Plasmodium falciparum malaria co-infection with tick-borne relapsing fever in Dakar

Abstract Background West African tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) due to Borrelia crocidurae and malaria are co-endemics in Senegal. Although expected to be high, co-infections are rarely reported. A case of falciparum malaria and B. crocidurae co-infection in a patient from Velingara (South of Senegal) is discussed. Case A 28\ua0year-old-male patient presented to Aristide Le Dantec Hospital for recurrent fever. He initially presented to a local post health of Pikine (sub-urban of Dakar) and was diagnosed for malaria on the basis of positive malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) specific to Plamodium falciparum . The patient was treated as uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Four days after admission the patient was referred to Le Dantec Hospital. He presented with fever (39\ua0\ub0C), soreness, headache and vomiting. The blood pressure was 120/80\ua0mmHg. The rest of the examination was normal. A thick film from peripheral blood was performed and addressed to the parasitology laboratory of the hospital. Thick film was stained with 10% Giemsa. Trophozoite of P. falciparum was identified at parasite density of 47 parasites per microlitre. The presence of Borrelia was also observed, concluding to malaria co-infection with borreliosis. Conclusions Signs of malaria can overlap with signs of borreliosis leading to the misdiagnosis of the latter. Thick and thin smear or QBC test or molecular method may be helpful to detect both Plamodium species and Borrelia . In addition, there is a real need to consider co-infections with other endemics pathogens when diagnosing malaria

Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Use and Periodontal Health in 15‐ to 44‐Year‐Old US Females

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141038/1/jper1008.pd

Towards sustainable, solution-processed organic field-effect transistors using cashew gum as the gate dielectric

To realize low-cost, environmentally friendly electronic devices and circuits, there is currently a strong trend to explore plant-based dielectric materials because they can be responsibly sourced from agricultural or forest vegetation, are generally water-soluble, and possess good electrical insulator properties. In this contribution, organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) using a biopolymer dielectric obtained from exudates of Anacardium occidentale Linn. trees, namely, cashew gum (CG), are reported. To characterise the physical and dielectric properties of the gum, thin films and metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors were prepared and characterized. To evaluate the material’s performance in OFETs, bottom-gate top-contact (BGTC) p-channel poly [3,6-di(2-thien-5-yl)-2,5-di(2-octyldodecyl)-pyrrolo (3,4-c)pyrrole-1,4-dione) thieno (3,2-b) thiophene]:polymethyl methacrylate (DPPTTT:PMMA) transistors were engineered and studied. The fabricated MIM capacitors display a comparatively high areal capacitance of 260 nF/cm2 at 1 kHz for 130 nm thick films. As a result, the solution-processed DPPTTT:PMMA OFETs favourably operate at 3 V with the average saturation field-effect mobility equal to 0.20 cm2/Vs., threshold voltage around −1.4 V, subthreshold swing in the region of 250 mV/dec, and ON/OFF current ratio well above 103. As such, cashew gum emerges as a promising dielectric for sustainable manufacturing of solution-processed organic FETs

Low Immune Response to Hepatitis B Vaccine among Children in Dakar, Senegal

HBV vaccine was introduced into the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in Senegal and Cameroon in 2005. We conducted a cross-sectional study in both countries to assess the HBV immune protection among children. All consecutive children under 4 years old, hospitalized for any reason between May 2009 and May 2010, with an immunisation card and a complete HBV vaccination, were tested for anti-HBs and anti-HBc. A total of 242 anti-HBc-negative children (128 in Cameroon and 114 in Senegal) were considered in the analysis. The prevalence of children with anti-HBs ≥10 IU/L was higher in Cameroon with 92% (95% CI: 87%–97%) compared to Senegal with 58% (95% CI: 49%–67%), (p<0.001). The response to vaccination in Senegal was lower in 2006–2007 (43%) than in 2008–2009 (65%), (p = 0.028). Our results, although not based on a representative sample of Senegalese or Cameroonian child populations, reveal a significant problem in vaccine response in Senegal. This response problem extends well beyond hepatitis B: the same children who have not developed an immune response to the HBV vaccine are also at risk for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTwP) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Field biological monitoring should be carried out regularly in resource-poor countries to check quality of the vaccine administered

Th1/Th2 Dichotomy in Obese Women with Gestational Diabetes and Their Macrosomic Babies

International audienceThe aim of the study was to assess T cell differentiation and the modulation of inflammatory cytokines in obese and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) women and their macrosomic newborns. Hence, immediately after delivery, blood samples were collected through the mother's arm vein and the umbilical cordon vein. Biochemical parameters measured were HbA1C, glucose, insulin, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (Tchol), HDL cholesterol (HDLchol), and LDL cholesterol (LDLchol). T lymphocytes were purified from the total blood with Ficoll-Paque. The mRNA expression of inflammatory markers in T cells was determined by RT-qPCR. We observed that diabetic mothers exhibited higher HbA1C, glycemia, insulinemia, TG, Tchol, HDLchol, and LDLchol levels than control mothers. Glycemia was not significantly different between macrosomic and control newborns. However, insulinemia was high in macrosomic babies. TG, Tchol, HDLchol, and LDLchol were not significantly different between macrosomic and control babies. In diabetic mothers, mRNA expression of the Th1 cell subtype was significantly increased. Th1 markers were upregulated in babies born to diabetic women than in control newborns. However, expression of two Th2 markers (GATA3 and IL-4) was not significantly different between control and GDM women and between their respective newborns. Interestingly, IL-10 mRNA expression was decreased in diabetic mothers and their offsprings. The Th1/Th2 cytokine ratio was increased in GDM obese mothers and their macrosomic newborns, suggesting a proinflammatory status in these subjects