Despite its Sahelian context, Niger is one of the sub-Saharan countries reporting the highest number of malaria cases. Currently, preventive measures such as seasonal malaria chemoprophylaxis (SMC) target children under the age of five during the rainy season. However, malaria is increasingly affecting older children, even during the dry season. Therefore, strategies need to be adapted. To this end, this study analyzed data from 35 dispensaries across seven provinces in Niger to evaluate the impact of malaria on different age groups according to ecological context. This retrospective study used routine monthly district data from 2018 to 2021. The collected monthly variables were fever, uncomplicated malaria, severe malaria, and deaths, broken down by sex, age group, and region. A forecasting package under R 4.3.3 was used for SARIMA modeling. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify factors associated with malaria. Malaria transmission was highly seasonal, with an annual peak observed between July and October during the four-year study period. During this peak period, children aged 12 to 59 months accounted for an average of 33.2

During the COVID-19 pandemic, conventional surveillance systems faced critical limitations : PCR testing capacity constraints, asymptomatic transmission blind spots, and ascertainment biases skewed toward symptomatic or high-risk populations. In this context, blood donor populations emerged not merely as convenient sample sources, but as scientifically strategic epidemiological sentinels. Our objectives were to fill surveillance gaps in Niger and validate blood donors as sentinels for tracking population-level spread. A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2021 to March 2022 among the whole population of donors attending the CNTS selected by systematic random sampling (k = 6). At all, 3656 blood donors were selected. Questionnaires collected data on socio-demographic characteristics, exposure risks to SARS-CoV-2, and prevention practices. Blood samples were analyzed for serology. Chi² and Fisher’s exact tests were used for categorical variables. Among the 3656 selected blood donors, sex ratio (M/F) was 4.1 and 12% were vaccinated with at least one dose. The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among vaccinated and non-vaccinated was respectively 65% and 53% (p-value < 0.01). In vaccinated group, seropositivity rate was statistically higher in more 50 years age group (87%,) and no difference was shown in non-vaccinated group (p-value = 0.54). Among vaccinated, according with blood groups, 0 − group was less positive than other groups (46%) and among unvaccinated group 0 + group was less positive than other groups (48%)). In multivariate analysis, headache and anorexia were associated to SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Blood donor seroprevalence studies provide an rapid, scalable, and ethically deployable surveillance necessary to track an respiratory virus with high asymptomatic carriage, make the control of virus circulation possible in healthy people and help implement strategies to reduce virus transmission.

BACKGROUND:Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged from the reference strain (Wuhan-Hu-1, NC_045512.2). Using these variants to understand the genetic diversity and temporal dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in Niger is essential for developing and implementing effective public health interventions. METHOD:SARS-CoV-2 detection was performed on nasopharyngeal samples collected from travelers and symptomatic patients at the National Reference Laboratory in Niger from March 2020 to March 2023 using RT-qPCR techniques. A subset of samples with a cycle threshold <28 were selected for whole-genome sequencing and genomic analysis, which included phylogenetic reconstruction to study the evolutionary relationships of SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in Niger. RESULTS:Among 286,872 samples from suspected cases tested, we confirmed 8266 positives for SARS-CoV-2, resulting in a positivity rate of 2.88%. Of the positive cases, 268 (3.24%) resulted in death and 5577 (67.48%) were travelers. All the WHO-designated Variants of Concern (VOCs), including Alpha B.1.1.7 (n = 2), Beta B.1.351 (n = 1), Delta B.1.617 (n = 20) and Omicron B.1.1.529 (n = 95) circulated in Niger during the study period. Among the Variants of Interest (VOIs) and Variants Under Monitoring (VUMs), the A27 lineage (n = 49) was the predominant virus detected and co-circulated with Eta lineage B.1.525 (n = 21). Phylogeographic analysis identified at least 60 independent introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into Niger, the majority of which were closely related to published sequences from other African countries (n = 25) and European countries (n = 24). Phylogenetic analysis of the four predominant variants revealed a temporal progression of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in Niger, with well-supported clades. A high number of mutations were observed, mainly located in the spike protein, ORF1a, and ORF1b genes. CONCLUSION:This study helps to understand the SARS-CoV-2 evolution and dynamics in Niger Republic, where diagnostic capacities and containment measures were challenging.

In the Sahel, malaria transmission is highly dependent on rainfall, and control efforts are conducted during the rainy season. However, because of climate changes, the objectives of this study were to better define the period of transmission in the different ecoclimatic regions and the burden of the disease in young adults, which is poorly investigated. The data from districts in the different ecological zones of Niger were compared. During this study, 26% of all consultations were malaria related, of which 59% were malaria confirmed. This represented 12,000 to 19,000 cases and 12.9 to 25.6 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. An increase of incidence was seen over the study period but a decline in case fatality rate was also observed. Depending on region, children under 14 years of age (half of the population) accounted for 43–80% of cases, which in contrast, underlines a significant malaria burden in young adults, especially in arid regions where transmission is lower. The majority of cases occurred from August to October but appeared later in arid zones. The number of cases positively correlated with the cumulative rainfall over the previous five weeks. However, 17–26% of cases were identified during the dry season. This study highlights a high transmission rate that extends throughout the dry season, with ∼50% of cases registered representing patients >14 years of age, and 25% of cases >25 years. Young adults should thus be considered an at-risk group and should be included in strategies for control.

In children, the gut microbiota is a dynamic ecosystem derived from breastfeeding, oral microbiota and diet. Diversity can vary from one country to another, and the aim of this study was to compare microbiota of well-nourished children between three African countries using fully standardized protocols from sampling to data analysis. Well-nourished (WHZ weight for height z-score ≥ -1.5) children aged 18-24 months were enrolled. Libraries were constructed using Illumina 16S protocol. Sequences were aligned to the Silva.nr and clustered into OTUs (organism taxonomic unit) using greedy clustering (dgc). Consensus determination was done using classify.otu and the OTU table, taxonomy and metadata were assembled using Phyloseq. Alpha diversity was assessed using Chao1, Shannon and Simpson's index using Mothur. 106 well-nourished children were selected (31 in Madagascar, 40 in Senegal and 35 in Centrafrican Republic CAR). Richness was higher in Senegal than in CAR or Madagascar, but diversity was lowest in Senegal and highest in CAR. As the quality of drinking water increased, richness increased and diversity decreased. Microbiota shared five dominant phyla in different proportions: Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia. The composition of the microbiota in Madagascar and Centrafrica republic (CAR) was more similar, with more Prevotella 9 in Madagascar and more Bifidobacterium in CAR. Only two taxa were markers from CAR (Prevotella 9 and Ruminococcus 2). Apart from a pool of common species, a large proportion of rare species may characterize each geographical context. Therefore, the microbiota of children in Africa cannot be considered comparable between countries. Each biotope harbors specific species on a common background.

In Niger, malaria remains a major public health issue and cause of economic loss, but its impact on young adults remains poorly documented. Although this population is central to the country's development, it is rarely studied. Our study aims to fill this gap by assessing the burden of malaria in three cohorts of military recruits monitored in different training centers in Niger, a population representative of urban youth.A prospective cohort study was conducted from September to December 2023 in three military health centers. Participants (aged 17-55) had free access to care. All consultations were recorded; any episode of fever resulted in a rapid test and a brief interview. Treatments and hospitalizations were also recorded.A total of 2,840 recruits were monitored during two 17-day periods (median age: 27 years; 91.5% male). The 3,193 consultations recorded showed a predominance of respiratory infections in Zinder and digestive disorders in Agadez. Among the 353 confirmed cases of malaria (prevalence 11%), Niamey had the highest attack rate. Among the patients, 74.5% were anemic, 44% were hospitalized, and 55.8% were temporarily unfit for duty. Grade had a clear influence on preventive knowledge, despite 82% of respondents reporting that they used mosquito nets.The study estimates that nearly 2,000 workdays are lost annually by these young adults, which could be represents 12 millions of days for the whole country, highlighting the need for an integrated and equitable control strategy.

PROBLEM CONSIDERED:The Sahel covers a vast semi-arid area characterized by a long dry season of about 8-9 months and a short rainy season of 3-4 months. Although arid, the Sahel is highly susceptible to vector-borne diseases, and a malaria endemic zone. After decades of drought, rainfall is increasing again, leading to a sustained increase in malaria transmission in the region. Changes in land use and urbanization are also modulating human-vector contacts and thus the incidence of malaria. Malaria control programs need to adapt to this situation. The aim of this study is to discuss the factors influencing malaria occurrence in this region, which are modulated by climate and land use. METHODS:For this study, both original epidemiological data and recent literature are analyzed to support the discussion on adaptation of control strategies. RESULTS:Overall, the perennial presence of water resulting from rainfall and/or human activities are key factors in stabilizing malaria transmission in the Sahel. Indeed, recent studies show that in Niger, transmission is increasing, but also spreading during the dry season, especially in areas closed to wild water and flooding. In the same vein, malaria morbidity is no longer largely confined to children under five. CONCLUSIONS:Preventive measures, including chemoprevention of seasonal malaria and indoor residual spraying, which are currently used only during the rainy season, need to be redesigned as part of a rethink of current prevention strategies. Policy-makers and national programs should adapt their strategies to better fit the future climatic context of the Sahel.

Cysticercosis is a parasitic disease caused by Taenia solium, primarily transmitted via fecal-oral route. It is a public health concern because it contributes to increasing morbidity of epilepsy. Its true prevalence remains largely unknown in Côte d'Ivoire. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of cysticercosis in rural southeastern Côte d'Ivoire and identify risk factors. Two cross-sectional cluster sample surveys were conducted in villages in the departments of Dabou and Agboville. Data on socio-demographic, neurological history, knowledge about taeniasis/cysticercosis complex and hygiene behaviors' were collected. A blood sample was collected for serological analysis to detect anti-cysticercosis immunoglobulin G antibodies by ELISA and EITB. The Stata survey command was used for statistical analysis. Qualitative variables were compared using the Chi2 test. A multivariate logistic regression was used to model cysticercosis seropositivity. Cysticercosis seroprevalence was estimated at 9.65% (95%CI: 4.83-18.34%) and 13.11% (95%CI: 9.55-17.74%) in Dabou and Agboville respectively. In Dabou, seropositivity was determined by area of residence and previous knowledge of cysticercosis. The rural population in the Toupah sub-prefecture was more likely to be seropositive (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 3.53, 95%CI: 1.09-11.44). In Agboville, older adults were 2.74 times more likely to be seropositive than youth at age under 16. Educated individuals (aOR: 0.63, 95%CI: 0.43-0.95), those of muslim faith (aOR: 0.56, 95%CI: 0.34-0.92) and those who reported washing raw vegetables before consumption (aOR: 0.45, 95%CI: 0.22-0.92) had a lower risk. This initial study confirms the circulation of Taenia solium and the endemicity of cysticercosis in these rural regions of south-eastern Côte d'Ivoire, area that supply pigs to markets in Abidjan. Insufficient hygiene practices put communities at high risk of fecal-oral transmission. These findings showed public health issue of cysticercosis in rural areas of Côte d'Ivoire, suggesting that targeted interventions should be considered to reduce transmission and associated neurological problems.

BACKGROUND:In 2020, the new pathogen SARS-CoV-2 spread fast, causing a pandemic. Health care workers on the frontline were of course highly exposed. This study aims to analyze the risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCWs who have been in contact with positive patients in Niger. METHODS:A prospective cohort was conducted among HCWs from March 2020 to June 2020 in health facilities in Niamey. A questionnaire was administered at inclusion; RT-PCR testing was performed if clinical signs were present. Serological testing was performed at baseline, Days 15 and 30. Univariate analysis and Cox regression were used. RESULTS:Regarding inclusion criteria, 129 health care workers were included. The sex ratio (male/female) was 0.82. The participants were mainly physicians (45.7%) and nurses (34.1%). At inclusion, the prevalence of COVID-19 was 34.9%. Only seronegative (n = 84) were followed up; the attack incidence rate for the first month was 440 per 1000 person*month. Regarding the Cox model, the use of alcohol-based hand washing was a protective factor (RR = 0.28, p = 0.01). Furthermore, females were more at risk than males (RR = 2, p-value = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS:HCWs in Niger were faced with high infection risk; this should lead decision-makers to (i) enhance training on preventive measures and (ii) boost access to personal protective equipment in emergency and infectious disease wards.

Cysticercosis is caused by infection with the larval stage of tapeworm parasite Taenia solium. This zoonose is a major public health issue with high prevalence in Madagascar, around 21% and 7% to 20% respectively in swine and human. ELISA and Enzyme-linked Immuno-electro Transfer Blot (EITB) remained the main laboratory serological diagnostic tools available in the island. Four native glycoproteins are recognized by antibodies in a majority of sera from patients with cysticercosis and a similar pattern seems to be present in infected pigs. For a better management of this disease in Madagascar, the aim of this study is to set-up and validate the one majority glycoprotein antigen T18 (18KDa) for diagnosis test of pig cysticercosis, produced as recombinant protein. Using a cDNA library prepared from T. solium cysticerci obtained from different regions of Madagascar, we first analyzed the polymorphism of the T18 gene. Then, gene was cloned into the pMAL-c2X plasmid for expression as an N-terminal maltose-binding protein (MBP) fusion protein and C-terminal hexa-His tagged protein. Product protein was then validated by ELISA test of pig sera. Preliminary results show a strong conservation of T18 gene. And indeed larger amounts of soluble recombinant protein were obtained from these antigen. T18 recombinant-ELISA present 70% of sensitivity and 100% of specificity.

AbstractThe main objective of this project was to compare in the field conditions two strategies of re‐nutrition of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) aged from 6 to 24 months, targeting the microbiota in comparison with a standard regimen. A three‐arm, open‐label, pragmatic randomised trial was conducted in four countries (Niger, CAR, Senegal and Madagascar). Children received for 12 weeks either fortified blended flour (FBF control) = arm 1, or FBF + azithromycin (oral suspension of 20 mg/kg/day daily given with a syringe) for the first 3 days at inclusion = arm 2 or mix FBF with inulin/fructo‐oligosaccharides (6 g/day if age ≥12 months and 4 g if age <12 months) = arm 3. For each arm, children aged from 6 to 11 months received 100 g x 2 per day of flours and those aged from 12 to 24 months received 100 g × 3 per day of FBF. The primary endpoint was nutritional recovery, defined by reaching a weight‐for‐height z‐score (WHZ) ≥ −1.5 within 12 weeks. Overall, 881 children were randomised (297, 290 and 294 in arm 1, arm 2 and arm 3, respectively). Three hundred and forty‐four children were males (39%) and median/mean age were 14.6/14.4 months (SD = 4.9, IQR = 10.5–18.4). At inclusion, the three arms were comparable for all criteria, but differences were observed between countries. Overall, 44% (390/881) of the children recovered at week 12 from MAM, with no significant difference between the three arms (41.4%, 45.5% and 45.9%, in arm 1, arm 2 and arm 3, respectively, p = 0.47). This study did not support the true advantages of adding a prebiotic or antibiotic to flour. When using a threshold of WHZ ≥ −2 as an exploratory endpoint, significant differences were observed between the three arms, with higher success rates in arms with antibiotics or prebiotics compared to the control arm (66.9%, 66.0% and 55.2%, respectively, p = 0.005).

Abstract Background: In low-income countries, rapid discard of cysticercosis suspected pigs from the meat chain, is a key step to preserve customers. Unfortunately, in most place only rapid visual inspection of carcasses is practiced. Despite their fluctuant specificity serological tests performed in living animals before entry at slaughterhouse, could be a better and easier approach to promote. However, recombinant antigens must be developed and evaluated to improve accessibility of serological diagnosis. In this study, five recombinant antigens have been expressed and evaluated in Elisa in comparison with electro-immune transfer blot (EITB). Results Antigens were expressed in a baculovirus-insect cell system, purified by affinity chromatography and evaluated on pig serum. Sensitivity, specificity, concordance, and positive likelihood ratio of each recombinant antigen were calculated in reference to EITB. Sensitivityvalues ranged from 43.9% (34.5 - 53.8) to 88.8% (80.8 - 93.7). Specificities ranged from 37.5% (28.5 - 47.5) to 65.6% (55.7 - 74.3). To improve performance of the tests, combination of antigens was used rising sensitivity between 90.8% and 94.9%. Compared to visual examination of carcasses as performed in slaughterhouses these combinations only missed 1% to 5% of infection. Specificities were lower but at the same level as the native antigen ELISA. Conclusion: These recombinant antigens have sensitivity and specificity in the same range as EITB and can be now evaluated against the necropsy as gold standard. Using such tests, cysticercosis suspected animals could be treated with oxendazole before entering the market chain to improve the management of animals at the farm level.

Plague is a zoonotic disease caused by Yersinia pestis, and it is endemic in Madagascar. The plague cycle involves wild and commensal rodents and their fleas; humans are an accidental host. Madagascar is the country where plague burden is the highest. Plague re-emerged in Mahajanga, the western coast of Madagascar, in the 1990s and infected populations in the popular and insalubrious zones. Sanitation is considered a primary barrier to infection by excluding pathogens from the environment and reservoirs. Poor housing and hygiene and proximity to rodents and fleas in everyday life are major and unchanged risk factors of plague. The aim of this study was to measure the impact of sanitation on Yersinia pestis bacteria in human and small mammal reservoirs and flea vectors. This study was conducted on 282 households within 14 neighborhoods. Two sessions of sampling were conducted in 2013 and 2016. Small mammals were trapped inside and around houses using live traps. Fleas, blood and spleen were sampled to detect Y. pestis infection and antibodies and determine the level of plague circulation before and after the installation of sanitation in order to assess the impact of sanitation improvement on inhabitant health. Two major types of housing can be described, i.e., formal and informal (traditional), scattered in all the suburbs. Among the small mammals captured, 48.5% were Suncus murinus, and 70% of houses were infested. After sanitation, only 30% of houses remained infested, and most of them were located around the market. Fleas were mostly Xenopsylla cheopis. Before and after intervention, the overall prevalence of fleas was the same (index 4.5) across the 14 suburbs. However, the number of houses with fleas drastically decreased, and the flea index increased significantly in rodent-infested houses. Rodent abundance also decreased from 17.4% to 6.1% before and after intervention, respectively. A serology study highlights that plague is still circulating in Mahajanga, suggesting that small mammals maintain enzootic plague transmission in the city.

Introduction Au Niger, le paludisme est la première cause de morbidité et de mortalité. Cette augmentation résulte essentiellement d’une augmentation de pluviométrie, de l’anthropisation, et de modifications de l’écosystème. Objectifs Cette étude se propose d’étudier le poids du paludisme grave chez les enfants entre 0 et 10 ans. Méthodes Cette étude se propose de comparer le poids du paludisme grave chez les enfants de moins de 5 ans comparés aux enfants de 5–10 ans selon les strates écologiques du pays. Les données ont été collectées dans sept districts répartis sur le pays (5 formations/district) de janvier 2018 à décembre 2022 chez les enfants de 0–10 ans hospitalisés avec un test paludisme positif et au moins un signe de gravité. Résultats Sur les cinq années, 242 198 enfants âgés de 0–5 ans sont venus consulter pour fièvre pour lesquels 176 104 tests rapides et 26 038 gouttes épaisses étaient positifs. Parmi ces enfants 23 328 présentaient un paludisme grave (10,75 %). Parallèlement, 108 821 enfants ont consulté avec un accès fébrile pour la tranche d’âge de 5–10 ans, pour lesquels 15 191 TDR et 14 160 GE étaient positifs et 12 580 cas de paludisme grave ont été rapportés (11,56 %). Ces données seront décrites en détail en tenant compte du contexte écologique. Discussion Aucune différence significative n’a été retrouvée pour le paludisme grave entre les deux tranches d’âge confirmant l’extension du risque de mortalité vers les plus âgés. Conclusion Au Niger, les enfants âgés de moins de 5 ans bénéficient de plusieurs stratégies de protection contrairement à ceux de 5–10 ans entraînant un prolongement du fardeau du paludisme. La révision des stratégies de lutte est donc urgente dans la zone sahélienne.

Background Decreased efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for Plasmodium falciparum malaria has been previously reported in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The main purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro susceptibility of isolates to dihydro-artemisinin (DHA) to provide a hypothesis to explain this treatment failure. Methods Isolates were collected from patients attending health centres in Abidjan with uncomplicated P . falciparum malaria. The haemoglobin type has been identified and in vitro drug sensitivity tests were conducted with the ring stage assay and maturation inhibition assay. Results 134 isolates were obtained. Parasitaemia and haemoglobin levels at inclusion were lower in patients with haemoglobin HbSS and HbSC than in patients with normal HbAA. After ex vivo RSA and drug inhibition assays, the lowest rate of parasitic growth was found with isolates from HbAS red cells. Conversely, a significantly higher survival rate of parasites ranging from 15 to 34% were observed in isolates from HbSS. Isolates with in vitro reduced DHA sensitivity correlate with lower RBC count and haematocrit and higher parasitaemia at inclusion compared to those with isolates with normal DHA sensitivity. However, this decrease of in vitro sensitivity to DHA was not associated with Kelch 13-Propeller gene polymorphism. Conclusion This study highlights an in vitro decreased sensitivity to DHA, for isolates collected from HbSS patients, not related to the Pfkelch13 gene mutations. These results are in line with recent studies pointing out the role of the redox context in the efficacy of the drug. Indeed, SCD red cells harbour a highly different ionic and redox context in comparison with normal red cells. This study offers new insights into the understanding of artemisinin selective pressure on the malaria parasite in the context of haemoglobinopathies in Africa.

The health systems of countries in the South and the North have been directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers have paid a high price. The aim of this study was to better describe the personnel who are on the front line when patients visit health care facilities and to analyze their risk factors for exposure, their perception of infection and the prevention practices implemented by these health care workers. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted over a 6-month period from October 2021 to March 2022 (i.e., at a distance from the index cases) among health care workers in 62 integrated health centers and five public urban hospitals in Niamey and Dosso. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, co-morbidities, knowledge and attitudes, and vaccination status was collected by means of a questionnaire. Blood samples were taken for serological analysis for each agent included. Results: A total of 733 agents were included, mostly women (628, 85.67%) with a mean age of 40.5 years. Only 5.5% (40/733) of the workers reported having been in contact with a positive case of Covid-19. The most common method of protection was the use of alcohol and soap for hand hygiene. 76% of them reported having been vaccinated against the SARS-CoV2 virus. However, only 7.7% reported having used a Covid-19 diagnostic test in the last few months. IgM and IgG COVID-19 serologies were positive in 1.2% and 92.2% of the health care workers, respectively, during the survey period. Conclusion: In Niger, frontline health workers have been widely exposed to SARS CoV-2, but most of them don't think so. As a result, in their daily practice, they make poor use of means to prevent and control COVID-19 infection and rarely use diagnostic tests in case of illness. Vaccination was widely accepted by these staff, according to their statements.

Human cysticercosis caused by Taenia soliun (T. soliun) is endemic in certain areas of Latin America, Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is mainly diagnosed by neuroimaging, which, in most cases, is unavailable in endemic areas. Due to their high sensitivity and specificity, serological tests such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot (WB) based on the glycosylated fraction of the cyst CS50 are widely used for the detection of the anti-cysticercus IgG antibodies despite their significant cost and the need of cysticercus material. Given their cost-effectivess and simplicity, immunoassays based on recombinant proteins could provide new alternatives for human cysticercosis diagnosis: such tests would be aimed at screening those people living in remote areas who need further examination. To date, however, no test using recombinant antigens is commercially available. Herein, five recombinant proteins (R14, R18, R93.1, R914.1, and R915.2) were produced, three of which (R93.1, R914.1, and R915.2) were newly identified from the cyst fluid. Evaluation of the diagnostic performance of these recombinant antigens by ELISA was done using sera from 200 epileptic and non-epileptic individuals in comparison with the WB-CS50 as the reference serological method. Recombinant proteins-based ELISA showed a level of diagnostic performance that is inferior than the reference serological method, but similar to that of the native antigen ELISA for human cysticercosis (commonly used for screening). Further optimization of expression conditions is still needed in order to improve proteins solubility and enhance diagnostic performance for human cysticercosis detection. However, this preliminary evaluation of the recombinant antigens has shown their potential valuable use for screening cysticercosis in patients with epilepsy attending dispensaries in remote areas. Future studies should be conducted to evaluate our recombinant antigens in a large group of patients with different stages of NCC, and in correlation with imaging findings.

Background: Porcine cysticercosis is an endemic parasitic zoonosis in many developing countries. The objective of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis in tradi-tional pig farms in the departments of Dabou, Aboisso and Agboville. Methods: Blood samples were taken from pigs and analyzed by ELISA (IgG) and western blot. Data on farming practices and pig characteristics were collected. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to identify risk factors.Results: A total of 668 pigs were sampled from 116 farms and 639 samples were analyzed. The seroprevalence of cysticercosis was estimated at 13.2%. Overweight [OR = 2.6; 95%CI (1.3-4.9)] and fat pigs [OR = 2.3; 95%CI (1.0-4.8)] were twice as likely to be seropositive for cysticercosis. This risk was increased in farms using well water for drinking [OR = 2.5; 95%CI (1.0-6.3)] as well as those reporting veterinary care of the animals (OR = 2.9; 95%CI (1.2-7.3)). Conclusions: This study demonstrated the circulation of Taenia solium in pig farms in southern Cote d'Ivoire.