[Preliminary epidemiological study of dracunculosis in the southwest of Burkina Faso].

An epidemiologic survey was carried out before the setting up of an applied research project on dracunculiasis control through three strategies. The data were collected by house-to-house visits and from family cards. The overall incidence rate was 10.3 per cent + 0.9 with variations from 1.7 to 35 per cent according to the villages. The incidence rates were significantly higher in the 5-14 and 15-59 years age groups. On the opposite, there was no significant difference between the rates according to sex. The disease presented a family feature and cases were concentrated in 35 per cent of families. The proportion of polyparasitism was important more than half of patients had two or more worms. The measurement of the same indicators at the end of project will allow the assessment of the project results.