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Purpose: To characterize the resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to second line drugs using a line probe assay. Methods: Multi-drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated between December 2008 and December 2009 were tested for resistance to fluoroquinolones and second-line injectable drugs using GenoType® MTBDRsl. Regarding second-line injectable drugs, 4 strains (11 %) were resistant to aminoglycosides/ capreomycin and all of them harbored A1401G mutation. Conclusion: No extensive drug resistant strains were observed. A relatively high proportion of strains were resistant to at least one second-line injectable drug. Resistance mechanism seemed similar for all of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. – The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in the Ivory Coast.Patients. – One hundred sixty-eight patients were split up into 3 groups. Group A (N =60) was made up of cattle farmers exposed to the tick’s bite due to their occupation. Group B (N =48) was made up of hospitalized patients in the neurological and or rhumatological department of the Abidjan university hospital center. Group C (N =60) was made up of asymptomatic blood donors.Method and results. – The anti borrelia (Ig G) global seroprevalence by Western blotting was 33%. The seroprevalence in groups A, B, and C was respectively 21, 83 and 20%. The analysis of electrophoretic profile by Western blotting of B. burgdorferi B31 proteins revealed that the flagellin and Osp B were respectively identified in 43 and 80% of tested sera. Nevertheless, in 87 to 90% of the cases, OspC was absent.Conclusion. – It seems necessary to assess the presence of Borrelia in the Ivory Coast by further studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The increasing resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to any current antibiotic treatment and the difficulties associated with the use of prevention means such as condom urge the need for alternative methods to prevent this sexually transmitted infection. In this work, a prevention strategy based on the use of a vaginal gel containing Lactobacilli was assessed in vitro. A Lactobacillus crispatus strain (ATCC 33197) was selected based on the published data on its ability to inhibit Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Its probiotic properties were first characterized. Then, a thermo-sensitive hydrogel containing 21.5% of poloxamer 407, 1% of sodium alginate and 9 log 10 CFU of Lactobacillus crispatus per gel sample (5 g) was developed. The gelation temperature and the rheological characteristics of this formulation appeared suitable for a vaginal administration. Lactobacillus crispatus was viable in the gel for six months although a large amount of the bacteria was not culturable. The ability of Lactobacillus crispatus to inhibit Neisseria gonorrhoeae was still observed with the gel. Such system, thus, appeared promising for the prevention of gonorrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]