Publications by authors named "Serge B Assi"

Article Synopsis
  • The study in Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, assessed how common asymptomatic and subpatent P. falciparum infections are and compared the effectiveness of three diagnostic tests (light microscopy, rapid diagnostic tests, and quantitative PCR).
  • Out of 2313 participants, 97.2% were asymptomatic, with high prevalence rates found; particularly in school-age children, while subpatent infections were more common in older individuals (≥15 years).
  • The findings suggest that traditional tests only detect high-density infections, and none of the tested samples showed deletions in the pfhrp2 gene, indicating a need for focused malaria reduction strategies in urban areas.
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Background: The massive scale-up of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) has led to a major reduction in malaria burden in many sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently issued a strong recommendation for the use of chlorfenapyr-pyrethroid LLINs compared to standard pyrethroid-only LLINs in areas of high insecticide resistance intensity. However, there is still a lack of conclusive evidence on the efficacy of piperonyl butoxide-pyrethroid (PBO-py) LLINs, especially in West Africa, where vector composition and resistance mechanisms may be different from vectors in East Africa.

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  • Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) are the first-line treatments for uncomplicated malaria in the Ivory Coast, with various studies examining their efficacy.
  • This meta-analysis aimed to assess malaria treatment failures in randomized control trials comparing AL and ASAQ between 2009 and 2016, utilizing data from four multicenter studies.
  • Results indicated high clinical and parasitological responses above 95% for both drug combinations, but a higher recurrence of infection was observed in the AL group compared to ASAQ, with most treatment failures classified as new infections after molecular testing.
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Background: A better understanding of vector distribution and malaria transmission dynamics at a local scale is essential for implementing and evaluating effectiveness of vector control strategies. Through the data gathered in the framework of a cluster randomized controlled trial (CRT) evaluating the In2Care (Wageningen, Netherlands) Eave Tubes strategy, the distribution of the Anopheles vector, their biting behaviour and malaria transmission dynamics were investigated in Gbêkê region, central Côte d'Ivoire.

Methods: From May 2017 to April 2019, adult mosquitoes were collected monthly using human landing catches (HLC) in twenty villages in Gbêkê region.

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Background: Culex mosquitoes are vectors for a variety of pathogens of public health concern. New indicators of exposure to Culex bites are needed to evaluate the risk of transmission of associated pathogens and to assess the efficacy of vector control strategies. An alternative to entomological indices is the serological measure of antibodies specific to mosquito salivary antigens.

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Humoral immunity to is acquired after repeated infections, and can lead to clinical protection. This study aimed to evaluate how human-, parasite-, and environment-related determinants can modulate the dynamics of IgG responses to after an infection. Individuals ( = 68, average age = 8.

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Agroecosystems have been associated with risk of malaria. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between three agroecosystems: (i) rubber plantation (RP); (ii) oil palm plantation (OPP); (iii) no cash crop plantation (NCCP) and the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection among children living in the Aboisso region. In the three villages within (Ehania-V5) or close (N'zikro) or far from (Ayébo) to each agroecosystem (RP, OPP, and NCCP), two cross-sectional parasitological surveys were carried out during the dry and the peak of the long wet seasons.

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Background: New vector control tools are required to sustain the fight against malaria. Lethal house lures, which target mosquitoes as they attempt to enter houses to blood feed, are one approach. Here we evaluated lethal house lures consisting of In2Care (Wageningen, Netherlands) Eave Tubes, which provide point-source insecticide treatments against host-seeking mosquitoes, in combination with house screening, which aims to reduce mosquito entry.

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Article Synopsis
  • Malaria remains a significant health issue in Côte d'Ivoire, despite the widespread use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) aimed at prevention.
  • The study utilized a cross-sectional design to assess LLIN effectiveness by measuring human exposure to mosquito bites in urban Bouaké through antibody responses in participants of different ages.
  • Results showed that individuals consistently using LLINs had lower IgG response levels to a specific salivary peptide, indicating reduced exposure, and highlighted the need for tailored interventions to enhance LLIN usage and effectiveness based on various demographic factors.
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  • This study investigated how exposure to mosquito bites affects children's immune responses to malaria vaccine candidates in Côte d'Ivoire.
  • Results showed that children with high exposure to Anopheles mosquito bites had significantly lower antibody responses to one specific malaria antigen (PfMSP1), while responses to another antigen (PfAMA1) were not affected.
  • Findings suggest that compounds in the saliva of Anopheles mosquitoes may influence the immune system's response to malaria pathogens.
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Background: In some African cities, urban malaria is a threat to the health and welfare of city dwellers. To improve the control of the disease, it is critical to identify neighbourhoods where the risk of malaria transmission is the highest. This study aims to evaluate the heterogeneity of malaria transmission risk in one city (Bouaké) in a West African country (Côte d'Ivoire) that presents several levels of urbanization.

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Introduction: Parasite clearance is useful to detect artemisinin resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate parasite clearance in patients treated with artesunate + amodiaquine (AS + AQ) and artemether + lumefantrine (AL): the two artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) recommended in the first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Côte d'Ivoire.

Methods: This study was conducted in Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, from April to June 2016.

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Background: Access to long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) has increased and malaria has decreased globally, but malaria transmission remains high in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and insecticide resistance threatens current progress. Eave tubes are a new tool for the targeted delivery of insecticides against mosquitoes attempting to enter houses. The primary objective of this trial is to test whether screening plus eave tubes (SET) provides protection against malaria, on top of universal coverage with LLINs in an area of intense pyrethroid resistance.

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Malaria remains a major public health problem in Côte d’Ivoire. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and tolerability of artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) versus artemether-lumefantrine (AL) for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria, at two malaria surveillance sites in Côte d’Ivoire. The World Health Organization 2003 protocol was used for this multicenter open randomized clinical trial with a 42-day follow-up.

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Article Synopsis
  • Urban malaria poses a significant health risk in African cities, and this study examined the level of exposure to mosquito bites using a specific salivary biomarker (gSG6-P1).
  • Two cross-sectional studies conducted in Bouaké city, during both rainy and dry seasons, analyzed blood samples from children aged 6 months to 14 years to measure their immune response to the biomarker.
  • The findings revealed that antibody levels were higher in the rainy season, and children in urban areas experienced exposure to malaria risks similar to those in rural areas, indicating the need for further monitoring and intervention in urban settings.
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The objective of this study was to monitor the effectiveness of artesunate-amodiaquine fixed-dose combination tablets (ASAQ Winthrop®) in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Côte d'Ivoire. Two enrolment periods (November 2009 to May 2010 and March to October 2013) were compared using an identical design. Subjects with proven monospecific infection according to the WHO diagnostic criteria were eligible.

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Background: In Africa, malaria care is mostly based on clinical presumption and the general application of antimalarial treatment to all febrile episodes over several years. Treatment limited to confirmed cases might curb the practice of equating fever with malaria, antimalarial drug abuse and the extension of resistance, provided that powerful and reliable rapid diagnostic tests are used. This study aimed at determining the performances of the Optimal-IT test in the strategy for the exclusive treatment of uncomplicated malaria in rural areas.

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Background: Emergence of artemisinin resistance has raised concerns that the most potent anti-malarial drug may be under threat. Artesunate-amodiaquine (AS-AQ) and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) are, respectively, the first- and second-line treatments for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Côte d'Ivoire. Constant monitoring by National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) of drug efficacy is an important tool in establishing rational anti-malarial drug policies in Côte d'Ivoire.

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Background: The growing development of pyrethroid resistance constitutes a serious threat to malaria control programmes and if measures are not taken in time, resistance may compromise control efforts in the foreseeable future. Prior to Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) distribution in Eastern Cote d'Ivoire, we conducted bioassays to inform the National Malaria Control Programme of the resistance status of the main malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae s. s.

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