Influence of tides on the dissemination and related health risks of intestinal helminths along the Kribi beaches (Atlantic Coast, Southern Cameroon).

Kribi is a seaside town that welcomes thousands of tourists each year. However, the poor sanitation condition of its beaches along the Atlantic coast is not without risk for visitors. In this study, we used the formol-ether concentration technique to identify and quantify larvae or eggs of intestinal helminths in waters of three regularly visited Kribi beaches (Mpalla, Ngoyè, and Mboamanga). Results revealed that all identified larvae and eggs were cestodes (Hymenolepis nana) and nematodes (Strongyloides sp., Ascaris sp., Ancylostoma duodenale and Trichuris trichiura). All the helminth eggs and larvae showed high abundance at low tide during rainy seasons. Ancylostoma duodenale eggs, totally absent at Mpalla, were densely present at low tide at Ngoyè (301 ± 15 eggs/L). Trichuris trichiura eggs showed the lowest abundance (0 to 62 eggs/L) at all sites. Abiotic variables indicated that waters at the various beaches were basic (pH: 8.75-9.77), generally warmer (32.44°C at Mpalla in the Short Rainy Season), more oxygenated at low tide, and moderately mineralized at high tide. Positive and significant correlations were observed at Ngoyè at low tide between Strongyloides sp. larvae and dissolved oxygen (P ˂ 0.05); and between Ancylostoma duodenale eggs and temperature (P ˂ 0.05). The overall results indicated that the beaches studied are subjected to fecal pollution. This pollution is more accentuated during low tides than during high tides. Depending on tidal movements, swimmers risk exposure to helminth eggs and larvae known to be responsible for gastroenteritis.

Taxonomical Resolution and Distribution of Bacterioplankton Along the Vertical Gradient Reveals Pronounced Spatiotemporal Patterns in Contrasted Temperate Freshwater Lakes.

We examined the relationship between viruses and co-occurring bacterial communities across spatiotemporal scale in two contrasting freshwater lakes, namely meromictic Lake Pavin and dimictic Lake Aydat (Central France). Next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA genes suggested distinct patterns in bacterioplankton community composition (BCC) between the lakes over depths and seasons. BCC were generally dominated by members of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes covering about 95% of all sequences. Oxygen depletion at the bottom waters in Aydat and existence of permanent anoxia in the monimolimnion of Pavin resulted in the occurrence and dominance of lesser known members of lake communities such as Methylotenera, Methylobacter, Gallionella, Sulfurimonas, and Syntrophus in Pavin and Methylotenera and Sulfuritalea in Aydat. Differences in BCC appeared strongly related to dissolved oxygen concentration, temperature, viral infection, and virus-to-bacteria ratio. UniFrac analysis indicated a clear distinction in BCC when the percentage of viral infected bacterial cells and virus-to-bacteria ratio exceeded a threshold level of 10% and 5, respectively, suggesting a link between viruses and their potential bacterial host communities. Our study revealed that in both the lakes, the prevailing environmental factors across time and space structured and influenced the adaptation of bacterial communities to specific ecological niches.

[Revision of of the subfamily of Metaracoelophryinae de Puytorac 1972 (Oligohymenophora: Hoplytophryida: Hoplytophryidae), astome ciliates of the digestive tract of Oligochaeta worms of Africa: description of five new species]. / Révision de la sous-famille des Metaracoelophryinae de Puytorac 1972 (Oligohymenophora : Hoplytophryida : Hoplytophryidae), ciliés astomes du tube digestif d'oligochètes terricoles d'Afrique : description de cinq espèces nouvelles.

Five new species belonging to the astome ciliates, living in the digestive tract of Oligochaeta worms belonging to the genus Alma from Cameroon, have been described. The techniques used are: vital staining, staining of the nucleus with Diamidino Phenyl Indol (DAPI), scanning electron microscopy and silver staining method (Fernandez Galiano, 1976, 1994). This work confirms the presence of the genus Paracoelophrya and Dicoelophrya in the digestive track of the oligochaete Alma from Gabon and Cameroon; it helps to understand the general taxonomy of this Metaracoelophryinae subfamily. Moreover, the homogeneity of this group is confirmed and the phylogenetic relationship inside the Hoplitophryida order need more studies to be solved.

[Morphological variations of the nuclear apparatus of astome ciliates Almophrya bivacuolata and A. maediovacuolata (protozoa: ciliophora) endocommensal of terricolous oligochaetes in Cameroon]. / Variations morphologiques de l'appareil nucléaire chez les ciliés Astomes Almophrya bivacuolata et A. mediovacuolata (protozoa: ciliophora) endocommensaux d'oligochites terricoles du Cameroun.

The silver impregnation supplemented by DAPI and Feulgen nuclear coloration enabled us to study the morphological variations of the nuclear apparatus of two species of endocommensal Astome ciliates, Almophrya bivacuoloata (de Puytorac & Dragesco, 1968) and A. mediovocuolata (Ngassam, 1983). We highlighted important digitations and the presence of dark bands in the structure of the "H" macronucleus of the small cellular types as well as the presence of intermediate forms between "H" and "X" in these two species.