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Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a high-fatality condition that affected 13.7 million children under five years of age worldwide in 2022, with complicated cases requiring extensive inpatient stay with an accompanying caregiver. Our objective was to assess the costs of inpatient treatment for complicated SAM in children aged 6 to 59 months in Northern Senegal and identify cost predictors. We performed a retrospective cost analysis, including 140 children hospitalized from January to December 2020 in five SAM inpatient treatment facilities. We adopted a societal perspective, including direct medical and non-medical costs and indirect costs. We extracted patients’ sociodemographic and clinical data from medical records and conducted semi-structured interviews with healthcare staff to capture information on time allocation and care management. A multivariable generalized linear model with gamma family and a log link was used to investigate the factors associated with direct costs. Costs are expressed in 2020 international USD using purchasing power parity. Mean length of stay was 5.3 (SD = 3.2) days and diarrhoea was the cause of the admission in 55.7% of cases. Mean total cost was USD 431.9 (SD = 203.9), with personnel being the largest cost item (33% of the total). Households’ out-of-pocket expenses represented 45.3% of total costs and amounted to USD 195.6 (SD = 103.6). Costs were significantly associated with gender (20.3% lower in boys), diarrhoea (27% increase), anaemia (49.4% increase), inpatient death (44.9% decrease), and type of facility (26% higher in hospitals vs. health centre). Our study highlights the financial burden of complicated SAM in Senegal in particular for families. This underscores the need for tailored prevention and social policies to protect families from the disease’s financial burden and improve treatment adherence, both in Senegal and similar contexts.

Acute malnutrition is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years worldwide, and Action Contre la Faim (ACF) aims to address its causes and consequences. To better tailor humanitarian programs, ACF conducts standardized contextual studies called Link NCAs (Nutrition Causal Analysis), to identify factors associated with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Data from three Link NCAs performed in 2018 and 2019 in Haiti, Burkina Faso and Madagascar were used to explore the prevalence of malnutrition by different indicators and associated risk factors among children aged 6-59 months. Cross-sectional data, collected via household surveys applying two-stage cluster sampling, were pooled to build a sample of 1,356 children. Recommended anthropometric thresholds were used to define SAM (Weight-for-Height Z-score (WHZ) <-3 or Mid-upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) <115 mm and/or presence oedema), MAM (-3≤WHZ<-2 or 115≤MUAC<125 mm) and global acute malnutrition GAM (SAM or MAM) among children. Multivariate analyses for each anthropometric indicator were performed using logistic mixed models and adjusting for potential confounders. The prevalence of acute malnutrition was the highest in Madagascar. The risk of having GAM and MAM varied across countries, while the risk of having SAM varied across clusters. Being male, suffering from diarrhea, and having unwashed face and hands, were significantly associated with GAM by WHZ with adjusted odds ratio of 1.9 [95%Confidence interval (CI):1.1-3.2], 1.7 (95%CI: 1.0-3.1) and 1.9 (95%CI: 1.0-3.6) respectively. These factors were also associated with MAM by WHZ. None of the studied factors was significantly associated with SAM, which could be due to a small sample size. These results obtained from a large sample contribute to the evidence of the factors associated with undernutrition in children aged 6-59 months. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these results.

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is the most serious form of acute malnutrition and is associated with high mortality risk among children under 5. While the Community‐based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) approach, recommended for treating cases of uncomplicated SAM, has increased treatment coverage and recovery outcomes, high relapse rates have been reported. Several risk factors for SAM relapse, such as insufficient food intake and high infectious disease burden in the community, have been identified. However, the role of household water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions remains unclear. This systematic review: (1) assesses the effectiveness of WASH interventions on preventing SAM relapse and (2) identifies WASH‐related conditions associated with relapse to SAM among children aged 6–59 months discharged as recovered following SAM CMAM treatment. We performed electronic searches of six databases to identify relevant studies published between 1 January 2000 and 6 November 2023 and assessed their quality. After deduplication, 10,294 documents were screened by title and , with 13 retrieved for full‐text screening. We included three studies ranging from low‐ to medium‐quality. One intervention study found that providing a WASH kit during SAM outpatient treatment did not reduce the risk of relapse to SAM. Two observational studies found inconsistent associations between household WASH conditions—unimproved sanitation and unsafe drinking water—and SAM relapse. Despite the paucity of evidence, the hypothesised causal pathways between WASH conditions and the risk of relapse remain plausible. Further evidence is needed to identify interventions for an integrated postdischarge approach to prevent relapse. This systematic review highlights a paucity of evidence on the role of household water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) for the prevention of relapse to severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Nonetheless, hypothesised causal pathways remain plausible. Further research is needed to identify effective WASH interventions for an integrated postdischarge approach to prevent relapse. Key messages This systematic review highlights a paucity of evidence on the relationship between household water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions and the prevention of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) relapse. There are limited high‐quality studies assessing the effectiveness of household‐level WASH interventions in preventing uncomplicated SAM relapse among children 6–59 months discharged from outpatient programmes. Equally, there are very few studies and of limited quality on household WASH risk factors associated with relapse to SAM. While it is biologically plausible that household WASH conditions could influence the risk of SAM relapse, additional and high‐quality research is needed to investigate if and how postdischarge WASH interventions might reduce this risk.

Background In North America, tuberculosis incidence is now very low and risk to healthcare workers has fallen. Indeed, recent cohort data question routine annual tuberculosis screening in this context. We compared the cost-effectiveness of three potential strategies for ongoing screening of North American healthcare workers at risk of exposure. The analysis did not evaluate the cost-effectiveness of screening at hiring, and considered only workers with negative baseline tests. Methods A decision analysis model simulated a hypothetical cohort of 1000 workers following negative baseline tests, considering duties, tuberculosis exposure, testing and treatment. Two tests were modelled, the tuberculin skin test (TST) and QuantiFERON®-TB-Gold In-Tube (QFT). Three screening strategies were compared: (1) annual screening, where workers were tested yearly; (2) targeted screening, where workers with high-risk duties (e.g. respiratory therapy) were tested yearly and other workers only after recognised exposure; and (3) post exposure-only screening, where all workers were tested only after recognised exposure. Workers with high-risk duties had 1% annual risk of infection, while workers with standard patient care duties had 0.3%. In an alternate higher-risk scenario, the corresponding annual risks of infection were 3% and 1%, respectively. We projected costs, morbidity, quality-adjusted survival and mortality over 20 years after hiring. The analysis used the healthcare system perspective and a 3% annual discount rate. Results Over 20 years, annual screening with TST yielded an expected 2.68 active tuberculosis cases/1000 workers, versus 2.83 for targeted screening and 3.03 for post-exposure screening only. In all cases, annual screening was associated with poorer quality-adjusted survival, i.e. lost quality-adjusted life years, compared to targeted or post-exposure screening only. The annual TST screening strategy yielded an incremental cost estimate of $1,717,539 per additional case prevented versus targeted TST screening, which in turn cost an incremental $426,678 per additional case prevented versus post-exposure TST screening only. With the alternate “higher-risk” scenario, the annual TST strategy cost an estimated $426,678 per additional case prevented versus the targeted TST strategy, which cost an estimated $52,552 per additional case prevented versus post-exposure TST screening only. In all cases, QFT was more expensive than TST, with no or limited added benefit. Sensitivity analysis suggested that, even with limited exposure recognition, annual screening was poorly cost-effective. Conclusions For most North American healthcare workers, annual tuberculosis screening appears poorly cost-effective. Reconsideration of screening practices is warranted.

Background Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health problem in Canadian Inuit communities. In 2016, Canadian Inuit had an incidence rate 35 times the Canadian average. Tobacco use is an important risk factor for TB, and over 60% of Inuit adults smoke. We aimed to estimate changes in TB-related outcomes and costs from reducing tobacco use in Inuit communities. Methods Using a transmission model to estimate the initial prevalence of latent TB infection (LTBI), followed by decision analysis modelling, we conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis that compared the current standard of care for management of TB and LTBI without additional tobacco reduction intervention (Status Quo) with (1) increased tobacco taxation, (2) pharmacotherapy and counselling for smoking cessation, (3) pharmacotherapy, counselling plus mass media campaign, and (4) the combination of all these. Projected outcomes included the following: TB cases, TB-related deaths, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and health system costs, all over 20 years. Results The combined strategy was projected to reduce active TB cases by 6.1% (95% uncertainty range 4.9–7.0%) and TB deaths by 10.4% (9.5–11.4%) over 20 years, relative to the status quo. Increased taxation was the only cost-saving strategy. Conclusions Currently available strategies to reduce commercial tobacco use will likely have a modest impact on TB-related outcomes in the medium term, but some may be cost saving.

Background Tuberculosis (TB) is an important public health problem in Inuit communities across Canada, with an annual incidence rate in 2017 that was nearly 300 times higher than in Canadian-born non-Indigenous individuals. Social and behavioral factors that are prevalent in the North, such as commercial tobacco use, excessive alcohol use, food insecurity and overcrowded housing put individuals at higher risk for TB morbidity and mortality. We examined the potential impact of mitigation strategies for these risk factors, in reducing TB burden in this setting. Methods We created a transmission model to simulate the epidemiology of TB in Nunavut, Canada. We then used a decision analysis model to assess the potential impact of several evidence-based strategies targeting tobacco use, excessive alcohol use, food insecurity and overcrowded housing. We predicted TB incidence, TB-related deaths, quality adjusted life years (QALYs), and associated costs and cost-effectiveness over 20 years. All costs were expressed in 2018 Canadian dollars. Results Compared to a status quo scenario with no new interventions for these risk factors, the reduction strategy for tobacco use was most effective and cost-effective, reducing TB incidence by 5.5% (95% uncertainty range: 2.7–11%) over 20 years, with an estimated cost of $95,835 per TB case prevented and $49,671 per QALY gained. The addition of the food insecurity reduction strategy reduced incidence by a further 2% (0.5–3%) compared to the tobacco cessation strategy alone, but at significant cost. Conclusions Strategies that aim to reduce commercial tobacco use and improve food security will likely lead to modest reductions in TB morbidity and mortality. Although important for the communities, strategies that address excess alcohol use and overcrowding will likely have a more limited impact on TB-related outcomes at current scale, and are associated with much higher cost. Their benefits will be more substantial with scale up, which will also likely have important downstream impacts such as improved mental health, educational attainment and food security.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most frequent cause of congenital infection. The objective of this study was to evaluate predictive factors for CMV seronegativity in a cohort of pregnant women in Paris, France. Pregnant women enrolled in a prospective cohort during the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic were tested for CMV IgG antibodies. Variables collected were age, geographic origin, lifestyle, work characteristics, socioeconomic status, gravidity, parity and number of children at home. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictive factors for CMV seropositivity. Among the 826 women enrolled, 389 (47.1%) were primiparous, and 552 (67.1%) had Metropolitan France as a geographic origin. Out of these, 355 (i.e. 57.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI): [53.6%-60.4%]) were CMV seropositive: 43.7% (95% CI:[39.5%-47.9%]) in those whose geographic origin was Metropolitan France and 84.1% in those with other origins (95% CI:[79.2%-88.3%]). Determinants associated with CMV seropositivity in a multivariate logistic regression model were: (i) geographic origin (p<0.001(compared with Metropolitan France, geographic origins of Africa adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 21.2, 95% CI:[9.7-46.5], French overseas departments and territories and other origin, aOR 7.5, 95% CI:[3.9-14.6], and Europe or Asia, aOR 2.2, 95% CI: [1.3-3.7]); and (ii) gravidity (p = 0.019), (compared with gravidity = 1, if gravidity≥3, aOR = 1.5, 95% CI: [1.1-2.2]; if gravidity = 2, aOR = 1.0, 95% CI: [0.7-1.4]). Work characteristics and socioeconomic status were not independently associated with CMV seropositivity. In this cohort of pregnant women, a geographic origin of Metropolitan France and a low gravidity were predictive factors for CMV low seropositivity. Such women are therefore the likely target population for prevention of CMV infection during pregnancy in France.

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) affects 12.2 million children globally. Integrating a water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) kit in outpatient SAM treatment can improve recovery rates by preventing WASH‐related diseases and complications, but its cost at scale remains unknown. This study estimates the cost of integrating a WASH kit, composed of chlorine‐based water treatment, safe water storage with a lid, soap, and a hygiene promotion component into Senegal's national protocol for treating uncomplicated SAM. This costing study was nested within the TISA randomised controlled trial, which evaluated the addition of a WASH component to standard SAM treatment for children aged 6–59 months. Cost data were collected from 660 participants enroled between December 2020 and December 2021. We took a societal perspective and used a micro‐costing approach to estimate direct medical, non‐medical and indirect costs. The WASH component led to a 2021 international$105.32 additional cost per child treated, with the WASH kit, transportation and management representing $ 33.03. Sensitisation to hygiene and water treatment cost$13.46 at health posts and $ 29.63 for two at‐home visits. No additional out‐of‐pocket expenses were incurred by households, but$1.58 in opportunity costs (income loss) was observed. Human resources were the main cost driver for the WASH component, exceeding the human resources for standard SAM treatment. The total societal cost per child treated was $ 338.77, ranging from$238.09 to $ 517.29 in sensitivity analysis, with the SAM treatment representing 69% ( $233.40) of this total cost. The main expense for this component was Ready‐to‐Use‐Therapeutic Food (RUTF) ($ 154.39). The absence of additional costs for households induced by the WASH component is encouraging, as it suggests that it would not represent an obstacle to integration into the national protocol. We produced a robust and comprehensive cost estimate for integrating a WASH kit and hygiene promotion into Senegal's SAM treatment protocol. This increased the treatment cost by 45% which was lower than estimates from a previous study. Results inform budget planning and support future cost‐effectiveness analyses of integrating WASH interventions into SAM protocols. Integrating a WASH component increased treatment costs by $105.32 per child treated, representing a 45% rise in total costs. The WASH component did not result in additional households out‐of‐pocket expenses, making it a viable option for scale‐up in similar low of middle income settings. The main expenses of the WASH component were the HR related to the training sessions and the at‐home sensitisations, as well as the purchase cost of the kit. These findings are useful for implementers, policymakers and donors aiming to improve SAM treatment outcomes while ensuring efficient resource allocation.

Ready‐to‐use therapeutic foods (RUTF) used to treat children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) are costly, and the prescribed dosage has not been optimized. The MANGO trial, implemented by Action Contre la Faim in Burkina Faso, proved the non‐inferiority of a reduced RUTF dosage in community‐based treatment of uncomplicated SAM. We performed a cost‐minimization analysis to assess the economic impact of transitioning from the standard to the reduced RUTF dose. We used a decision‐analytic model to simulate a cohort of 399 children/arm, aged 6–59 months and receiving SAM treatment. We adopted a societal perspective: direct medical costs (drugs, materials and staff time), non‐medical costs (caregiver expenses) and indirect costs (productivity loss) in 2017 international US dollar were included. Data were collected through interviews with 35 caregivers and 20 informants selected through deliberate sampling and the review trial financial documents. The overall treatment cost for 399 children/arm was$36,550 with the standard and $ 30,411 with the reduced dose, leading to$6,140 (16.8%) in cost savings ($ 15.43 saved/child treated). The cost/consultation was$11.6 and $ 9.6 in the standard and reduced arms, respectively, with RUTF accounting for 56.2% and 47.0% of the total. The savings/child treated was $11.4 in a scenario simulating the Burkinabè routine SAM treatment outside clinical trial settings. The reduced RUTF dose tested in the MANGO trial resulted in significant cost savings for SAM treatment. These results are useful for decision makers to estimate potential economic gains from an optimized SAM treatment protocol in Burkina Faso and similar contexts.

Undernutrition is more prevalent among children living in unsanitary environments with inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Despite good evidence for the effect of WASH on multiple infectious diseases, evidence for the effect of WASH interventions on childhood undernutrition is less well established, particularly for acute malnutrition. To assess the effectiveness of WASH interventions in preventing and treating acute childhood malnutrition, we performed electronic searches to identify relevant studies published between 1 January 2000 and 13 May 2019. We included studies assessing the effect of WASH on prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition in children under 5 years of age. Data were extracted by two independent reviewers. We included 26 articles of 599 identified references with a total of 43,083 participants. Twenty‐five studies reported on the effect of WASH on prevention, and two studies reported its effect on treatment of acute malnutrition. Current evidence does not show consistent associations of WASH conditions and interventions with prevention of acute malnutrition or with the improvement of its treatment outcomes. Only two high‐quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrated that improved water quality during severe acute malnutrition treatment improved recovery outcomes but did not prevent relapse. Many of the interventions consisted of a package of WASH services, making impossible to attribute the effect to one specific component. This highlights the need for high‐quality, rigorous intervention studies assessing the effects of WASH interventions specifically designed to prevent acute malnutrition or improve its treatment.