Parasitic Capabilities of Trichogrammatoidea sp. and Habrobracon hebetor for biological control of Noorda blitealis, a defoliating caterpillar of Moringa oleifera

The damage caused by Noorda blitealis Walker (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on Moringa, Moringa oleifera (Capparales: Moringaceae), a very important leafy vegetable in Niger, pushes producers to excessively use synthetic chemical pesticides. The present study was carried out in the laboratory for the parasitism test and at the station for the evaluation of the dynamics of predatory arthropods. The work aims on the one hand to test the parasitic capacities of two Trichogrammatoidea parasitoids sp. and Habrobracon hebetor respectively on the eggs and on the caterpillar of N. blitealis and on the other hand to evaluate the dynamics of the abundance of predator colonies in a Moringa plot, from a biological control perspective. At the end of these activities, the results obtained made it possible to determine that the average rate of emergence of individuals from a female of Trichogrammatoidea sp., on C. cephalonica eggs is 82.3% per day of infestation, or 13.6 individuals emerged per day of infestation. While the number of adults emerged from N. blitealis eggs is 4.1 individuals emerged per day of infestation (with a rate of 62.2% per day), significantly lower compared to the emergence rate obtained eggs of C. cephalonica. We observe that a total of 32.8 individuals on average emerged from a batch of ten larvae of C. cephalonica, from a female of H. bracon significantly higher than the nine individuals emerged from a batch of ten larvae of N. blitealis. In short, H. hebetor and Trichogrammatoidea sp. do not appear to be good candidates for biological control agents against N. blitealis. The study of the dynamics of insect colonies predatory on the larvae and eggs of N. blitealis, namely, ants, spiders and mantises, shows that their populations are present on the plants of two varieties of M. oleifera almost all during the year, with abundances varying greatly from one season to another. Keywords: Noorda blitealis, Trichogrammatoidea sp, Habrobracon hebetor, Moringa oleifera, biological control, Nige

Effets sanitaires aigus de l'exposition aux pesticides en milieu rural : étude dans un pays du nord : étude PhytoRiv : étude dans un pays du sud : PhytoNiger

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture worldwide. However, it is now recognised thatoccupational pesticide exposure, especially in agriculture, can pose serious health concerns. Weaimed to study short term respiratory symptoms in general populations exposed to pesticidesused in agriculture.Here we present results of two epidemiological studies, Phytoriv, performed in Bordeaux area,France, and Phytoniger, performed in a Sahelian African country, both among rural adult andchildren populations.Higher pesticide levels in ambient air were observed in the surrounding of vineyards in Phytoriv.However, no major effect was observed on resident’s respiratory health. This need to beconfirmed by studies with improved temporal and spatial exposure assessment.Phytoniger allowed us to show the feasibility of environmental health studies in a developingcountry. Unauthorized and hazardous pesticides are widely used in Niger, for agricultural as wellas for residential purposes, and concerns are growing on their potential health effects. Some ofthe short term respiratory symptoms were more frequent in the agricultural wetland area,compared to the Sahelian agro-pastoral area. Pesticides are more susceptible to be used in thefirst area, but it is also more subject to mosquito control fires.Finally in both surveys, higher risks of respiratory symptoms have been observed for peopleliving in houses treated with indoor pesticides, and especially in children.All these results warrants further studies to improve assessment of sources, exposure levels anddeterminants of pesticide exposure in the general population, in order to improve knowledge onits respiratory and short term health effects. Thus, relevant public health interventions could beperformed.L’utilisation des pesticides peut être à l’origine de graves nuisances pour la santé humaine,comme l’ont montré les études en milieu professionnel agricole.L’objectif de cette thèse était d’étudier les manifestations, principalement respiratoires etsurvenant à court terme, dans la population générale exposée aux pesticides utilisés enagriculture.Les résultats de deux études épidémiologiques, Phytoriv, menée en Gironde et Phytoniger, plusexploratoire, sont présentés, toutes deux menées au sein de population d’adultes et d’enfantsvivant en milieu rural.L’étude Phytoriv a mis en évidence la présence de concentrations faibles mais plus élevées depesticides dans l’air ambiant à proximité de zones viticoles traitées et a permis de recueillir surune période de une à trois semaines les symptômes ressentis par les riverains de manièrejournalière. L’absence d’effet majeur de l’exposition sur la santé respiratoire chez les riverainsobservée dans cette étude demande à être confirmée, en améliorant notamment l’estimationtemporelle et spatiale de l’exposition.L’étude Phytoniger a permis de démontrer la faisabilité d’une étude de santé environnementaledans un pays en développement. L’utilisation de pesticides non autorisés et potentiellementdangereux, pour des usages agricoles mais également domestiques, est importante au Niger etpose la question de leur impact sur la santé des populations. Certains symptômes respiratoiresétaient plus fréquemment observés en zone agricole humide, où les usages de pesticides, maiségalement les feux de démoustication, sont plus importants qu’en zone sahélienne agropastorale.Enfin, dans les deux études Phytoriv et Phytoniger, des risques plus élevés de symptômesrespiratoires étaient observés, notamment chez les enfants, en lien avec l’utilisation domestiquede pesticides.A l’avenir, une caractérisation plus précise des sources, niveaux et déterminants d’exposition dela population générale permettrait d’améliorer les connaissances sur le lien avec la survenue desymptômes et pathologies respiratoires et d’identifier les axes d’intervention les plus pertinents

HIV infection and hepatitis B seroprevalence among antenatal clinic attendees in Niger, West Africa

This transversal study was suggested in order to estimate the nationwide seroprevalences of HIV infection and hepatitis B among 495 pregnant women in Niger in 2008. The study detected anti-HIV antibodies with Genscreen® Plus HIV Ag/Ab Ultra Kit (Bio-Rad; Hercules, CA), Vironostika® HIV Uni-Form II Ag/Ab (bioMérieux; Marcy-l’Etoile, France), and ImmunoComb® II HIV 1 and 2 BiSpot (Orgenics; Yavne, Israel). HBsAg was detected by Monolisa® HBsAg Ultra (Bio-Rad) and ImmunoComb® II HBsAg (Orgenics). The rates obtained were 2.02% (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.03%–3.81%) and 16.16% (95% CI: 13.09%–19.77%), respectively. There were no significant variations according to environment, region, age, marital status, educational level, antecedent of surgery and transfusion. But these data need a large sample, and periodic updates for a better planning of activities in the framework of a national reproductive health program, including prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission

How Can Health Systems Better Prepare for the Next Pandemic? Lessons Learned From the Management of COVID-19 in Quebec (Canada)

The magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic challenged societies around our globalized world. To contain the spread of the virus, unprecedented and drastic measures and policies were put in place by governments to manage an exceptional health care situation while maintaining other essential services. The responses of many governments showed a lack of preparedness to face this systemic and global health crisis. Drawing on field observations and available data on the first wave of the pandemic (mid-March to mid-May 2020) in Quebec (Canada), this article reviewed and discussed the successes and failures that characterized the management of COVID-19 in this province. Using the framework of Palagyi et al. on system preparedness toward emerging infectious diseases, we described and analyzed in a chronologically and narratively way: (1) how surveillance was structured; (2) how workforce issues were managed; (3) what infrastructures and medical supplies were made available; (4) what communication mechanisms were put in place; (5) what form of governance emerged; and (6) whether trust was established and maintained throughout the crisis. Our findings and observations stress that resilience and ability to adequately respond to a systemic and global crisis depend upon preexisting system-level characteristics and capacities at both the provincial and federal governance levels. By providing recommendations for policy and practice from a learning health system perspective, this paper contributes to the groundwork required for interdisciplinary research and genuine policy discussions to help health systems better prepare for future pandemics

Acute Sanitary effects of Pesticides exposure in rural areas : a study in a Northern Country : PhytoRiv : a Study in a Southern Country : PhytoNiger

L’utilisation des pesticides peut être à l’origine de graves nuisances pour la santé humaine,comme l’ont montré les études en milieu professionnel agricole.L’objectif de cette thèse était d’étudier les manifestations, principalement respiratoires etsurvenant à court terme, dans la population générale exposée aux pesticides utilisés enagriculture.Les résultats de deux études épidémiologiques, Phytoriv, menée en Gironde et Phytoniger, plusexploratoire, sont présentés, toutes deux menées au sein de population d’adultes et d’enfantsvivant en milieu rural.L’étude Phytoriv a mis en évidence la présence de concentrations faibles mais plus élevées depesticides dans l’air ambiant à proximité de zones viticoles traitées et a permis de recueillir surune période de une à trois semaines les symptômes ressentis par les riverains de manièrejournalière. L’absence d’effet majeur de l’exposition sur la santé respiratoire chez les riverainsobservée dans cette étude demande à être confirmée, en améliorant notamment l’estimationtemporelle et spatiale de l’exposition.L’étude Phytoniger a permis de démontrer la faisabilité d’une étude de santé environnementaledans un pays en développement. L’utilisation de pesticides non autorisés et potentiellementdangereux, pour des usages agricoles mais également domestiques, est importante au Niger etpose la question de leur impact sur la santé des populations. Certains symptômes respiratoiresétaient plus fréquemment observés en zone agricole humide, où les usages de pesticides, maiségalement les feux de démoustication, sont plus importants qu’en zone sahélienne agropastorale.Enfin, dans les deux études Phytoriv et Phytoniger, des risques plus élevés de symptômesrespiratoires étaient observés, notamment chez les enfants, en lien avec l’utilisation domestiquede pesticides.A l’avenir, une caractérisation plus précise des sources, niveaux et déterminants d’exposition dela population générale permettrait d’améliorer les connaissances sur le lien avec la survenue desymptômes et pathologies respiratoires et d’identifier les axes d’intervention les plus pertinents.Pesticides are widely used in agriculture worldwide. However, it is now recognised thatoccupational pesticide exposure, especially in agriculture, can pose serious health concerns. Weaimed to study short term respiratory symptoms in general populations exposed to pesticidesused in agriculture.Here we present results of two epidemiological studies, Phytoriv, performed in Bordeaux area,France, and Phytoniger, performed in a Sahelian African country, both among rural adult andchildren populations.Higher pesticide levels in ambient air were observed in the surrounding of vineyards in Phytoriv.However, no major effect was observed on resident’s respiratory health. This need to beconfirmed by studies with improved temporal and spatial exposure assessment.Phytoniger allowed us to show the feasibility of environmental health studies in a developingcountry. Unauthorized and hazardous pesticides are widely used in Niger, for agricultural as wellas for residential purposes, and concerns are growing on their potential health effects. Some ofthe short term respiratory symptoms were more frequent in the agricultural wetland area,compared to the Sahelian agro-pastoral area. Pesticides are more susceptible to be used in thefirst area, but it is also more subject to mosquito control fires.Finally in both surveys, higher risks of respiratory symptoms have been observed for peopleliving in houses treated with indoor pesticides, and especially in children.All these results warrants further studies to improve assessment of sources, exposure levels anddeterminants of pesticide exposure in the general population, in order to improve knowledge onits respiratory and short term health effects. Thus, relevant public health interventions could beperformed

Occupational exposure to pesticides and respiratory health

This article aims to review the available literature regarding the link between occupational exposure to pesticides and respiratory symptoms or diseases. Identification of epidemiological studies was performed using PubMed. 41 articles were included, 36 regarding agricultural workers and five regarding industry workers. Among the 15 cross-sectional studies focusing on respiratory symptoms and agricultural pesticide exposure, 12 found significant associations with chronic cough, wheeze, dyspnoea, breathlessness or chest tightness. All four studies on asthma found a relationship with occupational exposure, as did all three studies on chronic bronchitis. The four studies that performed spirometry reported impaired respiratory function linked to pesticide exposure, suggestive of either obstructive or restrictive syndrome according to the chemical class of pesticide. 12 papers reported results from cohort studies. Three out of nine found a significant relationship with increased risk of wheeze, five out of nine with asthma and three out of three with chronic bronchitis. In workers employed in pesticide production, elevated risks of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (two studies out of three) and impaired respiratory function suggestive of an obstructive syndrome (two studies out of two) were reported. In conclusion, this article suggests that occupational exposure to pesticides is associated with an increased risk of respiratory symptoms, asthma and chronic bronchitis, but the causal relationship is still under debate

Environmental exposure to pesticides and respiratory health

Respiratory effects of environmental exposure to pesticides are debated. Here we aimed to review epidemiological studies published up until 2013, using the PubMed database. 20 studies dealing with respiratory health and non-occupational pesticide exposure were identified, 14 carried out on children and six on adults. In four out of nine studies in children with biological measurements, mothers' dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) blood levels during pregnancy were associated with asthma and wheezing in young children. An association was also found between permethrin in indoor air during pregnancy and wheezing in children. A significant association between asthma and DDE measured in children's blood (aged 7–10 years) was observed in one study. However, in three studies, no association was found between asthma or respiratory infections in children and pesticide levels in breast milk and/or infant blood. Lastly, in three out of four studies where post-natal pesticide exposure of children was assessed by parental questionnaire an association with respiratory symptoms was found. Results of the fewer studies on pesticide environmental exposure and respiratory health of adults were much less conclusive: indeed, the associations observed were weak and often not significant. In conclusion, further studies are needed to confirm whether there is a respiratory risk associated with environmental exposure to pesticides

Larva Migrans Cutanée: 3 cas de localisation au front [Cutaneous Larva migrans: 3 cases at the forehead]

Cutaneous Larva migrans, known as creeping dermatitis, is a parasitic disease caused by an hookworm larvae in a dead end in moist soil. It is a very common condition in tropical countries, especially among children playing in sand and among travelers. The body contact with soil contaminated with larvae in certain religious practices may expose individuals to contamination. We report three cases of CML at the forehead in three Muslim religious practitioners. Contamination was made by contact with dirty soil in unfenced mosques during overwintering. The presence of stray cats was confirmed by the 3 patients. Treatment with albendazole resulted in complete healing. La Larva Migrans Cutanée (LMC) connue sous le nom de larbisch ou creeping disease est une maladie parasitaire due à une larve d’ankylostome en impasse dans le sol humide. C’est une affection très fréquente dans les pays tropicaux notamment chez les enfants jouant dans le sable et chez les voyageurs. Le contact du corps avec le sol souillé de larves dans certaines pratiques religieuses, peut exposer les individus à la contamination. Nous rapportons 3 cas de LMC à localisation au front chez 3 pratiquants de religion musulmane. La contamination a été faite par contact avec le sol souillé par les excréments d’animaux dans des mosquées non clôturées pendant l’hivernage. La présence de chats errants a été confirmée par les 3 patients. Le traitement par l’albendazole a entrainé la guérison totale

Lésion ulcérocroûteuse de l’angle interne de l’œil droit: a leishmaniose cutanée en est une cause [A crushing ulcerous lesion of the internal angle of the right eye: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the causes]

Niger is a tropical country where leishmaniasis is endemic. The first case was reported in 1911. Leishmania major is practically the pathogen found in Niger, a country lying between 8° and 20° north latitudes from the Atlantic to the Chadian border. We report a case of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the type of ulcerative lesion, characterized by its localization at the internal angle of the right eye posing a diagnostic problem. The diagnosis of leishmaniasis was made by parasitological examination. Anatomipathologic examination eliminated cutaneous tuberculosis, pyogenic granuloma, molluscum contagiosum and basal cell epithelioma. Metronidazole management has accelerated healing. Thus in a tropical country, in front of any chronic, painless ulcerative lesion and resistant to all therapeutics, the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis must be evoked, for a consequent management after confirmation

Optimization of the HPLC enantioseparation of 3,3’-dibromo-5,5’-disubstituted-4,4’-bipyridines using immobilized polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases

The HPLC enantioseparation of nine atropisomeric 3,3,5,5-tetrasubstituted-4,4- bipyridines was performed in normal and polar organic (PO) phase modes using two immobilized polysaccharide-based chiral columns, namely, Chiralpak IA and Chiralpak IC. The separation of all racemic analytes, the effect of the chiral selector, and mobile phase (MP) composition on enantioseparation and the enantiomer elution order (EEO) were studied. The beneficial effect of nonstandard solvents, such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), dichloromethane (DCM), and methyl t-butyl ether on enantioseparation was investigated. All selected 4,4-bipyridines were successfully enantioseparated on Chiralpak IA under normal or POMPs with separation factors from 1.14 to 1.70 and resolutions from 1.3 to 6.5. Two bipyridines were enantioseparated at the multimilligram level on Chiralpak IA. Differently, Chiralpak IC was less versatile toward the considered class of compounds and only five bipyridines out of nine could be efficiently separated. In particular, on these columns, the ternary mixture n-heptane/THF/DCM (90:5:5) as MP had a positive effect on enantioseparation. An interesting phenomenon of reversal of the EEO depending on the composition of the MP for the 3,3-dibromo-5,5-bis-(E)-phenylethenyl-4,4-bipyridine along with an exceptional enantioseparation for the 3,3-dibromo-5,5-bis-ferrocenylethynyl-4,4-bipyridine ( = 8.33, Rs = 30.6) were observed on Chiralpak IC