BackgroundUnsafe drinking water, unimproved sanitation and lack of hygiene pose health risks, particularly to children in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of intestinal parasitic infections in school-aged children in two regions of Burkina Faso.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was carried out in February 2015 with 385 children aged 8–14 years from eight randomly selected schools in the Plateau Central and Centre-Ouest regions of Burkina Faso. Stool samples were subjected to the Kato-Katz and a formalin-ether concentration method for the diagnosis of helminths and intestinal protozoa infections. Urine samples were examined with a urine filtration technique for Schistosoma haematobium eggs. Water samples from community sources (n = 37), children’s households (n = 95) and children’s drinking water cups (n = 113) were analysed for contamination with coliform bacteria and faecal streptococci. Data on individual and family-level risk factors were obtained using a questionnaire. Mixed logistic regression models were employed to determine factors associated with intestinal parasitic infections in schoolchildren.ResultsIntestinal parasitic infections were highly prevalent; 84.7 % of the children harboured intestinal protozoa, while helminth infections were diagnosed in 10.7 % of the children. We found significantly lower odds of pathogenic intestinal protozoa infection (Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar and Giardia intestinalis) among children from the Plateau Central, compared to the Centre-Ouest region (P < 0.001). Children from households with “freely roaming domestic animals” (P = 0.008), particularly dogs (P = 0.016) showed higher odds of G. intestinalis, and children reporting exposure to freshwater sources through domestic chores had higher odds of S. haematobium infection compared to children without this water contact activity (P = 0.035). Water quality, household drinking water source and storage did not emerge as significant risk factors for intestinal parasitic infections in children.ConclusionsIntestinal protozoa but not helminths were highly prevalent among schoolchildren in randomly selected schools in two regions of Burkina Faso. Our findings call for specific public health measures tailored to school-aged children and rural communities in this part of Burkina Faso. It will be interesting to assess the effect of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions on the transmission of intestinal parasitic infections.Trial registration ISRCTN17968589 (date assigned: 17 July 2015).Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1835-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

No abstract

No abstract

RésuméCette étude a été menée dans les élevages périurbains et au niveau des marchés à bétail de Ouagadougou avec pour objectif de caractériser sur le plan phénotypique les petits ruminants de race locale “Mossi”. 314 animaux (202 ovins et 112 caprins) repartis chez 25 producteurs ont été concernés. Les mesures corporelles suivantes ont été effectuées: le poids vif (PV), le périmètre thoracique (PT), la hauteur au garrot (HG), la hauteur à la croupe (HC) et la longueur de la diagonale du corps (LDC). Ont été également enregistrées la présence ou non de cornes, de barbiche, la couleur de la robe (blanc, noir, noir et blanc, brun, blanc-brun) et la structure du poil (ras et dur, ras et lisse, long et dur, long et lisse).Les résultats ont mis en évidence entre les variables corporelles mesurées, des différences liées au sexe en fonction de l’âge. Les ovins locaux de type “Mossi” sont eumétriques avec un PV moyen à l’âge adulte de 23,3±5,0 kg et une HG de 59,3±5,5 cm. Chez les caprins, le PV moyen est de 20,2plusmn;4,5 kg et la HG est de 48,4±4,1 cm.Ce sont des types génétiques à robes multicolores avec cependant une prédominance de la couleur “noir et blanc” chez les ovins, “blanc-brun” chez les caprins. Le poil est généralement “ras et dur” chez les ovins et “ras et lisse” chez les caprins. Le port des oreilles est “dressé et court” chez les caprins et “tombant et court” chez les ovins.La grande variabilité notée pour la couleur de la robe et le PV chez les individus de ces races indique de grandes possibilités d'amélioration génétique par sélection.

Safe drinking water access for rural populations in developing countries remains a challenge for a sustainable development, particularly in rural and periurban areas of Burkina Faso. The study aims to investigate the purifying capacity of Moringa oleifera defatted cake as compared to Moringa oleifera seed in the treatment of surface and well waters used for populations alimentation. A total of 90 water samples were collected in sterile glass bottles from 3 dams' water reservoirs, a river, and a large diameter well, respectively. The water samples were treated in triplicate with Moringa oleifera seed and defatted cake coagulants. At different settling time and coagulant concentration, turbidity and pH were measured to determine the optimal conditions and factors influencing treatment with regard to sampling source. Nine physicochemical parameters (turbidity, pH, nitrates, nitrites, calcium, magnesium, total hardness, organic matter and sulfates), three bacterial fecal pollution indicators (Escherichia coli, fecal Coliforms and fecal Streptococcus) and parasite cysts were monitored based on laboratory standard methods. Data were analyzed using the Student's t test and XLSTAT 7.5.2 statistical software. From the results obtained, for the same concentration of coagulant, settling time providing the lowest turbidity was significantly shorter (p < 0.0001) with Moringa oleifera cake than seed. Optimum settling time with Moringa oleifera cake was between 15-60 min versus 60-120 min, with Moringa oleifera seed. Both treatments significantly reduced minerals concentration in water excepted sulfates for which the concentration reversely increased. However, only Moringa oleifera cake treatment reduced organic matter content in all the water samples, while it increased with Moringa oleifera seed one (p < 0.0001). The reduction of microbial pollution indicators was 92%-100% with M. oleifera cake treatment and 84%-100% with M. oleifera seed one. Overall, for all water samples, Moringa oleifera cake treatment appeared more efficient in improving drinking water quality than the M. oleifera seed treatment.