[Attitude of private pharmacists in the dispensation of asthma drugs]. / Attitude du pharmacien d'officine dans la dispensation des médicaments de l'asthme.

INTRODUCTION: Despite recommendations, asthma remains poorly controlled in many countries. Asthmatic patients see pharmacy staff regularly to obtain medications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the attitude of pharmacists in Burkina Faso about dispensing asthma drugs. METHOD: A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was used to collect data in a descriptive cross-sectional study related to pharmacists' attitudes in the management of asthma in the city of Ouagadougou (November 2010-June 2011). RESULTS: The rate of participation of pharmacists in the study was 82.4%. Of the pharmacists surveyed, 70.1% reported having received asthma patients both during acute asthma exacerbations and when stable. Only 9% of pharmacists insisted on a prescription when asthma patients came to the pharmacy without one. A total of 73.6% of pharmacists explained and demonstrated how to use the spray to the patients. Among pharmacists who demonstrated how to use devices, only 6.7% actually checked patients' technique. Inhaler technique demonstration was done verbally in 68.8% of case. Among pharmacists, 34.5% reported a good mastery of inhaler techniques. CONCLUSION: The techniques for dispensing asthma drugs are not well established among pharmacists and therefore the provision of continuous medical education to pharmacists is important.

[The fight against rabies in Africa: from recognition to action]. / Lutte contre la rage en Afrique: du constat à l'action.

As a follow-up to the first AfroREB (Africa Rabies Expert Bureau) meeting, held in Grand-Bassam (Côte-d'Ivoire) in March 2008, African rabies experts of the Afro-REB network met a second time to complete the evaluation of the rabies situation in Africa and define specific action plans. About forty French speaking rabies specialists from Northern, Western and Central Africa and Madagascar met in Dakar (Senegal), from March 16th to 19th, 2009. With the participation of delegates from Tunisia, who joined the AfroREB network this year, 15 French speaking African countries were represented. Experts from the Institut Pasteur in Paris, the Alliance for Rabies Control, and the Southern and Eastern African Rabies Group (SEARG, a network of rabies experts from 19 English speaking Southern and Eastern African countries) were in attendance, to participate in the discussion and share their experiences. AfroREB members documented 146 known human rabies cases in all represented countries combined for 2008, for a total population of 209.3 million, or an incidence of 0.07 cases per 100,000 people. Even admitting that the experts do not have access to all reported cases, this is far from the WHO estimation of 2 rabies deaths per 100,000 people in urban areas and 3.6 per 100,000 in rural Africa. It was unanimously agreed that the priority is to break the vicious cycle of indifference and lack of information which is the main barrier to human rabies prevention.

[Salmonella meningitis in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 2000 to 2004]. / Méningites dues à Salmonella au CHU de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (2000-2004).

56 strains of Salmonella were isolated from the cerebro-spinal fluids (CSF) from meningitis suspected patients at the Yalgado-Ouédraogo University hospital center in Burkina Faso, from January 2000 to December 2004. 75% of the patients were less than 3 years old; 71.4% of the CSF were purulent, with an average of 523 leucocytes/mm3 and 78% of neutrophile polynuclears. The strains identified belonged mostly to Salmonella O: 4.5 group (51.8%). In vitro, 92.7% of the strains were resistant to ampicillin and this resistance was partially restored with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid; however no strain was resistant to ceftriaxone. For the overall 56 patients, 20 different antibiotherapy regimes were used and they were successful in only 27% cases while 71% of patients died and 2% escaped from the hospital. Neurologic sequels were found in a patient treated with both ceftriaxone and chloramphenicol. These results showed that the illness occurred mainly in infants and was associated with high mortality rate. Most of the Salmonella strains were multi-drug resistant. In spite of strains multi-antibiotics resistance, adequate definition of therapeutic lines and early treatment including ceftriaxone could lead to higher cure rates and may improve the outcome.

[W135 meningococcus meningitis: study of 148 cases observed in 2002 and 2003 at the National Teaching Hospital of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso]. / Méningites à méningocoque du sérogroupe W135: étude de 148 cas observes en 2002 et en 2003 au CHU-YO de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The purpose of this report is to describe the bacteriological features, clinical signs and therapeutic outcome of 148 cases of W135 meningococcus meningitis observed during meningitis outbreaks in Burkina Faso in 2002 and 2003. Diagnosis was based on microbiological study of cerebrospinal fluid. Cases of meningococcus meningitis were recorded throughout the study period with the peak number of cases occurring around the 14th week. There was a slight male predominance (56.1%) and young patients between one and 15 years accounted for 81.7% of cases. The mean interval between onset of symptoms and hospitalization was 2.6 days and the mean duration of hospitalization was 5.5 days. The most common clinical signs were fever (98.6%), stiff neck (90.5%),Brudzinski's sign (85.1%),Kernig's sign (66.2%), altered consciousness (41.9%), vomiting (36.5%) and headaches (34.5%). In most cases treatment with a singie dose of chiorazuphenicol in oil was curative. Overall mortality was 15.5% idth no correlation with sex or age. Seventeen of the 23 deaths occurred within 24 hours after their admission to the hospital. The other six deaths occurred on the second day after admission inS cases and fifth day in one case. Convulsions, shock and altered consciousness were consistent poor prognostic signs. A correlation was found between mortality and interval for hospitalization with better survival in patients receiving prompt treatment. Study of the susceptibility of 102 samples showed that W135 meningococcus was sensitive to penicillin G, ampicillin,ceftriaxone and chloramphenicol but resistant to sulfamides (cotrimoxazole). Bacterial meningitis is an Important factor of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Our findings indicate that the bacteriological, clinical and epidemiological characteristics of W135 meningococcus is do not differ greatly from those of meningococcus A. Since W135 meningitis is susceptible to antibiotics used to cure meningitis, campaigns to promote early detection and treatment must be continued.

[Apropos of a case of rabies occurring despite vaccination after exposure]. / A propos d'un cas de rage survenu malgré une vaccination après exposition.

Rabies is endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. Control is based on vaccination of subjects at high-risk for exposure and prompt post-exposure treatment. However the severity of some animal bites and early mismanagement can lead to development of rabies despite post-exposure treatment. This danger is illustrated by the case described herein involving a 35-year-old man who was bitten by a rabid dog and treated with 5 doses of antirabies vaccine. The wound, which consisted of two deep punctures on the forearm, was promptly washed with water and disinfected. Despite this treatment, characteristic clinical manifestations of rabies appeared one month after exposure and the patient died 48 hours later. This case raises the question of the causes for failure of the preventive recommendations proposed by the WHO for category III animal bites. In our case, two possible causes of failure and subsequent lethal outcome are that serotherapy was not associated and the incubation period was short. Other possible causes of rabies after post-exposure therapy are discussed with reference to the literature.

Aspect bacteriologique de la poussee meningitique de 1995 au Centre Hospitalier National Yalgado Ouedraogo (CHN-YO)de Ouagadougou; Burkina Faso

De janvier a mai 1995; les auteurs ont observe; comme chaque annee a la poussee de meningite qui s'est traduite par une augmentation sensible du nombre des hospitalisation au service des maladies infectieuses et en pediatrie. Au total 856 liquides cephalo-rachidiens ont ete soumis a un examen bacteriologique et cytologique. Cent trente-six (136) germes ont ete observes a l'examen microscopique direct; 93 souches bacteriennes isolees ont permis la realisation de 93 antibiogrammes. Des taux de sensibilite tres variables ont ete notes par rapport a l'Ampicilline; l'association Amoxicilline-acide clavulanique; au Chloramphenicol et au Sulfamethoxazoltrimethoprime. Les enfants de moins de 15 ans et les patients du sexe masculin ont ete les plus touches

Meningites purulentes a Neisseria meningitis Y: a propos de deux cas observes au Centre Hospitalier National Yalgado Ouedraogo (CHN-YO) de Ouagadougou

Dans cette etude; les auteurs rapportent deux cas traites et gueris de meningite cerebro-spinale due au serotype Y de Neisseria meningitidis dans une region ou les methodes de diagnostic ne permettent de detecter que les antigenes A et C du meningocoque. Ils soulevent ainsi un probleme assez frequemment vecu dans les laboratoires africains qui n'arrivent pas souvent a faire une identification complete des souches becteriennes isolees. Ils soulevent egalement le probleme de vaccination qui est un probleme de sante publique dans la mesure ou les vaccins actuellement disponibles en Afrique ne protegent que contre les serotypes A et C de Neisseria meningitidis

Meningites a Salmonella a Ouagadougou; Burkina Faso: etude retrospective de 24 cas observes entre 1984 et 1993

"Les auteurs rapportent des aspects epidemiologiques relatifs a 24 cas de meningites a Salmonella diagnostiques entre 1984 et 1993 au laboratoire de Bacteriologie du Centre Hospitalier National Yalgado Ouedraogo (CHN-YO) de Ouagadougou. 13 des 24 cas sont survenus chez des enfants de moins de 12 mois et 18/24 chez des enfants de moins de 3 ans; 14 des 24 patients etaient du sexe masculin. Salmonella typhi a ete le serotype le plus frequement en cause. Une etude de la sensibilite des souches a ete faite en faisant les disques d'Ampicilline (AMP); d'Amoxicilline + acide clavulanique (AMC); de cefotaxime (CTX); de Gentamicine (GEN); de Chloramphenicol (C) et de Sulfamethoxazol-trimethoprime (SXT); mais les differences de sensibilite aux antibiotiques n'etaient pas significatives du fait des petits nombres de souches testees. 10 cas de guerison ont ete observes contre 8 cas de deces et 6 ""evasions"""

[Cellulitis, Haemophilus meningitis and measles. Apropos of a case report]. / Cellulite, méningite à Haemophilus et rougeole. A propos d'une observation.

We report in a 13 months old child, with measles, a case of cellulitis, otitis and meningitis due to ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae Two facts are emphasized: the promoting aspect of measles/malnutrition and the empirical treatment of meningitis in resistant Haemophilus influenzae in tropical areas.