Socioeconomic and cultural factors associated with pap smear screening among French women living in Réunion Island.

BACKGROUND: Réunion Island is a French overseas territory located in the southern Indian Ocean, with a challenging socioeconomic and multicultural context. Compared to mainland France, Réunion has an overincidence and overmortality of cervical cancer. In order to investigate these two issues, it is important to evaluate the barriers and potential levers to Pap smear screening among female inhabitants of the island. We aimed to identify the specific socio-demographic factors, cultural factors, and living conditions associated with Pap smear screening in Réunion, with a view to increasing uptake. METHODS: We conducted a Knowledge Attitude Behavior and Practices (KABP) survey on cervical cancer screening practices among women aged between 25 and 65 years old living in Réunion Island, selected using random digit dialing sampling. Data were collected using Computer Assistant Telephone Interviews. Weighted chi-squared tests and Student's t-tests were used to compare women who had up-to-date Pap smear screening with women who did not. Weighted logistic models were used to identify the factors associated with not having up-to-date screening. RESULTS: A total of 1000 women were included in the study. Of these, 88.1% had a Pap smear test during the previous three years. Factors independently associated with not being up to date were as follows: aged over 55 (AOR 2.3 [1.2-4.3]), no children (AOR 2.5 [1.4-4.3]), having free universal health coverage (AOR 1.7 [1.1-2.7]), an income per unit consumption lower than 1500€ per month (AOR 2.0 [1.1-3.7]), low health literacy (AOR 2.7 [1.7-4.1]), not consulting a general practitioner in the prior 12 months (AOR 3.6 [2.0-6.5]), and a BMI > 30 (AOR 2.6 [1.5-4.4]). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first large-scale survey focusing on recommended Pap smear screening uptake in Réunion Island. Although self-reported screening incidence was higher than in mainland France, national screening policies must take into account the island's diverse social and cultural characteristics (e.g., an ageing population, low health literacy), while implementing actions to fight against poverty and increase general access to healthcare.

Quantifying climatic suitability for tourism in Southwest Indian Ocean Tropical Islands: Applying the Holiday Climate Index to Réunion Island.

Climate is a key resource for tourists and tourism providers. Varied approaches to quantifying climate resources for tourism have been developed in the last 40 years, computing indices from a range of meteorological variables to measure the comparative climatic suitability of different destinations through time. This study provides the first application of a tourism climate index in the tropical southwest Indian Ocean, applying the recently developed Holiday Climate Index (HCI) for Réunion Island. The suitability of this index is evaluated for the case of this French department, with a particular focus on air conditioning availability in tourism accommodation establishments as this index excludes night-time thermal comfort. Both iterations of the HCI (HCIBeach and HCIUrban) are computed with meteorological data from Roland Garros Airport for the period 1991-2020, exploring monthly, annual, and seasonal climatic suitability. Mean monthly HCI scores reveal considerable seasonality in climatic suitability for tourism on the island with scores ranging from 89.3 ('excellent') to 36.9 ('marginal') for the HCIBeach and 85.0 ('excellent') to 27.5 ('unacceptable') for the HCIUrban, with more favourable scores calculated for July and August, displaying a clear austral winter peak seasonal classification. Over the 30-year period, there is no statically significant change in mean annual climatic suitability, and at a monthly scale, only one month of the year for each index displays statistically significant trends. These results are important in informing tourism strategies for the island to maximise visitor satisfaction through targeting advertising more deliberately for peak touristic climate suitability during the winter months.

Emerging Corynebacterium diphtheriae Species Complex Infections, Réunion Island, France, 2015-2020.

Clinical, epidemiologic, and microbiologic analyses revealed emergence of 26 cases of Corynebacterium diphtheriae species complex infections on Réunion Island, France, during 2015-2020. Isolates were genetically diverse, indicating circulation and local transmission of several diphtheria sublineages. Clinicians should remain aware of the risk for diphtheria and improve diagnostic methods and patient management.

Ophthalmic complications during the dengue epidemic in Reunion Island in 2020: a case series and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Dengue is an arboviral disease transmitted by the dengue virus, whose vectors are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The acute phase with its cohort of well-known symptoms is usually spontaneously favorable. Since 2020 in Reunion Island, a new symptom has appeared: the ocular damage of dengue fever, which has already been described in South Asia and South-East Asia. We therefore decided to describe the clinical, biological, ophthalmological, therapeutic, and outcomes of patients with ocular manifestations during dengue fever in Reunion Island in 2020. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study. Patients were included from January 2020 to August 2020 and then reassessed by teleconsultation 1 year later. The patients were identified from the French public health surveillance network by all ophthalmologists on the island. Medical data were collected directly from medical records. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients were included. The mean age was 41.9 years. Ocular involvement occurred approximately 9.2 days after the onset of dengue symptoms. The main symptoms were scotoma (71.4%) and sudden decrease of visual acuity (39.2%). Eighteen patients (64.2%) had macular involvement. Fourteen patients were treated with oral or intravenous corticosteroids. Twenty-two (78.5%) patients were evaluated by telephone one year later. Scotoma and decreased visual acuity persisted in 15 patients. Thirteen patients (59%) were bothered by night driving, 32% of patients had reading difficulties and 27% of patients became sensitive to prolonged exposure to screens. CONCLUSION: Ocular complications of dengue require early and collegial management to limit the risk of long-term sequelae. Further studies on the characteristics and complications of dengue fever are needed to better understand this disease.

Epidemiology of tuberculosis and susceptibility to antituberculosis drugs in Reunion Island.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is the first fatal infectious agent in the world with 1.2 million annual deaths for 10 million cases. Little is known about the epidemiology of tuberculosis and its resistance in Reunion Island, which is at the heart of migratory flows from highly endemic Indian Ocean territories. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective observational study of cases of tuberculosis disease in Reunion Island between 2014 and 2018. The epidemiological, demographic, microbiological, clinical and social characteristics were analyzed from mandatory declarations, microbiology database and medical files. RESULTS: 265 cases of tuberculosis disease were recorded over the period, ie an incidence of 6.2 / 100,000 inhabitants. 114 patients (43%) were born or resided > 6 months in the rest of the Indian Ocean area. The risk of infection was increased if birth in Madagascar (OR 23.5), Comoros (OR 8.9) or Mayotte (OR 6.8). The prevalence of HIV co-infection was low (2.5%). There were 31 cases (14.4%) of resistance to antituberculosis including 3 (1.4%) of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and 0 case of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. The female gender (61.3% of resistant) was associated with resistance. The resistance rate was not significantly different depending on the geographic origin. CONCLUSION: This is the first exhaustive epidemiological study of tuberculosis in Reunion Island. The incidence there is relatively low but increased for people with links to neighboring islands, particularly Madagascar. The prevalence of multidrug resistance is low, with no associated increased risk for patients from the Indian Ocean area.

Synchronicity of viral shedding in molossid bat maternity colonies.

Infection dynamics in vertebrates are driven by biological and ecological processes. For bats, population structure and reproductive cycles have major effects on RNA virus transmission. On Reunion Island, previous studies have shown that parturition of pregnant females and aggregation of juvenile Reunion free-tailed bats (Mormopterus francoismoutoui) are associated with major increase in the prevalence of bats shedding RNA viruses. The synchronicity of such shedding pulses, however, is yet to be assessed between viruses but also maternity colonies. Based on 3422 fresh faeces collected every 2-5 weeks during four consecutive birthing seasons, we report the prevalence of bats shedding astroviruses (AstVs), coronaviruses (CoVs) and paramyxoviruses (PMVs) in two maternity colonies on Reunion Island. We found that the proportion of bats shedding viruses is highly influenced by sampling collection periods, and therefore by the evolution of the population age structure. We highlight that virus shedding patterns are consistent among years and colonies for CoVs and to a lesser extent for PMVs, but not for AstVs. We also report that 1% of bats harbour co-infections, with two but not three of the viruses, and most co-infections were due to CoVs and PMVs.

Genetic characterization of dengue virus serotype 1 circulating in Reunion Island, 2019-2021, and the Seychelles, 2015-2016.

BACKGROUND: An unprecedent increase in the number of cases and deaths reported from dengue virus (DENV) infection has occurred in the southwestern Indian ocean in recent years. From 2017 to mid-2021 more than 70,000 confirmed dengue cases were reported in Reunion Island, and 1967 cases were recorded in the Seychelles from 2015 to 2016. Both these outbreaks displayed similar trends, with the initial circulation of DENV-2 which was replaced by DENV-1. Here, we aim to determine the origin of the DENV-1 epidemic strains and to explore their genetic characteristics along the uninterrupted circulation, particularly in Reunion. METHODS: Nucleic acids were extracted from blood samples collected from dengue positive patients; DENV-1 was identified by RT-qPCR. Positive samples were used to infect VERO cells. Genome sequences were obtained from either blood samples or infected-cell supernatants through a combination of both Illumina or MinION technologies. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analyses of partial or whole genome sequences revealed that all DENV-1 sequences from Reunion formed a monophyletic cluster that belonged to genotype I and were closely related to one isolate from Sri Lanka (OL752439.1, 2020). Sequences from the Seychelles belonged to the same major phylogenetic branch of genotype V, but fell into two paraphyletic clusters, with greatest similarity for one cluster to 2016-2017 isolate from Bangladesh, Singapore and China, and for the other cluster to ancestral isolates from Singapore, dating back to 2012. Compared to publicly available DENV-1 genotype I sequences, fifteen non-synonymous mutations were identified in the Reunion strains, including one in the capsid and the others in nonstructural proteins (NS) (three in NS1, two in NS2B, one in NS3, one in NS4B, and seven in NS5). CONCLUSION: In contrast to what was seen in previous outbreaks, recent DENV-1 outbreaks in Reunion and the Seychelles were caused by distinct genotypes, all likely originating from Asia where dengue is (hyper)endemic in many countries. Epidemic DENV-1 strains from Reunion harbored specific non-synonymous mutations whose biological significance needs to be further investigated.

Development and characterization of twenty microsatellite markers for Phelsuma inexpectata (Squamata: Gekkonidae), a critically endangered gecko endemic to Reunion Island.

BACKGROUND: The Manapany day gecko (Phelsuma inexpectata) is endemic to the south of Reunion Island. Threatened by habitat fragmentation and loss, human activities and invasive species, P. inexpectata is considered as critically endangered. Conservation measures are required but data on the species are missing, notably on its genetic diversity and population structure for which no specific markers are available to date. Here, we aimed to develop molecular markers to allow genetic studies of P. inexpectata. METHODS AND RESULTS: We developed and characterized 20 polymorphic microsatellite markers based on 23 P. inexpectata individuals sampled from 10 sites. Then, the markers were tested on a total of 101 individuals, 30 from a natural site and 71 from an anthropized site. The mean values of Na, Ho and He were 2.3 (± 0.2), 0.353 (± 0.053) and 0.345 (± 0.046) in the natural site and 2.8 (± 0.3), 0.345 (± 0.051) and 0.338 (± 0.048) in the anthropized site, respectively. Based on the combined loci, the probability of identity (PID) for unrelated specimens were 2.7 × 10-7 and 2.6 × 10-7 in the natural and anthropized site, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This work provides the first set of microsatellite markers for P. inexpectata, constituting a valuable tool to conduct classical genetic studies on the species, such as estimating genetic diversity, population structure and kinship relationships among individuals. Such studies will provide relevant information on P. inexpectata and will therefore be helpful in the implementation of conservation measures for this threatened species.

From dengue outbreaks to endemicity: Reunion Island, France, 2018 to 2021.

BackgroundAfter 40 years of limited viral circulation, Reunion Island has since 2018 experienced recurrent dengue outbreaks of increasing intensity and severity.AimWe aimed to report on the epidemiology and characteristics of dengue in Reunion Island between 2018 and 2021.MethodsBetween 2018 and August 2021, we systematically collected data on dengue cases via an automated transmission system between the health authorities and the medical laboratories. We set up additional surveillance systems for dengue-related activity in primary care, in emergency departments and in inpatient departments.ResultsUntil 2020, despite numerous cases, outbreaks had a limited public health impact because of few severe cases, low lethality and no heavy burden for the health care system. In 2021, however, the number of severe cases increased (from 0.4% of all cases in 2018 to 0.8% in 2021), as did the number of paediatric cases (from 8% in 2018 to 15% in 2021) and atypical clinical forms of dengue (108 cases of post-dengue maculopathy). Of note, haemorrhagic forms were rare and multi-organ failure was the most frequent severity throughout the study period. In parallel, the dominant serotype switched from DENV2 to DENV1 in 2020 and DENV1 became the only serotype detected in 2021.ConclusionThese findings indicate that dengue is becoming endemic in Reunion Island. Since comorbidities associated with severity of dengue are common in the population, health authorities should carefully consider the impact of dengue when addressing public health policies.

Evaluation of a school-based sun safety education program in Reunion Island, 2016-2017.

BACKGROUND: Sun exposure, especially during childhood, is the main environmental risk factor for skin cancers. This study evaluated the impact of the school-based sun safety education program "Living with the Sun" on the knowledge and behavior of primary school children regarding sun safety in Reunion Island. METHODS: This multicenter, comparative intervention study was conducted in selected primary schools of Reunion during the 2016-2017 school year. The intervention consisted of an in-class slide-show presentation on sun safety, a teaching guide, and school trips during which children were offered sunscreen and were requested to wear sunglasses, a T-shirt, and a cap. The children completed a questionnaire before and after the intervention. The percentage of children wearing a cap in school playgrounds at the end of the school year was compared between paired intervention and control schools. RESULTS: Seven hundred children from 7 Reunionese schools completed the questionnaire before and after the intervention. There was a statistically significant improvement in children's knowledge of sun safety, with differences between schools, teachers, school levels, and questionnaire responses. The percentage of children wearing a cap at the end of the school year was significantly higher in intervention schools compared to control schools. CONCLUSIONS: Children's knowledge and behavior regarding sun safety improved significantly as a result of the intervention.

Spread of SARS-CoV-2 Variants on Réunion Island, France, 2021.

In January 2021, after detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants, genomic surveillance was established on Réunion Island to track the introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2 lineages and variants of concern. This system identified 22 SARS-CoV-2 lineages, 71% of which were attributed to the Beta variant.

Epidemiology of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Reunion Island.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) is increasing worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of CMM in Reunion Island, a French overseas department whose population is characterized by high ethnic diversity and high exposure to ultraviolet radiation. METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined all cases of in situ CMM and invasive CMM diagnosed between 1 January and 31 December 2015 in the Reunionese population. RESULTS: One hundred and three new cases of CMM were recorded in Reunion Island in 2015: 33 cases of in situ CMM and 70 cases of invasive CMM. The sex ratio of men to women was 1.3 and 80% of patients had a fair skin phototype (Fitzpatrick skin phototype≤III). Age-standardized incidence rates of invasive CMM for all skin phototypes combined were 6.7/100,000 person-years (PY) in women and 5.3/100,000 PY in men. Crude incidence rates of invasive CMM for fair skin phototypes were estimated to be over 21/100,000 PY in women and over 25/100,000 PY in men. CONCLUSIONS: In Reunion Island, the incidence of CMM in the population with fair skin phototype is very high. Primary and secondary prevention measures should be reinforced and tailored to the local context.

Prevalence and risk factors of Mycoplasma genitalium infection in patients attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Reunion Island: a cross-sectional study (2017-2018).

BACKGROUND: Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) is an emerging sexually transmitted infection (STI) for whose management remains controversial. We aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of MG infection in patients attending an STI clinic in Reunion Island. METHODS: Between January 2017 and December 2018, all patients attending the Saint-Pierre STI clinic in Reunion Island were screened for MG, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). Urogenital, pharyngeal and/or anal samples were collected based on sexual behaviour and analysed by triplex PCR. Risk factors were identified using a Poisson regression for binary outcome. RESULTS: Among 2069 screened subjects, the overall prevalence of MG was 4.88% [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 3.98-5.93]. The prevalence of urogenital MG was 4.38%, with women being more affected than men (5.33% vs 3.22%, prevalence ratio (PR) 1.66, p = 0.02). The prevalence of anal MG was 3.06% and that of pharyngeal MG was 0.61%, with men being more affected in both cases. Infection with MG was independently associated with multiple partners (6-10 partners: adjusted prevalence ratio-aPR 2.55, p < 0.048; > 10 partners: aPR 4.33, p < 0.004), previous history of STI (aPR 1.89, p = 0.026), non-use of condoms (aPR 2.56, p < 0.003) and co-infection with CT (aPR 2.56, p < 0.017). CONCLUSION: Compared to other countries, the prevalence of MG is high in Reunion Island, especially in women aged under 25 years, and co-infection with CT is common. Routine MG screening and treatment should be performed in at-risk women and co-infection with MG should be considered when deciding on treatment for CT, particularly in regions where azithromycin is still in use.

Prevalence of urogenital, anal, and pharyngeal infections with Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Mycoplasma genitalium: a cross-sectional study in Reunion island.

BACKGROUND: Recommendations for sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening vary significantly across countries. This study evaluated the prevalence of urogenital and extragenital infections with Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) in patients visiting a French STI clinic in the Indian Ocean region to determine whether current STI screening practices should be updated. METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined all patients who visited the STI clinic between 2014 and 2015. Triplex polymerase chain reaction screening for CT, NG, and MG was performed on urine, vaginal, pharyngeal, and anal specimens (FTD Urethritis Basic Kit, Fast Track Diagnostics, Luxembourg). RESULTS: Of the 851 patients enrolled in the study, 367 were women (367/851, 43.2%) and 484 were men (484/851, 56.0%). Overall, 826 urogenital specimens (826/851, 97.1%), 606 pharyngeal specimens (606/851, 71.2%), and 127 anal specimens (127/851, 14.9%) were taken from enrolled patients. The prevalence of urogenital CT and MG was high in women ≤25 years (19/186, 10.21%; 5/186, 2.69%) and in men who have sex with women ≤30 years (16/212, 7.54%; 5/212, 2.36%). Among patients with urogenital CT infection, 13.7% (7/51) had urethritis. All patients with urogenital MG infection were asymptomatic. Men who have sex with men had a high prevalence of pharyngeal CT (2/45, 4.44%) and NG (3/44, 6.81%) and a high prevalence of anal CT (2/27, 7.41%), NG (2/27, 7.40%), and MG (1/27, 3.70%). After excluding patients with concomitant urogenital infection, extragenital infections with at least 1 of the 3 pathogens were found in 20 swabs (20/91, 21.9%) taken from 16 patients (16/81, 19.7%), all of them asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: Routine multisite screening for CT, NG, and MG should be performed to mitigate the transmission of STIs in high-risk sexually active populations.

Minors are the most affected by Chlamydia trachomatis in Reunion Island: A cross-sectional study, 2017-2018.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in the population screened at sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics on Reunion Island and to identify risk factors for CT infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in 2017-2018. Data were obtained from self-administered questionnaires and multiplex PCR tests. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of CT in the screened population was 8.6% (95% CI 7.7-9.5%). The prevalence of urogenital CT was highest in women under 18 (13.2%, 95% CI 9.3-18.1%) and in men who have sex with men under 18 (13.3%, 95% CI 1.6-48.2%). Risk factors associated with CT infection in multivariate analysis were: female gender, being born in Reunion Island, having had a large number of sexual partners in the past year, and being co-infected with another STI. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CT in the screened population is higher in Reunion Island than in mainland France, especially in minors. Prevention campaigns targeting minors should be strengthened.

Azithromycin resistance in Treponema pallidum in Reunion Island: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Since the beginning of the 21st century, Reunion Island has experienced a syphilis epidemic. Infected patients are mostly heterosexual, with a high proportion of women, suggesting that congenital syphilis is present on the island. To determine whether azithromycin can be used for mass treatment of syphilis on Reunion Island, we assessed the prevalence of macrolide resistance in Treponema pallidum (TP). METHODS: This monocentric cross-sectional study was conducted at the Reunion Island University Hospital. Samples were collected from lesions suggestive of primary or secondary syphilis. Samples positive for TP by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were sent to the French National Reference Centre (NRC) for further analysis. Nested PCR-tpp47 was performed on these samples for detection of TP-DNA; 23s rRNA was amplified by PCR in confirmed positive samples. The Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) technique was performed on samples with amplified 23s rRNA for detection of the A2058G mutation. RESULTS: A total of 129 samples were collected from 119 patients. Of these, 18 tested positive for TP using multiplex PCR and were sent to the NRC. Fifteen (83.3%) of the 18 samples were confirmed positive by nested PCR-tpp47, and 23s rRNA was amplified in only 7 (38.9%) samples. Azithromycin resistance was detected in all TP strains with amplified 23s rRNA. CONCLUSION: Amplification of 23s rRNA was successful in only 7 TP strains, all of which displayed resistance to macrolides. Keeping in mind the small sample size of our study, this suggests that azithromycin should not be used for mass treatment of syphilis in Reunion Island.

High prevalence of Bardet-Biedl syndrome in La Réunion Island is due to a founder variant in ARL6/BBS3.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare ciliopathy with variable retinal dystrophy, polydactyly, renal abnormalities, obesity, cognitive impairment, and hypogonadism. Biallelic pathogenic variants have been identified in 24 genes, leading to BBS in an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. In this study, we investigated a cohort of 16 families (20 individuals) presenting with typical BBS originating from La Réunion Island using sequencing (Sanger and high-throughput methods) and SNP array. In eight families (12 individuals) we identified the same ARL6/BBS3 variation [c.535G > A, p.(Asp179Asn)]. Bioinformatics and functional analyses revealed an effect of this variant on the splicing of ARL6/BBS3. Owing to the relatively high frequency of this variant, a possible founder effect was suspected. Genotyping of six individuals revealed a common 3.8-Mb haplotype and estimated the most recent common ancestor to about eight generations confirmed by the known genealogy. Knowledge of this founder effect modifies our diagnostic strategy and enables a personalized genetic counseling for patients from La Réunion Island. Being the first description of BBS patients from La Réunion Island, we could estimate its prevalence between ~1/45000 and ~ 1/66000 individuals.

Postpandemic Influenza Mortality of Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation-Treated Patients in Reunion Island: A Retrospective Single Center Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to assess the post-pandemic mortality of influenza in patients receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) in Reunion Island, France, by comparing the incidence with other patients undergoing VV-ECMO. DESIGN: Retrospective, descriptive, and single-center cohort study. The primary outcome was the standardized mortality ratio for influenza based on the quartiles of the Respiratory Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Survival Prediction score (RESP Score) in the reference population of patients undergoing VV-ECMO. SETTING: Intensive care unit (ICU), Felix Guyon Hospital, University Teaching Hospital of La Réunion, La Réunion, France. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients on ECMO with positive polymerase chain reaction for influenza. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: One hundred twenty-seven consecutive patients were hospitalized in the ICU with a positive influenza polymerase chain reaction from January 2013 to December 2017. Twenty-four influenza patients underwent ECMO including 18 patients with VV-ECMO. During this period, 72 patients requiring VV-ECMO were hospitalized in the ICU. The overall mortality rate of influenza patients on VV-ECMO was 61% versus 46% for non-influenza patients. The standardized mortality ratio per quartile of RESP Score was 1.28 (95% confidence interval 0.61-2.35). CONCLUSIONS: In Reunion, the mortality of patients undergoing VV-ECMO for severe influenza is not lower than the expected mortality of all patients undergoing VV-ECMO.

Plant population dynamics on oceanic islands during the Late Quaternary climate changes: genetic evidence from a tree species (Coffea mauritiana) in Reunion Island.

Past climatic fluctuations have played a major role in shaping the current plant biodiversity. Although harbouring an exceptional biota, oceanic islands have received little attention in studies on species demographic history and past vegetation patterns. We investigated the impact of past climatic changes on the effective population size of a tree (Coffea mauritiana) that is endemic to Reunion Island, located in the south-western Indian Ocean (SWIO). Demographic changes were inferred using summary statistics calculated from genomic data. Using ecological niche modelling and the current distribution of genetic diversity, the paleodistribution of the species was also assessed. A reduction in the effective population size of C. mauritiana during the last glaciation maximum was inferred. The distribution of the species was reduced on the western side of the island, due to low rainfall. It appeared that a major reduction in rainfall and a slight temperature decrease prevailed in the SWIO. Our findings indicated that analyses on the current patterns of intraspecific genetic variations can efficiently contribute to past climatic changes characterisation in remote islands. Identifying area with higher resilience in oceanic islands could provide guidance in forest management and conservation faced to the global climate change.

High prevalence of congenital deafness on Reunion Island is due to a founder variant of LHFPL5.

Reunion Island is a French oversea department in the Indian Ocean with 1.6/1000, an estimated prevalence of deafness that is almost double as compared to the mainland France. Twelve children having isolated bilateral prelingual profound deafness along with motor delay attributed to vestibular areflexia were enrolled. Their mean walking age was 19 months. Electroretinography and temporal bone CT-scans were normal in all cases. A novel homozygous frameshift lipoma HMGIC fusion partner-like 5 (LHFPL5) variant c.185delT p.(Phe62Serfs*23) was identified using whole-exome sequencing. It was found in seven families. Four patients from two different families from both Reunion Island and mainland France, were compound heterozygous: c.185delT p.(Phe62Serfs*23) and c.472C > T p.(Arg158Trp). The phenotype observed in our patients completely mimics the hurry-scurry (hscy) murine Tmhs knock-out model. The recurrent occurrence of same LHFPL5 variant in Reunion Island is attributed to common ancestor couple born in 1693.