CONTENTS - L'Oréal

AFRICA
Burkina Faso
Public Health
Fati KIRAKOYA, 28, is a graduate student studying
biochemistry and microbiology at the University of
Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso.
Ms Kirakoya is interested in assessing whether sexually
transmissible infections, such as genital herpes and
syphilis, or imbalance in vaginal flora, have a role to play
in increasing susceptibility to HIV infection in women in
Ouagadougou.
HIV infection in Burkina Faso has risen dramatically
since the first cases were identified in 1986. The latest
figures show that 6.5% of the population is now HIVseropositive
(2002 data). Sexual comportment, hygiene
practices and lack of access to appropriate treatment for
sexually transmissible infections are all factors
contributing to an increase in HIV transmission in the
country.
During the first part of her fellowship, Ms Kirakoya plans
to undertake a statistical study of the sexually active
female population of Ouagadougou. This will involve
collecting socio-demographic and behavioral data, in the
form of a questionnaire and biological data in the form of
blood, urine and vaginal samples from individuals who
consent to take part in the study. The biological data,
once analyzed, will provide evidence for sexually
transmissible infections, including HIV, and for other
genital infections. During the second part of her
fellowship, at the Catholic University of Louvain, Ms
Kirakoya will learn how to analyze and interpret the
collected data using biostatistical software to establish if
there is a positive association between pre-existing
genital infections and susceptibility to HIV infection in
FELLOWS UNESCO-L’ORÉAL 2005
the studied population.
On return to Burkina Faso, Ms Kirakoya hopes to be able
to use the results of her study to provide input into the
education and prevention programs for AIDS/HIV and
sexually transmissible infections currently in place in
Ouagadougou.
Host institution: School of Public Health, Catholic
University of Louvain, Belgium. �
Côte d'Ivoire
Microbiology
Cho N’Din Catherine BONI-CISSE, 34, trained as a
medical doctor and currently works as a hospital
assistant specializing in bacteriology and virology at the
central laboratory of the University Hospital of Yopougon
in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
During her fellowship, Dr Boni-Cisse will be focusing her
attention on a bacteria, Haemophilus influenzae type b
or Hib, which is responsible for a potentially fatal form of
meningitis in young children. In developed countries,
this form of meningitis is now rare thanks to widespread
vaccination, but in many developing countries Hib
infection still poses a significant threat to young
children’s health.
Côte d’Ivoire is planning to introduce Hib vaccination into
its vaccination program, but before this can happen it is
important for doctors to know which strain of the Hib
bacterium is currently responsible for bacterial
meningitis in Côte d’Ivoire’s children.
Dr Boni-Cisse will initially isolate the bacterium from
meningitis patients and study their characteristics at her