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Background In adults, anti–tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) therapy is associated with progression of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) to TB disease, but pediatric data are limited. Methods Retrospective multicenter study within the Paediatric Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group, capturing patients Results Sixty-six tertiary healthcare institutions providing care for children with TB participated. Nineteen cases were identified: Crohn’s disease (n = 8; 42%) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (n = 6; 32%) were the commonest underlying conditions. Immune-based TB screening (tuberculin skin test and/or interferon-γ release assay) was performed in 15 patients before commencing anti–TNF-α therapy but only identified 1 LTBI case; 13 patients were already receiving immunosuppressants at the time of screening. The median interval between starting anti–TNF-α therapy and TB diagnosis was 13.1 (IQR, 7.1–20.3) months. All cases presented with severe disease, predominantly miliary TB (n = 14; 78%). One case was diagnosed postmortem. TB was microbiologically confirmed in 15 cases (79%). The median duration of anti-TB treatment was 50 (IQR, 46–66) weeks. Five of 15 (33%) cases who had completed TB treatment had long-term sequelae. Conclusions LTBI screening is frequently false-negative in this patient population, likely due to immunosuppressants impairing test performance. Therefore, patients with immune-mediated diseases should be screened for LTBI at the point of diagnosis, before commencing immunosuppressive medication. Children on anti–TNF-α therapy are prone to severe TB disease and significant long-term morbidity. Those observations underscore the need for robust LTBI screening programs in this high-risk patient population, even in low-TB-prevalence settings.

The World Health Organization European Region has one of the highest rates of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the world, resulting in many vulnerable children being exposed each year. Evidence for preventive therapy following MDR-TB exposure is limited and current guidance is conflicting. An internetbased survey was performed to determine clinical practice in this region. Seventy-Two clinicians from 25 countries participated. Practices related to screening and decision-making were highly variable. Just over half provided preventive therapy for children exposed to MDR-TB; the only characteristic associated with provision was practice within the European Union (adjusted OR 4.07, 95%CI 1.33-12.5). ©2017 The Union.

International audience; Study of the human antibody (Ab) response to Aedes salivary proteins can provide new biomarkers to evaluate human exposure to vector bites. The identification of genus- and/or species-specific proteins is necessary to improve the accuracy of biomarkers. We analysed Aedes albopictus immunogenic salivary proteins by 2D immunoproteomic technology and compared the profiles according to human individual exposure to Ae. albopictus or Ae. aegypti bites. Strong antigenicity to Ae. albopictus salivary proteins was detected in all individuals whatever the nature of Aedes exposure. Amongst these antigenic proteins, 68% are involved in blood feeding, including D7 protein family, adenosine deaminase, serpin and apyrase. This study provides an insight into the repertoire of Ae. albopictus immunogenic salivary proteins for the first time.

Tuberculous meningitis is a severe extrapulmonary form of tuberculosis and occurs especially in young children and adolescents. It is associated with high rates of death and morbidity, particularly when diagnosis is delayed. Early recognition improves outcome. Diagnosis is challenging because tuberculous meningitis has become rare in developed countries, and because of the nonspecific symptoms and the lack of sensitivity of the currently available diagnostic tools. Antituberculous treatment should be initiated on the basis of strong clinical suspicion, cerebrospinal fluid changes (leucocytosis, predominantly lymphocytes, increased protein and low glucose) and neuroimaging abnormalities. Do not wait until proof of infection has been obtained! Treatment should consist of 4 drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol) for 2 months followed by 2 drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin) for at least 10 months. Adjunctive corticosteroids are recommended for all children with tuberculous meningitis. We present a 17 - month - old girl with a severe central nervous system tuberculosis.

The prevalence of various pathotypes of Escherichia coli was investigated during a case-control study conducted in children diarrhoea in Yaoundé. Isolates obtained from the stools samples of children aged 6 months to 5 years were selected on phenotypic basis, and identified by virulence genes detection using polymerase chain reactions. The most prevalent pathotype was enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (25.8%). Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (3.6%), enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (1%), and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (0.2%) followed. No shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli were identified. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli was not associated with diarrhoea (cases 26.1%, controls 25.5%; P=0,887), unlike enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (cases 6.7%, controls 1%; P=0.003). Investigations into documented potentials of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli in causing diarrhoea and other related pathologies indicated that it could be a major public health threat in Cameroon despite the fact that it was not found associated with clinical diarrhoeal cases in this study. Keywords: Cameroon, diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli, public health. Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. Vol. 2 (3) 2008: pp. 272-280

No Abstract.Cameroon Journal of Experimental Biology Vol. 2 (2) 2006: pp. 95-101

The comparative prevalences of urinary tract lesions in 2 villages where urinary schistosomiasis was endemic and in a control village free from infection were assessed by ultrasonography. Of the 822 residents greater than 4 years of age in the first village (Sébéri) where the prevalence of infection was 57%, 279 were examined by ultrasonography. The prevalence of bladder lesions was 71% in those 5-14 years of age, 57% among adult men, and 24% among women in this endemic village, compared to 10%, 16%, and 6%, respectively, in the control village. Renal lesions were infrequent among adults and there was no significant difference in the rates between Sébéri and the control village. Among children, moderate hydronephrosis was absent in the control village, but was observed in 19% of the boys 5-14 years of age and 2% of the girls 5-14 years of age in Sébéri. Sixty schoolchildren of the second endemic village with urinary egg counts greater than or equal to 100 eggs/10 ml of urine were examined by ultrasonography. The overall prevalence and the severity of bladder lesions in the 2 endemic villages were significantly related to the urinary egg count.

In order to assess Schistosoma haematobium as an aetiologic factor in sideropenic anaemias, we compared a village with high prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis and a village without urinary schistosomiasis as a control. In the infested village, anaemias (haemoglobin value lower than 12 g/dl) especially affects children between 5 to 14 years old (71%:45/68). Boys being the most infestated group with S. haematobium (prevalence:100%; mean egg output: 496 eggs/10 ml of urine) are also the most anaemic group (82%:23/28). Comparing the two villages shows that urinary schistosomiasis increases the risk of acquiring anaemia by 30% among children aged 5 to 14. Furthermore, the parasitic disease reduces of 1 g/dl the mean haemoglobin level of adult males. On the other hand, S. haematobium is of minor importance as a cause of anaemia among women. The others aetiologies remain preponderant.

In order to assess the relation between urinary schistosomiasis and urinary tract infections (U.T.T.), a study of two villages in the surroundings of Niamey (Rep. of Niger) was undertaken. In the first village located near a rice plantation irrigation scheme, the global prevalence of S. haematobium infection was 77%. Boys between 5 to 14 years of age were all infected and their mean egg output was 500 eggs/10 ml of urine. In the second village, where water is supplied from wells, schistosomiasis was almost absent. Urinary tract infections were diagnosed upon the cytologic count of the urinary sediment and the urine culture. Comparison between S. haematobium infected and non-infected villages showed that the prevalence of U.T.I. was 3.8 times higher among the females of the infected village. This was also noticed for old men and especially for boys aged 5 to 14 (5.2% U.T.I.) for whom urinary infection is usually uncommon. However the mean blood pressure and the creatininemia showed no difference between the two populations. If schistosomiasis increases the risk of chronic pyelonephritis, that increase could not be accounted for with the measures of these two variables.

Ce projet recherche du programme ACI-ECCO repose sur une étude pluridisciplinaire des mécanismes de contamination des hydrosystèmes continentaux (cours d'eau et zones rivulaires associées). Dans ce qui suit, nous rapporterons des résultats acquis sur une analyse des flux métalliques du bassin expérimental de Decazeville, sur les premières caractérisations de la spéciation chimique des métaux, de leur biodisponibilité et des impacts toxiques sur la composante biologique des hydrosystèmes. Au terme de cette étude, l'intégration des résultats permettra d'améliorer les connaissances sur les relations entre Écodynamique des métaux-traces et Écotoxicologie et de promouvoir de nouvelles méthodes d'investigation, associant des outils complémentaires à l'interface « Chimie/Géochimie/ Biologie/Écologie/Écotoxicologie ».

31 Pág. Departamento de Medio Ambiente y Agronomía​, Tests using algae and/or cyanobacteria, invertebrates (crustaceans) and fish form the basic elements of an ecotoxicological assessment in a number of regulations, in particular for classification of a substance as hazardous or not to the aquatic environment according to the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS-CLP) (GHS, 2022) and the REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, EC, 2006). Standardised test guidelines (TGs) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are available to address the regulatory relevant endpoints of growth inhibition in algae and cyanobacteria (TG 201), acute toxicity to invertebrates (TG 202), and acute toxicity in fish (TG 203). Applying these existing OECD TGs for testing two dimensional (2D) graphene nanoforms may require more attention, additional considerations and/or adaptations of the protocols, because graphene materials are often problematic to test due to their unique attributes. In this review a critical analysis of all existing studies and approaches to testing used has been performed in order to comment on the current state of the science on testing and the overall ecotoxicity of 2D graphene materials. Focusing on the specific tests and available guidance's, a complete evaluation of aquatic toxicity testing for hazard classification of 2D graphene materials, as well as the use of alternative tests in an integrated approach to testing and assessment, has been made. This information is essential to ensure future assessments generate meaningful data that will fulfil regulatory requirements for the safe use of this "wonder" material., GrapheneCore3 - This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 881603 of the Graphene Flagship. Mona Connolly has received financing granted by the Community of Madrid (2018T2/AMB-11392, Mode 2, Young Doctor Recruitment). Giada Caorsi has also received financing from the Graphene Flagship Core 3 project “Safegraph” funded by the European Commission (Framework Partnership Agreement No. 649953)