[Micronecta sp (Corixidae) and Diplonychus sp (Belostomatidae), two aquatic Hemiptera hosts and/or potential vectors of Mycobacterium ulcerans (pathogenic agent of Buruli ulcer) in Cote d'Ivoire]. / Micronecta sp (Corixidae) et Diplonychus sp (Belostomatidae), deux hémiptères aquatiques hôtes et/ou vecteurs potentiels de Mycobacterium ulcerans agent pathogène de l'ulcère de Buruli en Côte d'Lvoire.

Buruli ulcer is currently a major public health problem in Côte d'Ivoire. It is a neglected tropical disease closely associated with aquatic environments. Aquatic insects of the Hemiptera order have been implicated in human transmission of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the pathogenic agent of Buruli ulcer. The purpose of this preliminary study using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was to evaluate aquatic insects in Sokrogbo, a village in the Tiassalé sanitary district where Buruli ulcer is endemic. Findings identified two water bugs hosting Mycobacterium ulcerans, i.e., one of the Micronecta genus in the Corixidae family and another of the Diplonychus genus in the Belostomatidae family. The PCR technique used revealed the molecular signatures of M. ulcerans in tissue from these two insects. Based on these findings, these two water bugs can be considered as potential hosts and/or vectors of M. ulcerans in the study zone. Unlike Diplonychus sp., this is the first report to describe Micronecta sp as a host of M. ulcerans. Further investigation will be needed to assess the role of these two water bugs in human transmission of M. ulcerans in Côte d'Ivoire.

[Influence of fetal haemoglobin rate (FHb) on the oxidizing stress in homozygote sickle cell patient living in Abidjan, Côte-d'Ivoire]. / Influence du taux d'hémoglobine foetale (HbF) sur le stress oxydant chez le drépanocytaire homozygote vivant a Abidjan, Cote-d'Ivoire.

Sickle cell anemia being involved in oxidizing stress, our objective was to study the influence of the fetal haemoglobin rate (FHb) on the lipoperoxidation markers in homozygote sickle cell patient in tropical African surroundings. The study population was composed of 73 subjects among whom 57 homozygote sickle cell subjects and 16 healthy control cases. These subjects were distributed in 4 groups according to FHb rate: group 1 (FHb rate under 10%), group 2 (FHb rate ranging from 10 and 20%), group 3 (FHb rate above 20%), group 4 (control cases with no sickle cell disease). On the biological level, the markers of plasma lipoperoxidation represented by substances reacting with thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) significantly increased in sickle cell patients comparatively to control cases (p = 10(-6)). A strong positive correlation (r = +0,70, p<0,01) was found between HbS and the TBARS rate. Comparison of biological parameters of homozygote sickle cell patients according to HbF rate shows that TBARS rate is all the more low as the HbF rate is high (p = 0,02). Moreover the number of irreversible and reversible sickle cells is higher in the group 1 which has the highest rate of TBARS. This observation is confirmed by a coefficient of positive correlation between TBARS and reversible sickle cells (r = +0,40, p < 0,01). This study strengthens the role played by HbF on the modulation of physiopathology of homozygote sickle cell anemia by the control, among others, of free radicals.

[Lipoprotein profile of patients infected with HIV in Côte d'Ivoire]. / Etude du profil lipidoprotéinique des sujets infectés par le VIH en Côte d'Ivoire.

Aids is a cachexysing disease which is striking Africa. Côte d'Ivoire with its 12% seroprevalence is paying a heavy tribute to this pandemia. The course of the disease is characterized by the occurrence of immunological and biochemical disorders. The aim of this study is to offer African practitioners, clinicians and biologists some biochimical parameters that would help them to follow up people infected with HIV. The authors determined the lipoprotein profile in 204 people (112 Aids patients, 61 HIV infected asymptomatics and 31 controls seronegative to HIV), of both sexes aged 17 to 70 years old. The results show a relatively high level of triglyceridemia, a decreased level of total cholesterol, apoproteins A1 and B and a hypergammaglobulinemia with concomitant and significant increase in the level of orosomucoide as a stigmate of inflammation. These data could help practitioners who lack CD4/CD8 count and viral load monitoring in the follow up of their AIDS patients.

[Markers of lipid peroxidation, inflammatory proteins and plasma tocopherols in homozygotic and heterozygotic sickle cell anemia]. / Marqueurs de la lipoperoxydation (LPO), protéines inflammatoires et tocophérols plasmatiques dans les drépanocytoses homozygote et hétérozygote.

Lipoperoxidation final products represented by the TBARS (substances reacting with the Thiobarbituric acid), inflammatory reaction proteins and sera tocopherol have been studied in homozygous forms as well as in heterozygous forms of sickle cell diseases. The significant increase of TBARS (P < 0.001) measured by spectrofluorimetry, the considerable decrease of the sera alpha gamma tocopherol, measured by HPLC (P < 0.005) in all sickle cell patients, especially in crisis homozygous form, reinforce our previous study (22, 23, 24). The absence of links between the TBARS and the tocopherols (fig. 1) suggests that other defence mechanisms occur without vitamin E. The collapse of haptoglobinemia in homozygous sickle cell patients associated with the fall of hemoglobinemia indicates a severe tissue and intravascular hemolysis as a consequence of LPO. Furthermore, the simultaneous decrease of cholesterolemia seems to indicate important lipoperoxide activity detected in sickle cell patients.

[Comparison of the clinical detection and the biological detection of dental caries]. / Comparaison de la détection clinique et de la détection biologique de la carie dentaire.

Different methods can be used to detect dental caries. The comparison of the clinical detection by the use of explorer and mirror to the biological detection by the measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) in 107 men of 19 to 25 years old was performed. Biological detection reveals more active caries(APL activity > 116 Ul/L) than the clinical one. Absence of caries activity is expressed by an ALP activity between 86 and 116 Ul/L. The Chi 2 test shows that alkaline phosphatase is a statistically significant marker of dental caries and more it reveals its carious activity.

Lack of oxidative stress in a selenium deficient area in Ivory Coast--potential nutritional antioxidant role of crude palm oil.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have described an important selenium deficiency in a mountain region (Glanle) in the west of Ivory Coast. AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess the antioxidant capacity of subjects from a selenium deficient area in Ivory Coast (Glanle region). METHODS: This study involved 57 subjects, 18 to 69 years old, living in the Glanle region and 56 healthy controls living in the southern coastal region (Bodou). In the Glanle region families consume basically a vegetarian and crude palm oil diet, whereas in the Bodou region, families eat a fish-based diet with principally refined palm oil. Fasting blood samples were collected to assess the following parameters: lipid status (plasma total lipids; total-, HDL and LDL-cholesterol; triglycerides; phospholipids; fatty acid composition), plasma protein status (total protein, albumin, transthyretin, orosomucoid, CRP, transferrin), antioxidant capacity (plasma selenium, uric acid, retinol, alpha-tocopherol and tocotrienols levels, plasma seleno-glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activity) and oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP)). RESULTS: The mountain region samples (Glanle) were characterized by significantly lower plasma albumin, total-, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, retinol and selenium levels, plasma PUFA content and GSHPx activity, but significantly higher alpha-tocopherol index and total tocotrienol level, than controls from the coastal area (Bodou). These results suggest a higher exposure risk to oxidative stress for the mountain region subjects. However, the absence of oxidative damage in this group provides evidence of a selenium independent protection mechanism against oxidative stress. This protection is related to lower plasma LDL cholesterol and PUFA content, and to higher alpha-tocopherol index, delta and total tocotrienols. CONCLUSION: The long-term consumption of crude palm oil could be considered as an effective protective factor against oxidative stress.