Isolation and molecular identification of yeast strains from “Rabilé” a starter of local fermented drink

“Rabilé” is dried yeast harvested from Sorghum beer, used as a traditional starter culture but more especially as ingredient in sauce and food cooking in Burkina Faso. The present study aimed to isolate and identify indigenous yeast flora of “Rabilé”. Standard microbiological process was carried out to value and isolate yeast in different samples of “Rabilé” coming from four localities of Burkina Faso. Phenotypical method and molecular method (PCR and RFLP) were used for yeast  strains characterization and identification. The results showed that yeast counts ranged from 9.49 to 10.35 log cfu/g of “Rabilé”. A total of twenty yeast strains were isolated. Based on phenotypical characters three genera were detected: Candida (40%), Saccharomyces (35%) and Rhodotorula (25%). Molecular identification revealed two specific strains among yeasts isolated as S. cerevisiae with a frequency of 35% and R. mucilaginosa with a frequency of 25%. This data highlights the diversity of indigenous yeast flora of “Rabilé”.Key words: Rabilé, yeast, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), traditional starter culture

Evaluation of Cercospora oryzae Miyake under natural pressure conditions.

Objective: This study is a contribution to the knowledge of Cercospora oryzae Miyake, in order to increase yields. It will consist in: i) evaluating the resistance of five varieties of rice, ii) evaluating the effect of Cercospora oryzae Miyake on the leaf and panicle stages and iii) evaluating the yield.Methodology and results: The study will combine phenotypic and agromorphological tools. On the ninety first (91th) day after sowing, a high incidence of leaf Cercosporiosis was recorded on the varieties TS2 (29.74%), FKR34 (27%) and a very low incidence on the variety ORYLUX6 (5, 78%). From tillering to panicle initiation, the rate of progression of the epidemic r2 = 0.879 is significant in TS2. The ORYLUX6 variety is the most capable of slowing the progression of the epidemic. At the panicular level, from the pasty grain stage to the milky grain stage, the incidence has increased for most of the varieties. The ORYLUX6 recorded the highest yield with 4.38 t/ ha.Conclusion and application potential of the results: Cercospora oryzae Miyake causes a drop in yield by reducing the leaf area of thr leaves. Cercospora oryzae Miyake is an important disease of rice in Sud-Benin. These results constiyute a stage of an in-depth research work on the characterization (agronomic and genetic) of Cercospora oryzae Miyake in order to propose methods of control. Objectifs : L’étude a été une contribution à la connaissance de Cercospora oryzae Miyake afin d’accroitre les rendements. Elle a consistée a : i) évaluer la résistance de cinq variétés de riz, ii) évaluer l’effet de Cercospora oryzae Miyake sur les stades foliaires et paniculaires et iii) évaluer le rendement.Méthodologie et résultats : L’étude a combinée des outils phénotypiques et agromorphologiques. Au quatre-vingt onzième jour après semis on a enregistré une forte incidence de la cercosporiose foliaire sur les variétés TS2 (29,74%), FKR34 (27%) et une très faible incidence sur la variété ORYLUX6 (5,78%). Du stade tallage à l’initiation paniculaire le taux de progression de l’épidémie r2=0,879 a été important chez TS2. La variété ORYLUX6 a été la plus apte à freiner la progression de l’épidémie. Du stade grain pâteux au stade grain laiteux l’incidence à augmentée pour la plus part des variétés. ORYLUX6 a enregistré le rendement le plus élève (4,38 t/ha).Conclusion et application potentielle des résultats: Cercospora oryzae Miyake entraine une baisse de rendement en réduisant les surfaces foliaires des feuilles. La cercosporiose est une affection importante du riz au Sud-Bénin. Ces résultats constituent une étape d’un travail de recherche approfondi sur la caractérisation (agronomique et génétique) de Cercospora oryzae Miyake afin de proposer des méthodes de luttes

A Decade of Partnering to Stop HIV in West Africa: GAIA VF Prevention, Education, Access to Care and Vaccine Trial Site Development in Bamako, Mali

Poster Presentation from AIDS Vaccine 2012 Boston, MA, USA. 9-12 September 201

Further Confirmation of Broadly Conserved, Highly Immunogenic Cross-Clade HIV CTL Epitopes for Inclusion in the GAIA HIV Vaccine

Poster Presentation From AIDS Vaccine 2012 Boston, MA, USA. 9-12 September 201

Knowledge/Attitude/Practices of HPV & Cervical Cancer, Willingness to Participate in Vaccine Trial in Preparation for HIV & HPV Vaccine Trials in Mali

Oral Presentation from AIDS Vaccine 2012 Boston, MA, USA. 9-12 September 201

The usefulness of rapid diagnostic tests in the new context of low malaria transmission in zanzibar.

BACKGROUND\ud \ud We assessed if histidine-rich-protein-2 (HRP2) based rapid diagnostic test (RDT) remains an efficient tool for Plasmodium falciparum case detection among fever patients in Zanzibar and if primary health care workers continue to adhere to RDT results in the new epidemiological context of low malaria transmission. Further, we evaluated the performance of RDT within the newly adopted integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) algorithm in Zanzibar.\ud \ud METHODS AND FINDINGS\ud \ud We enrolled 3890 patients aged ≥2 months with uncomplicated febrile illness in this health facility based observational study conducted in 12 primary health care facilities in Zanzibar, between May-July 2010. One patient had an inconclusive RDT result. Overall 121/3889 (3.1%) patients were RDT positive. The highest RDT positivity rate, 32/528 (6.1%), was found in children aged 5-14 years. RDT sensitivity and specificity against PCR was 76.5% (95% CI 69.0-83.9%) and 99.9% (95% CI 99.7-100%), and against blood smear microscopy 78.6% (95% CI 70.8-85.1%) and 99.7% (95% CI 99.6-99.9%), respectively. All RDT positive, but only 3/3768 RDT negative patients received anti-malarial treatment. Adherence to RDT results was thus 3887/3889 (99.9%). RDT performed well in the IMCI algorithm with equally high adherence among children <5 years as compared with other age groups.\ud \ud CONCLUSIONS\ud \ud The sensitivity of HRP-2 based RDT in the hands of health care workers compared with both PCR and microscopy for P. falciparum case detection was relatively low, whereas adherence to test results with anti-malarial treatment was excellent. Moreover, the results provide evidence that RDT can be reliably integrated in IMCI as a tool for improved childhood fever management. However, the relatively low RDT sensitivity highlights the need for improved quality control of RDT use in primary health care facilities, but also for more sensitive point-of-care malaria diagnostic tools in the new epidemiological context of low malaria transmission in Zanzibar.\ud \ud TRIAL REGISTRATION\ud \ud ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01002066

Genetic Diversity of a Parasitic Weed, Striga hermonthica, on Sorghum and Pearl Millet in Mali

Eleven populations of witchweed, Striga hermonthica, were collected in four regions of Mali and investigated with 12 microsatellite markers. Extensive genetic diversity was observed, with most plants heterozygous for most markers. Allelic diversity was broadly distributed across populations with little genetic differentiation and large amounts of gene flow. Nearby fields of pearl millet and sorghum were found to have indistinguishable witchweed populations. Some population structure was apparent, but did not correlate with the local environment or host genotype, suggesting that seed transportation or other human-driven variables act to differentiate central Malian S. hermonthica populations from southern Malian populations