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Abstract Background In 2006, the Senegalese National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) has recommended artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) as the first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria and, in 2007, mandated testing for all suspected cases of malaria with a Plasmodium falciparum HRP-2-based rapid diagnostic test for malaria (RDT(Paracheck®). Given the higher cost of ACT compared to earlier anti-malarials, the objectives of the present study were i) to study the accuracy of Paracheck® compared to the thick blood smear (TBS) in two areas with different levels of malaria endemicity and ii) analyse the cost-effectiveness of the strategy of the parasitological confirmation of clinically suspected malaria cases management recommended by the NMCP. Methods A cross-sectional study was undertaken in the villages of Dielmo and Ndiop (Senegal) nested in a cohort study of about 800 inhabitants. For all the individuals consulting between October 2008 and January 2009 with a clinical diagnosis of malaria, a questionnaire was filled and finger-prick blood samples were taken both for microscopic examination and RDT. The estimated costs and cost-effectiveness analysis were made considering five scenarios, the recommendations of the NMCP being the reference scenario. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was performed assuming that all the RDT-positive patients and 50% of RDT-negative patients were treated with ACT. Results A total of 189 consultations for clinically suspected malaria occurred during the study period. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were respectively 100%, 98.3%, 80.0% and 100%. The estimated cost of the reference scenario was close to 700€ per 1000 episodes of illness, approximately twice as expensive as most of the other scenarios. Nevertheless, it appeared to us cost-effective while ensuring the diagnosis and the treatment of 100% of malaria attacks and an adequate management of 98.4% of episodes of illness. The present study also demonstrated that full compliance of health care providers with RDT results was required in order to avoid severe incremental costs. Conclusions A rational use of ACT requires laboratory testing of all patients presenting with presumed malaria. Use of RDTs inevitably has incremental costs, but the strategy associating RDT use for all clinically suspected malaria and prescribing ACT only to patients tested positive is cost-effective in areas where microscopy is unavailable.

Abstract Background Malaria chemoprophylaxis compliance is suboptimal among French soldiers despite the availability of free malaria chemoprophylaxis and repeated health education before, during and after deployment to malaria endemic areas. Methods In 2007, a randomized controlled study was performed among a cohort of French soldiers returning from Côte d'Ivoire to assess the feasibility and acceptability of sending a daily short message service (SMS) reminder message via mobile device to remind soldiers to take their malaria chemoprophylaxis, and to assess the impact of the daily reminder SMS on chemoprophylaxis compliance. Malaria chemoprophylaxis consisted of a daily dose of 100 mg doxycycline monohydrate, which began upon arrival in Côte d'Ivoire and was to be continued for 28 days following return to France. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed by questionnaire. Cohort members were followed for a 28 day period, with compliance assessed by use of an electronic medication monitoring device, from which several indicators were developed: daily proportion of compliant individuals, average number of pills taken, and early discontinuation. Results Among 424 volunteers randomized to the study, 47.6% were assigned to the SMS group and 52.3% to the control group. Approximately 90% of subjects assigned to the SMS group received a daily SMS at midday during the study. Persons of the SMS group agreed more frequently that SMS reminders were very useful and that the device was not annoying. Compliance did not vary significantly between groups across the compliance indicators. Conclusion SMS did not increase malaria chemoprophylaxis compliance above baseline, likely because the persons did not benefit from holidays after the return and stayed together. So the reminder by SMS was noted by all subjects of the study. Another study should be done to confirm these results on soldiers going on holidays from employment after return or with individual travellers.

Objective: Epidemiological surveillance of malaria in France is based on a hospital laboratory sentinel surveillance network. There is no comprehensive population surveillance. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of the French National Health Insurance Information System to support nationwide malaria surveillance in continental France.Materials and Methods: A case identification algorithm was built in a 2-step process. First, inclusion rules giving priority to sensitivity were defined. Then, based on data description, exclusion rules to increase specificity were applied. To validate our results, we compared them to data from the French National Reference Center for Malaria on case counts, distribution within subgroups, and disease onset date trends.Results: We built a reusable automatized tool. From July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014, we identified 4077 incident malaria cases that occurred in continental France. Our algorithm provided data for hospitalized patients, patients treated by private physicians, and outpatients for the entire population. Our results were similar to those of the National Reference Center for Malaria for each of the outcome criteria.Discussion: We provided a reliable algorithm for implementing epidemiological surveillance of malaria based on the French National Health Insurance Information System. Our method allowed us to work on the entire population living in continental France, including subpopulations poorly covered by existing surveillance methods.Conclusion: Traditional epidemiological surveillance and the approach presented in this paper are complementary, but a formal validation framework for case identification algorithms is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among Influenza neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs), oseltamivir corresponds to the most widely used agent to treat influenza disease. However since 2001, several cases of resistance to NAIs have been reported for circulating seasonal A(H1N1) Influenza viruses. A direct resistance mechanism may be invoked, involving critical mutations in the viral NA gene that prevent the drug binding to its target. Same phenomenon is reported for adamantanes drugs and mutations in the M2 channel protein gene of Influenza viruses. Methods: Reverse-Transcription/Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RT-PCR/RFLP) method, phenotypic testing for oseltamivir resistance, and sequencing of NA, HA and M2 genes were used in this study. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using BioEdit and Mega 5 softwares for alignment of sequences and phylogenetic trees building respectively. Results: Using a simple RT-PCR/RFLP method, we found that the 86 seasonal A(H1N1) isolates from 2008 bear the oseltamivir resistance-associated mutation (H274Y) in the NA gene. In contrast all isolates isolated in Senegal in 2007 were sensitive to oseltamivir. These results were first confirmed by finding high IC50 values using a phenotypic testing for oseltamivir resistance, and secondly by sequencing the whole NA gene. Regarding M2 gene, no mutation associated to adamantanes resistance was characterized of the isolates Conclusions: The present work provides evidence of circulation of drug-resistant seasonal A(H1N1) viruses during the 2008 influenza season (July to September) in Senegal. The results are in favor of multiple introductions of oseltamivir resistant viruses (ORV) A(H1N1) in Senegal. Phylogenetic analyses of isolates with complete sequences of N1 and HA1 genes showed that they belong to clade 2B and suggest sequential introductions in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We obtained health surveillance epidemiologic data on malaria among French military personnel deployed to French Guiana during 1998-2008. Incidence of Plasmodium vivax malaria increased and that of P. falciparum remained stable. This new epidemiologic situation has led to modification of malaria treatment for deployed military personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The misuse of alcohol has harmful social and health impacts within a population. The French military must be particularly vigilant with alcohol, due to specificities linked with weaponry. This study was designed to explore social representations of alcohol based on a sample of the French Navy in order to prioritize prevention focuses on alcohol misuses in a military environment., Methods: A semi-directed interview-based exploratory study was conducted in the south of France at the end of 2015. Data was submitted to manual categorical analysis and textual analysis (Iramuteq software)., Results: Sixty-two marines from the French Navy were interviewed including 30 Navy and 32 Marine Firefighters. Data analysis indicated that the motivation to consume alcohol comes more from a social influence (extrinsic motivations) than for pleasure induced by alcohol effects (intrinsic motivations). For Navy personnel, the sense of belonging to the Navy is strengthened by drinking habits with a strong social cohesion. In contrast, the Marine Firefighters had a negative perception of alcohol because of a possible degradation of their professional image for the civilian population., Conclusion: The identification of social representations of alcohol allows for a better apprehension of drinking behavior within a French military population, particularly by focusing on content and organization of discourses about alcohol. Following this survey, a quantitative study is currently being drawn up among military personnel from the French Navy in order to clarify some of the elements identified and presented within this article.

The roles of potassium channels from the Shaker family in stomatal movements have been investigated by reverse genetics analyses in Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ), but corresponding information is lacking outside this model species. Rice ( Oryza sativa ) and other cereals possess stomata that are more complex than those of Arabidopsis. We examined the role of the outward Shaker K + channel gene OsK5.2. Expression of the OsK5.2 gene ( GUS reporter strategy) was observed in the whole stomatal complex (guard cells and subsidiary cells), root vasculature, and root cortex. In stomata, loss of OsK5.2 functional expression resulted in lack of time-dependent outward potassium currents in guard cells, higher rates of water loss through transpiration, and severe slowdown of stomatal closure. In line with the expression of OsK5.2 in the plant vasculature, mutant plants displayed a reduced K + translocation from the root system toward the leaves via the xylem. The comparison between rice and Arabidopsis show that despite the strong conservation of Shaker family in plants, substantial differences can exist between the physiological roles of seemingly orthologous genes, as xylem loading depends on SKOR and stomatal closure on GORK in Arabidopsis, whereas both functions are executed by the single OsK5.2 Shaker in rice., (© 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.)

Background: This study assesses, for the first time, the incidence, etiology, and determinants associated with traveler's diarrhea (TD) among French forces deployed to N'Djamena, Chad., Methods: A prospective study was conducted based on physician consultation for diarrhea during a 5-month French forces mandate. Diarrhea was defined as ≥3 loose stools in a 24-hour period or ≥2 loose stools within the last 8 hours. For each diarrheic episode, an anonymous physician-administered questionnaire was completed and a stool sample collected. Samples were tested for parasites, bacteria, and enteric viruses. Global incidence rate was calculated using the mean number of soldiers based in N'Djamena (n = 1,024) over the 5-month period, as denominator. Incidence rates were also estimated for each of the eleven 2-week periods of stay. A case-crossover analysis estimated determinants associated with diarrhea., Results: A total of 240 cases of diarrhea were notified by military physicians, resulting in a global incidence rate of 49 cases per 1,000 person-months (PM). The cumulative individual risk of developing diarrhea during the study period was 0.23. The incidence per 2-week stay began at 8.8/1,000 PM, rose to 54.4/1,000 PM after 1 month, and decreased after 2 months. Of the 240 cases reported, stool samples were obtained for 196 cases. Pathogens were identified in 40% of samples; enteric viruses were predominant (28.1%). Three determinants were associated with diarrhea by multivariate analysis: diarrhea in the close circle [OR: 3.8 (2.0-7.0)]; always eating at the military mess [OR: 0.2 (0.1-0.5)]; or staying in a temporary encampment [OR: 0.3 (0.1-0.8)]., Conclusions: This study found a high frequency of enteric viruses and a high risk of person-to-person transmission associated with diarrhea. Eating at the military mess or staying in a temporary encampment conferred a protective effect. In addition to food-borne disease prevention, stringent hygiene measures are required to break transmission of diarrhea during military deployments., (© 2011 International Society of Travel Medicine.)