[Study of lesional aspects of hydatid echinococcosis in man in Mauritania: fertility, histology of hydatid cysts and protoscolex viability]. / Étude des aspects lésionnels de l'échinococcose hydatique chez l'Homme en Mauritanie: fertilité, histologie des kystes hydatiques et viabilité des protoscolex.

A lesional study on human hydatidosis (localization, fertility of cysts, protoscolex viability, and histological structure) focused on 63 human hydatid cysts from patients operated at CHN of Nouakchott was conducted during the period 1997-2007. The authors report the following results: the annual surgical incidence rate was in the order of 1.2% per 100,000 inhabitants. The lung was the primary localization of cyst (52%) followed by the liver (33%), spleen (4%), brain (3%), heart (2%), breasts (2%), kidney (2%), diaphragm (1%), and peritoneum (1%). The pulmonary cysts were larger and more fertile (76%) with protoscoleces also more viable (70%) compared with liver cysts (67-62%). The histology of hydatid cysts revealed in most cases a histological structure consistent with that described in the literature: thick cuticle, membrane proligeous, and capsules visible.

Cooperia pectinata and C. punctata, parasites of the abomasum of cattle in northern Cameroon (Central Africa).

Cooperia pectinata Ransom, 1907 and C. punctata von Linstow, 1907 are common trichostrongyles of zebu cattle in Africa. Their intestinal localization within the digestive tract is considered by many authors to be exclusive. Nevertheless, some limited surveys in Malagasy, Mauritania, The Gambia and Cameroon reported the presence of both Cooperia species in the abomasum. The present survey was carried out in a slaughterhouse of northern Cameroon on 17 zebu cattle and confirms the infection of the small intestine and the abomasum by the two species within the total number of cattle examined. Abomasal infections especially with Cooperia punctata were heavier than those in the intestine. Due to the movements of herdbreeders in Central Africa, and to the preliminary results obtained in Mauritania, The Gambia, Burkina Faso and Malagasy, abomasal localization of C. pectinata and C. punctata may be encountered in very large areas of Africa, and that cooperiosis may contribute together with Haemonchus species to the digestive disorders involving the abomasum.

Ten years of research activities on tropical parasitology of dromedaries, cattle, and small ruminants in Mauritania.

In the past, the essential part of the activity of the parasitology laboratory of the Centre National d'Elevage et de Recherches Vétérinaires (CNERV) was represented by diagnostic work that enabled the construction of an inventory of local parasitic fauna and a good collection of specimens. However, the small and irregular number of samples each year, led us to switch our activities in 1990 toward work that could better justify the existence of CNERV. We started work on applied research topics, such as tick-borne diseases, helminthology (nemathelminths and plathelminths), and trypanosomosis. These results were valorized through scientific publication and communication at international meetings. The most valuable information was conveyed to herders.

Typing of urinary JC virus DNA offers a novel means of tracing human migrations.

Although polyomavirus JC (JCV) is the proven pathogen of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, the fatal demyelinating disease, this virus is ubiquitous as a usually harmless symbiote among human beings. JCV propagates in the adult kidney and excretes its progeny in urine, from which JCV DNA can readily be recovered. The main mode of transmission of JCV is from parents to children through long cohabitation. In this study, we collected a substantial number of urine samples from native inhabitants of 34 countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. A 610-bp segment of JCV DNA was amplified from each urine sample, and its DNA sequence was determined. A worldwide phylogenetic tree subsequently constructed revealed the presence of nine subtypes including minor ones. Five subtypes (EU, Af2, B1, SC, and CY) occupied rather large territories that overlapped with each other at their boundaries. The entire Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia were the domain of EU, whereas the domain of Af2 included nearly all of Africa and southwestern Asia all the way to the northeastern edge of India. Partially overlapping domains in Asia were occupied by subtypes B1, SC, and CY. Of particular interest was the recovery of JCV subtypes in a pocket or pockets that were separated by great geographic distances from the main domains of those subtypes. Certain of these pockets can readily be explained by recent migrations of human populations carrying these subtypes. Overall, it appears that JCV genotyping promises to reveal previously unknown human migration routes: ancient as well as recent.

[High serological prevalence of bovine anaplasmosis in North-Cameroon]. / Fortes prévalences sérologiques de l'anaplasmose bovine dans le Nord-Cameroun.

Between 1989 and 1994, cases of acute bovine anaplasmosis were rarely diagnosed in Northern Cameroon. However, the Becton-Dickinson anaplasmosis card test revealed high prevalence rates, especially in the North and Far North provinces. Bovine anaplasmosis might be clinically important in areas where the proportion of non-immune cattle is higher.

[Epidemiology of digestive parasitic diseases of young cattle in northern Cameroon]. / Epidémiologie des parasitoses digestives des jeunes bovins dans le Nord-Cameroun.

Studies of gastro-intestinal parasites of zebu calves were carried out in traditional herds in Northern Cameroon through monthly faecal analysis in 17 herds for a period of two years. Toxocarosis appeared to be the most important parasitic infection in the North province where its prevalence reached 58% in calves aged 0-6 months; 60% of the infested calves passed large numbers of eggs at least once. Samples revealing high egg counts were more frequent in the dry season. Deworming calves aged one month with a cheap anthelmintic against Toxocara is likely to be economically profitable in the North. Seventy-five and a half per cent of the calves 0-12 months old were infested with Strongyloides; high counts of Strongyloides eggs were registered at least once for 31% of these calves. As for toxocarosis, calves seemed to be more often and more heavily infested with Strongyloides in the North than in the Far North province. Strongyloidosis was apparently of low clinical importance, with the rare clinical manifestations accompanied by toxocarosis. The importance of digestive tract strongylosis was difficult to evaluate. Every steer was affected at one stage of its life in a similar manner in the two provinces; 6.8% of samples showed high egg counts and 35% of the steers aged over six months passed large numbers of eggs at least once. These results did not permit a priori recommendation of a systematic deworming programme against strongyles; instead, several less intensive deworming programmes have to be tested in order to determine their economic profitability. Coccidia were found in 77.4% of calves aged 0-12 months, with heavier and more frequent infections in the North. However, infections of high intensity were generally rare. Trichuris, Moniezia, Fasciola and paramphistomes were rarely found. Concerning nematodosis, curative treatments and cost-profit studies of deworming programmes should be aimed at toxocarosis in calves aged 0-3 months in the North, and strongylosis in steers aged 6-12 months, in both provinces.