2022 |
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Journal Articles |
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Ananyo Choudhury, Jean-Tristan Brandenburg, Tinashe Chikowore, Dhriti Sengupta, Palwende Romuald Boua, Nigel J. Crowther, Godfred Agongo, Gershim Asiki, F. Xavier Gómez-Olivé, Isaac Kisiangani, Eric Maimela, Matshane Masemola-Maphutha, Lisa K. Micklesfield, Engelbert A. Nonterah, Shane A. Norris, Hermann Sorgho, Halidou Tinto, Stephen Tollman, Sarah E. Graham, Cristen J. Willer, Scott Hazelhurst, Michèle Ramsay Meta-analysis of sub-Saharan African studies provides insights into genetic architecture of lipid traits. (Journal Article) In: Nature communications, vol. 13, iss. 1, pp. 2578, 2022. (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: *Genome-Wide Association Study, Africa South of the Sahara, Cholesterol, Cross-Sectional Studies, Humans, LDL/genetics) @article{nokey, Genetic associations for lipid traits have identified hundreds of variants with clear differences across European, Asian and African studies. Based on a sub-Saharan-African GWAS for lipid traits in the population cross-sectional AWI-Gen cohort (N = 10,603) we report a novel LDL-C association in the GATB region (P-value=1.56 × 10(-8)). Meta-analysis with four other African cohorts (N = 23,718) provides supporting evidence for the LDL-C association with the GATB/FHIP1A region and identifies a novel triglyceride association signal close to the FHIT gene (P-value =2.66 × 10(-8)). Our data enable fine-mapping of several well-known lipid-trait loci including LDLR, PMFBP1 and LPA. The transferability of signals detected in two large global studies (GLGC and PAGE) consistently improves with an increase in the size of the African replication cohort. Polygenic risk score analysis shows increased predictive accuracy for LDL-C levels with the narrowing of genetic distance between the discovery dataset and our cohort. Novel discovery is enhanced with the inclusion of African data. | |
Dídac Macià, Joseph J. Campo, Gemma Moncunill, Chenjerai Jairoce, Augusto J. Nhabomba, Maximilian Mpina, Hermann Sorgho, David Dosoo, Ousmane Traore, Kwadwo Asamoah Kusi, Nana Aba Williams, Amit Oberai, Arlo Randall, Hèctor Sanz, Clarissa Valim, Kwaku Poku Asante, Seth Owusu-Agyei, Halidou Tinto, Selidji Todagbe Agnandji, Simon Kariuki, Ben Gyan, Claudia Daubenberger, Benjamin Mordmüller, Paula Petrone, Carlota Dobaño Strong off-target antibody reactivity to malarial antigens induced by RTS,S/AS01E vaccination is associated with protection. (Journal Article) In: JCI insight, vol. 7, iss. 10, 2022, ISSN: 2379-3708. (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: *Adaptive immunity, *Antigen, *Epidemiology, *Immunology, *Infectious disease, *Malaria, *Malaria Vaccines, *Malaria/prevention & control, Antibodies, Antigens, Child, Falciparum/prevention & control, Humans, Immunoglobulin G, Infant, Protozoan, Vaccination) @article{nokey, The RTS,S/AS01E vaccine targets the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) of the Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) parasite. Protein microarrays were used to measure levels of IgG against 1000 P. falciparum antigens in 2138 infants (age 6-12 weeks) and children (age 5-17 months) from 6 African sites of the phase III trial, sampled before and at 4 longitudinal visits after vaccination. One month postvaccination, IgG responses to 17% of all probed antigens showed differences between RTS,S/AS01E and comparator vaccination groups, whereas no prevaccination differences were found. A small subset of antigens presented IgG levels reaching 4- to 8-fold increases in the RTS,S/AS01E group, comparable in magnitude to anti-CSP IgG levels (~11-fold increase). They were strongly cross-correlated and correlated with anti-CSP levels, waning similarly over time and reincreasing with the booster dose. Such an intriguing phenomenon may be due to cross-reactivity of anti-CSP antibodies with these antigens. RTS,S/AS01E vaccinees with strong off-target IgG responses had an estimated lower clinical malaria incidence after adjusting for age group, site, and postvaccination anti-CSP levels. RTS,S/AS01E-induced IgG may bind strongly not only to CSP, but also to unrelated malaria antigens, and this seems to either confer, or at least be a marker of, increased protection from clinical malaria. | |
Silene Casari, Monica Di Paola, Elena Banci, Salou Diallo, Luca Scarallo, Sara Renzo, Agnese Gori, Sonia Renzi, Monica Paci, Quirijn Mast, Tal Pecht, Karim Derra, Berenger Kaboré, Halidou Tinto, Duccio Cavalieri, Paolo Lionetti Changing Dietary Habits: The Impact of Urbanization and Rising Socio-Economic Status in Families from Burkina Faso in Sub-Saharan Africa. (Journal Article) In: Nutrients, vol. 14, iss. 9, 2022, ISSN: 2072-6643. (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: *Economic Status, *Urbanization, Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Feeding Behavior, fiber intake, Humans, rural diet, Rural Population, sub-Saharan Africa, Urban Population, urbanization, Western diet) @article{nokey, (1) Background: Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing the fastest urbanization worldwide. People in rural areas still have a traditional and rural lifestyle, whereas the Westernization of diet and lifestyle is already evident in urban areas. This study describes dietary habits of families in Burkina Faso living at different levels of urbanization. (2) Methods: Data on lifestyle, socio-economic conditions, health status and anthropometry were collected from 30 families living in rural villages, a small town and the capital city. A food frequency questionnaire and a 24 h recall diary were used to estimate dietary habits and macronutrients intake. (3) Results: The urban cohort showed a more diversified diet, with a higher intake of animal protein and, especially in children, a higher consumption of simple sugars. Fiber intake was significantly higher in the rural and semi-urbanized cohorts. As expected, overweight and obesity gradually increased with the level of urbanization. In semi-urbanized and urban families, we observed coexistence of under- and over-nutrition, whereas in rural families, a portion of children were wasted and stunted, and adults were underweight. (4) Conclusions: These three cohorts represent a model of the effect on diet of rural-to-urban migration. Rural diet and traditional habits are replaced by a Western-oriented diet when families move to urbanized areas. This dietary transition and increased socio-economic status in newly developing urban areas have a major impact on disease epidemiology, resembling the past evolution in Western countries. | |
Biébo Bihoun, Serge Henri Zango, Maminata Traoré-Coulibaly, Innocent Valea, Raffaella Ravinetto, Jean Pierre Van Geertruyden, Umberto D’Alessandro, Halidou Tinto, Annie Robert Age-modified factors associated with placental malaria in rural Burkina Faso. (Journal Article) In: BMC pregnancy and childbirth, vol. 22, iss. 1, pp. 248, 2022, ISSN: 1471-2393. (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: *Malaria, *Malaria/epidemiology, Adult, Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Falciparum/parasitology, Female, Gravidity, Humans, Malaria, placenta, Placenta/parasitology, Pregnancy, Risk Factors) @article{nokey, BACKGROUND: Malaria in pregnancy can result in placental infection with fetal implications. This study aimed at assessing placental malaria (PM) prevalence and its associated factors in a cohort of pregnant women with peripheral malaria and their offspring. METHOD: The data were collected in the framework of a clinical trial on treatments for malaria in pregnant women . Placental malaria (PM) was diagnosed by histopathological detection of parasites and/or malaria pigment on placenta biopsies taken at delivery. Factors associated with PM were assessed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Out of 745 biopsies examined, PM was diagnosed in 86.8 % of women. Acute, chronic and past PM were retrieved in 11 (1.5 %), 170 (22.8 %), and 466 (62.6 %) women, respectively. A modifying effect was observed in the association of gravidity or anemia at the study start with pooled PM (presence of parasites and/or malaria pigment). In women under 30, gravidity ≤ 2 was associated with an increased prevalence of pooled PM but in women aged 30 years or more, gravidity was no more associated with pooled PM (OR 6.81, 95 % CI 3.18 – 14.60; and OR 0.52, 95 % CI 0.10 – 2.76, respectively). Anemia was associated with pooled PM in women under 30 (OR 1.96, 95 % CI 1.03 – 3.72) but not in women aged 30 years or more (OR 0.68, 95 % CI 0.31 – 1.49). Similarly, the association of gravidity with past-chronic PM depended also on age. A higher prevalence of active PM was observed in women under 30 presenting with symptomatic malaria (OR 3.79, 95 % CI 1.55 – 9.27), while there was no significant increase in the prevalence of active PM (presence of parasites only) in women with symptomatic malaria when aged 30 years or more (OR 0.42, 95 % CI 0.10 – 1.75). In women with chronic PM, the prevalence of low birth weight or prematurity was the highest (31.2 %) as compared with past PM or no PM. CONCLUSION: Despite the rapid diagnosis and efficacious treatment of peripheral infection, the prevalence of placental malaria remained high in women with P. falciparum peripheral infection in Nanoro, especially in younger women This underlines the importance of preventive measures in this specific group. | |
Moussa Lingani, Serge Henri Zango, Innocent Valéa, Georges Somé, Maïmouna Sanou, Sékou O. Samadoulougou, Serge Ouoba, Eli Rouamba, Annie Robert, Michèle Dramaix, Philippe Donnen, Halidou Tinto Low birth weight and its associated risk factors in a rural health district of Burkina Faso: a cross sectional study. (Journal Article) In: BMC pregnancy and childbirth, vol. 22, iss. 1, pp. 228, 2022, ISSN: 1471-2393. (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: *Antimalarials/therapeutic use, *Rural Health, Associated factors, Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Infant, Low Birth Weight, Newborn, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Rural area) @article{nokey, BACKGROUND: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major factor of neonate mortality that particularly affects developing countries. However, the scarcity of data to support decision making to reduce LBW occurrence is a major obstacle in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of LBW at the Yako health district in a rural area of Burkina Faso. METHODS: A cross sectional survey was conducted at four peripheral health centers among mothers and their newly delivered babies. The mothers’ socio-demographic and obstetrical characteristics were collected by face-to-face interview or by review of antenatal care books. Maternal malaria was tested by standard microscopy and neonates’ birth weights were documented. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with LBW. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of 600 neonates examined, the prevalence of low birth weight was 11.0%. Adjustment for socio-demographic characteristic, medical conditions, obstetrical history, malaria prevention measures by multivariate logistic regression found that being a primigravid mother (aOR = 1.8, [95% CI: 1.1-3.0]), the presence of malaria infection (aOR = 1.9, [95% CI: 1.1-3.5]), the uptake of less than three doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for the intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp-SP) (aOR = 2.2, [95% CI: 1.3-3.9]), the presence of maternal fever at the time of delivery (aOR = 2.8, [95% CI: 1.5-5.3]) and being a female neonate (aOR = 1.9, [95% CI: 1.1-3.3]) were independently associated with an increased risk of LBW occurrence. The number of antenatal visits performed by the mother during her pregnancy did not provide any direct protection for low birth weight. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of LBW remained high in the study area. Maternal malaria, fever and low uptake of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine doses were significantly associated with LBW and should be adequately addressed by public health interventions. | |
2021 |
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Journal Articles |
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Rafael Dal-Ré, Linda-Gail Bekker, Christian Gluud, Søren Holm, Vivekanand Jha, Gregory A Poland, Frits R Rosendaal, Brigitte Schwarzer-Daum, Esperanc ca Sevene, Halidou Tinto, Teck Chuan Voo, Nadarajah Sreeharan Ongoing and future COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials: challenges and opportunities (Journal Article) In: Lancet Infect. Dis., vol. 21, no. 11, pp. e342–e347, 2021, ISSN: 1474-4457 1473-3099, (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. PMID: 34019801 PMCID: PMC8131060). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Clinical Trials as Topic, COVID-19 Vaccines/administration & dosage/immunology, COVID-19/epidemiology/immunology/prevention & control/virology, Double-Blind Method, Humans, Immunogenicity, Pandemics/prevention & control, SARS-CoV-2/immunology, Vaccine) @article{Dal-Re2021-mr, Large-scale deployment of COVID-19 vaccines will seriously affect the ongoing phases 2 and 3 randomised placebo-controlled trials assessing SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates. The effect will be particularly acute in high-income countries where the entire adult or older population could be vaccinated by late 2021. Regrettably, only a small proportion of the population in many low-income and middle-income countries will have access to available vaccines. Sponsors of COVID-19 vaccine candidates currently in phase 2 or initiating phase 3 trials in 2021 should consider continuing the research in countries with limited affordability and availability of COVID-19 vaccines. Several ethical principles must be implemented to ensure the equitable, non-exploitative, and respectful conduct of trials in resource-poor settings. Once sufficient knowledge on the immunogenicity response to COVID-19 vaccines is acquired, non-inferiority immunogenicity trials-comparing the immune response of a vaccine candidate to that of an authorised vaccine-would probably be the most common trial design. Until then, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trials will continue to play a role in the development of new vaccine candidates. WHO or the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences should define an ethical framework for the requirements and benefits for trial participants and host communities in resource-poor settings that should require commitment from all vaccine candidate sponsors from high-income countries. | |
Serge Ouoba, Jean Claude Romaric Pingdwinde Ouedraogo, Moussa Lingani, Bunthen E, Md Razeen Ashraf Hussain, Ko Ko, Shintaro Nagashima, Aya Sugiyama, Tomoyuki Akita, Halidou Tinto, Junko Tanaka Epidemiologic profile of hepatitis C virus infection and genotype distribution in Burkina Faso: a systematic review with meta-analysis (Journal Article) In: BMC Infect. Dis., vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 1126, 2021, ISSN: 1471-2334, (© 2021. The Author(s). PMID: 34724902 PMCID: PMC8561994). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Genotype, Hepacivirus/genetics, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis C/epidemiology, Humans, Prevalence, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Seroprevalence, Systematic review) @article{Ouoba2021-ug, BACKGROUND: Detailed characteristics of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Burkina Faso are scarce. The main aim of this study was to assess HCV seroprevalence in various settings and populations at risk in Burkina Faso between 1990 and 2020. Secondary objectives included the prevalence of HCV Ribonucleic acid (RNA) and the distribution of HCV genotypes. METHODS: A systematic database search, supplemented by a manual search, was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and African Index Medicus. Studies reporting HCV seroprevalence data in low and high-risk populations in Burkina Faso were included, and a random-effects meta-analysis was applied. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs institute checklist. RESULTS: Low-risk populations were examined in 31 studies involving a total of 168,151 subjects, of whom 8330 were positive for HCV antibodies. Six studies included a total of 1484 high-risk persons, and 96 had antibodies to HCV. The pooled seroprevalence in low-risk populations was 3.72% (95% CI: 3.20-4.28) and 4.75% (95% CI: 1.79-8.94) in high-risk groups. A non-significant decreasing trend was observed over the study period. Seven studies tested HCV RNA in a total of 4759 individuals at low risk for HCV infection, and 81 were positive. The meta-analysis of HCV RNA yielded a pooled prevalence of 1.65% (95% CI: 0.74-2.89%) in low-risk populations, which is assumed to be indicative of HCV prevalence in the general population of Burkina Faso and suggests that about 301,174 people are active HCV carriers in the country. Genotypes 2 and 1 were the most frequent, with 60.3% and 25.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: HCV seroprevalence is intermediate in Burkina Faso and indicates the need to implement effective control strategies. There is a paucity of data at the national level and for rural and high-risk populations. General population screening and linkage to care are recommended, with special attention to rural and high-risk populations. | |
Mphatso Dennis Phiri, Matthew Cairns, Issaka Zongo, Frederic Nikiema, Modibo Diarra, Rakiswendé Serge Yerbanga, Amadou Barry, Amadou Tapily, Samba Coumare, Ismaila Thera, Irene Kuepfer, Paul Milligan, Halidou Tinto, Alassane Dicko, Jean Bosco Ouédraogo, Brian Greenwood, Daniel Chandramohan, Issaka Sagara In: Clin. Infect. Dis., vol. 73, no. 7, pp. e2379–e2386, 2021, ISSN: 1537-6591 1058-4838, (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. PMID: 33417683 PMCID: PMC8492219). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Antimalarials/therapeutic use, Azithromycin, Azithromycin/therapeutic use, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Chemoprevention, Child, child mortality, Drug Combinations, duration of protection, Humans, Infant, Malaria/drug therapy/epidemiology/prevention & control, Mali/epidemiology, Preschool, Sahel, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, Seasons) @article{Phiri2021-oy, BACKGROUND: Mass drug administration (MDA) with azithromycin (AZ) is being considered as a strategy to promote child survival in sub-Saharan Africa, but the mechanism by which AZ reduces mortality is unclear. To better understand the nature and extent of protection provided by AZ, we explored the profile of protection by time since administration, using data from a household-randomized, placebo-controlled trial in Burkina Faso and Mali. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2016, 30 977 children aged 3-59 months received seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plus amodiaquine and either AZ or placebo monthly, on 4 occasions each year. Poisson regression with gamma-distributed random effects, accounting for the household randomization and within-individual clustering of illness episodes, was used to compare incidence of prespecified outcomes between SMC+AZ versus SMC+placebo groups in fixed time strata post-treatment. The likelihood ratio test was used to assess evidence for a time-treatment group interaction. RESULTS: Relative to SMC+placebo, there was no evidence of protection from SMC+AZ against hospital admissions and deaths. Additional protection from SMC+AZ against malaria was confined to the first 2 weeks post-administration (protective efficacy (PE): 24.2% [95% CI: 17.8%, 30.1%]). Gastroenteritis and pneumonia were reduced by 29.9% [21.7; 37.3%], and 34.3% [14.9; 49.3%], respectively, in the first 2 weeks postadministration. Protection against nonmalaria fevers with a skin condition persisted up to 28 days: PE: 46.3% [35.1; 55.6%]. CONCLUSIONS: The benefits of AZ-MDA are broad-ranging but short-lived. To maximize impact, timing of AZ-MDA must address the challenge of targeting asynchronous morbidity and mortality peaks from different causes. | |
Daniel Chandramohan, Issaka Zongo, Issaka Sagara, Matthew Cairns, Rakiswendé-Serge Yerbanga, Modibo Diarra, Frédéric Niki`ema, Amadou Tapily, Frédéric Sompougdou, Djibrilla Issiaka, Charles Zoungrana, Koualy Sanogo, Alassane Haro, Mahamadou Kaya, Abdoul-Aziz Sienou, Seydou Traore, Almahamoudou Mahamar, Ismaila Thera, Kalifa Diarra, Amagana Dolo, Irene Kuepfer, Paul Snell, Paul Milligan, Christian Ockenhouse, Opokua Ofori-Anyinam, Halidou Tinto, Abdoulaye Djimde, Jean-Bosco Ouédraogo, Alassane Dicko, Brian Greenwood Seasonal malaria vaccination with or without seasonal malaria chemoprevention (Journal Article) In: N. Engl. J. Med., vol. 385, no. 11, pp. 1005–1017, 2021, ISSN: 1533-4406 0028-4793, (Copyright © 2021 Massachusetts Medical Society. Place: United States PMID: 34432975). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Amodiaquine/therapeutic use, Antimalarials/adverse effects/therapeutic use, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Chemoprevention, Combination, Combined Modality Therapy, Double-Blind Method, Drug Combinations, Drug Therapy, Falciparum/epidemiology/mortality/prevention & control, Febrile/etiology, Female, Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Infant, Malaria, Malaria Vaccines/administration & dosage/adverse effects, Male, Mali/epidemiology, Pyrimethamine/therapeutic use, Seasons, Seizures, Sulfadoxine/therapeutic use) @article{Chandramohan2021-qm, BACKGROUND: Malaria control remains a challenge in many parts of the Sahel and sub-Sahel regions of Africa. METHODS: We conducted an individually randomized, controlled trial to assess whether seasonal vaccination with RTS,S/AS01E was noninferior to chemoprevention in preventing uncomplicated malaria and whether the two interventions combined were superior to either one alone in preventing uncomplicated malaria and severe malaria-related outcomes. RESULTS: We randomly assigned 6861 children 5 to 17 months of age to receive sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiaquine (2287 children [chemoprevention-alone group]), RTS,S/AS01E (2288 children [vaccine-alone group]), or chemoprevention and RTS,S/AS01E (2286 children [combination group]). Of these, 1965, 1988, and 1967 children in the three groups, respectively, received the first dose of the assigned intervention and were followed for 3 years. Febrile seizure developed in 5 children the day after receipt of the vaccine, but the children recovered and had no sequelae. There were 305 events of uncomplicated clinical malaria per 1000 person-years at risk in the chemoprevention-alone group, 278 events per 1000 person-years in the vaccine-alone group, and 113 events per 1000 person-years in the combination group. The hazard ratio for the protective efficacy of RTS,S/AS01E as compared with chemoprevention was 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84 to 1.01), which excluded the prespecified noninferiority margin of 1.20. The protective efficacy of the combination as compared with chemoprevention alone was 62.8% (95% CI, 58.4 to 66.8) against clinical malaria, 70.5% (95% CI, 41.9 to 85.0) against hospital admission with severe malaria according to the World Health Organization definition, and 72.9% (95% CI, 2.9 to 92.4) against death from malaria. The protective efficacy of the combination as compared with the vaccine alone against these outcomes was 59.6% (95% CI, 54.7 to 64.0), 70.6% (95% CI, 42.3 to 85.0), and 75.3% (95% CI, 12.5 to 93.0), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of RTS,S/AS01E was noninferior to chemoprevention in preventing uncomplicated malaria. The combination of these interventions resulted in a substantially lower incidence of uncomplicated malaria, severe malaria, and death from malaria than either intervention alone. (Funded by the Joint Global Health Trials and PATH; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03143218.). | |
Isidore Tiandiogo Traoré, Samiratou Ouedraogo, Dramane Kania, Firmin Nongodo Kaboré, Blahima Konaté, Rachel Médah, Hermann Badolo, Nathalie Rekeneire, Ariane Mamguem Kamga, Armel Poda, Arnaud Eric Diendere, Boukary Ouédraogo, Esperance Ouédraogo, Oumar Billa, Halidou Tinto, Tienhan Sandrine Dabakuyo-Yonli COVID-19 epidemiological, sociological and anthropological investigation: study protocol for a multidisciplinary mixed methods research in Burkina Faso (Journal Article) In: BMC Infect. Dis., vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 896, 2021, ISSN: 1471-2334, (© 2021. The Author(s). PMID: 34479501 PMCID: PMC8414025). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Clinical epidemiology, COVID-19, Humans, Predictive score, Prospective Studies, Retrospective Studies, SARS-Cov-2, Sero-epidemiology, Socio-anthropology) @article{Traore2021-vr, BACKGROUND: The world has high hopes of vaccination against COVID-19 to protect the population, boost economies and return to normal life. Vaccination programmes are being rolled out in high income countries, but the pandemic continues to progress in many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) despite implementation of strict hygiene measures. We aim to present a comprehensive research protocol that will generate epidemiological, sociological and anthropological data about the COVID-19 epidemic in Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa with scarce resources. METHODS: We will perform a multidisciplinary research using mixed methods in the two main cities in Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso). Data will be collected in the general population and in COVID-19 patients, caregivers and health care professionals in reference care centers: (i) to determine cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Burkinabe population using blood samples collected from randomly selected households according to the WHO-recommended protocol; (ii) develop a score to predict severe complications of COVID-19 in persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 using retrospective and prospective data; (iii) perform semi-structured interviews and direct observation on site, to describe and analyze the healthcare pathways and experiences of patients with COVID-19 attending reference care centers, and to identify the perceptions, acceptability and application of preventive strategies among the population. DISCUSSION: This study will generate comprehensive data that will contribute to improving COVID-19 response strategies in Burkina Faso. The lessons learned from the management of this epidemic may serve as examples to the country authorities to better design preventive strategies in the case of future epidemics or pandemics. The protocol was approved by the Ministry for Health (N° 2020-00952/MS/CAB/INSP/CM) and the Health Research Ethics Committee in Burkina Faso (N° 2020-8-140). | |
Stephen A Roberts, Loretta Brabin, Halidou Tinto, Sabine Gies, Salou Diallo, Bernard Brabin In: BMC Public Health, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 1764, 2021, ISSN: 1471-2458, (© 2021. The Author(s). PMID: 34579679 PMCID: PMC8477466). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Abnormal vaginal flora, Adolescents, Bacterial vaginosis, Body Mass Index, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Child, Female, Humans, Iron, iron biomarkers, Malaria, Malaria/drug therapy/epidemiology, MUAC, Pregnancy, Seasons, Vagina) @article{Roberts2021-gg, BACKGROUND: Adolescents are considered at high risk of developing iron deficiency. Studies in children indicate that the prevalence of iron deficiency increased with malaria transmission, suggesting malaria seasonally may drive iron deficiency. This paper examines monthly seasonal infection patterns of malaria, abnormal vaginal flora, chorioamnionitis, antibiotic and antimalarial prescriptions, in relation to changes in iron biomarkers and nutritional indices in adolescents living in a rural area of Burkina Faso, in order to assess the requirement for seasonal infection control and nutrition interventions. METHODS: Data collected between April 2011 and January 2014 were available for an observational seasonal analysis, comprising scheduled visits for 1949 non-pregnant adolescents (≤19 years), (315 of whom subsequently became pregnant), enrolled in a randomised trial of periconceptional iron supplementation. Data from trial arms were combined. Body Iron Stores (BIS) were calculated using an internal regression for ferritin to allow for inflammation. At recruitment 11% had low BIS (< 0 mg/kg). Continuous outcomes were fitted to a mixed-effects linear model with month, age and pregnancy status as fixed effect covariates and woman as a random effect. Dichotomous infection outcomes were fitted with analogous logistic regression models. RESULTS: Seasonal variation in malaria parasitaemia prevalence ranged between 18 and 70% in non-pregnant adolescents (P < 0.001), peaking at 81% in those who became pregnant. Seasonal variation occurred in antibiotic prescription rates (0.7-1.8 prescriptions/100 weekly visits, P < 0.001) and chorioamnionitis prevalence (range 15-68%, P = 0.026). Mucosal vaginal lactoferrin concentration was lower at the end of the wet season (range 2-22 μg/ml, P < 0.016), when chorioamnionitis was least frequent. BIS fluctuated annually by up to 53.2% per year around the mean BIS (5.1 mg/kg(2), range 4.1-6.8 mg/kg), with low BIS (< 0 mg/kg) of 8.7% in the dry and 9.8% in the wet seasons (P = 0.36). Median serum transferrin receptor increased during the wet season (P < 0.001). Higher hepcidin concentration in the wet season corresponded with rising malaria prevalence and use of prescriptions, but with no change in BIS. Mean Body Mass Index and Mid-Upper-Arm-Circumference values peaked mid-dry season (both P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis supports preventive treatment of malaria among adolescents 15-19 years to decrease their disease burden, especially asymptomatic malaria. As BIS were adequate in most adolescents despite seasonal malaria, a requirement for programmatic iron supplementation was not substantiated. | |
Adéla"ide Compaoré, Kadija Ouedraogo, Palwende R Boua, Daniella Watson, Sarah H Kehoe, Marie-Louise Newell, Halidou Tinto, Mary Barker, Hermann Sorgho, INPreP group ‘Men are not playing their roles’, maternal and child nutrition in Nanoro, Burkina Faso (Journal Article) In: Public Health Nutr., vol. 24, no. 12, pp. 3780–3790, 2021, ISSN: 1475-2727 1368-9800, (Place: England PMID: 33000717). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Burkina Faso, Child, Child nutrition, Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Community perceptions, Empowerment, Female, Humans, Male, Maternal nutrition, Mothers, Nutritional Status, Pregnancy, Qualitative research) @article{Compaore2021-hg, OBJECTIVE: To collect context-specific insights into maternal and child health and nutrition issues, and to explore potential solutions in Nanoro, Burkina Faso. DESIGN: Eleven focus groups with men and women from eleven communities, facilitated by local researchers. SETTING: The study took place in the Nanoro Health district, in the West-Central part of Burkina Faso. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-six men (18-55 years) and women by age group: 18-25; 26-34 and 35-55 years, participated in the group discussions. RESULTS: Participants described barriers to optimal nutrition of mothers and children related to a range of community factors, with gender inequality as central. Major themes in the discussions are related to poverty and challenges generated by socially and culturally determined gender roles. Sub-themes are women lacking access to food whilst pregnant and having limited access to health care and opportunities to generate income. Although communities believe that food donations should be implemented to overcome this, they also pointed out the need for enhancing their own food production, requiring improved agricultural technologies. Given the important role that women could play in reducing malnutrition, these communities felt they needed to be empowered to do so and supported by men. They also felt that this had to be carried out in the context of an enhanced health care system. CONCLUSIONS: Findings reported here highlight the importance of nutrition-sensitive interventions and women’s empowerment in improving maternal and child nutrition. There is a need to integrate a sustainable multi-sectorial approach which goes beyond food support. | |
Koudraogo Bienvenue Yaméogo, Rakiswendé Serge Yerbanga, Seydou Bienvenu Ouattara, Franck A Yao, Thierry Lef`evre, Issaka Zongo, Frederic Niki`ema, Yves Daniel Compaoré, Halidou Tinto, Daniel Chandramohan, Brian Greenwood, Adrien M G Belem, Anna Cohuet, Jean Bosco Ouédraogo Effect of seasonal malaria chemoprevention plus azithromycin on Plasmodium falciparum transmission: gametocyte infectivity and mosquito fitness (Journal Article) In: Malar. J., vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 326, 2021, ISSN: 1475-2875, (© 2021. The Author(s). PMID: 34315475 PMCID: PMC8314489). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Amodiaquine/administration & dosage, Animals, Antimalarials/administration & dosage, Chemoprevention, Child, Culicidae/physiology, Drug Combinations, Falciparum/prevention & control/transmission, Gametocytes, Genetic Fitness, Humans, Malaria, Plasmodium falciparum/physiology, Preschool, Pyrimethamine/administration & dosage, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, Seasons, Sulfadoxine/administration & dosage, Transmission) @article{Yameogo2021-bb, BACKGROUND: Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) consists of administration of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) + amodiaquine (AQ) at monthly intervals to children during the malaria transmission period. Whether the addition of azithromycin (AZ) to SMC could potentiate the benefit of the intervention was tested through a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. The effect of SMC and the addition of AZ, on malaria transmission and on the life history traits of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes have been investigated. METHODS: The study included 438 children randomly selected from among participants in the SMC + AZ trial and 198 children from the same area who did not receive chemoprevention. For each participant in the SMC + AZ trial, blood was collected 14 to 21 days post treatment, examined for the presence of malaria sexual and asexual stages and provided as a blood meal to An. gambiae females using a direct membrane-feeding assay. RESULTS: The SMC treatment, with or without AZ, significantly reduced the prevalence of asexual Plasmodium falciparum (LRT X(2)(2) = 69, P < 0.0001) and the gametocyte prevalence (LRT X(2)(2) = 54, P < 0.0001). In addition, the proportion of infectious feeds (LRT X(2)(2) = 61, P < 0.0001) and the prevalence of oocysts among exposed mosquitoes (LRT X(2)(2) = 22.8, P < 0.001) was reduced when mosquitoes were fed on blood from treated children compared to untreated controls. The addition of AZ to SPAQ was associated with an increased proportion of infectious feeds (LRT X(2)(1) = 5.2, P = 0.02), suggesting a significant effect of AZ on gametocyte infectivity. There was a slight negative effect of SPAQ and SPAQ + AZ on mosquito survival compared to mosquitoes fed with blood from control children (LRTX(2)(2) = 330, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that SMC may contribute to a reduction in human to mosquito transmission of P. falciparum, and the reduced mosquito longevity observed for females fed on treated blood may increase the benefit of this intervention in control of malaria. The addition of AZ to SPAQ in SMC appeared to enhance the infectivity of gametocytes providing further evidence that this combination is not an appropriate intervention. | |
Navideh Noori, Karim Derra, Innocent Valea, Assaf P Oron, Aminata Welgo, Toussaint Rouamba, Palwende Romuald Boua, Athanase M Somé, Eli Rouamba, Edward Wenger, Hermann Sorgho, Halidou Tinto, Andre Lin Ouédraogo Patterns of child mortality in rural area of Burkina Faso: evidence from the Nanoro health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) (Journal Article) In: BMC Public Health, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 1425, 2021, ISSN: 1471-2458, (© 2021. The Author(s). PMID: 34281547 PMCID: PMC8287796). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, child mortality, ChildHealth Facilities, Children under 5, Demographic surveillance, HDSS, Humans, Infant, Malaria, Nanoro, Spatial analysis, Travel) @article{Noori2021-te, BACKGROUND: Half of global child deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding child mortality patterns and risk factors will help inform interventions to reduce this heavy toll. The Nanoro Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), Burkina Faso was described previously, but patterns and potential drivers of heterogeneity in child mortality in the district had not been studied. Similar studies in other districts indicated proximity to health facilities as a risk factor, usually without distinction between facility types. METHODS: Using Nanoro HDSS data from 2009 to 2013, we estimated the association between under-5 mortality and proximity to inpatient and outpatient health facilities, seasonality of death, age group, and standard demographic risk factors. RESULTS: Living in homes 40-60 min and > 60 min travel time from an inpatient facility was associated with 1.52 (95% CI: 1.13-2.06) and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.27-2.40) greater hazard of under-5 mortality, respectively, than living in homes < 20 min from an inpatient facility. No such association was found for outpatient facilities. The wet season (July-November) was associated with 1.28 (95% CI: 1.07, 1.53) higher under-5 mortality than the dry season (December-June), likely reflecting the malaria season. CONCLUSIONS: Our results emphasize the importance of geographical proximity to health care, distinguish between inpatient and outpatient facilities, and also show a seasonal effect, probably driven by malaria. | |
Marie Jaspard, Mamadou Saliou Sow, Sylvain Juchet, Eric Dienderé, Beatrice Serra, Richard Kojan, Billy Sivahera, Caroline Martin, Moumouni Kinda, Hans-Joerg Lang, Fodé Bangaly Sako, Fodé Amara Traoré, Eudoxie Koumbem, Halidou Tinto, Adama Sanou, Apoline Sondo, Flavien Kaboré, Joseph Donamou, Jean-Paul-Yassa Guilavogui, Fanny Velardo, Brice Bicaba, Olivier Marcy, Augustin Augier, Sani Sayadi, Armel Poda, Sakoba Keita, Xavier Anglaret, Denis Malvy, COVISTA group Clinical presentation, outcomes and factors associated with mortality: A prospective study from three COVID-19 referral care centres in West Africa (Journal Article) In: Int. J. Infect. Dis., vol. 108, pp. 45–52, 2021, ISSN: 1878-3511 1201-9712, (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved. PMID: 34000419 PMCID: PMC8120805). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Adult, Aged, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Comorbidities, COVID-19, Female, Hospitalization, Humans, Male, Mortality, Prospective Studies, Referral and Consultation, SARS-Cov-2, sub-Saharan Africa) @article{Jaspard2021-bl, OBJECTIVES: The overall death toll from COVID-19 in Africa is reported to be low but there is little individual-level evidence on the severity of the disease. This study examined the clinical spectrum and outcome of patients monitored in COVID-19 care centres (CCCs) in two West-African countries. METHODS: Burkina Faso and Guinea set up referral CCCs to hospitalise all symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers, regardless of the severity of their symptoms. Data collected from hospitalised patients by November 2020 are presented. RESULT: A total of 1,805 patients (64% men, median age 41 years) were admitted with COVID-19. Symptoms lasted for a median of 7 days (IQR 4-11). During hospitalisation, 443 (25%) had a SpO2 < 94% at least once, 237 (13%) received oxygen and 266 (15%) took corticosteroids. Mortality was 5% overall, and 1%, 5% and 14% in patients aged <40, 40-59 and $geq$60 years, respectively. In multivariable analysis, the risk of death was higher in men (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1; 3.6), people aged $geq$60 years (aOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.7; 4.8) and those with chronic hypertension (aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2; 3.4). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 is as severe in Africa as elsewhere, and there must be more vigilance for common risk factors such as older age and hypertension. | |
Mariken Wit, Matthew Cairns, Yves Daniel Compaoré, Issaka Sagara, Irene Kuepfer, Issaka Zongo, Amadou Barry, Modibo Diarra, Amadou Tapily, Samba Coumare, Ismaila Thera, Frederic Nikiema, R Serge Yerbanga, Rosemonde M Guissou, Halidou Tinto, Alassane Dicko, Daniel Chandramohan, Brian Greenwood, Jean Bosco Ouedraogo Nutritional status in young children prior to the malaria transmission season in Burkina Faso and Mali, and its impact on the incidence of clinical malaria (Journal Article) In: Malar. J., vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 274, 2021, ISSN: 1475-2875, (PMID: 34158054 PMCID: PMC8220741). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Acute malnutrition, Antimalarials/administration & dosage, Azithromycin/administration & dosage, Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Child, Chronic malnutrition, Female, Humans, Incidence, Infant, Malaria, Malaria/epidemiology/transmission, Male, Nutritional Status, Preschool, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, Seasons) @article{De_Wit2021-yi, BACKGROUND: Malaria and malnutrition remain major problems in Sahel countries, especially in young children. The direct effect of malnutrition on malaria remains poorly understood, and may have important implications for malaria control. In this study, nutritional status and the association between malnutrition and subsequent incidence of symptomatic malaria were examined in children in Burkina Faso and Mali who received either azithromycin or placebo, alongside seasonal malaria chemoprevention. METHODS: Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) was measured in all 20,185 children who attended a screening visit prior to the malaria transmission season in 2015. Prior to the 2016 malaria season, weight, height and MUAC were measured among 4149 randomly selected children. Height-for-age, weight-for-age, weight-for-height, and MUAC-for-age were calculated as indicators of nutritional status. Malaria incidence was measured during the following rainy seasons. Multivariable random effects Poisson models were created for each nutritional indicator to study the effect of malnutrition on clinical malaria incidence for each country. RESULTS: In both 2015 and 2016, nutritional status prior to the malaria season was poor. The most prevalent form of malnutrition in Burkina Faso was being underweight (30.5%; 95% CI 28.6-32.6), whereas in Mali stunting was most prevalent (27.5%; 95% CI 25.6-29.5). In 2016, clinical malaria incidence was 675 per 1000 person-years (95% CI 613-744) in Burkina Faso, and 1245 per 1000 person-years (95% CI 1152-1347) in Mali. There was some evidence that severe stunting was associated with lower incidence of malaria in Mali (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.64-1.02; p = 0.08), but this association was not seen in Burkina Faso. Being moderately underweight tended to be associated with higher incidence of clinical malaria in Burkina Faso (RR 1.27; 95% CI 0.98-1.64; p = 0.07), while this was the case in Mali for moderate wasting (RR 1.27; 95% CI 0.98-1.64; p = 0.07). However, these associations were not observed in severely affected children, nor consistent between countries. MUAC-for-age was not associated with malaria risk. CONCLUSIONS: Both malnutrition and malaria were common in the study areas, high despite high coverage of seasonal malaria chemoprevention and long-lasting insecticidal nets. However, no strong or consistent evidence was found for an association between any of the nutritional indicators and the subsequent incidence of clinical malaria. | |
Paul Sondo, Biebo Bihoun, Bérenger Kabore, Marc Christian Tahita, Karim Derra, Toussaint Rouamba, Seydou Nakanabo Diallo, Adama Kazienga, Hamidou Ilboudo, Innocent Valea, Zekiba Tarnagda, Hermann Sorgho, Thierry Lefevre, Halidou Tinto Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum parasites and mutations in the resistance genes Pfcrt and Pfmdr1 in Nanoro area, Burkina Faso. (Journal Article) In: Pan Afr. Med. J., vol. 39, pp. 118, 2021, ISSN: 1937-8688, (Copyright: Paul Sondo et al. PMID: 34512854 PMCID: PMC8396377). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Antimalarials/pharmacology, Burkina Faso, Drug Resistance, Falciparum/drug therapy/parasitology, GeneticRestriction Fragment Length, Genotype, Humans, Malaria, Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics, msp1, msp2, Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins/genetics, Mutation, Pfcrt, Pfmdr1, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium falciparum/drug effects/genetics/isolation & purification, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Polymorphism, Protozoan Proteins/genetics) @article{Sondo2021-qe, Introduction: from a genetic point of view P. falciparumis extremely polymorphic. There is a variety of parasite strains infesting individuals living in malaria endemic areas. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum parasites and Pfcrt and Pfmdr1 gene mutations in Nanoro area, Burkina Faso. Methods: blood samples from plasmodium carriers residing in the Nanoro Health District were genotyped using nested PCR. Parasite gene mutations associated with resistance to antimalarial drugs were detected by PCR-RFLP. Results: samples of 672 patients were successfully genotyped. No msp1and msp2allelic families exhibited an increase in developing mutations in resistance genes. However, mutant strains of these genes were present at greater levels in monoclonal infections than in multi-clonal infections. Conclusion: this study provides an overview of the relationship between polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum parasites and mutations in resistance genes. These data will undoubtedly contribute to improving knowledge of the parasite´s biology and its mechanisms of resistance to antimalarial drugs. | |
Annelies Post, Berenger Kaboré, Mike Berendsen, Salou Diallo, Ousmane Traore, Rob J W Arts, Mihai G Netea, Leo A B Joosten, Halidou Tinto, Jan Jacobs, Quirijn Mast, André Ven In: Front. Immunol., vol. 12, pp. 614817, 2021, ISSN: 1664-3224, (Copyright © 2021 Post, Kaboré, Berendsen, Diallo, Traore, Arts, Netea, Joosten, Tinto, Jacobs, de Mast and van der Ven. PMID: 34177883 PMCID: PMC8220162). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Asymptomatic Diseases, asymptomatic malaria, bacteraemia, Bacteremia, bloodstream infection, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Cells, Child, Cultured, Cytokines/metabolism, Endemic Diseases, Female, Humans, Infant, iNTS, Lipopolysaccharides/immunology, Malaria/epidemiology/immunology, Male, Parasite Load, Plasmodium falciparum/physiology, Preschool, Salmonella) @article{Post2021-oo, Introduction: Patients with clinical malaria have an increased risk for bacterial bloodstream infections. We hypothesized that asymptomatic malaria parasitemia increases susceptibility for bacterial infections through an effect on the innate immune system. We measured circulating cytokine levels and ex-vivo cytokine production capacity in asymptomatic malaria and compared with controls. Methods: Data were collected from asymptomatic participants <5 years old with and without positive malaria microscopy, as well as from hospitalized patients <5 years old with clinical malaria, bacteremia, or malaria/bacteremia co-infections in a malaria endemic region of Burkina Faso. Circulating cytokines (TNF-$alpha$, IFN-$gamma$, IL-6, IL-10) were measured using multiplex assays. Whole blood from asymptomatic participants with and without positive malaria microscopy were ex-vivo stimulated with S. aureus, E. coli LPS and Salmonella Typhimurium; cytokine concentrations (TNF-$alpha$, IFN-$gamma$, IL-1$beta$, IL-6, IL-10) were measured on supernatants using ELISA. Results: Included were children with clinical malaria (n=118), bacteremia (n=22), malaria and bacteremia co-infection (n=9), asymptomatic malaria (n=125), and asymptomatic controls (n=237). Children with either clinical or asymptomatic malaria had higher plasma cytokine concentrations than controls. Cytokine concentrations correlated positively with malaria parasite density with the strongest correlation for IL-10 in both asymptomatic (r=0.63) and clinical malaria (r=0.53). Patients with bacteremia had lower circulating IL-10, TNF-$alpha$ and IFN-$gamma$ and higher IL-6 concentrations, compared to clinical malaria. Ex-vivo whole blood cytokine production to LPS and S. aureus was significantly lower in asymptomatic malaria compared to controls. Whole blood IFN-$gamma$ and IL-10 production in response to Salmonella was also lower in asymptomatic malaria. Interpretation: In children with asymptomatic malaria, cytokine responses upon ex-vivo bacterial stimulation are downregulated. Further studies are needed to explore if the suggested impaired innate immune response to bacterial pathogens also translates into impaired control of pathogens such as Salmonella spp. | |
Paul Sondo, Marc Christian Tahita, Toussaint Rouamba, Karim Derra, Bérenger Kaboré, Cheick Sa"id Compaoré, Florence Ouédraogo, Eli Rouamba, Hamidou Ilboudo, Estelle A"issa Bambara, Macaire Nana, Edmond Yabré Sawadogo, Hermann Sorgho, Athanase Mwinessobaonfou Somé, Innocent Valéa, Prabin Dahal, Maminata Traoré/Coulibaly, Halidou Tinto In: Trials, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 360, 2021, ISSN: 1745-6215, (PMID: 34030705 PMCID: PMC8142067). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Antimalarials/adverse effects, Burkina Faso/epidemiology, Chemoprevention, Child, Child Nutrition Disorders, Dietary Supplements, Humans, Infant, Malaria, Malaria/diagnosis/epidemiology/prevention & control, Malnutrition, Malnutrition/diagnosis/drug therapy/prevention & control, Pharmaceutical Preparations, Plumpy’Doz™, Preschool, Randomized controlled trial, Seasonal chemoprevention, Seasons, Vitamin A, Vitamin A/adverse effects, Zinc) @article{Sondo2021-kc, BACKGROUND: Malaria and malnutrition represent major public health concerns worldwide especially in Sub-Sahara Africa. Despite implementation of seasonal malaria chemoprophylaxis (SMC), an intervention aimed at reducing malaria incidence among children aged 3-59 months, the burden of malaria and associated mortality among children below age 5 years remains high in Burkina Faso. Malnutrition, in particular micronutrient deficiency, appears to be one of the potential factors that can negatively affect the effectiveness of SMC. Treating micronutrient deficiencies is known to reduce the incidence of malaria in highly prevalent malaria zone such as rural settings. Therefore, we hypothesized that a combined strategy of SMC together with a daily oral nutrients supplement will enhance the immune response and decrease the incidence of malaria and malnutrition among children under SMC coverage. METHODS: Children (6-59 months) under SMC coverage receiving vitamin A supplementation will be randomly assigned to one of the three study arms (a) SMC + vitamin A alone, (b) SMC + vitamin A + zinc, or (c) SMC + vitamin A + Plumpy’Doz™ using 1:1:1 allocation ratio. After each SMC monthly distribution, children will be visited at home to confirm drug administration and followed-up for 1 year. Anthropometric indicators will be recorded at each visit and blood samples will be collected for microscopy slides, haemoglobin measurement, and spotted onto filter paper for further PCR analyses. The primary outcome measure is the incidence of malaria in each arm. Secondary outcome measures will include mid-upper arm circumference and weight gain from baseline measurements, coverage and compliance to SMC, occurrence of adverse events (AEs), and prevalence of molecular markers of antimalarial resistance comprising Pfcrt, Pfmdr1, Pfdhfr, and Pfdhps. DISCUSSION: This study will demonstrate an integrated strategy of malaria and malnutrition programmes in order to mutualize resources for best impact. By relying on existing strategies, the policy implementation of this joint intervention will be scalable at country and regional levels. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04238845 . Registered on 23 January 2020 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04238845. | |
Joel D Bognini, Sekou Samadoulougou, Mady Ouedraogo, Tiga David Kangoye, Carine Van Malderen, Halidou Tinto, Fati Kirakoya-Samadoulougou In: Int. J. Equity Health, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 124, 2021, ISSN: 1475-9276, (PMID: 34020665 PMCID: PMC8140517). (Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Adolescent, Adult, Child, Children under five, Delivery of Health Care/economics, Female, Health Care Surveys, Healthcare Disparities/economics/statistics & numerical data, Healthcare utilization, Humans, Infant, Male, Parents/psychology, Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data, Preschool, Sierra Leone, Socioeconomic Factors, Young Adult) @article{Bognini2021-mk, BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic inequalities between and within countries lead to disparities in the use of health services. These disparities could lead to child mortality in children under 5 years by depriving them of healthcare. Therefore, initiatives to remove healthcare fees such as the Free Healthcare Initiative (FHCI) adopted in Sierra Leone can contribute to reducing these inequities in healthcare-seeking for children. This study aimed to assess the socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare-seeking for children under 5 years of age before and after the implementation of the FHCI. METHODS: Data were included on 1207, 2815, 1633, and 1476 children under 5 years of age with fever from the 2008, 2013, 2016, and 2019 nationwide surveys, respectively. Concentration curves were drawn for the period before (2008) and after (2013-2019) the implementation of the FHCI to assess socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare-seeking. Finally, Erreyger’s corrected concentration indices were calculated to understand the magnitude of these inequalities. RESULTS: Before the implementation of the FHCI, there were inequalities in healthcare-seeking for children under five (Erreyger’s corrected concentration index (CI) = 0.168, standard error (SE) = 0.049; p < 0.001) in favor of the wealthy households. These inequalities decreased after the implementation of the FHCI (CI = 0.061, SE = 0.033; p = 0.06 in 2013, CI = 0.039, SE = 0.04; p = 0.32 in 2016, and CI = - 0.0005, SE = 0.362; p = 0.98 in 2019). Furthermore, before the implementation of the FHCI, a significant pro-rich inequality in the districts of Kenema (CI = 0.117, SE = 0.168, p = 0.021), Kono (CI = 0.175, SE = 0.078, p = 0.028) and Western Area Urban (CI = 0.070, SE = 0.032, p = 0.031) has been observed. After the implementation of the FHCI in 2019, these disparities were reduced, 11 of the 14 districts had a CI around the value of equality, and only in 2 districts the pro-rich inequality were significant (Western Area Urban (CI = 0.035, SE = 0.016, p = 0.039) and Western Area Rural (CI = 0.066, SE = 0.030, p = 0.027)). CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that socio-economic inequalities in healthcare-seeking for children have been considerably reduced after the FHCI in Sierra Leone. To further reduce these inequalities, policy actions can focus on the increase of availability of health services in the districts where the healthcare-seeking remained pro-rich. |
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