BackgroundIn sub-Saharan Africa, there is a dearth of published literature on extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB).ObjectiveTo describe demographic, diagnostic and HIV-status characteristics of patients with EPTB in Bénin, their treatment outcomes, and among those who completed their treatment in the Centre National Hospitalier de Pneumo-Phtisiologie (CNHP-P), the proportion whose bodyweight increased during treatment.Material and FindingsThis was a retrospective cohort study with comparisons made between EPTB and new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (NPTB) patients diagnosed in the country from January to December 2011. There were 383 EPTB patients (9% of all TB cases) with a mean age of 35 years, male/female ratio of 1.3 and important regional variation. There were significantly more females (p = 0.001), children <15years (p<0.001) and HIV-positive patients (p = 0.005) with EPTB compared with NPTB. Pleural effusion, spinal and lymph node tuberculosis accounted for 66% of all EPTB. Children <15 years represented 16% of cases, with lymph node disease being most common among them (p<0.001). Of 130 EPTB patients registered in CNHP-P, 7% had a confirmed bacteriological/histological diagnosis. There were 331 (86%) patients who successfully completed treatment. More patients with EPTB were lost-to-follow-up compared with NPTB (p<0.001) with all these patients from one region. The best treatment completion rates were in children <15 years (OR:3.5, 95%CI:1.0–14.8) while patients with pleural effusion and ascites had the worst outcomes. Of 72 HIV-coinfected patients, 88% were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV-positive status was associated with poor outcomes while those on ART fared better. In the CNHP-P, more than 80% who completed their treatment showed an increase in bodyweight and this was more evident in HIV-positive compared with HIV-negative patients (p = 0.03).ConclusionPatients with EPTB generally do well in Bénin, although the TB Programme would benefit through more attention to accurate diagnosis and earlier start of ART in HIV-infected patients.

The textile industry sector occupies a prominent place in the economy of Benin. It exposes workers to several occupational risks, including exposure to cotton dust. To assess the effect of exposure to cotton dust on the health of workers, this study was initiated and conducted in a Beninese cotton industry company. The objective of the study was to evaluate the respiratory disorders among the textile workers exposed to cotton dust and the cross-sectional study involved 656 subjects exposed to cotton dust and 113 non-exposed subjects. The methods used are mainly based on a survey using a questionnaire of organic dust designed by the International Commission of Occupational Health (ICOH); and on the measures of lung function parameters (FEV1 and FVC). The main results of the different analyzes revealed that subjects exposed to cotton dust have more respiratory symptoms than unexposed subjects (36.9% vs. 21.2%). The prevalence of chronic cough, expectorations, dyspnoea, asthma and chronic bronchitis are 16.8%, 9.8%, 17.3%, 2.6%, and 5.9% respectively among the exposed versus 2.6%, 0.8%, 16.8%, 0% and 0.8% among the unexposed subjects. The prevalence of byssinosis is 44.01%.The prevalence of symptoms is dependent on the sector of activity and the age of the subject. These results should encourage medical interventions and technical prevention especially since the textile industry occupies an important place in the Benin’s economy.

DM may not be an important risk factor for TB in Cotonou. A larger study on TB and DM in the whole country is needed.

(grouped together into the 0-14 year age group) are specifi cally identifi ed in the NTP's quarterly reports. At the General Hospital (GH) in Cotonou, the economic capital, children are diagnosed and treated on the basis of information recorded in their personal medical fi les, but are never notifi ed to the NTP, for a variety of reasons. NTP data on children are therefore incomplete and cannot be used to estimate the true burden of childhood disease in Benin.The aim of the present study was to describe the burden of TB and characteristics and outcomes along children treated in Cotonou, Benin. Specifi c objectives were to determine: 1) the total number of TB cases recorded in the NTP TB registers, and of these, the number of children aged <15 years; 2) the incidence rate of notifi ed TB cases among children aged <15 years; 3) the number of children notifi ed with TB in the NTP TB register and the number of children recorded in the GH medical fi les (who are not notifi ed in the NTP TB register) and, in each of these groups, stratifi cation by sex, age, type of TB and human immunodefi ciency virus (HIV) status; and 4) the treatment outcomes among these children stratifi ed by place of treatment, sex, age, type of TB and HIV status, from 2009 to 2011. STUDY POPULATION, DESIGN AND METHODS Study designThis was a cross-sectional, retrospective cohort study of children with TB in Cotonou based on reviews of NTP TB registers and the medical fi les of the GH. SettingBenin is a small country in West Africa with a population of 9 million and a gross national income of US$780 per capita (http://data.worldbank.org/about/countryclassifi cations). The NTP notifi es about 3500 TB cases each year. The national incidence rate of notifi ed new TB cases has been stable over the last 10 years, at 41-46 per 100 000 population. The NTP follows the DOTS strategy and uses internationally recognised criteria for diagnosing and treating patients with TB. 6,7 The NTP has a central unit responsible for policy and strategy, while diagnosis, registration and care are decentralised to 57 public or private basic management units (BMUs) in the country.The present study was conducted in Cotonou and its suburbs, which has a population of about 1 million. There are fi ve BMUs in Cotonou, all of which have a TB register and use TB treatment cards. The GH has a Interna onal Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung DiseaseHealth solu ons for the poor by the NTP and 29 (16%) by the GH; the latter were not notified to the NTP. The incidence rate of notified TB cases was between 8 and 13 per 100 000 population, and was higher in children aged >5 years. Of 167 children tested, 29% were HIV-positive. Treatment success was 72% overall, with success rates of 86%, 62% and 74%, respectively, among sputum smear-positive, sputum smear-negative and extra-pulmonary patients. Treatment success rates were lower in children with sputum smear-negative TB (62%) and those with HIV infection (58%). Conclusion:The number of children being treated for TB is low, and younger ch...

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ObjectivesBenin established a revolving drug fund (RDF) for essential asthma medicines in 2008. We evaluated the operation of the RDF and assessed whether there was interruption of supply of asthma medicine from 2008 to 2013.MethodsWe reviewed the process in establishing the RDF. We assessed cost and sale price of asthma medicines, expenditure of the RDF in procuring asthma medicines and other tools, revenue generated by sales of medicines to patients, and balance of capital as of 31 January 2013. We investigated whether there was interruption of supply of essential asthma medicines from 2008–2013.ResultsThe total amount of grants initially injected into the RDF was 24,101€. As of 31 January 2013, the capital of the RDF, including the deposit in the RDF bank account (8,114€) and the value of inhalers in stock (12,172€), was equivalent to 20,586€, slightly less than the initial capital (24,101€). The decrease of capital was mainly because a number of inhalers were expired or provided free-of-charge (6,091€) and because part of the fund was used to procure other elements required for the management of asthma (4,338€). Thanks to a RDF, Benin maintained an uninterrupted supply of essential asthma medicines in asthma pilot sites from 2008–2013.ConclusionThe Benin experience demonstrated that in countries where universal health coverage was not yet in place, establishment of a RDF may help maintain an uninterrupted supply of essential medicines.