155 research outputs found
Monitoring of vector-borne diseases: methods, strengths / weak point
Recent outbreaks of vector-borne diseases in France over the past decade have illustrated the need for efficient surveillance methods to monitor the onset and / or spread of these diseases. Epidemiological surveillance can detect the emergence of new or exotic diseases or monitor the epidemiological situation of an already established disease in an area to adapt control measures. Epidemiological surveillance can take many forms that can be combined to monitor a disease: Eventdriven surveillance (also called passive surveillance), programmed surveillance (or active surveillance) and syndromic surveillance. The specificities of the vector-borne diseases surveillance are based on the frequent complexity of their epidemiological cycles and the surveillance of the vectors. Entomological surveillance uses specific methods that are sometimes heavy and expensive to implement. It can track the geographical distribution of vectors, periods of vector activity, but due to a frequently low vector competence, usually cannot monitor diseases transmitted by these vectors.Les rĂ©cents Ă©pisodes de maladies Ă transmission vectorielle en France au cours des dix derniĂšres annĂ©es ont illustrĂ© la nĂ©cessitĂ© de disposer de mĂ©thodes de surveillance performantes pour suivre lâapparition et/ou lâĂ©volution de ces maladies. La surveillance Ă©pidĂ©miologique permet de dĂ©celer lâapparition dâune maladie nouvelle ou exotique ou de suivre lâĂ©volution de la situation Ă©pidĂ©miologique dâune maladie dĂ©jĂ implantĂ©e sur un territoire afin dâadapter les mĂ©thodes de contrĂŽle. Les modalitĂ©s de surveillance peuvent prendre diverses formes qui peuvent ĂȘtre combinĂ©es pour assurer le suivi dâune maladie : surveillance Ă©vĂšnementielle (encore appelĂ©e surveillance passive), surveillance programmĂ©e (ou surveillance active) et surveillance syndromique. Les particularitĂ©s de la surveillance des maladies Ă transmission vectorielle reposent sur la complexitĂ© frĂ©quente de leurs cycles et sur la surveillance des vecteurs. La surveillance entomologique utilise des mĂ©thodes spĂ©cifiques qui sont quelque fois lourdes et couteuses Ă mettre en oeuvre. Elle permet de suivre la rĂ©partition gĂ©ographique des vecteurs, les pĂ©riodes dâactivitĂ© vectorielle mais, en raison frĂ©quemment dâune faible compĂ©tence vectorielle ne permet pas de suivre les maladies transmises par ces vecteurs
Surveillance of vector-borne diseases in equids in France
Epidemiosurveillance has become an important part of veterinary practice. In equine medicine, vectorborne
diseases have recently become a serious concern in France and in Europe, following the re-emergence
of West Nile Fever, equine infectious anaemia cases, and the possible introduction of African
horse sickness. The aim of our paper is to discuss some methodological issues linked to the implementation
of a surveillance system. In most cases, the passive system is the most cost-effective. Recent
advances in information technology, geomatics and spatial analysis will help define research avenues
for the implementation of real-time surveillance and early warning surveillance systems. Vector-borne
diseases are dependant on the environment and thus good candidates for the development of such
tools.L'épidémiosurveillance est
devenue une activité essentielle du praticien vétérinaire. En médecine équine, les maladies
vectorielles ont récemment pris une place importante dans l'actualité française et
européenne du fait de la réémergence de la fiÚvre du Nil occidental, de foyers d'anémie
infectieuse, et du risque potentiel d'introduction de la peste équine. Le présent article
discute des modalités et de la méthodologie de la mise en oeuvre d'un systÚme
d'épidémiosurveillance. Dans la plupart des cas, le systÚme passif présente le meilleur
rapport coût/efficacité. Les derniÚres acquisitions dans les domaines de l'informatique, les
communications, la géomatique(4) et l'analyse spatiale permettent de définir des axes de
recherche pour la mise en oeuvre de systÚmes permettant la surveillance en temps réel et
l'alerte précoce. Les maladies vectorielles, dépendantes de l'environnement, sont de bons
exemples pour le développement de tels outils
Influence of water on the circulation of the West Nile Virus in horses in Southern France
International audienc
RESPE (French Network of Epidemiological surveillance for Equine diseases) : origin and sub-network for acute respiratory syndrome
RESPE is the first European network of epidemiological surveillance for equine diseases, based on a
group of sentinel veterinary practitioners. RESPE has three objectives: the surveillance of specific syndromes
or diseases, the creation of a centre of veterinary expertise to collect epidemiological data
rapidly and manage health crises not associated with notifiable diseases.
The results of the sub-network for equine acute respiratory syndrome demonstrated the effectiveness
and relevance of RESPE. Although they do not give an exhaustive evaluation of equine acute
respiratory syndromes in France, these results provided general data on the incidence of influenza,
equine herpes, and equine arteritis viruses. The isolation and typing data of viral strains are used to
ensure that vaccines are suited to the viruses circulating in the field, and to improve our understanding
of the origin of the various foci. The capacity for rapid reaction of the veterinary practitioners and
laboratories involved in this network plays a key role in the detection of emerging or re-emerging
diseases. The management of the equine arteritis outbreak in the summer of 2007 demonstrated its
efficacy.Le réseau
d'épidémiosurveillance en pathologie équine (RESPE) est le premier réseau européen de ce
type, fondé sur un groupe de vétérinaires sentinelles. Il a un triple objectif: assurer la
veille sanitaire de certaines affections ou syndromes, développer un réseau de compétences
vétérinaires permettant une collecte rapide d'informations épidémiologiques, et gérer les
crises sanitaires hors maladies réglementées, grùce à un systÚme d'alerte et à la
constitution d'une cellule de crise. Le bilan du sous-réseau «Syndrome respiratoire aigu»
(SRA) dĂ©montre l'intĂ©rĂȘt et la pertinence du RESPE. Si les rĂ©sultats ne constituent pas un
bilan exhaustif des syndromes respiratoires aigus chez les équidés en France, ils permettent
d'Ă©valuer globalement, pour ce syndrome, l'incidence des virus de la grippe, de la
rhinopneumonie et de l'artérite virale. L'isolement des souches et leur caractérisation
génomique permettent de s'assurer de l'adéquation entre les souches circulantes et les
souches vaccinales et de mieux comprendre l'origine des différents foyers. Enfin grùce à la
réactivité des vétérinaires sentinelles et des laboratoires impliqués dans ce réseau, il
permet la détection des maladies émergentes ou ré-émergentes: l'épisode d'artérite virale
lors de l'été 2007 a démontré son efficacité
Genetic diversity of Anaplasma Phagocytophilum, the causative agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis, implications for epidemiology and control in france
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-borne bacterium and the etiologic agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis, an emerging disease that affects a wide range of mammals. In this paper, we present the recent knowledge gained from studies on the genetic diversity of this pathogen in France. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) was used to characterize the genetic diversity of A. phagocytophilum in populations of French cattle, horses, dogs, and roe deer. MLSA was based on nine loci (ankA, msp4, groESL, typA, pled, gyrA, recG, polA, and an intergenic region). Phylogenic analysis revealed three genetic clusters of bacterial variants in domesticated animals. The two principal clusters included 98% of the bacterial genotypes found in cattle, which were only distantly related to those in roe deer. One cluster comprised only cattle genotypes, while the second contained genotypes from cattle, horses, and dogs. The third contained all roe deer genotypes and three cattle genotypes. These results suggest that roe deer do not contribute to the spread of A. phagocytophilum in cattle in France. A Multiple-Locus Variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) Analysis typing technique was developed for A. phagocytophilum. Five VNTRs were selected based on the HZ human-derived strain genome, and were tested on the Webster human-derived strain and on 123 DNA samples. This study confirmed that A. phagocytophilum from roe deer or domestic ruminants belong to two different clusters, while A. phagocytophilum from red deer and domestic ruminants locate within the same cluster, questioning the respective roles of roe vs red deer as reservoir hosts for domestic ruminant strains in Europe. The molecular techniques recently developed have great potential to provide detailed information on A. phagocytophilum isolates,improving both epidemiological and phylogenic investigations, thereby helping in the development of relevant prevention and control measures.A. phagocytophilum, bactĂ©rie transmise par les tiques, est responsable de lâanaplasmose granulocytaire, une maladie Ă©mergente qui infecte une large gamme de mammifĂšres dont lâhomme. Lâobjectif de cet article est de prĂ©senter les nouvelles connaissances acquises sur la diversitĂ© gĂ©nĂ©tique dâA. phagocytophilum chez diffĂ©rentes espĂšces dâhĂŽtes en France, afin de dĂ©terminer quelles espĂšces participent au mĂȘme cycle Ă©pidĂ©miologique. Une analyse par sĂ©quençage multi-locus (MLSA) a Ă©tĂ© effectuĂ©e dans des populations de bovins, chevaux, chiens et chevreuils. Trois groupes de gĂ©notypes infectant les bovins ont Ă©tĂ© identifiĂ©s. Les deux groupes principaux incluent 98% des gĂ©notypes bactĂ©riens trouvĂ©s chez les bovins et sont Ă©loignĂ©s de ceux des chevreuils. Un cluster ne comprenait que les gĂ©notypes de bovins, tandis que le second gĂ©notype contenant des bovins comprenait Ă©galement des chevaux et des chiens. Le troisiĂšme cluster contenait tous les gĂ©notypes de chevreuils et trois gĂ©notypes de bovins. Ces rĂ©sultats suggĂšrent que les chevreuils ne contribuent pas Ă la propagation dâA. phagocytophilum chez les bovins en France. Puis, une technique MLVA (Multiple Loci VNTR Analysis) a Ă©tĂ© dĂ©veloppĂ©e pour A. phagocytophilum. Cinq VNTR ont Ă©tĂ© sĂ©lectionnĂ©s sur la base du gĂ©nome de la souche dâorigine humaine HZ, et ont Ă©tĂ© testĂ©s sur 123 Ă©chantillons dâADN provenant dâanimaux domestiques ou sauvages. Cette Ă©tude a confirmĂ© que les souches dâA. phagocytophilum retrouvĂ©es chez les chevreuils et les ruminants domestiques appartiennent Ă deux groupes diffĂ©rents, alors que les souches identifiĂ©es chez les cerfs et les ruminants domestiques sont localisĂ©es dans le mĂȘme cluster. Ces rĂ©sultats remettent en question les rĂŽles respectifs des chevreuils et des cerfs comme hĂŽtes rĂ©servoirs pour les souches dâA. phagocytophilum de ruminants domestiques en Europe. Ces techniques molĂ©culaires ont un grand potentiel pour amĂ©liorer nos connaissances sur les cycles Ă©pidĂ©miologiques dâA. phagocytophilum, contribuant ainsi Ă lâĂ©laboration de mesures de prĂ©vention et de contrĂŽle pertinents
West Nile Virus in Morocco, 2003
West Nile virus (WNV) reemerged in Morocco in September 2003, causing an equine outbreak. A WNV strain isolated from a brain biopsy was completely sequenced. On the basis of phylogenetic analyses, Moroccan WNV strains isolated during the 1996 and 2003 outbreaks were closely related to other strains responsible for equine outbreaks in the western Mediterranean basin
Magpies as Hosts for West Nile Virus, Southern France
European magpies (Pica pica) from southern France were tested for antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV) and viral shedding in feces during springâautumn 2005. Results suggest that this peridomestic species may be a suitable sentinel species and a relevant target for additional investigations on WNV ecology in Europe
Meta-analysis of SHANK Mutations in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Gradient of Severity in Cognitive Impairments.
International audienceSHANK genes code for scaffold proteins located at the post-synaptic density of glutamatergic synapses. In neurons, SHANK2 and SHANK3 have a positive effect on the induction and maturation of dendritic spines, whereas SHANK1 induces the enlargement of spine heads. Mutations in SHANK genes have been associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but their prevalence and clinical relevance remain to be determined. Here, we performed a new screen and a meta-analysis of SHANK copy-number and coding-sequence variants in ASD. Copy-number variants were analyzed in 5,657 patients and 19,163 controls, coding-sequence variants were ascertained in 760 to 2,147 patients and 492 to 1,090 controls (depending on the gene), and, individuals carrying de novo or truncating SHANK mutations underwent an extensive clinical investigation. Copy-number variants and truncating mutations in SHANK genes were present in âŒ1% of patients with ASD: mutations in SHANK1 were rare (0.04%) and present in males with normal IQ and autism; mutations in SHANK2 were present in 0.17% of patients with ASD and mild intellectual disability; mutations in SHANK3 were present in 0.69% of patients with ASD and up to 2.12% of the cases with moderate to profound intellectual disability. In summary, mutations of the SHANK genes were detected in the whole spectrum of autism with a gradient of severity in cognitive impairment. Given the rare frequency of SHANK1 and SHANK2 deleterious mutations, the clinical relevance of these genes remains to be ascertained. In contrast, the frequency and the penetrance of SHANK3 mutations in individuals with ASD and intellectual disability-more than 1 in 50-warrant its consideration for mutation screening in clinical practice
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