First report on dung beetles in intra-Amazonian savannahs in Roraima, Brazil

This is the first study to address the dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) diversity in intra-Amazonian savannahs in the state of Roraima, Brazil. Our aim was to survey the dung beetle fauna associated with these savannahs (regionally called 'lavrado'), since little is known about the dung beetles from this environment. We conducted three field samples using pitfall traps baited with human dung in savannah areas near the city of Boa Vista during the rainy seasons of 1996, 1997, and 2008. We collected 383 individuals from ten species, wherein six have no previous record in intra-Amazonian savannahs. The most abundant species were Ontherus appendiculatus (Mannerheim, 1829), Canthidium aff. humerale (Germar, 1813), Dichotomius nisus (Olivier, 1789), and Pseudocanthon aff. xanthurus (Blanchard, 1846). We believe that knowing the dung beetles diversity associated with the intra-Amazonian savannahs is ideal for understanding the occurrence and distribution of these organisms in a highly threatened environment, it thus being the first step towards conservation strategy development

Contribution à l'étude des coléoptères de Guyane : tome 8

This paper analyzes the Coleoptera part of the first global checklist of insects from French Guiana, up to the end of 2013, published online in the French species database TAXREF (http://inpn.mnhn.fr). We describe the level of knowledge by family, the pace of description and compare it with other insect Orders. We also focus on characterizing the patterns in the taxonomical work currently concerning this beetles fauna. Excluding erroneous or dubious records, 5 830 species of Coleoptera are reported in 1852 genera belonging to 71 families. Currently at least 28% of the species are only known from French Guiana or from the Guiana shield region. Since Linné, the average rate of description has been of 23 species per year, but it has been increasing recently, reaching 84 species on average these last five years. Based on a sample of recent taxonomic and faunistic articles covering 625 added species for French Guiana, 47% came from new country records and 53% from the description of new species. The rate of faunistic progress (new species or new records) is of about 150 species per year (84 new species + 66 new country records) during the last five years. More than 65% of these faunal novelties came from non-professional entomologists and 73% of the holotypes of new species were collected by amateur entomologists. A rough extrapolation of the potential number of species using two independent methods yields a likely estimate of 28 000 to 29 000 species (overall between 20 000 and 39 000). Therefore, between 70 and 80% of the species remains to be recorded and, in a best-case scenario, at least 100 years would be needed to achieve a complete biotic survey. Although no family is exhaustively inventoried, the most popular ones are the best studied (Longhorns, Scarabs and Tiger beetles). The most in need of study are the largest families that have fewer taxonomists focusing on them (e.g. Curculionidae, Chrysomelidae and Staphylinidae) and the numerous small families which received no particular attention. These results and the fundamental role played by non-professional entomologists in collecting and describing species are discussed to explain why, unlike the general worldwide trend, there is no decline in beetles taxonomy concerning French Guiana

Describing, analysing and understanding the effects of the introduction of HIV self-testing in West Africa through the ATLAS programme in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Senegal.

BACKGROUND: The ATLAS programme aims to promote and implement HIV self-testing (HIVST) in three West African countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal. During 2019-2021, in close collaboration with the national AIDS implementing partners and communities, ATLAS plans to distribute 500,000 HIVST kits through eight delivery channels, combining facility-based, community-based strategies, primary and secondary distribution of HIVST. Considering the characteristics of West African HIV epidemics, the targets of the ATLAS programme are hard-to-reach populations: key populations (female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and drug users), their clients or sexual partners, partners of people living with HIV and patients diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections and their partners. The ATLAS programme includes research support implementation to generate evidence for HIVST scale-up in West Africa. The main objective is to describe, analyse and understand the social, health, epidemiological effects and cost-effectiveness of HIVST introduction in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Senegal to improve the overall HIV testing strategy (accessibility, efficacy, ethics). METHODS: ATLAS research is organised into five multidisciplinary workpackages (WPs): Key Populations WP: qualitative surveys (individual in-depth interviews, focus group discussions) conducted with key actors, key populations, and HIVST users. Index testing WP: ethnographic observation of three HIV care services introducing HIVST for partner testing. Coupons survey WP: an anonymous telephone survey of HIVST users. Cost study WP: incremental economic cost analysis of each delivery model using a top-down costing with programmatic data, complemented by a bottom-up costing of a representative sample of HIVST distribution sites, and a time-motion study for health professionals providing HIVST. Modelling WP: Adaptation, parameterisation and calibration of a dynamic compartmental model that considers the varied populations targeted by the ATLAS programme and the different testing modalities and strategies. DISCUSSION: ATLAS is the first comprehensive study on HIV self-testing in West Africa. The ATLAS programme focuses particularly on the secondary distribution of HIVST. This protocol was approved by three national ethic committees and the WHO's Ethical Research Committee

Describing, analysing and understanding the effects of the introduction of HIV self-testing in West Africa through the ATLAS programme in Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Senegal

BackgroundThe ATLAS programme aims to promote and implement HIV self-testing (HIVST) in three West African countries: Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal. During 2019-2021, in close collaboration with the national AIDS implementing partners and communities, ATLAS plans to distribute 500,000 HIVST kits through eight delivery channels, combining facility-based, community-based strategies, primary and secondary distribution of HIVST.Considering the characteristics of West African HIV epidemics, the targets of the ATLAS programme are hard-to-reach populations: key populations (female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and drug users), their clients or sexual partners, partners of people living with HIV and patients diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections and their partners.The ATLAS programme includes research support implementation to generate evidence for HIVST scale-up in West Africa.The main objective is to describe, analyse and understand the social, health, epidemiological effects and cost-effectiveness of HIVST introduction in Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Senegal to improve the overall HIV testing strategy (accessibility, efficacy, ethics).MethodsATLAS research is organised into five multidisciplinary workpackages (WPs): qualitative surveys (individual in-depth interviews, focus group discussions) conducted with key actors, key populations, and HIVST users.Key Populations WP: ethnographic observation of three HIV care services introducing HIVST for partner testing.Index testing WP: an anonymous telephone survey of HIVST users.Coupons survey WP: incremental economic cost analysis of each delivery model using a top-down costing with programmatic data, complemented by a bottom-up costing of a representative sample of HIVST distribution sites, and a time-motion study for health professionals providing HIVST.Cost study WP: Adaptation, parameterisation and calibration of a dynamic compartmental model that considers the varied populations targeted by the ATLAS programme and the different testing modalities and strategies.DiscussionATLAS is the first comprehensive study on HIV self-testing in West Africa. The ATLAS programme focuses particularly on the secondary distribution of HIVST. This protocol was approved by three national ethic committees and the WHO's Ethical Research Committee