Tsetse fly ecology and risk of transmission of African trypanosomes related to a protected forest area at a military base in the city of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

African trypanosomoses, whose pathogens are transmitted by tsetse flies, are a threat to animal and human health. Tsetse flies observed at the military base of the French Forces in Côte d'Ivoire (FFCI base) were probably involved in the infection and death of military working dogs. Entomological and parasitological surveys were carried out during the rainy and dry seasons using "Vavoua" traps to identify tsetse fly species, their distribution, favorable biotopes and food sources, as well as the trypanosomes they harbor.

Review of Scorpion Stings and Snakebites Treated by the French Military Health Service During Overseas Operations Between 2015 and 2017.

Introduction: Depending on their theatre of operation, French soldiers may potentially be exposed to scorpion stings and snakebites. Following the recommendations of a French military health service (FMHS) technical committee for envenomation, the FMHS provides antivenoms appropriate to each deployment. This work aimed to evaluate this risk of envenomation and to assess the antivenoms used by the FMHS in operational theatres since the creation of this committee in 2015.

Great diversity of Piroplasmida in Equidae in Africa and Europe, including potential new species.

Piroplasms are Apicomplexa tick-borne parasites distributed worldwide. They are responsible for piroplasmosis (theileriosis and babesiosis) in Vertebrata and are therefore of medical and economic importance. Herein, we developed a new real time PCR assay targeting the 5.

Leptospirosis, one neglected disease in rural Senegal.

A serological study was carried out in two Senegalese villages located in the Sine-Saloum region in order to estimate the presence of anti-leptospiral antibodies in humans and animals, and to identify the predominant serogroups. Seven hundred and forty-nine serum samples were collected from humans (n = 545), dogs (n = 33), donkeys (n = 20), goats (n = 52), sheep (n = 43) and N'Dama cattle (n = 56), all originated from Dielmo and Ndiop villages. All samples were tested for different serovars of pathogenic Leptospira species by the microscopic agglutination test.

Morning blisters: cantharidin-related Meloidae burns.

We report several cases of Meloidae-related blisters in French soldiers deployed to Mali. Blister beetles of the Meloidae family produce cantharidin, a blistering agent, for defensive purposes. These virtually cosmopolitan Coleoptera can cause significant nuisance to travellers and deployed soldiers especially during the rainy season in the Sahel region.

Mind the eye-squirter! An Anthia sexmaculata sexmaculata-related necrotic burn.

We report the case of an Anthia sexmaculata sexmaculata-associated necrotic burn in a French expatriate in Mauritania. Anthia spp.-related injury is a common though underreported health issue in the Sahelo-Saharan area.

Usefulness of a rapid immuno-migration test for the detection of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis in Africa.

A rapid immuno-migration test for the serological detection of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, Witness® Ehrlichia (WE) (Zoetis, France), was evaluated in 528 serum samples from dogs living in endemic areas of West and East Africa: Senegal (N=208), Ivory Coast (N=7), Sudan (N=27), and Djibouti (N=286). Of these dogs, 200 were French military working dogs (MWD) temporarily residing in Africa. The WE test results were compared with those obtained by indirect immunofluorescence (IFA).

Subchronic administration of pyridostigmine or huperzine to primates: compared efficacy against soman toxicity.

Organophosphonate (OP) nerve agents, such as soman, are potent irreversible inhibitors of central and peripheral acetylcholinesterases (AChEs). Pre-treatment of OP poisoning relies on the subchronic administration of a reversible AChE inhibitor. In the present limited study, the protective effects against soman toxicity of such compounds, i.