Project description:Using Ziehl-Neelsen-positive slides collected from tuberculosis diagnostic centers in Burkina Faso, we showed that 20% of 80 spoligotyping-positive DNA samples had a characteristic Mycobacterium africanum-specific genomic signature. This result suggests that M. africanum is still present in Burkina Faso at almost the same prevalence as 15-20 years ago.
Project description:Mycobacterium leprae was detected by optical microscopy, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and molecular detection in feces collected for the diagnosis of Entamoeba coli enteritis in a leprosy patient in Burkina Faso. This observation raises questions about the role of fecal excretion of M. leprae in the natural history and diagnosis of leprosy.
Project description:We report the first case of a pulmonary infection with Mycobacterium sherrisii in a patient with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection. Mycobacterium sherrisii is a newly described nontuberculous mycobacterium related to Mycobacterium simiae. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used for species identification. Treatment and antibiotic susceptibilities are described.
Project description:Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, and it remains underdiagnosed in Burkina Faso. We investigated the use of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) for detecting M. leprae in 27 skin samples (skin biopsy samples, slit skin samples, and skin lesion swabs) collected from 21 patients from Burkina Faso and three from Côte d'Ivoire who were suspected of having cutaneous leprosy. In all seven Ziehl-Neelsen-positive skin samples (four skin biopsy samples and three skin swabs collected from the same patient), FISH specifically identified M. leprae, including one FISH-positive skin biopsy sample that remained negative after testing with PCR targeting the rpoB gene and with the GenoType LepraeDR assay. Twenty other skin samples and three negative controls all remained negative for Ziehl-Neelsen staining, FISH, and rpoB PCR. These data indicate the usefulness of a microscopic examination of skin samples after FISH for first-line diagnosis of cutaneous leprosy. Accordingly, FISH represents a potentially useful point-of-care test for the diagnosis of cutaneous leprosy.
Project description:New insights into the morphology and taxonomy of the Acrocephalus baeticatus / scirpaceus species complex based on a newly found West African syntopic population.
Project description:Surveys were conducted in 2016 and 2017 across the main cassava-growing regions of Burkina Faso to assess the status of cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and to determine the virus strains causing the disease, using field observation and phylogenetic analysis. CMD incidence varied between regions and across years but was lowest in Hauts-Bassins (6.0%, 2016 and 5.4%, 2017) and highest in Centre-Sud (18.5%, 2016) and in Boucle du Mouhoun (51.7%, 2017). The lowest CMD severity was found in Est region (2.0) for both years and the highest in Sud-Ouest region (3.3, 2016) and Centre-Sud region (2.8, 2017). The CMD infection was primarily associated with contaminated cuttings in all regions except in Hauts-Bassins, where whitefly-borne infection was higher than cuttings-borne infection in 2016. PCR screening of 687 samples coupled with sequence analysis revealed the presence of African cassava mosaic-like (ACMV-like) viruses and East African cassava mosaic-like (EACMV-like) viruses as single infections at 79.5% and 1.1%, respectively. Co-infections of ACMV-like and EACMV-like viruses were detected in 19.4% of the tested samples. In addition, 86.7% of the samples positive for EACMV-like virus were found to be positive for East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus (EACMCMV). Phylogenetic analysis revealed the segregation of cassava mosaic geminiviruses (CMGs) from Burkina Faso into three clades specific to ACMV, African cassava mosaic Burkina Faso virus (ACMBFV), and EACMCMV, confirming the presence of these viruses. The results of this study show that EACMCMV occurrence may be more prevalent in Burkina Faso than previously thought.
Project description:We identified influenza A(H9N2) virus G1 lineage in poultry in Burkina Faso. Urgent actions are needed to raise awareness about the risk associated with spread of this zoonotic virus subtype in the area and to construct a strategy for effective prevention and control of influenza caused by this virus.
Project description:'Mycobacterium sherrisii' is an undescribed species that appears to be emerging, in particular, among HIV-positive patients originating from Africa. To describe 'M. sherrisii', to ensure that the species name is validly published and to define its phylogenetic position, we collected 11 of these strains reported in five previous studies, and subjected them to biochemical identification, cell-wall mycolic acid analysis and sequencing of multiple housekeeping genes. The bacteria formed smooth and generally non-chromogenic colonies after 2-3 weeks of subculture at 24-37 °C; photochromogenic and scotochromogenic pigmentation were exhibited by three and two strains, respectively. The strains were positive for the heat-stable catalase test, but negative in tests for hydrolysis of Tween 80, nitrate reduction, β-glucosidase and 3-day arylsulfatase. Mycolic acid patterns, obtained by HPLC, resembled a trimodal profile similar to those of type strains of Mycobacterium simiae, Mycobacterium lentiflavum, Mycobacterium triplex and Mycobacterium genavense. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the 11 strains differed by 4 bp (99.7 % similarity) from that of the type strain of the closest related species, M. simiae ATCC 25275(T). Levels of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial hsp65 and rpoB gene sequence similarity between the two taxa were 95.8 % (271/283 bp), 97.5 % (391/401 bp) and 95.2 % (700/735 bp), respectively. On the basis of these results, we propose the formal recognition of Mycobacterium sherrisii sp. nov. The type strain is 4773(T) ( = ATCC BAA-832(T) = DSM 45441(T)).
Project description:Problem:In Burkina Faso, the coverage of services for family planning is low due to shortage of qualified health staff and limited access to services. Approach:Following the launch of the Ouagadougou Partnership, an alliance to catalyse the expansion of family planning services, the health ministry created a consortium of family planning stakeholders in 2011. The consortium adopted a collaborative framework to implement a pilot project for task sharing in family planning at community and primary health-care centre levels in two rural districts. Stakeholders were responsible for their areas of expertise. These areas included advocacy; monitoring and evaluation; and capacity development of community health workers (CHWs) to offer oral and injectable contraceptives to new users and of auxiliary nurses and auxiliary midwives to provide implants and intrauterine devices. The health ministry implemented supportive supervision cascades involving relevant planning and service levels. Local setting:In Burkina Faso, only 15% (2563/17 087) of married women used modern contraceptives in 2010. Relevant changes:Adoption of new policies and clinical care standards expanded task sharing roles in family planning. The consortium trained a total of 79 CHWs and 124 auxiliary nurses and midwives. Between January 2017 and December 2018, CHWs provided injectables to 3698 new users, and auxiliary nurses or midwives provided 726 intrauterine devices and 2574 implants to new users. No safety issues were reported. Lessons learnt:The pilot project was feasible and safe, however, financial constraints are hindering scale-up efforts. Supportive supervision cascades were critical in ensuring success.