African women in science and development, bridging the gender gap

Science and technology play a fundamental role in driving social progress and economic growth in today's rapidly evolving world. Yet, despite considerable advancements, the gender gap in science remains a harsh reality, particularly for African women. This inequality directly impedes their invaluable perspectives and contributions to scientific advancements and innovations. Africa's development requires significant investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and leadership. This opinion piece delves into the gender disparity prevailing in STEM, emphasizes the challenges that African women experience, highlights the immense potential that African women possess, and finally advocates for immediate efforts to bridge this gap

Diversity and antimicrobial drug resistance of non-typhoid Salmonella serotypes isolated in lettuce, irrigation water and clinical samples in Burkina Faso

Introduction: The contamination of fresh vegetables by non-typhoid Salmonella species present in irrigation water and animal feces could causes of many diarrheal infections and diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity of non-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes and their antimicrobial resistance profile from lettuce, irrigation water and human samples. Methods: This study concern 57 Salmonella isolated from 134 lettuce and irrigation water samples and 416 stool samples. All Salmonella isolated were characterized used serotyping antisera according to Kauffman-White-Le Minor scheme. Salmonella strains were characterized by simplex PCR using specific primers. Results: Out of 57 Salmonella isolated, (42/134) 31.34% were from lettuce and irrigation water and (15/416) 03.6% from human. A total of 36 different serotypes were identified. Highest prevalence was obtained with S. Cubana, S. Jodhpur and S. Kentucky 05/57 (08.77% each) followed by S. Poona 04/57 (07%). Resistance genes CTX-M1, aadA1, dfrAI, were obtained with S. Jodhpur and CTX-M2, aac(3-Id), aadA7 with S. Kentucky. However, resistance genes gyrA, gyrB and parE were found in S. Essen, S. Poona and S. Senftenberg. Virulence gene such as invA, pipD and misL were found in 91% globally, followed by orfL 81% and spvR 12%. Conclusion: This study highlighted the diversity of non-typhoid Salmonella serotypes and resistance genes circulating in environment and hospital center in BF. Gardening products should be a potential source of transmission of Salmonella causing diarrhea among human in BF. Microbiological and antimicrobial resistance plans must be implemented so that they are tools for infection prevention

Identification of atypical El Tor V-cholerae O1 Ogawa hosting SXT element in Senegal, Africa

International audienceVibrio cholerae O1 is the causative agent of cholera with classical and El Tor, two well-established biotypes. In last 20 years, hybrid strains of classical and El Tor and variant El Tor which carry classical ctxB have emerged worldwide. In 2004-2005, Senegal experienced major cholera epidemic with a number of cases totalling more than 31719 with approximately 458 fatal outcomes (CFR, 1.44%). In this retrospective study, fifty isolates out of a total of 403 V. cholerae biotype El Tor serovar Ogawa isolates from all areas in Senegal during the 2004-2005 cholera outbreak were randomly selected. Isolates were characterized using phenotypic and genotypic methods. The analysis of antibiotic resistance patterns revealed the predominance of the S-Su-TCY-Tsu phenotype (90% of isolates). The molecular characterization of antibiotic resistance revealed the presence of the SXT element, a self-transmissible chromosomally integrating element in all isolates. Most of V. cholerae isolates had an intact virulence cassette (86%) (ctx, zot, ace genes). All isolates tested gave amplification with primers for classical CT, and 10/50 (20%) of isolates carried classical and El Tor ctxB. The study reveals the presence of atypical V. cholerae O1 El Tor during cholera outbreak in Senegal in 2004-2005

Evaluation of a new extraction protocol for yeast identification by mass spectrometry

International audienceIn this paper, we evaluate a rapid and safe pretreatment procedure using glass beads for MALDI-TOF yeast identification in a routine clinical laboratory avoiding the use of formic acid. We created a new yeast database library using 1186 yeasts, including 11 references strains. The database was tested using 2131 clinical isolates allowing accurate species-level identification in 98.9% (2107/2131) of cases with a score over 1.9 and in 99% (2123/2131) of the strains at the genus level. The new protocol is a rapid, reliable and safe procedure for the accurate identification of pathogenic Candida strains and requires minimal handling

Pollution assessment around a big city in West Africa reveals high concentrations of microplastics and microbiologic contamination

International audienceMarine pollution around West African big cities is of major concerns. Nevertheless, few attempts have been performed so far particularly on microplastic assessment. We had led first survey targeting microplastic in West African coastal waters (2016); and evaluated on the same sites microbiological contamination as well as marine sediment toxicity and mercury content. Thus, neuston marine water samples were collected over Dakar a highly populated West African city. The average abundance was around 258 954 microplastic particles per km2 and 37 442 for macroplastics. One station, downstream from the major wastewater plant, contained high abundance of microplastic particles of over 945 000 and 190 000 macroplastics. The offshore station had a lower abundance of microplastics and macroplastics. It was observed that the stations found with highest level of microbiological pollution were related to highest microplastics abundance and the presence of major effluents, suggesting wastewaters inputs and microbiological pollution favoured by microplastics and macroplastics as vector. No correlation was observed between microplastics and/or macroplastics and sediment toxicity neither mercury level, which appeared low in all studied sites. However, high level of ecotoxicity were often found near effluents. Such results are a first step within the framework of encouraging awareness and actions in West Africa

High-quality draft genome sequence and description of Haemophilus massiliensis sp nov.

International audienceStrain FF7(T) was isolated from the peritoneal fluid of a 44-year-old woman who suffered from pelvic peritonitis. This strain exhibited a 16S rRNA sequence similarity of 94.8 % 16S rRNA sequence identity with Haemophilus parasuis, the phylogenetically closest species with a name with standing in nomenclature and a poor MALDI-TOF MS score (1.32 to 1.56) that does not allow any reliable identification. Using a polyphasic study made of phenotypic and genomic analyses, strain FF7(T) was a Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic rod and member of the family Pasteurellaceae. It exhibited a genome of 2,442,548 bp long genome (one chromosome but no plasmid) contains 2,319 protein-coding and 67 RNA genes, including 6 rRNA operons. On the basis of these data, we propose the creation of Haemophilus massiliensis sp. nov. with strain FF7(T) (= CSUR P859 = DSM 28247) as the type strain

Identification of Atypical El TorV. cholerae O1 Ogawa Hosting SXT Element in Senegal, Africa

Vibrio cholerae O1 is the causative agent of cholera with classical and El Tor, two well-established biotypes. In last 20 years, hybrid strains of classical and El Tor and variant El Tor which carry classical ctxB have emerged worldwide. In 2004–2005, Senegal experienced major cholera epidemic with a number of cases totalling more than 31719 with approximately 458 fatal outcomes (CFR, 1.44%). In this retrospective study, fifty isolates out of a total of 403 V. cholerae biotype El Tor serovar Ogawa isolates from all areas in Senegal during the 2004–2005 cholera outbreak were randomly selected. Isolates were characterized using phenotypic and genotypic methods. The analysis of antibiotic resistance patterns revealed the predominance of the S-Su-TCY-Tsu phenotype (90% of isolates). The molecular characterization of antibiotic resistance revealed the presence of the SXT element, a self-transmissible chromosomally integrating element in all isolates. Most of V. cholerae isolates had an intact virulence cassette (86%) (ctx, zot, ace genes). All isolates tested gave amplification with primers for classical CT, and 10/50 (20%) of isolates carried classical and El Tor ctxB. The study reveals the presence of atypical V. cholerae O1 El Tor during cholera outbreak in Senegal in 2004–2005

First Description of the Extended Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase Gene blaCTX-M-109 in Salmonella Grumpensis Strains Isolated from Neonatal Nosocomial Infections in Dakar, Senegal.

Nosocomial infections are very common in African hospitals, particularly in neonatal units. These infections are most often caused by bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp and Staphylococcus spp. Salmonella strains are rarely involved in nosocomial infections. Here, we report the first description of S. Grumpensis in neonatal infections in Senegal. Seventeen Salmonella strains were isolated from hospitalized infants' stool samples. The following resistance phenotype was described in strains: AMXRTICRCFR FOXRCFXRCTXRCAZRIMPSATMRNARNORRCIPRTMRGMRTERSXTR. All isolates were susceptible to imipenem, 15 out of 17 produced an extended spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL). blaOXA-1, blaSHV-1, blaTEM-1, blaCTX-M1 genes were detected in strains 8, 13, 5 and 8, respectively. blaCTX-M1 sequencing revealed the presence of blaCTX-M-109. Thirteen of the 17 Salmonella Grumpensis strains were analyzed by PFGE. These 13 isolates belonged to a single pulsotype and were genotypically identical. This is the first report of neonatal S. Grumpensis infections in Senegal, and the first report of blaCTX-M-109 in the genus Salmonella