Community-based geographical distribution of Mycobacterium ulcerans VNTR-genotypes from the environment and humans in the Nyong valley, Cameroon.

Background: Genotyping is a powerful tool for investigating outbreaks of infectious diseases and it can provide useful information such as identifying the source and route of transmission, and circulating strains involved in the outbreak. Genotyping techniques based on variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) are instrumental in detecting heterogeneity in Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU) and also for discriminating MU from other mycobacteria species. Here, we describe and map the distribution of MU genotypes in Buruli ulcer (BU) endemic communities of the Nyong valley in Cameroon.

Towards a re-emergence of chloroquine sensitivity in Côte d'Ivoire?

Background: Resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to anti-malarial drugs has hampered efforts to eradicate malaria. Recent reports of a decline in the prevalence of chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum in several countries, including Malawi and Zambia, is raising the hope of reintroducing chloroquine in the near future, ideally in combination with another anti-malarial drug for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria.

Domestic animals infected with Mycobacterium ulcerans-Implications for transmission to humans.

Background: The environmental pathogen, Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU) can infect both humans and animals and cause Buruli ulcer (BU) disease. However, its mode(s) of transmission from the colonized environment to human/animal hosts remain unclear. In Australia, MU can infect both wildlife and domestic mammals.

Complete Genome Sequence of Ebrios, a Novel T7virus Isolated from the Ebrie Lagoon in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

The lytic phage Ebrios was isolated from a water sample collected in Ebrie Lagoon on the Adiopodoumé River in Abidjan (Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa). The linear genome of this family member contains 39,752 bp, has a G+C content of 52.9%, is composed of 53 open reading frames, and is related to the phage IME15.

Cross sectional study on prevalence of sickle cell alleles S and C among patients with mild malaria in Ivory Coast.

Objectives: Sickle cell anemia is due to a mutations on the betaglobin gene, inducing abnormal hemoglobin. In West Africa the main mutations lead to S or C types of hemoglobin. Patients with homozygote mutations seem protected against severe malaria, but not against mild disease.

Evidences of the Low Implication of Mosquitoes in the Transmission of , the Causative Agent of Buruli Ulcer.

Background: Buruli ulcer (BU) continues to be a serious public health threat in wet tropical regions and the mode of transmission of its etiological agent, (), remains poorly understood. In this study, mosquito species collected in endemic villages in Benin were screened for the presence of . In addition, the ability of mosquitoes larvae to pick up from their environment and remain colonized through the larval developmental stages to the adult stage was investigated.