Vaccination in emergencies.

Nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) are the main actors of vaccine delivery during complex humanitarian emergencies such as large population displacements. This paper discusses the use of vaccinations against measles, cholera and meningitis in this context. The role of NGOs in the advocacy for making new and more effective vaccines available to the most vulnerable populations is also emphasised

Risk factors for death in hospitalized dysentery patients in Rwanda.

To evaluate the management of severe dysentery cases in in-patient facilities during an epidemic of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (Sd1), and to identify the factors associated with the risk of death, we conducted a prospective cohort study in 10 Rwandese hospitals between September and December 1994. Data were obtained from 849 cases admitted to hospitals with diarrhoea and visible blood in stools. The proportion of patients with persistent bloody diarrhoea was 51.0% at treatment day 3 and 27.9% at treatment day 5. At discharge, 79.9% had improved or were cured. The case fatality ratio was 13.2%, higher for patients treated with nalidixic acid than for those treated with ciprofloxacin (12.2% vs. 2.2%, RR = 5.80, 95% CI = 0.83-40.72). In a logistic regression model three risk factors were significantly associated with an increased risk of death during hospitalization: severe dehydration on admission (adjusted OR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.46-5.33), age over 50 (adjusted OR vs. 5-49 age group = 3.22, 95% CI = 1.70-6.11) and prescription of nalidixic acid (adjusted OR vs. ciprofloxacin = 8.66, 95% CI = 1.08-69.67). Those results were consistent with reported high levels of resistance of Sd1 to the commonest antibiotics, including nalidixic acid. Patients belonging to groups with a higher risk of dying should be given special medical attention and supportive care. In areas of high resistance to nalidixic acid, severe cases of dysentery should be treated with fluoroquinolones in order to reduce the mortality associated with these epidemics

Tests d'évaluation du degré de pollution des sédiments marins : effets sur la production de larves et la consommation d'algues chez le copépode Tigriopus brevicornis

L'eau interstitielle ou l'eau de lessivage d'un sédiment est mise en contact avec des lots de 50 femelles ovigères du copépode Tigriopus brevicornis. Notons que ce microcrustacé marin est sensible à la pollution mais résistant aux caractéristiques physico-chimiques des types d'eaux testés (salinité et température notamment). On évalue ensuite les effets de ces eaux sur la production larvaire en 10 jours et sur l'ingestion en 4 jours par les copépodes d'une suspension de Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Nous observons ici, pour des lots de sédiments provenant de la région de Marseille, des réductions de la production de larves variant de 61 % (Les Embiez) à 90 % (Vaine). Le test "consommation d'algues", bien moins sensible aboutit pour les mêmes stations à des réductions de 19 % à 35 %. Le test "production larvaire" du fait de sa plus grande sensibilité doit être préféré au test "consommation d'algues".Most pollutants discharged into the sea are found in sediments, generally after temporary fixation in planktonic organisms. The slightest discharge leaves a trace in the soft bottoms. Thus, it may be said that these behave as good "data storage indicators" testifying to the degree of pollution present. Sediments therefore represent a privileged field in research on the state of pollution in the aquatic ecosystem. How can the degree of pollution in this field be evaluated?A chemical analysis of pollutants in sediments is a good means of investigation to detect of degradation in the quality of waters. Most pollutants however are difficult to detect and dose. Moreover, in many cases dosage is tedious and costly. It is from this point of view that biological assays were considered essential.Interstitial water or water used to wash a sediment was placed in contact with batches of 50 ovigerous females of the copepod Tigriopus brevicornis. This marine microcrustacean is known to be sensitive to pollution, though resisting the physical and chemical effects of the waters tested (salinity and temperature, in particular). An evaluation was the made on the effects of these waters; first on larval production during a period of ten days, and then on ingestion by copepeds of a suspension of Pheodactylum tricornutum for four days.The results obtained here with batches of sediment from the Marseilles region show that the larval production test is the most sensitive one. Indeed, the inhibition percentages found by the larval production test range from 35 to 100 % (figure 1), whereas they vary from 5 to 55 % with the algae consumption test (figure 2). With the larval production test, it is possible to classify sediments according to their ecological quality.From this test, moreover, the presence of harmful substances in the sediments can be rapidly detected. Being reproductible and not expensive, it supplements the far too restrictive traditional chemical analyses. When applied to estuarine sedimentary zones, combined with other tests, it should help establish a quality coefficient for sediments based on experimentation

The Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) of British Columbia’s Coastal Rainforests

The mainland coast of British Columbia (BC) is a remote area that is comparatively free from human-caused disturbance. However, concerns about current and anticipated increases in industrial forestry activity have prompted conservation biologists to investigate the biota in this understudied region. We were commissioned by the Raincoast Conservation Society to study coastal wolves so that information could be incorporated into ongoing conservation planning and education efforts. The summer of 2000 marked the pilot season of a multi-year research project. Our team spent more than 240 person days in the field during the summer and fall seasons. We surveyed 18 mainland watersheds and 21 islands in an area greater than 29,000-km2 (land and sea). We examined scats to describe wolf diet, collected genetic material, and noted other natural history observations. We also conducted an extensive review of scientific literature and made estimates of population size and human-caused mortality