Zékiba Tarnagda

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), more than 50% of the population depends on agriculture and livestock production for food and livelihood [1]. In Senegal, 44.5% of all households practice agricultural a...

Background: In low‐ and middle‐income countries, meat consumption is often associated with health risks due to limited awareness of zoonotic disease transmission. Burkina Faso is not exempt from these public health threats. This study aimed to assess knowledge and practices related to meat‐borne zoonotic risks among meat consumers in Burkina Faso. Methods: A cross‐sectional descriptive and analytical survey was conducted from August to November 2022, including 849 participants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through face‐to‐face interviews. Scores were attributed to assess levels of knowledge and practices regarding zoonotic risks associated with meat handling and consumption. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and chi‐square and Fisher's exact tests. Results: According to findings, although 90.22% acknowledged that meat could transmit zoonotic diseases to humans, only 31.22% could name at least one zoonotic disease. Poor hygiene in meat sale outlets was reported by 50.77% of respondents. Good practices, such as proper meat storage, were inconsistently reported, as 66.90% reportedly stored meat exposed to open air, and 46.29% used the same utensils for meat preparation and meal service in households. Overall, level of education, professional occupation, religion and position held in the household were significantly associated with both knowledge and practices ( p < 0.05), and participants having better knowledge were more likely to adopt safer practices ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Despite a general awareness of meat‐related health risks, including zoonotic diseases, knowledge gaps and unsafe practices remain prevalent among consumers. Reducing meat‐borne zoonotic diseases requires shifting from general awareness to actionable, behaviour‐oriented interventions. By combining community education, improved market hygiene and multi‐sectoral collaboration, public health authorities can substantially reduce preventable exposure to zoonotic pathogens while preserving the nutritional benefits of meat consumption.

Background: The burden of viral co‐infections among COVID‐19 patients is underexplored in low‐resource settings such as Burkina Faso. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of respiratory viral co‐infections among laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19 patients. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2023, across 13 sentinel sites in Burkina Faso. Patients presenting with influenza‐like illness or severe acute respiratory infection had nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal swabs collected and tested for SARS‐CoV‐2 and other respiratory viruses using multiplex real‐time RT‐PCR. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of viral co‐infections. Results: Among 201 SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive patients enrolled (median age: 1 year; interquartile range: 0.5–7). Co‐infections was identified in 48.8% (95% CI: 41.8–55.6) of cases and a single co‐infections was detected in 33.8% (95% CI: 27.5–40.6) of patients. Human rhinovirus (17.9%), adenovirus (14.4%), respiratory syncytial virus (11.4%), and influenza A/B (9.9%) were most frequently detected. In multivariate analysis, children aged 6 months to 14 years had higher odds of co‐infection (aOR 2.7; 95% CI: 1.2–5.9; p = 0.013). Fever (aOR 2.6; 95% CI: 1.3–5.5; p = 0.008) and hospitalization (aOR 4.3; 95% CI: 1.6–12.0; p = 0.005) were also independently associated with co‐infection. Conclusion: Viral co‐infections were frequent among SARS‐CoV‐2 positive patients, particularly in children and hospitalized individuals. Strengthening multiplex diagnostic capacity and integrated respiratory virus surveillance in resource‐limited settings may improve clinical management and inform public health response strategies.

Background: Influenza is a major cause of acute respiratory infections worldwide. In tropical regions such as Sub‐Saharan Africa, influenza circulates year‐round with irregular peaks, yet genomic data guiding prevention strategies remain limited. This study characterized the genetic diversity and seasonal dynamics of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses circulating in Burkina Faso in 2024. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted from January to December 2024, including seven sentinel surveillance sites. Patients presenting with influenza‐like illness or severe acute respiratory illness were enrolled. Respiratory specimens were tested by real‐time RT‐PCR. Influenza‐positive samples with a cycle threshold ≤ 30 underwent whole‐genome sequencing using Oxford Nanopore and Illumina platforms. Phylogenetic analyses and clade assignment were performed using MEGA Version 12. Results: Out of 2951 samples tested, 6.74% were positive for influenza viruses. Females had higher odds of influenza positivity than males (OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.11–1.98). A significantly higher risk of positivity was observed in the age groups of 5–15 years (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.07–2.52; p = 0.02) and 25–50 years (OR = 2.54; 95% CI: 1.53–4.03; p < 0.001). Influenza A(H3N2) peaked in July, while A(H1N1)pdm09 peaked in October. Phylogenetic analysis of 43 genomes revealed co‐circulation of multiple clades within both subtypes. Conclusion: Influenza A viruses circulating in Burkina Faso in 2024 showed substantial genetic diversity, underscoring the need for continuous genomic surveillance to inform vaccine strain selection and public health strategies in tropical Africa.

Influenza and COVID-19 remain major public health concerns due to their high morbidity, mortality, and epidemic potential. The COVID-19 pandemic notably disrupted health and economic systems worldwide in 2020. Despite reduced global attention, these pathogens continue to circulate, and emerging disease resurgence remains a constant threat, emphasizing the importance of ongoing epidemiological and virological surveillance. This study aimed to describe year-long surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses in post-pandemic Burkina Faso. A prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to December 2023 in sentinel surveillance sites across four regions. Patients with influenza-like illness (ILI), severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), and their contacts were recruited. Nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs were collected and tested for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 using real-time RT-PCR. Socio-demographic and clinical data were obtained from medical records or interviews. Among 3,311 samples, 11.41% tested positive for influenza and 6.07% for SARS-CoV-2. Influenza A viruses predominated (90.21%), followed by type B (7.79%). Of all participants, 68.4% were ILI and 31.6% SARI cases. Influenza A was more common among ILI patients. Two influenza waves were observed, during the dry/cold season (February–March) and the end of the rainy season (October). Children were most affected by influenza, while SARS-CoV-2 was more frequent among adolescents and adults. Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 were significantly present in ILI and SARI cases. Targeted vaccination for high-risk groups and during peak influenza seasons could enhance prevention and reduce disease burden.

Background and Aim: Canine rabies is an endemic form of zoonosis and represents a major public health threat in Guinea, similar to other African countries. However, few investigations on the epidemiology of rabies in animals and humans have been conducted, and evidence-based data required to inform health policies remain inadequate. This study was conducted to update our knowledge of human dog-mediated rabies epidemiology and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) accessibility-related factors in Guinea. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study, conducted from January 2018 to December 2020, collected data on animal bite cases, veterinary observations, rabies diagnoses through fluorescent antibody test, and PEP delivery from three veterinary and medical entities. Statistical analysis utilized Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test to evaluate relationships between variables. Results: An average of 775 bites was recorded annually, and dogs were responsible for 98% of bites. However, only 64% of the biting dogs were under veterinary observation as required for integrated bite case management. Regarding the geographical distribution of bite cases, the entire country was affected, with the highest number of bites recorded in the prefectures of Nzérékoré and the special zone of Conakry. In addition, the laboratory diagnosis of brain samples from biting dogs indicated that 72% of the samples were rabies-positive. However, regarding prevention, only 58% of the bitten individuals received full PEP. Conclusion: Improving disease surveillance and PEP provision for dog-transmitted rabies is crucial to preventing human cases and deaths. Increasing community awareness is essential for enhancing dog vaccination and PEP utilization. A national action plan integrating stakeholders for controlling canine rabies should be developed for effective One Health collaboration. Keywords: animal bite management, cats, cattle, dogs, fluorescent antibody test, Guinea, humans, monkeys, rabies.

This study was conducted to capture situational data on rabies and One Health practices among key actors involved in the fight against rabies in Mali.

Background: After its initial detection in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly, causing successive epidemic waves worldwide. This study aims to provide a genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Burkina Faso. Methods: Three hundred and seventy-seven SARS-CoV-2 genomes obtained from PCR-positive nasopharyngeal samples (PCR cycle threshold score < 35) collected between 5 May 2020, and 31 January 2022 were analyzed. Genomic sequences were assigned to phylogenetic clades using NextClade and to Pango lineages using pangolin. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were performed to determine the geographical sources and time of virus introduction in Burkina Faso. Results: The analyzed SARS-CoV-2 genomes can be assigned to 10 phylogenetic clades and 27 Pango lineages already described worldwide. Our analyses revealed the important role of cross-border human mobility in the successive SARS-CoV-2 introductions in Burkina Faso from neighboring countries. Conclusions: This study provides additional insights into the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in West Africa. It highlights the importance of land travel in the spread of the virus and the need to rapidly implement preventive policies. Regional cross-border collaborations and the adherence of the general population to government policies are key to prevent new epidemic waves.

The geographic and evolutionary origins of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (BA.1), which was first detected mid-November 2021 in Southern Africa, remain unknown. We tested 13,097 COVID-19 patients sampled between mid-2021 to early 2022 from 22 African countries for BA.1 by real-time RT-PCR. By November-December 2021, BA.1 had replaced the Delta variant in all African sub-regions following a South-North gradient, with a peak Rt of 4.1. Polymerase chain reaction and near-full genome sequencing data revealed genetically diverse Omicron ancestors already existed across Africa by August 2021. Mutations, altering viral tropism, replication and immune escape, gradually accumulated in the spike gene. Omicron ancestors were therefore present in several African countries months before Omicron dominated transmission. These data also indicate that travel bans are ineffective in the face of undetected and widespread infection.

Background: After its initial detection in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly, causing successive epidemic waves worldwide. This study aims to provide a genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Burkina Faso. Methods: Three hundred and seventy-seven SARS-CoV-2 genomes obtained from PCR-positive nasopharyngeal samples (PCR cycle threshold score <35) collected between May 5, 2020, and January 31, 2022 were analysed. Genomic sequences were assigned to phylogenetic clades using NextClade and to Pango lineages using pangolin. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were performed to determine the geographical sources and time of virus introduction in Burkina Faso. Results: The analyzed SARS-CoV-2 genomes could be assigned to 10 phylogenetic clades and 27 Pango lineages already described worldwide. Our analyses revealed the important role of cross-border human mobility in the successive SARS-CoV-2 introductions in Burkina Faso from neighboring countries. Conclusion: This study provides additional insights into the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in West Africa. It highlights the importance of land travel in the spread of the virus and the need to rapidly implement preventive policies. Regional cross-border collaborations and the adherence of the general population to government policies are key to prevent new epidemic waves.