First Isolation and Identification of Agriphages in Vegetable Crops in West Africa (Cȏte d’Ivorie): Potential Uses of Biocontrol in Plants

Agriphages or bacterial viruses are ubiquitous in the environment. The discovery of virulent phages against phytobacteria improves crop growth and proposes biopesticide uses for plant diseases. In Africa, many phytobacteria such as Ralstonia, Clavibacter, and Xanthomonas were reported in several regions. This paper focuses on evaluating the presence of agriphages for the biocontrol of phytobacteria in Côte d'Ivoire. Leaves and soil samples were collected from healthy and diseased plants in three sites located in Anyama, Abidjan, and Bingerville. The pretreatments occurred with sterile and physiological water for leaves and soil samples, respectively. The isolation of agriphages was done on specific media with Xanthomonas campestris as bacterial host. Lytic activity was tested on agar media for five bacteria strains. After DNA extraction using the Qiagen method kit, molecular confirmation of agriphages was done by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-PCR. From this study, five (5) agriphages were isolated in soil and leaves in site 2. These agriphages have all been isolated from Xanthomonas campestris and have a broad spectrum of lytic activity. Molecular characterization by RAPD-PCR showed that three of these agriphages are DNA phages. The dendrogram showed that phages ΦXanS1 and ΦXanS2 have 93% similarities, while ΦXanS1 and ΦXanS2 are 62% similar to ΦXanF1. This study is the first reported agriphages in West Africa, alongside their potential uses against phytobacteria for biocontrol infection in crops

Aqueous Extract of Rauwolfia Vomitoria Afzel (Apocynaceae) Roots Effect on Blood Glucose Level of Normoglycemic and Hyperglycemic Rats

At 500, 700 and 1000 mg/ kg B.W., EARv causes, like glibenclamide at 10 mg/kg B.W., a reduction of blood glucose level of treated normoglycemic rats. In addition, EARv at 1000 mg/kg B.W. reducedand quickly nullifies the glucose tolerance in rats that is induced by oral administration of glucose (4 g/kg B.W.). This effect is also observed with glibenclamide (10 mg/kg B.W.). The phytochemical screening shows that EARv contains alkaloids, flavonoids, and antrhones and anthraquinones, catechin tannins, saponins and monoterpenoids. This study shows that the aqueous extract of Rauwolfia vomitoria has hypoglycemic and some antihyperglycemic properties, that justify its use in the treatment of diabetic hyperglycemia in traditional medicine.This study aims to assess the pharmacological effects of an aqueous extract roots of Rauwolfia vomitoria (EARv), a plant used in traditional medicine in the Ivory Coast to treat diabetes, on blood glucose normoglycemic rats and on glucose tolerance in rats by administration of glucose. The acute toxicity, as well as the phytochemicals present in this extract are also determined. During the experience, fives groups of rats received respectively distilled water, EARv at doses of 500, 700 and 1000 mg/kg of body weight and 10 mg/kg of glibenclamide. Then the blood glucose level of each rat was measured using a glucometer. Hyperglycemia was induced in rats by oral administration of glucose at dose of 4 g/kg. The rats were pretreated or post-treated of the same doses of tests substances and blood glucose level of each rat was measured. Acute toxicity by oral administration was studied in mice and phytochemical screening was performed by thin layer chromatography. The results show that EARv administered orally at doses up to 5000 mg/kg B.W., does not cause the death of the treated mice.

Complete genome sequence of Ebrios, a novel T7virus isolated from the Ebrie Lagoon in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

The lytic Escherichia coli phage Ebrios was isolated from a water sample collected in Ebrie Lagoon on the Adiopodoumé River in Abidjan (Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa). The linear genome of this Podoviridae family member contains 39,752 bp, has a G+C content of 52.9%, is composed of 53 open reading frames, and is related to the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia phage IME15

EFFETS HYPOGLYCEMIQUE ET ANTI-HYPERGLYCEMIQUE DE L’EXTRAIT ETHANOLIQUE 70 % DE RACINES DE RAUVOLFIA VOMITORIA AFZEL (APOCYNACEAE)

Rauwolfia vomitoria Afzel. (Apocynaceae) is a plant used in traditional medicine in the Ivory Coast for the treatment of several illnesses such as malaria, diarrhea, rheumatism, high blood pressure, and diabetes. This study aims to determine the level of toxicity of a 70 % ethanol extract of the root of that plant (HARv) and to evaluate its hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglicemic activities. It occurs that HARv shows no toxicity when administered orally to rats up to a concentration of 5000 mg/kg of body weight. However, doses of 500, 700 and 1000 mg/kg of body weight lead to hypoglycemia when HARv is administered via the oral route. Similar to the effect of glibenclamide (in a concentration of 10 mg/kg of body weight), concentrations of 700 and 1000 mg/kg of body weight of HARv significantly reduce hyperglycemia induced by the administration of 4 g/kg of body weight of glucose. The presence of saponins, flavonoids, and tannoids in the extract may cause the observed hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglycemic effects. We infer from this study that 70 % ethanol extract of the roots of Rauwolfia vomitoria is not toxic when administered orally to rats. In addition, HARv shows hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglycemic effects, explaining its use in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes

Complete genome sequence of Escherichia coli Siphophage BRET

The lytic Escherichia coli siphophage BRET was isolated from a chicken obtained at a local market in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Its linear genome sequence consists of 59,550 bp (43.4% GC content) and contains 88 predicted genes, including 4 involved in archaeosine biosynthesis. Phage BRET is related (95% nucleotide identity) to Enterobacteria phage JenK

Clonality of Mycobacterium ulcerans by Using VNTR-MIRU Typing in Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), West Africa

International audienceBuruli ulcer (BU) is neglected skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. The lack of early diagnosis and treatment causes severe disability. In Central and in West Africa, BU is endemic and its control is difficult because the most cases occur in rural regions. The molecular particularity of M. ulcerans was the acquisition of the virulence plasmid pMUM001. Genetic analyses have demonstrated the high diversity with variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) and Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Units (MIRU) in M. ulcerans and in mycolactone producing Mycobacteria (MPMs). Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular diversity by using MIRU-VNTR method in clinical samples of BU patients in Côte d'Ivoire. Study Design: 21 clinical samples were collected from BU patients in different sites and were first analyzed in molecular diagnosis of BU using two targets insertion sequence IS2404 and keto reductase-B-domain (KR). In a second step, we have analyzed the strains by PCR typing for four specific and sensitive markers MIRU1, VNTR6, ST-1 and VNTR19. Results and Conclusion: 100% of clinical samples were positive in molecular tests for IS2404 and 95% for KR and confirm M. ulcerans in the samples. By PCR typing, we have found 61.9 % positive for MIRU1 and 52%, 85.7%, and 61.9% for VNTR6, ST-1 and VNTR19 respectively. One of sample was negative for all genotyping markers. Two different genetic profiles were identified by MIRU1 and ST-1 loci by gel-analyzed of the amplified products. The VNTR profile C (3,1,1) corresponding of 3 copies MIRU1, 1 copy VNTR6 and 1 copy ST-1 was detected in 28.5% of samples and confirms the West African genotype in Côte d'Ivoire. Different genetic strains of M. ulcerans were co-circulated in the same endemic region in the country. This study has described first the circulating of different genetic strains of M. ulcerans in Côte d'Ivoire

Manifestations thromboemboliques chez 36 patients Ouest Africains infectés par le VIH

Chez les patients infectés par le VIH, la maladie thromboembolique est une complication dont le risque est accru. En Côte d'Ivoire, dans le servicede référence de prise en charge médicale des personnes atteintes du VIH/SIDA, aucune étude n'a été menée sur la question. L'objectif de notreétude est de décrire les manifestations thromboemboliques colligées dans le Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales (SMIT) chez les patientsinfectés par le VIH, traités ou non par les antirétroviraux. Il s'est agi d'une étude rétrospective des dossiers de patients infectés par le VIH, hospitalisés,et présentant une thrombose veineuse profonde (TVP), artérielle et/ou une embolie pulmonaire de la période de janvier 2005 à juillet 2015. Lediagnostic a été posé par l'écho-Doppler des vaisseaux et/ou l'angioscanner thoracique. L'analyse a porté sur les aspects diagnostiques,thérapeutiques et évolutifs. Les dossiers de 36 patients dont 23 femmes (64%), sex-ratio H/F à 0,57, et âge moyen de 43±12 ans ont été retenus.Les thromboses veineuses profondes (TVP) ont été retrouvées chez 26 (72,2%) patients, des embolies pulmonaires (EP) chez neuf (25%) patients,une thrombose artérielle chez un patient (2,8%). La TVP était unilatérale dans 81% des cas et plus située à gauche (77%). L'EP était unilatérale età droite dans 100% des cas et la thrombose artérielle était bilatérale dans 2,7% des cas. Chez les patients atteints de TVP, la veine fémorale (39%)et la veine poplitée (35%) étaient les sièges plus fréquents de thrombose. L'EP concernait les artères pulmonaires dans 77,8% des cas et la thromboseartérielle concernait les carotides internes gauche et droite. La majorité des patients était sous traitement antirétroviral (69%). Les infectionsopportunistes fréquemment associées étaient les candidoses orales (31%) et la tuberculose (33%). L'évolution a été marquée par neuf décès (25%).Cette étude rapporte une fréquence élevée des TVP au cours de l'infection à VIH. D'autres études s'avèrent nécessaires pour mieux appréhender lerôle du VIH dans la survenue de la maladie thromboembolique

Effect of isoniazid preventive therapy on risk of death in west African, HIV-infected adults with high CD4 cell counts: long-term follow-up of the Temprano ANRS 12136 trial

International audienc