ABSTRACT
Noma or cancrum oris is a multi-bacterial and opportunistic infection that destroys soft tissue, as well as muscle and bone, and can be fatal. We present a rare case of Noma in a 32-year-old Malian woman, from whom we isolated an Escherichia coli extended-spectrum beta-lactamase.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Because lice-transmitted infections are a real public health problem, epidemiological studies in different ecoclimatic zones of Africa are useful. This article aims to describe the frequency of lice infestation, their genotypes, and their infection by pathogens in the regions of Koulikoro and Mopti. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional survey allowed us to collect lice from rural populations. Techniques of molecular biology (real-time PCR, standard PCR, and genotyping) were used for analysis of lice samples. RESULTS: Infestation rates were 57% (12/21) among subjects in Diankabou, in the Sahelian zone; 91% (39/43) in Doneguebougou, and 86% (59/69) in Zorocoro, in a savanna zone. The overall lice infestation rate in the samples in the three localities was 83% (110/133). Real-time PCR showed 3% (4/92) of Acinetobacter baumanii but no B. quintana in Diankabou. Phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial gene (Cytb) showed that head lice in Mali belong to genotype C. CONCLUSIONS: The high frequency of lice infestation in the study population indicates that it would be useful to conduct national epidemiological surveys to estimate the magnitude of this public health problem.
Subject(s)
Lice Infestations/epidemiology , Lice Infestations/therapy , Phthiraptera/genetics , Animals , Case Management , Cross-Sectional Studies , Genotype , Humans , Mali/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the ability of seven rapid assays for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to detect antibodies in a panel of sera from individuals infected with different types and groups of HIV. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Sixty-eight well-characterized samples, including HIV-1 group O (24), several HIV-1 group M clades (21), HIV-1/2 (10), HIV-2 (10), and samples with indeterminate results (3), were tested by the following rapid HIV assays: HIV-Spot, HIVCHEK System 3, A/Q Rapid HIV, Genie II HIV-1/HIV-2, Quix HIV-1-2-O, ImmunoComb II HIV-1+2 BiSpot, and the Serodia HIV-1+2. RESULTS: All tests successfully detected the HIV-1 group M clades and the HIV-1/2-positive samples. Of the HIV-2 stand-alone samples, four tests missed the same sample, and three tests missed another sample. Of the HIV-1 group O samples, four samples were missed by at least one test, and another sample was missed by three tests. The sensitivity of the seven rapid assays in detecting each group of sera was between 83% and 100%, with only one test having a sensitivity of 100% for all groups of sera. Three samples proved to be problematic because they were misclassified by more than one assay. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of rapid HIV assays is variable when testing sera from individuals infected with HIV-1 group O and HIV-2.
