Molecular Evidence of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus-Sicily Spreading on Tomato, Pepper and Bean in Tunisia

Unusual symptoms including yellowing, stunting, curling, crumpling and plant size reduction were observed in tomato fields and green houses in Tunisia. These symptoms, generally associated with the Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) complex, have become increasingly common in recent years. In order to ascertain the molecular characteristics of Tunisian isolates by PCR, both the coat protein gene and the intergenic region of eleven isolates were amplified using specific primers, and sequenced. The PCR procedure also allowed the amplification of viral DNA fragments using a bean total DNA as a template. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that these Tunisian isolates clustered with a Sicilian isolate of TYLCSV-Sic. This is the first report of the involvement of this viral species in Phaseolus vulgaris disease

Cyclosporine therapy in steroid-dependent or steroid-resistant idiopathic focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis

Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a heterogeneous entity. Previous few studies have evaluated the efficacy of calcineurin inhibitors in primary FSGS and have suggested positive benefit. In this single-center, retrospective study (1975-2014), we report our experience in Tunisian adults with primary FSGS treated with cyclosporine A (CsA). It includes patients histologically proven FSGS and managed in the Charles Nicolle Hospital at Tunis, Tunisia. The dose of CsA was adjusted to maintain a whole blood trough level of 80-150 ng/mL. The observation period was 6.8 ± 3.7 years after CsA treatment. Twenty-three patients with idiopathic FSGS, treated with CsA, were studied. The mean age was 26.69 ± 10.1 years, and the sex ratio was 2.83. Eight patients (35%) had a steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (NS), and 15 patients (65%) had for steroid-resistant NS. After a median follow-up of 16.5 months on CsA, we noticed complete remission of the NS in eight cases (35%) after 12.12 ± 8 months, partial remission in five (22%) after 3 ± 0.7 months, dose-dependent remission to CsA (2.87 mg/kg/day) in four (17%), and a no response in six patients (26%). Eleven patients (48%) showed improvement of renal function, while eight (35%) developed end-stage renal disease (ESRD) after 35.7 ± 20.9 months. Predictive factors of progression to ESRD were creatinine clearance <90 mL/min before introduction of CsA (P = 0.0054) and CsA-resistance (P = 0.053). Our study suggests that CsA is effective in the treatment of patients with idiopathic FSGS. Initial renal function and cyclosporineresistance are the predictive factors of ESRD in steroid-resistant or -dependent FSGS