Objective:To assess the degree of poisoning in farmers using the erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) test before and after the exposure to pesticides in townships in central Benin (Glazoué and Savè) and to identify the associated risk factors.Methods:Using a cross-sectional study design, we recruited 264 farm pesticide sprayers, who have been working for at least 5 years. They completed a questionnaire and underwent the AChE test using the Test-mate Model 400 device (EQM Research Inc.) with a photometric sensor, based on the works of Ellman.Results:Organophosphate/pyrethroids were the most common pesticides used by at least 72.96% of the farmworkers. We observed an inhibition of AChE between pre-exposure and post-exposure (P = .002) for 60.61% of the farmworkers. Among them, 11.88% displayed more than 20% AChE inhibition.Conclusions:Pesticide poisoning is a reality, and AChE monitoring is urgently needed for farmworker surveillance.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of obesity among employees CHUD in Parakou and risk factors in 2013. Methods: This was a cross sectional study, descriptive analytical referred to place from 05 August to 05 September 2013. The study population consists of employees of CHUD in Parakou. Data were collected using a questionnaire and by anthropometric measures. Results: The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 55.9%. The sex ratio was 0.8. The mean age of subjects was 37.2 ± 9.0 years. Factors associated with obesity were: female gender (p = 10 -11 ), those aged 30-49 years (p = 0.04), subjects with a level of secondary education limited (p = 0.01), subjects with a daily consumption and accidental alcohol (p = 10 -9 ), snacking (p = 0.00012). Conclusion: Obesity prevention should involve the establishment and maintenance during the lifetime of healthy eating habits and regular physical activity. Mots clés : Prévalence, obésité, facteurs de risque, CHUD de Parakou. Keywords

Background: Malnutrition has become a real concern today. It is a pathological condition resulting from the relative or absolute deficiency or excess of one or more essential nutrients and can occur through either clinical or anthropometric signs or physiological or biochemical analyses. General objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with and the extent of malnutrition in schoolchildren in Cotonou, the main city of Benin Republic. Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in July 2016. It involved data collection regarding food and nutritional knowledge, nutritional habits and practices, physical activity level and health status which were obtained using survey research. The study took place in four schools from the Friendly School of Nutrition Initiative (FNSI) in Cotonou and focused on schoolchildren aged from eight to eleven (n = 182). Anthropometric data including weight and height were collected, BMI indices weight-for age and height-forage were calculated, making it thereby possible to assess the nutritional status of the schoolchildren. Factors associated with malnutrition were determined by logistic regression (p < 0.05). Results: From the outcome of this study, 13% of the children were wasted; 5% were overweight or obese. The proportion of stunting was 5% of which 1% were severely stunted. Thirty-four percent (34%) of schoolchildren were anemic. Factors associated with wasting in schoolchildren were age (OR = 4.99; p = 0.007), gender (OR = 0.36; p = 0.049) and maternal employment status (OR = 5.58; p = 0.021). Maternal employment status had a high influence on stunting (OR = 7.77; p = 0.033). Conclusion: It appears that the double burden of malnutrition is a reality in Cotonou's schools and is characterized by coexistence of wasting, stunting, overweight and obesity in these schoolchildren. Efficient strategies are needed to improve the nutritional status of Cotonou's schoolchildren.

Background and Objectives. There is a dearth of information on asthma among bakers in low-income settings. The objectives of this study were to determine (i) the prevalence of asthma symptoms, (ii) factors associated with probable occupational asthma (OA), and (iii) work habits that might lead to a dusty workplace environment, Parakou, Benin. Materials and Methods. This was a mixed methods (cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative) study carried out between March and September 2018. Results. Of 210 employees/apprentices in 26 bakeries, 190 (91.48%) were included in the study: median age was 25.50 (IQR=22−32) years, 157 (82.63%) were aged <40 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 26.14. Of these, 111 (58.42%) worked in a salted bread and 79 (41.58%) in a sweet bread bakery. An asthma history was reported by 3.68%. Symptoms consistent with asthma, work-related asthma, OA, and work-aggravated asthma were found in 13.68%, 12.63%, 10%, and 2.63%, respectively. Asthma confirmation was obtained in 15.79% of bakers with probable OA and in 23.08% of all bakers with suspected asthma. A history of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis was associated with probable OA (aOR=106; 95%CI=17.79−2093; p<0.001). Of the 24 bakers with probable work-related asthma, 3 (12.50%) were prescribed a short-acting beta2-agonist and 2 (8.33%) an inhaled corticosteroid. No worker had had a systematically planned annual medical visit; some habits at work were identified as leading to flour and dust suspension at the workplace. Conclusion. Clinical manifestations of OA were common among bakers in Parakou and were associated with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. There is a need to improve technical preventive measures and treatment, as well as to institute systematic medical visits for these workers.

Wood dust may induce health risks on exposed timber or wood workers, one of which is ENT disorders. This article aimed to detect ENT pathologies found among woodworkers in Parakou. It was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out from 1 st March to 31 st May, 2012 in Parakou, NorthBenin. It involved 703 carpenters and sawyers operating in timber workshops in Parakou, regardless of age and sex. The mean age of the wood-workers was 26.14 ± 7.77 years. Their seniority in the timber profession was on average 4.9 ± 2.64 years. All of them were males. It had been noticed that 81.6% of them did not comply with any safety measure for their protection. ENT pathology had been diagnosed in 60.3% of the timber workers. Rhinitises came first and affected 43.1% of the workers, followed by pharyngitises (14.1%). The histological nature of the only case of tumor observed in Parakou could not have been specified, as the patient refused to undergo anatomopathological examination. Measures should be taken to get Parakou timber workers to protect themselves.