Etude du degré de sensibilisation à la rage des populations locales dans la région de Beni Mellal-Khénifra, Maroc

La rage est une zoonose largement répandue dans le monde, due à un virus de genre lyssavirus. L’infection se fait généralement par morsure d’un animal enragé. Le chien constitue le principal réservoir dans la plupart des pays touchés et à l’origine de toutes les contaminations. La rage tue près de 55 000 personnes à l’échelle mondiale, la majorité de ces personnes sont des enfants qui constituent la population à risque. Au Maroc, la rage est concentrée dans les populations pauvres et vulnérables. Elle existe principalement dans les communautés rurales, où les chiens errants sont plus fréquents.Afin d’étudier le degré de sensibilisation de la population locale à la rage, une enquête épidémiologique est menée dans dix localités de la région de BeniMellal.L’étude a concerné 200 personnes des deux sexes, avec différent âges et niveaux d’instruction. Les résultats montrent en général un niveau de connaissance assez bien par rapport à la maladie, son réservoir et son mode de transmission. Par contre, les connaissances par rapport à la prise en charge et la prophylaxie restent à développer.

Valorization of Algerian sand for photovoltaic application

Extracting quartz from sand, as well as extracting silicon from quartz requires knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of quartz found in the sand. In this work the chemical composition, the crystallographic phase, crystal system, space group, unit cell parameters, the absorption bands, the granulometric analysis and the microscopic observations of quartz in the sand from Mostaganem (Algeria) region have been carried out using X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, sifting, optical and scanning electron microscopy in order to determine the rate and the nature the crystallinity of its various components and to discover a layer rich in silica, containing a sufficient reserve to feed a unit manufacturing pure silicon starting from silica. The study is driven by current economic importance of the silicon application in the field of photovoltaic solar cells. The X-ray fluorescence indicates that Mostaganem sand has got a very good purity (99.5% silica). The crystallographic parameters of Mostaganem sand have been determined through analysis of X-ray diffraction. The following parameters were found, hexagonal crystal system, space group P3221, unit cell parameters: a=b=4.9030 Å, c=5.3999 Å. The infrared absorption spectrum of studied sand exhibits absorption bands characterizing the SiO₂ compound, due to Si-O-Si and Si-O aggregates and others. The granulometric analysis determines the percentage of the various fraction of the grain. The microscopy observation gives the shape of the grain. The results show finally that Mostaganem sand has got good proprieties for the photovoltaic application

Understanding the factors that determine the emergence of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania tropica in Morocco: Density and mitochondrial lineage of Phlebotomus sergenti in endemic and free areas of leishmaniasis

This study was funded by the University of Granada (Centro de Iniciativas de Cooperación al Desarrollo, CICODE, 2013). Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada/CBVA.Anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) due to Leishmania tropica is spreading to new areas in Morocco. Exposure to the vector, Phlebotomus sergenti, is the only proven risk factor. Our objective was to compare the densities and genetic characteristics of P. sergenti populations in two nearby localities in Morocco, one in an ACL endemic area (El Borouj) and another in a nonendemic area (Sidi Hajjaj). P. sergenti density was significantly higher in the endemic area than in the nonendemic town (p = 0.032). A different predominant P. sergenti mitochondrial lineage was evidenced in each one of the two localities, and for the first time, the P. sergenti lineage acting as a vector of L. tropica has been identified. Bioclimatic differences were detected between both localities. In conclusion we found differences in both the density and the mitochondrial lineage of P. sergenti populations that may explain the different epidemiological situation. Given that the density of P. sergenti in the locality without ACL cases seems sufficient to allow transmission, the main factor that would justify its nonendemic character could be the absence of P. sergenti Lineage IV, which seems to prefer warmer and drier climates.University of Granad

Mitochondrial DNA Intraspecific Variability in Sergentomyia minuta (Diptera: Psychodidae)

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