The morphological discrimination of microfilariae of Onchocerca volvulus from Mansonella ozzardi.

There is no published account which allows the morphological discrimination of microfilariae of Onchocerca volvulus and M. ozzardi from each other. However, they occur together in parts of Brazil and Venezuela, and presumably there is always the possibility that migration could establish new sympatric populations in the future. The objective of this study was to evaluate simple morphological characters that might be used for species-diagnosis of microfilariae. The conclusions were that the location of microfilariae in the blood or skin, the body size and the nucleation of the nerve ring are expected to be useful first indications of species identity, but cannot be used for confident diagnosis. The structure of the cephalic armature (stained with alcian blue) seems to be species specific, but is of limited application because it is often difficult to see. However, the pattern of nucleation of the tail (as expressed by the ratio of the length of the terminal nucleus compared with the length of the tail space) is distinctive and is expected to be diagnostic

RECRUDESCENCE OF ONCHOCERCIASIS IN THE COMOÉ VALLEY IN SOUTHWEST BURKINA FASO.

: Onchocerciasis control by vector control was instigated in southwest Burkina Faso in January 1969 by ORSTOM/OCCGE, and continued until operations were taken over by the WHO Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) in February 1975, which itself ceased operations in the area in 1989 when onchocerciasis was judged to have been reduced to insignificant levels. Initially (1969-1975) vector immigration maintained unacceptably high levels of transmission, but OCP was much larger than the preceding campaign and in 1975 the Annual Transmission Potential (ATP) dropped below 100 at all sites in the Comoé river valley except Folonzo, which continued to be subject to reinvasion, along with the whole of the Léraba river valley. However, after the southern extension of the OCP in 1979, ATPs dropped below 100 everywhere in the Comoé basin (including the Léraba valley), and further dropped to insignificant levels after the western extension of the OCP in 1985. Thus transmission dropped more quickly in the Comoé river valley than the Léraba river valley (which had been subject to vector reinvasion), and this was also reflected in prevalence of microfilaraemia in the human population. After 1986 prevalence was less than 5% in all villages in the Comoé river valley (except for two, which subsequently dropped to 0% and 3.7% by 1999). However, in 2001 (12 years after the cessation of vector control) the prevalence in one village in the Comoé river valley had increased to 39.6%, and two more had increased above 5% by 2007. New epidemiological surveys in 2011 and 2012 showed that in 13 out of 30 villages in the Comoé river valley prevalence of microfilaraemia was above 5%, although this was not observed in the Léraba river valley where prevalence remained low. This is the first documented case of recrudescence of onchocerciasis in the old OCP area, and the reasons are not clear. It is possible that there has been immigration of parasites with humans or vectors from areas where there has been a shorter period of control, or that control has been less effective. It is possible that in spite of very low levels of transmission the local parasite population was never reduced to a level below the transmission breakpoint, or that there has been a local recrudescence due to stochastic population effects. In any case it is clear that the distribution of ivermectin against lymphatic filariasis in the area since 2004 has failed to prevent the recrudescence of onchocerciasis, and the Burkina Faso Programme National de Lutte contre l'Onchocercose (PNLO - Ministere de la Santé) has instigated a programme of Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin specifically aimed at onchocerciasis in accordance with the strategy developed by APOC and recommended to governments by OCP when it was dissolved in 2002.<br/

Aquatic Hemiptera in Southwest Cameroon: Biodiversity of Potential Reservoirs of Mycobacterium ulcerans and multiple wolbachia sequence types revealed by metagenomics

Buruli ulcer (BU), caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, is a neglected tropical disease associated with freshwater habitats. A variety of limnic organisms harbor this pathogen, including aquatic bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), which have been hypothesized to be epidemiologically important reservoirs. Aquatic Hemiptera exhibit high levels of diversity in the tropics, but species identification remains challenging. In this study, we collected aquatic bugs from emerging foci of BU in the Southwest Region of Cameroon, which were identified using morphological and molecular methods. The bugs were screened for mycobacterial DNA and a selection of 20 mycobacteria-positive specimens from the families Gerridae and Veliidae were subjected to next-generation sequencing. Only one individual revealed putative M. ulcerans DNA, but all specimens contained sequences from the widespread alphaproteobacterial symbiont, Wolbachia. Phylogenetic analysis placed the Wolbachia sequences into supergroups A, B, and F. Circularized mitogenomes were obtained for seven gerrids and two veliids, the first from these families for the African continent. This study suggests that aquatic Hemiptera may have a minor role (if any) in the spread of BU in Southwest Cameroon. Our metagenomic analysis provides new insights into the incursion of Wolbachia into aquatic environments and generated valuable resources to aid molecular taxonomic studies of aquatic Hemiptera. © 2019 by the authors

Behavioral determinants as predictors of return to work after long-term sickness absence: an application of the theory of planned behavior

Background The aim of this prospective, longitudinal cohort study was to analyze the association between the three behavioral determinants of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model-attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy-and the time to return-to-work (RTW) in employees on long-term sick leave. Methods The study was based on a sample of 926 employees on sickness absence (maximum duration of 12 weeks). The employees filled out a baseline questionnaire and were subsequently followed until the tenth month after listing sick. The TPB-determinants were measured at baseline. Work attitude was measured with a Dutch language version of the Work Involvement Scale. Subjective norm was measured with a self-structured scale reflecting a person's perception of social support and social pressure. Self-efficacy was measured with the three subscales of a standardised Dutch version of the general self-efficacy scale (ALCOS): willingness to expend effort in completing the behavior, persistence in the face of adversity, and willingness to initiate behavior. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to identify behavioral determinants of the time to RTW. Results Median time to RTW was 160 days. In the univariate analysis, all potential prognostic factors were significantly associated (P < 0.15) with time to RTW: work attitude, social support, and the three subscales of self-efficacy. The final multivariate model with time to RTW as the predicted outcome included work attitude, social support and willingness to expend effort in completing the behavior as significant predictive factors. Conclusions This prospective, longitudinal cohort-study showed that work attitude, social support and willingness to expend effort in completing the behavior are significantly associated with a shorter time to RTW in employees on long-term sickness absence. This provides suggestive evidence for the relevance of behavioral characteristics in the prediction of duration of sickness absence. It may be a promising approach to address the behavioral determinants in the development of interventions focusing on RTW in employees on long-term sick leave

Board Ethics and Auditor Choice – International Evidence

2 Board Ethics and Auditor Choice – International Evidence ABSTRACT This study examines whether firms‟ auditor choice relates reflects the strength of board ethics. Using a large sample of firms 132,853 firm year observations from forty-six countries around the globe. and controlling for a number of firm- and country-level factors, we find that firms in countries where “high board ethical values” prevail are more likely to hire a Big 4 auditor. We also find that the relation between board ethical values and auditor choice is mitigated by the firm‟s board size. These results establish an indirect link between board ethics and financial reporting quality through the firm‟s choice of auditor

The role of receptor MAS in microglia-driven retinal vascular development

Objective: The receptor MAS, encoded by Mas1, is expressed in microglia and its activation has been linked to anti-inflammatory actions. However, microglia are involved in several different processes in the central nervous system, including the promotion of angiogenesis. We therefore hypothesized that the receptor MAS also plays a role in angiogenesis via microglia. Approach and results: To assess the role of MAS on vascular network development, flat-mounted retinas from 3-day-old wild-type (WT) and Mas1−/− mice were subjected to Isolectin B4 staining. The progression of the vascular front was reduced (− 24%, p < 0.0001) and vascular density decreased (− 38%, p < 0.001) in Mas1−/− compared to WT mice with no change in the junction density. The number of filopodia and filopodia bursts were decreased in Mas1−/− mice at the vascular front (− 21%, p < 0.05; − 29%, p < 0.0001, respectively). This was associated with a decreased number of vascular loops and decreased microglial density at the vascular front in Mas1−/− mice (-32%, p < 0.001; − 26%, p < 0.05, respectively). As the front of the developing vasculature is characterized by reduced oxygen levels, we determined the expression of Mas1 following hypoxia in primary microglia from 3-day-old WT mice. Hypoxia induced a 14-fold increase of Mas1 mRNA expression (p < 0.01). Moreover, stimulation of primary microglia with a MAS agonist induced expression of Notch1 (+ 57%, p < 0.05), Dll4 (+ 220%, p  < 0.001) and Jag1 (+ 137%, p < 0.001), genes previously described to mediate microglia/endothelial cell interaction during angiogenesis. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that the activation of MAS is important for microglia recruitment and vascular growth in the developing retina

A large-scale study of a poultry trading network in Bangladesh: implications for control and surveillance of avian influenza viruses

Since its first report in 2007, avian influenza (AI) has been endemic in Bangladesh. While live poultry marketing is widespread throughout the country and known to influence AI dissemination and persistence, trading patterns have not been described. The aim of this study is to assess poultry trading practices and features of the poultry trading networks which could promote AI spread, and their potential implications for disease control and surveillance. Data on poultry trading practices was collected from 849 poultry traders during a cross-sectional survey in 138 live bird markets (LBMs) across 17 different districts of Bangladesh. The quantity and origins of traded poultry were assessed for each poultry type in surveyed LBMs. The network of contacts between farms and LBMs resulting from commercial movements of live poultry was constructed to assess its connectivity and to identify the key premises influencing it

Transient parkinsonism in isolated extrapontine myelinolysis

Extrapontine myelinolysis (EPM) is a rare cause of parkinsonism. In this case report, we describe a 63-year-old woman with parkinsonism due to EPM after correction of hyponatremia. During a 4-year follow-up, both the clinical features of parkinsonism and the changes on magnetic resonance imaging resolved. Parkinsonism due to EPM should be recognized as it has a good prognosis

"Slash and Clear", a Community-Based Vector Control Method to Reduce Onchocerciasis Transmission by Simulium sirbanum in Maridi, South Sudan: A Prospective Study

Background: High ongoing Onchocerca volvulus transmission was recently documented in Maridi County, South Sudan. To complement community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) as the main onchocerciasis control strategy, we initiated a community-based vector control method “slash and clear” at the Maridi dam, a Simulium damnosum s.l. breeding site, to reduce O. volvulus transmission. Methods: Simulium damnosum s.l. biting rates were collected before and during the twenty months following the “slash and clear” intervention using the human landing catches. Black flies were dissected to measure parity rates before and twelve months after the intervention. Larvae and pupae of S. damnosum s.l. were collected from the dam for morphological and chromosomal characterization to identify the cytospecies involved. Results: Biting rates of S. damnosum s.l. close to the Maridi dam spillway decreased by >90% post-“slash and clear” for more than six months. Twelve months after the “slash and clear” intervention, the reduction in biting rates was still at <50% (p = 0.0007). Parity rates reduced from 13% pre-“slash and clear” (November 2019) to 5.6% post-“slash and clear” (November 2020). Larvae collected from the dam were identified as Simulium sirbanum. Conclusion: The “slash and clear” method was found to be an effective and cheap community-based method to reduce black fly biting rates caused by S. sirbanum. When repeated at least annually together with a high CDTI coverage, this intervention has the potential to considerably accelerate onchocerciasis elimination

Cytotaxonomic characterization and estimation of migration patterns of onchocerciasis vectors (Simulium damnosum sensu lato) in northwestern Ethiopia based on RADSeq data

While much progress has been made in the control and elimination of onchocerciasis across Africa, the extent to which vector migration might confound progress towards elimination or result in re-establishment of endemism in areas where transmission has been eliminated remains unclear. In Northern Ethiopia, Metema and Metekel-two foci located near the Sudan border-exhibit continuing transmission. While progress towards elimination has been faster in Metema, there remains a problematic hotspot of transmission. Whether migration from Metekel contributes to this is currently unknown. To assess the role of vector migration from Metekel into Metema, we present a population genomics study of 151 adult female vectors using 47,638 RADseq markers and mtDNA CoI sequencing. From additional cytotaxonomy data we identified a new cytoform in Metema, closely related to S. damnosum s.str, here called the Gondar form. RADseq data strongly indicate the existence of two distinctly differentiated clusters within S. damnosum s.l.: one genotypic cluster found only in Metema, and the second found predominantly in Metekel. Because blackflies from both clusters were found in sympatry (in all four collection sites in Metema), but hybrid genotypes were not detected, there may be reproductive barriers preventing interbreeding. The dominant genotype in Metema was not found in Metekel while the dominant genotype in Metekel was found in Metema, indicating that (at the time of sampling) migration is primarily unidirectional, with flies moving from Metekel to Metema. There was strong differentiation between clusters but little genetic differentiation within clusters, suggesting migration and gene flow of flies within the same genetic cluster are sufficient to prevent genetic divergence between sites. Our results confirm that Metekel and Metema represent different transmission foci, but also indicate a northward movement of vectors between foci that may have epidemiological importance, although its significance requires further study