Antibiotic susceptibility and molecular diversity of Bacillus anthracis strains in Chad: detection of a new phylogenetic subgroup.

We genotyped 15 Bacillus anthracis isolates from Chad, Africa, using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis and three additional direct-repeat markers. We identified two unique genotypes that represent a novel genetic lineage in the A cluster. Chadian isolates were susceptible to 11 antibiotics and free of 94 antibiotic resistance genes.

Species identification of non-tuberculous mycobacteria from humans and cattle of Chad.

In Chad, during a study on tuberculosis in humans and cattle, 52 non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) strains were isolated. By means of INNO-LiPA, PRA-hsp65 amplification and sequencing of 16S rDNA, NTM species of 25/52 isolates were identified. M. fortuitum complex (8) was the most frequent species, followed by M. nonchromogenicum (4) and M. avium complex (4). PRA method could identify M. fortuitum 3rd variant among isolates derived from cattle specimens. This finding could confirm the existence of farcy in the Chadian cattle population as M. fortuitum 3rd variant and putitative pathogen M. farcinogenes can't be distinguished by the methods used in this study. Half of the NTM isolates could not be specified and we considered them as contaminants from the environment.

[Arterial hypertension in the medical-surgical emergency service. Apropos of 139 cases observed in national reference general hospital of N'Djamena]. / Hypertension artérielle dans le service des urgences médico-chirurgicales. A propos de 139 cas observés à l'hôpital général de référence nationale de N'Djamena.

The authors achieved a prospective study on 139 hypertensive patients admitted at the emergency service of the Hôpital général de référence nationale during the period from March to October 1998. The aim of the study was to define the epidemiological and the clinical aspects of high blood pressure. The results were as following: Epidemiologic aspects: The inward prevalence was 2.7%. There was clear male prevalence: 59.7% vs 40.7% with a sex-ratio M/F of 1.5%. The average age was 53 (18-88) of which an average of 54 for men and 50 for women. The most concerned age backets were between 40 and 60 years. For clinical aspects: Forty nine of our patients reported in their medical history the high blood pressure notion known and followed up. From the main examination, diagnoses held, were the following in descending order: high blood pressure, 41.7%: hypertensive encephalopathy, 15.1% and cerebral stroke, 10.1%. Regarding the degree of high blood pressure, most of patients (74 patients over 139 i.e. 53.23%) showed a severe and cunning high blood pressure and men were more concerned than women: 68.9% vs 31.20%. From complications point of view, the renal attack held the first place and the neurological slowing down was a factor of bad prognosis. The global hospital mortality was 15.8% (22 death cases over 139) of which 15 men and 7 women. Neurological complications were the most numerous with 31.8% of cases. The old age and the lack of patients follow-up were the factors of bad prognosis.

Cuticular hydrocarbon composition analysis for taxonomic differentiation of phlebotomine sandfly species (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Kenya.

Gas chromatographic patterns of cuticular hydrocarbon composition were analyzed for 9 sandfly species, including Phlebotomus (Larroussius) aculeatus Lewis, Minter & Ashford [syn. P. (L.) elgonensis Ngoka, Madel & Mutinga], P. (sensu stricto) duboscqi Neveu-Lemaire, P. (Synphlebotomus) martini Parrot, P. pedifer (Larroussius) Lewis, Mutinga & Ashford, Sergentomiya (Parrotomyia) africanus Newstead, S. (Sergentomyia) antennatus Newstead, S. (Spelacomyia) garnhami Heisch, Giggisberg & Teedale, S. (Rondanomyia) ingrami Newstead, and S. (Sergentomyia) schwetzi Adler, Theodor & Parrot, collected in the field in Kenya or reared in the laboratory. The patterns showed both quantitative and qualitative differences among species. Discriminant analysis of easily identified peaks (expressed as percentages of total peak area) confirmed the uniqueness of the pattern for each species. Species identifications of field-collected flies revealed an excellent correspondence between morphometric criteria and gas chromatography for all species, except P. duboscqi. These results indicated that the morphological criteria for the identification of P. duboscqi should be reexamined. Chromatograms of females and males showed slight quantitative differences.

Vitellogenin titres in normal and accelerated maturation of gregarious-phase Schistocerca gregaria.

Isolation of vitellogenin of the Schistocerca gregaria (Forskal) in its gregarious phase was achieved by a combination of gel permeation and anion exchange chromatography. Staining for carbohydrate and lipid moieties showed that the vitellogenin is a glycolipoprotein. The vitellogenin of S. gregaria has a native molecular weight of about 700 kDa. On SDS-PAGE, the protein showed nine apoproteins of about 124, 120, 105, 60, 59, 58, 57, 53 and 34 kD. Determination of the levels of vitellogenin by ELISA in the haemolymph of maturing females showed that those exposed to mature males from 1 to 2 days after ecdysis had increased levels of vitellogenin from day 10 (81.1 +/- 4.5). In contrast, females exposed to immature males or kept alone showed an increase (107.3 +/- 0.9 and 70.2 +/- 2.7) not until day 16 or later, respectively. These results are consistent with the accelerating effect of pheromonal emissions from mature males on the maturation of female S. gregaria.