Discrimination of 15 Amazonian Anopheline Mosquito Species by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism.

Precise identification of anopheline species is paramount for incrimination of malaria vectors and implementation of a sustainable control program. Anopheline mosquitoes are routinely identified morphologically, a technique that is time-consuming, needs high level of expertise, and prone to misidentifications especially when considering Amazonian species. The aim of this study was therefore to develop a DNA-based identification technique to supplement traditional morphological identification methods for the discrimination of anopheline mosquitoes collected in French Guiana. The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) for anopheline species was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and digested with AluI/MspI restriction enzymes. PCR-restriction fragments length polymorphism (RFLP) assay was compared to sequencing of the ITS2 region for validation. Fifteen Anopheles species have shown distinct PCR-RFLP profiles. A concordance of 100% was obtained when identification by PCR-RFLP was compared to sequencing of ITS2. A high throughput, fast, and cost-effective PCR-RFLP assay has been developed for unambiguous discrimination of fifteen anopheline mosquito species from French Guiana including primary and suspected secondary malaria vectors.

Spatial and Seasonal Dynamics of Anopheles Mosquitoes in Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock, French Guiana: Influence of Environmental Factors.

Little is known about the Anopheles fauna of Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock, a persistent malaria-endemic municipality in French Guiana. This study aimed to update the knowledge of local Anopheles diversity, and their ecology and role in malaria transmission. Sampling sessions were implemented between September 2013 and October 2014. Four species were identified from the 3,450 specimens collected: Anopheles darlingi Root, An. braziliensis, An. triannulatus s.l., and An. nuneztovari s.l. Anopheles darlingi was the predominant species. Its involvement in malaria transmission was suspected due to 1) its abundance, 2) the presence of a density peak during the malaria emergence period, and 3) a dynamic correlated with malaria cases observed two months later. Present and past studies show that the influence of environmental conditions on malaria vector dynamics is high, and may vary drastically according to the local context. This supports evidence that control strategies must be designed at fine scales.

Risk of daytime transmission of malaria in the French Guiana rain forest.

Between 2008 and 2014, there were 1070 malaria cases reported in French Guiana among members of the armed forces. Most of the malaria outbreaks investigated were multifactorial and followed missions conducted at illegal gold mining sites. For example, a malaria outbreak occurred in September 2013, three weeks after the deployment of 15 soldiers at Dagobert, which is such a site. The attack rate was 53%, with seven Plasmodium vivax infections and one coinfection with both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum. Two months later, an entomological investigation in the field caught 321 anopheles by the human landing catch method. Among them, 282 were Anopheles darlingi. One specimen was PCR-positive for P. vivax, for an infection rate of 0.4% (1/282). In 15.7% of these cases, the An. darlingi was caught during the day. The existence of daytime biting activity by An. darlingi in the Guianese forest might play a key role in malaria outbreaks among military personnel. This finding requires that the Army Health Service adapt its recommendations concerning malaria prevention in French Guiana.

Unravelling the relationships between Anopheles darlingi (Diptera: Culicidae) densities, environmental factors and malaria incidence: understanding the variable patterns of malarial transmission in French Guiana (South America).

Anopheles darlingi, one of the main malaria vectors in the Neotropics, is widely distributed in French Guiana, where malaria remains a major public-health problem. Elucidation of the relationships between the population dynamics of An. darlingi and local environmental factors would appear to be an essential factor in the epidemiology of human malaria in French Guiana and the design of effective vector-control strategies. In a recent investigation, longitudinal entomological surveys were carried out for 2-4 years in one village in each of three distinct endemic areas of French Guiana. Anopheles darlingi was always the anopheline mosquito that was most frequently caught on human bait, although its relative abundance (as a proportion of all the anophelines collected) and human biting rate (in bites/person-year) differed with the study site. Seasonality in the abundance of human-landing An. darlingi (with peaks at the end of the rainy season) was observed in only two of the three study sites. Just three An. darlingi were found positive for Plasmodium (either P. falciparum or P. vivax) circumsporozoite protein, giving entomological inoculation rates of 0·0-8·7 infectious bites/person-year. Curiously, no infected An. darlingi were collected in the village with the highest incidence of human malaria. Relationships between malaria incidence, An. darlingi densities, rainfall and water levels in the nearest rivers were found to be variable and apparently dependent on land-cover specificities that reflected the diversity and availability of habitats suitable for the development and reproduction of An. darlingi.

Evaluation of four methods for collecting malaria vectors in French Guiana.

In French Guiana, malaria transmission is mainly due to Anopheles darlingi Root, but other species also are involved. Investigation and surveillance must be carried out on all the species to unravel malaria transmission patterns. In this study, we aimed to compare the ability of Mosquito Magnet- and CDC-Light Trap-based methods and human landing collection for evaluating abundance of Anopheles species. Human landing collections exhibited the best results, followed by the Mosquito Magnet and the CDC-Light Trap methods. Studies have to be done to further investigate these methods and other traps have to be tested.

Behavioral heterogeneity of Anopheles darlingi (Diptera: Culicidae) and malaria transmission dynamics along the Maroni River, Suriname, French Guiana.

The border area between Suriname and French Guiana is considered the most affected malaria area in South America. A one-year cooperative malaria vector study was performed by the two countries, between March 2004 and February 2005, in four villages. Anopheles darlingi proved to be the most abundant anopheline species. Human biting rates differed between villages. The differential effect of high rainfall on mosquito densities in the villages suggests variation in breeding sites. Overall parity rates were low, with means varying from 0.31 to 0.56 per study site. Of the 2045 A. darlingi mosquitoes collected, 13 were found to be infected with Plasmodium: ten P. falciparum, two P. malariae and one mixed P. malariae/P. vivax. The overall annual entomological inoculation rates in the villages ranged from 8.7 to 66.4. There was an apparent lack of relationship between number of malaria cases and periods of high mosquito density. The tendency of Anopheles darlingi to bite during sleeping hours provides opportunity for malaria control using impregnated bed nets, a strategy just introduced in Suriname that may also find its way into French Guiana.

[Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of French Guiana. I--Description of the male of Lutzomyia (Trichopygomyia) depaquiti n. sp]. / Les phlébotomes (Diptera: Psychodidae) de la Guyane française. I--Description du mâle de Lutzomyia (Trichopygomyia) depaquiti n. sp.

Description of a new tropical species of French Guiana: Lutzomyia (Trichopygomyia) depaquiti. The principal character is the aedeagus morphology that presents lateral expansions like a marine anchor. An other particularity is centered on the complex paramere with a lateral lobe. Holotype is deposited at the National Museum of Natural History of Paris.

Aedes aegypti in French Guiana: susceptibility to a dengue virus.

Twenty-seven samples of Aedes aegypti (F1 generation) from French Guiana were tested for their susceptibility to dengue serotype 2 virus. Very high infection rates were observed by indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. Ae. aegypti samples were pooled according to two groups: the first group (N=10) represented mosquitoes from the urbanized area of Cayenne and surroundings, and the second group (N=17) corresponded to mosquitoes collected in the countryside. Infection rates were found to be similar in these two cases. These findings are discussed in relation with the history of Ae. aegypti in this part of the world.

Some epidemiological and entomological aspects of the dengue situation and the vector aedes aegypti (L) in French Guiana

General epidemiological and entomological aspect studies of the dengue fever (DF) situation and the mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, in French Guiana were studied for two years, between 1st October 1993 and 30th September 1995. The methodology included epidemiological data gathered from patients recently infected by a dengue virus, and entomological investigations with sampling of all stages (eggs, larvae, pupae and adults) of Ae.aegypti in the suspected dengue-infected places. DF cases were reported from all parts of the country, mostly from the main city of Cayenne and its surroundings. Likewise, Ae.aegypti was found in all investigated inhabited areas, and infected vectors were collected in four locations. Sampling of immature Ae.aegypti showed that the small outdoor containers were the most important breeding-sites in French Guiana. The duration of development of Ae. aegypti was significantly different according to the type of breeding-site. The vertical transmission of Df viruses under naturual conditions in French Guiana was demonstrated and 2 DEN-2 and 2 DEN-4 strains were isolated. We conclude that DF viruses are endemic in French Guiana, all inhabitied areas of the country are susceptible to epidemic DF and the reponsible vector, Ae.aegypti, can also act as a reservoir for the dengue virus (AU)

[Recklinhausen brown tumor of the cervical spine disclosing primary hyperparathyroidism]. / Tumeur brune de Recklinghausen du rachis cervical révélatrice d'une hyperparathyroïdie primaire.

The authors report a case of osteitis fibrosa cystica of the cervical spine with spinal cord and root compression. Histological diagnosis was made in the post-surgical phase during which acute renal failure and hypercalcemia developed; a parathyroid nodule was found and subsequently excised.

[Activated and cytotoxic-suppressive T cells in rheumatoid polyarthritis]. / Contribution à l'étude des cellules T activées et cytotoxiques-suppressives au cours de la polyarthrite rhumatoïde.

The authors studied the distribution of the sub-classes of T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood in 56 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by a technique of complement dependent lymphotoxicity, using monoclonal antibodies (ABm) which react with surface proteins p29/34 (HLA-DR) and Tp 30 (OKT 8-like). Classically, these ABm recognize the sub-groups of activated T cells (TA = TDR+) and cytotoxic/suppressive T cells (T c/s) respectively. In this study, normal levels of TDR+ and T c/s were found in 32% and 25% of patients respectively. However, the distribution of the values shows that 48% of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an increased level of TA/DR+, while 51 to 67% of patients with RA have reduced levels of T c/s, depending on which ABm was used, which suggests a heterogeneity in the T c/s sub-population. In this series, it seems that the two phenomena are preferentially associated in the small group of patients with early onset RA, while in patients with late onset RA, there is an isolated rise in the TA. These observations need to be confirmed before we can attribute an aetio-pathogenic role to the co-existence of these disorders. However, when the percentage of T c/s is greater than that of the TA, the RA has a longer clinical course than in the reverse case, which suggests the possibility of secondary immunological adaptation to the disease or an influence of treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Plasma exchange and rheumatoid polyarthritis with vasculitis. Apropos of 6 case reports]. / Echanges plasmatiques et polyarthrites rhumatoïdes avec vascularite. A propos de six observations.

The authors present six cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) complicated by vasculitis of varying clinical presentation: 2 cases of polyneuritis, 5 cases of skin lesions (dry gangrene, ulcers, purpura). The severity of the clinical picture required, in addition to the usual treatment (corticosteroids, immunosuppressants), plasma exchanges. A clinical stabilisation was obtained in every case with good tolerance. The development of a vasculitis would appear to be the prime indication for the use of plasma exchange in rheumatoid arthritis.

HLA-DR typing in 58 cases of rheumatoid arthritis.

The results of a previous study led us to believe that the association of HLA-DR4 and rheumatoid arthritis could be of particular interest in our region. In this work we typed 58 caucasoid patients in the Marseilles area by microlymphocytotoxicity assay in B-cells. HLA-DR4 was found to be at the same level as that observed by the authors in the 8th Workshop of histocompatibility (1980) (X2:32.36, P less than 0.001) and very high in the seropositive patients (61.5 per cent). No correlation with sex was observed. We again found a low frequency of HLA-DR4 (15.8 per cent) in our controls.

[Rheumatoid polyarthritis and extensive necrotizing vasculitis. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Polyarthrite rhumatoïde et vascularite nécrosante extensive. A propos de deux observations.

The author reports two cases of severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) where the manifestations of necrosis vasculitis consisted of extensive and bullous gangrene of the lower limbs. In one case, the laboratory picture was that of major complement consumption (CH50 unmeasureable, marked fall in various compounds including C3 and C4) with very high levels of circulating immune complexes. An attempt at treatment by plasmapheresis, immunodepressants and corticosteroids led to moderate stabilisation of the vasculitis (regression of purpura) but remained incapable of resolving the local problem of gangrene. The severity of the lesion led to amputation of both legs. In the other case, there as a fall in CH50 with the presence of circulating immune complexes. Similar treatment led to stabilization of the lesions but final amputation could not be avoided to deal with the residue. Interruption of treatment was followed by an inflammatory exacerbation which was satisfactorily dealt with by further sessions of plasmapheresis. The authors discuss the value of such immunodepressant therapy in severe RA in the light of these cases.

[Immunofluorescence of the synovial membrane. Study of 100 cases]. / Immunofluorescence de la membrane synoviale. Etude à propos de 100 cas.

A study of the use of immunofluorescence of synovial membranes in one hundred cases of various arthropathies reveals the value of the cytoplasmic localization of immune deposits and their type (Ig) in orienting the diagnosis, the influence of therapy, the lack of correlation with optical anatomopathology of synovial tissue (performed on another tissue fragment). Certain recurrent images such as fluorescence of blood vessel walls or the presence of fibrin are of little interest; other such as the cytoplasmic fluorescence of infiltrating cells and particularly, IgG-IgM mixed cellular fluorescence or coupled fluorescence-cellular with Ig and interstitial granular with Ig and C3 orientate the diagnosis to RA. Immunofluorescence appears to be of interest for inflammatory monoarthritis and probable RA. It is less interesting when the etiological context is limited. In addition, a negative immunofluorescent study does not rule out any diagnosis.

[T and B lymphocyte subpopulations with HLA-DR surface molecules in rheumatoid arthritis, using a monoclonal lymphocytotoxic antibody. Poorly and highly developed rheumatoid arthritis]. / Etude des sous-populations lymphocytaires T et B à molécules HLA-DR de surface au cours des polyarthrites rhumatoïdes au moyen d'un anticorps monoclonal lymphocytotoxique. Polyarthrite rhumatoïde à faible et forte évolutivité.

The T and B lymphocyte subpopulations were studied in 46 patients with rheumatoid arthritis using a monoclonal anti I-E/CK antibody produced by cell hybridation. This antibody recognized HLA-DR "cross-reactive" molecules on the lymphocytes it attacked. The percentage of T cells which were HLA-DR positive was not significantly raised. Taking into account the fall in the T lymphocytes seen in the course of rheumatoid arthritis, the proportion of this sub-population does not seem to be altered when taking the overall picture into account. Similarly the B lymphocytes do not seem to be significantly altered. Nevertheless the heterogeneity of the levels found in all the DR positive sub-populations allows us to suppose that rheumatoid arthritis as we recognize it contains immunologically distinct entities.