Eave tubes for malaria control in Africa : an introduction

In spite of massive progress in the control of African malaria since the turn of the century, there is a clear and recognized need for additional tools beyond long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) of insecticides, to progress towards elimination. Moreover, widespread and intensifying insecticide resistance requires alternative control agents and delivery systems to enable development of effective insecticide resistance management strategies. This series of articles presents a novel concept for malaria vector control, the ‘eave tube’, which may fulfil these important criteria. From its conceptualization to laboratory and semi-field testing, to demonstration of potential for implementation, the stepwise development of this new vector control approach is described. These studies suggest eave tubes (which comprise a novel way of delivering insecticides plus screening to make the house more ‘mosquito proof’) could be a viable, cost-effective, and acceptable control tool for endophilic and endophagic anophelines, and possibly other (nuisance) mosquitoes. The approach could be applicable in a wide variety of housing in sub-Saharan Africa, and possibly beyond, for vectors that use the eave as their primary house entry point. The results presented in these articles were generated during an EU-FP7 funded project, the mosquito contamination device (MCD) project, which ran between 2012 and 2015. This was a collaborative project undertaken by vector biologists, product developers, modellers, materials scientists, and entrepreneurs from five different countries

Vaccine breakthrough hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs

Life-threatening `breakthrough' cases of critical COVID-19 are attributed to poor or waning antibody response to the SARS- CoV-2 vaccine in individuals already at risk. Pre-existing autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing type I IFNs underlie at least 15% of critical COVID-19 pneumonia cases in unvaccinated individuals; however, their contribution to hypoxemic breakthrough cases in vaccinated people remains unknown. Here, we studied a cohort of 48 individuals ( age 20-86 years) who received 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine and developed a breakthrough infection with hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia 2 weeks to 4 months later. Antibody levels to the vaccine, neutralization of the virus, and auto- Abs to type I IFNs were measured in the plasma. Forty-two individuals had no known deficiency of B cell immunity and a normal antibody response to the vaccine. Among them, ten (24%) had auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs (aged 43-86 years). Eight of these ten patients had auto-Abs neutralizing both IFN-a2 and IFN-., while two neutralized IFN-omega only. No patient neutralized IFN-ss. Seven neutralized 10 ng/mL of type I IFNs, and three 100 pg/mL only. Seven patients neutralized SARS-CoV-2 D614G and the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) efficiently, while one patient neutralized Delta slightly less efficiently. Two of the three patients neutralizing only 100 pg/mL of type I IFNs neutralized both D61G and Delta less efficiently. Despite two mRNA vaccine inoculations and the presence of circulating antibodies capable of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2, auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs may underlie a significant proportion of hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia cases, highlighting the importance of this particularly vulnerable population

Screening for active and latent TB among migrants in France

International audienceMigrants to Europe face a disproportionate burden of infections, including TB, yet little is known about the approach taken by primary and secondary care providers to screening and treatment. We therefore explored policy and practice relating to screening of active TB and latent TB infection (LTBI) in France. METHODS: We conducted an online national survey of French primary and secondary care physicians regarding their practices in relation to TB/LTBI screening among migrants. RESULTS: 367 physicians responded to the questionnaire among which 195 (53.1%) were primary care physicians, 126 (34.3%) were TB specialists in secondary care, and 46 (12.5%) other physicians; 303 (85.5%) were involved daily in the care of migrants. Most respondents recommended systematic TB screening with chest X-ray for migrants from medium and highincidence countries (71.9%). Primary care physicians were less likely to offer screening than physicians in other settings (aOR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09-0.48). 220 (61.8%) offered LTBI screening for children (<15 years) and 34.0% for all migrants from high incidence countries. CONCLUSION: Improving awareness on TB screening is a critical next step to improve health outcomes in migrant groups and meet regional targets for tackling TB

Dermatomyosite à anticorps anti-SAE: étude descriptive et comparative à un groupe de dermatomyosites SAE-négatives

International audienc

Carrying out local care for epidermal necrolysis: survey of practices

International audienc