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PubMed1998

[7 new cases of HIV-2 infection recognized in Madrid in 1996 and 1997].

The infection with human immunodeficiency virus type-2 (HIV-2) is endemic in Western Africa, where it is responsible for many of AIDS cases. In Spain, 72 cases with HIV-2 until December 1997 had been reported, mainly in African immigrants. Seven of these cases (4 males and 3 females) were identified during 1996 and 1997. Five came from Western Africa and other two were Spanish, one from Alicant and the other from Vigo. Only one out of the seven patients presented clinical manifestations (Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia); the remaining patients were asymptomatic. Viral isolates from six of these patients were genetically characterized: three were subtype A, whereas those from Equatorial Guinea patients corresponded to HIV-2 subtype B.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Epidemiology of HTLV-I in Gabon (Western Equatorial Africa).

In 1986 a survey to determine the distribution of HTLV-I infection was conducted in Gabon in a representative sample of adults and children. Five samples were taken in adults and 2 samples in children living in urban and rural areas. Samples were taken by the cluster sampling technique, i.e., clusters of randomly selected households. Sera were tested for IgG antibodies to HTLV-I by ELISA. ELISA-positive sera were retested by Western blot. The study comprised 1,874 adults and 684 children, all apparently healthy. In the adults the crude prevalence rates of anti-HTLV-I antibodies ranged from 5.0% in urban areas to 10.5% in the southern province. In rural areas, the age-adjusted prevalence rate (9.1%) was significantly higher than in urban areas (5.0%) (p less than 0.01). In children there was no significant difference between urban (2.4%) and rural (2.0%) prevalence rates. Prevalence increased with age but was not related to sex. This survey shows that HTLV-I infection is common in Gabon but varies considerably by region.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

[The OCCGE (Organisation de Coordination et de Coopération pour la Lutte contre les Grandes Endémies) and the surveillance of the drug sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarials].

Spreading of chemoresistance from East Africa to Central Africa is a very worrying problem for Western Africa. In fact, chemotherapy of febrile attacks is at present admitted as malaria control strategy in the framework of Primary Health Care. This new strategy is based on the fact that commonly used antimalarial drugs as chloroquine are surely efficacious. Thus, the surveillance of chemosensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum local strains becomes a priority. From studies carried out in Burkina Faso during many years, Centre Muraz of O.C.C.G.E. has organized a surveillance system with several levels: a Reference Center, a National Center for each country and sentinel centers located in the different epidemiological features of the countries. This surveillance concerning many states can allow to detect more quickly some possible problems in relation with chemoresistance and to take measures to limit its impact.

Africa, Western↗
PubMed2003

BetaS-haplotypes in sickle cell anemia patients from Salvador, Bahia, Northeastern Brazil.

BetaS-Globin haplotypes were studied in 80 (160 betaS chromosomes) sickle cell disease patients from Salvador, Brazil, a city with a large population of African origin resulting from the slave trade from Western Africa, mainly from the Bay of Benin. Hematological and hemoglobin analyses were carried out by standard methods. The betaS-haplotypes were determined by PCR and dot-blot techniques. A total of 77 (48.1%) chromosomes were characterized as Central African Republic (CAR) haplotype, 73 (45.6%) as Benin (BEN), 1 (0.63%) as Senegal (SEN), and 9 (5.63%) as atypical (Atp). Genotype was CAR/CAR in 17 (21.3%) patients, BEN/BEN in 17 (21.3%), CAR/BEN in 37 (46.3%), BEN/SEN in 1 (1.25%), BEN/Atp in 1 (1.25%), CAR/Atp in 6 (7.5%), and Atp/Atp in 1 (1.25%). Hemoglobin concentrations and hematocrit values did not differ among genotype groups but were significantly higher in 25 patients presenting percent fetal hemoglobin (%HbF) > or = 10% (P = 0.002 and 0.003, respectively). The median HbF concentration was 7.54+/-4.342% for the CAR/CAR genotype, 9.88 3.558% for the BEN/BEN genotype, 8.146 4.631% for the CAR/BEN genotype, and 4.180+/-2.250% for the CAR/Atp genotype (P = 0.02), although 1 CAR/CAR individual presented an HbF concentration as high as 15%. In view of the ethnic and geographical origin of this population, we did not expect a Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for CAR/CAR and BEN/BEN homozygous haplotypes and a high proportion of heterozygous CAR/BEN haplotypes since the State of Bahia historically received more slaves from Western Africa than from Central Africa.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗
PubMed1986

The crisis of international migration in an integrating West Africa: a case study of Nigeria and Ghana.

The mass expulsions of illegal immigrants that have taken place in recent years in Western Africa are examined, with particular reference to those in Ghana in 1969 and Nigeria in 1983. The author considers "the context within which they have taken place, including some of the longterm causes, and the systematic nature of the migrations which preceded them; the ways in which these have been handled by the states concerned; and their implications for the rights and status of migrants as a particular form of exploited labour within the development process in the subregion." (SUMMARY IN FRE)

Africa↗
PubMed2002

Frequency of cytokine polymorphisms in populations from western Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America.

PCR-SSOP identification procedures for IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha and TNF-beta cytokine polymorphisms have been developed. Application of the procedures to a range of diverse geographically distributed populations has identified ethnic differences within the groups studied. Five populations were investigated, Northern Ireland, South African Zulu, Omani, Singapore Chinese and Mexican Mestizos.

Africa↗
PubMed2005

Evolving a strategic approach to cervical cancer control in Africa.

Nigeria is a country in Western Africa where the incidence rate of cervical cancer is 25/100,000. There are 32 million women aged 15-64 years old. If we were to conduct a one-time screen over 1 year, 8000 new invasive cervical cancers would be detected. Currently, 80% of cases present in Stage III. While a one-time screen should detect some earlier stages, there could be as many as 6400 Stage III cancers to treat. Strategies to enable a one-time screen are being considered.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Alu insertions in the Iberian Peninsula and north west Africa--genetic boundaries or melting pot?

The Western Mediterranean Basin joins a set of ethnically different populations as Iberians and Basques in the North shore and Berbers and Arab-speakers in the South one. In spite of this differentiation, they have maintained historical contacts since ancient times. The existence of a possible common genetic background (specially for Berbers and Iberians) together with the genetic impact of the Islamic occupation of the Iberian Peninsula during 7 centuries are some of the intriguing anthropological questions that have been studied in this area using several classical and DNA markers. The aim of this work is to present the results on a survey of polymorphic Alu elements in 10 human populations of the Western Mediterranean. Recent Alu subfamilies include a significant number of polymorphic Alu insertions in humans. The polymorphic Alu elements are neutral genetic markers of identical descent with known ancestral states. This fact turns Alu insertions into useful markers for the study of human population genetics. A total number of 14 Alu insertions were analyzed in 5 Iberian populations, 3 Berber groups from North-Western Africa, an Arab-speaker population from Morocco and a sub-Saharan ethnic group from Ivory Coast. The results of this study allow the genetic characterization of Berber populations, which show a certain degree of differentiation from Arab-speaking groups of the same geographic area. Furthermore, a closer genetic distance between South Spain and Moroccan Berbers as compared with other Spanish samples supports a major genetic influx consistent with some (but not all) previous genetic studies on populations from the two shores of the Gibraltar Straits.

Alu Elements↗
PubMed2005

Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Year 2000 estimates of the incidence of cancer indicate that primary liver cancer remains the fifth most common malignancy in men and the eighth in women. The number of new cases has been predicted as 564,000, corresponding to 398,000 in men and 166,000 in women. The geographic areas at highest risk are located in Eastern Asia, Middle Africa, and some countries of Western Africa. Changes in incidence among migrant populations underline the predominant role of environmental factors in the etiology of primary liver cancer. In high-risk countries, the early cases of primary liver cancer occur already at ages 20 and above, underlying the impact of viral exposures early in life. In countries at low risk, primary liver cancer is rare before the 50s, translating the impact of late exposures with moderate risks and long latency intervals. Sex ratios are typically between 2 and 4. The incidence of primary liver cancer is increasing in several developed countries including the United States, and the increase will likely continue for several decades. The trend has a dominant cohort effect related to exposures to hepatitis B and C viruses. The variability of primary liver cancer incidence is largely explained by the distribution and the natural history of the hepatitis B and C viruses. The attributable risk estimates for the combined effects of these infections account for well over 80% of liver cancer cases worldwide. Primary liver cancer is the first human cancer largely amenable to prevention using hepatitis B virus vaccines and screening of blood and blood products for hepatitis B and C viruses.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The origins of acquired immune deficiency syndrome viruses: where and when?

In the absence of direct epidemiological evidence, molecular evolutionary studies of primate lentiviruses provide the most definitive information about the origins of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and HIV-2. Related lentiviruses have been found infecting numerous species of primates in sub-Saharan Africa. The only species naturally infected with viruses closely related to HIV-2 is the sooty mangabey (Cercocebus atys) from western Africa, the region where HIV-2 is known to be endemic. Similarly, the only viruses very closely related to HIV-1 have been isolated from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and in particular those from western equatorial Africa, again coinciding with the region that appears to be the hearth of the HIV-1 pandemic. HIV-1 and HIV-2 have each arisen several times: in the case of HIV-1, the three groups (M, N and O) are the result of independent cross-species transmission events. Consistent with the phylogenetic position of a 'fossil' virus from 1959, molecular clock analyses using realistic models of HIV-1 sequence evolution place the last common ancestor of the M group prior to 1940, and several lines of evidence indicate that the jump from chimpanzees to humans occurred before then. Both the inferred geographical origin of HIV-1 and the timing of the cross-species transmission are inconsistent with the suggestion that oral polio vaccines, putatively contaminated with viruses from chimpanzees in eastern equatorial Africa in the late 1950s, could be responsible for the origin of acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Africa↗
PubMed2001

African hair growth parameters.

BACKGROUND: Hair growth parameters have been studied mostly in caucasian hair, whereas few data on African hair have been reported in the literature. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate hair growth characteristics of African volunteers born in Africa. METHODS: Thirty-eight young adults (19 women, 19 men, mean +/- SD age 27 +/- 10 years), native of central and western Africa, took part in the study. Phototrichograms were performed in order to record three parameters of hair growth: hair density, telogen percentage and rate of growth. For each volunteer, three regions of the scalp, namely vertex, temporal and occipital areas, were assessed. RESULTS: Hair density varied from 90 to 290 hairs cm(-2), with higher counts on the vertex. No significant difference between men and women was recorded. Telogen percentage showed wide variations, from 2 to 46%, with higher levels on the temporal area and in men. The rate of growth fluctuated from 150 to 363 microm day(-1) with no difference related either to gender or to scalp region. These data were compared with those previously obtained in caucasian volunteers of comparable age, and showed significant differences between the two ethnic groups in all three parameters studied. Hair density in African volunteers was lower than that in caucasians (mean +/- SD 190 +/- 40 and 227 +/- 55 hairs cm(-2), respectively). African hair grew at a much slower rate than caucasian hair (mean +/- SD 256 +/- 44 vs. 396 +/- 55 microm day(-1)), and telogen counts were frequently higher in African hair (mean +/- SD 18 +/- 9% vs. 14 +/- 11%). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated significant differences between African and caucasian hair growth parameters, which might suggest a trend towards increased hair loss in Africans, even though it contrasts with a lower and slower incidence of the development of alopecia in Africans.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[The Borrelia of ornithodoros in tropical Africa: value and limits of cross protection tests in the mouse].

The identification of Borrelia strains isolated from ticks or relapsing fever patients is not easy. Seizing the opportunity of recent isolation of such strains from Western Africa, we tried to evaluate the interest and the limits of a method classically proposed for that aim; cross protection test in mouse. This technique is proving rather difficult to perform because of different technical reasons; the results are critical to read. In some cases, these results seem undeniable, but the observed differences in protection levels are often weak, inconstant, insufficiently reliable to constitute a diagnostic tool. So it appears important to develop other identification methods, based on molecular analysis of Borrelia DNA, which will be more subtle and more specific.

Africa, Western↗
PubMed1996

The culture of female circumcision.

The issue of female circumcision takes on special significance as more women migrate to the United States from countries where the practice has religious and traditional underpinnings. Female circumcision is a problem unfamiliar to most Western health care practitioners. This article describes an ethnographic study of the types of female circumcision, the reasons for and against the practice, the health implications of this practice, and cultural attitudes of circumcised women both in Western Africa and as migrant refugees living in the United States. Ethical dilemmas in dealing with this practice and implications for nurses and health care providers are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1970

Radon-222 in the North Atlantic trade winds: its relationship to dust transport from Africa.

The concentration of radon-222 in air was measured during a flight from Miami to Barbados to Dakar and return; concentrations ranged from 1 to 55 picocuries per standard cubic meter of air and were highest in areas of dense haze, which were present along most of the flight path across the Atlantic Ocean. The haze is attributed to dust originating from the arid regions of western Africa. Radon-222 may be useful as a tracer for African air parcels over the equatorial Atlantic.

Africa, Western↗
PubMed2000

[Imported malaria in Moselle: 75 cases in three years].

PURPOSE: Imported malaria frequency is increasing in France. Moselle, a north-east French county, with high concentration of servicemen going in endemic areas, follows the same trend. METHODS: Clinical, epidemiological aspects and treatment of all malaria attacks diagnosed over 3 years (from 1st january 1996 to 31st january 1999) were studied. Data pertaining to antimalaria prophylaxis and the reasons for prophylaxis failure were analyzed. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients developed a paroxysmal episode of malaria. No severe malaria and no death were noted. Ninety-six percent of the patients came from Africa (96%), 64% of them coming from western Africa (Ivory coast, Senegal, and Togo). Plasmodium falciparum was responsible for 90% of the cases. Giemsa staining, quantitative buffy coat diagnosis system and parasight rapid dipstick antigen capture assay help guide diagnosis. Halofantrine (64%) and quinine (28.6%) were used as curative treatment. Investigation about prophylactic means showed than 37.9% of interviewed patients did not comply with the preventive treatment. The primary prophylaxis (avoiding bites) was in existent or badly done. CONCLUSION: Although the best choice for chemoprophylaxis is still debated, travelers going to endemic areas should be aware of the risks for malaria and persuaded to take a preventive treatment, even though its efficacy may not be complete. They also should wear insecticide-treated clothes in order to decrease the number of potentially infective mosquito bites.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria in South Africa. A case report.

Chloroquine-resistant plasmodium falciparum malaria has been described in many parts of the world, including Africa as far south as south-western Africa. We report a case of chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum cerebral malaria in the RSA. It seems likely that the infection was acquired in the Louis Trichardt district of the northern Transvaal. Despite the administration of an adequate course of chloroquine, the parasitaemia failed to clear and even increased (type III resistance). Eventually clinical and laboratory-proven cure was obtained only after combined quinine and tetracycline therapy. To our knowledge this is the first case of chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum malaria acquired in the RSA.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Oblique decision trees for spatial pattern detection: optimal algorithm and application to malaria risk.

BACKGROUND: In order to detect potential disease clusters where a putative source cannot be specified, classical procedures scan the geographical area with circular windows through a specified grid imposed to the map. However, the choice of the windows' shapes, sizes and centers is critical and different choices may not provide exactly the same results. The aim of our work was to use an Oblique Decision Tree model (ODT) which provides potential clusters without pre-specifying shapes, sizes or centers. For this purpose, we have developed an ODT-algorithm to find an oblique partition of the space defined by the geographic coordinates. METHODS: ODT is based on the classification and regression tree (CART). As CART finds out rectangular partitions of the covariate space, ODT provides oblique partitions maximizing the interclass variance of the independent variable. Since it is a NP-Hard problem in RN, classical ODT-algorithms use evolutionary procedures or heuristics. We have developed an optimal ODT-algorithm in R2, based on the directions defined by each couple of point locations. This partition provided potential clusters which can be tested with Monte-Carlo inference. We applied the ODT-model to a dataset in order to identify potential high risk clusters of malaria in a village in Western Africa during the dry season. The ODT results were compared with those of the Kulldorff' s SaTScan. RESULTS: The ODT procedure provided four classes of risk of infection. In the first high risk class 60%, 95% confidence interval (CI95%) [52.22-67.55], of the children was infected. Monte-Carlo inference showed that the spatial pattern issued from the ODT-model was significant (p < 0.0001). Satscan results yielded one significant cluster where the risk of disease was high with an infectious rate of 54.21%, CI95% [47.51-60.75]. Obviously, his center was located within the first high risk ODT class. Both procedures provided similar results identifying a high risk cluster in the western part of the village where a mosquito breeding point was located. CONCLUSION: ODT-models improve the classical scanning procedures by detecting potential disease clusters independently of any specification of the shapes, sizes or centers of the clusters.

Africa, Western↗