A study on the use of pesticides in market-gardening production was carried out on 108 market-gardeners in the rural city of Tori-Bossito in Southern Benin. The objective of the study was to characterize the potential risks of pesticides usage by farmers and the impacts on their health and on the environment. Two risk indexes were calculated for each pesticide: an environmental risk index (ERI) and a health risk index (HRI). First stage larva of the mosquito Aedes aegypti were used as bio-indicator for detecting insecticide residue in vegetable before their harvesting on the farms. The highest ERI were obtained for carbofuran, chlorpyriphos ethyl and endosulfan. Pesticide residues were found in 42% of the samples of leaves of eggplant, cucumber, amaranth and solanum. Vegetables growers used pesticides that may be highly hazardous and which were not registered in most cases. These situations could have unexpected consequences including the exposure of consumers to health hazards

To our knowledge, effects of age, placental malaria infection, infections during follow-up, nutritional habits, sickle-cell trait and individual exposure to Anopheles bites were never explored together in a study focusing on the acquisition of malaria antibody responses among infants living in endemic areas.Five hundred and sixty-seven Beninese infants were weekly followed-up from birth to 18 months of age. Immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG1 and IgG3 specific for 5 malaria antigens were measured every 3 months. A linear mixed model was used to analyze the effect of each variable on the acquisition of antimalarial antibodies in 6-to18-month old infants in univariate and multivariate analyses. Placental malaria, nutrition intakes and sickle-cell trait did not influence the infant antibody levels to P. falciparum antigens. In contrary, age, malaria antibody levels at birth, previous and present malaria infections as well as exposure to Anopheles bites were significantly associated with the natural acquisition of malaria antibodies in 6-to18-month old Beninese infants. This study highlighted inescapable factors to consider simultaneously in an immuno-epidemiological study or a vaccine trial in early life.

L'utilisation des pesticides par les petits agriculteurs africains est devenue systématique afin d'optimiser le rendement des cultures cotonnières ou maraîchères. Mais contrairement aux planteurs de coton, les producteurs maraîchers ne bénéficient ni d'encadrement ni de formation continue. Ils se procurent sur le marché local des pesticides dont ils ne connaissent ni la toxicité ni le mode d'utilisation. Pour évaluer les risques sanitaires et environnementaux relatifs aux pratiques phytosanitaires, une enquête a été réalisée auprès de 108 producteurs maraîchers dans une commune rurale du Sud du Bénin. D'après les résultats de l'enquête, 16 préparations commerciales ont été recensées, dont 9 insecticides, 6 fongicides et 1 nématicide. Les plus fréquemment recensées ont été les formulations de lambdacyhalothrine, de profenofos, de mancozèbe et de méthylthiophanate. La majorité des producteurs (97 %) utilise des pyréthrinoïdes. Les organophosphorés, les carbamates et les benzimidazoles sont utilisés respectivement par 85, 41 et 32 % des producteurs. Les producteurs maraîchers utilisent des insecticides non appropriés. Les modes d'utilisation, le manque d'équipements de protection adaptée des utilisateurs et les conditions de stockage constituent des facteurs de risques aggravants pour les agriculteurs et les consommateurs.Mots clés : Bénin ; culture maraîchère ; évaluation du risque ; pesticide.Thèmes : pathologie ; productions végétales ; ressources naturelles et environnement. AbstractAssessing health and environmental risks as regards pesticide practices of vegetable growers in the rural city of Tori-Bossito in southern Benin Pesticide use is an obvious fact for African small farmers to optimize cotton and vegetable yield. In contrast to cotton farmers, vegetable growers do not benefit by continuous training. They simply get some pesticides of which they ignore the toxicity and directions for use from the local market. In an attempt to assess health and environmental risks deriving from pesticide use, an investigation was carried out among 108 small vegetable growers in a rural city of Benin. Sixteen pesticides were found: nine insecticides, six fungicides and one nematicide. The pesticides the most frequently found were the formulations of lambdacyhalothrin, profenofos, mancozeb and thiophanate-methyl. The majority of vegetable growers (97%) used pyrethrinoids. Organophosphorates, carbamates and benzimidazoles were used respectively by 85%, 41% and 32% of the growers. Vegetable growers often used unadapted insecticides. The way to use pesticides, lack of suitable protective equipment and stock conditions increased the risks for farmers and consumers.

BackgroundParticular cytokine gene polymorphisms are involved in the regulation of the antibody production. The consequences of already described IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 gene polymorphisms on biological parameters and antibody levels were investigated among 576 mothers at delivery and their newborns in the context of P. falciparum placental malaria infection.MethodsThe study took place in the semi-rural area of Tori-Bossito, in south-west Benin, where malaria is meso-endemic. Six biallelic polymorphisms were determined by quantitative PCR using TaqMan® Pre-Designed SNP Genotyping Assays, in IL-4 (rs2243250, rs2070874), IL-10 (rs1800896, rs1800871, rs1800872) and IL-13 (rs1800925) genes. Antibody responses directed to P. falciparum MSP-1, MSP-2, MSP-3, GLURP-R0, GLURP-R2 and AMA-1 recombinant proteins were determined by ELISA.ResultsThe maternal IL-4−590*T/IL-4+33*T haplotype (one or two copies) was associated with favorable maternal condition at delivery (high haemoglobin levels, absence of placental parasites) and one of its component, the IL-4−590TT genotype, was related to low IgG levels to MSP-1, MSP-2/3D7 and MSP-2/FC27. Inversely, the maternal IL-10−1082AA was positively associated with P. falciparum placenta infection at delivery. As a consequence, the IL-10−819*T allele (in CT and TT genotypes) as well as the IL-10−1082*A/IL-10−819*T/IL-10−592*A haplotype (one or two copies) in which it is included, were related to an increased risk for anaemia in newborns. The maternal IL-10−1082AA genotype was related to high IgG levels to MSP-2/3D7 and AMA-1 in mothers and newborns, respectively. The IL-13 gene polymorphism was only involved in the newborn’s antibody response to AMA-1.ConclusionThese data revealed that IL-4 and IL-10 maternal gene polymorphisms are likely to play a role in the regulation of biological parameters in pregnant women at delivery (anaemia, P. falciparum placenta infection) and in newborns (anaemia). Moreover, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 maternal gene polymorphisms were related to IgG responses to MSP-1, MSP-2/3D7 and MSP-2/FC27 in mothers as well as to AMA-1 in newborns.

RÉSUMÉLa précarité des systèmes d'élevage avicole en Afrique de l'Ouest peut favoriser l'introduction de germes pathogènes dans les élevages. Or, les fumiers de volaille sont très utilisés dans le maraîchage au Bénin. Par conséquent, le transfert de germes des fumiers vers les produits maraîchers est à craindre. L'objectif de cette étude était d'explorer les pratiques d'élevage avicole dans le département de l'Atlantique (Sud-Bénin). Au total, 78 fermes avicoles ont été visitées. Un questionnaire a été administré aux producteurs. La plupart d'entre eux (82,1%) ont rapporté qu'ils se lavent toujours les mains avant d'entrer dans les poulaillers. Sur les fermes disposant de pédiluves, 15,4% des producteurs ont avoué ne pas toujours y passer avant d'accéder aux poulaillers. Un seul producteur a rapporté qu'il ne fait pas la décontamination terminale des bâtiments. L'analyse du fumier prélevé sur l'une des fermes a révélé la présence de quantités très élevées de germes aérobies mésophiles d'Escherichia coli, de Clostridium perfringens et de coliformes thermotolérants. Ces résultats microbiologiques montrent que les pratiques d'hygiène en aviculture sont encore peu satisfaisantes au Bénin. © 2015 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Mots clés : Élevage avicole, bonnes pratiques, risques microbiologiques, hygiène. Poultry farming practices in South-Benin (West Africa) and impacts on the manures hygiene ABSTRACTIn general, the poultry farming systems in West Africa are less sophisticated. These systems can be sources of carrying out of pathogens to the farms. But, in Benin Republic, poultry manures are widely used in market gardening. So, the transfer of pathogens from manures to vegetables is worrisome. This research aimed M. A. BOKO et al. / Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 9(6): 2740-2753, 2015 2741 at investigating the poultry farming practices in the Atlantic division (South-Benin). In total, 78 poultry farms were visited. A questionnaire was handed out to the producers. Most of them (82.1%) reported that they always wash their hands before entering poultry houses. On the farms where footbaths were present, 15.4% of producers declared that they do not always pass through it before entering poultry houses. Only one producer reported that he does not do the final decontamination of the houses. Analysis of the manure taken from one of the farms showed very high amounts of aerobic mesophile bacteria, of Escherichia coli, of Clostridium perfringens and thermotolerant coliforms. These microbiological results show that satisfying hygiene practices in poultry farming are still lacking in Benin.