Epidemiology of malaria in the Taabo health and demographic surveillance system, south-central Côte d'Ivoire

A deep understanding of the local epidemiology of malaria is essential for the design and implementation of setting-specific control and elimination efforts. In Côte d'Ivoire, new initiatives are underway to reduce the burden of malaria, which requires high-quality longitudinal data. The epidemiology of malaria was studied in the Taabo health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) in south-central Côte d'Ivoire and implications for control are discussed.; Two cross-sectional surveys were carried out in the rainy season of June/July in 2010 and 2011. Inhabitants of approximately 7 % of randomly selected households in the Taabo HDSS were invited to participate. People were clinically examined, ear temperature was measured and spleen size determined. Finger-prick blood samples were collected and subjected to a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). Additionally, thick and thin blood films were prepared on microscope slides and diagnosed under a microscope for Plasmodium infection and parasitaemia. Haemoglobin (Hb) level was determined using a HemoCue device.; A total of 1187 and 1264 people in 2010 and 2011, respectively, had complete data records. The prevalence of Plasmodium infection was 46.0 % in 2010 and 56.6 % in 2011, owing to a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). Males showed a higher Plasmodium infection prevalence than females (49.6 and 62.8 % versus 42.6 and 51.2 %; respectively, in 2010 and 2011; both p < 0.05). The highest malaria prevalence was observed among infants and young children (aged ≤9 years). The risk of Plasmodium infection was significantly higher in villages compared to small hamlets and urban settings (p < 0.05). Fever, Hb level and splenomegaly were associated with parasitaemia.; Malaria is highly endemic in the Taabo HDSS in south-central Côte d'Ivoire with considerable spatial heterogeneity of Plasmodium infection. There is a pressing need to scale-up control interventions against malaria

Solar wind and geomagnetism: toward a standard classification of geomagnetic activity from 1868 to 2009

We examined solar activity with a large series of geomagnetic data from 1868 to 2009. We have revisited the geomagnetic activity classification scheme of Legrand and Simon (1989) and improve their scheme by lowering the minimum Aa index value for shock and recurrent activity from 40 to 20 nT. This improved scheme allows us to clearly classify about 80% of the geomagnetic activity in this time period instead of only 60% for the previous Legrand and Simon classification

Wheat Flour Fortification With that of Defatted Seed of Citrulluslanatus (Cucurbitaceae): Effects on Organs Biometry

This study used to determine the effects of wheat flour fortification with that of defatted seed of Citrulluslanatus(Cucurbitaceae)on organ biometry.Thirty rats (30) team up into five per group were fed during 14 days with the six diets prepared: Diet made with casein (RTC); diet containing classic bread (RPC) and diets based on bread in which the wheat flour has been substituted by defatted seed flour of Citrulluslanatus(RPFd) at different proportions 5 % (RPFd5); 10% (RPFd10); 15 % (RPFd15); 20% (RPFd20).After the end of the experimental period, animals were sacrificed and kidney, liver, stomach, ileum and spleen were removed and weighted.Result showed that relative kidney weight of rats fed with RTC (0.84±0.08) and RPC (0.90±0.05) were significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) than that of rats fed with RPFd (0.69±0.04 to 0.75±0.02). Relative weight of the other organs of rats fed with RPFd (0.24±0.11to 0.28±0.06) do not show a significant difference(p ≥ 0.05) when compared to that of rats fed with RTC and RPC. This study suggested that except for kidney, the wheat flour fortification with that of defatted seed of Citrullus lanatushave not effects on the biometry of others organs

Self-assembling processes involved in the molecular beam epitaxy growth of stacked InAs/InP quantum wires

The growth mechanism of stacked InAs/InP(001) quantum wires (QWRs) is studied by combining an atomic-scale cross-sectional scanning tunnelling microscopy analysis with in situ and in real-time stress measurements along the [110] direction (sensitive to stress relaxation during QWR formation). QWRs in stacked layers grow by a non-Stranski–Krastanov (SK) process which involves the production of extra InAs by strain-enhanced As/P exchange and a strong strain driven mass transport. Despite the different growth mechanism of the QWR between the first and following layers of the stack, the QWRs maintain on average the same shape and composition in all the layers of the stack, revealing the high stability of this QWR configuration

Régime alimentaire de Engraulis encrasicolus (Linneaus, 1758) du littoral de la Côte d’Ivoire

Engraulis encrasicolus est un poisson téléostéen clupéiforme de la famille des Engraulidae. Le régime alimentaire général de E. encrasicolus dans le littoral de la Côte d’Ivoire a été étudié en fonction de la taille des individus et des saisons hydrologiques. Les poissons de 6 à 12 cm de longueur standard sont les captures des sennes de plage et sennes tournantes de septembre 2005 à Août 2006. Six cent dix estomacs ont été analysés dont 404 contenaient des proies et 206 étaient vides, soit 33,80% de vacuité. Ce coefficient a varié en fonction des saisons de crue et de décrue. L’indice de prépondérance (Ip) combinant les pourcentages d’occurrence corrigé (Fc) et pondéral (P) ont été utilisés pour analyser l’importance des différents items identifiés. Le régime alimentaire général est composé de 10 items regroupés en 4 catégories de proies : les copépodes, les cladocères, les macrophytes et les insectes. E. encrasicolus se nourrit principalement de Copépodes (68,14% de Ip) (Thermocyclops decipiens, Centropages chierchiae, temora turbinata et acartia claussi) dans la zone d’étude. Les cladocères, (Ip = 29,5%) sont consommés de manière  importante. Les macrophytes et les insectes sont des proies accessoires. Le régime alimentaire de E. encrasicolus varie avec la taille. Cette variation est une stratégie alimentaire en rapport avec des modifications  ontogénétiques, anatomiques et morphologiques chez les poissons. L’espèce adapte son régime alimentaire en fonction des saisons marines en relation avec la disponibilité des proies.Mots clés : Engraulidae, Engraulis encrasicolus, alimentation, littoral, Côte d’Ivoire

Intestinal parasitic infections in schoolchildren in different settings of Côte d'Ivoire : effect of diagnostic approach and implications for control

BACKGROUND: Social-ecological systems govern parasitic infections in humans. Within the frame of assessing the accuracy of a rapid diagnostic test for Schistosoma mansoni in Cote d'Ivoire, three different endemicity settings had to be identified and schoolchildren's intestinal parasitic infection profiles were characterized. METHODS: In September 2010, a rapid screening was conducted in 11 schools in the Azaguie district, south Cote d'Ivoire. In each school, 25 children were examined for S. mansoni and S. haematobium. Based on predefined schistosome endemicity levels, three settings were selected, where schoolchildren aged 8-12 years were asked to provide three stool and three urine samples for an in-depth appraisal of parasitic infections. Triplicate Kato-Katz thick smears were prepared from each stool sample for S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminth diagnosis, whereas urine samples were subjected to a filtration method for S. haematobium diagnosis. Additionally, a formol-ether concentration method was employed on one stool sample for the diagnosis of helminths and intestinal protozoa. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to analyse associations between schoolchildren's parasitic infections, age, sex and study setting. RESULTS: The prevalences of S. mansoni and S. haematobium infections in the initial screening ranged from nil to 88% and from nil to 56%, respectively. The rapid screening in the three selected areas revealed prevalences of S. mansoni of 16%, 33% and 78%. Based on a more rigorous diagnostic approach, the respective prevalences increased to 92%, 53% and 33%. S. haematobium prevalences were 0.8%, 4% and 65%. Prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma spp., soil-transmitted helminths and intestinal protozoan infections showed setting-specific patterns. Infections with two or more species concurrently were most common in the rural setting (84%), followed by the peri-urban (28.3%) and urban setting (18.2%). CONCLUSIONS: More sensitive diagnostic tools or rigorous sampling approaches are needed to select endemicity settings with high fidelity. The observed small-scale heterogeneity of helminths and intestinal protozoan infections has important implications for contro

Synthesis and anthelmintic activity of some hybrid Benzimidazolyl-chalcone derivatives

Purpose: To synthesize hybrid benzimidazolyl-chalcone derivatives, evaluate their anthelmintic activity, and establish some structural elements which could lead to induction and enhancement of this activity.Methods: A series of 1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-3-aryl-2-propen-1-one compounds (6a-z) was synthesized by condensation reaction of 2-acetylbenzimidazole with aryl and heteroaryl aldehyde derivatives. The physicochemical characterization of these benzimidazolyl-chalcones was carried out by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H and 13C NMR) and mass spectroscopy (MS). All compounds were screened in vitro for their nematicidal activity against Haemonchus contortus in larval development assay. The anthelmintic activities obtained were compared with those of anthelmintic reference drugs (fenbendazole and ivermectin); 1,3-diphenyl-2-propen-1-one also used as reference for chalcone.Results: Compounds 6a, 6g, 6w and 6y showed good nematicidal activity (LC100) at 0.002 and 0.0092 μg/ml. The activity of these four benzimidazolyl-chalcones is nearly equal to that of fenbendazole. It is also interesting to know that these compounds have anti-haemonchus activity which is equal or more efficient than ivermectin. Four other compounds (6d, 6h, 6o and 6t) possess interesting anthelmintic activities at 0.68 and 0.16 μg/ml.Conclusion: Preliminary structure-activity relationship studies revealed that arylpropenone group in position 2 of the benzimidazole ring can be considered as new pharmacophore for nematicidal activity.Keywords: Benzimidazole, Chalcone, Anthelmintic activity, Haemonchus contortu

Interrupting seasonal transmission of Schistosoma haematobium and control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in northern and central Côte d’Ivoire: a SCORE study protocol

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