Non-malarial febrile illness: a systematic review of published aetiological studies and case reports from Africa, 1980-2015.

BACKGROUND: The availability of reliable point-of-care tests for malaria has heralded a paradigm shift in the management of febrile illnesses away from presumptive antimalarial therapy. In the absence of a definitive diagnosis, health care providers are more likely to prescribe empirical antimicrobials to those who test negative for malaria. To improve management and guide further test development, better understanding is needed of the true causative agents and their geographic variability. METHODS: A systematic review of published literature was undertaken to characterise the spectrum of pathogens causing non-malaria febrile illness in Africa (1980-2015). Literature searches were conducted in English and French languages in six databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health (CABI), WHO Global Health Library, PASCAL, and Bulletin de la Société Française de Parasitologie (BDSP). Selection criteria included reporting on an infection or infections with a confirmed diagnosis, defined as pathogens detected in or cultured from samples from normally sterile sites, or serological evidence of current or past infection. A number of published articles (rather than incidence or prevalence) reporting a given pathogen were presented. RESULTS: A total of 16,523 records from 48 African countries were screened, of which 1065 (6.4%) met selection criteria. Bacterial infections were reported in 564 (53.0%) records, viral infections in 374 (35.1%), parasitic infections in 47 (4.4%), fungal infections in nine (0.8%), and 71 (6.7%) publications reported more than one pathogen group. Age range of the study population was not specified in 233 (21.9%) publications. Staphylococcus aureus (18.2%), non-typhoidal Salmonella (17.3%), and Escherichia coli (15.4%) were the commonly reported bacterial infections whereas Rift Valley fever virus (7.4%), yellow fever virus (7.0%), and Ebola virus (6.7%) were the most commonly reported viral infections. Dengue virus infection, previously not thought to be widespread in Africa, was reported in 54 (5.1%) of articles. CONCLUSIONS: This review summarises the published reports of non-malaria pathogens that may cause febrile illness in Africa. As the threat of antimicrobial resistance looms, knowledge of the distribution of infectious agents causing fever should facilitate priority setting in the development of new diagnostic tools and improved antimicrobial stewardship. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, CRD42016049281

Past Arctic aliens have passed away, current ones may stay

Published version. Source at http://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-015-0937-9.Increased human activity and climate change are expected to increase the numbers and impact of alien species in the Arctic, but knowledge of alien species is poor in most Arctic regions. Through field investigations over the last 10 years, and review of alien vascular plant records for the high Arctic Archipelago Svalbard over the past 130 years, we explored long term trends in persistence and phenology. In total, 448 observations of 105 taxa have been recorded from 28 sites. Recent surveys at 18 of these sites revealed that alien species had disappeared at half of them. Investigations at a further 49 sites characterised by former human activity and/or current tourist landing sites did not reveal any alien species. Patterns of alien species distribution suggest that greater alien species richness is more likely to be aligned with ongoing human inhabitation than sites of transient use. The probability of an alien species being in a more advanced phenological stage increased with higher mean July temperatures. As higher mean July temperatures are positively correlated with more recent year, the latter finding suggests a clear warming effect on the increased reproductive potential of alien plants, and thus an increased potential for spread in Svalbard. Given that both human activity and temperatures are expected to increase in the future, there is need to respond in policy and action to reduce the potential for further alien species introduction and spread in the Arctic

Influence of the shoot density of Halodule wrightii Ascherson from rocky and sandy habitats on associated macroalgal communities

This study evaluated the influence of the shoot density of the shoal grass Halodule wrightii on the composition of the associated algal community, in rocky and sandy habitats on the coast of Ceará in northeastern Brazil. The phycological community included 18 species in 10 families, members of Rodophyta (72.2%), Chlorophyta (22.2%) and Phaeophyceae (5.5%). The largest proportion were epilithic (50%), followed by epiphytes on H. wrightii (38.4%), epipsammics (8%), and epiphytes on other algae (4%). Epiphytes on H. wrightii occurred mainly associated with rhizomes, but also tendrils of H. musciformis occurred attached to the leaves. The phycological community varied according to the density of H. wrightii, independently of particular characters of the meadows, although both habitat and other environmental variables seemed to influence the macroalgae composition and diversity. The rocky habitat was more diverse than the sandy habitat, but in the sandy habitat the shoal grass was important for algal settlement in areas where hard substrates were scarce or absent

Long-term effects of nutrient enrichment controlling plant species and functional composition in a boreal rich fen

Questions: How does long-term increase in nutrient availability affect species composition, species diversity and functional composition in boreal rich fens, and how does this differ from short-term effects? What are the possible mechanisms behind the observed changes, and how does nutrient limitation influence species diversity in these communities? Location: Sølendet Nature Reserve, central Norway. Methods: A full-factorial field experiment. Plots in two localities received one of following treatments (n = 3): no nutrient addition (control), N, P, K, NP, NK, PK and NPK addition. Cover of plant species was recorded before treatment, and after two and 15 years of treatment. Results: Two years of nutrient addition caused small changes in species composition, but addition of NP led to large increase in abundance of species with high ability to exploit the added nutrients—a direct result of the elimination of nutrient limitation in the communities. After 15 years of nutrient addition there were significant changes following three different pathways, one for each of N, P and NP addition. The addition of NP led to large community shifts, considerable species turnover and reduced species and functional richness, mainly caused by increase in cover of highly competitive and tussock-forming grasses like Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca ovina and Molinia caerulea, out-competing other species, especially bryophytes. Addition of N led to smaller changes in species turnover, and without clear dominant species. Addition of P led to considerable species turnover, but no reduction in species or functional richness, and the bryophyte diversity increased. This is explained by the bryophytes’ association with N-fixing cyanobacteria, suggesting less N limitation and a greater ability to utilize the added P when vascular plants suffer from N shortage. In addition, bryophytes are more sensitive to low P availability, due to larger P requirements compared to vascular plants. There was no effect of K addition. Conclusions: Both N and P limitation is essential for the maintenance of high species diversity in boreal rich fens, and P limitation controls bryophyte diversity. From a management perspective, N and P limitation is vital in the conservation of boreal Rich fens or when a functional fen system is reestablished through restoration measures. Bryophyte diversity, Functional richness, Functional traits, Mycorrhizal associations, N fixation, Norway, Nutrient limitation, Rich fen vegetation, Sloping fen, Species diversityacceptedVersio

The use of hepatitis B immunoglobulin in the Netherlands

Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg) was administered to 241 patients contaminated with HBAg positive material; 116 persons were followed up for 7 months after the HBIg injection. Only 4 (3.4%) cases of hepatitis B with jaundice and demonstrable HBAg occurred and 15 (12.9%) cases of subclinical hepatitis B were observed. HBIg is well tolerated. Passively transferred HBAb were demonstrable for 2-3 months and no chronic carriers of HBAg were seen after administration of HBI