Publications

microbial and nutrient pollution of coastal bathing waters in mauritius.	the coastal pollution problem in mauritius is exacerbated by the hydrogeology of the volcanic substratum. bacterial contamination of bathing waters and nutrients, water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen (do) were monitored at three different spatial and temporal scales along the coastline of mauritius during 1997-1998. standard techniques for water sample collection and analysis set by the american public health association [apha. standard methods for the examination of water and waste ...	2002	11868664
coral gardener of the maldives.	abdul azeez abdul hakeem is a man with a vision. he is 53 years old, with a degree in agronomy and an idea, if not an obsession: to nurse and propagate corals on a large scale. his motive, however, is not to provide for the international marine aquarium trade but as a safeguard for the livelihood of his country, the maldives.	2002	11932501
characterization of sri lanka rabies virus isolates using nucleotide sequence analysis of nucleoprotein gene.	thirty-four suspected rabid brain samples from 2 humans, 24 dogs, 4 cats, 2 mongooses, i jackal and i water buffalo were collected in 1995-1996 in sri lanka. total rna was extracted directly from brain suspensions and examined using a one-step reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr) for the rabies virus nucleoprotein (n) gene. twenty-eight samples were found positive for the virus n gene by rt-pcr and also for the virus antigens by fluorescent antibody (fa) test. rabies virus is ...	2001	12083333
serotyping and rapd profiles of salmonella enterica isolates from mauritius.	the genus salmonella is a common agent of gastroenteritis in mauritius, generating more cases of the disease during summer than during winter. the aims of this study were to assess the genetic diversity of isolates of salmonella enterica by rapd fingerprinting, and to establish the relationship between human and chicken isolates.	2002	12100591
evidence for a mitochondrial lineage originating from the arabian peninsula in the madagascar house mouse (mus musculus).	various subspecies of the house mouse (mus musculus sensu lato) are known to have contributed to its worldwide expansion. however, the origin of mice on some larger islands such as madagascar has remained unknown, with several sources being possible. in order to classify the malagasy house mouse, individuals were trapped in 13 different localities distributed throughout the island. for 33 individuals the control region (d-loop) of the mitochondrial dna was partially sequenced and 21 males were t ...	2002	12136419
a people's movement for self-reliance in sri lanka.	this paper describes the development and activities of the sarvodaya movement, a grass-roots mutual-aid movement based on traditional buddhist social values. started by high school students and teachers in 1947 as a community-service organization the movement is open to all individuals and has attracted thousands of volunteers in 1200 villages. sarvodaya shramadana emphasizes improvement in the standard of living through the development of local resources by the community itself, strengthening ...	1977	12146244
giving adolescent reproductive health and population issues a world view. sri lanka.	this article reports on the production of 52 video programs addressing reproductive and sexual health and reproductive rights issues by the colombo-based worldview international foundation. the un population fund (unfpa) and relevant ngos and institutions chose the themes. following the production, the video programs will be broadcast through young asia television, which covers 18 countries in asia and reaches over 385 million viewers, and other channels. this advocacy program is under the tel ...	1999	12158250
early return of sri lankan migrants in the middle east.	the author examines early return migration patterns of labor migrants from sri lanka in the middle east. "attention [is given] to the reasons why a considerable number of migrants return to their country of origin prematurely.... differentials in the duration of stay in the host country, as well as some of the consequences of early return migration for the migrant and his family [are discussed].... the data used for this article are based primarily on a random survey held among 899 return migra ...	1988	12159597
women's labor in bangladesh and sri lanka: the trade-off with technology.	this article assesses the impact of technological changes on women's employment in bangladesh and sri lanka. the findings of the research initiated by un university institute for new technologies were used to determine how globalization and technological change alter women's role in the society and the economy in two comparable yet contrasting economies. in bangladesh and sri lanka, the manufacturing and service sectors have grown as a result of the globalization strategies of the two governme ...	1999	12179942
two new triterpene esters from the twigs of brachylaena ramiflora from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of a ch(2)cl(2)/meoh extract of the small twigs of brachylaena ramiflora var. ramiflora resulted in the isolation of the two new triterpene esters 1 and 2 and five known triterpenoids, alpha-amyrin palmitate (3), beta-amyrin palmitate (4), beta-amyrin acetate (5), lupeyl acetate (6), and lupeol (7). the structures of the two new compounds were established as kairatenyl palmitate (1) and hopenyl palmitate (2) on the basis of 1d and 2d nmr spectroscopic data interpret ...	2002	12193040
infectious disease surveillance update.		2002	12206964
[ordinance no. 91-240 of 25 february 1991 relating to the labor code applicable to the territory of mayotte].	this law sets forth the labor code for the french territory of mayotte. the code contains the following provisions relating to sex discrimination, maternity leave, night work, and the employment of foreigners: a) employers are prohibited from discriminating against women who are pregnant; b) women are entitled to fully paid maternity leave of 14 weeks, 8 weeks before and 6 weeks after giving birth; c) the employer and the government will each pay for half of the worker's salary during this leav ...	1991	12222398
in vitro antiviral activity of thirty-six plants from la réunion island.	methanol extracts of 36 medicinal plants from la réunion island were evaluated against two viruses: herpes simplex type 1 (hsv-1) and poliovirus type 2 (pv). five of them showed an effect against hsv-1 and five against pv, senecio ambavilla being inhibitor for both viruses.	2002	12234582
escape route to dependency? female migration from sri lanka to the middle east.	this article looks at labor migration with the sex component turned upside down, where the woman leaves hearth and home in search of work in distant lands. the sending country is sri lanka, and the women migrate as maids to arab households in the gulf area. labor migration must be understood in the context of the economic and social development that has made migration possible, or rather pushed it forward. today, the export of labor is the 2nd biggest source of foreign earnings for sri lanka, ...	1987	12280696
survey reveals sexual myths and taboos prevail among sri lankan youth.	a survey conducted by the family planning association of sri lanka in 1986-87 revealed that sexual myths and taboos--not solid information about human physiology and development--dominate young people's knowledge of reproductive health. the survey, which covered 1233 unmarried men and 1233 unmarried women 16-24 years of age, found that the majority of sri lankan youth had misconceptions and fears about normal processes such as menstruation, nocturnal emissions, and masturbation. sex education ...	1989	12281988
recruitment of labor migrants for the middle east: the sri lankan case.	"this article deals with the social, economic and demographic aspects of labor migration from sri lanka to the middle east. the findings are based on a survey covering 891 return migrants and 866 family members of current migrants, as well as a total of 407 nonmigrants who were interviewed as a control group. although the elasticity of the demand for female domestic personnel is much smaller than that for male migrants, it was found that recruitment for female labor migrants has increased cons ...	1990	12283036
international contract migration and the reintegration of return migrants: the experience of sri lanka.	"this article attempts to shed light on the issue of how far the labor exporting countries can monitor the process of reinsertion of return migrants in the domestic economy, with a view to maximizing net gains from international labor migration, drawing upon the experience of sri lanka. it begins with an examination of the socioeconomic characteristics of migrant workers with special emphasis on their post-migration activity status and the pattern of remittance utilization. then it proceeds to ...	1990	12283037
population pressure on coral atolls: trends and approaching limits.	trends and approaching limits of population pressure on coral atolls is discussed by examining the atoll environment in terms of the physical geography, the production systems, and resource distribution. atoll populations are grouped as dependent and independent, and demographic trends in population growth, migraiton, urbanization, and political dependency are reviewed. examination of the carrying capacity includes a dynamic model, the influences of the west, and philopsophical considerations. ...	1990	12284705
forests vanish as population expands.	madagascar's forests have been reduced to a narrowing strip along the eastern escarpment. of the original forest cover of 11.2 million hectares, only 7.6 million remained in 1950. today this has been halved to 3.8 million hectares--which means the habitat for the island's unique wildlife has been halved, in just 40 years. every year some 3% of the remaining forest is cleared, almost all of that to provide land for populations expanding at 3.2% a year. the story of 1 village, ambodiaviavy, ne ...	1992	12285236
ethical issues in community health care.	health care professionals are expected to base their practice on a set of ethical principles, including truthfulness, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and confidentiality. dilemmas can arise, however, when a medical professional is called upon to act in opposition to personal values or in cases where the values of patient, health care worker, and sponsoring institution conflict. the author outlines several of the ethical dilemmas that have arisen in community medicine in sri lanka. since ...	1992	12285736
[resistances and initiatives in madagascar].	despite madagascar's recognition of the importance of population education in changing fertility attitudes and behaviors as a step toward achieving development, population education in the country faces cultural, political and institutional resistance typical of africa. culturally, population education is offered in the context of a traditional educational system with a populationist ideology that favors uncontrolled fertility. taboos concerning sexuality inhibit discussion of family planning. ...	1993	12286389
puppets on a string: women's wage work and empowerment among female tea plantation workers of sri lanka.	access to resources and control of ones' income are key features of women's empowerment. the current development strategy is to create opportunities for poor women in developing countries. because access to income alone does not ensure empowerment, this study examines sociopolitical factors among the indian tamil female tea plantation workers in sri lanka that impact women's ability to control their own income. 95% of the female indian tamil plantation work force is devoted to the tea industr ...	1993	12286574
[water and environment in the southwest of madagascar].	the dry and arid southwest region of madagascar is not a desert but resembles the sahel region of west africa. the chronic water deficit is aggravated by the heat and constant winds that accelerate evapotranspiration on the permeable soils. the dryness occurs because the southwest region lies outside the main pluviogenic systems. erosion occurs at all seasons. in the winter the sun and winds are the main causes, while the rare storms are more conducive to run-off and to erosion than to absor ...	1993	12286688
programme's research on determinants of abortion has impact on policy.	induced abortion remains a relatively uncharted research topic in medical demography, social science, and to a lesser extent, in epidemiology. up to 20% of the 500,000 maternal deaths which occur annually throughout the world, however, may be a consequence of complications of unsafe abortion procedures. the undp/unfpa/who/world bank special program of research, development, and research training in human reproduction started a number of studies in 1989 in developing countries on the determinan ...	1994	12287984
regulations establishing a commission for the elimination of discrimination and the monitoring of fundamental rights, 1986.	under these sri lanka regulations, any person claiming to be a victim of discrimination on the ground of race, religion, language, caste, sex, political opinion, or place of birth is authorized to make a complaint to the director of the commission. the director is to try to settle the complaint. if the director is unable to do this, the commission is to make an inquiry into the complaint. in addition, in 1983, the government of sri lanka established a national ministry of women's affairs and ...	1988	12289260
gender and the environment. women's time use as a measure of environmental change.	these case studies pertain to marginal dry land rural areas in developing countries. the evidence suggests that women have shorter rest periods, greater intensity and fragmentation of work, and greater use of multiple simultaneous occupations than men. macroeconomic policies have increased the work burden for women and for the poorest populations and have contributed to environmental deterioration. this paper focuses on women's use of time as a factor in explaining women's changing gender ro ...	1995	12291370
emerging population issues among adolescents and youth.	the authors "examine the emerging population issues of adolescents and youth [in sri lanka]. the demographic pressures have resulted in the expansion of the numbers in this age category which in turn has caused problems of employment creation. the educational expansion has brought about changes in the age at marriage and life styles, which in turn has created the need for greater attention on reproductive health issues among adolescents and youth."	1998	12294270
middle east migration and health.	"labour migration to the middle east from sri lanka has been increasing in recent times. such a situation has not only demographic, but economic and social implications.... [the author investigates the] impact on the health situation of the migrant workers as well as on the families that they have left behind...by reviewing [the literature] and by making use of the author's own personal experiences as a physician in the middle east."	1998	12294272
migrant female domestic workers: debating the economic, social and political impacts in singapore.	this article analyzes the impact of migrant female domestic workers on the socioeconomic and political context in singapore. although singapore state policy opposes long-term immigration, there is a labor shortage which permits a transient work force of low-skilled foreign workers. in the late 1990s, singapore had over 100,000 foreign maids, of whom 75% were from the philippines, 20% were from indonesia, and the rest were from sri lanka. legislation ensures their short-term migrant status, re ...	1999	12294976
country watch: sri lanka.	though reporting on hiv/aids is supposed to be confidential, the social and cultural contexts in sri lanka are such that this type of information spreads very rapidly within the community. reports of transgressions involving the medical staff illustrate how difficult it is to guarantee confidentiality in reporting hiv/aids in the country. as a consequence, individuals who can afford to travel prefer to be tested abroad to avoid stigmatization, and blood donors sometimes provide false informati ...	2000	12295986
asian labor migration to the middle east.		1984	12313002
the kingdom of sri lanka: high literacy is a good sign.	this discussion of sri lanka focuses on population growth, regions and cities, ethnicity and religion, age distribution of the population, households and families, housing, education, labor force and income, communication, and sources of information. the country's 1981 census recorded 14.8 million people, up from 12.7 million in 1971. the population grew by 17% during the decade between censuses, and its average annual rate of growth is presently 2.2%. if the country continues at its current ...	1984	12313041
sri lanka: an innovative approach to the implementation of integrated parasite control, nutrition and family planning projects.	the objective of the sri lanka integrated project of parasite control, nutrition, and family planning is to approach the community through the medium of parasite control and lead it to a better life through community participation in an integrated health program built on the 3 pillars of parasite control, better nutrition, and family planning. other objectives include studying the mechanism of community participation in 3 very different environments, which were typical of different regions of t ...	1984	12313055
[levels and trends of childhood mortality in seven asian countries].	trends and levels of infant and child mortality in seven asian countries from 1950 to 1975 are compared using data collected during the world fertility survey. consideration is given to the socioeconomic factors associated with variations in mortality among these countries; factors examined include mother's education, father's education, mother's employment, and place of residence. the countries considered are bangladesh, fiji, indonesia, pakistan, the republic of korea, sri lanka, and thailan ...	1984	12313813
population growth and development.	development is a complex process that has no universal laws to guide it. however, there is widespread agreement that population growth is a crucial factor in the process of social and economic development. population growth is not always in itself detrimental to development, especially in some developed countries where there are economies of scale and sufficient human and physical capital for new investments. developing countries face an environment that is less favorable for economic growth ...	1986	12315484
gender-specific socioeconomic impacts of development programs in sri lanka.	data from a sri lanka national sample survey -- 3597 households stratified on the basis of development program areas -- were analyzed to compare impacts of 3 national development programs and their combinations upon the occupational and income status of females and males in sri lanka. these programs, implemented over the last 30 years, are guaranteed price schemes that develop markets for agricultural produce, land settlement schemes that include irrigation, and rural electrification. to date, ...	1988	12315505
migration and development: a critical relationship.	"wide income differentials, the threat of increased illegal immigration from developing countries, and sub-replacement fertility in the developed countries are some reasons for the recent reassessment of the relationship between migration and development.... the model presented in this article proposes different roles for permanent immigrants, contract workers, professional transients, illegal migrants and others according to the stages of modernization of the sending and receiving countries. t ...	1992	12317235
defining and explaining tropical deforestation: shifting cultivation and population growth in colonial madagascar (1896-1940).	the case study of deforestation in madagascar demonstrated how deforestation is a complex phenomenon that reflects interconnections between land-based resources, human groups, and global political economy; specifically, there is a link between changing land use practices affecting shifting cultivation and tropical deforestation. the general development model of exponential population growth and shifting cultivation causing deforestation and environmental degradation is too simplified, places und ...	1993	12318844
the use and abuse of female domestic workers from sri lanka in lebanon.	women who migrate from sri lanka to become domestic workers in lebanon face gender, class, and race discrimination that often results in abuse, yet the predicament of these women is largely ignored by local and international humanitarian and human rights agencies. public consciousness about the plight of asian domestic workers in the persian gulf region was raised in 1990 when domestic workers were repatriated in the wake of the gulf war. in lebanon, nearly half of the work permits granted to ...	1998	12321536
[population of comoros].	the 3 islands administered by the federal islamic republic of comoros had a total population of 335,150 in the 1980 census. the population grew at an annual rate of 3.3% after the 1966 census, but growth rates were slower on grand comoros than on the other 2 islands. 54.5% of the population lived in villages of less than 2000 inhabitants. there is not much rural-urban migration because of the lack of employment opportunities in urban areas. the age structure of comoros is poorly known, and a ...	1985	12341246
starting a programme in sri lanka.	a survey conducted by the sri lanka family planning association (fpa) revealed a significant unmet need for reproduction health education among young people. the fpa presented the survey findings to policy makers and educational leaders at a national seminar. emerging from this seminar were a pilot project in sri lanka schools, a program to train counselors in premarital at regular intervals. these interventions resulted in a substantial increase in the number of young people presenting to fp ...	1993	12345373
mauritius finds the magic mix.	the experience in mauritius highlights the central importance of investments in human resources, particularly female education, to sustainable social and economic development. fertility on this island declined from 6.2 to 3.2 children per woman between 1963-72, and this unprecedented fertility decline was followed, in the 1980s, by dramatic economic growth. this scenario challenges the traditional belief that economic growth is an essential precondition for fertility decline. increasing age at ...	1994	12345831
an overview of present and future emigration dynamics in south asia.	the author presents preliminary findings on selected aspects of the dynamics which govern emigration from and within the south asian region comprised of bangladesh, india, pakistan, and sri lanka. the paper attempts to identify some of the major reasons for observed migration flows and how the future may be envisaged especially in view of government programs, policies, and priorities. contract labor migration is given special attention since it has become the predominant type of migration in t ...	1994	12346098
emigration dynamics from and within south asia.	this review of current knowledge about emigration dynamics from and within south asia (bangladesh, india, pakistan, and sri lanka) opens with a brief history of the three phases of emigration from the area since the 1830s (plantation labor; postindependence to the uk, us, canada, and australia; and labor migration to the oil-exporting countries). the influence of the creation of pakistan and bangladesh is also covered as are british colonial and commonwealth policies. it is noted that migratio ...	1995	12347011
the economic, demographic, sociocultural and political setting for emigration from sri lanka.	this study of emigration from sri lanka is introduced by a brief review of the situation during the colonial period and an overview of recent migration experience. the second section of the paper deals with data collection and sources for labor migration, political migration, and estimates of total net migration. the third section looks at economic and demographic trends in terms of the growth of the economy, population growth and social well-being, the growth of the labor force, unemployment, ...	1995	12347013
the feminization of foreign currency earnings: women's labor in sri lanka.	this paper considers women's participation in foreign currency earning activities in sri lanka. the author first analyzes the structure of women's participation patterns in the major foreign currency earning activities in the country, including consideration of their wage levels and the impact of ethnicity, age, educational levels, and skills upon the different components of those activities in which women participate. she then probes the applicability for sri lanka of guy standing's argument ...	1998	12349170
initiatives. mauritius: a right to know. mfpa launches sex education in primary schools.	the mauritius family planning association (mfpa) launches sex education in selected primary schools in the country. this move has received support from parents and teachers after a strong advocacy campaign and mfpa had collected data and evidence to back up its campaign. through focus group discussions with students, mfpa was able to obtain useful data for the development of an appropriate curriculum, in collaboration with a task force, parents, and teachers. the content of the curriculum inc ...	1995	12349751
isolation and structure of pedilstatin from a republic of maldives pedilanthus sp.	a new cancer cell growth inhibitor designated pedilstatin (1) was isolated from a republic of maldives pedilanthus sp. the structure was determined to be 13-o-acetyl-12-o-[2'z,4'e-octadienoyl]-4alpha-deoxyphorbol on the basis of high-resolution mass spectral and 2d nmr assignments. pedilstatin was found to significantly inhibit growth of the p388 lymphocytic leukemia cell line with an ed(50) of 0.28 microg/ml, to afford, at concentrations of 2-5 microm, protection (to 80%) of human-derived lymph ...	2002	12350143
infectious disease surveillance update.		2002	12383607
influenza outbreak--madagascar, july-august 2002.	in mid-july 2002, madagascar health authorities were notified of a substantial number of deaths attributed to acute respiratory illness (ari) in the village of sahafata (population: 2,160), located in the rural highlands of fianarantsoa province, southeastern madagascar (figure 1). this region is approximately 450 km (280 miles) south of the capital antananarivo. the madagascar ministry of health (moh) and the institut pasteur, madagascar (ipm) initiated an investigation, which found an attack r ...	2002	12458917
[pseudo-poliomyelitis paralysis caused by echovirus 7].	the authors describe one case of acute flaccid paralytic of lower limbs in a 10-year-old boy with echovirus 7 isolated in the stool and a high titer of homologous antibodies (> or = 1,024). at the final stage of poliomyelitis program eradication, paralysis associated with non polio enterovirus may replace cases of paralytic poliomyelitis. in the present study, the authors highlight the needs to confirm virologically all suspect cases of acute flaccid paralytic. aetiological function of the virus ...	2000	12463037
[the plague at the tsenabe isotry market in antananarivo: a complex epidemiologic situation].	the transmission of yersinia pestis is intense among rats in the wholesale market tsenabe isotry in the capital antananarivo (anti-f1 sero-prevalence 80%, flea index 8.4 for a cut-off risk index of > 1). however, the number of plague-suspected (not laboratory confirmed) human cases has only been 3 in this district during a four years period from 1995 to 1999. a seroepidemiological survey among the market vendors was undertaken in june 1999 to test the hypothesis that the low incidence of human p ...	2001	12471741
[diagnosis of neurocysticercosis: a case report].	neurocysticercosis is the most frequent parasitosis of central nervous system in the world. neurological manifestations are in relation with locations number and topography, inflammatory reactions level and state of development of the parasite. epilepsy is the main revealing symptom. among other neurological manifestations, chronic headache, focal neurological signs, ataxia, language and behaviour disorder are the most anecdotal. the authors report a case of neurocysticercosis in a 71-year-old m ...	2001	12471750
outbreak of influenza, madagascar, july-august 2002.		2002	12476644
[influenza in the pediatric hospital unit at antananarivo].	62 rhinopharingeal samples from malagasy children, aged of 6 days to 14 years old, hospitalized because of acute respiratory infections, with doubtful viral etiology case, during june to august 1992, at the "hôpital des enfants" in antananarivo, were examined by two methods: inoculation by embryonned eggs and inoculation by mdck cells. 24.1% of the samples were positive. the repartition of the cases by age and by sex were studied. the children aged of 1 to 12 months were the most affected with 6 ...	1999	12478973
[value and limits of cytology in the diagnosis of cervico-vaginal lesions at the mahajanga university hospital center: 465 cases].	cervix neoplasms are the most frequent of female neoplasms in madagascar. the authors reported a prospective study carried out at the hospital center of the university of mahajanga for ten months (january-october 1993). 500 patients were investigated. 465 results of cervix and vaginal smears were considered. the bethesda group classification was used to interpret lesions. 333 specific pathological lesions were listed. bacterial infections and trichomoniasis were their principal causes. 4 cases w ...	1999	12478977
developmental neurotoxicity following prenatal exposures to methylmercury and pcbs in humans from epidemiological studies.	adverse health effects following prenatal exposures to methylmercury (mehg) have been apparent from several prospective cohort studies conducted in a fish-eating population. a prospective study in a faroese birth cohort documented subtle deficits of several functional domains at prenatal mehg exposure levels previously thought to be safe. recent additional studies also showed neurobehavioral deficits associated with exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) with concomitant mehg poisoning. i ...	2002	12498320
the absence of hiv seropositivity contrasts with a high prevalence of markers of sexually transmitted infections among registered female sex workers in toliary, madagascar.	in a cross-sectional study in 1998 we assessed human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) and syphilis infections and their risk factors among the 316 registered female sex workers (fsws) of toliary, south-west madagascar. no case of hiv infection was detected, but 18.4% of registered fsws had syphilis. only half of these women regularly used condoms. in a multiple logistic regression analysis, risk factors for syphilis infection were multiple clients per week and, paradoxically, regular use of condoms. ...	2003	12535252
effects of household dynamics on resource consumption and biodiversity.	human population size and growth rate are often considered important drivers of biodiversity loss, whereas household dynamics are usually neglected. aggregate demographic statistics may mask substantial changes in the size and number of households, and their effects on biodiversity. household dynamics influence per capita consumption and thus biodiversity through, for example, consumption of wood for fuel, habitat alteration for home building and associated activities, and greenhouse gas emissio ...	2003	12540852
development and testing of a rapid diagnostic test for bubonic and pneumonic plague.	plague is often fatal without prompt and appropriate treatment. it affects mainly poor and remote populations. late diagnosis is one of the major causes of human death and spread of the disease, since it limits the effectiveness of control measures. we aimed to develop and assess a rapid diagnostic test (rdt) for plague.	2003	12547544
influenza under close surveillance.		2002	12631981
outbreak of influenza, madagascar, july-august 2002.	preliminary investigation found that a large outbreak of influenza-like illness occurred in madagascar during july-august 2002, with 30 304 cases and 754 deaths reported. most cases were reported from the highland regions of fianarantsoa province, in centre madagascar. the majority of the cases lived in rural areas, and children under five years and adults 60 years and older were the most affected. the outbreak was attributable to an a/panama/2007/99-like (h3n2) virus, which has been circulating ...	2002	12631982
anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity in the polyherbal formulation maharasnadhi quathar.	maharasnadhi quathar (mrq) is a polyherbal preparation recommended by ayurvedic medical practitioners for treatment of arthritic conditions. an investigation has been carried out with rats and human rheumatoid arthritis (ra) patients, to determine the anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential of mrq. results obtained demonstrate that mrq can significantly and dose-dependently inhibit carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema (the inhibition at 3h was greater than at 1h after induction of oedema). mrq c ...	2003	12639750
[epidemiological data on the plague in madagascar].	the first case of plague was introduced in madagascar in 1898 in the east coast by way of boat from india. in 1921, plague reach the highlands and a large epidemic over the next twenty years. until the beginning of the 80's, only of few case were identified, notified mostly in rural setting. however gradually it has re-emerged as a public health problem. urban plague is located in the city of antananarivo (resurgence in 1978 after 28 years of apparent silence) and in mahajanga port (resurgence i ...	2002	12643093
[new method of molecular typing in human enteroviruses: characterization of madagascar "untypable" strains].	enteroviruses, members of the family picornaviridae, are responsible for a wide variety of diseases and represent a major public health hazard. typing of non polio enterovirus (npev) infection is traditionally based on a serum neutralization assay. however, this method is time-consuming, labor-intensive, expensive, and may fail to identify antigenic variation. a new molecular typing involving partial sequencing of the genome has been recently developed. in this study, 46 npev strains were analyz ...	2002	12643094
the origin and dispersion of human parasitic diseases in the old world (africa, europe and madagascar).	the ancestors of present-day man (homo sapiens sapiens) appeared in east africa some three and a half million years ago (australopithecs), and then migrated to europe, asia, and later to the americas, thus beginning the differentiation process. the passage from nomadic to sedentary life took place in the middle east in around 8000 bc. wars, spontaneous migrations and forced migrations (slave trade) led to enormous mixtures of populations in europe and africa and favoured the spread of numerous p ...	2003	12687757
new cytotoxic alkaloids from the wood of vepris punctata from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of a ch(2)cl(2)/meoh extract of the wood of vepris punctata resulted in the isolation of three new furoquinoline alkaloids, 5-methoxymaculine (1), 5,8-dimethoxymaculine (2), and 4,5,6,7,8-pentamethoxyfuroquinoline (3), in addition to the four known alkaloids flindersiamine (4), kokusaginine (5), maculine (6), and skimmianine (7). the structures of the new alkaloids 1-3 were established on the basis of extensive 1d and 2d nmr spectroscopic data interpretation. all th ...	2003	12713408
infectious diseases. up close and personal with sars.		2003	12738826
brief communication: ancient dna prospects from sri lankan highland dry caves support an emerging global pattern.	recovery of ancient dna has become an increasingly important tool in elucidating the origins of past populations and their relationships. unfortunately, many human skeletal remains do not contain original dna amplifiable by polymerase chain reaction (pcr). amino-acid racemization has proven to be a useful predictor of ancient dna results. we analyzed the relative levels of amino-acid preservation and racemization of human samples from two highland dry-cave sites in sri lanka, and found that amin ...	2003	12740954
three new cyclic peroxides from the marine sponge plakortis aff simplex.	in our continuing program to identify bioactive compounds from marine invertebrates, the meoh-etoac (1:1) extract of the sponge plakortis aff simplex, collected in madagascar, was found to be cytotoxic to a series of human tumor cells. from this sponge, three new compounds and one known one, two new 1,2-dioxane peroxylactones named plakortolides h (1) and i (2), and one new 1,2-dioxolane, designated andavadoic acid (3), have been isolated and their structures elucidated. in addition, the known n ...	2003	12762807
[intestinal parasitoses in the mahajanga region, west coast of madagascar].	a study on human intestinal parasites was carried out from november 1996 until january 1997, in mahajanga's hospital, on the western coast of madagascar. we collected the faeces from 401 patients and the sera from 112 of them. faecal examination using direct examination and mif method revealed that 67.6% of the stools contained at least one parasite. the frequency of the protozoa was high (47.7%). the prevalence of the nematodosis reached 23.4%. hymenolepis nana, taenia saginata or solium and sc ...	2003	12784593
comparison of tap2 frequencies in type 1 diabetes patients and healthy controls from three ethnic groups indicates an african origin for the tap2 g allele.	in order to determine the ethnic origin of the transporter associated with antigen processing 2 (tap2) g allele, initially discovered by us in a group of type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) patients living on reunion island, hla tap2 typing was performed using the polymerase chain reaction-amplification refractory mutation system (pcr-arms) method in type 1 diabetes patients and unrelated healthy controls of three different ethnic groups (caucasians, indians and black africans ...	2003	12786999
new cytotoxic oleanane saponins from the infructescences of polyscias amplifolia from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanolic extract of the infructescences of polyscias amplifolia resulted in the isolation of two new oleanolic acid saponins, polyfoliolides a (1) and b (2), in addition to the two known saponins 3-o-beta-d-galactopyranosyloleanolic acid (3) and 3-o-beta-d-galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-galactopyranosyloleanolic acid (4). the structures of the two new compounds were established as 3-o-beta- d-galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-d-xylopyranosyloleanolic acid (1) an ...	2003	12802726
human infection with wuchereria bancrofti in matara, sri lanka: the use, in parallel, of an elisa to detect filaria-specific igg4 in urine and of ict card tests to detect filarial antigen in whole blood.	the ict card test to detect circulating filarial antigen and an elisa that detects filaria-specific urinary igg(4) were each used to screen 473 subjects from a community in sri lanka where wuchereria bancrofti is endemic. when the ict test was used as the gold standard, the elisa was found to have a sensitivity of 91.2%. however, far more of the subjects were found elisa-positive than ict-positive (76.5% v. 31.1%). the youngest children studied (aged 1-10 years) were similar to the adult subject ...	2003	12803873
participatory mapping of sex trade and enumeration of sex workers using capture-recapture methodology in diego-suarez, madagascar.	capture-recapture methodology has been employed to estimate the size of hidden or difficult-to-reach human populations such as sex workers, homeless persons, and intravenous drug users. this study took place in the context of efforts to improve the quality of curative and preventive services for sexually transmitted infections offered to sex workers in diego-suarez, madagascar in partnership with sex workers.	2003	12897692
seroepidemiological study of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in brazil, estonia, india, morocco, and sri lanka.	the association between herpes simplex virus type 2 (hsv-2) and human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) and the development of hsv vaccines have increased interest in the study of hsv epidemiology.	2003	12902576
sporormiella and the late holocene extinctions in madagascar.	fossil spores of the dung fungus sporormiella spp. in sediment cores from throughout madagascar provide new information concerning megafaunal extinction and the introduction of livestock. sporormiella percentages are very high in prehuman southwest madagascar, but at the site with best stratigraphic resolution the spore declines sharply by approximately 1,720 yr b.p. (radiocarbon years ago). within a few centuries there is a concomitant rise in microscopic charcoal that probably represents human ...	2003	12960385
hematology of a natural population of toque macaques (macaca sinica) at polonnaruwa, sri lanka.	hematological studies were conducted in three wild groups of toque macaques (macaca sinica) inhabiting the polonnaruwa sanctuary in northeastern sri lanka. the macaques were temporarily trapped and anesthetized, and femoral blood was drawn from 35 males and 37 females (age range: 0.33-24.5 yr). statistically significant (p<0.05) differences were observed by sex for total plasma proteins (pp), and by age for red blood cell (rbc) counts, hemoglobin (hb), mean corpuscular volume (mcv), mean corpusc ...	2003	12966516
a seroepidemiological study of toxocariasis and risk factors for infection in children in sri lanka.	a seroepidemiology study using tes-elisa was carried out in 1,020 children aged 1-12 years in the hindagala community health project, sri lanka. toxocariasis seroprevalence was 43% with 16.6% showing high antibody levels. unconditional logistic regression analysis showed 7-9 year olds to be at the highest risk (or 3.0820; ci = 1.95-4.87). dog ownership, especially puppies (or 29.28; ci = 7.40-116.0), and geophagia-pica (or 6.3732; ci = 3.87-10.50), were significant risk factors. family clusterin ...	2003	12971508
antigenic and genetic relatedness of leptospira strains isolated from the andaman islands in 1929 and 2001.	leptospirosis is a major public health problem in andaman islands. several strains of leptospira have been isolated from the andamans over the years. leptospires isolated recently from human cases were compared with one of the earliest available isolates from these islands, dating back to 1929, to study their serological and genetic relatedness. randomly amplified polymorphic dna (rapd) fingerprints of the isolates, generated with a primer used previously to differentiate between leptospira spec ...	2003	12972587
a record of dinobdella ferox (blanchard) (hirudidae, hirudinea) taken from the nasal cavity of man.		1964	14147660
common nutritional disorders of childhood in the tropics.		1964	14153773
hemoglobins, haptoglobins, and transferrins in the peoples of madagascar.		1964	14243703
on the second case of human infection with dirofilaria (nochtiella) repens from ceylon.		1964	14250815
further observations on ear lobe attachment.		1965	14277139
slavery, smallpox, and revolution: 1792 in ile de france (mauritius).	in 1792 a slave-ship arrived on the french indian ocean island of ile de france (mauritius) from south india, bringing with it smallpox. as the epidemic spread, a heated debate ensued over the practice of inoculation. the island was in the throes of revolutionary politics and the community of french colonists were acutely aware of their new rights as 'citizens'. in the course of the smallpox epidemic, many of the political tenisons of the period came to focus on the question of inoculation, and ...	2000	14535269
parasitologic analyses of the sifaka (propithecus verreauxi verreauxi) at beza mahafaly, madagascar.	a cross-sectional parasitologic survey of a population of wild sifaka (propithecus verreauxi verreauxi) was conducted at the beza mahafaly special reserve in southwest madagascar. ninety fecal samples were collected from thirty 1- to 30-yr-old male and female sifakas, and the formalin-preserved and polyvinyl alcohol-preserved specimens were examined using the zinc sulfate flotation and formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation techniques. no intestinal parasites were recovered, possibly because the s ...	2003	14582790
methodological problems and amendments to demonstrate effects of temperature on the epidemiology of malaria. a new perspective on the highland epidemics in madagascar, 1972-89.	there is a growing consensus that changes in climate will have major consequences for human health through a reduction in the availability of food and an increasing frequency of natural disasters. however, the contribution of higher temperatures to vector-borne diseases, particularly malaria, remains controversial despite the known biological dependence of both vector and pathogen on climate. misconceptions and inappropriate use of variables and methods have contributed to the controversy. at pr ...	2003	14584363
[clinical aspects and genetic specificities of cystic fibrosis in reunion island].	evaluation of the phenotype-genotype correlation of a specific mucoviscidosis mutation, "y122x", in reunion island. this mutation represents 25% of our cases.	2003	14613688
[ecoethology of vectors and transmission of malaria in the lowland rice growing region of mandritsara, madagascar ].	to evaluate the determining factors of the malaria transmission in the northwest region of madagascar, transversal studies were carried out through one year, from march 1997 to april 1998, in two villages located near mandritsara, at less than 300 meters above sea level. the rice-growing region forms an intermediate zone between the central highlands with epidemic and instable malaria and the coastal zone with endemic and stable malaria. mosquitoes were collected when landing on humans during th ...	2003	14717053
malaria transmission in southern madagascar: influence of the environment and hydro-agricultural works in sub-arid and humid regions. part 1. entomological investigations.	a 4-year entomological study was carried out in southern madagascar to identify malaria vectors, evaluate the transmission and compare the influence of irrigation in the sub-arid and adjacent humid regions. three villages were involved in this entomological survey: androvasoa (located in the natural sub-arid ecosystem), pépiniére (sited at the centre of an irrigated rice scheme in the sub-arid region) and esana (bordered with rice fields in the humid region). mosquitoes were collected inside and ...	2004	14732241
antineoplastic agents. 522. hernandia peltata (malaysia) and hernandia nymphaeifolia (republic of maldives).	bioassay (p388 lymphocytic leukemia cell line and human tumor cell lines)-guided separation of the extracts prepared from the tropical and coastal trees hernandia peltata (malaysia) and hernandianymphaeifolia (republic of maldives) led to the isolation of a new lignan designated as hernanol (1) and 12 previously known lignans: (-)-deoxypodophyllotoxin (2), deoxypicropodophyllin (3), (+)-epiaschantin (4), (+)-epieudesmin (5), praderin (6), 5'-methoxyyatein (7), podorhizol (8), deoxypodorhizone (9 ...	2004	14987061
human bertiella studeri (family anoplocephalidae) infection of probable southeast asian origin in mauritian children and an adult.	morphologic studies on preserved and recently collected bertiella specimens obtained from mauritian children and an adult indicate that human infection is caused by bertiella studeri instead of b. mucronata. this cestode might have been accidentally introduced onto the island of mauritius from the southeast asia along with monkeys in the 17th century. we present information that will help identify b. studeri and provide a correct diagnosis. the case reports indicate gastrointestinal disturbances ...	2004	14993637
cytotoxic compounds from mundulea chapelieri from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of methanolic extracts of mundulea chapelieri resulted in the isolation of two new flavonoids, isomundulinol (1) and 3-deoxy-ms-ii (2), in addition to the eight known flavonoids 8-(3,3-dimethylallyl)-5,7-dimethoxyflavanone, ms-ii, mundulinol, mundulone, munetone, rotenolone, rotenone, and tephrosin, and one known sesquiterpenoid, 8alpha-acetoxyelemol. the structures of the new flavonoids 1 and 2 were determined by 1d and 2d nmr experiments. all the isolated compound ...	2004	15043430
[anopheles and malaria transmission in ambohimena, a village in the occidental fringe of madagascar highlands].	the anopheline vectors and malaria transmission were investigated in the middle west of madagascar, in the village of ambohimena (at the altitude of 940 meters) during two years (august 1996 to july 1998). this village is located outside the vector control area, where yearly ddt house spraying campaigns have been conducted between 1993 and 1998. collection of mosquitoes was mainly based on all night man billing collections (650 man-nights), pyrethrum spray catches (224 bedrooms) and direct colle ...	2004	15071831
[bartholin gland tuberculosis: a case report in madagascar].	female genital tuberculosis is relatively frequent in developing countries. most cases occur in young women of childbearing age. the most common locations are the tubes, endometrium, and ovaries. bartholin gland involvement is rare. the purpose of this report is to present a case of bartholin gland tuberculosis in a 50 year-old woman and to describe the special epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic features associated with this location. bartholinitis develops insidiously until spontaneous f ...	2003	15077425
hermansky-pudlak syndrome type 4 in a patient from sri lanka with pulmonary fibrosis.	hermansky-pudlak syndrome (hps) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by oculocutaneous albinism and a platelet storage pool deficiency. some patients also develop fatal pulmonary fibrosis and some have granulomatous colitis. six human genes hps1, adb3a, hps3, hps4, hps5, and hps6 have been identified as cause of the six known subtypes of hps. while there exist nearly 500 puerto rican and non-puerto rican hps-1 patients, very few hps-4 patients have been reported, and most of thes ...	2004	15108212
new cytotoxic terpenoids from the wood of vepris punctata from the madagascar rainforest.	continuation of the chemical examination of the cytotoxic constituents of the wood of vepris punctata resulted in the isolation of the two new terpenoids 1 and 2 and eight known compounds, glechomanolide (3), isogermafurenolide, (e,e)-germacra-1(10),4,7(11)-triene, alpha-amyrin, lupeol, lupeyl acetate, taraxerol, and 3-epi-taraxerol, in addition to the alkaloids reported reported previously. the structures of the two new compounds were established on the basis of 1d and 2d nmr spectroscopic data ...	2004	15165160
human otoacariasis: a retrospective study from an area of sri lanka.	intra-aural ticks were present in 870 (15.2%) of 5714 patients who reported with ear-related complaints to the ear, nose and throat ward at ratnapura hospital, sabaragamuwa province, sri lanka, from january 2000 to december 2001. a retrospective study of 383 of these otoacariasis cases showed that the majority (70.8%) of surgically-removed ticks were nymphal amblyomma integrum, together with nymphal and adult rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, r. sanguineus, hyalomma brevipunctata, h. marginatum, a ...	2004	15186938
focal epithelial hyperplasia (heck's disease): report of two cases with pcr detection of human papillomavirus dna.	focal epithelial hyperplasia (feh) (heck's disease) is essentially a benign oral infection produced by the human papillomavirus (hpv). although this condition is known to exist in numerous populations and ethnic groups, it is relatively rare in south-east asia. the following report is based on two cases of adult feh with histopathological features in favour of the disease. in addition, polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the presence of hpv dna in the lesions in order to confirm th ...	2004	15196147