Etude préliminaire de l’infestation des glossines par les trypanosomes dans le baï de Momba (Nord-Est Gabon)

Une étude préliminaire entomo-parasitologique a été effectuée pendant la grande saison sèche à l’interieur et autour du baï de Momba (nord-est Gabon) pour examiner les espèces de Trypanosomes transmises par les glossines. Ces dernières ont été capturées à l’aide des pièges vavoua et nzi. Les infections par les trypanosomes chez ces glossines ont été recherchées à l’aide d’un microscope au niveau des glandes salivaires, proboscis et intestins moyens des glossines. Ainsi, une infection du proboscis seul correspond à T. vivax, celles des glandes salivaires à T. brucei et celle du proboscis et de l’intestin moyen à T. congolense. Au total six espèces de glossines ont été identifiées : Glossina palpalis palpalis, G. nashi, G. fusca congolensis, G. tachinoides, G. frezili et G. fuscipes fuscipes. Le taux global d’infestation des glossines disséquées et observées au microscope a été estimé à 30 %. L’infestation des glossines par les trypanosomes témoigne de l’existence d’un risque trypanosomien dans le baï de Momba et suggère ainsi l’établissement d’un cycle de transmission Animal-Glossine-Homme dans ce milieu.Mots clés: Glossina, T. vivax, T. congolense, baï de Momba, trypanosomes. Preliminary study of infection of tsetse by trypanosomes in the baï of Momba North East GabonA preliminary study are insect parasitology was carried out during the long dry season in and around the baï of Momba (north-east Gabon) to examine the species of trypanosomes transmitted by tsetse flies. The flies were captured using traps and Vavoua nzi. Infections by trypanosomes were investigated using a microscope in the salivary glands and the proboscis intestines means tsetse. In total six tsetse species were identified : Glossina palpalis palpalis, G. nashi, G. fusca congolensis, G. tachinoides, G. frezili and G. fuscipes fuscipes. The overall rate of infestation of flies dissected and observed under the microscope is estimated at 30 %. The infestation of Bai Momba by flies carrying trypanosomes demonstrates the existence of a trypanosome risk and thus suggests the establishment of a transmission cycle Human-Animal-Glossina in this environment.Keywords: tsetse flies, T. vivax, T. congolense, baï of Momba, trypanosome

Impact of Chikungunya Virus Infection on Health Status and Quality of Life: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND:Persistent symptoms, mainly joint and muscular pain and depression, have been reported several months after Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection. Their frequency and their impact on quality of life have not been compared with those of an unexposed population. In the present study, we aimed to describe the frequency of prolonged clinical manifestations of CHIKV infection and to measure the impact on quality of life and health care consumption in comparison with that of an unexposed population, more than one year after infection. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:In a retrospective cohort study, 199 subjects who had serologically confirmed CHIKV infection (CHIK+) were compared with 199 sero-negative subjects (CHIK-) matched for age, gender and area of residence in La Réunion Island. Following an average time of 17 months from the acute phase of infection, participants were interviewed by telephone about current symptoms, medical consumption during the last 12 months and quality of life assessed by the 12-items Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) scale. At the time of study, 112 (56%) CHIK+ persons reported they were fully recovered. CHIK+ complained more frequently than CHIK- of arthralgia (relative risk = 1.9; 95% confidence interval: 1.6-2.2), myalgia (1.9; 1.5-2.3), fatigue (2.3; 1.8-3), depression (2.5; 1.5-4.1) and hair loss (3.8; 1.9-7.6). There was no significant difference between CHIK+ and CHIK- subjects regarding medical consumption in the past year. The mean (SD) score of the SF-12 Physical Component Summary was 46.4 (10.8) in CHIK+ versus 49.1 (9.3) in CHIK- (p = 0.04). There was no significant difference between the two groups for the Mental Component Summary. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:More than one year following the acute phase of infection, CHIK+ subjects reported more disabilities than those who were CHIK-. These persistent disabilities, however, have no significant influence on medical consumption, and the impact on quality of life is moderate

The Chikungunya Epidemic on La Réunion Island in 2005–2006: A Cost-of-Illness Study

For a long time, studies of chikungunya virus infection have been neglected, but since its resurgence in the south-western Indian Ocean and on La Réunion Island, this disease has been paid greater amounts of attention. The economic and social impacts of chikungunya epidemics are poorly documented, including in developed countries. This study estimated the cost-of-illness associated with the 2005–2006 chikungunya epidemics on La Réunion Island, a French overseas department with an economy and health care system of a developed country. “Cost-of-illness” studies measure the amount that would have been saved in the absence of a disease. We found that the epidemic incurred substantial medical expenses estimated at €43.9 million, of which 60% were attributable to direct medical costs related, in particular, to expenditure on medical consultations (47%), hospitalization (32%) and drugs (19%). The costs related to care in ambulatory and hospitalized cases were €90 and €2000 per case, respectively. This study provides the basic inputs for conducting cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit evaluations of chikungunya prevention strategies

The chiropteran haemosporidian Polychromophilus melanipherus : A worldwide species complex restricted to the family Miniopteridae

This paper attempts to expand on the current knowledge regarding the evolutionary history of bat haemosporidian parasites. Using modern molecular tools as adjuncts to existing morphological descriptions, our understanding of the diversity of these parasites is discussed. The biogeography and host range distribution together with possible host-parasite interactions remain to be evaluated in more detail. Using a nested-PCR cytochrome b mitochondrial gene approach, we established a screening programme and survey of several months duration for haemosporidian parasites in four central African bat species living in an ecological community. The aim of the study was to describe parasites morphologically and molecularly, together with parasite prevalence variations over time, and evaluate parasite host-specificity in these sympatric cave bats. Over the survey period, Polychromophilus melanipherus was the only haemosporidian parasite identified in Miniopterus inflatus, with a continuous molecular prevalence of at least 60%. Molecular phylogenetic analyses show that P. melanipherus is a monophyletic group infecting Miniopterus bats which is, a sister group to P. murinus and Polychromophilus spp. This monophyletic group is composed of different cyt b haplotypes molecularly distantly related (but morphologically similar), circulating without geographic or host species distinction. This suggests that P. melanipherus is a species complex restricted to the family Miniopteridae. The phylogenetic analysis confirms that Polychromophilus parasites are distributed worldwide and supports the view that they are more closely related to avian haemosporidian parasites

The HHIP-AS1 lncRNA promotes tumorigenicity through stabilization of dynein complex 1 in human SHH-driven tumors.

Most lncRNAs display species-specific expression patterns suggesting that animal models of cancer may only incompletely recapitulate the regulatory crosstalk between lncRNAs and oncogenic pathways in humans. Among these pathways, Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling is aberrantly activated in several human cancer entities. We unravel that aberrant expression of the primate-specific lncRNA HedgeHog Interacting Protein-AntiSense 1 (HHIP-AS1) is a hallmark of SHH-driven tumors including medulloblastoma and atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors. HHIP-AS1 is actively transcribed from a bidirectional promoter shared with SHH regulator HHIP. Knockdown of HHIP-AS1 induces mitotic spindle deregulation impairing tumorigenicity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, HHIP-AS1 binds directly to the mRNA of cytoplasmic dynein 1 intermediate chain 2 (DYNC1I2) and attenuates its degradation by hsa-miR-425-5p. We uncover that neither HHIP-AS1 nor the corresponding regulatory element in DYNC1I2 are evolutionary conserved in mice. Taken together, we discover an lncRNA-mediated mechanism that enables the pro-mitotic effects of SHH pathway activation in human tumors