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Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) emerged in the Caribbean island of Saint-Martin in December 2013. We implemented a hospital-based surveillance system to detect and describe CHIKV cases including severe forms of the infection and deaths in the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. A case was defined as a patient with a CHIKV laboratory confirmation cared for in a public hospital for chikungunya for at least 24 hours, and a severe CHIKV case was defined as a CHIKV case presenting one or more organ failures. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected and cases classified into severe or nonsevere based on medical records. From December 2013 to January 2015, a total of 1,836 hospitalized cases were identified. Rate of hospital admissions for CHIKV infection was 60 per 10,000 suspected clinical CHIKV cases and severity accounted for 12 per 10,000. A total of 74 deaths related to CHIKV infection occurred. Infants and elderly people were more frequently hospitalized compared with others and severity was more frequently reported in elderly subjects and subjects with underlying health condition. Fifteen neonatal infections consecutive to mother-to-child transmission were diagnosed, seven of which were severe. The most vulnerable groups of the population, such as the elderly, infants, individuals with comorbidities, and pregnant women, should remain the main targets of public health priorities.

International audience

International audience; BACKGROUND: Epidemiological analysis of past influenza epidemics remains essential to understand the evolution of the disease and optimize control and prevention strategies. Here, we aimed to use data collected by a primary care surveillance system over the last three decades to study trends in influenza epidemics and describe epidemic profiles according to circulating influenza viruses.METHODS: Influenza-like illness (ILI) weekly incidences were estimated using cases reported by general practitioners participating in the French Sentinelles network, between 1984 and 2017. Influenza epidemics were detected by applying a periodic regression to this time series. Epidemic (co-)dominant influenza virus (sub)types were determined using French virology data.RESULTS: During the study period, 297 607 ILI cases were reported allowing the detection of 33 influenza epidemics. On average, seasonal epidemics lasted 9 weeks and affected 4.1% of the population (95% CI 3.5; 4.7). Mean age of cases was 29 years. Epidemic size decreased over time by -66 cases per 100 000 population per season on average (95% CI -132; -0.2, P value = 0.049) and epidemic height decreased by -15 cases per 100 000 (95% CI -28; -2, P value = 0.022). Epidemic duration appeared stable over time. Epidemics were mostly dominated by A(H3N2) (n = 17, 52%), associated with larger epidemic size, higher epidemic peak and older age of cases.CONCLUSIONS: The declining trend in influenza epidemic size and height over the last 33 years might be related to several factors like increased vaccine coverage, hygiene improvements or changing in influenza viruses. However, further researches are needed to assess the impact of potential contributing factors to adapt influenza plans.

Contemporary concerns have been brought into the light of scientific research, emerging simultaneously with the intensifi-cation of animal production ushered by the industrialization of agriculture over the past five decades. This gave birth to the burgeoning science that is animal welfare. First and foremost, this thesis briefly reviews what the term welfare signifies and precisely entails, replacing it to its rightful place: a scientific concept, legitimately embedded in the heart of biological science, notably through its rela-tionship to the notion of stress. By under-standing its multidimensional nature, which renders its assessment so complex, we can better comprehend the disagreements it carries inside the scientific community. Keeping all these concepts and views in mind, supplying us with a brand new precious toolbox, the review turns to the exploration of the literature on music, its various effects on animals and its possible incidences on stress and welfare. This thesis work is highlighting some substantial points, inter alia linked to the inherent nature of the stimuli that is music itself, that have been problematic when trying to draw definitive conclusions on the existence of beneficial effects of music on the welfare of animals. It is raising the curtain on important issues with a desire to clear the field for a future experimental program and to lay the first stones of a protocol that humbly wishes itself to satisfy both of the welfarists' and musicologists' concerns and demands.

International audience; Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) emerged in the Caribbean island of Saint-Martin in December 2013. Weimplemented a hospital-based surveillance system to detect and describe CHIKV cases including severe forms of theinfection and deaths in the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. A case was defined as a patient with a CHIKV laboratoryconfirmation cared for in a public hospital for chikungunya for at least 24 hours, and a severe CHIKV case was defined as aCHIKV case presenting one or more organ failures. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected andcases classified into severe or nonsevere based on medical records. From December 2013 to January 2015, a total of1,836 hospitalized cases were identified. Rate of hospital admissions for CHIKV infection was 60 per 10,000 suspectedclinical CHIKV cases and severity accounted for 12 per 10,000. A total of 74 deaths related to CHIKV infection occurred.Infants and elderly people were more frequently hospitalized compared with others and severity was more frequentlyreported in elderly subjects and subjects with underlying health condition. Fifteen neonatal infections consecutive tomother-to-child transmission were diagnosed, seven of which were severe. The most vulnerable groups of the population,such as the elderly, infants, individuals with comorbidities, and pregnant women, should remain the main targets of publichealth priorities.

International audience; Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been reported to be associated with Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in case reports and retrospective studies, mostly on the basis of serological tests, with the problematic cross-reacting antibodies of the Flavivirus genus. Some GBS cases do not exhibit a high level of diagnostic certainty. This prospective study aimed to describe the clinical profiles and the frequency of GBS associated with ZIKV during the ZIKV outbreak in Martinique in 2016.Methods: We recorded prospective data from GBS meeting levels 1 or 2 of diagnostic certainty for the Brighton Collaboration, with proof of recent ZIKV infection and negative screening for etiologies of GBS.Results: Of the sample of 34 patients with suspected GBS during the outbreak, 30 had a proven presence of GBS, and 23 had a recent ZIKV infection. The estimated GBS incidence rate ratio (2016 vs 2006-2015) was 4.52 (95% confidence interval, 2.80-7.64; P = .0001). Recent ZIKV infection was confirmed by urine reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis in 17 cases and by serology in 6 cases. Patients, 65% of whom were male, had a median age of 61 years (interquartile range, 56-71 years) and experienced severe GBS. Electrophysiological tests were consistent with the primary demyelinating form of the disease.Conclusions: ZIKV infection is usually benign, when symptomatic, but in countries at risk of ZIKV epidemics, adequate intensive care bed capacity is required for management of severe GBS cases. Arbovirus RNA detection by RT-PCR should be part of the management of GBS cases.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) emerged in the Caribbean island of Saint-Martin in December 2013. We implemented a hospital-based surveillance system to detect and describe CHIKV cases including severe forms of the infection and deaths in the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. A case was defined as a patient with a CHIKV laboratory confirmation cared for in a public hospital for chikungunya for at least 24 hours, and a severe CHIKV case was defined as a CHIKV case presenting one or more organ failures. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected and cases classified into severe or nonsevere based on medical records. From December 2013 to January 2015, a total of 1,836 hospitalized cases were identified. Rate of hospital admissions for CHIKV infection was 60 per 10,000 suspected clinical CHIKV cases and severity accounted for 12 per 10,000. A total of 74 deaths related to CHIKV infection occurred. Infants and elderly people were more frequently hospitalized compared with others and severity was more frequently reported in elderly subjects and subjects with underlying health condition. Fifteen neonatal infections consecutive to mother-to-child transmission were diagnosed, seven of which were severe. The most vulnerable groups of the population, such as the elderly, infants, individuals with comorbidities, and pregnant women, should remain the main targets of public health priorities.

In December 2012, an outbreak of acute gastrointestinal illness occurred in a geographical distinct area in Denmark covering 368 households. A combined microbiological, epidemiological and environmental investigation was initiated to understand the outbreak magnitude, pathogen(s) and vehicle in order to control the outbreak. Norovirus GII.4 New Orleans 2009 variant was detected in 15 of 17 individual stool samples from 14 households. Norovirus genomic material from water samples was detected and quantified and sequencing of longer parts of the viral capsid region (>1000 nt) were applied to patient and water samples. All five purposely selected water samples tested positive for norovirus GII in levels up to 1.8×104 genomic units per 200 ml. Identical norovirus sequences were found in all 5 sequenced stool samples and 1 sequenced water sample, a second sequenced water sample showed 1 nt (

The initiation of mRNA degradation often requires deprotection of its 5′ end. In eukaryotes, the 5′-methylguanosine (cap) structure is principally removed by the Nudix family decapping enzyme Dcp2, yielding a 5′-monophosphorylated RNA that is a substrate for 5′ exoribonucleases. In bacteria, the 5′-triphosphate group of primary transcripts is also converted to a 5′ monophosphate by a Nudix protein called RNA pyrophosphohydrolase (RppH), allowing access to both endo- and 5′ exoribonucleases. Here we present the crystal structures of Bacillus subtilis RppH (BsRppH) bound to GTP and to a triphosphorylated dinucleotide RNA. In contrast to Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus RppH, which recognizes the first nucleotide of its RNA targets, the B. subtilis enzyme has a binding pocket that prefers guanosine residues in the second position of its substrates. The identification of sequence specificity for RppH in an internal position was a highly unexpected result. NMR chemical shift mapping in solution shows that at least three nucleotides are required for unambiguous binding of RNA. Biochemical assays of BsRppH on RNA substrates with single-base–mutation changes in the first four nucleotides confirm the importance of guanosine in position two for optimal enzyme activity. Our experiments highlight important structural and functional differences between BsRppH and the RNA deprotection enzymes of distantly related bacteria.

Background: Venice II is a project funded in 2008 by the European centre for disease Prevention and control to collect information on the national vaccination programmes, to increase their knowledge and to know the impact of new vaccines introduced in member states (MS). In 2006-2007, two vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) were authorized in Europe.Methods: an online survey was carried out to investigate the decision-making process undertaken regarding the potential introduction of the HPV vaccinations into MS national immunization pro- grammes as well as to investigate the modalities of implementation of the vaccination programmes. there were specific questions about health technology assessment and reports of the countries that had carried them out were reviewed.Results: in 21 of the 29 MS, the national advisory body recommended to introduce HPV vaccination in their national immunization schedule and in 18 countries introduced it. only 6 countries have realized a health technology assessments (Hta) report, each one with different methodology, but in all of them both vaccines show positive evaluations.Conclusion: from the available Hta, HPV vaccination is cost-effective under the assumption of a life- long protection. Screening programme for cervical cancer and HPV vaccination programme should be always complementary. organizational aspects need to be taken into account to improve the vaccina- tion. HPV vaccination should target girls before the debut of their sexual life. Instead HPV vaccination of boys has not been demonstrated as bringing significant epidemiological benefits and has not been shown as being cost-effective. ...

International audience; Ribonucleases J1 and J2 are recently discovered enzymes with dual 5'-to-3' exoribonucleolytic/endoribonucleolytic activity that plays a key role in the maturation and degradation of Bacillus subtilis RNAs. RNase J1 is essential, while its paralogue RNase J2 is not. Up to now, it had generally been assumed that the two enzymes functioned independently. Here we present evidence that RNases J1 and J2 form a complex that is likely to be the predominant form of these enzymes in wild-type cells. While both RNase J1 and the RNase J1/J2 complex have robust 5'-to-3' exoribonuclease activity in vitro, RNase J2 has at least two orders of magnitude weaker exonuclease activity, providing a possible explanation for why RNase J1 is essential. The association of the two proteins also has an effect on the endoribo-nucleolytic properties of RNases J1 and J2. While the individual enzymes have similar endonucleolytic cleavage activities and specificities, as a complex they behave synergistically to alter cleavage site preference and to increase cleavage efficiency at specific sites. These observations dramatically change our perception of how these ribonucleases function and provide an interesting example of enzyme subfunctionalization after gene duplication.

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There is currently no economically viable method to monitor the nutrition of individual goats reared in confinement. Fecal nearinfrared reflectance spectroscopy (“fecal NIRS”) enables to predict dietary attributes, based on the analysis of the reflectance of feces in the Near Infrared. Fecal NIRS calibration datasets comprise fecal NIR spectra paired with their associated dietary information. Dedicated trials to generate such datasets are costly, but such datasets are also the outcome of digestibility trials conducted by the hundreds throughout the world. We asked whether data-mining past digestibility trials in which fecal samples were retained could be used to construct fecal NIRS calibrations. This depends on the stability of fecal NIR spectra over years. Using fecal samples that were NIR-scanned in 2003, kept in dry storage at room temperature for 3 years and then scanned again in 2006, we found that the spectra changed, in particular in NIR regions related with CP and digestibility, but the five principal component scores, explaining almost all the spectral variability, were not modified. Fecal NIRS calibration equations based on 375 fecal samples collected in three countries from dairy goats between 1978 and 2001 were less precise and accurate than those based on a subset of 134 samples collected after 1988, which predicted the dietary percentages of hay, silage, corn stover, and beet pulp with high R2 cal > 0.97 and accuracy values – estimated by the standard error of cross-validation (SECV) – of 4.1%, 3.2%, 6.0%, and 2.2% of DM, respectively. The R2 cal and SECV for dietary percentage of concentrate was 0.89 and 6.4%, respectively. All dietary chemical percentages were predicted with R2 cal values above 0.93. The SECV values for dietary percentages of CP, NDF, ADF, and ADL were 0.9%, 2.9%, 1.7%, and 0.60% of DM. External validations of NDF and ADF were satisfactory. The digestibility of OM and NDF featured R2 cal values of 0.88 and 0.94, with SECV values of 2.7% and 4.1%. The intakes ofDMand CP were predicted with R2 cal > 0.91 and SECV values of 264 and 45 g d−1, respectively. These results suggest that monitoring the feeding efficiency and nutritional traceability of individual goats by fecal NIRS is potentially feasible. Recent fecal samples should be used, but moderately aged samples (

The continuous surveillance of suicide and attempted suicide cases was added to the tasks of the French Sentinel Network of General Practitioners (GPs) in 1999. In 2001, 9700 suicides were estimated to have occurred and an estimated 61 500 attempted suicide cases were diagnosed by GPs, representing approximately 40% of cases nationwide. The majority of suicide and attempted suicide cases involved women (67%) and 43% of all cases involved patients aged 25-44 years. The fatality rate increased with age. About 80% of GPs complied with the current recommendation to refer patients who had attempted suicide to hospital.