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K Moussa

Publications and source records attributed to K Moussa.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Pyrethroid and DDT resistance of Anopheles gambiae s.s. (Diptera: Culicidae) in five agricultural ecosystems from Côte-d'Ivoire].

The promotion of pyrethroid impregnated bednets among the populations is a major activity of the National Malaria Vector Control Programs in African tropical countries. However pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles gambiae, a major malaria vector, has been observed in several parts of Côte-d'Ivoire since 1993. As insecticides used in agriculture against pests are frequently considered as important factors responsible for resistance in malaria vectors, we have evaluated insecticide resistance of An. gambiae populations taking into account the main crops cultivated in Côte-d'Ivoire. Five areas were selected according to the use of insecticide either in agriculture or for domestic purposes: a urban area where vegetables and rice are main crops, a rural rice growing area, a rural area of coffee/cocoa production, a rural area of fruit farming and a rural area without any use of agricultural insecticide. Susceptibility tests were carried out using WHO diagnostic test kits. About 6500 females of An. gambiae were exposed to insecticide impregnated papers (permethrin 1%, deltamethrin 0.05%, DDT 4%) for one hour. Results confirmed that both mortality rates and knockdown time analysis were important to study the resistance data. By using mortality rates, populations of An. gambiae were found to be resistant to pyrethroids and DDT in four of the five areas. Resistance was the highest in urban area, lower in fruit and coffee/cocoa areas and at low level in rice growing area. An. gambiae from area without agricultural treatment was found susceptible to pyrethroids but slightly resistant to DDT A significant increase of knockdown time was observed in all areas with the 3 insecticides. These results agreed with previous studies showing that kdr mutation was the main resistance mechanism to pyrethroids in An. gambiae populations in Côte-d'Ivoire. They also agreed with knockdown time which is an early indicator of resistance development for the population in area without agricultural treatment. In this population the frequency of homozygous resistant individuals was probably too low to have a significant decrease of mortality rates to pyrethroids.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2005

Trends in smoking behaviour between 1985 and 2000 in nine European countries by education.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether trends in smoking behaviour in Western Europe between 1985 and 2000 differed by education group. DESIGN: Data of smoking behaviour and education level were obtained from national cross sectional surveys conducted between 1985 and 2000 (a period characterised by intense tobacco control policies) and analysed for countries combined and each country separately. Annual trends in smoking prevalence and the quantity of cigarettes consumed by smokers were summarised for each education level. Education inequalities in smoking were examined at four time points. SETTING: Data were obtained from nine European countries: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 451 386 non-institutionalised men and women 25-79 years old. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Smoking status, daily quantity of cigarettes consumed by smokers. RESULTS: Combined country analyses showed greater declines in smoking and tobacco consumption among tertiary educated men and women compared with their less educated counterparts. In country specific analyses, elementary educated British men and women, and elementary educated Italian men showed greater declines in smoking than their more educated counterparts. Among Swedish, Finnish, Danish, German, Italian, and Spanish women, greater declines were seen among more educated groups. CONCLUSIONS: Widening education inequalities in smoking related diseases may be seen in several European countries in the future. More insight into effective strategies specifically targeting the smoking behaviour of low educated groups may be gained from examining the tobacco control policies of the UK and Italy over this period.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Ischemic colitis associated with pseudoephedrine: four cases.

OBJECTIVE: There is one previously reported case linking ischemic colitis and orally administered nasal decongestants containing pseudoephedrine (MEDLINE 1974-1998). We aimed to document an association between pseudoephedrine ingestion and ischemic colitis. METHODS: We reviewed the cases of four women (ages, 37-50 yr) who presented with the sudden onset of colicky abdominal pain followed by hematochezia. Three patients had used medicine containing pseudoephedrine daily for approximately 1 wk before admission. The fourth patient had used pseudoephedrine chronically for 6 months. Two patients had no significant past medical history. One woman had presented 6 months earlier with ischemic colitis while taking both pseudoephedrine and hormone replacement therapy. This time she presented with ischemic colitis while not taking hormone replacement therapy, but still taking decongestants. Another woman had a history of ulcerative colitis, which had been quiescent for 10 yr. One patient had been a smoker; however, like the other patients she had no evidence of systemic vascular disease. On colonoscopy, all four patients had colitis, primarily affecting the splenic flexure in the anatomical watershed area. Other causes of segmental colitis, including infectious colitides, pseudomembranous colitis, and Crohn's disease, were not evident. Colonoscopic biopsies were consistent with ischemic injury. RESULTS: All cases responded to abstinence from pseudoephedrine and medical supportive therapy. None has had a relapse since discontinuing the pseudoephedrine (8-12 months). CONCLUSIONS: The vasoconstrictive action of pseudoephedrine may predispose susceptible patients to develop ischemic colitis in the watershed area of the splenic flexure. Perimenopausal women may be especially susceptible because of irregular ovulation. This may result in relative vasoconstriction when estrogen levels are low or a hypercoagulable state when estrogen levels are excessive.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Raynaud's phenomenon in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome.

Both carpal tunnel syndrome and Raynaud's phenomonon are common conditions in the general population. These two different conditions frequently cause similar symptoms such as tingling, numbness, and "deadness of the fingers". They may also co-exist for instance in scleroderma or rheumatoid arthritis. In order to study the association, if any, between these two conditions, we studied 93 patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome confirmed in electro-physiological tests with 57 control subjects, for the presence of Raynaud's phenomenon by means of a previously validated questionnaire. Raynaud's phenomenon was detected significantly more frequently (P = 0.002) in patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (36%) compared to control subjects (12%). Thus there appears to be an association between these two conditions. The mechanism for this is not clear. Sympathetic dysfunction may play a part. Practitioners should be aware of the similarity of the symptoms and the possibility that the two conditions may co-exist.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Phagocyte function and cytokine production in community acquired pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: It is possible that many deaths from pneumonia may involve the generation of inflammatory mediators and tissue damage by activated phagocytes. To test this hypothesis phagocyte function, plasma levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), and soluble interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R), disease severity, and outcome have been examined in 46 patients with community acquired pneumonia. METHODS: Polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMNL) and monocyte function were measured daily by chemiluminescence in these patients during the first week of admission, and cytokine levels were subsequently determined by ELISA. A series of 61 healthy individuals were used as a control group for the chemiluminescence results. RESULTS: There was evidence of phagocyte, particularly PMNL, activation on admission in 76% of the patients. Most patients (86%) also had raised IL-2R levels on admission. IL-6 and unbound TNF alpha were present in 23% and 41% of patients at varying times during the course of the disease. There was little correlation between measurements of cytokine or phagocyte levels and outcome or indicators of disease severity, although this may be because of the small number of patients included in this preliminary study. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that activated phagocyte function and raised levels of circulating cytokines may contribute to the pathogenesis of community acquired pneumonia. There are striking similarities in this respect between pneumonia, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and sepsis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament after cervical irradiation.

A case of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) at the cervical level one year after cervical irradiation is reported. This condition is rare in Caucasian people. The cause is unknown. The particular circumstances of ossification occurrence in the case reported allow us to propose a new etiological hypothesis.

Adult↗