Future research to underpin successful peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) eradication

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) is a significant pathogen of small ruminants and is prevalent in much of Africa, the Near and Middle East and Asia. Despite the availability of an efficacious and cheap live-attenuated vaccine, the virus has continued to spread, with its range stretching from Morocco in the west to China and Mongolia in the east. Some of the world’s poorest communities rely on small ruminant farming for subsistence and the continued endemicity of PPRV is a constant threat to their livelihoods. Moreover, PPRV’s effects on the world’s population are felt broadly across many economic, agricultural and social situations. This far-reaching impact has prompted the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to develop a global strategy for the eradication of this virus and its disease. PPRV is a morbillivirus and, given the experience of these organizations in eradicating the related rinderpest virus, the eradication of PPRV should be feasible. However, there are many critical areas where basic and applied virological research concerning PPRV is lacking. The purpose of this review is to highlight areas where new research could be performed in order to guide and facilitate the eradication programme. These areas include studies on disease transmission and epidemiology, the existence of wildlife reservoirs and the development of next-generation vaccines and diagnostics. With the support of the international virology community, the successful eradication of PPRV can be achieved

Les fontes de semis du cotonnier en Côte d'Ivoire. II-Prospection et observations sur le pouvoir pathogène des organismes isolés

Une prospection sur les fontes de semis réalisée dans les différentes zones cotonnières de Côte d'Ivoire indique que parmi les champignons isolés les responsables principaux des manques à la levée sont Rhizoctonia solani Kühn et Pythium aphanidermatum (Eds) Fitz ; pratiquement Inexistants dans le Nord ces deux organismes sont de plus en plus fréquemment isolés à mesure que l'on va vers le Sud du pays, La présence parfois très importante de R. solani pose le problème de l'introduction de fongicides à action endothérapique ajoutés aux fongicides organo-mercuriques Jusqu'alors seuls employés. Par ailleurs, une étude succincte du pouvoir pathogène des différents champignons isolés indique une grande hétérogénéité tant au point de vue morphologique qu'au point de vue virulence dans les différentes souches de R. solani

Les fontes de semis du cotonnier en Côte d'Ivoire. I-Etude de produits fongicides au laboratoire

Une méthode d'étude au laboratoire des produits fongicides à action endothérapique est décrite. Cette méthode comprend plusieurs phases : sur les organismes pathogènes in vitro [Colletotrichum gossypii South., Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn, Pythium aphanidermatum (Eds.) Fitz.]; sur les plantules poussant sur un milieu artificiel minéral contenant le fongicide â tester; sur sol infesté artificiellement. Parmi les huit produits testés dans l'étude présente, le Démosan, le Vitavax et le Benlate sont les plus intéressants

Enhancement of vaccinia virus based oncolysis with histone deacetylase inhibitors

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDI) dampen cellular innate immune response by decreasing interferon production and have been shown to increase the growth of vesicular stomatitis virus and HSV. As attenuated tumour-selective oncolytic vaccinia viruses (VV) are already undergoing clinical evaluation, the goal of this study is to determine whether HDI can also enhance the potency of these poxviruses in infection-resistant cancer cell lines. Multiple HDIs were tested and Trichostatin A (TSA) was found to potently enhance the spread and replication of a tumour selective vaccinia virus in several infection-resistant cancer cell lines. TSA significantly decreased the number of lung metastases in a syngeneic B16F10LacZ lung metastasis model yet did not increase the replication of vaccinia in normal tissues. The combination of TSA and VV increased survival of mice harbouring human HCT116 colon tumour xenografts as compared to mice treated with either agent alone. We conclude that TSA can selectively and effectively enhance the replication and spread of oncolytic vaccinia virus in cancer cells. © 2010 MacTavish et al