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Periodically, the French West Indies receive dust originating from North Africa (NA). Microorganisms associated with desert dust can be transported over long distances through the atmosphere and could represent a means for the remote colonization of new habitats by putatively pathogenic microorganisms. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity and frequency of microbial agents (bacteria, eukaryotes) in NA dusts and the potential threat toward human and/or animal health by comparing microbial air composition during dust events and in control samples. In 2017 and 2018, 16 samples were collected during seven NA dust episodes and there were 9 controls. The microbial composition of the samples was characterized using a cultivable approach and by metabarcoding analyses (16S and 18S). A greater bacterial load and greater diversity were observed during the dust events, and some genera were significantly associated with the events. Some, such as Geodermatophilus, can be considered signature species of NA dust. No pathogenic species were found with the cultivable approach, whereas the metabarcoding analyses highlighted the presence of several potentially pathogenic species or known human pathogens such as Naegleria fowleri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires member states to routinely assess the river ecological status using community-based indices. However, there is still a lack of published WFD-compliant methods for the French West Indies, especially using diatom-based indices. Martinique and Guadeloupe exhibit diverse landscapes shaped by their complex geological history and tropical climatic conditions. These strong particularities make the existing indices developed for the European mainland unusable. Based on diatom sampling from to 2013 (607 samples) and through multivariate analyses, we developed the Indice Diatomique des Antilles (IDA). We first identified the key abiotic factors influencing diatom communities on both islands, and then characterized taxon sensitivity by considering their presence probability along a pressure gradient.. The index was based on the presence and relative abundance of these taxa in each sample. The last step consisted of using new data from the 2014–2022 sampling surveys (457 samples) as a validation dataset to verify IDA accuracy. Our results suggest that the IDA methodology is well designed to assess the ecological status of rivers in the West Indies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater biodiversity is rapidly declining worldwide, especially in tropical island environments which appear to be particularly vulnerable to alien species. Monitoring biodiversity using effective methods is crucial for conservation efforts. This study aims to examine the capacity of the eDNA-based method to provide accurate measures of fish and crustacean biodiversity, and how it can be implemented in the French West Indies. To this end, we conducted eDNA and electric fishing capture-based surveys in parallel, both upstream and downstream, in nine Guadeloupean rivers and during two different seasons. While both methods were congruent in terms of species richness and composition, the eDNA-based method generally exhibited greater efficacy and reliability in assessing biodiversity. The exception to this trend was observed during the second campaign for the crustacean community. The quantitative data (the numbers of individuals and percentages of sequences) also proved to be uncorrelated for crustaceans during the second campaign, indicating that further knowledge of crustacean biology is needed. Nevertheless, the eDNA-based method was able to detect the presence of alien, rare and cryptic species, showing that it can be used in tropical island conditions for biodiversity assessment or conservation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodically, the French West Indies receive dust originating from North Africa (NA). Microorganisms associated with desert dust can be transported over long distances through the atmosphere and could represent a means for the remote colonization of new habitats by putatively pathogenic microorganisms. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity and frequency of microbial agents (bacteria, eukaryotes) in NA dusts and the potential threat toward human and/or animal health by comparing microbial air composition during dust events and in control samples. In 2017 and 2018, 16 samples were collected during seven NA dust episodes and there were 9 controls. The microbial composition of the samples was characterized using a cultivable approach and by metabarcoding analyses (16S and 18S). A greater bacterial load and greater diversity were observed during the dust events, and some genera were significantly associated with the events. Some, such as Geodermatophilus, can be considered signature species of NA dust. No pathogenic species were found with the cultivable approach, whereas the metabarcoding analyses highlighted the presence of several potentially pathogenic species or known human pathogens such as Naegleria fowleri.

Purpose: As the French West Indies are facing an ongoing nutrition transition with increasing type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence, our study aimed to evaluate the effect of potential shifts in dietary patterns on T2DM risk in French West Indian adults according to several scenarios. Methods: We used a cross-sectional multistage sampling survey on dietary intake conducted in 2013 on a representative sample of Guadeloupeans and Martinicans adults (n = 1063). From previously identified current dietary patterns, we used PRIME-Diabetes, a comparative risk assessment model, to estimate the effect of potential shifts from the "transitioning" pattern to the "convenient," the "prudent," and the "traditional" ones on T2DM risks. Results: Potential shift in dietary intakes from the "transitioning" pattern to the "traditional" one reduced the T2DM risk in women (− 16% [− 22; − 10]) and in men − 14% [− 21; − 7]), as the shift in dietary intakes toward the "prudent" pattern (− 23% [− 29; − 17] and − 19% − 23; − 14], respectively). These risk reductions were mostly driven by increased whole grains, fruits, green leafy vegetable intakes, and decreases in potatoes, red meats, processed meats, and sugar-sweetened beverages. The shift in dietary intakes toward the "convenient" pattern did not affect the T2DM risks. Conclusion: To curb the increase in T2DM prevalence and reduce this burden, one public health action could be to target transitioning adults and help them to shift towards a diet associated with a reduced risk of T2DM as a prudent or a traditional diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract We investigate risk factors for hospitalization and difference between sickle cell syndromes in a cohort of COVID‐19 sickle cell disease (SCD) adult patients managed in the Reference Center of Guadeloupe. We retrospectively collected data of symptomatic SCD adult patients infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 between March and December 2020. Thirty‐eight SCD adult patients with symptomatic COVID‐19 infection were included during the first wave, representing 9.6% of the active patient file at our center. The median age (IQR) was 39 years (24–47). Four patients were obese and two had moderate renal failure. The median duration of symptoms (IQR) was 10 days (5–15). Seventeen (44.7%) patients were hospitalized, including two in intensive care unit (ICU) for acute chest syndrome. An 85‐year‐old SC patient with prostate cancer died. No difference was detected between inpatient and outpatient groups in terms of age, gender, BMI, SCD clinical complications, and in history SCD treatment. There was no difference for severity, hospitalization, length of stay, ICU stay, or death between SS or Sβ°‐thal patients and SC or Sβ+‐thal patients. These overall favorable outcomes among symptomatic patients may be related to the low prevalence of comorbidity known to be linked to the more severe forms of COVID‐19, but also to the prompt coordinated management of SCD patients in the Reference Center.

Quantifying the effect of landscape composition on disease dynamics remains challenging because it depends on many factors. In this study, we used a hybrid process-based/statistical modeling approach to separate the effect of the landscape composition on the epidemiology of banana leaf streak disease (BLSD) from weather and fungicide effects. We parameterized our model with a 5-year dataset, including weekly measures of BLSD on 83 plots in Martinique. After estimating the intrinsic growth parameters of the stage evolution of the disease (SED), we evaluated the dynamic effect of five fungicides. Then, we added the intra- and inter-annual effect on disease dynamics using a generalized linear model. Finally, the whole model was used to assess the annual effect of the landscape on the SED for 11 plots. We evaluated the significance of the landscape composition (proportions of landscape elements in 200-, 500-, 800-, 1,000-m-radius buffer zones) on the landscape effect evaluated with the model. The percentage of hedgerows in a 200-m-radius buffer zone was negatively correlated to the landscape effect, i.e., it acted as a constraint against BLSD spreading and development. The proportion of managed-banana-plants in a 1,000-m-radius buffer zone was negatively correlated to the landscape effect, probably due to a mass effect of fungicide treatments. Inversely, the proportions of forest and the proportion of unmanaged-banana-plants, both in 1,000-m-radius buffer zones, were positively correlated with the landscape effect. Our study provides a holistic approach of the role biotic and abiotic factors play on the dynamics of BLSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On September 6, 2017, Hurricane Irma (category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale) passed through Saint Martin (French West Indies). Based on a field survey conducted in the French part of the island, this work aims to characterise the preventive opportunity of the post-disaster reconstruction period by questioning the land use reorganisation (via the revision of the Plan de Prévention des Risques Naturels – PPRN). The IPCC, in its 2019 report on the Oceans and Cryosphere, highlights that societies are developing a multitude of measures to adapt to coastal risks, most often in response to disasters. The analysis of reconstruction choices and their consequences therefore provides information on the concrete adaptation processes. By analysing the revision procedure of the PPRN of Saint-Martin, we examine the State’s willingness to integrate the ‘lessons learned’ from Irma, and question how it reveals the dysfunctions and tensions that pre-existed in the socio-territorial system. This concrete example shows the obstacles and levers to the implementation of a preventive reconstruction strategy that involves the reorganisation of the territory to take better account of present and future risks. This study allows us to conclude on the paradox of post-disaster recovery, which is both a ‘window of opportunity’ and a catalyst of vulnerabilities, an opportunity for change and an illustration of the weight of past legacies and the inertia of systems.

The Agoa protected marine area, located in the French West Indies, eastern Caribbean, holds several cetacean species, of which the pantropical spotted dolphin Stenella attenuata is the most commonly observed. This species is the focus of whale-watching activities off the leeward coasts of Guadeloupe and Martinique, which has allowed the development of a citizen science program to characterize individuals through the collection of photographic data. Here, we conducted a photo-identification study with a sample of 115,705 photos collected between 2014 and 2019, in which 290 marked individuals (179 in Guadeloupe and 111 in Martinique) were identified. Based on an Agglomerative Hierarchical Classification (AHC) analysis, dolphins from each island were separated into two residency clusters. The Catch–Mark–Release (CMR) POPAN statistical model for open populations estimated the pantropical spotted dolphin populations in Guadeloupe and Martinique at 657 (95% CI: 525–821) and 336 (95% CI: 253–446) individuals for frequent users, respectively, while occasional visitors were estimated at 3,063 (95% CI: 2,133–4,398) and 1,443 (95% CI: 1,024–2,033), respectively. The Martinique population tended to use a reduced coastal area and appeared to be smaller and stable, while the Guadeloupe population showed a slight decline in abundance throughout the study period. These results showed that the leeward coasts of Guadeloupe and Martinique are of particular importance for pantropical spotted dolphin populations, highlighting the need for continued monitoring through both scientific and citizen science programs to fill information gaps on this species in the eastern Caribbean.

This article addresses little studied form of power relations, which are observed in educational communities : controlling student through uniform policies. The written traces of these power relations sometimes define with very much precision the dress code to be respected within the schools. These prohibitions inform us about the gender stereotypes that animate educational communities that distinguish "good" from "bad" students by encouraging adherence to very measured forms of masculinity and femininity. Then we will try, on the one hand to clarify the mechanisms of exclusion of non-compliant students and, on the other hand, to illuminate the elements contributing to the socio-historical anchoring of these forms of accomplice, subordinate or marginalized masculinities and femininity. What are the historical, economic, social and cultural factors that are favoring the creation of a gendered social structure specific to the French West Indies ?

Ciguatera poisoning (CP) is one of the most common causes worldwide of marine poisoning associated with fish consumption from tropical areas. Its incidence is underreported. CP cases seem to increase with grouped cases reported during summer. Exposure to ciguatoxins, toxins responsible for CP with sodium-channel agonistic, voltage-gated potassium channel blocking, cholinergic, and adrenergic activities, may result in a large spectrum of manifestations. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, management, and outcome of CP in Martinique, French West Indies. We conducted an observational retrospective single-center study during six years (October 2012 to September 2018) including all CP patients managed by the prehospital medical services, admitted to the university hospital emergency department, or declared to the regional health agency. A total of 149 CP patients (81 females/63 males; median age, 46 years (interquartile range, 34–61)) were included. Acute features consisted in general (91%; mainly, myalgia pruritus, and asthenia), gastrointestinal (90%; mainly diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea), neurological (72%; mainly, paresthesia, dysgeusia, and impairment of hot/cold feeling), and cardiovascular manifestations (22%; bradycardia, hypotension, and heart conduction disorders). Management was supportive. No patient died but symptoms persisted in 40% of the 77 patients with follow-up at day 15. CP was mainly attributed to the ingestion of trevallies (59%), snappers (13%), and king mackerels (8%) with collective contaminations (71%). Unusual fish (tuna, salmon, and spider conchs) were suspected in rare cases. Ingestion of trevallies was associated with significantly higher persistent symptoms (odds ratio, 3.00; 95% confidence interval, (1.20–8.00); p = 0.03). CP incidence was 0.67 cases per 10,000 patient-years in Martinique over the study period. To conclude, CP represents an increasing public health issue in Martinique, as is the case in other Caribbean islands. Patients present usual but possibly life-threatening features. Outcome is excellent despite frequently prolonged manifestations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Outre-Mers: Revue d'Histoire Colonial et Impériale is the property of Societe Francaise d'Histoire d'Outre Mer and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Outre-Mers: Revue d'Histoire Colonial et Impériale is the property of Societe Francaise d'Histoire d'Outre Mer and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Economic Botany is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Given the multiple challenges that agriculture faces, collective action is a potential pathway towards more sustainable agriculture. This article aims to contribute to the literature by assessing the extent to which collective action can meet the objective of both healthy and profitable production in the French West Indies. To do so, we call on the theory of collective action and emphasise the role of formal and informal collectives in achieving the objectives of improving income and implementing agroecological practices. We use original data collected in 2022 from 409 vegetable farmers in Martinique and Guadeloupe. We consider the interdependence between farmers' economic and environmental objectives through a simultaneous equations model. We characterise the diversity of collectives according to their degree of formalisation and to the adequacy between the objectives pursued by these collectives and the individual objectives of their members. Our results show that the achievement of an individual objective is fostered by its adequacy with the objective set by the collective and also, to a certain extent, by the degree of formalisation of this collective. It appears that achieving individual objectives is based on sharing common objectives as well as having collective rules. More particularly, we find that producer organisations – collectives considered to be the most formal – best meet the objectives of improving income and adopting agroecological practices. However, in the French West Indies, the instability of such collectives and the organisational deficiencies of the sector call into question their real long-term impact. These findings contribute to a better understanding of farmers' decision-making and provide relevant policy implications for supporting agricultural collectives in managing and federating producers towards achieving a more healthy and profitable production. • Farmer's environmental and economic objectives must be considered together. • Sharing common objectives, having a formal framework foster objectives achievement. • Producer organisations and associations: a lever for agroecological practices use. • Producer organisations: a lever for income improvement. • Policies oriented toward supporting agricultural collectives are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlordecone (CD; Kepone™) is a carcinogenic organochlorine insecticide with neurological, reproductive, and developmental toxicity that was widely used in the French West Indies (FWI) from 1973 to 1993 to fight banana weevils. Although CD has not been used there for more than 25 years, it still persists in the environment and has polluted the waterways and soil of current and older banana fields. Today, human exposure to CD in the FWI mainly arises from consuming contaminated foodstuffs. The aims of this study were to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model in the rat and extrapolate it to humans based on available pharmacokinetic data in the literature. A comparison of simulations using the rat model with published experimental datasets showed reasonable predictability for single and repetitive doses, and, thus, it was extrapolated to humans. The human PBPK model, which has seven compartments, is able to simulate the blood concentrations of CD in human populations and estimate the corresponding external dose using the reverse dosimetry approach. The human PBPK model will make it possible to improve quantitative health risk assessments for CD contamination and reassess the current chronic toxicological reference values to protect the FWI population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Caribbean has seen a dramatic shift in the obesity and chronic disease prevalence over the past decades, suggesting a nutrition transition. Simultaneously, Martinique has faced a demographic transition marked by significant population ageing. We aimed to differentiate the contribution of changes in health status and dietary intakes due to shifts in demographic and socio-economic characteristics (DSEC) from that due to unobserved factors. Design: Two cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2003 (n 743) and 2013 (n 573) on representative samples were used. Dietary intakes were estimated by 24-h recalls. The contribution of changes in health status and dietary intakes due to shifts in observed DSEC was differentiated from that due to unobserved factors over a 10-year interval, using Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition models. Setting: Martinique, French region in the Caribbean. Participants: Martinican adults (≥16 years). Results: Over the study period, health status deteriorated, partly owing to shifts in DSEC, explaining 62 % of the change in the prevalence of hypertension (+13 percentage points (pp)) and 48 % of waist circumference change (+3 cm). Diet quality decreased (mean adequacy ratio –2pp and mean excess ratio + 2 pp) and energy supplied by ultra-processed food increased (+4 pp). Shifts in DSEC marginally explained some changes in dietary intakes (e.g. increased diet quality), while the changes that remained unexplained were of opposite sign, with decreased diet quality, lower fruits, tubers and fish intakes and higher energy provided by ultra-processed foods. Conclusion: Explained dietary changes were of opposite sign to nutrition transition conceptual framework, probably because unobserved drivers are in play, such as food price trends or supermarkets spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We investigated the role of tobacco and alcohol consumption on the occurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), and the joint effects of these factors with oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the French West Indies, in the Caribbean. We conducted a population‐based case‐control study (145 cases and 405 controls). We used logistic regression models to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Two‐way interactions were assessed on both multiplicative and additive scales. Current smoking (OR = 11.6, 95% CI = 6.7‐20.1), drinking more than five glasses of alcohol per day (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.2‐4.7), and oral infection with High‐risk HPV (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.1‐5.0) were significantly associated with HNSCC. The combined exposure to tobacco and alcohol produced a significant synergistic effect on the incidence of HNSCC. Oral infection with High‐risk HPV increased the risk of HNSCC in never smokers and nondrinkers. The effects of tobacco, alcohol, and of the combined exposure of tobacco and alcohol were substantially lower in HPV‐positive than in HPV‐negative HNSCC. This is the first case‐control study to investigate the role of tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and oral HPV infection in an Afro‐Caribbean population. Although each of these risk factors has a significant effect, our findings indicate that tobacco and alcohol play a less important role in Hr‐HPV‐positive HNSCC. Further investigations are warranted notably on the interaction of these three risk factors by cancer site.

Abstract Background Obesity and metabolic diseases represent a major health burden in the Caribbean, particularly since a large part of the population is disadvantaged. However, socioeconomic inequalities in chronic diseases are poorly explored in this region. We investigated the association between socioeconomic position and metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence and explored the contribution of diet quality to explain this association, among adults in the French West Indies. Methods This cross-sectional analysis included 1144 subjects (≥16 y) from a multistage sampling survey conducted in 2013–2014 on a representative sample of the Guadeloupean and Martinican population. MetS prevalence was assessed using the Joint Interim Statement. Dietary intakes were estimated from 24 h-dietary recalls, and diet quality was assessed through the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I). Associations between socioeconomic indicators (education, employment, social assistance benefits) and MetS prevalence, and the potential contribution of diet quality in this association were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models, adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics. Results MetS prevalence adjusted for age and sex was 21 and 30% among Guadeloupean and Martinican, respectively. Compared to high-educated participants, low-educated subjects were more likely to be at risk of MetS (OR = 2.4; 95%CI = [1.3–4.4], respectively), as were recipients of social assistance benefits compared to non-recipients (OR = 2.0; 95%CI = [1.0–4.0]). The DQI-I explained 10.5% of the overall variation in MetS due to education. Conclusions Socioeconomic inequalities in MetS prevalence, reflected by education and social assistance benefits, were found. However, diet quality contributed only to socioeconomic inequalities due to education underlining that education may impact health through the ability to generate overall dietary behavior, long-term beneficial. Our work identified subgroups with higher risk of MetS, which is needed when implementing public health measures, particularly in this Caribbean population with of high poverty rates. Further prospective studies are needed to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of social inequalities in MetS in a high poverty rates context.

Background In the French West Indies, more than 20 species of cetaceans have been observed over the last decades. The recognition of this hotspot of biodiversity of marine mammals, observed in the French Exclusive Economic Zone of the West Indies, motivated the French government to create in 2010 a marine protected area (MPA) dedicated to the conservation of marine mammals: the Agoa Sanctuary. Threats that cetacean populations face are multiple, but well-documented. Cetacean conservation can only be achieved if relevant and reliable data are available, starting by occurrence data. In the Guadeloupe Archipelago and in addition to some data collected by the Agoa Sanctuary, occurrence data are mainly available through the contribution of citizen science and of local stakeholders (i.e. nonprofit organisations (NPO) and whale-watchers). However, no observation network has been coordinated and no standards exist for cetacean presence data collection and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Études Caribéennes is the property of Etudes Caribeennes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Soil contamination with chlordecone, an organochlorine pesticide, is causing serious health problems, affecting crop production and local livestock valorization in the French West Indies. In-situ chemical reduction (ISCR) processes for soil remediation have shown promise but need improvement in terms of time, cost and effective treatment, particularly for andosol soil types. Our study shows that a 10-min microwave treatment significantly reduces chlordecone concentrations (50–90%) in contaminated andosol and nitisol soils. Dry andosol soils show the highest removal yields and reach a higher final temperature (350 °C). Microwave treatment is in all cases more effective or at least as effective as 60 min of conventional heating at a target temperature of 200 °C. The thermal response of andosol and nitisol to microwave exposure is different, as the former is likely to undergo thermal runaway, reaching high temperatures in a short time, resulting in highly efficient thermal removal of chlordecone. These results encourage further scale-up, particularly for the treatment of andosol soils due to their strong microwave response. [Display omitted] • Soils naturally contaminated with chlordecone (CLD) treated with microwaves. • CLD concentration reduced by 50%–90% after 10 min microwave heating. • Microwave heating works best for dry andosol (vs. wet and wet/dry nitisol). • High efficiency for dry andosol explained by thermal runaway. • 10 min microwave better or equal than 1h conventional heating at 250 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melioidosis has been detected in the Caribbean, and an increasing number of cases has been reported in the past few decades, but only 2 cases were reported in Guadeloupe during the past 20 years. We describe 3 more cases that occurred during 2016–2017 and examine arguments for increasing endemicity.

Abstract Background A high rate of preterm birth is observed in the Guadeloupe archipelago (French West Indies), raising the hypothesis of harmful environmental exposures, including landfilling. Our aim was to evaluate whether preterm births cluster around the three main open landfills located in this area. Methods The study population consisted of 911 women enrolled in the Timoun mother-child cohort (2004–2007). Home addresses during pregnancy and locations of landfills were geocoded. To test for the presence of preterm birth clusters around each dumpsite, we used a focused cluster test specifically designed to detect spatial clustering around point sources. Results A total of 144 (15.8%) preterm births were observed among 911 births. Using the term births (n = 767) as controls, a significant cluster was identified within 2 km around the Saint-François landfill with a relative risk (RR) of 4.82 (p = 0.04). No clusters were found around the other two landfills (RR = 2.01, p = 0.26 and RR = 1.06, p = 0.64, for La Gabarre and Baillif, respectively). Conclusion The paucity of data available on open landfill sites regarding waste quantities, composition, and changes over time precludes any site-specific interpretation because of the variable degree of possible emissions. This result has to be confirmed in other tropical island environments where waste management has become a major concern with the potential to negatively impact the environment and public health.

Ciguatera poisoning (CP) is one of the most common causes worldwide of marine poisoning associated with fish consumption from tropical areas. Its incidence is underreported. CP cases seem to increase with grouped cases reported during summer. Exposure to ciguatoxins, toxins responsible for CP with sodium-channel agonistic, voltage-gated potassium channel blocking, cholinergic, and adrenergic activities, may result in a large spectrum of manifestations. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, management, and outcome of CP in Martinique, French West Indies. We conducted an observational retrospective single-center study during six years (October 2012 to September 2018) including all CP patients managed by the prehospital medical services, admitted to the university hospital emergency department, or declared to the regional health agency. A total of 149 CP patients (81 females/63 males; median age, 46 years (interquartile range, 34–61)) were included. Acute features consisted in general (91%; mainly, myalgia pruritus, and asthenia), gastrointestinal (90%; mainly diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea), neurological (72%; mainly, paresthesia, dysgeusia, and impairment of hot/cold feeling), and cardiovascular manifestations (22%; bradycardia, hypotension, and heart conduction disorders). Management was supportive. No patient died but symptoms persisted in 40% of the 77 patients with follow-up at day 15. CP was mainly attributed to the ingestion of trevallies (59%), snappers (13%), and king mackerels (8%) with collective contaminations (71%). Unusual fish (tuna, salmon, and spider conchs) were suspected in rare cases. Ingestion of trevallies was associated with significantly higher persistent symptoms (odds ratio, 3.00; 95% confidence interval, (1.20–8.00); p = 0.03). CP incidence was 0.67 cases per 10,000 patient-years in Martinique over the study period. To conclude, CP represents an increasing public health issue in Martinique, as is the case in other Caribbean islands. Patients present usual but possibly life-threatening features. Outcome is excellent despite frequently prolonged manifestations.

Purpose: Despite the urgency regarding increasing rates of obesity and chronic diseases in the Caribbean, few studies described the nutrition transition. We aimed to provide such information by identifying dietary patterns in the French West Indies and their characteristics. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 1144 Guadeloupeans and Martinicans from a multistage sampling survey conducted on a representative sample. Dietary patterns were identified using principal component analysis followed by a clustering procedure, and described using multivariable regression models. Results: Four patterns were identified: (i) a "prudent" pattern characterized by high intakes of fruits, vegetables, legumes, seafood and yogurts, low intakes of fatty and sweet products, and a high Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I); (ii) a "traditional" pattern characterized by high intakes of fruits, vegetables, tubers and fish, low intakes of red and processed meat, snacks, fast foods, and sweetened beverages, with a high DQI-I, mostly shaped by women and older persons; (iii) a "convenient" pattern characterized by high intakes of sweetened beverages, snacks, and fast foods, with the lowest DQI-I, principally shaped by young participants; (iv) a "transitioning" pattern characterized by high consumptions of bread, processed meat, sauces, alcoholic and sweetened beverages, but also high intakes of tubers, legumes, and fish, mainly shaped by men, middle aged, of whom 35% had metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: The co-existing dietary patterns in the French West Indies, marked by a generational contrast, seem to reflect different steps in dietary change as described in the literature, suggesting an ongoing nutrition transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlordecone is an organochlorine pesticide that was extensively used to control the banana root borer population in the French West Indies until 1993. Its persistence in soil has led to widespread pollution of the environment, and human beings, including pregnant women, are still exposed to this chemical. High levels of exposure to chlordecone during gestation have been shown to cause congenital anomalies, including undescended testes in rodents. We assessed the associations between chlordecone concentrations in maternal and cord plasma and the risk of congenital anomalies in the Timoun Mother-Child Cohort Study (2004–2007) that included 1068 pregnant women in Guadeloupe. Odds ratios were estimated using unconditional logistic regression analysis, controlling for confounding factors. The median plasma concentrations in maternal and cord plasma were 0.39 μg/L and 0.20 μg/L, respectively. Thirty-six children were diagnosed with malformations according to the European Registration of Congenital Anomalies guidelines and 25 with undescended testes. There was no association between maternal or cord plasma concentration of chlordecone and the risk of overall malformations nor undescended testes. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to the currently observed environmental levels of chlordecone in French West Indies does not increase the risk of birth defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlordecone was used intensively as an insecticide in the French West Indies. Because of its high persistence, the resulting contamination of food and water has led to chronic exposure of the general population as evidenced by its presence in the blood of people of Guadeloupe, in particular in pregnant women and newborns, and in maternal breast milk. Chlordecone is recognized as a reproductive and developmental toxicant, is neurotoxic and carcinogenic in rodents, and is considered as an endocrine-disrupting compound with well-established estrogenic and progestogenic properties both in vitro and in vivo. The question arises of its potential consequences on child neurodevelopment following prenatal and childhood exposure, in particular on behavioral sexual dimorphism in childhood. We followed 116 children from the TIMOUN mother–child cohort study in Guadeloupe, who were examined at age 7. These children were invited to participate in a 7-min structured play session in which they could choose between different toys considered as feminine, masculine, or neutral. The play session was video recorded, and the percentage of the time spent playing with feminine or masculine toys was calculated. We estimated associations between playtime and prenatal exposure to chlordecone (assessed by concentration in cord blood) or childhood exposure (determined from concentrations in child blood obtained at the 7-year follow-up), taking into account confounders and co-exposures to other environmental chemicals. We used a two-group regression model to take into account sex differences in play behavior. Our results do not indicate any modification in sex-typed toy preference among 7-year-old children in relation with either prenatal or childhood exposure to chlordecone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlordecone, an organochlorine insecticide, was widely used in the French West Indies banana plantations. We set up a cohort of banana plantation workers who worked between 1973 and 1993, the period of authorized use of chlordecone. Vital status and causes of death were collected from French national registries. Workers were followed up from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2015. Cause-specific mortality in the cohort was compared to that of the general population of the French West Indies by computing standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). A total of 11,112 workers (149,526 person-years, 77% men) were included in the mortality analysis, and 3647 deaths occurred over the study period. There was a slight deficit in all-cause mortality, which was statistically significant in men (SMR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.89–0.96), but not in women (SMR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.89–1.04). All-cancer mortality did not differ significantly from that of the general population (men: SMR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.90–1.03; women: SMR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.89–1.21). Significant excesses of deaths were observed for stomach cancer in women (SMR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.24–2.89) and pancreatic cancer in women farm owners (SMR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.06–4.39). Mortality from prostate cancer was similar to that of the general population in the whole cohort (SMR = 1.00; 95% CI 0.89–1.13) and non-significantly elevated among farm workers (SMR = 1.10, 95% CI 0.87–1.36). Non-significant increases in mortality were also observed for lung cancer in women, leukemia in men, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in both genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami remind us once again that these types of cascade event can occur and cause considerable damage. The scientific community realizes the need for rapid theoretical and practical progress on cascade events to provide field teams with the necessary tools and information for action during these types of events. The earthquake damage scenario for Martinique and Guadeloupe islands (French West Indies) has already been performed within the framework of French governmental projects, but these areas, in the vicinity of the French West Indies subduction zone, are also subject to tsunami events. In this study, we propose to perform a combined scenario in which an earthquake is followed by a tsunami, as it could arrive one day, considering the seismic characteristics and potential of such a subduction zone. The vulnerability of the buildings is defined considering local specific information based on several years of field inventories and inspections and is later classified into one of the 36 model building types of HAZUS. The calculation of the damages due to tsunamis follows the HAZUS methodologies. The main novelty of our study is the calculation of damage due to the two phenomena occurring one after the other, not in parallel, as is calculated in the existing literature. Therefore, for the calculation of the damages due to the second event (i.e. the tsunami), the vulnerability characteristics of the initial structure are reduced, considering the damage state of the construction after the first event (i.e. the earthquake). Hence, in our case, this calculation approach allows us to update the number of exposed elements and their changed vulnerabilities considering the damages due to the earthquake, since certain structures are already damaged by the earthquake before the arrival of the tsunami wave. The results coming from our study and our manner of treating the cascading hazards are putting into perspective with the Hazus method for combining damages coming from earthquake and the damages coming from consequently tsunami. The results expressed as the sum of the damages in both most damaged states, Extensive and Complete, are more or less in the same range of values for both studies (our study and HAZUS 2017). However, a trend of having more percentage of complete damages (and hence, less the Extensive damages) with our method than the ones obtained with the Hazus combination can be important information for crisis managing. This is a first result for the French West Indies territory, but anyway, more studies should be carried out in order to check this trend and eventually to confirm and validate this issue for others territories with others bathymetries, vulnerabilities and seismological features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the role of tobacco and alcohol consumption on the occurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), and the joint effects of these factors with oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the French West Indies, in the Caribbean. We conducted a population‐based case‐control study (145 cases and 405 controls). We used logistic regression models to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Two‐way interactions were assessed on both multiplicative and additive scales. Current smoking (OR = 11.6, 95% CI = 6.7‐20.1), drinking more than five glasses of alcohol per day (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.2‐4.7), and oral infection with High‐risk HPV (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.1‐5.0) were significantly associated with HNSCC. The combined exposure to tobacco and alcohol produced a significant synergistic effect on the incidence of HNSCC. Oral infection with High‐risk HPV increased the risk of HNSCC in never smokers and nondrinkers. The effects of tobacco, alcohol, and of the combined exposure of tobacco and alcohol were substantially lower in HPV‐positive than in HPV‐negative HNSCC. This is the first case‐control study to investigate the role of tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and oral HPV infection in an Afro‐Caribbean population. Although each of these risk factors has a significant effect, our findings indicate that tobacco and alcohol play a less important role in Hr‐HPV‐positive HNSCC. Further investigations are warranted notably on the interaction of these three risk factors by cancer site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of the ectomycorrhizal genus Lactifluus, and often entire sections, are typically unique to a single continent. Given these biogeographic patterns, an interesting region to study their diversity is Central America and the Caribbean, since the region is closely connected to and often considered a part of the North American continent, but biogeographically belong to the Neotropical realm, and comprises several regions with different geologic histories. Based on a multi-gene phylogeny and morphological study, this study shows that Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean harbour at least 35 Lactifluus species, of which 33 were never reported outside of this region. It was found that species from the Caribbean generally show affinities to South American taxa, while species from the Central American mainland generally show affinities to Northern hemispheric taxa. We hypothesise that host specificity and/or climate play a crucial role in these different origins of diversity. Because of these different affinities, Caribbean islands harbour a completely different Lactifluus diversity than the Central American mainland. The majority of species occurring on the islands can be considered endemic to certain islands or island groups. In this paper, detailed morphological descriptions are given, with a focus on the unique diversity of the islands, and identification keys to all hitherto described Lactifluus species occurring in Central America and the Caribbean are provided. One new section, Lactifluus sect. Nebulosi, and three new species, Lactifluus guadeloupensis, Lactifluus lepus and Lactifluus marmoratus are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines quadrille dancing in the Caribbean and the Mascarene archipelagos to theorize creolization as cultural process. Through close reading of French, Creole, and English sources, fieldwork, and attentiveness to the pleasures of social dance, I analyze the creolized quadrille as a balancing act between choreogenesis, or the emergence of new segments within the quadrille's multi-part structure, and their fractal incorporation within that structure. An incompatibility with the logic of the market results, which, over the longue durée, is balanced by the creolized quadrille's postcolonial memorialization within a festival economy, even as the commercialization of creolized partner dances became its circum-Atlantic legacy. The transoceanic frame of my argumentation reveals convergences as well as divergences between the Indian and Atlantic Ocean worlds that connect Europe and its (post)colonies. The creolized quadrille then emerges as a transoceanic leisure form that demonstrates creolization as an economic and cultural force within global modernity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L'hypertension artérielle (HTA) est la maladie chronique la plus fréquemment retrouvée à travers le monde. Sa prévalence varie selon les régions. Elle est élevée dans la plupart des DOM-ROM (départements et régions d'outre-mer) : 38,2 % à La Réunion, 44 % à Mayotte, 28 % aux Antilles, 18 % en Guyane, 25 % en Polynésie françaises et 28 % à Saint-Martin. Déterminer, pour un même système de soin, la différences de la prise en charge de l'HTA entre l'Hexagone et les DOM-ROM. Différences selon le sexe. À la différence de l'Hexagone, en outre-mer la prévalence de l'HTA est plus élevée chez les femmes, et on a par contre une meilleure prise en charge de l'HTA (un taux plus élevé en Guadeloupe d'HTA « normalisé sous traitement » en comparaison avec l'Hexagone). La principale explication quant à cette prévalence de l'HTA en outre-mer : le taux d'obésité et de surpoids bien plus élevé en outre-mer chez les femmes. Particularité socio-économiques de l'HTA en outre-mer. Les différentes études épidémiologiques réalisées en outre-mer confirment le rôle majeur des conditions socio-économiques dans la prévalence et la prise en charge de l'HTA en outre-mer, avec pour les couches défavorisées une plus forte prévalence de la sédentarité, de l'obésité de la consommation d'alcool et de sel. Au niveau socio-économique identique, il n'y a plus de différence concernant l'HTA, surtout chez les hommes, entre l'Hexagone et les Antilles. Les différences observées entre les DOM-ROM et l'Hexagone concernant la prévalence, la connaissance, le traitement et le contrôle de l'HTA sont variables en fonction du sexe. Chez les hommes, la prévalence et la prise de l'HTA diffèrent très peu lorsque que l'on s'intéresse à une population de travailleurs ou de salariés. En revanche, parmi les femmes, la prévalence de l'HTA est plus élevée aux Antilles-Guyane. Cette différence n'est pas totalement expliquée par la plus forte prévalence de l'obésité observée chez les salariées des Antilles-Guyane. Chez ces dernières, on observe également une meilleure connaissance et un meilleur contrôle de l'HTA. Les hommes en situation de précarité ou de pauvreté administrative ont un niveau de prise en charge à améliorer (dépistage, adhésion au traitement). High blood pressure (HBP) is the most common chronic disease worldwide. In France, its prevalence varies by region. It is high in most Overseas Departments and Regions (DOM-ROM), at 38.2% in Réunion (1), 44% in Mayotte (2), 28% in the French Antilles, 18% in French Guiana, 25% in French Polynesia (3) and 28% in Saint-Martin (4). To determinate the differences within the same healthcare system between hypertension in Metropolitan France compared to Overseas France Departments and Regions (DOM-ROM). Sex-based differences. In contrast to Metropolitan France, in Overseas France the prevalence of HBP is higher in women, although women show better rates of care (screening and rates of patients "normalised" under medical treatment). The main explanation for this is the higher prevalence of obesity in women. Obesity multiplies the risk of developing hypertension by 2.5 Obesity in Guadeloupe affects 14% of men compared to 31% of women. Socio-economic particularities of hypertension in Overseas France. The numerous epidemiological surveys carried out in the French Antilles have demonstrated the major role of socio-economic conditions in the occurrence of hypertension, alongside the usual risk factors such as sedentary lifestyle, salt consumption and obesity (7). In the absence of socio-economic disparity, there is no significant disparity in the prevalence of hypertension specially in men. There are differences between France Overseas Regions and Territories (DOM-ROMs) and Metropolitan France in terms of the prevalence, knowledge, treatment and control of hypertension, and these vary according to sex. For men, the prevalence and treatment of hypertension differ very little when considering a population of workers or employees in both regions. On the other hand, for women, the prevalence of hypertension is higher in the French Antilles-Guiana. This difference is not fully explained by the higher prevalence of obesity observed among female employees in the French Antilles-Guiana. For these patients, we also observe better knowledge and better control of hypertension. Care for men in socio-economically disadvantaged situations of precarity must be improved in terms of screening and adherence to treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory features of Chikungunya disease in infants aged from 1 month to 2 years. This epidemiologic study was carried out at the Pointe-à-Pitre University Hospital from May to September 2014. We collected data prospectively from infants hospitalized for Chikungunya disease. A total of 154 infants were included. Hyperthermia was greater than 38.5 °C the first 48 h and during on average 2.7 days. Pain (on mobilization and/or cutaneous hyperesthesia and/or arthralgia) was present in 82% of the cases. Loss of appetite was reported for 62% of the infants. Initial maculopapular erythematous eruption occurred in 69% of the cases. A vesiculobullous eruption was secondarily observed in 7% of the cases. Edema on the feet and/or hands was present in 48% of the cases. Febrile seizure was observed in 12% of the cases. Lymphopenia was the most frequent laboratory finding, present in 94% of the infants. No cases of thrombocytopenia were observed. The reported complications were: bullous epidermolysis, state of epilepticus, and severe acute hepatitis. This study highlights a suggestive clinical presentation of Chikungunya diseases combining pain, fever, tachycardia, foot and/or hand edema. Lymphopenia, monocytosis, and the absence of thrombocytopenia were relevant biological signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a summary of the various maritime archaeology projects undertaken in the French Antilles (Guadeloupe and Martinique) since the 1980s that date to the 17th–19th century Colonial period. These projects are presented in the context of the principal maritime archaeological research questions. The results are analysed thematically touching on different aspects of archaeological research in littoral and underwater zones: coastal plantations, ports, and micro‐islets. Research carried out on wreck‐sites is presented with respect to their maritime use (commercial, naval, and cabotage). The nature and distribution of such sites provides information both on maritime routes and traffic, trade, conflicts, and environmental risks specific to the Antilles in the Colonial period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to demonstrate how subfossil bone remains from Pleistocene and Holocene deposits can help to reconstruct the history of recently extinct taxa through the example of Pholidoscelis lizards from the Guadeloupe Islands in the French West Indies. To achieve this, we conducted a new anatomical and zooarchaeological study of fossil Pholidoscelis remains collected from 23 archaeological and paleontological deposits on the Guadeloupe Islands from which this genus is nowadays absent. Our results shed light on the past existence of large Pholidoscelis lizards on all the Guadeloupe islands but also on the difficulties of confident specific identification for these remains. Nevertheless, we suggest a possible past occurrence of the now extinct Pholidoscelis major on nearly all of the Guadeloupe islands. In addition, we identified a new Pholidoscelis species, Pholidoscelis turukaeraensis sp. nov., on Marie-Galante Island, where no Pholidoscelis lizards were previously reported. This new species underwent an increase in size after the end of the Pleistocene period, possibly due to reduced predation pressure. We also highlight the consumption of Pholidoscelis lizards by pre-Columbian Amerindians and the huge impact of European colonization, which led to the extinction of all these lizards in less than 300 years.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:15C39436-A083-483F-B35E-78807B606904 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether the long-term survival in elderly patients with prior Chikungunya virus infection (CVI) is associated with the clinical form presented in the acute phase, as defined by the WHO classification.Methods: Retrospective cohort study performed in Martinique University Hospitals. Patients who attended the emergency department for suspected CVI, and who had a positive biological diagnosis of CVI by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction on a plasma sample between 10 January and 31 December 2014 were eligible for inclusion. Time-to-death was the primary outcome. The independent relationship between clinical forms and time-to-death was analysed using a Cox model.Results: In total, 268 patients were included. Mean age was 80 ± 8 years, 53% were women. Median length of follow-up was 28 months (range: 0-39). During follow-up, 53 (19.8%) patients died. Median survival time was 13.2 months (range: 0-33.6). At the end of follow-up, death rates were 4.6% for acute clinical cases, 19.0% for atypical cases, 19.2% for severe acute cases and 23.5% for unclassifiable cases. By multivariable analysis, the clinical form of CVI at admission was found to be independently associated with long-term survival (atypical form: HR = 2.38; 95% CI = 2.15-2.62; severe acute form: HR = 2.40; 95% CI = 2.17-2.64; unclassifiable form: HR = 2.28; 95% CI = 2.06-2.51).Conclusion: The clinical form at presentation with CVI has a significant impact on long-term survival. Management of CVI patients should be tailored according to their clinical form at admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the French West Indies (Caribbean), the insecticide Chlordecone (CLD) has been extensively used to reduce banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus) infestations in banana plantations. Previous studies have shown high CLD concentrations in freshwater and coastal communities of the region. CLD concentrations, however, have not yet been assessed in marine top predators. We investigated CLD concentrations in cetacean blubber tissues from Guadeloupe, including Physeter macrocephalus , Lagenodelphis hosei , Stenella attenuata and Pseudorca crassidens. Chlordecone was detected in all blubber samples analysed, with the exception of four P. macrocephalus. Concentrations (range: 1 to 329 ng·g−1 of lipid weight) were, however, lower than those found in species from fresh and brackish water. Ecological factors (open ocean habitat), CLD kinetics, and cetacean metabolism (high or specific enzymatic activity) might explain low concentrations found in cetacean blubber. Future analyses that include internal organ sampling would help to confirm CLD levels observed in this study. Highlights • This is the first report of chlordecone levels in the pelagic marine environment. • Chlordecone was present in the four cetacean species analysed. • Cetacean concentrations were lower than in species from fresh and brackish water. • Ecological factors and chlordecone kinetics explain the low concentrations found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The French West Indies are periodically affected by North African dust episodes (NADE) resulting in PM10 concentrations exceeding air quality standards. The aim of the present study was to decipher the PM10 chemical profile during NADE over Guadeloupe. PM10 samples were collected daily at a rural site and an urban site during five episodes between April and October in 2017. During these events, the median PM10 mass concentrations were, on average, 2 to 5 times higher than in the post-episode baseline period. Sampled filters were analyzed for their quantification of chemical constituents including carbonaceous fractions (elemental and organic carbon, EC/OC), anions/cations and levoglucosan, 51 elements, and 57 selected organic species. An orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was conducted to identify the specific chemical profile of PM10 during NADE: 16 elements were identified as the most discriminant between the NADE and the control samples with mass concentration levels twice as high during a NADE. Among them, only two (Mn and V) are classified as emerging pollutant while no limit values exist for the other ones. The extensive characterization of the NADE PM10 chemical profile we performed is a key step to assess the chemical exposure of French West Indies populations during such events.