Achille Nikiema

Archille studied at the University of Ouagadougou where he obtained a Pharmacy Degree. He is working towards a PhD on the assessment of the implementation of a new strategy to control onchocerciasis recrudescence along the Comoé river in Cascades Region.

He worked at the ministry of health from 2014 to 2016 where he managed team of medical laboratory staff. Achille joined the entomology team of IRSS/Bobo-Dioulasso in 2016, where he worked on parasites and vectors of onchocerciasis.

Within PIIVeC Achille will work to understand the overlapping distribution of culicoides, blackflies and Tsetse through a micro-mapping of the Comoe river of Burkina Faso, where the three vectors are present. These three hematophagous insects are responsible of mansonellosis, onchocerciasis and Human African trypanosomiasis. The knowledge of the overlapping distribution will allow to consider an integrated vector-control strategy against the three vectors.

Achille is hoping to gain fundamental knowledge on blackflies, culicoides and Tsetse fly (ecology, biology and different strategies to control these vectors). His aspiration in the short time is to contribute to control onchocerciasis at Cascades region and to build a scientific database about culicoides in Burkina Faso, mainly regarding their ability to transmit the pathogen to human and or animal. In the long-term he would like to form a team of researchers in neglected tropical diseases.