Population genetic structure and historical demography of the population of forest elephants in Côte d'Ivoire.

The population of forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) has continuously declined in Côte d'Ivoire and, the remaining population largely consists of subpopulations that are fragmented and isolated. No data actually exist on the level of genetic diversity and population genetic structure of current forest elephant populations in Côte d'Ivoire. In this sense, determining genetic diversity and the underlying mechanisms of population differentiation is crucial for the initiation of effective conservation management.

Optimization of the Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) DNA extraction protocol using forest elephant dung samples.

Among non-invasive biological samples, feces offer an important source of DNA and can easily be collected. However, working with fecal DNA from highly vegetarians species such as elephant is more challenging because plant secondary compounds have an inhibitory effect on PCR reactions. Working with forest elephant dung samples, we tested and adapted a protocol of DNA extraction developed on plants based on the Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) protocol.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices on childhood TB among healthcare workers.

Increasing childhood TB case detection requires the deployment of diagnostic services at peripheral healthcare level. Capacity and readiness of healthcare workers (HCWs) are key to the delivery of innovative approaches. In 2019, HCWs from five district hospitals (DHs) and 20 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Cambodia, Cameroon, Cote d´Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Uganda completed a self-administered knowledge-attitudes-practices (KAP) questionnaire on childhood TB.

Ivory Coast without ivory: Massive extinction of African forest elephants in Côte d'Ivoire.

In pre-colonial and colonial times Côte d'Ivoire probably hosted one of the largest elephant populations in West Africa, resulting in the country's name Côte d'Ivoire (in English Ivory Coast) by French settlers. Numbers declined and by the early 90s it was estimated that the total number of both savannah and forest elephants had reached 63 to 360 elephants in the entire country. Here we present updated information on the distribution and conservation status of forest elephant in Côte d'Ivoire based on multiple sources-dung counts on line transects, records of human-elephant conflict, media reports, sign and interview surveys-obtained during the period 2011-2017.

[Evaluation of the operational capacity of first-line health facilities in the management of malaria in Ivory Coast].

Introduction: Do health facilities (HF) have basic resources needed to manage malaria? The purpose of our study was to analyze the operational capacity (OC) of first-line health facilities in Ivory Coast in the management of malaria.

Methods: SARA methodology was used to conduct a descriptive cross-sectional study from 10 to 30 July 2016. The operational capacity in the management showed an average availability of 9 identification tracers divided in 3 areas: (i) staff and guidelines; (ii) capacity of diagnosis; (iii) drugs and products.