Bobo Dioulasso

Researchers are evaluating the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure CPAP with a Boussignac valve in adults experiencing acute hypoxemic respiratory failure ARF, a serious emergency often requiring intensive care and invasive mechanical ventilation. This trial is focused on settings like Burkina Faso, where access to invasive ventilation is limited, and non-invasive supports such as CPAP could reduce the need for intubation and improve patient outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups within three hours of meeting inclusion criteria. The CPAP group will receive continuous CPAP using a Boussignac device for 6 to 12 hours, followed by intermittent use based on tolerance, alongside standard oxygen therapy. The standard group will receive oxygen therapy via nasal prongs or masks until intubation criteria are met, death occurs, or oxygen is no longer needed. Treatment adjustments and intubation decisions depend on clinical status and resource availability. During the study, participants will be monitored for intubation criteria over 7 days, oxygenation levels, and safety of CPAP use. Other assessments include mortality at 28 days, hospital stay duration, organ failure-free days, and CPAP tolerance. The study will take place in four university hospitals in Burkina Faso, involving emergency and intensive care departments, with follow-up evaluations and data collection conducted accordingly.

Researchers are investigating the best timing for giving the R21Matrix-M R21MM malaria vaccine to infants to better align with other routine vaccinations. This vaccine, recommended by the World Health Organization, targets the malaria parasites early stage and aims to generate protective antibodies. The study focuses on infants in areas with moderate to high malaria transmission and compares different vaccine schedules to find the most effective one. Infants aged 6 to 7 weeks are randomly assigned to one of three vaccination schedules a compressed schedule at 6, 10, and 14 weeks a relaxed schedule at 2, 4, and 6 months or a relaxed schedule at 3, 6, and 9 months. Some infants receive the R21MM vaccine, while others receive a placebo in the compressed schedule group. All infants receive routine vaccines at recommended ages alongside the malaria vaccine. A booster dose of R21MM is given at 15 months in all groups. Participants will have blood samples taken at baseline and after the third and fourth doses to measure antibody levels against malaria. The study also monitors side effects and adverse events following each vaccination. Parents will bring their infants to clinic visits and may have home visits for safety monitoring. The trial includes careful follow-up to assess immune responses and vaccine safety over time, with participation lasting through the booster dose at 15 months of age.

Environmental Enteric Dysfunction EED is a condition affecting the gut, causing changes in gut lining and immune response, leading to malnutrition, poor neurological development, stunted growth, oral vaccine failure, and infections. This condition is thought to contribute to 40% of childhood stunting. Research shows that stunting often begins before birth due to poor maternal health, especially in pregnancy, where EED in mothers causes inflammation and poor nutrient availability affecting fetal growth. This trial studies if taking oral vancomycin followed by a probiotic called VE818 can reduce harmful gut bacteria in pregnant women who carry specific bacterial pathogens. Women will be randomly assigned to one of three groups vancomycin plus VE818, vancomycin plus placebo, or observation only. All women will receive standard multiple micronutrient supplements during pregnancy. The study is done in multiple countries and lasts through pregnancy until one month after birth. Participants will have samples collected including blood, saliva, urine, stool, vaginal swabs, and intestinal samples using a non-invasive capsule device. Researchers will monitor changes in specific gut bacteria, inflammation markers, gut permeability, and microbiome diversity at several time points during pregnancy and after birth. Health outcomes of mother and infant will be followed to assess the effects of the probiotic treatment. The main measurement is the change in harmful bacteria counts two weeks after completing the 14-day treatment course.

Researchers are conducting two cross-sectional community-based studies during a school year among schoolchildren aged 7 to 12 years in Orodara, Burkina Faso. The studies aim to improve the use of the retinol isotope dilution RID technique to accurately assess vitamin A status, from deficiency to excess, in this population. This work supports the development of public health programs and vitamin A interventions in the region. The first study takes place during the end of the rainy season and mango season November to December, and the second study occurs 5 to 6 months later during the mango season April to May. A group of 60 children will undergo the RID test involving an oral dose of labeled retinyl acetate followed by blood sampling, while 98 children will be divided into male and female groups to receive the modified relative dose response MRDR test to investigate absorption of 3,4-didehydroretinyl acetate. Blood samples will be collected at multiple time points for analysis. Participants will have anthropometric measurements, hemoglobin status assessment, malaria testing, and stool samples collected. Blood samples will be processed and analyzed using advanced laboratory techniques including mass spectrometry and chromatography. Community sensitization will precede recruitment, and informed consent will be obtained. The primary outcome is vitamin A status measured using these methods over three years. The study aims to simplify and validate vitamin A assessment methods for larger population use.