[Intestinal parasitic diseases in an urban environment in Sahel. A study in a district of Niamey, Niger]

Health and environment in Niamey, a capital in Sahel, are particularly linked owing to population growth, promiscuity and large pollution induced by human and animal excreta. One district, located in the centre of the town, was surveyed for drinking water quality (ammoniac and bacterial count) and use, as well as for the prevalence of parasites through both a random sample (fixed tools with methiolate-iodine-formaldehyde) and a systematic one (scotch-test). Water consumption was 16.5 litres/day/man from fresh water supplies (87%) and private wells (13%). Ammoniac measures were low in the wells but high in running water (pool and river). It was the same for faecal coliform bacteria. These results give evidence of biotope faecal pollution. The random sample (322 persons, male/female sex ratio 0,85, average age 20,6 years) showed a 42.1% parasitic prevalence. Amoeba was the most frequent parasite (53.6%); and Giardia (14.9%) was the most frequent pathogenic parasite. In the second sample (161 children under 10 years), 24.2% were carriers of oxyuris. This large intestinal parasitism, without any change in connection with previous data in Niger, points to an important fecal contamination of the people more by the way of "dirty hands" than consumption of drinking water. The parasites observed have a short biological cycle, not necessitating long-term maturation in the environment. Those whose ova or larvae must complete their cycle outside have no possibility of surviving in Sahel, thanks to the beneficial effect of sunlight (heat and ultraviolet light). The inhabitants of this district seem to have adapted to intestinal parasitism. But the occurrence of malnutrition linked to a new drought could lead rapidly to a very serious adverse result.

[Detection of hepatitis c in blood donors in Niamey]

We searched for HCV antibodies in a random sample of 410 blood donors negative for HIV infection, hepatitis B and syphilis. 16 peoples were positive by ELISA and 13 by RIBA. So 3.2% of these donors negative for the three actual compulsory tests, are able to transmit HCV.

[Visceral leishmaniasis in Niger: six new parasitologically confirmed cases]

From January 1992 to January 1995, six cases of Kala-azar have been observed in young soldiers at Niamey, Niger. All the patients had spent some time at Tin-Galene, in Aïr mountains, Northern Niger where they had been apparently contaminated. One patient was also infected with Salmonella and an other with Mycobacterium, but none of the six was positive for HIV. The 6 cases have been confirmed by the presence of Leishmania in the sternum bone-marrow. Four patients recovered after a treatment with Glucantime; two died because the treatment was too late. In Niger, Kala-azar prevalence is probably much higher than estimated previously. So far all the cases described or suspected were in the Saharan mountains of Aïr. The strains have not been typed and it is not possible to state if it is L. infantum or L. donovani. The vector of the two species Ph. orientalis and Ph. alexandri are known to occur in the area.