scholarly journals Meta-analysis of epilepsy prevalence in West Africa and its relationship with onchocerciasis endemicity and control

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 192-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo ◽  
Jan H F Remme ◽  
Pierre-Marie Preux ◽  
Robert Colebunders
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Population Based ◽  
West African ◽  
Early Years ◽  
African Countries ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Onchocerciasis Control

Abstract Background A high prevalence and incidence of epilepsy has been reported in onchocerciasis-endemic regions in Central and East Africa. There is compelling epidemiological evidence suggesting that this high burden is caused by onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy (OAE). We hypothesized that OAE had also occured in West African onchocerciasis foci. Methods We searched PubMed, the African Journals Online platform and grey literature for population-based epilepsy studies in West African countries. Epilepsy and onchocerciasis prevalence data were extracted. The pre-control onchocerciasis endemicity in the study sites was estimated from historical data of onchocerciasis control programmes. The prevalence of epilepsy in different sites was analysed, taking into account onchocerciasis endemicity and the duration of control. Results The pooled prevalence of epilepsy in the West African study sites was 13.14 per 1000 (95% confidence interval 11.28–15.00). Higher pre-control endemicity and a shorter duration of onchocerciasis control were both associated with increased epilepsy prevalence (p<0.001). Two studies in Ivory Coast that provided detailed descriptions of persons with epilepsy in onchocerciasis-endemic settings revealed that most of them had features of OAE (73.7% and 83.3%, respectively). Conclusions Our findings suggest that before and during the early years of implementing onchocerciasis control in West Africa, high onchocerciasis endemicity resulted in a high prevalence of OAE and that subsequent control efforts significantly reduced the prevalence of OAE.

scholarly journals The Prevalence of Insufficient Iodine Intake in Pregnancy in Africa: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Bitamazire Businge ◽  
Hannibal Tafadzwa Musarurwa ◽  
Benjamin Longo-Mbenza ◽  
Andre Pascal Kengne
Keyword(s):  
Iodine Deficiency ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Iodine Intake ◽  
Nutrition Status ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Iodine Nutrition ◽  
Before And After ◽  
In Pregnancy

Abstract BackgroundFortification of foodstuffs with iodine, mainly through iodisation of salt, which commenced in several African countries after 1995 is the main method for mitigating iodine deficiency in Africa. We assessed the degree of iodine nutrition in pregnancy across Africa before and after the implementation of national iodine fortification programs (CRD42018099434).MethodsElectronic databases and grey literature were searched for baseline data before implementation of population-based iodine supplementation and for follow-up data up to September 2020. R-metamedian and metamean packages were used to pool country-specific median UIC estimates and derived mean UIC from studies with similar features. ResultsOf 54 African countries, 23 had data on iodine nutrition in pregnancy mostly from subnational samples. Data before 1995 showed that severe iodine deficiency was prevalent in pregnancy with a pooled pregnancy median UIC of 28.6 µg/L (95% CI 7.6 – 49.5). By 2005, five studies revealed a trend towards improvement in iodine nutrition state in pregnancy with a pooled pregnancy median UIC of 174.1 µg/L (95% CI 90.4 – 257.7). Between 2005 and 2020 increased numbers of national and subnational studies revealed that few African countries had sufficient, while most had mildly inadequate, and some severely inadequate iodine nutrition in pregnancy. The pooled pregnancy median UIC was 145 μg/L (95% CI 126 – 172). Conclusion Improvement in iodine nutrition status in pregnancy following the introduction of fortification of foodstuffs with iodine in Africa is sub-optimal, exposing a large proportion of pregnant women to the risk of iodine deficiency and associated disorders.

The Coin of the African Realm

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Herbst
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
West Africa ◽  
West African ◽  
Regional Economies ◽  
African Countries ◽  
New Strategies

This chapter examines the politics of the currency in West Africa from the beginning of the twentieth century. A public series of debates over the nature of the currency occurred in West Africa during both the colonial and independence periods. Since 1983, West African countries have been pioneers in Africa in developing new strategies to combat overvaluation of the currency and reduce the control of government over the currency supply. The chapter charts the evolution of West African currencies as boundaries and explores their relationship to state consolidation. It shows that leaders in African capitals managed to make the units they ruled increasingly distinct from the international and regional economies, but the greater salience of the currency did not end up promoting state consolidation. Rather, winning the ability to determine the value of the currency led to a series of disastrous decisions that severely weakened the states themselves.

Global epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis of standardized population-based seroprevalence studies, Jan 2020-Oct 2021

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Bergeri ◽  
Mairead Whelan ◽  
Harriet Ware ◽  
Lorenzo Subissi ◽  
Anthony Nardone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Global Epidemiology ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Demographic Subgroups ◽  
Over Time

Background COVID-19 case data underestimates infection and immunity, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We meta-analyzed standardized SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence studies to estimate global seroprevalence. Objectives/Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, preprints, and grey literature for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence studies aligned with the WHO UNITY protocol published between 2020-01-01 and 2021-10-29. Eligible studies were extracted and critically appraised in duplicate. We meta-analyzed seroprevalence by country and month, pooling to estimate regional and global seroprevalence over time; compared seroprevalence from infection to confirmed cases to estimate under-ascertainment; meta-analyzed differences in seroprevalence between demographic subgroups; and identified national factors associated with seroprevalence using meta-regression. PROSPERO: CRD42020183634. Results We identified 396 full texts reporting 736 distinct seroprevalence studies (41% LMIC), including 355 low/moderate risk of bias studies with national/sub-national scope in further analysis. By April 2021, global SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 26.1%, 95% CI [24.6-27.6%]. Seroprevalence rose steeply in the first half of 2021 due to infection in some regions (e.g., 18.2% to 45.9% in Africa) and vaccination and infection in others (e.g., 11.3% to 57.4% in the Americas high-income countries), but remained low in others (e.g., 0.3% to 1.6% in the Western Pacific). In 2021 Q1, median seroprevalence to case ratios were 1.9:1 in HICs and 61.9:1 in LMICs. Children 0-9 years and adults 60+ were at lower risk of seropositivity than adults 20-29. In a multivariate model using data pre-vaccination, more stringent public health and social measures were associated with lower seroprevalence. Conclusions Global seroprevalence has risen considerably over time and with regional variation, however much of the global population remains susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. True infections far exceed reported COVID-19 cases. Standardized seroprevalence studies are essential to inform COVID-19 control measures, particularly in resource-limited regions.

Challenging Popularized Narratives of Immigrant Youth From West Africa: Examining Social Processes of Navigating Identities and Engaging Civically

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 279-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaughn W. M. Watson ◽  
Michelle G. Knight-Manuel
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Immigrant Youth ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
West African ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Media Narratives

Given polarizing popular-media narratives of immigrant youth from West African countries, we construct an interdisciplinary framework engaging a Sankofan approach to analyze education research literature on social processes of navigating identities and engaging civically across immigrant youth’s heritage practices and Indigenous knowledges. In examining social processes, we disrupt three areas of inequalities affecting educational experiences of immigrant youth: (a) homogenizing notions of a monolithic West Africa and immigrant youth’s West African countries, (b) deficit understandings of identities and the heterogeneity of Black immigrant youth from West African countries living in the United States, and (c) singular views of youth’s civic engagement. We provide implications for researchers, policymakers, and educators to better meet youth’s teaching and learning needs.

scholarly journals Epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of cerebral malaria imported in Albania

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (02) ◽  
pp. 190-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arben Ndreu ◽  
Diana Hajdari ◽  
Anduena Ndoni ◽  
Klodiana Shkurti ◽  
Dhimiter Kraja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Case Report ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Cerebral Malaria ◽  
Early Treatment ◽  
West African ◽  
First Episode ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Disease Episode

This is a case-report of two patients with cerebral malaria (CM) imported from West-African countries. Notably, this form of malaria was developed as a second disease episode, while the first episode was experienced in West Africa. These findings suggest that the second episode of malaria was caused by a different strain of Plasmodium falciparum as compared to the first one. They are the first cerebral malaria cases imported in Albania after the eradication and absence of Plasmodium for five decades. Early treatment of cerebral malaria is decisive on the duration of coma and disease’s outcome.

English in West Africa

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Gut
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Structural Properties ◽  
West African ◽  
The Other ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The West ◽  
Current Role ◽  
British Colonization

This chapter describes the history, role, and structural properties of English in the West African countries the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, the anglophone part of Cameroon, and the island of Saint Helena. It provides an overview of the historical phases of trading contact, British colonization and missionary activities and describes the current role of English in these multilingual countries. Further, it outlines the commonalities and differences in the vocabulary, phonology, morphology, and syntax of the varieties of English spoken in anglophone West Africa. It shows that Liberian Settler English and Saint Helenian English have distinct phonological and morphosyntactic features compared to the other West African Englishes. While some phonological areal features shared by several West African Englishes can be identified, an areal profile does not seem to exist on the level of morphosyntax.

Jihadist expansion into West Africa will take time

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Ivory Coast ◽  
West African ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Intelligence Sharing ◽  
Joint Operations ◽  
Hit And Run ◽  
Security Assistance

Significance While the overall number of incidents is fewer than a dozen since the rise of the region's jihadist insurgencies in the early 2010s, the trend lends credence to growing warnings about the jihadist threat to coastal West African countries. Concern has focused on Ivory Coast and Benin, but there is also nervousness about Ghana, Togo and even Senegal. Impacts Western governments will boost security assistance to coastal states. Intelligence sharing and joint operations will not forestall cross-border hit-and-run attacks. Most regional states will resort to security-focused responses whose abuses drive jihadist recruitment.

scholarly journals Estimating drowning mortality in Tanzania: a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing data sources

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 459-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Sarrassat ◽  
Sigilbert Mrema ◽  
Kassimu Tani ◽  
Thomas Mecrow ◽  
Dan Ryan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Complete Information ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Drowning Prevention ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Global Datasets ◽  
Existing Data

BackgroundThe WHO advocates a 7-step process to enable countries to develop and implement drowning prevention strategies. We sought to assess, using existing data sources, the drowning situation in Tanzania as a first step in this process.MethodsWe searched for data on causes of death in Tanzania by reviewing existing literature and global datasets and by in-country networking. Authors and institutions were then contacted to request aggregate data on drowning mortality. Site-specific drowning estimates were combined using a random effects meta-analytic approach. We also tested for evidence of variations in drowning estimates by sex and by age group.ResultsWe acquired partial or complete information on drowning deaths for 13 data sources. We found strong evidence for substantial variations between study sites (p<0.001). Combining population-based data, we estimated an average of 5.1 drowning deaths per 100 000 persons per year (95% CI 3.8 to 6.3). The proportions of deaths due to drowning were 0.72% (95% CI 0.55 to 0.88) and 0.94% (95% CI 0.09 to 1.78) combining population-based data and hospital-based data, respectively. Males were at greater risk than females, while both under-five children and adults aged 45 years or more were at greater risk than those aged 5–44 years.ConclusionOur estimates of drowning burden are broadly in line with the 2016 Global Burden of Disease and the 2015 WHO Global Health Estimates. While this exercise was useful in raising the burden of drowning in Tanzania with policy makers, planning drowning prevention strategies in this country will require a better understanding of which subpopulations are at high risk.

Bureaucrats and the Senegalese Political Process

1971 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
'Ladipo Adamolekun
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Political Process ◽  
West African ◽  
Military Rule ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Military Regimes ◽  
The Military

While independence in West Africa focused academic attention on political parties, the proliferation of military régimes in the late 1960s– by 1970, seven West African countries had experienced military rule — brought two other institutions into prominence: the military and civil bureaucracies. This article seeks to throw some light on the place of the civil bureaucracy in Senegal through a study of the role of bureaucrats in the country's political process.

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