An exonic BalI polymorphism and an intronic MspI polymorphism of the dopamine D3 gene were genotyped in 101 Caucasians from the Alsace and in 56 people from the Congo. This is the first study of the BalI polymorphism in sub-Saharan Africa and the first population study of the MspI site. BalI allele 1 was rare in the Congo (0.12) whereas it is the most frequent allele in all studies in Europe and Asia. MspI allele 1 was also significantly less frequent in the Congolese (0.24) than in Caucasians (0.52). D3 gene alleles show different frequencies in sub-Saharan Africa and may be useful for population studies.

Alleles↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Neurologic diseases in Niger].

The authors report the results of a study realized at National Hospital of Niamey (Republic of Niger) from october 1981 to may 1986. Among 4820 patients living in Western Niger, 410 (8.5%) had neurological disorders. Out of 16 recognized syndromes 6 constitute 75.2%: comas, paraplegias, cranial nerves palsies, convulsions, hemiplegias and sciaticas. An etiological diagnosis is made in 269 patients. From 15 diseases 4 totalize 73.5%: there are medullar compressions, infections of the central nervous system (bacterial meningitis, cerebral malaria), cerebral vascular disturbances and metabolic encephalopathies. POTT's disease is the most common cause of medullar compression with paraplegia and arterial hypertension is a very important etiologic factor of cerebral vascular attack (42.2 and 44.4% respectively). Parkinsonian syndrome and multiple sclerosis seem rare. The diagnosis of cerebral tumor is very uncommon but this is in relation to the absence of autopsy and of recent investigation (scanner). No case of tuberculous meningitis is noted and this can't be explained by the authors in a major tuberculous endemic area.

Bacterial Infections↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Sleeping habits in Sahelian Africa].

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Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Sudden infant death and sickle cell anemia in the Sahel region of Africa].

The authors investigated the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (S.I.D.S.) in families of government employees who benefited of free health care. Out of approximately 400 families with around 2000 children, 29 reported at least one infant death meeting the chosen criteria for S.I.D.S. A total of 41 children, mostly males, died between 1 day and 30 months of age, amongst the 149 children born in these families; most of them died during the first 3 months of life. The mothers were generally house wives, aged 26.2 +/- 1.0 years. Sickle cell trait was found in at least one parent of 21 families. In the other 8 families, 11 out of 38 children died, giving a prevalence rate of 6.9/1000 live births for S.I.D.S. in the healthy population. In the sickle cell trait population, the prevalence rate for S.I.D.S. reached 75.0/1000 live births, the prevalence of sickle cell anemia being about 20% in Niger. When very strict criteria were used for diagnosing S.I.D.S., the prevalence rate was 2.5/1000 and 40/1000 live births in the healthy and the sickle trait populations respectively. This study is the first attempt to determine the place of S.I.D.S. in the infant mortality rate in Sahelian Africa. In families with sickle cell disease, the risk of S.I.D.S. was 11.5 times greater than in healthy families. The role of sleep apnea as a cause of S.I.D.S. is discussed. It may represent a common cause of death in both healthy families at risk and sickle cell trait families.

Africa↗