Background Vertical human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission is a public health problem in Burkina Faso. The main objective of this study on the prevention of mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission was to determine the residual risk of HIV transmission in infants born to mothers receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Moreover, we detect HIV antiretroviral (ARV) drug resistance among mother–infant pairs and identify subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRF) in Burkina Faso. Design In this study, 3,215 samples of pregnant women were analyzed for HIV using rapid tests. Vertical transmission was estimated by polymerase chain reaction in 6-month-old infants born to women who tested HIV positive. HIV-1 resistance to ARV, subtypes, and CRFs was determined through ViroSeq kit using the ABI PRISM 3,130 sequencer. Results In this study, 12.26% (394/3,215) of the pregnant women were diagnosed HIV positive. There was 0.52% (2/388) overall vertical transmission of HIV, with rates of 1.75% (2/114) among mothers under prophylaxis and 0.00% (0/274) for those under HAART. Genetic mutations were also isolated that induce resistance to ARV such as M184V, Y115F, K103N, Y181C, V179E, and G190A. There were subtypes and CRF of HIV-1 present, the most common being: CRF06_CPX (58.8%), CRF02_AG (35.3%), and subtype G (5.9%). Conclusions ARV drugs reduce the residual rate of HIV vertical transmission. However, the virus has developed resistance to ARV, which could limit future therapeutic options when treatment is needed. Resistance to ARV therefore requires a permanent interaction between researchers, physicians, and pharmacists, to strengthen the network of monitoring and surveillance of drug resistance in Burkina Faso.

BACKGROUND:Intestinal parasitoses continue to be a major public health problem in developing countries.OBJECTIVES:This study sought to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites and their coinfection rates in patients attending the Saint-Camille medical center in Ouagadougou. Methodology. This retrospective study covers the period from 1991 through 2010.RESULTS:In all, 292,148 stool samples were analyzed, and 177,672 contained at least one parasite, for a prevalence rate of 60.82%. Protozoans accounted for 90.53% of the parasites identified (160,838) and helminthes 9.47% (16,834). The most common protozoans were Entamœba histolytica/dispar (39.88%), Trichomonas intestinalis (25.78%) and Giardia intestinalis (24.83%). The helminthes encountered most frequently were Hymenolepis nana (3.99%) and Ancylostoma spp (3.65%). Globally, the prevalence of parasites decreased over the 20-year study period. The prevalence of E. histolytica/dispar decreased while that of Giardia intestinalis became more frequent. The most common parasitic associations were E. histolytica/dispar-G. intestinalis (26.24%) and G. intestinalis-T. intestinalis (20.09%).CONCLUSION:Our results indicate that Burkina Faso is a zone at high prevalence of intestinal parasitosis, even though this prevalence appears to be decreasing. Appropriate strategies should be developed to accelerate the reduction in the incidence of these parasites.

Background: Approximately, 15-20 of 40 HPVs that infect the female genital tract confer a high-risk of invasive cancer, thus HPVs account for 95% of cervix cancers. The objectives of this study were to: (i) estimate the prevalence of HPV infection in women infected with HIV in Ouagadougou, (ii) identify potential carcinogenic HPV strains and (iii) determine whether existing HPV vaccines match the isolated strains.Methods: From May 2009 to April 2010,250 HIV-infected women were included in this study. Each woman was screened for the presence of HPV and for HPV genotype using PCR/hybridization technique.Results: Of the 250 HIV-infected women, 59.6% were infected with at least one type of HPV. High-risk HPVs were identified with the following prevalence: HPV-18 (25.0%); HPV-50'S (25.5%); HPV-30'S (20.8%); HPV-16 (4.7%); HPV-45 (3.7%). Low-risk HPVs were represented by HPV-6 (5.7%) and HPV-11 (0.9%).Conclusion: The issue of the study showed that the existing vaccines: Gardasil and Cervarix may be used in the country although they match only HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-6 and HPV-11. Further investigations should be continued for the establishment of vaccine that matches all genotypes circulating in the country. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The vaginal swabs among HIV-positive women in Africa often revealed opportunistic infections such as human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Mycoplasma that induce respectively cervix cancer and diseases such as vaginosis, abortions, infertility in through salpingitis. The purposes of this study were to: (1) seek for, the prevalence of pathogens such as HPV and Mycoplasma; (2) characterize the strains of HPV and estimate their prevalence; (3) identify among these women, those who were co-infected by these pathogens in order to cure them. From February 2009 to January 2010, 156 HIV-positive women attending our medical centers and aged from 19-45 years (mean age 33.65 +/- 5.75 years) had voluntarily accepted vaginal specimen's tests. PCR, ELISA and molecular hybridization were used for the identification and characterization of these pathogens. The results revealed the presence of Mycoplasma and HPV in 25.64 and 58.33% cases, respectively. The following HPV genotypes and the following prevalence were recorded: HPV-50'S (24.11%), HPV-18 (21.28%), HPV-30'S (18.44%) and HPV-16 (5.67%). The study also enable the identification of co-infections such as HPV-18 strains with HPV-30'S (5.67%) and HPV-30'S with HPV-50'S (3.55%). Other germs infecting the female genital tract including Candida albicans (20.51%), Escherichia coli (12.18%), Treponema pallidum (3.85%), Streptococcus agalactiae (3.21%) and Staphylococcus aureus (1.92%) were isolated. This preliminary research work showed the incidence of several genital pathogens, this could be a springboard for nationwide epidemiological study on HPV strains circulating in Burkina Faso.

Toxoplasma gondii infections can induce serious complications in HIV-infected pregnant women, leading to miscarriage; favour the mother-to-child transmission of HBV and HIV and birth defects. The purposes of this study were: (1) to quantify IgM and IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in HIV-seropositive and seronegative pregnant women, (2) to identify hepatitis B antigens (HBsAg) in pregnant women and (3) to determine T. gondii and HBV co-infections among these patients. The study was conducted at Centre Medical Saint Camille, in Burkina Faso from January to June 2009. A total of 276 HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant women were included. All women had less than 32 weeks of amenorrhoea and were aged from 19 to 42 years. Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and HBsAg were detected using ELISA method. In addition, women freely agreed to answer a questionnaire. The results of our investigations revealed that, among these pregnant women, 38.8% were illiterates, 50.4% were housewives and only 5.4% were civil servants. Positive T. gondii-specific IgM (4.7%) and IgG (27.2%) were detected. In this study, we found that HIV-seropositive status seem to be associated with great prevalence rates of both T. gondii (31.9 vs. 22.5%) and HBV (13.0 vs. 5.8%). The elevated co-infection rate in HIV-positive women suggested that they are exposed to T. gondii and HBV infections prevalently because of their immune depression. Therefore, to reduce the prevalence of T. gondii and HBV among HIV-seropositive pregnant women, lamivudine could be included in their HEART and women should follow healthy lifestyle formation.

The goal of this study is to contribute to a better knowledge of certain species providing Non Woody Forest Products (NWFP) in the Centre East of Burkina Faso. This study aims to determine the state of the resources in Vitellaria paradoxa, Balanites aegyptiaca, Tamarindus indica and Lannea microcarpa. For this purpose, an inventory of the vegetation was carried out in circular pieces of land of 1250 m2, as a sample of the zone of work, based on the chart of occupation of the grounds. We are identified 158 species comprising 90 genera and 47 families. Those species represent more than 90% of the trees from which various parts are used in food, traditional pharmacopeia and the craft industry. We also showed that because of the strong anthropisation of the zone, the bad pedoclimatic conditions and the permanent bush fires, the regeneration and growth of Vitellaria paradoxa, Balanites aegyptiaca, Tamarindus indica and Lannea microcarpa are disturbed.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, many HIV infected people are co-infected with Human Herpes Virus 8 (HHV-8). Therefore, the present study aimed to: (1) identify the pregnant women co-infected by HIV and HHV-8 at Saint Camille Medical Centre; (2) use three molecules (Zidovudine, Nevirapine and Lamivudine) to interrupt the vertical transmission of HIV and (3) use the PCR technique to diagnose children, who were infected by these viruses, in order to offer them an early medical assistance. A total of 107 pregnant women, aged from 19 to 42 years were diagnosed to be HIV positive at Saint Camille Centre; among them 13 were co-infected with HHV-8. All included women received the HAART. Two to six months after childbirth their babies underwent PCR diagnosis for HIV and HHV-8. The results revealed that, among these mothers, 68.2% were housewives, 34.6% were illiterates and 60.7% did not have university degree. The prevalence of HHV-8 among these pregnant women was 12.15% and the rate of vertical transmission of both HIV and HHV-8, was 0.0%. The issue of this study revealed that the antiretroviral therapy increased the mother CD4 T-cells, prevented the transcription of the mRNA of HHV-8 and blocked HIV vertical transmission.

The present research focused on the inventory and the use of plants in traditional medicine for the treatment of diseases in this area. The method was based on ethnobotanical surveys with semi-directing interview, conducted from November 2006 to December 2007 among a sample of 50 people aged between 40 and 80 years and very experienced in traditional medicine in the municipalities of Bissiga, Lalgaye and Tenkodogo. We identify 73 phytogenetic species and 175 therapeutic indications used to treat 52 diseases and the principal ones are the gastrointestinal diseases, the malaria, the various fevers, the jaundice, the skin diseases, the respiratory affections, the reproduction diseases, the hemorrhoids and the infantile diseases. In traditional veterinary pharmacopoeia, 18 phytogenetic species are used with 33 therapeutic indications to treat diseases including trypanosomiasis, tuberculosis, diarrheas and wounds. The interest of people of this area for medicinal plants, command a special attention to organize the actors and preserve the plant genetic resources.