed

    Pleah, Tsigue; Hyjazi, Yolande; Austin, Suzanne; Diallo, Abdoulaye; Dao, Blami; Waxman, Rachel; Karna, Priya

    2016-08-11

    A global resurgence of interest in the intrauterine device (IUD) as an effective long-acting reversible contraceptive and in improving access to a wide range of contraceptive methods, as well as an emphasis on encouraging women to give birth in health care facilities, has led programs to introduce postpartum IUD (PPIUD) services into postpartum family planning (PPFP) programs. We describe strategic, organizational, and technical elements that contributed to early successes of a regional initiative in West and Central Africa to train antenatal, maternity, and postnatal care providers in PPFP counseling for the full range of available methods and in PPIUD service delivery. In November 2013, the initiative provided competency-based training in Guinea for providers from the main public teaching hospital in 5 selected countries (Benin, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, and Senegal) with no prior PPFP counseling or PPIUD capacity. The training was followed by a transfer-of-learning visit and monitoring to support the trained providers. One additional country, Togo, replicated the initiative's model in 2014. Although nascent, this initiative has introduced high-quality PPFP and PPIUD services to the region, where less than 1% of married women of reproductive age use the IUD. In total, 21 providers were trained in PPFP counseling, 18 of whom were also trained in PPIUD insertion. From 2014 to 2015, more than 15,000 women were counseled about PPFP, and 2,269 women chose and received the PPIUD in Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. (Introduction of PPIUD services in Chad has been delayed.) South-South collaboration has been central to the initiative's accomplishments: Guinea's clinical centers of excellence and qualified trainers provided a culturally resonant example of a PPFP/PPIUD program, and trainings are creating a network of regional trainers to facilitate expansion. Two of the selected countries (Benin and Niger) have expanded their PPFP/PPUID training

  8. HIV prevalence and poverty in Africa: micro- and macro-econometric evidences applied to Burkina Faso.

    PubMed

    Lachaud, Jean-Pierre

    2007-05-01

    Based on the data of the Demographic and Health Survey, and of the Household Priority Survey, carried out in 2003, the present study, examining the factors of HIV prevalence in Burkina Faso, provides two conclusions. Firstly, the fight against poverty is not necessarily a means of reducing simultaneously and drastically HIV/AIDS prevalence, an assertion based on several elements of empirical analysis. First of all, the micro-econometric estimates of the probit models suggest a positive relationship between HIV prevalence in adult women and men, and living standards of individuals. Then, the macro-econometric approach reveals the existence of a positive (negative) relationship between, on the one hand, the level of regional HIV prevalence, and, on the other hand, the average monetary provincial standard of living (poverty) of households. At the same time, the relationship between HIV prevalence and poverty, apprehended at the regional level, is not linear. Secondly, and correlatively, the relationship between HIV prevalence and poverty is called into question. First of all, some structural factors may contribute to a distortion of the relationship between resources of households and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. This may be due, on the one hand, to the persistence of cognitive and behavioural factors inherent in a traditional society, and in particular, to the fact that the social construction of female attributes and roles confers to men a statute of "decision-makers" with regard to sexual intercourse, while the persistence of secular beliefs contributes to minimizing the perception of HIV/AIDS in terms of risk, independently of standards of living. In addition, the enclavement of Burkina Faso required development of road and railway traffic with neighbouring countries, in particular Côte d'Ivoire. Therefore, it may be that the structural conditions of the process of development of Burkina Faso, concomitant with significant flows of the exchange of goods, services

  9. Structural and crystal orientation analysis of Al-Si coating on Ni-based superalloy by means of EBSD technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muslimin, A. N.; Sugiarti, E.; Aritonang, T.; Purawiardi, R. I.; Desiati, R. D.

    2018-03-01

    Ni-based superalloy is widely used for high performance components in power generation turbine due to its excellent mechanical properties. However, Ni-based superalloy has low oxidation resistantance. Therefore, surface coating is required to improve oxidation resistance at high temperatures. Al-Si as a coting material was successfully co-deposited on Ni-based substrate by pack cementation method at 900 °C for about 4 hours. The oxidation test was carried out at high temperature of 1000 °C for 100 hours. Micro structural characterization and analysis on crystal orientation were perfomed by using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) and Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) technique, respectively. The results showed that the coating layer with a homogenous layer and had a thickness of 53 μm consisting of β-NiAl with cubic structure and Ni2Al3 with hexagonal structure. TGO layer was developed after oxidation and had a thickness of about 5 μm consisting of α-Al2O3 and spinel NiCr2O4. The phase composition map and crystal orientation acquired by EBSD technique was also discussed both in TGO and coating layers.

  10. A very deep IRAS survey at l(II) = 97 deg, b(II) = +30 deg

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hacking, Perry; Houck, James R.

    1987-01-01

    A deep far-infrared survey is presented using over 1000 scans made of a 4 to 6 sq. deg. field at the north ecliptic pole by the IRAS. Point sources from this survey are up to 100 times fainter than the IRAS point source catalog at 12 and 25 micrometers, and up to 10 times fainter at 60 and 100 micrometers. The 12 and 25 micrometer maps are instrumental noise-limited, and the 60 and 100 micrometer maps are confusion noise-limited. The majority of the 12 micrometer point sources are stars within the Milky Way. The 25 micrometer sources are composed almost equally of stars and galaxies. About 80% of the 60 micrometer sources correspond to galaxies on Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS) enlargements. The remaining 20% are probably galaxies below the POSS detection limit. The differential source counts are presented and compared with what is predicted by the Bahcall and Soneira Standard Galaxy Model using the B-V-12 micrometer colors of stars without circumstellar dust shells given by Waters, Cote and Aumann. The 60 micrometer source counts are inconsistent with those predicted for a uniformly distributed, nonevolving universe. The implications are briefly discussed.

  11. [Developing local actions: allowing individual talents be expressed and utilised within a strategic framework].

    PubMed

    Coruble, Gérard; Vandoorne, Chantal

    2005-01-01

    The Regional Health Programme of Children and Adolescents in Province Alpes Cote d'Azur (PRSJ), developed between March 1998 and May 1999, is characterised by its scope and complexity. It is more a strategic framework for action than an operational programme. To carry out this action, it was adapted to the level of intervention, on the one hand, using instruments at the regional level adapted for professional interventions, and, on the other hand, through the development of territory-based approaches founded on the creation of networks. Evaluations have shown that the actors found the framework proposed by PRSJ positive and adopted it. They expressed their creativity with more spontaneity in the networks with therapeutic objectives, than those responding to health determinants, which needed initial local support. Local communities appeared as the ideal setting for dissemination and sustainability of PRSJ's objectives. PRSJ's strategic framework allowed local actors to express their talent. This mode of action, which accommodates not only programmatic focus within the context of practitioners on the ground, but also, epidemiology and socio-geographic interventions, are pertinent. To go beyond the explicit milestones set by the strategic orientations of the programme, different elements strengthening the framework are highlighted.

  12. Triacylglycerol and triterpene ester composition of shea nuts from seven African countries.

    PubMed

    Akihisa, Toshihiro; Kojima, Nobuo; Katoh, Naoko; Kikuchi, Takashi; Fukatsu, Makoto; Shimizu, Naoto; Masters, Eliot T

    2011-01-01

    The compositions of the triacylglycerol (TAG) and triterpene ester (TE) fractions of the kernel fats (n-hexane extracts; shea butter) of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa; Sapotaceae) were determined for 36 samples from seven sub-Saharan countries, i.e., Cote d' Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad, Sudan, and Uganda. The principal TAGs are stearic-oleic-stearic (SOS; mean 31.2%), SOO (27.7%), and OOO (10.8%). The TE fractions contents are in the range of 0.5-6.5%, and contain α-amyrin cinnamate (1c; mean 29.3%) as the predominant TE followed by butyrospermol cinnamate (4c; 14.8%), α-amyrin acetate (1a; 14.1%), lupeol cinnamate (3c; 9.0%), β-amyrin cinnamate (2c; 7.6%), lupeol acetate (3a; 7.2%), butyrospermol acetate (4a; 5.8%), and β-amyrin acetate (2a; 4.9%). Shea kernel fats from West African provenances contained, in general, higher levels of high-melting TAGs such as SOS, and higher amount of TEs than those from East African provenances. No striking regional difference in the composition of the TE fractions was observed. Copyright © 2011 by Japan Oil Chemists' Society

  13. [Anthropological analysis of interactions between health care providers and children in some paediatrics services in Western Africa (Abidjan, Bamako, Conakry)].

    PubMed

    Jaffré, Y; Diallo, M; Atcha, V; Dicko, F

    2009-10-01

    Africa represents a major part of infant global mortality. But if the medical causes of these deaths are well-known, the quality of the medical care provided to the children and the way it affects them are not really studied. Our study conducted in three countries of western Africa describes how much the care given to children involves a part of violence and emphasizes how the social status and the children educational popular modes influence the quality of care. The article underlines how the improvement of the quality of care in pediatrics services cannot be limited to a simple improvement of techniques but must also include all these socio-emotional aspects which constitute the foundations of real ethics.

  14. [Immune, inflammatory, and nutritional protein profile in children with iron deficiency in Côte d'Ivoire].

    PubMed

    Yapi, Houphouët Félix; Ahiboh, Hugues; Yayo, Eric; Edjeme, Angele; Attoungbre-Hauhouot, Marie Laure; Allico, Joseph Djaman; Monnet, Dagui

    2009-01-01

    Throughout the world and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, deficiencies in trace elements constitute a real public health problem because of the insufficient nutritional quality of food. These trace elements are necessary for many of the body's biochemical reactions. The role of microelements such as vitamin A and zinc has been established in the functioning of the immune system and secretion of inflammatory reaction proteins, but the role of iron in these functions remains to be elucidated. The sample consists of 186 children (3/4) 80 with an iron deficiency and 106 with normal iron status. They range in age from 5 to 15 years and all attend school in the department of Adzope. The study excluded all children with parasites that might affect blood iron, protein and other hematological indicators, in particular, Plasmodium falciparum, Giardia intestinalis, Trichomonas intestinalis, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Ancylostoma. Inflammatory, immune and nutritional proteins were measured by radial immunodiffusion (Mancini's method). Ferritin was measured by a specific immunoenzymatic assay. Hematological indicators were tested by an automatic blood cell counter. Nutritional status was estimated by the weight/height ratio (W/H). This analysis showed that iron deficiency was associated with reduced IgG levels (p < 0.05), although immunoglobulins A and M remained stable (p > 0.05. Iron deficiency was also associated with reduced levels of thyroxine-binding prealbumin (TBPA) and albumin (p < 0.05). Inflammatory proteins did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the prognostic inflammatory and nutritional index (PINI) did not show any inflammatory, vital or nutritional risk, because it was lower than or equal to 2. Finally, malnutrition was not observed in the iron-deficient children: the difference in the weight/height ratio (W/H = 96.58 +/- 2.4%) between the children with iron deficiency and those with normal iron status (98.7 +/- 4.3%) did not differ significantly. The reduced IgG associated with iron deficiency may be attributed to the role that iron plays in the proliferation and maturation of lymphocytes. Reduced iron levels would thus lead to slowing down the hematopoietic mechanism, resulting in a decrease in B lymphocyte production and thus inevitably a reduction in IgG synthesis. The reduction in albumin and TBPA associated with the iron deficiency but in the absence of any sign of malnutrition (W/H > 96%) or inflammatory risk (PINI < 2) in either study group shows that iron may play a dominant role during protein synthesis. Iron deficiency might limit the energy of cellular tissues, leading to a reduction in RNA activity (transcription and translation), which would in turn decrease ribosome activity in tissues and thus reduce amino acid synthesis in cells, resulting in the reduction observed in protein synthesis. The lack of difference between the study groups in inflammatory proteins, notably CRP and alpha1-GPA, indicates that iron deficiency does not appear to be related to an inflammatory process. This study of children without any apparent clinical signs of iron deficiency shows that such a deficiency may be associated with a disruption in protein production. The proteins concerned include IgG, TBPA and albumin. The public authorities should pay particular attention to improving children's diets, especially their micronutrient levels, including for iron, vitamin A and zinc.

  15. Assessing Household Economic Vulnerability in HIV-Affected Communities in Five Regions of Côte d'Ivoire

    PubMed Central

    Burke, Holly M.; Moret, Whitney; Field, Samuel; Chen, Mario; Zeng, Yanwu; Seka, Firmin M.

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to identify and describe levels of household economic vulnerability in HIV-affected communities in Côte d’Ivoire, defined as those with a high prevalence of HIV and large numbers of orphans and vulnerable children. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 3,749 households in five health regions of Côte d’Ivoire. Using principal component analysis, we attempted to identify sets of correlated vulnerabilities and derive a small number of composite scores to create an index for targeting interventions to vulnerable populations. The 65 vulnerability measures examined did not cluster in ways that would allow for the creation of a small number of composite measures. Instead, we found that households face numerous unique pathways to vulnerability. PMID:27655530

  16. Teledetection passive et processus decisionnel a reference spatiale: Application a l'aquaculture en milieu marin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Habbane, Mohamed

    L'objectif de cette etude est d'elaborer un processus decisionnel a reference spatiale (PDRS) pour la mariculture. Le PDRS est applique aux eaux cotieres de la baie des Chaleurs, dans le golfe du Saint-Laurent (Canada). Une carte preliminaire regionale d'indices du potentiel maricole, d'une limite de resolution spatiale de 1 kmsp2, est produite avec des parametres du niveau 1. Ces parametres englobent la temperature de l'eau de surface, extraite des images AVHRR, la salinite, les courants ainsi que les pigments chlorophylliens, quantifies a l'aide de mesures in situ. Les images AVHRR, prises en 1994, ont ete utiliees comme reference primaire pour selectionner des aires pouvant supporter une activite maricole sur la cote nord de la baie des Chaleurs. La temperature de surface extraite de ces images permet une analyse mesoechelle a la fois qualitative et quantitative des processus cotiers observes pendant la periode d'acquisition des donnees. Les autres donnees, soit la salinite, les courants et les concentrations en pigments chlorophylliens, sont analysees de facon a identifier la variabilite spatio-temporelle des caracteristiques des eaux de surface. L'ensemble des informations permet de produire une carte preliminaire regionale d'indices du potentiel maricole de la partie centrale de la baie des Chaleurs. Selon cet indice (defini entre 0 et 1), le secteur de potentiel aquicole de 0,5 a 0,75 s'etend sur une superficie d'environ 300 kmsp2. La localisation de cette aire potentielle est en accord avec les fortes concentrations en pigments chlrophylliens, presentant des conditions environnementales ideales a une haute productivite biologique. Par la suite la carte preliminaire est modifiee en tenant compte des parametres du niveau 2. Ces parametres sont la geomorphologie littorale, la bathymetrie, les sediments en suspension, les vents, les vagues, le debit d'eau douce, la glace marine, le carbone organique dissous, les aires de peche et les sources de pollution. Ces

  17. PubMed Central

    Miezan, T.; Doua, F.; Cattand, P.; de Raadt, P.

    1991-01-01

    The Testryp CATT was performed on dried blood samples on filter-paper and on diluted blood using a microtechnique. This method was applied to both sample collection techniques and was evaluated in parallel with the classical Testryp CATT on whole blood, as described in the instructions provided with the reagents by the manufacturer. A total of 2087 people were tested; 453 samples were tested in the laboratory and 1634 during a field survey in 5 villages of a trypanosomiasis focus in Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire. This study has demonstrated that the Testryp CATT micromethod on either type of sample collection gives results comparable to the Testryp CATT on whole blood. The collection of dried blood samples on filter-paper can be performed by non-specialized staff in trypanosomiasis control programmes of the national health services. In addition, a flask of CATT reagent will allow testing of 6 times more people by the micromethod than by the classical whole-blood method. The micromethod is suitable in the implementation of programmes for the serological surveillance of populations at risk. PMID:1959162

  18. Remotely measuring populations during a crisis by overlaying two data sources

    PubMed Central

    Bharti, Nita; Lu, Xin; Bengtsson, Linus; Wetter, Erik; Tatem, Andrew J.

    2015-01-01

    Background Societal instability and crises can cause rapid, large-scale movements. These movements are poorly understood and difficult to measure but strongly impact health. Data on these movements are important for planning response efforts. We retrospectively analyzed movement patterns surrounding a 2010 humanitarian crisis caused by internal political conflict in Côte d'Ivoire using two different methods. Methods We used two remote measures, nighttime lights satellite imagery and anonymized mobile phone call detail records, to assess average population sizes as well as dynamic population changes. These data sources detect movements across different spatial and temporal scales. Results The two data sources showed strong agreement in average measures of population sizes. Because the spatiotemporal resolution of the data sources differed, we were able to obtain measurements on long- and short-term dynamic elements of populations at different points throughout the crisis. Conclusions Using complementary, remote data sources to measure movement shows promise for future use in humanitarian crises. We conclude with challenges of remotely measuring movement and provide suggestions for future research and methodological developments. PMID:25733558

  19. AllAboard: Visual Exploration of Cellphone Mobility Data to Optimise Public Transport.

    PubMed

    Di Lorenzo, G; Sbodio, M; Calabrese, F; Berlingerio, M; Pinelli, F; Nair, R

    2016-02-01

    The deep penetration of mobile phones offers cities the ability to opportunistically monitor citizens' mobility and use data-driven insights to better plan and manage services. With large scale data on mobility patterns, operators can move away from the costly, mostly survey based, transportation planning processes, to a more data-centric view, that places the instrumented user at the center of development. In this framework, using mobile phone data to perform transit analysis and optimization represents a new frontier with significant societal impact, especially in developing countries. In this paper we present AllAboard, an intelligent tool that analyses cellphone data to help city authorities in visually exploring urban mobility and optimizing public transport. This is performed within a self contained tool, as opposed to the current solutions which rely on a combination of several distinct tools for analysis, reporting, optimisation and planning. An interactive user interface allows transit operators to visually explore the travel demand in both space and time, correlate it with the transit network, and evaluate the quality of service that a transit network provides to the citizens at very fine grain. Operators can visually test scenarios for transit network improvements, and compare the expected impact on the travellers' experience. The system has been tested using real telecommunication data for the city of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and evaluated from a data mining, optimisation and user prospective.

  20. Anthropogenic plumes from metropolitan areas and biomass burning emissions in West Africa during DACCIWA - airborne measurements on board the DLR Falcon 20

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stratmann, Greta; Schlager, Hans; Sauer, Daniel; Brocchi, Vanessa; Catoire, Valery; Baumann, Robert

    2017-04-01

    The DACCIWA (Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions over West Africa) airborne field campaign was conducted in Southern West Africa in June/July 2016. Three European research aircraft (DLR - Falcon 20, SAFIRE - ATR 42 and BAS - Twin Otter) were deployed from Lomé/Togo and conducted research flights across Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benin. On board the DLR Falcon O3, SO2, CO, NO2 and aerosol fine mode particle number concentration and size distribution were measured during a total of 12 scientific flights. Until now only few airborne trace gas measurements were conducted in Southern West Africa. Therefore, this field experiment contributes to the knowledge of the chemical composition of the lower troposphere between 0 - 4 km. During several flights pollution plumes from major population centers - Lomé/Togo, Accra/Ghana, Kumasi/Ghana, and Abidjan/Ivory Coast - were probed below, inside and above clouds. Here, enhanced trace gas and particle concentrations were observed. In addition, plumes from biomass burning emissions were detected which were transported to West Africa. The composition of the pollution plumes are presented as well as transport pathways using HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectories) trajectory calculations. Ozone enhancements in the biomass burning pollution plumes of up to 70 ppb were observed compared to background concentrations of 30-40 ppb. Furthermore, HYSPLIT atmospheric dispersion simulations are used to estimate anthropogenic SO2 city emissions.

  1. Usefulness of routine preoperative testing in a developing country: a prospective study

    PubMed Central

    Bordes, Julien; Cungi, Pierre-Julien; Savoie, Pierre-Henry; Bonnet, Stéphane; Kaiser, Eric

    2015-01-01

    Introduction The assessment of anesthetic risks is an essential component of preoperative evaluation. In developing world, preanesthesia evaluation may be challenging because patient's medical history and records are scare, and language barrier limits physical examination. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of routine preoperative testing in a low-resources setting. Methods Prospective observational study performed in a French forward surgical unit in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. 201 patients who were scheduled for non urgent surgery were screened with routine laboratory exams during preoperative evaluation. Changes in surgery were assessed (delayed or scheduled). Results Abnormal hemoglobin findings were reported in 35% of patients, abnormal WBC count in 11,1% of patients, abnormal platelets in 15,3% of patients. Positive HIV results were found in 8,3% of cases. Routine tests represented 43,6% of changes causes. Conclusion Our study showed that in a developing country, routine preoperative tests showed abnormal results up to 35% of cases, and represented 43,5% of delayed surgery causes. The rate of tests leading to management changes varied widely, from 0% to 8,3%. These results suggested that selected tests would be useful to diagnose diseases that required treatment before non urgent surgery. However, larger studies are needeed to evaluate the cost/benefit ratio and the clinical impact of such a strategy. PMID:26516395

  2. Composition and Chemical Variability of Enantia polycarpa Engler & Diels Leaf Essential Oil from Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Yapi, Thierry Acafou; Ouattara, Zana Adama; Boti, Jean Brice; Tonzibo, Zanahi Félix; Paoli, Mathieu; Bighelli, Ange; Casanova, Joseph; Tomi, Félix

    2018-05-13

    The composition of Enantia polycarpa Engler & Diels leaf essential oil has been investigated for the first time using a combination of chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The compositions of 52 leaf essential oil samples have been subjected to statistical analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Four groups were differentiated, whose compositions were dominated by β-elemene and germacrene B (Group III, 22/52 samples); germacrene D (Group I, 16/52 samples); β-cubebene (Group IV, 8/52 samples) and by germacrene B and germacrene D (Group II, 6/52 samples). A special attention was brought to the quantification of the thermolabile components, germacrene A, germacrene B and germacrene C, as well as that of their rearranged compounds, β-elemene, γ-elemene and δ-elemene. 13 C NMR data of β-cubebene have been provided. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  3. [Yellow fever in Western Africa, 1973-1987. Observed facts--studies realized, campaign, prevention and forecast].

    PubMed

    Cordellier, R

    1990-01-01

    This global analysis of the situation is based on a review of notifications, observations and studies concerning yellow fever in 16 of 17 countries of the West African subregion (Algeria is not affected for the years 1973-1987). In view of this analysis and the epidemiological picture, the author proposes a plan of concerted action to confine yellow fever to its monkey-to-monkey cycle in the wild. Official notifications vary greatly from one country to the next. Any of five major causes could explain this: ecological and ethological conditions that favour circulation of the virus in the wild and man-to-man transmission to different extents; the immune status of the populations; the difficulty of diagnosing especially isolated cases; lack of means for investigation; and negligence. The quantity and gravity of human cases are systematically underestimated, sometimes to a great extent. Lack of resources and difficulty of diagnosis, but also in many instances the attitude of the population, can account for this. Modern means of investigation, faster intervention by specialists, and better knowledge of how the virus is transmitted, have shown recently an increasing gap between notifications and the actual situation. Research and monitoring programmes are particularly important. The programmes under way in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire have already resulted in considerable improvement in the action against epidemics. Because of these programmes, our knowledge of the very complex pattern of viral circulation is improving, thereby helping us develop systems for prevention and enabling us to forecast epidemics. Priority areas for study and research are: (i) Basic programmes for detailed study of all the topotypes of the virus, and identification of the viral amplification cycles that recur over several years. Such studies are under way in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire. They would be particularly useful in Ghana and in Nigeria, where the taxonomy and bioecology of A. africanus s

  4. Demarcation of continental-oceanic transition zone using angular differences between gradients of geophysical fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jilinski, Pavel; Meju, Max A.; Fontes, Sergio L.

    2013-10-01

    The commonest technique for determination of the continental-oceanic crustal boundary or transition (COB) zone is based on locating and visually correlating bathymetric and potential field anomalies and constructing crustal models constrained by seismic data. In this paper, we present a simple method for spatial correlation of bathymetric and potential field geophysical anomalies. Angular differences between gradient directions are used to determine different types of correlation between gravity and bathymetric or magnetic data. It is found that the relationship between bathymetry and gravity anomalies can be correctly identified using this method. It is demonstrated, by comparison with previously published models for the southwest African margin, that this method enables the demarcation of the zone of transition from oceanic to continental crust assuming that this it is associated with geophysical anomalies, which can be correlated using gradient directions rather than magnitudes. We also applied this method, supported by 2-D gravity modelling, to the more complex Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire-Ghana sectors of the West African transform margin and obtained results that are in remarkable agreement with past predictions of the COB in that region. We suggest the use of this method for a first-pass interpretation as a prelude to rigorous modelling of the COB in frontier areas.

  5. Instability of superfluid Fermi gases induced by a rotonlike density mode in optical lattices

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yunomae, Yoshihiro; Yamamoto, Daisuke; Danshita, Ippei

    2009-12-15

    We study the stability of superfluid Fermi gases in deep optical lattices in the BCS-Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) crossover at zero temperature. Within the tight-binding attractive Hubbard model, we calculate the spectrum of the low-energy Anderson-Bogoliubov (AB) mode as well as the single-particle excitations in the presence of superfluid flow in order to determine the critical velocities. To obtain the spectrum of the AB mode, we calculate the density response function in the generalized random-phase approximation applying the Green's function formalism developed by Cote and Griffin to the Hubbard model. We find that the spectrum of the AB mode is separatedmore » from the particle-hole continuum having the characteristic rotonlike minimum at short wavelength due to the strong charge-density-wave fluctuations. The energy of the rotonlike minimum decreases with increasing the lattice velocity and it reaches zero at the critical velocity which is smaller than the pair-breaking velocity. This indicates that the superfluid state is energetically unstable due to the spontaneous emission of the short-wavelength rotonlike excitations of the AB mode instead due to pair breaking. We determine the critical velocities as functions of the interaction strength across the BCS-BEC crossover regime.« less

  6. Seasonal and Inter-annual Variability in Modeled Larval Dispersal and Population Connectivity of Blue Crabs (Callinectes sapidus) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gyory, J.; Jones, B.; Ko, D. S.; Taylor, C.

    2016-02-01

    Larval dispersal trajectories and their resulting population connectivity patterns are known to be key drivers of population dynamics for many marine organisms. However, few studies to date have examined the temporal variability in population connectivity. Here, we model the larval dispersal and population connectivity of blue crabs in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2003-2012 and use network analyses to understand how they vary over seasonal and inter-annual scales. We found that in all years, the Mississippi River Delta is a barrier to dispersal. Few larvae cross it and settle successfully. In some years (2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009), 1-2 locations (Adams Bay and Chandeleur Sound) had high (> 0.3) betweenness centrality. These locations are likely to be important for maintaining population connectivity in the region, since more than 30% of larval pathways are predicted to pass through them. Connectivity matrices suggest that some estuaries have consistently high larval retention rates. These include West Cote Blanche Bay, Chandeleur Sound, and, in some years, Pensacola Bay and Atchafalaya Bay. Within the spawning season, we observe a decline in average vertex degree and average source strength in every year. This suggests that seasonal declines in the strength of along-shore currents produce consistent reductions in population connectivity through the spawning season.

  7. (T2L2) Time Transfer by Laser Link

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Veillet, Christian; Fridelance, Patricia

    1995-01-01

    T2L2 (Time Transfer by Laser Link) is a new generation time transfer experiment based on the principles of LASSO (Laser Synchronization from Synchronous Orbit) and used with an operational procedure developed at OCA (Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur) during the active intercontinental phase of LASSO. The hardware improvements could lead to a precision better than 10 ps for time transfer (flying clock monitoring or ground based clock comparison). Such a package could fly on any spacecraft with a stable clock. It has been developed in France in the frame of the PHARAO project (cooled atom clock in orbit) involving CNES and different laboratories. But T2L2 could fly on any spacecraft carrying a stable oscillator. A GPS satellite would be a good candidate, as T2L2 could allow to link the flying clock directly to ground clocks using light, aiming to important accuracy checks, both for time and for geodesy. Radioastron (a flying VLBI antenna with a H-maser) is also envisioned, waiting for a PHARAO flight. The ultimate goal of T2L2 is to be part of more ambitious missions, as SORT (Solar Orbit Relativity Test), aiming to examine aspects of the gravitation in the vicinity of the Sun.

  8. Exploring the interaction network of the Bacillus subtilis outer coat and crust proteins.

    PubMed

    Krajčíková, Daniela; Forgáč, Vladimír; Szabo, Adam; Barák, Imrich

    2017-11-01

    Bacillus subtilis spores, representatives of an exceptionally resistant dormant cell type, are encircled by a thick proteinaceous layer called the spore coat. More than 80 proteins assemble into four distinct coat layers: a basement layer, an inner coat, an outer coat and a crust. As the spore develops inside the mother cell, spore coat proteins synthesized in the cytoplasm are gradually deposited onto the prespore surface. A small set of morphogenetic proteins necessary for spore coat morphogenesis are thought to form a scaffold to which the rest of the coat proteins are attached. Extensive localization and proteomic studies using wild type and mutant spores have revealed the arrangement of individual proteins within the spore coat layers. In this study we examined the interactions between the proteins localized to the outer coat and crust using a bacterial two hybrid system. These two layers are composed of at least 25 components. Self-interactions were observed for most proteins and numerous novel interactions were identified. The most interesting contacts are those made with the morphogenetic proteins CotE, CotY and CotZ; these could serve as a basis for understanding the specific roles of particular proteins in spore coat morphogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  9. Outreach in southern France

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jackson, D.

    1992-12-09

    France's Europort South community lives cheek by jowl with the chemical industry, with major complexes at For, Berre, and Lavera. Xavier Segond, technical adviser at the regional chemical industry association, Le Syndicat General des Industries Chimiques Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Corse (SGIC), says a good relationship has grown over a period of 20 years. Segond describes Arco Chimie as an effective driving force for the Responsible Care effort in the region - partly because its US parent introduced the program on a worldwide basis in 1989, ahead of national industry association Union des Industries Chimiques (UIC; Paris). Arco's F2-billion ($373 million)/year Fos-sur-Mermore » site makes it a significant player. But in 1986 the company was a complete newcomer. We came to Fos as a US company, we had no Paris headquarters or French president, explains Dominique Lequeux, director/human resources. The community viewed the company with a mixture of curiosity and enthusiasm as a potential employer - about 330 people now work at the site. The day before the officials propylene oxide plant opening, we invited in local people, says Lequeux. That formed a good basis for its Responsible Care community outreach program. Now, schools, professional groups, and political groups make 20-25 plant visits each year.« less

  10. Apport de la tomodensitométrie dans le diagnostic de la tuberculose vertébrale à propos de 496 cas à Abidjan

    PubMed Central

    Gbané-Koné, Mariam; Ouattara, Baly; Diomandé, Mohamed; Sessou, Viva; Kaboré, Fulgence; Djoko, Kouadio Flore; Traoré, Moriba; Eti, Edmond; Kouakou, N'zué Marcel

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Le mal de Pott est la forme la plus fréquente des tuberculoses ostéo articulaires, le diagnostic de certitude reste difficile. L'imagerie tient une place indéniable dans le diagnostic. L'objectif de cette étude était de déterminer la prévalence de la tuberculose vertébrale et l'apport de la TDM dans le diagnostic. Méthodes Nous avons mené une étude rétrospective sur dossiers de tuberculose vertébrale dans le service de Rhumatologie du CHU de Cocody de Janvier 2006 à Décembre 2013. N'ont pas été inclus dans l’étude, tous les dossiers ne comportant pas d'imagerie. Resultats La prévalence hospitalière de la tuberculose vertébrale était de 10,95%, elle représentait 90,2% de la tuberculose ostéoarticulaire. Elle concernait les 2 sexes, l’âge moyen était de 43,27 ans (4-88ans). L'atteinte dorsolombaire était la localisation la plus fréquente (95,13%). L'atteinte du rachis cervical était rare. La spondylodiscite était fréquente (92,14%). La spondylite (6%) et l'atteinte de l'arc postérieur (0,86%) étaient rares. La spondylodiscite était unique le plus souvent (70,05%), les formes multiétagées ont été notées dans 28,65% des cas, les atteintes mutifocales ont été notées dans14, 63% des cas. Les localisations inhabituelles étaient: atteinte sous occipitale (n=3), atteinte concomitante des 3 segments rachidiens (n=3), atteinte du sacrum (n=1), abcès isolés du psoas (n=4). La prévalence des abcès était de 85,91%, celle des épidurites était de 80,17%. La ponction scannoguidée des abcès a été réalisée dans 20 cas, la recherche de BAAR était positive dans 15 cas. Il existait une tuberculose viscérale évolutive dans 20% des cas. Conclusion La TDM est indéniable dans le diagnostic positif et lésionnel de la tuberculose vertébrale. Le retard au diagnostic explique l’étendue des lésions. PMID:26113932

  11. Eutrophication increases methane emission to the atmosphere in tropical lagoons: insights from two Ivory Coast sites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    José-mathieu Koné, Yéfanlan; Vieira Borges, Alberto

    2017-04-01

    Eutrophication increases methane emission to the atmosphere in tropical lagoons: insights from two Ivory Coast sites. Y J M Koné (1) & A.V. Borges (2) (1) Centre de recherches océanologiques (CRO) d'Abidjan, (Ivory Coast) (2) University of Liège, Chemical Oceanography Unit, Liège, Belgium (Belgium) Eutrophication is a worldwide environmental problem and a definitive solution is far from being achieved, despite the large number of studies documenting its causes. In small aquatic ecosystems, excessive growth of macrophytes is a well known undesirable consequence of eutrophication. When these plants die and sink to the bottom the decomposing biomass depletes oxygen content in the water column thus leading to anoxia promoting methane (CH4) production. Here, we reported the CH4 data obtained during six campaigns covering the annual cycle in two small lagoons of Ivory Coast (Ono, Kodjoboué) that are contrasted in the degree of eutrophication and the corresponding coverage of macrophytes (e.g. Echinochloa pyramidalis, Eichhornia crassipes, Hydrilla verticillata). Our data showed a high spatio-temporal variability of CH4 within the lagoons and between the two systems, with CH4 concentrations in surface waters ranging between 80 to 74,604 nmol L-1. The highest CH4 concentration values were observed in the eutrophic Ono lagoon that is covered by 80% of macrophytes, suggesting that lagoons dominated by macrophytes are significant sources of CH4 toward the atmosphere.

  12. Open-heart surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting in Western Africa.

    PubMed

    Edwin, Frank; Frimpong-Boateng, Kwabena

    2011-01-01

    We read with concern the paper of Budzee and colleagues in a recent issue of the Pan African Medical Journal. We wish to draw the attention of the authors and the readership of the journal to gross inaccuracies in the report. The first open-heart surgery in Nigeria is reported to have taken place on 1(st) February 1974 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) in Enugu. Publications from the group in Abidjan indicate the performance of the first 300 cases of open-heart surgery by 1983, the figure increasing to 850 by 1987. Senegal reportedly began performing open-heart surgery in 1995 and is currently a reference point for open cardiac procedures for francophone West Africa. The Ghanaian open-heart experience began in 1964 when surface cooling was used to achieve hypothermia for the successful closure of an atrial septal defect. However, it was not until 1989 that Ghana's National Cardiothoracic Center (NCTC) was established. The NCTC performs regular open-cardiac procedures covering almost the entire spectrum of cardiothoracic procedures including video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The NCTC is equipped with modern cardiovascular/thoracic facilities and has been accredited by the West African College of Surgeons as a center of excellence for the training of cardiothoracic surgeons and has performed creditably in this regard. It is emphasized that open-heart surgery has been practiced in West Africa for decades and continues to be practiced with excellence matching international standards at Ghana's National Cardiothoracic Center.

  13. Primate archaeology reveals cultural transmission in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus).

    PubMed

    Luncz, Lydia V; Wittig, Roman M; Boesch, Christophe

    2015-11-19

    Recovering evidence of past human activities enables us to recreate behaviour where direct observations are missing. Here, we apply archaeological methods to further investigate cultural transmission processes in percussive tool use among neighbouring chimpanzee communities in the Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. Differences in the selection of nut-cracking tools between neighbouring groups are maintained over time, despite frequent female transfer, which leads to persistent cultural diversity between chimpanzee groups. Through the recovery of used tools in the suggested natal territory of immigrants, we have been able to reconstruct the tool material selection of females prior to migration. In combination with direct observations of tool selection of local residents and immigrants after migration, we uncovered temporal changes in tool selection for immigrating females. After controlling for ecological differences between territories of immigrants and residents our data suggest that immigrants abandoned their previous tool preference and adopted the pattern of their new community, despite previous personal proficiency of the same foraging task. Our study adds to the growing body of knowledge on the importance of conformist tendencies in animals. © 2015 The Author(s).

  14. Understanding and mitigating HIV-related resource-based stigma in the era of antiretroviral therapy.

    PubMed

    Holmes, Kathleen; Winskell, Kate

    2013-01-01

    The perception in low-resource settings that investment of resources in people living with HIV (PLHIV) is wasted because AIDS is both an incurable and deadly disease is known as resource-based stigma. In this paper, we draw on in-depth interviews (IDI), focus group discussions (FGD), and key informant interviews (KII) with 77 HIV-positive microfinance participants and nongovernmental organization leaders to examine resource-based stigma in the context of increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) at an individual, household, and community level in Côte d'Ivoire. The purpose of this exploratory paper is to examine: (1) resource-based stigmatization in the era of ART and (2) the relationship among microfinance, a poverty-reduction intervention, and HIV stigmatization. The frequency with which resource-based stigma was discussed by respondents suggests that it is an important component of HIV-related stigma in this setting. It affected PLHIV's access to material as well as social resources, leading to economic discrimination and social devaluation. Participation in village savings and loans groups, however, mitigated resource-based HIV stigma, suggesting that in the era of increased access to antiretroviral therapy, economic programs should be considered as one possible HIV stigma-reduction intervention.

  15. Dental calculus evidence of Taï Forest Chimpanzee plant consumption and life history transitions.

    PubMed

    Power, Robert C; Salazar-García, Domingo C; Wittig, Roman M; Freiberg, Martin; Henry, Amanda G

    2015-10-19

    Dental calculus (calcified dental plaque) is a source of multiple types of data on life history. Recent research has targeted the plant microremains preserved in this mineralised deposit as a source of dietary and health information for recent and past populations. However, it is unclear to what extent we can interpret behaviour from microremains. Few studies to date have directly compared the microremain record from dental calculus to dietary records, and none with long-term observation dietary records, thus limiting how we can interpret diet, food acquisition and behaviour. Here we present a high-resolution analysis of calculus microremains from wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) of Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. We test microremain assemblages against more than two decades of field behavioural observations to establish the ability of calculus to capture the composition of diet. Our results show that some microremain classes accumulate as long-lived dietary markers. Phytolith abundance in calculus can reflect the proportions of plants in the diet, yet this pattern is not true for starches. We also report microremains can record information about other dietary behaviours, such as the age of weaning and learned food processing techniques like nut-cracking.

  16. Remotely measuring populations during a crisis by overlaying two data sources.

    PubMed

    Bharti, Nita; Lu, Xin; Bengtsson, Linus; Wetter, Erik; Tatem, Andrew J

    2015-03-01

    Societal instability and crises can cause rapid, large-scale movements. These movements are poorly understood and difficult to measure but strongly impact health. Data on these movements are important for planning response efforts. We retrospectively analyzed movement patterns surrounding a 2010 humanitarian crisis caused by internal political conflict in Côte d'Ivoire using two different methods. We used two remote measures, nighttime lights satellite imagery and anonymized mobile phone call detail records, to assess average population sizes as well as dynamic population changes. These data sources detect movements across different spatial and temporal scales. The two data sources showed strong agreement in average measures of population sizes. Because the spatiotemporal resolution of the data sources differed, we were able to obtain measurements on long- and short-term dynamic elements of populations at different points throughout the crisis. Using complementary, remote data sources to measure movement shows promise for future use in humanitarian crises. We conclude with challenges of remotely measuring movement and provide suggestions for future research and methodological developments. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  17. Yellow Fever Virus Exhibits Slower Evolutionary Dynamics than Dengue Virus ▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Sall, Amadou A.; Faye, Ousmane; Diallo, Mawlouth; Firth, Cadhla; Kitchen, Andrew; Holmes, Edward C.

    2010-01-01

    Although yellow fever has historically been one of the most important viral infections of humans, relatively little is known about the evolutionary processes that shape its genetic diversity. Similarly, there is limited information on the molecular epidemiology of yellow fever virus (YFV) in Africa even though it most likely first emerged on this continent. Through an analysis of complete E gene sequences, including a newly acquired viral collection from Central and West Africa (Senegal, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Mauritania), we show that YFV exhibits markedly lower rates of evolutionary change than dengue virus, despite numerous biological similarities between these two viruses. From this observation, along with a lack of clock-like evolutionary behavior in YFV, we suggest that vertical transmission, itself characterized by lower replication rates, may play an important role in the evolution of YFV in its enzootic setting. Despite a reduced rate of nucleotide substitution, phylogenetic patterns and estimates of times to common ancestry in YFV still accord well with the dual histories of colonialism and the slave trade, with areas of sylvatic transmission (such as Kedougou, Senegal) acting as enzootic/epidemic foci. PMID:19889759

  18. [Ecology and transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans].

    PubMed

    Marsollier, L; Aubry, J; Saint-André, J-P; Robert, R; Legras, P; Manceau, A-L; Bourdon, S; Audrain, C; Carbonnelle, B

    2003-10-01

    Mycobacterium ulcerans is an environmental pathogen concerning mainly the tropical countries; it is the causative agent of Buruli ulcer, which has become the third most important mycobacterial disease. In spite of water-linked epidemiological studies to identify the sources of M. ulcerans, the reservoir and the mode of transmission of this organism remain elusive. To determine the ecology and the mode of transmission of M. ulcerans we have set up an experimental model. This experimental model demonstrated that water bugs were able to transmit M. ulcerans by bites. In insects, the bacilli were localized exclusively within salivary glands, where it could both multiply contrary to other mycobacteria species. In another experimental study, we report that the crude extracts from aquatic plants stimulate in vitro the growth of M. ulcerans as much as the biofilm formation by M. ulcerans has been observed on aquatic plants. Given that the water bugs are essentially carnivorous, it is difficult to imagine a direct contact in the contamination of aquatic bugs and plants. It seems very likely that an intermediate host exists. In an endemic area of Daloa in Côte d'Ivoire, our observations were confirmed.

  19. Characterizing the Biochemical Response to Schistosoma mansoni Infection and Treatment with Praziquantel in Preschool and School Aged Children.

    PubMed

    Panic, Gordana; Coulibaly, Jean T; Harvey, Nikita; Keiser, Jennifer; Swann, Jonathan

    2018-05-21

    Schistosomiasis is a widespread chronic neglected tropical disease prevalent mostly in children in under-resourced rural areas. Its pathological effects have been clinically characterized, yet the molecular-level effects are understudied. In this study, the biochemical effects of Schistosoma mansoni infection and praziquantel treatment were studied in 130 preschool aged and 159 school aged infected children and 11 noninfected children in Azaguié, Côte d'Ivoire. Urine samples were collected prior to receiving 20, 40, or 60 mg/kg of praziquantel or a placebo, as well as 24 h post-treatment, and at the 3-week follow up. Urinary metabolic phenotypes were measured using 1 H NMR spectroscopy, and metabolic variation associated with S. mansoni infection and praziquantel administration was identified using multivariate statistical techniques. Discriminatory metabolic signatures were detected between heavily infected and noninfected children at baseline as well as according to the dose of praziquantel administered 24 h post treatment. These signatures were primarily associated with the metabolic activity of the gut microbiota, gut health and growth biomarkers and energy and liver metabolism. These analyses provide insights into the metabolic phenotype of schistosomiasis and treatment with praziquantel in two important demographics.

  20. In vitro culture of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) zygotic embryos.

    PubMed

    Engelmann, Florent; Malaurie, Bernard; N'Nan, Oulo

    2011-01-01

    Coconut is a very important crop for millions of people in tropical countries. With coconut, in vitro culture protocols have been developed with two main objectives, viz. the large scale production of particular types of coconuts and the international exchange and conservation of coconut germplasm. The methods described in this chapter have been developed in the framework of collaborative activities between research institutes in Côte d'Ivoire and France. Two coconut embryo in vitro collecting protocols have been established, one consisting of storing the disinfected embryos in a KCl solution until they are brought back to the laboratory, where they are re-disinfected and inoculated in vitro under sterile conditions, and the other including in vitro inoculation of the embryos in the field. For international germplasm exchange, zygotic embryos inoculated in vitro in plastic test tubes or endosperm cylinders containing embryos in plastic bags are used. For in vitro culture, embryos are inoculated on semi-solid medium supplemented with sucrose and activated charcoal and placed in the dark, and then transferred to light conditions with the same (solid or liquid) medium once the first true leaf is visible and the root system has started developing.

  1. Chemical variability of the leaf essential oil of Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A.Rich. from Côte d'Ivoire.

    PubMed

    Yapi, Thierry Acafou; Boti, Jean Brice; Ahibo, Coffy Antoine; Bighelli, Ange; Castola, Vincent; Casanova, Joseph; Tomi, Félix

    2012-12-01

    The chemical composition of 48 essential-oil samples isolated from the leaves of Xylopia aethiopica harvested in six Ivoirian forests was investigated by GC-FID and (13) C-NMR analyses. In total, 23 components accounting for 82.5-96.1% of the oil composition were identified. The composition was dominated by the monoterpene hydrocarbons β-pinene (up to 61.1%) and α-pinene (up to 18.6%) and the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon germacrene D (up to 28.7%). Hierarchical cluster and principal component analyses allowed the distinction of two groups on the basis of the β-pinene and germacrene D contents. The chemical composition of the oils of Group I (38 oil samples) was clearly dominated by β-pinene, while those of Group II (10 samples) were characterized by the association of β-pinene and germacrene D. The leaves collected in the four inland forests produced β-pinene-rich oils (Group I), while the oil samples belonging to Group II were isolated from leaves harvested in forests located near the littoral. Copyright © 2012 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

  2. Two body and multibody interaction in a cold Rydberg gas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Jianing; Gallagher, Tom

    2009-05-01

    Cold Rydberg atoms trapped in a Magneto Optical Trap (MOT) are not isolated and they tend to bond through dipole-dipole and multiple-multiple interactions between Rydberg atoms. The dipole-dipole interaction and van der Waals interaction between two atoms have been intensively studied. However, the fact that the dipole-dipole interaction and van der Waals interaction show the same size of broadening, studied by Raithel's group, and there is transition between two molecular states, studied by Farooqi and Overstreet, can not be explained by the two atom picture. The purpose of this paper is to show the multibody nature of a dense cold Rydberg gas by studying the molecular state microwave spectrum. Specifically, single body, two body and three body interaction regions are separated. Moreover, the multibody energy levels for selected geometries are calculated. In addition, multibody blockade will be discussed. [3pt] [1] A. Reinhard, K. C. Younge, T. Cubel Liebisch, B. Knuffman, P. R. Berman, and G. Raithel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 233201 (2008).[0pt] [2] S.M. Farooqi, D. Tong, S. Krishnan, J. Stanojevic,Y.P. Zhang, J.R. Ensher, A.S. Estrin, C. Boisseau, R. Cote, E.E. Eyler, and P.L. Gould, Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 183002 (2003).[0pt] [3] K. Richard Overstreet, Arne Schwettmann, Jonathan Tallant, and James P. Shaffer, Phys. Rev. A 76, 011403 (2007).

  3. A survey of antifoulants in sediments from Ports and Marinas along the French Mediterranean coast.

    PubMed

    Cassi, Roberto; Tolosa, Imma; de Mora, Stephen

    2008-11-01

    Due to deleterious effects on non-target organisms, the use of organotin compounds on boat hulls of small vessels (<25 m) has been widely prohibited. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) resolved that the complete prohibition on organotin compounds acting as biocides in antifouling systems should commence in 2008. As a result of restrictions on the use of organotin based paints, other antifouling formulations containing organic biocides have been utilised. This survey was conducted to assess the contamination of replacement biocides in the marine environment following the ban of TBT-based paints. Surface sediments samples were collected in the major ports and marinas along the France Mediterranean coastline (Cote d'Azur) and analysed for organotin compounds, Irgarol 1051, Sea-nine 211, Chlorothalonil, Dichlofluanid and Folpet. Every port and marina exhibited high levels of organotin compounds, with concentrations in sediments ranging from 37 ng Sn g(-1) dry wt in Menton Garavan to over 4000 ng Sn g(-1) dry wt close to the ship chandler within the port of Villefranche-sur-Mer. TBT degradation indexes suggested that fresh inputs are still made. Among the other antifoulants monitored, only Irgarol 1051 exhibited measurable concentrations in almost every port, with concentrations ranging from 40 ng g(-1) dry wt (Cannes) to almost 700 ng g(-1) dry wt (Villefranche-sur-Mer, ship chandler).

  4. Ground-based solar astrometric measurements during the PICARD mission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Irbah, A.; Meftah, M.; Corbard, T.; Ikhlef, R.; Morand, F.; Assus, P.; Fodil, M.; Lin, M.; Ducourt, E.; Lesueur, P.; Poiet, G.; Renaud, C.; Rouze, M.

    2011-11-01

    PICARD is a space mission developed mainly to study the geometry of the Sun. The satellite was launched in June 2010. The PICARD mission has a ground program which is based at the Calern Observatory (Observatoire de la C^ote d'Azur). It will allow recording simultaneous solar images from ground. Astrometric observations of the Sun using ground-based telescopes need however an accurate modelling of optical e®ects induced by atmospheric turbulence. Previous works have revealed a dependence of the Sun radius measurements with the observation conditions (Fried's parameter, atmospheric correlation time(s) ...). The ground instruments consist mainly in SODISM II, replica of the PICARD space instrument and MISOLFA, a generalized daytime seeing monitor. They are complemented by standard sun-photometers and a pyranometer for estimating a global sky quality index. MISOLFA is founded on the observation of Angle-of-Arrival (AA) °uctuations and allows us to analyze atmospheric turbulence optical e®ects on measurements performed by SODISM II. It gives estimations of the coherence parameters characterizing wave-fronts degraded by the atmospheric turbulence (Fried's parameter, size of the isoplanatic patch, the spatial coherence outer scale and atmospheric correlation times). This paper presents an overview of the ground based instruments of PICARD and some results obtained from observations performed at Calern observatory in 2011.

  5. [The Ditrame (ANRS 049) clinical trial aimed at reducing the mother-child transmission of HIV in Abidjan. Participants' understanding of the trial principles].

    PubMed

    Coulibaly-Traoré, D; Msellati, P; Vidal, L; Ekra, C Welffens; Dabis, F

    2003-03-01

    The HIV vaccine attempts in developing countries have underlined many ethical questions on the informed consent of the participants. These problems have already been encountered in the context of studies on the prevention of mother-child transmission (MCT) of HIV in Africa. This study is aimed at describing the level of understanding and interpretations that these women have of the clinical trial, randomisation and placebo, as well as their motivations for participating in the study. This was a qualitative study conducted in 1997 by a sociologist in the form of in-depth, structured interviews among 57 women participating in a clinical trial on the prevention of MCT of HIV. The interview included a section on the representation of MCT then questions on the eventual sharing of information concerning the HIV-infection status, the motivations for participating in the study and the understanding of the randomIsation and the placebo. Nearly half of the women had not shared the result of their blood test with anyone. Their isolation enhanced the difficulties in getting information on the study. The notion of a probability of transmission was not easy to explain in terms adapted to the level of education of the women. The randomisation was understood as a number pulled out of a hat during a lucky draw. The women did not really understand the pictures used to describe the placebo. They claimed that they wanted to participate in the study essentially to protect their child and to have access to treatment. The correct information of patients participating in clinical trials requires repeated interventions throughout the research period. When there is no social protection, the notion of freedom of choice itself, including the idea of informed consent, is relative and the pragmatic choices made by the women clearly show this. These elements must be taken into consideration in the projects of vaccination trials.

  6. A fresh injection of interest for vaccines.

    PubMed

    1998-02-01

    In recent years, HIV/AIDS funding has gone largely to prevention measures, drug therapy for people who are already infected with HIV, and basic related science. HIV/AIDS vaccine development has been of only low priority, and almost no effort is targeted toward vaccines appropriate for use in developing countries. A vaccine, however, is theoretically the only way to end the epidemic. An attempt was made at the Abidjan AIDS Conference to reinvigorate the AIDS vaccine research program, but because the potential market for such a vaccine is in the poorer developing countries, it will be difficult to convince the pharmaceutical industry to renew investment in vaccine research. Pharmaceutical companies see no profit potential in vaccine development and marketing. The World Bank's suggestion on how to encourage the pharmaceutical industry to invest again in vaccine research is discussed. The gp120(E) vaccine is undergoing an early-stage trial in Thailand, and another trial is scheduled for later in 1998 in Uganda. However, none of the 25 possible vaccine types which have been developed in the laboratory and tested for safety on humans has gone into efficacy trials. Experts calculate that even if more intensive work were to begin now, a vaccine could not become generally available before 2005, due to the 8-year product evaluation cycle. Whether a vaccine based upon one HIV subtype will be effective against other subtypes, and the need for governments and donors to invest in the development of a vaccine are discussed.

  7. Bats are rare reservoirs of Staphylococcus aureus complex in Gabon.

    PubMed

    Held, Jana; Gmeiner, Markus; Mordmüller, Benjamin; Matsiégui, Pierre-Blaise; Schaer, Juliane; Eckerle, Isabella; Weber, Natalie; Matuschewski, Kai; Bletz, Stefan; Schaumburg, Frieder

    2017-01-01

    The colonization of afro-tropical wildlife with Staphylococcus aureus and the derived clade Staphylococcus schweitzeri remains largely unknown. A reservoir in bats could be of importance since bats and humans share overlapping habitats. In addition, bats are food sources in some African regions and can be the cause of zoonotic diseases. Here, we present a cross-sectional survey employing pharyngeal swabs of captured and released bats (n=133) in a forest area of Gabon. We detected low colonization rates of S. aureus (4-6%) and S. schweitzeri (4%) in two out of four species of fruit bats, namely Rousettus aegyptiacus and Micropteropus pusillus, but not in insectivorous bats. Multilocus sequence typing showed that S. aureus from Gabonese bats (ST2984, ST3259, ST3301, ST3302) were distinct from major African human associated clones (ST15, ST121, ST152). S. schweitzeri from bats (ST1697, ST1700) clustered with S. schweitzeri from other species (bats, monkeys) from Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire. In conclusion, colonization rates of bats with S. aureus and S. schweitzeri were low in our study. Phylogenetic analysis supports an intense geographical dispersal of S. schweitzeri among different mammalian wildlife hosts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Evidence for cultural differences between neighboring chimpanzee communities.

    PubMed

    Luncz, Lydia V; Mundry, Roger; Boesch, Christophe

    2012-05-22

    The majority of evidence for cultural behavior in animals has come from comparisons between populations separated by large geographical distances that often inhabit different environments. The difficulty of excluding ecological and genetic variation as potential explanations for observed behaviors has led some researchers to challenge the idea of animal culture. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in the Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, crack Coula edulis nuts using stone and wooden hammers and tree root anvils. In this study, we compare for the first time hammer selection for nut cracking across three neighboring chimpanzee communities that live in the same forest habitat, which reduces the likelihood of ecological variation. Furthermore, the study communities experience frequent dispersal of females at maturity, which eliminates significant genetic variation. We compared key ecological factors, such as hammer availability and nut hardness, between the three neighboring communities and found striking differences in group-specific hammer selection among communities despite similar ecological conditions. Differences were found in the selection of hammer material and hammer size in response to changes in nut resistance over time. Our findings highlight the subtleties of cultural differences in wild chimpanzees and illustrate how cultural knowledge is able to shape behavior, creating differences among neighboring social groups. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Vesicular stomatitis virus-based Ebola vaccines with improved cross-protective efficacy.

    PubMed

    Marzi, Andrea; Ebihara, Hideki; Callison, Julie; Groseth, Allison; Williams, Kinola J; Geisbert, Thomas W; Feldmann, Heinz

    2011-11-01

    For Ebola virus (EBOV), 4 different species are known: Zaire, Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire, and Reston ebolavirus. The newly discovered Bundibugyo ebolavirus has been proposed as a 5th species. So far, no cross-neutralization among EBOV species has been described, aggravating progress toward cross-species protective vaccines. With the use of recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-based vaccines, guinea pigs could be protected against Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) infection only when immunized with a vector expressing the homologous, but not a heterologous, EBOV glycoprotein (GP). However, infection of guinea pigs with nonadapted wild-type strains of the different species resulted in full protection of all animals against subsequent challenge with guinea pig-adapted ZEBOV, showing that cross-species protection is possible. New vectors were generated that contain EBOV viral protein 40 (VP40) or EBOV nucleoprotein (NP) as a second antigen expressed by the same rVSV vector that encodes the heterologous GP. After applying a 2-dose immunization approach, we observed an improved cross-protection rate, with 5 of 6 guinea pigs surviving the lethal ZEBOV challenge if vaccinated with rVSV-expressing SEBOV-GP and -VP40. Our data demonstrate that cross-protection between the EBOV species can be achieved, although EBOV-GP alone cannot induce the required immune response.

  10. U. S. Army Chemical Corps Historical Studies, Gas Warfare in World War I: The 29th Division in the Cotes de Meuse, October 1918

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1959-01-01

    personal and ccmpany equip- ment was salvaged in the area, he said, and brought along in the train to be late. reissued at Verdun.14 "A Source of...GAF- 29th Div), both report,on the basis of SOI’s of the period, a total of 1,730 gas shells in five attacks, on 15, 17, 18, 19, 21 Sep. Monthly Rpt...advanced almost five kilometers, dug in just short of the Normal Objective, in the Bois de Consenvoye, its right refused to maintain liaison with the 18th

  11. Characterization of high order spatial discretizations and lumping techniques for discontinuous finite element SN transport

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Maginot, P. G.; Ragusa, J. C.; Morel, J. E.

    2013-07-01

    We examine several possible methods of mass matrix lumping for discontinuous finite element discrete ordinates transport using a Lagrange interpolatory polynomial trial space. Though positive outflow angular flux is guaranteed with traditional mass matrix lumping in a purely absorbing 1-D slab cell for the linear discontinuous approximation, we show that when used with higher degree interpolatory polynomial trial spaces, traditional lumping does yield strictly positive outflows and does not increase in accuracy with an increase in trial space polynomial degree. As an alternative, we examine methods which are 'self-lumping'. Self-lumping methods yield diagonal mass matrices by using numerical quadrature restrictedmore » to the Lagrange interpolatory points. Using equally-spaced interpolatory points, self-lumping is achieved through the use of closed Newton-Cotes formulas, resulting in strictly positive outflows in pure absorbers for odd power polynomials in 1-D slab geometry. By changing interpolatory points from the traditional equally-spaced points to the quadrature points of the Gauss-Legendre or Lobatto-Gauss-Legendre quadratures, it is possible to generate solution representations with a diagonal mass matrix and a strictly positive outflow for any degree polynomial solution representation in a pure absorber medium in 1-D slab geometry. Further, there is no inherent limit to local truncation error order of accuracy when using interpolatory points that correspond to the quadrature points of high order accuracy numerical quadrature schemes. (authors)« less

  12. Effects of Atomic Oxygen and Grease on Outgassing and Adhesion of Silicone Elastomers for Space Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    deGroh, Henry C., III; Puleo, Bernadette J.; Steinetz, Bruce M.

    2011-01-01

    An investigation of silicone elastomers for seals used in docking and habitat systems for future space exploration vehicles is being conducted at NASA. For certain missions, NASA is considering androgynous docking systems where two vehicles each having a seal would be required to: dock for a period of time, seal effectively, and then separate with minimum push-off forces for undocking. Sili-cone materials are generally chosen for their wide operating temperatures and low leakage rates. However silicone materials are often sticky and usually exhibit considerable adhesion when mated against metals and silicone surfaces. This paper investigates the adhesion unit pressure for a space rated silicone material (S0383-70) for either seal-on-seal (SoS) or seal-on-aluminum (SoAl) operation modes in the following conditions: as-received, after ground-based atomic-oxygen (AO) pre-treatment, after application of a thin coating of a space-qualified grease (Bray-cote 601EF), and after a combination of AO pre-treatment and grease coating. In order of descending adhesion reduction, the AO treatment reduced seal adhesion the most, followed by the AO plus grease pre-treatment, followed by the grease treatment. The effects of various treatments on silicone (S0383-70 and ELA-SA-401) outgassing properties were also investigated. The leading adhesion AO pre-treatment reduction led to a slight decrease in outgassing for the S0383-70 material and virtually no change in ELA-SA-401 outgassing.

  13. Adaptation of Dunn Solar Telescope for Jovian Doppler spectro imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Underwood, Thomas A.; Voelz, David; Schmider, François-Xavier; Jackiewicz, Jason; Dejonghe, Julien; Bresson, Yves; Hull, Robert; Goncalves, Ivan; Gualme, Patrick; Morand, Frédéric; Preis, Olivier

    2017-09-01

    This paper describes instrumentation used to adapt the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST) located on Sacramento Peak in Sunspot, NM for observations using the Doppler Spectro Imager (DSI). The DSI is based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and measures the Doppler shift of solar lines allowing for the study of atmospheric dynamics of giant planets and the detection of their acoustic oscillations. The instrumentation is being designed and built through a collaborative effort between a French team from the Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur (OCA) that designed the DSI and a US team at New Mexico State University (NMSU). There are four major components that couple the DSI to the DST: a guider/tracker, fast steering mirror (FSM), pupil stabilizer and transfer optics. The guider/tracker processes digital video to centroid-track the planet and outputs voltages to the DST's heliostat controls. The FSM removes wavefront tip/tilt components primarily due to turbulence and the pupil stabilizer removes any slow pupil "wander" introduced by the telescope's heliostat/turret arrangement. The light received at a science port of the DST is sent through the correction and stabilization components and into the DSI. The FSM and transfer optics designs are being provided by the OCA team and serve much the same functions as they do for other telescopes at which DSI observations have been conducted. The pupil stabilization and guider are new and are required to address characteristics of the DST.

  14. Gender Norms, Poverty and Armed Conflict in Côte D'Ivoire: Engaging Men in Women's Social and Economic Empowerment Programming

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Falb, K. L.; Annan, J.; King, E.; Hopkins, J.; Kpebo, D.; Gupta, J.

    2014-01-01

    Engaging men is a critical component in efforts to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV). Little is known regarding men's perspectives of approaches that challenge inequitable gender norms, particularly in settings impacted by armed conflict. This article describes men's experiences with a women's empowerment program and highlights men's…

  15. Gender norms, poverty and armed conflict in Côte D'Ivoire: engaging men in women's social and economic empowerment programming.

    PubMed

    Falb, K L; Annan, J; King, E; Hopkins, J; Kpebo, D; Gupta, J

    2014-12-01

    Engaging men is a critical component in efforts to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV). Little is known regarding men's perspectives of approaches that challenge inequitable gender norms, particularly in settings impacted by armed conflict. This article describes men's experiences with a women's empowerment program and highlights men's perceptions of gender norms, poverty and armed conflict, as they relate to achieving programmatic goals. Data are from 32 Ivorian men who participated in indepth interviews in 2012. Interviews were undertaken as part of an intervention that combined gender dialogue groups for both women and their male partners with women's only village savings and loans programs to reduce IPV against women. Findings suggested that in the context of armed conflict, traditional gender norms and economic stressors experienced by men challenged fulfillment of gender roles and threatened men's sense of masculinity. Men who participated in gender dialogue groups discussed their acceptance of programming and identified improvements in their relationships with their female partners. These men further discussed increased financial planning along with their partners, and attributed such increases to the intervention. Addressing men's perceptions of masculinity, poverty and armed conflict may be key components to reduce men's violence against women in conflict-affected settings. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Effects of rainfalls variability and physical-chemical parameters on enteroviruses in sewage and lagoon in Yopougon, Côte d'Ivoire

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Momou, Kouassi Julien; Akoua-Koffi, Chantal; Traoré, Karim Sory; Akré, Djako Sosthène; Dosso, Mireille

    2017-07-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the variability of the content of nutrients, oxidizable organic and particulate matters in raw sewage and the lagoon on the effect of rainfall. Then evaluate the impact of these changes in the concentration of enteroviruses (EVs) in waters. The sewage samples were collected at nine sampling points along the channel, which flows, into a tropical lagoon in Yopougon. Physical-chemical parameters (5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Suspended Particulate Matter, Total Phosphorus, Orthophosphate, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen and Nitrate) as well as the concentration of EV in these waters were determined. The average numbers of EV isolated from the outlet of the channel were 9.06 × 104 PFU 100 ml-1. Consequently, EV was present in 55.55 and 33.33 % of the samples in the 2 brackish lagoon collection sites. The effect of rainfall on viral load at the both sewage and brackish lagoon environments is significant correlate (two-way ANOVA, P < 0.05). Furthermore, in lagoon environment, nutrients (Orthophosphate, Total Phosphorus), 5-day Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand and Suspended Particulate Matter were significant correlated with EVs loads ( P < 0.05 by Pearson test). The overall results highlight the problem of sewage discharge into the lagoon and correlation between viral loads and water quality parameters in sewage and lagoon.

  17. Rapid urban malaria appraisal (RUMA) in sub-Saharan Africa

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Shr-Jie; Lengeler, Christian; Smith, Thomas A; Vounatsou, Penelope; Cissé, Guéladio; Diallo, Diadie A; Akogbeto, Martin; Mtasiwa, Deo; Teklehaimanot, Awash; Tanner, Marcel

    2005-01-01

    Background The rapid urban malaria appraisal (RUMA) methodology aims to provide a cost-effective tool to conduct rapid assessments of the malaria situation in urban sub-Saharan Africa and to improve the understanding of urban malaria epidemiology. Methods This work was done in Yopougon municipality (Abidjan), Cotonou, Dar es Salaam and Ouagadougou. The study design consists of six components: 1) a literature review, 2) the collection of available health statistics, 3) a risk mapping, 4) school parasitaemia surveys, 5) health facility-based surveys and 6) a brief description of the health care system. These formed the basis of a multi-country evaluation of RUMA's feasibility, consistency and usefulness. Results A substantial amount of literature (including unpublished theses and statistics) was found at each site, providing a good overview of the malaria situation. School and health facility-based surveys provided an overview of local endemicity and the overall malaria burden in different city areas. This helped to identify important problems for in-depth assessment, especially the extent to which malaria is over-diagnosed in health facilities. Mapping health facilities and breeding sites allowed the visualization of the complex interplay between population characteristics, health services and malaria risk. However, the latter task was very time-consuming and required special expertise. RUMA is inexpensive, costing around 8,500–13,000 USD for a six to ten-week period. Conclusion RUMA was successfully implemented in four urban areas with different endemicity and proved to be a cost-effective first approach to study the features of urban malaria and provide an evidence basis for planning control measures. PMID:16153298

  18. Assessing atmospheric particulate matter distribution based on Saturation Isothermal Remanent Magnetization of herbaceous and tree leaves in a tropical urban environment.

    PubMed

    Barima, Yao Sadaiou Sabas; Angaman, Djédoux Maxime; N'gouran, Kobenan Pierre; Koffi, N'guessan Achille; Kardel, Fatemeh; De Cannière, Charles; Samson, Roeland

    2014-02-01

    Particulate matter (PM) emissions, and the associated human health risks, are likely to continue increasing in urban environments of developing countries like Abidjan (Ivory Cost). This study evaluated the potential of leaves of several herbaceous and tree species as bioindicators of urban particulate matter pollution, and its variation over different land use classes, in a tropical area. Four species well distributed (presence frequencies >90%) over all land use classes, easy to harvest and whose leaves are wide enough to be easily scanned were selected, i.e.: Amaranthus spinosus (Amaranthaceae), Eleusine indica (Poaceae), Panicum maximum (Poaceae) and Ficus benjamina (Moraceae). Leaf sampling of these species was carried out at 3 distances from the road and at 3 height levels. Traffic density was also noted and finally biomagnetic parameters of these leaves were determined. Results showed that Saturation Isothermal Remanent Magnetization (SIRM) of leaves was at least 4 times higher (27.5×10(-6)A) in the vicinity of main roads and industrial areas than in parks and residential areas. The main potential sources of PM pollution were motor vehicles and industries. The slightly hairy leaves of the herbaceous plant A. spinosus and the waxy leaves of the tree F. benjamina showed the highest SIRM (25×10(-6)A). Leaf SIRM increased with distance to road (R(2)>0.40) and declined with sampling height (R(2)=0.17). The distance between 0 and 5m from the road seemed to be the most vulnerable in terms of PM pollution. This study has showed that leaf SIRM of herbaceous and tree species can be used to assess PM exposure in tropical urban environments. © 2013.

  19. Recent abuse from in-laws and associations with adverse experiences during the crisis among rural Ivorian women: extended families as part of the ecological model.

    PubMed

    Falb, Kathryn L; Annan, Jeannie; Hossain, Mazeda; Topolska, Monika; Kpebo, Denise; Gupta, Jhumka

    2013-01-01

    Violence against women in the aftermath of conflict represents a growing area of concern. However, little is known about violence perpetrated by a woman's in-laws and how these experiences may be related to adverse experiences during a crisis. Therefore, guided by the ecological model, the objectives of the following analysis were to (1) document adverse experiences during the crisis among rural Ivorian women and (2) investigate the association between such experiences and abuse perpetrated by partners' extended families, among a sample of women residing in rural Côte d'Ivoire. Utilising data from a baseline survey conducted in 2010, we generated descriptive statistics and used generalised estimating equations to assess the relationships of interest. Women whose family was victimised during the crisis had 1.7 times the odds of reporting past-year in-law abuse compared to those women whose families did not experience such adversity (95% CI: 1.1-2.4), and women who experienced a personal form of adversity had twice the odds of reporting past-year in-law abuse compared to women who did not report victimisation (95% CI: 1.2-3.2). Being forced to flee was not statistically associated with in-law abuse. Findings underscore the importance of addressing in-law abuse in order to promote women's health in post-conflict settings.

  20. Detection of viral RNA by RT-PCR from serum for molecular diagnosis of measles.

    PubMed

    Adagba, M; Akoua-Koffi, C; Traore, I; Smit, S; Ekaza, E; Kadjo, H; Dosso, M; Featherston, D A

    2010-12-01

    Measles continues to be a cause of morbidity and mortality in Côte d'Ivoire although the death rates are weak (2.4%). The monitoring and elimination programme of this disease require a laboratory confirmation testing by diverse methods of diagnosis needing diverse biological products. Serum is usually used for IgM detection. This study has therefore assessed the importance of the measles virus RNA detection from sera of measles suspected cases for confirmation of the case and determination of the genotype. A total of 45 sera tested were split into two groups according to the interval between the rash appearance and the day of blood collection: Group 1 (day 1 to day 3); group (2 day 4 to day 7). Four sera from Group 1 of the 45 (8.9 %) were positive by RT-PCR technique while 10 (22.2%) sera were positive for IgM anti- measles virus by ELISA test. RT-PCR and ELISA showed the same performance in group 1 with a positivity rate of 13.79 %. The B3 genotype was found. This result showed that the viral RNA can be detected in the serum but only from those sera collected the first 3 days after the rash appearance and could be used as palliative in case it is impossible to obtain other biological products.