Performance of immunochromatographic and immunoenzymatic techniques in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Cameroon: need for harmonization.

Introduction: in order to contribute to the improvement of the management of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Cameroon, performance of two techniques commonly used in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis was evaluated. Methods: a total of 541 pregnant women were recruited from seven hospitals in two Regions of Cameroon, of which 63% (341: Batch1) were from health facilities (HF) using a immunochromatographic technique (ICT) as a screening test for toxoplasmosis, and 37% (200: Batch2) from those using an immunoenzymatic technique (IEZ). On each sample, Ig (Immunoglobulin) G (IgG) and IgM were tested by three techniques: a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT), an Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) and a Vidas Enzyme-linked fluorescent assay taken as reference (VIDAS/ELFA). The results from the health facilities were recorded. Results: for the IgG assay, our two laboratory methods were sensitive (96.0% and 97.5%) and specific (64.2% and 59.7%). Their concordance rates with the VIDAS/ELFA reference were above 60% (P<0.001). Moreover, for the IgM assay, the performances of the two methods were equivalent: Se= 18.2%, Sp= 99.4% with a low concordance rate (Kappa = 0.24). Considering the results provided by the selected hospitals, the ELISA used in Batch2 showed similar performances to the two techniques used in reference lab while the performances were low for the RDT used in Batch1. Conclusion: both methods showed similar performances (good for (IgG) and poor for IgM). However, for the immunochromatographic method, differences in performance were found between our results and those provided by the selected health facilities. These differences suggest a harmonization of diagnostic techniques for toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Cameroonian health facilities.

Description and bioecology of two new species of the genus Cryncus (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Gryllinae) from Cameroon with a key and distribution map of all African species.

The genus Cryncus Gorochov, 1983 composed of African crickets is reported for the first time in Cameroon by the description of two new species collected at Zamakoe, Ongot and Engout'Adjap in the southern Cameroonian plateau during an inventory study of crickets carried out from March 2014 to September 2015. These new species are: Cryncus camerounensis Um Nyobe, Kekeunou Bilong Bilong sp. nov. and Cryncus desutterae Um Nyobe, Kekeunou Ma sp. nov. These descriptions bring the total number of species of this genus to 25. Cryncus camerounensis is distinguished by an irregularly shaped mirror, without a dividing vein, with a short apical field, while Cryncus desutterae is characterized by a divided oval mirror and a long apical field. Cryncus camerounensis was more abundant in the forest environment while Cryncus desutterae would exclusively colonize fallow land. This article is divided into two parts. The first part presents a description of the two new species, followed by a revised diagnosis of the genus Cryncus using both male and female characters and an identification key. The second part presents some bioecological data of these new species and a map of the geographical distribution of all known species of this genus.

Melissotarsus ants are likely able to digest plant polysaccharides.

Melissotarsus ants have an extremely specialized set of behaviours. Both workers and gynes tunnel galleries in their host tree bark. Workers walk with their mesothoracic legs pointing upwards and tend Diaspididae hemiptera for their flesh. The ants use their forelegs to plug the galleries with silk that they secrete themselves. We hypothesised that the ants' energetic needs for nearly constant gallery digging could be satisfied through the absorption of host tree tissues; so, using basic techniques, we examined the digestive capacities of workers from two species. We show that workers are able to degrade oligosaccharides and heterosides as well as, to a lesser degree, polysaccharides. This is one of the rare reports on ants able to digest plant polysaccharides other than starch.