Investigation of rodent reservoirs of emerging pathogens in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa

Background: One of the main health problems in West Africa remains upsurge of emerging pathogens. Ebola virus disease outbreak occurred in 2014 in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, Monkeypox virus in Nigeria in 2017 and most recently Lassa virus in Nigeria, Togo and Benin in 2018. These pathogens have animal reservoirs as vectors for transmission. Proper investigation of the pathogens in their rodent vectors could help reduce and manage their emergence and spread. Methodology: This study was conducted with an approval from the Côte d'Ivoire Bioethics Community. Small mammal trappings were carried out in 9 sites within three zones namely, peri-urban, peri-rural and protected areas. Liver, lung and kidney tissues from trapped small mammals were sampled in accordance with the recommended conditions of biosafety and bioethics. The organs were transported in liquid nitrogen to the laboratory. Molecular tests were used to detect pathogens. Orthopoxviruses and Monkeypox virus were detected in the organs by PCR using consensus primers targeting the virus surface membrane haemagglutinin (HA) genes, while Leptospira species were detected by PCR using primers targeting the rrs and lfb1 genes. Results: Out of 4930 night-traps, 256 (5.19%) small mammals were trapped including Crocidura, Rattus, Lophuromys, Praomys, Mus and Mastomys. Leptospira species were detected in 6 genera from 7 study sites and the infected small mammals accounted for 13.3%. Leptospira sp was detected mainly in the rodent vector genera Rattus (32.3%), Lophuromys (29.0%), and Praomys (16.1%). Three species of Leptospira were detected and Leptospira interrogans was the most common frequent species (74.2%). Monkeypox virus was not detected from studied small mammals. Conclusion: The initial data from our investigation indicates the presence of Leptospira sp in rodent vectors, Rattus, Lophuromys and Praomys, which are the potential small mammalian reservoirs of this pathogen in Cote d'Ivoire.

[Investigation of urinary schistosomiasis outbreak in the primary school of the village Guébo 2, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire]. / Investigation d'un foyer épidémique de bilharziose urinaire dans l'école primaire du village de Guébo 2, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

We report the results of an outbreak investigation of urinary schistosomiasis in 2012 among school children at Guébo 2. Among the 250 school children, 107 (42.8%) had confirmed urinary schistosomiasis. Age ≥ 10y (OR = 2.6 [1.1 to 6.2]) and self-reported bathing in the river (OR = 14.0 [4.7 to 42.5]) were associated with the presence of S.h. in the adjusted analyses. A massive deworming of the population of Guébo-1&2 was conducted as epidemic-response.

[Is the mother a risk factor for transmission of Helicobacter pylori infection in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years in Côte d'Ivoire?]. / La mère est-elle un facteur de risque de transmission de l'infection a Helicobacter pylori a l'enfant de 6 mois a 5 ans en Côte d'Ivoire?

OBJECTIVES: The goals of this study were to determine the prevalence of H. pylori antibodies in children, to establish the relationship between child and mother serostatus, and to identify potential risk factors for contamination. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted over a 3-month period. All children between 6 months and 5 years of age examined in the Pediatrics Department of the University Hospital Center in Yopougon, Côte d'Ivoire were included after obtaining informed consent from their mothers. Testing for H. pylori antibodies using Pylorix (Acon) was performed in both children and mothers. Based on test results, children were divided into two groups, i.e. case group with H. pylori antibodies and control group without H. pylori antibodies. Case and control groups were compared according to the H. pylori status of their mother and several potential lifestyle and environmental factors. RESULTS: A total of 101 children and 101 mothers were included. The prevalence of H. pylori antibodies was 40.6% in mothers and 24.8% in children. The mean age of children (53% male) was 22.8 +/- 15.6 months (median, 18 months). The mean age of the mothers was 29.6 +/- 5.5 years (range, 19 to 46 years; median, 29 years). Most mothers, i.e., 78.2%, lived in two-parent households but 19% lived in single-parent settings (community or shacks). The number of persons living in the same house ranged from 2 to 20 people (mean, 7.2 +/- 3.8; median, 6 people). Mean monthly household income was 226,188 +/- 161,425 FCFA (range: 30,000 - 750,000 FCFA). In the case group, 80% of children had mothers infected with H. pylori. In the control group, 73.7% of children had non-infected mothers (OR = 11.2, p < 0.001). Median income was less than 150 000 FCA in 76% of families with seropositive children in comparison to 46.1% of families with seronegative children (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: This study confirms the early occurrence of H. pylori infection in children. Findings also showed that poor socio-economic condition was a risk factor for infection but the greatest risk factor was living with a mother infected with H. pylori.