Cultural attitudes and human pressure towards vultures around the Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa).

BACKGROUND: Populations of vultures in Africa have experienced a rapid decline over recent decades, with some species suffering losses of more than 90%. Various forms of human pressures have been identified as the causes of this decline. However, very little is known about the complex interaction between cultural practises, traditional medicine and the vultures' natural environment. The purpose of this study was to analyse human pressures on vultures in relation with cultural attitudes such as their demand for magico-traditional medicine in Côte d'Ivoire, around the Comoé National Park (CNP), one of the last major refuges of these organisms in West Africa. METHODS: Eleven surrounding villages were visited to carry out ethno-ornithology surveys. One hundred and ten people were interviewed, at a rate of ten people per village, using a semi-structured questionnaire and informal discussions. RESULTS: The findings showed that vultures are still being seen both in and around the CNP. The most common species indicated to be observed and indicated by the interviewees were the Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) and the White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis). Nevertheless, 98.2% of the interviewees indicated having observed a decrease in the abundance of vultures over the last few years in the study area, as well as a decline in the number of sightings of these organisms. Interviewees attributed this scarcity of vultures to (1) the limited availability of food resources, (2) pesticide and tobacco poisoning, (3) hunting, (4) rapid population growth, (5) annual bushfires and (6) habitat loss. The uses of the vulture or parts of vultures by the populations surrounding the CNP (traditional medicine, mystic practises, consumption as food, cultural heritage) were also highlighted as real threats to these organisms. And the vulture parts commonly used in this area are: feathers, legs, head, heart, stomach, brain and excrement. The Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) appears to be the most sought-after species and the most widely used for these practises in the study area. CONCLUSION: Appropriate conservation and communication initiatives are required to ensure the survival of these raptors, crucial for ecosystem well-being, while also ensuring a respect of cultural practises.

Diagnostic accuracy of swine echinococcosis cytopathological tests and challenges for a differential diagnosis: slaughterhouse data.

Echinococcosis disease shows clinical signs similar to many diseases. Hence we report cases that need to be confirmed using appropriate tests. A confirmatory study has been conducted to assess the accuracy of two cytopathological tests, with the histopathology test as the reference standard. The first cytopathological test evaluates the Ziehl Neelsen staining with an epifluorescence microscope (cytopath 1). The second cytopathological test uses the same staining followed by a transmitted light microscope examination (cytopath 2). Of a total of 2524 inspected pigs, 101 suspected cases of echinococcosis were detected, of which 67 were found positive with the two cytopathological tests and the histopathological one. The specificity of cytopath 1 (100 % [95 % CI 100 - 100]) and cytopath 2 (100 % [95 % CI 100;100]) were similar, as well as their respective positive predictive values: 100 % [95 % CI 100 - 100] vs. 100 % [95 % CI 100 - 100]. The sensitivity of cytopath 1 is 79.66 % [95 % CI 69.39 - 89.93], while cytopath 2 equals 66.10 % [95 % CI 54.02 - 78.18]. The difference in sensitivity of both tests was not significant. Negative predictive values found for cytopath 1, and cytopath 2 were 40 [95 % CI 18.53 - 61.47] and 28.57 [95 % CI 11.84 - 45.3], leading to the Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) Model estimate for an odds ratio of 1.4 [95 % CI 0.41 - 5.2], p = 0.06. Cytopath 1 and cytopath 2 are equivalent in terms of specificity (100 % [95 % CI 100 - 100] vs. 100 % [95 % CI 100;100]) and positive predictive value (100 % [95 % CI 100 - 100]. Cytopath 1 is more sensitive than cytopath 2 but not significant (79.66 % [ 95 % CI 69.39 - 89.93] vs. 66.10 % [95 % CI 54.02 - 78.18]). However, the negative predictive value of cytopath 1 is better than that of cytopath 2: 40 % [95 % CI 18.53 - 61.47] vs. 28.57 % [95 % CI 11.84 - 45.3].

[Strokein type 2 diabetic patients in the internal medicine department of the Teaching Hospital of Point G]. / Accident vasculaire cerebral (AVC) chez les patients diabetiques de type 2 dans le service de medecine interne du CHU du Point G.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is a chronic hyperglycemia which can be discovered with specific organic complications particularly affecting the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and vessels. Globally, the prevalence of stroke in people with diabetes is approximately 10%. OBJECTIVE: Study the epidemiological and clinical aspects of stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODOLOGY: We made a descriptive and analytical study by a retrospective survey over a period of 10 years, in the department of internal medicine at the university Hospital ofPoint G. We focused on all hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes, in whom the diagnosis of stroke was retained. RESULTS: At the end of the study 24 patients out of 492 diabetes hospitalized in to the period met our inclusion criteria, representing a frequence of 4.9%. The mean age was 64.67 ± 13.409 years with a sex-ratio of 1.4. The reason for hospitalization was muscle weakness in 54.2% of patients. Eighty-seven point five percent (87.5%) of patients were already known to have diabetes before the weakness. Stroke was the mode of discovery of diabetes in 12.5%. Over 70% of our patients had hyperglycemia at the time of admission. Ischemic stroke was seen in 75% of patients. CONCLUSION: Stroke is a great complication of diabetes witch, can be a way discovery of type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Le diabète est une hyperglycémie chronique qui peut être découvert avec des complications organiques spécifiques touchant particulièrement les yeux, les reins, les nerfs, le cœur et les vaisseaux.L'AVC en ai une de ces complications. À l'échelle mondiale, la prévalence de l'AVC chez les diabétiques est d'environ 10%. OBJECTIF: Étudier les aspects épidémiologiques et cliniques de l'accident vasculaire cérébral chez les patients diabétiques de type 2. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Il s'agissait d'une étude descriptive et analytique sur la base d'une enquête rétrospective de 10 ans, dans le service de médecine interne du CHU du Point G. Elle a porté sur tous les patients diabétiques de type 2 hospitalisés dans le service de médecine interne, chez qui le diagnostic de l'AVC a été retenu. RÉSULTATS: Au terme del'étude 24 patients répondants à nos critères sur 492 diabétiques soit une fréquence de 4,9%. L'âge moyen était de 64,67 ± 13,409 ans avec un sex-ratio de 1,4. Le motif d'hospitalisation était un déficit moteur chez 54,2% des patients. Quatre-vingt-sept virgule cinq pourcent (87,5%) des patients étaient déjà connus diabétiques avant le déficit. L'AVC a été le mode de découverte du diabète chez 12,5%. Plus de 70% de nos patients avaient une hyperglycémieau moment à l'admission. L'AVC ischémique était observé chez 87,5% des patients. CONCLUSION: L'AVC est une complication redoutable du diabète, il peut être le mode de découverte d'un diabète de type 2.

Sentinel seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Gauteng Province, South Africa, August - October 2020.

BACKGROUND: Estimates of prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity (seroprevalence) for tracking the COVID-19 epidemic are lacking for most African countries. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in a sentinel cohort of patient samples received for routine testing at tertiary laboratories in Johannesburg, South Africa. METHODS: This sentinel study was conducted using remnant serum samples received at three National Health Laboratory Service laboratories in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) district. Collection was from 1 August to 31 October 2020. We extracted accompanying laboratory results for glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), creatinine, HIV, viral load and CD4 T-cell count. An anti-SARS-CoV-2 targeting the nucleocapsid (N) protein of the coronavirus with higher affinity for IgM and IgG antibodies was used. We reported crude as well as population-weighted and test-adjusted seroprevalence. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether age, sex, HIV and diabetic status were associated with increased risk for seropositivity. RESULTS: A total of 6 477 samples were analysed, the majority (n=5 290) from the CoJ region. After excluding samples with no age or sex stated, the model population-weighted and test-adjusted seroprevalence for the CoJ (n=4 393) was 27.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 25.4 - 28.6). Seroprevalence was highest in those aged 45 - 49 years (29.8%; 95% CI 25.5 - 35.0) and in those from the most densely populated areas of the CoJ. Risk for seropositivity was highest in those aged 18 - 49 years (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.52; 95% CI 1.13 - 2.13; p=0.0005) and in samples from diabetics (aOR 1.36; 95% CI 1.13 - 1.63; p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study conducted between the first and second waves of the pandemic shows high levels of current infection among patients attending public health facilities in Gauteng Province.

[Stroke in type 2 diabetic patients in the internal medicine department of the Teaching Hospital of Point G]. / Accident vasculaire cerebral (avc) chez les patients diabetiques de type 2 dans le service de medecine interne du CHU du Point G.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is a chronic hyperglycemia which can be discovered with specific organic complications particularly affecting the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and vessels. Globally, the prevalence of stroke in people with diabetes is approximately 10%. OBJECTIVE: Study the epidemiological and clinical aspects of stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODOLOGY: We made a descriptive and analytical study by a retrospective survey over a period of 10 years, in the department of internal medicine at the university Hospital ofPoint G. We focused on all hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes, in whom the diagnosis of stroke was retained. RESULTS: At the end of the study 24 patients out of 492 diabetes hospitalized in to the period met our inclusion criteria, representing a frequence of 4.9%. The mean age was 64.67 ± 13.409 years with a sex-ratio of 1.4. The reason for hospitalization was muscle weakness in 54.2% of patients. Eighty-seven point five percent (87.5%) of patients were already known to have diabetes before the weakness. Stroke was the mode of discovery of diabetes in 12.5%. Over 70% of our patients had hyperglycemia at the time of admission. Ischemic stroke was seen in 75% of patients. CONCLUSION: Stroke is a great complication of diabetes witch, can be a way discovery of type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Le diabète est une hyperglycémie chronique qui peut être découvert avec des complications organiques spécifiques touchant particulièrement les yeux, les reins, les nerfs, le coeur et les vaisseaux.L'AVC en ai une de ces complications. À l'échelle mondiale, la prévalence de l'AVC chez les diabétiques est d'environ 10%. OBJECTIF: Étudier les aspects épidémiologiques et cliniques de l'accident vasculaire cérébral chez les patients diabétiques de type 2. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Il s'agissait d'une étude descriptive et analytique sur la base d'une enquête rétrospective de 10 ans, dans le service de médecine interne du CHU du Point G. Elle a porté sur tous les patients diabétiques de type 2 hospitalisés dans le service de médecine interne, chez qui le diagnostic de l'AVC a été retenu. RÉSULTATS: Au terme del'étude 24 patients répondants à nos critères sur 492 diabétiques soit une fréquence de 4,9%. L'âge moyen était de 64,67 ± 13,409 ans avec un sex-ratio de 1,4. Le motif d'hospitalisation était un déficit moteur chez 54,2% des patients. Quatre-vingt-sept virgule cinq pourcent (87,5%) des patients étaient déjà connus diabétiques avant le déficit. L'AVC a été le mode de découverte du diabète chez 12,5%. Plus de 70% de nos patients avaient une hyperglycémieau moment à l'admission. L'AVC ischémique était observé chez 87,5% des patients. CONCLUSION: L'AVC est une complication redoutable du diabète, il peut être le mode de découverte d'un diabète de type 2.

You don't have the guts: a diverse set of fungi survive passage through Macrotermes bellicosus termite guts.

BACKGROUND: Monoculture farming poses significant disease challenges, but fungus-farming termites are able to successfully keep their monoculture crop free from contamination by other fungi. It has been hypothesised that obligate gut passage of all plant substrate used to manure the fungal symbiont is key to accomplish this. Here we refute this hypothesis in the fungus-farming termite species Macrotermes bellicosus. RESULTS: We first used ITS amplicon sequencing to show that plant substrate foraged on by termite workers harbour diverse fungal communities, which potentially could challenge the farming symbiosis. Subsequently, we cultivated fungi from dissected sections of termite guts to show that fungal diversity does not decrease during gut passage. Therefore, we investigated if healthy combs harboured these undesirable fungal genera, and whether the presence of workers affected fungal diversity within combs. Removal of workers led to a surge in fungal diversity in combs, implying that termite defences must be responsible for the near-complete absence of other fungi in functioning termite gardens. CONCLUSIONS: The rapid proliferation of some of these fungi when colonies are compromised indicates that some antagonists successfully employ a sit-and-wait strategy that allows them to remain dormant until conditions are favourable. Although this strategy requires potentially many years of waiting, it prevents these fungi from engaging in an evolutionary arms race with the termite host, which employs a series of complementary behavioural and chemical defences that may prove insurmountable.

Termite Taxonomy, Challenges and Prospects: West Africa, A Case Example.

Termites are important ecosystem engineers. Yet they are often difficult to identify due to the lack of reliable species-specific morphological traits for many species, which hampers ecological research. Recently, termitologists working with West African termites (West African Termite Taxonomy Initiative) convened for a workshop with the aim of beginning to address this problem. Repeated determination of the same termite samples by the most renowned taxonomists for West African termites identified the huge scale of the problem, as less than 10% of all species could be unambiguously determined to the species level. Intensive discussions and comparisons increased the identification success to around 25% at the end of the workshop. Yet many groups remained problematic and molecular markers and barcoding techniques combined with species delimitation approaches will be needed to help resolve these existing taxonomic problems. Based on the outcome of this workshop, we propose concerted initiatives to address termite taxonomy on a global scale. We are convinced that dedicated workshops on regional taxonomy that follow a similar structured approach, with repeated determination of the same sample, will help overcome the difficulties that termite taxonomy faces. This initiative can also serve as a blueprint for other taxonomical groups that are difficult to identify.

Phytogeographical and sociolinguistical patterns of the diversity, distribution, and uses of wild mushrooms in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa.

BACKGROUND: Many fungal species in tropical Africa are useful, with high added value, and play essential roles in the structure and dynamic of ecosystems. However, the diversity, distribution, and uses by local populations of these non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and their respective habitats are still very poorly understood in sub-Saharan Africa in general and more specifically in Côte d'Ivoire. This study aims at (i) inventorying the wild useful mushrooms of Côte d'Ivoire within its major protected areas and their respective surrounding sociolinguistical groups, according to climatic and phytogeographical gradients, and (ii) recording ethnomycological knowledge and considerations of these local people. METHODS: Field and ethnomycological surveys were conducted in the main and highest protected areas of Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé, Marahoué, and Taï national parks) and a set of their respective surrounding villages, along climatic and phytogeographical gradients. Standardized methods (permanent plots and opportunistic searches) were used for field surveys. In addition, a total 748 respondents belonging to 13 ethnic groups were interviewed at a rate of 300 interviewees during the preliminary investigations and 448 persons during the proper ethnomycological surveys. RESULTS: Sixty-eight useful wild fungal species, belonging to 17 families and 23 genera, were listed and collected. Four categories of usage were reported by the rural people (food, medicinal, belief and recreational), with a dominance of food and medicinal uses. Fifty-six species were reported to be used as food and 16 species as medicinal fungi. These uses varied not only from one sociolinguistical group to another but also from a visited village to another. The high number (41) of the reported useful species was found in the Sudano-Guinean savanna zone while 28 species were collected in the forest zone and 22 species in the forest-savanna mosaic zone. These mushrooms were either saprotrophic or symbiotic (ectomycorrhizal or termitophilic). Auricularia sp3, Psathyrella tuberculata, and Termitomyces spp. were found as the most commonly used mushrooms. CONCLUSIONS: These national scale field and ethnomycological surveys give one of the more complete but non-exhaustive list of useful mushrooms of Côte d'Ivoire. Mushrooms are relatively well known and used by the Ivorian people within the main phytogeographical zone of the country. These people also have an interest in all the functional groups with an important phytogeographical zone-fungal-specific used species. However, protected areas of the visited zones seem to represent the last sanctuaries of these organisms due to high rate of loss of natural habitats.

Gut microbial compositions mirror caste-specific diets in a major lineage of social insects.

Social insects owe their ecological success to the division of labour between castes, but associations between microbial community compositions and castes with different tasks and diets have not been extensively explored. Fungus-growing termites associate with fungi to degrade plant material, complemented by diverse gut microbial communities. Here, we explore whether division of labour and accompanying dietary differences between fungus-growing termite castes are linked to gut bacterial community structure. Using amplicon sequencing, we characterize community compositions in sterile (worker and soldier) and reproductive (queen and king) termites and combine this with gut enzyme activities and microscopy to hypothesise sterile caste-specific microbiota roles. Gut bacterial communities are structured primarily according to termite caste and genus and, in contrast to the observed rich and diverse sterile caste microbiotas, royal pair guts are dominated by few bacterial taxa, potentially reflecting their specialized uniform diet and unique lifestyle.

Determinants of Termite Assemblages' Characteristics within Natural Habitats of a Sudano-Guinean Savanna (Comoe National Park, Côte d'Ivoire).

Termites are one of the major components of tropical ecosystems. However, the ecological and biological variables determining the structure of their communities within natural habitats are less documented in general and especially in the Comoe National Park, a Sudano-Guinean savanna zone located in the north-eastern part of Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa). Using a standardized method of belt transects, the structure of termite's communities was estimated within habitats differing in the structure of their vegetation, soil characteristics, and the disturbance level caused by annual occurrences of bushfires. The effect of a set of environmental variables (habitat type, occurrence of annual bushfire, woody plant density, woody plant species richness, and soil physicochemical parameters) was tested on the habitat-specific recorded termite species. Sixty species of termites belonging to 19 genera, seven subfamilies and two families, namely Rhinotermitidae (Coptotermitinae and Rhinotermitinae) and Termitidae (Apicotermitinae, Cubitermitinae, Macrotermitinae, Nasutitermitinae, and Termitinae) were sampled. These species were assigned to the four feeding groups of termites: fungus growers (18 species), wood feeders (17 species), soil feeders (19 species) and the grass feeders (6 species). The highest diversity of termites was encountered in forest habitats, with 37 and 34, respectively, for the gallery forest and the forest island. Among savanna habitats, the woodland savanna was identified as the most diversified habitat with 32 recorded species, followed by the tree savanna (28 species) and the grassy savanna (17 species). The distribution of termite species and their respective feedings groups was determined by the habitat type and a set of environmental variables such as Woody Plant Diversity (WPD), Woody plant Families Diversity (WPFD), and Organic Carbon (OC). The annual Fire Occurrence (FO) was found to indirectly impact the characteristics of termite assemblages within natural habitats via their respective Herbaceous Species Richness (HSR) and Woody Plant Species Richness (WPSR). In summary, the spatial heterogeneity of the Comoe National Park, modeled by the uncontrolled annual bushfire, offers a diversified natural habitat with an important variety of termite-habitat-specific species, probably due to the food preference of these organisms and its relatively good conservation status.

Diversity, phenology and distribution of Termitomyces species in Côte d'Ivoire.

The mutualistic symbiosis between termites of the Macrotermitinae subfamily (Isoptera: Termitidae) and fungi of the genus Termitomyces (Basidiomycota: Lyophyllaceae) is of great ecological and socio-economic importance. Seasonal fruit bodies of the symbiotic fungi are regularly collected and sold in Côte d'Ivoire. However, there are very few studies on their diversity, phenology, distribution and especially the socio-economic scope of the fruit bodies of these fungi at a national scale. This study aims at (i) assessing the diversity of Termitomyces fruit bodies in Côte d'Ivoire and (ii) mapping their fructification areas through a determination of their spatiotemporal distribution according to a climatic and phytogeographic gradients. Using ethnomycological surveys all over the Ivorian territory, information was collected from rural populations on the fructification of Termitomyces and their socio-economic importance. Based on these surveys, sampling efforts of these fungi were properly structured and oriented. The results revealed a diversity of 16 species of Termitomyces, including 9 species new to Côte d'Ivoire and 2 probably new to science. Five species were found in the forest zone, nine in theGuinean savannah zone and four in the Sudano-Guinean zone. Termitomyces's fructifications were observed throughout the year, with specific period for each species. All listed species are regularly consumed by populations. However, only Termitomyces letestui (Pat.) R. Heim and Termitomyces schimperi (Pat.) R. Heim are marketed on a relatively large scale.

[A continuous series of 27 adult patients treated for L5-S1 isthmic spondylolisthesis by combined approach: Clinical and radiological outcomes at 1 year follow-up]. / Une série continue de 27 patients adultes opérés d'un spondylolisthésis isthmique L5-S1 par voie combinée : résultats cliniques et radiologiques à 1 an de suivi.

Through this single-center consecutive prospective study, we evaluated the results of a combined approach for L5-S1 isthmic spondylolisthesis, using a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) interbody lordotic cage during anterior approach and pedicle screw-based posterior fixation. Between 2010 and 2014, 27 adult patients were treated for L5-S1 isthmic spondylolisthesis (high and low grades) by a combined approach with a minimum follow-up of one year. Clinical outcome was assessed before surgical treatment and at four months and one year after surgery by: VAS, Oswestry Index (ODI) and Rolland-Morris scores. Two observers evaluated the following radiological parameters: pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, lumbar lordosis, segmental lordosis L5-S1, anterior and posterior disc height, spinal vertical axis (SVA), SVA/sacro-femoral distance (SFD) ratio. Fusion was evaluated on the CT scan at one-year follow-up. Blood loss, surgery time and complications were also collected. The mean age was 47.7 years (±16.9). The VAS, ODI and Rolland-Morris scores were significantly improved postoperatively, decreased from 7.5 (±1.45); 48 (±19.25); 15.3 (±4.67) before the surgery to 3.8 (±2.55); 28.7 (±19.58) and 7.76 (±7.21) respectively at one year after the surgery (P=0.05). The mean follow-up was 3.3 years. Mean surgery time was 193.7min (±37). Fusion was obtained in 100% of cases. Segmental lordosis L5-S1, pelvic tilt, slippage, anterior and posterior L5-S1 disc height were significantly improved postoperatively, they passed from 20.1; 22.6; 35.3%; 26.4%; 17.9% to 29.5; 20.6; 20.3%; 64.4%; 36.3% respectively. Combined surgical procedure meets the required goals of surgery in the treatment of adults L5-S1 isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Identification and testing of oviposition attractant chemical compounds for Musca domestica.

Oviposition attractants for the house fly Musca domestica have been investigated using electrophysiological tests, behavioural assays and field tests. Volatiles were collected via head space absorption method from fermented wheat bran, fresh wheat bran, rearing substrate residue and house fly maggots. A Y-tube olfactometer assay showed that the odor of fermented wheat bran was a significant attractant for female house flies. Bioactive compounds from fermented wheat bran for house fly females were identified by electrophysiology and mass spectrophotometry and confirmed with standard chemicals. Four electrophysiologically active compounds including ethyl palmitate, ethyl linoleate, methyl linoleate, and linoleic acid were found at a proportion of 10:24:6:0.2. Functional imaging in the female antennal lobes revealed an overlapped active pattern for all chemicals. Further multiple-choice behavioural bioassays showed that these chemicals, as well as a mixture that mimicked the naturally occurring combination, increased the attractiveness of non-preferred rearing substrates of cotton and maize powder. Finally, a field demonstration test revealed that, by adding this mimic blend into a rearing substrate used to attract and breed house flies in West Africa, egg numbers laid by females were increased. These chemicals could be utilized to improve house fly production systems or considered for lure traps.

Identifying the core microbial community in the gut of fungus-growing termites.

Gut microbes play a crucial role in decomposing lignocellulose to fuel termite societies, with protists in the lower termites and prokaryotes in the higher termites providing these services. However, a single basal subfamily of the higher termites, the Macrotermitinae, also domesticated a plant biomass-degrading fungus (Termitomyces), and how this symbiont acquisition has affected the fungus-growing termite gut microbiota has remained unclear. The objective of our study was to compare the intestinal bacterial communities of five genera (nine species) of fungus-growing termites to establish whether or not an ancestral core microbiota has been maintained and characterizes extant lineages. Using 454-pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we show that gut communities have representatives of 26 bacterial phyla and are dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, Proteobacteria and Synergistetes. A set of 42 genus-level taxa was present in all termite species and accounted for 56-68% of the species-specific reads. Gut communities of termites from the same genus were more similar than distantly related species, suggesting that phylogenetic ancestry matters, possibly in connection with specific termite genus-level ecological niches. Finally, we show that gut communities of fungus-growing termites are similar to cockroaches, both at the bacterial phylum level and in a comparison of the core Macrotermitinae taxa abundances with representative cockroach, lower termite and higher nonfungus-growing termites. These results suggest that the obligate association with Termitomyces has forced the bacterial gut communities of the fungus-growing termites towards a relatively uniform composition with higher similarity to their omnivorous relatives than to more closely related termites.

[Culex quinquefasciatus sensitivity to insecticides in relation to the urbanization level and sewage water in Yopougon, a township of Abidjan (Côte-d'Ivoire)]. / Sensibilité de Culex quinquefasciatus aux pyréthrinoïdes en relation avec le niveau d'urbanisation et l'évacuation des eaux usées dans la commune de Yopougon à Abidjan (Côte-d'Ivoire).

This survey, conducted from July 2003 to June 2004, was to assess the variation of the level of sensitivity of Cx. quinquefasciatus to the pyrethroids recommended for the impregnation of the mosquito nets, in the township of Yopougon situated in the Northwest of Abidjan city in relation with the bed of a drainage channel of sewage water that passes through the township from the north to the south. Five districts have been chosen along this channel according to the level of urbanization, for the withdrawal of the pre-imaginal populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus in collections of stagnant sewage water of this township. The female Cx. quinquefasciatus aged three to five days from the exits of the insectarium have been exposed to papers impregnated with deltamethrin 0.05%, permethrin 1% and DDT 4% in view of the diagnosis of a possible resistance of these populations to these insecticides. The populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus proved to be resistant to the three insecticides used, in four districts. On the other hand, the population of Cx. quinquefasciatus from the district "Zone industrielle," situated upstream of the channel, proved to be sensitive to permethrin 1%, and a drastic decrease of sensitivity of the same mosquito has been observed with deltamethrin 0.05% and DDT 4%.

[Mortality and morbidity of tetanus in the infectious diseases department, Point G teaching hospital, in Bamako, Mali (2004-2009)]. / Morbidité et mortalité du tétanos dans le service de maladies infectieuses du CHU du Point G à Bamako, Mali (2004-2009).

Our study objectives were to determine annual cases of the tetanus and to describe its clinical, evolutionary and prognostic aspects. It was a transverse study from data records and medical records of patients aged 15 years and above hospitalized for tetanus in the service of infectious diseases of the Point G CHU from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2009. The tetanus was diagnosed based on clinical (trismus, dysphagia, seizures and point consecutive to an injury) and epidemiological arguments (absence of a correct tetanus immunization, entry way). We collected a total of 119 cases of tetanus out of 1,839 hospitalizations making a prevalence of 6.5%. The hospitalization period was 5 days (73%) for most of the patients. Unskilled laborer and farmers were the most frequent with respectively 30.2 and 21.8% of cases. Tetanus occurred in the course of a traumatic road accident (16%) and from other traumatic causes (48.7%). The clinical form was a generalized type for 94.4% of the cases. A wound was the entry way for 64.7% of the patients. The entry way was located on the lower members 49.6% of the time. The co-morbidity was recorded with infection by Plasmodium falciparum (15 cases, 12.6%) and HIV (1 case). Hospital lethality was 46.2%. The death was statistically linked to clinical severity according to the Dakar score (P = 0.0005) and the Mollaret stage (P = 0.0001). A need for strengthening communication for behaviour change for the gaining of a correct and sustained immunization exists. A strategy based on the capacity building for a rapid tetanus diagnosis and a combined co-morbidities care may reduce the lethality in the context of our limited technical environment.

Dating the fungus-growing termites' mutualism shows a mixture between ancient codiversification and recent symbiont dispersal across divergent hosts.

The mutualistic symbiosis between fungus-growing termites and Termitomyces fungi originated in Africa and shows a moderate degree of interaction specificity. Here we estimate the age of the mutualism and test the hypothesis that the major splits have occurred simultaneously in the host and in the symbiont. We present a scenario where fungus-growing termites originated in the African rainforest just before the expansion of the savanna, about 31 Ma (19-49 Ma). Whereas rough age correspondence is observed for the four main clades of host and symbiont, the analysis reveals several recent events of host switching followed by dispersal of the symbiont throughout large areas and throughout different host genera. The most spectacular of these is a group of closely related fungi (the maximum age of which is estimated to be 2.4 Ma), shared between the divergent genera Microtermes, Ancistrotermes, Acanthotermes and Synacanthotermes (which diverged at least 16.7 Ma), and found throughout the African continent and on Madagascar. The lack of geographical differentiation of fungal symbionts shows that continuous exchange has occurred between regions and across host species.

Spatio-temporal distribution of tsetse and other biting flies in the Mouhoun River basin, Burkina Faso.

In the Mouhoun River basin, Burkina Faso, the main vectors of African animal trypanosomoses are Glossina palpalis gambiensis Vanderplank and Glossina tachinoides Westwood (Diptera: Glossinidae), both of which are riverine tsetse species. The aim of our study was to understand the impact of landscape anthropogenic changes on the seasonal dynamics of vectors and associated trypanosomosis risk. Three sites were selected on the basis of the level of disturbance of tsetse habitats and predominant tsetse species: disturbed (Boromo, for G. tachinoides) and half-disturbed (Douroula for G. tachinoides and Kadomba for G. p. gambiensis). At each of these sites, seasonal variations in the apparent densities of tsetse and mechanical vectors and tsetse infection rates were monitored over 17 months. Tsetse densities differed significantly between sites and seasons. Of 5613 captured tsetse, 1897 were dissected; 34 of these were found to be infected with trypanosomes. The most frequent infection was Trypanosoma vivax (1.4%), followed by Trypanosoma congolense (0.3%) and Trypanosoma brucei (0.05%). The mean physiological age of 703 tsetse females was investigated to better characterize the transmission risk. Despite the environmental changes, it appeared that tsetse lived long enough to transmit trypanosomes, especially in half-disturbed landscapes. A total of 3021 other biting flies from 15 species (mainly Tabanidae and Stomoxyinae) were also caught: their densities also differed significantly among sites and seasons. Their relative importance regarding trypanosome transmission is discussed; the trypanosomosis risk in cattle was similar at all sites despite very low tsetse densities (but high mechanical vector densities) in one of them.

Population structuring of the tsetse Glossina tachinoides resulting from landscape fragmentation in the Mouhoun River basin, Burkina Faso.

The impact of landscape fragmentation resulting from human- and climate-mediated factors on the structure of a population of Glossina tachinoides Westwood (Diptera: Glossinidae) in the Mouhoun River basin, Burkina Faso, was investigated. Allele frequencies at five microsatellite loci were compared in four populations. The average distance between samples was 72 km. The sampling points traversed an ecological cline in terms of rainfall and riverine forest ecotype, along a river loop that enlarged from upstream to downstream. Microsatellite DNA demonstrated no structuring among the groups studied (F(ST) = 0.015, P = 0.07), which is contrary to findings pertaining to Glossina palpalis gambiensis Vanderplank in the same geographical area. The populations of G. tachinoides showed complete panmixia (F(IS) = 0, P = 0.5 for the whole sample) and no genetic differentiation among populations or global positioning system trap locations. This is in line with the results of dispersal studies which indicated higher diffusion coefficients for G. tachinoides than for G. p. gambiensis. The impact of these findings is discussed within the framework of control campaigns currently promoted by the Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign.