Search

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease with a worldwide importance, mostly frequent in tropical and subtropical countries. In Côte d'Ivoire, little is known about leptospirosis and human data are sparse. This disease is usually misdiagnosed with other febrile illnesses, and determining high-risk areas could allow better management of this disease, leading to policies. This study aims to map leptospirosis exposure areas by determining geographic distribution of anti-Leptospira antibodies in humans in Côte d'Ivoire. A total of 384 serum samples were randomly selected in the national surveillance system for communicable diseases in 2014. All the 82 health districts were include in the study. Serums were screened by ELISA at Institut Pasteur de Côte d'Ivoire and confirmed by MAT in the National Reference Centre for leptospirosis in Institut Pasteur in Paris. In these samples, ELISA screened 90 specimens showing anti-Leptospira antibodies and 36 specimens were confirmed by MAT (9.4%). Observed cases were mostly located in health districts of the western and the southern parts of the country. People with anti-Leptospira antibodies had a mean age of 34.5 years old and a sex ratio of 2. This pattern corresponds to active low-income farmers working into agricultural fields. This study reveals circulation of leptospirosis in human population in Côte d'Ivoire. The disease seems to be more frequent in the western and the southern parts of the country. Active low-income farmers working into agricultural fields without personal protective gear could be one of the most at-risk populations.

Understanding the ecological, behavioural and evolutionary response of organisms to changing environments is of primary importance in a human-altered world. It is crucial to elucidate how human activities alter gene flow and what are the consequences for the genetic structure of a species. We studied two lineages of the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) throughout the contact zone between mesic and arid Ecozones in the Middle East to evaluate the species' response to the growing proportion of human-altered habitats in the desert. We integrated population genetics, morphometrics and movement ecology to analyse population structure, morphological variation and habitat use from GPS- or radio-tagged individuals from both desert and Mediterranean areas. We classified the spatial distribution and environmental stratification by describing physical–geographical conditions and land cover. We analysed this information to estimate patch occupancy and used an isolation-by-resistance approach to model gene flow patterns. Our results suggest that lineages from desert and Mediterranean habitats, despite their admixture, are isolated by environment and by adaptation supporting their classification as ecotypes. We found a positive effect of human-altered habitats on patch occupancy and habitat use of fruit bats by increasing the availability of roosting and foraging areas. While this commensalism promotes the distribution of fruit bats throughout the Middle East, gene flow between colonies has not been altered by human activities. This discrepancy between habitat use and gene flow patterns may, therefore, be explained by the breeding system of the species and modifications of natal dispersal patterns., This work was funded by the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) Grants ISF‐FIRST 1316/05 and ISF 1259/09, the Grant Agency of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (IAA 601110905) and the Institutional Research Support grant No. SVV 260 313/2016, the Adelina and Massimo Della Pergolla Chair of Life Sciences and the Minerva Center for Movement Ecology (R.N.), the President of Israel Doctoral Award (D.S.), the Lady Davis Fellowship Trust and the University Pablo de Olavide (A.C‐C).

International audience; Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus transmitted by the bite of mosquito vectors. Over the past 10 years, the virus has gained mutations that enhance its transmissibility by the Aedes albopictus vector, resulting in massive outbreaks in the Indian Ocean, Asia and Central Africa. Recent introduction of competent A. albopictus vectors into the Central African Republic (CAR) pose a threat of a Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) epidemic in this region. We undertook this study to assess the genetic diversity and background of CHIKV strains isolated in the CAR between 1975 and 1984 and also to estimate the ability of local strains to adapt to A. albopictus. Our results suggest that, local CHIKV strains have a genetic background compatible with quick adaptation to A. albopictus, as previously observed in other Central African countries. Intense surveillance of the human and vector populations is necessary to prevent or anticipate the emergence of a massive CHIKF epidemic in the CAR.

Autosomal recessive microcephaly or MicroCephaly Primary Hereditary (MCPH) is a genetically heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a reduction in brain volume, indirectly measured by an occipitofrontal circumference (OFC) 2 standard deviations or more below the age- and sex-matched mean (-2SD) at birth and -3SD after 6 months, and leading to intellectual disability of variable severity. The Abnormal SPindle-like Microcephaly gene (ASPM), the human ortholog of the Drosophila melanogaster 'abnormal spindle' gene (asp), encodes ASPM, a protein localized at the centrosome of apical neuroprogenitor cells and involved in spindle pole positioning during neurogenesis. Loss-of-function mutations in ASPM cause MCPH5, which affects the majority of all MCPH patients worldwide. Here, we report 47 unpublished patients from 39 families carrying 28 new ASPM mutations, and conduct an exhaustive review of the molecular, clinical, neuroradiological and neuropsychological features of the 282 families previously reported (with 161 distinct ASPM mutations). Furthermore, we show that ASPM-related microcephaly is not systematically associated with intellectual deficiency and discuss the association between the structural brain defects (strong reduction in cortical volume and surface area) that modify the cortical map of these patients and their cognitive abilities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. ispartof: Human Mutation vol:39 issue:3 pages:319-332 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Genome-wide scans of genetic differentiation between hybridizing taxa can identify genome regions with unusual rates of introgression. Regions of high differentiation might represent barriers to gene flow, while regions of low differentiation might indicate adaptive introgression—the spread of selectively beneficial alleles between reproductively isolated genetic backgrounds. Here we conduct a scan for unusual patterns of differentiation in a mosaic hybrid zone between two mussel species, Mytilus edulis and M. galloprovincialis. One outlying locus, mac-1, showed a characteristic footprint of local introgression, with abnormally high frequency of edulis-derived alleles in a patch of M. galloprovincialis enclosed within the mosaic zone, but low frequencies outside of the zone. Further analysis of DNA sequences showed that almost all of the edulis allelic diversity had introgressed into the M. galloprovincialis background in this patch. We then used a variety of approaches to test the hypothesis that there had been adaptive introgression at mac-1. Simulations and model fitting with maximum-likelihood and approximate Bayesian computation approaches suggested that adaptive introgression could generate a “soft sweep,” which was qualitatively consistent with our data. Although the migration rate required was high, it was compatible with the functioning of an effective barrier to gene flow as revealed by demographic inferences. As such, adaptive introgression could explain both the reduced intraspecific differentiation around mac-1 and the high diversity of introgressed alleles, although a localized change in barrier strength may also be invoked. Together, our results emphasize the need to account for the complex history of secondary contacts in interpreting outlier loci.

Summary Background A novel multicomponent vaccine against meningococcal capsular group B (MenB) disease contains four major components: factor-H-binding protein, neisserial heparin binding antigen, neisserial adhesin A, and outer-membrane vesicles derived from the strain NZ98/254. Because the public health effect of the vaccine, 4CMenB (Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Siena, Italy), is unclear, we assessed the predicted strain coverage in Europe. Methods We assessed invasive MenB strains isolated mainly in the most recent full epidemiological year in England and Wales, France, Germany, Italy, and Norway. Meningococcal antigen typing system (MATS) results were linked to multilocus sequence typing and antigen sequence data. To investigate whether generalisation of coverage applied to the rest of Europe, we also assessed isolates from the Czech Republic and Spain. Findings 1052 strains collected from July, 2007, to June, 2008, were assessed from England and Wales, France, Germany, Italy, and Norway. All MenB strains contained at least one gene encoding a major antigen in the vaccine. MATS predicted that 78% of all MenB strains would be killed by postvaccination sera (95% CI 63–90, range of point estimates 73–87% in individual country panels). Half of all strains and 64% of covered strains could be targeted by bactericidal antibodies against more than one vaccine antigen. Results for the 108 isolates from the Czech Republic and 300 from Spain were consistent with those for the other countries. Interpretation MATS analysis showed that a multicomponent vaccine could protect against a substantial proportion of invasive MenB strains isolated in Europe. Monitoring of antigen expression, however, will be needed in the future. Funding Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics.

International audience; The large and recent migrations of the main vector of the Chikungunya virus, Aedes albopictus, raise questions about the epidemiological impact of possible microevolutionary changes in new territories. Quantitative traits are suitable to detect such changes as induced by environmental adaptations, local competition and founder effects. Using landmark-based geometric morphometrics, we compared the size and shape of 22 populations (1572 females) of Ae. albopictus. The collection sites covered five countries around the world, with special emphasis on Asia, which is assumed to be the origin of the vector. Some collections came from places where an important epidemic outbreak of Chikungunya has recently occurred.Quantitative comparisons were based on 18 anatomical landmarks on the wing. To contrast geographic and possible interspecific shape variation, close species were introduced in the sample, namely five Aedes riversi and nine Ae. flavopictus from Japan. The three species had similar size, but they were clearly separated by shape.Within Ae. albopictus, there was general agreement on size variation with the available climatic data. Shape variation was less related to climatic data than to either geography or a known itinerary of past territorial expansion. Thus, two main clusters were distinguished by wing shape variation: the first one composed of the Southeast Asian sample, the second one grouping Japan, Florida, Hawaii and the Reunion Island samples.The Southeast Asian countries, assumed to be at the origin of the geographic expansion of the mosquito, had similar wings and constituted a distinct group where localities clustered into northern and southern localities. Contrasting with this homogeneous group, very distant localities such as United States (US) and Japan shared a common shape pattern. The US Ae. albopictus samples (Hawaii and Florida) were indeed very similar to the Japanese samples, with Florida behaving exactly like a northern Japanese locality, close to Tokyo and Yokohama. Shape proximity among these distant areas could be explained by a common and relatively recent ancestor, as generally suggested in the literature. The three Reunion Island samples conformed a group external to the Southeast Asian countries, loosely connected to the remaining localities.Thus, areas where recent epidemics took place, the Reunion Island and the southernmost localities of Thailand, did not cluster together, but represented separate groups.In sum, the size of the wing was apparently under the influence of climatic factors, while its shape could contribute information on species and geographic differences. Apparent departures from expectations based on geography were explained by known past and present migratory routes. These patterns of shape variation were compatible with genetic drift, suggesting microevolutionary changes probably induced by the expansion of the Ae. albopictus mosquito.

Background Artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites are now present across much of mainland Southeast Asia, where ongoing surveys are measuring and mapping their spatial distribution. These efforts require substantial resources. Here we propose a generic ‘smart surveillance’ methodology to identify optimal candidate sites for future sampling and thus map the distribution of artemisinin resistance most efficiently. Methods The approach uses the ‘uncertainty’ map generated iteratively by a geostatistical model to determine optimal locations for subsequent sampling. Results The methodology is illustrated using recent data on the prevalence of the K13-propeller polymorphism (a genetic marker of artemisinin resistance) in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Conclusion This methodology, which has broader application to geostatistical mapping in general, could improve the quality and efficiency of drug resistance mapping and thereby guide practical operations to eliminate malaria in affected areas. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12942-016-0064-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

International audience; Today, we are witnessing changes in the spatial distribution and abundance of many species, including ticks and their associated pathogens. Evidence that these changes are primarily due to climate change, habitat modifications, and the globalisation of human activities are accumulating. Changes in the distribution of ticks and their invasion into new regions can have numerous consequences including modifications in their ecological characteristics and those of endemic species, impacts on the dynamics of local host populations and the emergence of human and livestock disease. Here, we review the principal causes for distributional shifts in tick populations and their consequences in terms of the ecological attributes of the species in question (i.e. phenotypic and genetic responses), pathogen transmission and disease epidemiology. We also describe different methodological approaches currently used to assess and predict such changes and their consequences. We finish with a discussion of new research avenues to develop in order to improve our understanding of these host-vector-pathogen interactions in the context of a changing world.

International audience; From 2006 to December 2009, 45 out of the 513 strains isolated from patients with invasive meningococcal disease in Belgium, were identified as Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B, non-serotypeable, subtype P1.14 (B:NT:P1.14). Most cases were geographically clustered in the northern part of the country. Multilocus Sequence Typing and antigen gene sequencing combined with Pulsed-Field Gel electrophoresis were used to investigate this cluster. Molecular typing showed that 39 out of these 45 N. meningitidis strains belonged to the clonal complex cc-269. The presence of the same PorA Variable Regions (VR1-VR2: 22, 14), the FetA allele (F5-1) and the highly similar Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis profiles, supported genetic relatedness for 38 out of these 39 isolates. Retrospective analysis of B:NT:P1.22,14 isolates from 1999 onwards suggested that these strains belonging to the cc-269 complex, first emerged in the Belgian province of West-Flanders in 2004. This study showed that the combination of molecular tools with classical methods enabled reliable outbreak detection as well as a cluster identification.

International audience; BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sisyrinchium (Iridaceae: Iridoideae: Sisyrinchieae) is one of the largest, most widespread and most taxonomically complex genera in Iridaceae, with all species except one native to the American continent. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus were investigated and the evolution of oil-producing structures related to specialized oil-bee pollination examined. METHODS: Phylogenetic analyses based on eight molecular markers obtained from 101 Sisyrinchium accessions representing 85 species were conducted in the first extensive phylogenetic analysis of the genus. Total evidence analyses confirmed the monophyly of the genus and retrieved nine major clades weakly connected to the subdivisions previously recognized. The resulting phylogenetic hypothesis was used to reconstruct biogeographical patterns, and to trace the evolutionary origin of glandular trichomes present in the flowers of several species. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Glandular trichomes evolved three times independently in the genus. In two cases, these glandular trichomes are oil-secreting, suggesting that the corresponding flowers might be pollinated by oil-bees. Biogeographical patterns indicate expansions from Central America and the northern Andes to the subandean ranges between Chile and Argentina and to the extended area of the Paraná river basin. The distribution of oil-flower species across the phylogenetic trees suggests that oil-producing trichomes may have played a key role in the diversification of the genus, a hypothesis that requires future testing.

International audience; Knowledge of vector population genetic structure is critical for vector-borne disease control and prevention strategies. Advances in both molecular genotyping technology and theoretical developments have contributed to the growing impact of such approaches on medical entomology. The pattern of genetic structure may affect the design of control strategies in determining appropriate control limits necessary to disrupt pathogen transmission. In this review, we focus on the mosquito Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue viruses. We describe and discuss numerous population genetic studies illustrating the local genetic variation and gene flow of Ae. aegypti populations.

International audience; BACKGROUND: Theoretical and experimental data support the geographic differentiation strategy as a valuable tool for detecting loci under selection. In the context of Plasmodium falciparum malaria, few populations have been studied, with limited genomic coverage. METHODS: We examined geographic differentiation in P. falciparum populations on the basis of 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 4 genes encoding drug resistance determinants, 5 SNPs in 2 genes encoding antigens, and a set of 17 putatively neutral SNPs dispersed on 13 chromosomes. We sampled 326 parasite isolates representing 7 P. falciparum populations from regions with varied levels of malaria transmission (Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mayotte, Haiti, and the Philippines). RESULTS: Frequencies of drug resistance alleles varied considerably among populations (mean F(ST), 0.52). In contrast, allele frequencies varied significantly less for antigenic and neutral SNPs (mean F(ST), 0.16 and 0.24, respectively). This contrasting pattern was more pronounced when only the African populations were considered. Signature of selection was detected for most of the resistant SNPs but not for the antigenic SNPs. CONCLUSION: These data further validate the utility of geographic differentiation for identifying loci under strong positive selection, such as drug resistance loci. This study also provides frequencies of molecular makers of resistance in some overlooked populations.

According to the history of the cultivated carrot, root colour can be considered as a structural factor of carrot germplasm. Therefore, molecular variations of carotenoid biosynthesis genes, these being involved in colour traits, represent a good putative source of polymorphism related to diversity structure. Seven candidate genes involved in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway have been analysed from a sample of 48 individual plants, each one from a different cultivar of carrot (Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus). The cultivars were chosen to represent a large diversity and a wide range of root colour. A high single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) frequency of 1 SNP per 22 bp (mean pi (sil) = 0.020) was found on average within these genes. The analysis of genetic structure from carotenoid biosynthesis gene sequences and 17 putatively neutral microsatellites showed moderate genetic differentiation between cultivars originating from the West and the East (F (ST) = 0.072), this being consistent with breeding history, but not previously evidenced by molecular tools. Surprisingly, carotenoid biosynthesis genes did not exhibit decay of LD (mean r (2) = 0.635) within the 700-1,000 bp analysed, even though a fast decay level of LD is expected in outcrossing species. The high level of intralocus LD found for carotenoid biosynthesis genes implies that candidate-gene association mapping for carrot root colour should be useful to validate gene function, but may be unable to identify precisely the causative variations involved in trait determinism. Finally this study affords the first molecular evidence of a genetic structure in cultivated carrot germplasm related to phylogeography.

International audience; Multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) was employed to compare strains of Leishmania donovani belonging to the MON-37 zymodeme (MON-37 strains) from Cyprus and Israel to MON-37 strains from the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, China and East Africa as well as strains of other zymodemes. The MLMT data were processed with a distance-based method for construction of phylogenetic trees, factorial correspondence analysis and a Bayesian model-based clustering algorithm. All three approaches assigned the MON-37 strains to different distantly related genetically defined subgroups, corresponding to their geographical origin. Specifically, the Kenyan, Sri Lankan and Indian MON-37 strains were genetically closer to strains of other zymodemes from the same regions than to MON-37 strains from other areas. MON-37 strains from Cyprus and Israel were clearly different not only among themselves, but also compared to all the other MON-37 strains studied and could, therefore, be autochthonous. This study showed that the zymodeme MON-37 is paraphyletic and does not reflect the genetic relationship between strains of different geographical origin.

The Beijing genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been shown in many settings to be hypervirulent and associated with multi-drug resistance. Its presently global and rapid dissemination makes it an important issue of public health. Here, I present a significantly enlarged update of the MIRU-VNTR global database of the M. tuberculosis Beijing genotype (11 loci). I further attempted to link the observed mycobacterial diversity with relevant events of the known human history. Large water masses have been the most efficient and drastic generators of the genetic divergence between human populations. The same situation appears true also for M. tuberculosis, which general diversity pattern amazingly resembles that of its human host. At the same time, less expected affinities observed between distant populations of M. tuberculosis may reflect hidden patterns of human migrations or yet unknown epidemiological links between distant regions.

In heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF), renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors are the Level 1A evidence-based cornerstones of pharmacological treatment. As a result of trial-based progress in medical therapy in the last 2 decades, mortality associated with HF-REF has declined almost 3-fold. In sharp contrast, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF) is still lacking evidence-based therapies.1,2 Indeed, the 3 major outcome trials performed in HF-PEF with RAAS inhibitors did not meet their primary end points.3–5 A post hoc analysis of the latest trial, TOPCAT (Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure With an Aldosterone Antagonist), identified an unusually large difference (≈4-fold) in the placebo group primary event rate of patients randomized from Russia and Georgia (Russia/Georgia) compared with those enrolled from the United States, Argentina, Brazil, and Canada (ie, the Americas).5 Articles see p 34 and p 43 In an effort to better understand this regional heterogeneity, in this issue of Circulation , Pfeffer et al6 performed a comprehensive assessment of clinically relevant variables that may have led to such striking regional discrepancies in terms of patient response to spironolactone. Beyond the inherent limitations of any post hoc analysis, the present data provide major insights into the TOPCAT results that may help change practice in HF-PEF, given the lack of other available therapy in this syndrome. Within each region, the randomized treatment groups were well balanced, whereas between these regions, for almost every variable, baseline characteristics were distinctly different. Over and above the differences in baseline features, the magnitude of changes in blood pressure, kidney function, and potassium kinetics in patients receiving spironolactone was strikingly different across the different geographical areas, being strikingly less pronounced in patients from Russia/Georgia. In the Americas, these changes were more in line with that …

Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (L.) and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) are the most important vectors of the dengue and yellow-fever viruses. Both took advantage of trade developments to spread throughout the tropics from their native area: A. aegypti originated from Africa and A. albopictus from South-East Asia. We investigated the relationships between A. aegypti and A. albopictus mosquitoes based on three mitochondrial-DNA genes (cytochrome b, cytochrome oxidase I and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5). Little genetic variation was observed for A. albopictus, probably owing to the recent spreading of the species via human activities. For A. aegypti, most populations from South America were found to be genetically similar to populations from South-East Asia (Thailand and Vietnam), except for one sample from Boa Vista (northern Amazonia), which was more closely related to samples from Africa (Guinea and Ivory Coast). This suggests that African populations of A. aegypti introduced during the slave trade have persisted in Boa Vista, resisting eradication campaigns.

International audience; We performed a geographical analysis of cancer mortality in the communes surrounding an industrial mining complex (Salsigne, France) where suspicious levels of pollution due to arsenic were measured. Compared with that observed in a control area, we showed a significant excess of mortality due to all cancer types (ratio of standard mortality ratios (ratio of SMRs)=1.1), lung cancer (ratio of SMRs=1.8), pharynx cancer (ratio of SMRs=2.1) in the whole population, and due to digestive system cancer (ratio of SMRs=1.3) among women. The results were similar after controlling for the occupation distribution in the populations. Excluding mining complex workers deaths from the deaths in the studied populations did not modify the pattern of our results. We concluded that the excess of cancer deaths could not be exclusively due to potential professional exposures among the workers of the mining complex and are probably explained by environmental contamination.

International audience; Data on nymphal Ixodes scapularis ticks submitted by the public to the University of Rhode Island Tick Research Laboratory for testing from 1991 to 2000 were compared with human case data from the Rhode Island Department of Health to determine the efficacy of passive tick surveillance at assessing human risk of Lyme disease. Numbers of ticks submitted were highly correlated with human cases by county (r = 0.998, n = 5 counties) and by town (r = 0.916, n = 37 towns), as were the numbers of positive ticks submitted (r = 0.989 by county, r = 0.787 by town). Human cases were correlated with ticks submitted by town each year, and with positive ticks in all but 2 years. Thus, passive tick surveillance effectively assessed geographical risk of human Lyme disease. In contrast, tick submissions through time were not correlated with human cases from year to year. Dog seropositivity was significantly correlated with human cases by county in both years tested, but by town in only one of two years. Numbers of ticks submitted were correlated with dog seropositivity by county but not by town, apparently because of high variability among towns with small sample sizes. Our results suggest that passive tick surveillance, using ticks submitted by the public for Lyme spirochete testing, can be used to assess the geographical distribution of Lyme disease risk, but cannot reliably predict Lyme incidence from year to year.

Plasmodium vivax is the geographically most widespread human malaria parasite. To analyze patterns of microsatellite diversity and population structure across countries of different transmission intensity, genotyping data from 11 microsatellite markers was either generated or compiled from 841 isolates from four continents collected in 1999–2008. Diversity was highest in South-East Asia (mean allelic richness 10.0–12.8), intermediate in the South Pacific (8.1–9.9) Madagascar and Sudan (7.9–8.4), and lowest in South America and Central Asia (5.5–7.2). A reduced panel of only 3 markers was sufficient to identify approx. 90% of all haplotypes in South Pacific, African and SE-Asian populations, but only 60–80% in Latin American populations, suggesting that typing of 2–6 markers, depending on the level of endemicity, is sufficient for epidemiological studies. Clustering analysis showed distinct clusters in Peru and Brazil, but little sub-structuring was observed within Africa, SE-Asia or the South Pacific. Isolates from Uzbekistan were exceptional, as a near-clonal parasite population was observed that was clearly separated from all other populations (F ST>0.2). Outside Central Asia F ST values were highest (0.11–0.16) between South American and all other populations, and lowest (0.04–0.07) between populations from South-East Asia and the South Pacific. These comparisons between P. vivax populations from four continents indicated that not only transmission intensity, but also geographical isolation affect diversity and population structure. However, the high effective population size results in slow changes of these parameters. This persistency must be taken into account when assessing the impact of control programs on the genetic structure of parasite populations., Author Summary Plasmodium vivax is the predominant malaria parasite in Latin America, Asia and the South Pacific. Different factors are expected to shape diversity and population structure across continents, e.g. transmission intensity which is much lower in South America as compared to Southeast-Asia and the South Pacific, or geographical isolation of P. vivax populations in the South Pacific. We have compiled data from 841 isolates from South and Central America, Africa, Central Asia, Southeast-Asia and the South Pacific typed with a panel of 11 microsatellite markers. Diversity was highest in Southeast-Asia, where transmission is intermediate-high and migration of infected hosts is high, and lowest in South America and Central Asia where malaria transmission is low and focal. Reducing the panel of microsatellites showed that 2–6 markers are sufficient for genotyping for most drug trials and epidemiological studies, as these markers can identify >90% of all haplotypes. Parasites clustered according to continental origin, with high population differentiation between South American and Central Asian populations and the other populations, and lowest differences between Southeast-Asia and the South Pacific. Current attempts to reduce malaria transmission might change this pattern, but only after transmission is reduced for an extended period of time.

The annual incidence of Q fever in French Guiana was found to have increased in 1996 and was 37/100,000 population over the last 4 years. Subsequent investigations in Cayenne and its suburbs indicated that a wild reservoir of the bacteria was responsible for the epidemiologic pattern. A case-control study showed that residence near a forest and occupations and activities that result in exposure to aerosols of dusts from the soil are risk factors for Q fever. By means of time-series analysis, a strong positive correlation between rainfall and the incidence of Q fever with a time lag of 1-3 months was found. The spatial distribution of the cases showed that transmission occurs widely throughout greater Cayenne, which is incompatible with a pinpoint source of contamination. Transmission from livestock and dissemination of the bacteria by the wind appeared to be unlikely, which strengthens the hypothesis that a wild reservoir is responsible for transmission.

International audience

International audience; Members of the Anopheles gambiae species complex are primary vectors of human malaria in Africa. Population heterogeneities for ecological and behavioral attributes expand and stabilize malaria transmission over space and time, and populations may change in response to vector control, urbanization and other factors. There is a need for approaches to comprehensively describe the structure and characteristics of a sympatric local mosquito population, because incomplete knowledge of vector population composition may hinder control efforts. To this end, we used a genome-wide custom SNP typing array to analyze a population collection from a single geographic region in West Africa. The combination of sample depth (n = 456) and marker density (n = 1536) unambiguously resolved population subgroups, which were also compared for their relative susceptibility to natural genotypes of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The population subgroups display fluctuating patterns of differentiation or sharing across the genome. Analysis of linkage disequilibrium identified 19 new candidate genes for association with underlying population divergence between sister taxa, A. coluzzii (M-form) and A. gambiae (S-form).

ObjectiveEstimate the seroprevalence of influenza A virus in various commercial poultry farms and evaluate specific risk factors as well as analyze their genetic nature using molecular assays.Materials and methodsThis report summarizes the findings of a national survey realized from October 2010 to May 2011 on 800 flocks in 20 governorates. Serum samples were screened for the presence of specific influenza virus antibodies using cELISA test. Additionally, swab samples were tested by real time and conventional RT-PCR and compared with results obtained by others assays. Phylogenetic and genetic analyses of the glycoproteins were established for some strains.ResultsOut of the 800 chicken and turkey flocks tested by cELISA, 223 showed positive anti-NP antibodies (28.7%, 95% CI: 25.6-32.1). Significantly higher seroprevalence was found among the coastal areas compared to inland and during the autumn and winter. Broiler flocks showed significantly lower seroprevalence than layers and broiler breeders. The influenza virus infection prevalence increased after the laying phase among layer flocks. In addition, AIV seropositivity was significantly associated with low biosecurity measures. The Ag EIA and rRT-PCR tests revealed significantly higher numbers of AI positive samples as compared to cell cultures or egg inoculation. All new strains were subtyped as H9N2 by real time and conventional RT-PCR. Drift mutations, addition or deletion of glycosylation sites were likely to have occurred in the HA and NA glycoproteins of Tunisian strains resulting in multiple new amino acid substitutions. This fact may reflect different evolutionary pressures affecting these glycoproteins. The role of these newly detected substitutions should be tested.ConclusionOur findings highlight the potential risk of AIV to avian health. Strict enforcement of biosecurity measures and possible vaccination of all poultry flocks with continuous monitoring of poultry stations may ensure reduction of AIV prevalence and avoid emergence of more pathogenic strains.

Culture and genetics rely on two distinct but not isolated transmission systems. Cultural processes may change the human selective environment and thereby affect which individuals survive and reproduce. Here, we evaluated whether the modes of subsistence in Native American populations and the frequencies of the ABCA1*Arg230Cys polymorphism were correlated. Further, we examined whether the evolutionary consequences of the agriculturally constructed niche in Mesoamerica could be considered as a gene-culture coevolution model. For this purpose, we genotyped 229 individuals affiliated with 19 Native American populations and added data for 41 other Native American groups (n = 1905) to the analysis. In combination with the SNP cluster of a neutral region, this dataset was then used to unravel the scenario involved in 230Cys evolutionary history. The estimated age of 230Cys is compatible with its origin occurring in the American continent. The correlation of its frequencies with the archeological data on Zea pollen in Mesoamerica/Central America, the neutral coalescent simulations, and the FST-based natural selection analysis suggest that maize domestication was the driving force in the increase in the frequencies of 230Cys in this region. These results may represent the first example of a gene-culture coevolution involving an autochthonous American allele. Fil: Hünemeier, Tábita. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Amorim, Carlos Eduardo Guerra. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: de Azevedo, Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina Fil: Contini, Veronica. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Acuña Alonzo, Víctor. Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia; México Fil: Rothhammer, Francisco. Universidad de Chile. Facultad de Medicina; Chile Fil: Dugoujon, Jean Michel. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia. Université Paul Sabatier; Francia Fil: Mazières, Stephane. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia. Aix-Marseille Université; Francia. Anthropologie Bio-Culturelle, Droit, Éthique et Santé; Francia Fil: Barrantes, Ramiro. Universidad de Costa Rica; Costa Rica Fil: Villarreal Molina, María Teresa. Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica. Laboratorio de Genómica de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares; México Fil: Paixão Côrtes, Vanessa Rodrigues. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Salzano, Francisco M.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Canizales Quinteros, Samuel. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México Fil: Ruiz-Linares, Andres. University College London; Reino Unido Fil: Bortolini, Maria Cátira. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil

Despite the importance of population structure for the epidemiology of pathogenic bacteria, the spatial and ecological heterogeneity of these populations is often poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the genetic diversity and population structure of the Lyme borreliosis (LB) spirochaete Borrelia garinii in its marine cycle involving colonial seabirds and different host races of the seabird tick Ixodes uriae. Multilocus sequence analyses (MLSA) on eight chromosomal and two plasmid loci (ospA and ospC) indicate that B. garinii circulating in the marine system is highly diverse. Microevolution in marine B. garinii seems to be mainly clonal, but recombination and selection do occur. Sequence types were not evenly distributed among geographic regions, with substantial population subdivision between Atlantic and Pacific Ocean basins. However, no geographic structuring was evident within regions. Results of selection analyses and phylogenetic discordance between chromosomal and plasmid loci indicate adaptive evolution is likely occurring in this system, but no pattern of host or vector-associated divergence was found. Recombination analyses showed evidence for population admixture between terrestrial and marine strains, suggesting that LB spirochaetes are exchanged between these enzootic cycles. Importantly, our results highlight the need to explicitly consider the marine system for a complete understanding of the evolutionary ecology and global epidemiology of Lyme borreliosis., Este trabajo ha sido financiado por ‘Institut Polaire-Paul Emile Victor’ (IPEV, programme No. 333), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS – Emerging Infectious Disease Interdisciplinary Program) y la Agence National de la Recherche (ANR-06-JCJC-0095-01). Además también ha recibido financiacion a través de la beca Marie Curie No. PIEF-GA-2008-221243 obtenida por E.Gómez-Díaz.

International audience; BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis has long been a major public health concern in the southwestern Indian Ocean. However, in Madagascar, only a few, old studies have provided indirect serological evidence of the disease in humans or animals. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We conducted a large animal study focusing on small-mammal populations. Five field trapping surveys were carried out at five sites, from April 2008 to August 2009. Captures consisted of Rattus norvegicus (35.8%), R. rattus (35.1%), Mus musculus (20.5%) and Suncus murinus (8.6%). We used microbiological culture, serodiagnosis tests (MAT) and real-time PCR to assess Leptospira infection. Leptospira carriage was detected by PCR in 91 (33.9%) of the 268 small mammals, by MAT in 17 of the 151 (11.3%) animals for which serum samples were available and by culture in 9 of the 268 animals (3.3%). Rates of infection based on positive PCR results were significantly higher in Moramanga (54%), Toliara (48%) and Mahajanga (47.4%) than in Antsiranana (8.5%) and Toamasina (14%) (p = 0.001). The prevalence of Leptospira carriage was significantly higher in R. norvegicus (48.9%), S. murinus (43.5%) and R. rattus (30.8%) than in M. musculus (9.1%) (p

International audience; Cysticercosis is a serious public health problem in Madagascar. The prevalence rate of active cysticercosis reached 21% in regions with a high level of livestock farming. Taenia solium of African-American and Asian genotypes are both present on the island. The times of divergence of the 13 specimens studied suggests a very ancient diversification of T. solium. These events are widely thought to be prior to the domestication of pigs, and seem to follow the expansion of Homo in Asia. Multiple human migrations and the diversity of potential intermediate hosts may have led to a complex epidemiological situation on the island.

In aphids, reproductive mode is generally assumed to be selected for by winter climate. Sexual lineages produce frost-resistant eggs, conferring an advantage in regions with cold winters, while asexual lineages predominate in regions with mild winters. However, habitat and resource heterogeneities are known to exert a strong influence on sex maintenance and might modulate the effect of climate on aphid reproductive strategies. We carried out a hierarchical sampling in northern France to investigate whether reproductive mode variation of the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi is driven by winter climate conditions, by habitat and resource heterogeneities represented by a range of host plants or by both factors. We confirmed the coexistence in R. padi populations of two genetic clusters associated with distinct reproductive strategies. Asexual lineages predominated, whatever the surveyed year and location. However, we detected a between-year variation in the local contribution of both clusters, presumably associated with preceding winter severity. No evidence for host-driven niche differentiation was found in the field on six Poaceae among sexual and asexual lineages. Two dominant multilocus genotypes ( approximately 70% of the sample), having persisted over a 10-year period, were equally abundant on different plant species and locations, indicating their large ecological tolerance. Our results fit theoretical predictions of the influence of winter climate on the balance between sexual and asexual lineages. They also highlight the importance of current agricultural practices which seem to favour a small number of asexual generalist genotypes and their migration across large areas of monotonous environments.

In seasonal environments, timing of reproduction is an important fitness component. However, in ungulates, our understanding of this biological process is limited. Here we analyze how age and body mass affect spatiotemporal variation in timing of ovulation of 6,178 Norwegian moose. We introduced a parametric statistical model to obtain inferences about the seasonal timing of ovulation peak, the degree of synchrony among individuals, and the proportion of individuals that ovulate. These components showed much more spatiotemporal variation than previously reported. Young (primiparous) and old (> or =11.5 years of age) females ovulated later than prime-aged (2.5-10.5 years of age) females. In all age classes, ovulation was delayed with decreasing body mass. Ovulation rates were lower and more variable among primiparous females than among older females. Young females required higher body mass than older females did to ovulate. The body-mass-to-ovulation relationship varied with age, showed large regional variation, and differed among years within region. These results suggest that (1) environmental and population characteristics contribute to shape seasonal variation in the breeding pattern and (2) large regional variation exists in the size-dependent age at maturity in moose. Hence, the life-history trade-off between reproduction and body growth should differ regionally in moose.

International audience; The spatial distribution of parasite communities from teleost fishes (Diplodus vulgaris, Mullus surmuletus, Pagellus erythrinus, Phycis phycis, Scorpaena scrofa and Symphodus tinca) was studied in the Bonifacio Strait Marine Reserve (Corsica Island) with different protection levels. Canonical correspondence analysis was used to study spatial patterns and to quantify the importance of site influence on parasite communities. To supplement these results, we used the indicator species analysis (Indval) to identify parasite species as bioindicators of a given ecosystem. Moreover, fish spatial distribution in the marine reserve was evaluated in order to link parasite species occurrence and fish abundance. Several parasite species were associated with a specific site, and some of them were considered as site bioindicators, especially in the western part of the protected area (Bruzzi and Moines Islands). However, the relative abundance of fish followed a different spatial pattern. Stronger fish abundance was observed in the eastern part of the reserve (Lavezzi Islands). The parasite species were correlated to sites inside as well outside the reserve. The parasite distribution seemed not to be influenced by the protection status of the site. Furthermore, in our study, most of the parasite species were not linked to a site. The most important factor influencing their distribution was host specificity. This suggested that the parasite life traits history remained a fundamental determinant in the community composition.

International audience; Cats are essential in the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii because they are the only hosts that can excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts. Samples of serum, feces, and tissues from cats from Mona, a remote island off the coast of Puerto Rico, were examined for T. gondii infection. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test and found in 16 of 19 (84.2%) of cats, with titers of 1:10 in 2, 1:80 in 1, 1:160 in 4, 1:320 in 3, and 1:1,280 or higher in 6. Tissues of 19 of the 20 cats were bioassayed in mice for T. gondii infection. Toxoplasma gondii was isolated from tissues of 12 cats: from the hearts of 9, skeletal muscle of 10, and brain of 1 cat. All infected mice from 10 of 12 isolates died of acute toxoplasmosis during primary infection. Genotyping of these 12 T. gondii isolates (designated (TgCatPr 1-12) by 10 multilocus PCR-RFLP markers, i.e., SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and an apicoplast marker Apico, and the 6 multilocus microsatellite markers TUB2, W35, TgM-A, B18, B17, and M33, revealed 7 genotypes; 5 isolates had Type I alleles at all loci except at 1 microsatellite locus, and the remainder were atypical. The latter isolates of T. gondii were different biologically and phenotypically from the feline isolates from the rest of the Americas. One isolate (TgCatPr 12) was a mixed infection with 2 genotypes.

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major global public health problem in both developed and developing countries. The prevalence and genetic diversity of HCV in pregnant women in Gabon, central Africa, is not known. We therefore evaluated the prevalence and the circulating genotypes of HCV in a large population cohort of pregnant women. Methods Blood samples (947) were collected from pregnant women in the five main cities of the country. The prevalence was evaluated by two ELISA tests, and the circulating genotypes were characterized by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Results Twenty pregnant women (2.1%) were infected with HCV. The seroprevalence differed significantly by region (p = 0.004) and increased significantly with age (p = 0.05), being 1.3% at 14–20 years, 1.1% at 21–25 years, 1.9% at 26–30 years, 4.1% at 31–35 years and 6.0% at > 35 years. Sequencing in the 5'-UTR and NS5B regions showed that the circulating strains belonged to genotypes 4 (4e and 4c). Conclusion We found that the HCV seroprevalence in pregnant women in Gabon is almost as high as that in other African countries and increases with age. Furthermore, only genotype 4 (4e and 4c) was found. More extensive studies aiming to evaluate the prevalence and heterogeneity of HCV genotypes circulating in the general population of the country are needed.

International audience; The present study investigated for the first time the incidence of childhood leukaemia (1990-2001) around French nuclear installations using a geographic zoning based on estimated doses to the red bone marrow due to gaseous radioactive discharges. The observed number of cases of acute leukaemia (O=750) in 40 km2 centred on 23 French nuclear installations between 1990 and 2001 was lower than expected (E=795.01), although not significantly so (standardised incidence ratio SIR=0.94, 95% confidence interval=(0.88-1.01)). In none of the five zones defined on the basis of the estimated doses was the SIR significantly >1. There was no evidence of a trend in SIR with the estimated doses for all the children or for any of the three age groups studied. This study confirmed that there was no evidence of an increased incidence of childhood leukaemia around the 23 French nuclear sites.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that people living in areas underserved in physicians have reduced odds of consulting. However, beyond the magnitude of this effect averaged for the whole population, policymakers need to know whether specific subgroups faced with transportation difficulties, such as the elderly and especially the disabled elderly, have a particularly restricted access to physicians when residing in underserved areas. METHODS: The study sample, representative of the French population aged 18-75 in 1999, comprised 12 405 individuals. Multilevel Poisson models were used to investigate the impact of the area-level density of general practitioners (GPs) on the number of GP consultations reported over the previous 12 months. RESULTS: The mean number of GP consultations over the previous 12 months was 3.8 (S.D.=4.9). Multivariate analyses indicated that living in areas underserved in GPs lead to a greater reduction in primary care utilization for the elderly, and especially for the disabled elderly, than for younger age groups. The disabled elderly had 244% more GP consultations (95% CI:+79%, +562%) when they lived in areas with high versus low GP density (defined with the 10th and 90th percentiles as cut-offs). CONCLUSION: If further research confirms our findings, this increasingly disturbing public health issue in industrialized countries where populations are ageing will require priority policy measures. Ensuring that elderly people living in underserved areas have adequate access to primary care may prevent future hospitalizations, use of home care services and institutionalization.

International audience; Landfills are the most common and easiest methods to dispose the municipal waste in Romania and still prevails in current waste management options. This type of critical infrastructure was designed to dispose urban waste generated over years or even decades and ultimately led to create new landforms in urban landscape. On the other hand, these sites are major sources of complex pollution unfulfilling EU regulations, being scheduled to be closed. This paper aims to analyze landfills as anthropogenic landforms by applying GIS techniques emphasizing them in a geographical context and not only in situ. The location of these sites usually on alluvial plains of rivers leading to positive landforms that may change hydrogeomorphology dynamics or to be exposed to the floods. The other side, their location in hilly or mountainous regions increase vulnerability to other geomorphological process (gully erosion, landslide). Also, the extension of human settlements and land use is influenced by the presence of such a site either it is closed. The implications of these landforms are varied and must be linked to geographical realities from around. Thus, the mapping of these anthropogenic landforms contribute to a better understanding of the systemic interactions from local environment. This approach may be an important tool for EIA studies, in the process of rehabilitation, post-monitoring and reintegration of these landfills. ].