Publications

development of the egg hatch assay for detection of anthelminthic resistance in human hookworms.	evidence of development and rapid spread of anthelminthic resistance in veterinary nematodes raises concern that the increasingly frequent treatments used in chemotherapy-based programmes to control human soil-transmitted helminths may select resistant worms. the aim of this study was to adapt, refine, and evaluate the egg hatch assay (eha) test, which has been used for veterinary nematodes, for field testing of benzimidazole (bz) susceptibility/resistance in human hookworms. a second objective ...	2005	15885696
iodine prophylaxis, goitre and thyroid autoimmunity in sri lanka.		2005	15881560
collaborative research trials: a strategy for fostering mental health protections in developing nations.		2005	15862873
from the recent lessons of the malagasy foci towards a global understanding of the factors involved in plague reemergence.	re-emergence of human cases of plague after decades of silence does not necessarily mean that plague foci are re-emerging. most often, yersinia pestis bacteria have been maintained and circulating at low levels in the rodent populations. it seems therefore more appropriate to speak in terms of expansion or regression phases for sylvatic rodent plague foci and to reserve the term re-emergence for human cases. from the analysis of well-documented human plague cases in madagascar, we underline the ...	2005	15845233
ocular parastrongyliasis (=angiostrongyliasis): probable first report of human infection from a patient in ceylon (sri lanka).	what is considered to be the first case of human parastrongyliasis (angiostrongyliasis) worldwide is described from a patient in ceylon (sri lanka) in 1925. it also predates the description of the parasite in humans by chen (1935).	2004	15828436
abo-blood-group types and protection against severe, plasmodium falciparum malaria.	although the abo blood group of the human host has been reported to influence malarial infection, there have been few clinical observations on this effect. a hospital-based, comparative study was therefore performed to investigate the relationship between blood-group type and severe disease i nplasmodium falciparum malaria. overall, 243 cases of malaria (163 uncomplicated and 80 severe) and 65 patients with severe, non-malarial infections were studied. in terms of abo-blood-group composition, th ...	2005	15814030
perfluorinated organic compounds in human blood serum and seminal plasma: a study of urban and rural tea worker populations in sri lanka.	concentrations and accumulation of 13 fluorinated organic compounds (focs) in human sera and seminal plasma were measured in an asian developing country, sri lanka. six of the focs, pfos (perfluorooctanesulfonate), pfhs (perfluorohexanesulfonate), pfuna (perfluoroundecanoic acid), pfda (perfluorodecanoic acid), pfna (perfluorononanoic acid) and pfoa (perfluorooctanoic acid), were detected in all of the sera samples. measurable quantities of two main perfluorosulfonates, pfos and pfhs, were found ...	2005	15798805
transitions in ancient inland freshwater resource management in sri lanka affect biota and human populations in and around coastal lagoons.	the increasing anthropogenic pressure on natural environments results in impacts that affect tropical forest areas and their biodiversity. adverse impacts on terrestrial and oceanic environments often compound in the intertidal area, where mangrove forest ecosystems thrive. in tropical coastal areas of many developing countries where people depend on wood and other mangrove forest products and services, forest degradation leads to socioeconomic problems. at the same time, increasing freshwater n ...	2005	15797030
the dual origin of the malagasy in island southeast asia and east africa: evidence from maternal and paternal lineages.	linguistic and archaeological evidence about the origins of the malagasy, the indigenous peoples of madagascar, points to mixed african and indonesian ancestry. by contrast, genetic evidence about the origins of the malagasy has hitherto remained partial and imprecise. we defined 26 y-chromosomal lineages by typing 44 y-chromosomal polymorphisms in 362 males from four different ethnic groups from madagascar and 10 potential ancestral populations in island southeast asia and the pacific. we also ...	2005	15793703
cytotoxic flavanones of schizolaena hystrix from the madagascar rainforest.	bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanol extract of a madagascar collection of schizolaena hystrix afforded three new flavanones, schizolaenone a (1), schizolaenone b (2), and 4'-o-methylbonannione a (3), as well as three known flavanones, nymphaeol a, bonannione a, and macarangaflavanone b, and the flavanol bonanniol a. the structures of compounds 1-3 were determined by various one- and two-dimensional nmr techniques. all of the isolates were tested for cytotoxicity against the a2780 human o ...	2005	15787448
multifocal cutaneous mucormycosis complicating polymicrobial wound infections in a tsunami survivor from sri lanka.	a man injured in the tsunami of dec 26, 2004, returned to sydney for management of his soft-tissue injuries. despite broad-spectrum antibiotics, surgical wound debridement, and vigilant wound care, his condition worsened. muscle and fat necrosis developed in a previously debrided thigh wound, and necrotising lesions arose from previous abrasions. histological analysis showed mucormycosis in three non-contiguous sites, and apophysomyces elegans was isolated from excised wound tissue. wound infect ...	2005	15752532
antimicrobial resistance of neisseria gonorrhoeae in selected world health organization southeast asia region countries: an overview.	a gonococcal antimicrobial susceptibility program (gasp) under the world health organization south east asia region (who sear) is continuing in india and neighboring countries and is being coordinated by the who regional reference laboratory (rrl), vardhman mahavir medical college, and safdarjung hospital, new delhi.	2005	15729156
vectors and malaria transmission in a gem mining area in sri lanka.	anopheline vectors of malaria were studied in the kaluganga gem mining area in the dry zone of central sri lanka. adult mosquitoes were collected using cattle-baited huts and nets, pyrethrum spray sheets, window exit traps and light traps and partial and full-night human landing collections over a period of 17 mo. the collections produced a total of 13,591 anophelines belonging to 14 species. using elisa for circumsporozoite proteins of plasmodium vivax and p. falciparum, anopheles culicifacies, ...	2004	15707286
melioidosis in mauritius.	we report the first case of human melioidosis from mauritius, where burkholderia pseudomallei has never been isolated. the patient was immunocompromised, had never traveled abroad, and had a history of regular exposure to mud. she became ill at a time when rainfall was higher than the monthly average.	2005	15705340
exacerbation of symptoms due to diltiazem in a patient with lambert-eaton myasthenic myopathic syndrome.	a 65-year old man on treatment for ischaemic heart disease presented with a history of pain and weakness of all four limbs and dry mouth. he had clinical and neurophysiological features of lambert-eaton myasthenic syndrome. his symptoms improved after withdrawal of diltiazem, although neurophysiological changes remained even after 3 months.	2004	15693452
early outcome after glenn shunt and fontan palliation and the impact of operation during viral respiratory season: analysis of a 19-year multi-institutional experience.	this study was done to investigate the impact of season of operation, age at operation, and surgical era on short-term outcome after single ventricle palliation. one small study suggests that operation during viral respiratory season is associated with prolonged pleural effusion and hospitalization. single-institution studies also find improved outcomes after the glenn shunt and fontan over time, despite operation at a younger age.	2005	15680845
[anopheles mascarensis of meillon 1947, a malaria vector in the middle west of madagascar?].	anopheles mascarensis has been demonstrated to be a vector of human malaria in the east coast of madagascar. here, we present original data obtained from 1996 to 2003 on the distribution, biology and vectorial capacity of an. mascarensis in the middle-west of madagascar. this species is consistently exophilic both for its trophic and resting behaviour. this accounts for the absence of clear impact of any indoor insecticide spraying. this species is mainly zoophilic, but can occasionally bite hum ...	2003	15678818
[the current epidemiological situation of cysticercosis in madagascar].	being associated to fecal-oral transmission, cysticercosis is contracted either by auto-infection or by ingestion of food contaminated with eggs from the pork tape worm (taenia solium). in the stomach, the larvae named cysticercus (cysticercus cellulosae) hatches from the eggs and invades the host through the mucosa membrane. human cysticercosis occurs in highly prevalent proportions in many developing countries including madagascar where hygiene conditions are deplicable. serology tests applica ...	2003	15678816
[influenza epidemiologic and virologic surveillance in antananarivo from 1995 to 2002].	the "institut pasteur de madagascar" virology laboratory is the national who centre for influenza surveillance in madagascar. on this surveillance collaborate the ministry of health with 9 sentinel centres. in the present article, the authors relate the results of influenza surveillance in antananarivo between 1995 and 2002. among 6341 patients with nasal and/or pharyngeal swabs, influenza virus were isolated from 427 patients (6.7%): 307 (68.4%) influenza virus a (h3n2), 124 (27.1%) influenza v ...	2003	15678811
[the history of flu in madagascar].	the purpose of this paper is to actualize the historical data on influenza in madagascar. the first outbreak of flu probably occurred in 1890. the first epidemic fully described was in 1893. between 1890 and 1957, 11 outbreaks of influenza were registered. since 1978, the unit of virology of the institut pasteur de madagascar is the national reference center of the world health organization for influenza in madagascar. between 1975 and 2002, 12 epidemics of flu were registered confirmed by viral ...	2003	15678809
expression of human il-1alpha after intramarrow gene transfer into healthy non-human primate by adenoviral vector.	interleukin-1alpha (il-1alpha) is a multifunctional cytokine that stimulates myelopoiesis in macaque. however, daily systemic injections of il-1alpha are associated with severe side effects. we therefore investigated the feasibility of a gene therapy strategy aimed at increasing the il-1alpha local production in bone marrow with limited release of the vector into the blood circulation. intra-medullar administration of adenoviral vector containing human il-1alpha (huil-1alpha) gene resulted in en ...	2005	15667338
high frequency of human enterovirus species c circulation in madagascar.	four poliomyelitis outbreaks caused by vaccine-derived polioviruses have been reported recently, including one in madagascar in 2002. in all cases, the viral strains involved were recombinant between poliovirus vaccine strains and nonpoliovirus strains, probably enterovirus species c. nevertheless, little is known about the circulation and epidemiology of enteroviruses in the regions where these outbreaks occurred. to assess the circulation of enteroviruses (particularly enterovirus species c) i ...	2005	15634978
malarial vectors in an irrigated rice cultivation area in southern sri lanka.	entomological surveys were carried out from march 1998 to december 1999 to study the prevalence, distribution and abundance of malarial vectors in relation to selected environmental factors and potential mosquito breeding sites in irrigation channels in 15 villages in the lunugamvehera irrigation and settlement project, a malaria-endemic area of southern sri lanka. mosquito collections were made at monthly intervals using four sampling methods. thirteen anopheline species were collected. followi ...	2005	15607337
constraints on conceptual development: a case study of the acquisition of folkbiological and folksociological knowledge in madagascar.	how different are the concepts held by children who grow up in a north american middle class neighborhood and by children who grow up in a rural malagasy fishing village? by probing malagasy children's and adults' conceptual representations of human and animal kind, biological inheritance, innate potential and family relations, the studies presented in this monograph address current debates about the acquisition and the nature of concepts in the domains of folkbiology and folksociology. cross-cu ...	2004	15566544
[rickettsia africae, the agent of african tick-bite fever: an emerging pathogen in the west indies and reunion island (indian ocean)].	rickettsia africae is the agent of african tick bite fever, an emerging disease transmitted by amblyomma ticks in sub-saharan africa. in 1998, we reported the first documented case of r. africae in the new world, in a patient who had returned from guadeloupe. in order to confirm the presence of r. africae in the west indies, entomologic surveys were conducted from 1999 to 2003 to collect amblyomma, which are considered as potential vectors and reservoirs of the bacteria. ticks were used as epide ...	2004	15462202
economic development, income inequality and environmental degradation of fisheries resources in mauritius.	this article examines how environmental degradation of fisheries resources in the context of mauritius is linked up with human investment in education, economic growth, and income inequality. empirical evidence shows that public-sector investment in education promotes economic growth, but at the expense of greater inequality of income. among the vulnerable groups affected by this type of development process lies the fisherman community. in fact, children of poor families in coastal mauritius hav ...	2004	15383878
seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in wild toque macaques (macaca sinica) at polonnaruwa, sri lanka.	from a natural population that inhabits the dry evergreen forest at polonnaruwa, serum samples of 170 toque macaques were examined for antibodies to toxoplasma gondii by the modified agglutination test. of these, 21 (12%) were found with titers of 1:16 in 9, 1:32 in 9, 1:256 in 1, 1:1,024 in 1, and 1:4,096 in 1. there was no evidence of maternal transmission of antibodies or congenital toxoplasmosis. none of the infected macaques died within 1 yr after sampling. toxoplasma gondii infection was c ...	2004	15357087
chryseobacterium meningosepticum infections in a dialysis unit.	chryseobacterium species are gram-negative bacteria with an unusual antibiotic profile. chryseobacterium meningosepticum is the species most commonly encountered as a human pathogen.	2004	15334801
genetic variation in beacon influences quantitative variation in metabolic syndrome-related phenotypes.	the beacon gene (also known as ubl5) was identified as differentially expressed between lean and obese psammomys obesus, a polygenic animal model of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia. the human homologue of beacon is located on chromosome 19p, a region likely to contain genes affecting metabolic syndrome-related quantitative traits as established by linkage studies. to assess whether the human beacon gene may be involved in influencing these traits, we exhaustively analyzed the complete ...	2004	15331561
socio-economic and behavioural factors affecting the prevalence of ascaris infection in a low-country tea plantation in sri lanka.	the identification of the factors that affect the prevalences of geohelminthiases should help to maximize the effectiveness of programmes for the control of these diseases. in the present study, the relationships between the prevalence and intensity of human infection with ascaris and the availability of sanitary facilities, socio-economic status and personal health habits have been explored in sri lanka. the 176 subjects, who lived on a low-country tea plantation, were aged 2-50 years (median = ...	2004	15324467
characterization and evolution of major histocompatibility complex class ii genes in the aye-aye, daubentonia madagascariensis.	major histocompatibility complex genes (mhc-dqb and mhc-drb) were sequenced in seven aye-ayes (daubentonia madagascariecsis), which is an endemic and endangered species in madagascar. an aye-aye from a north-eastern population showed genetic relatedness to individuals of a north-western population and had a somewhat different repertoire from another north-eastern individual. these observations suggest that the extent of genetic variation in mhc genes is not excessively small in the aye-aye in sp ...	2005	15322927
a chronology for late prehistoric madagascar.	a database has been assembled with 278 age determinations for madagascar. materials 14c dated include pretreated sediments and plant macrofossils from cores and excavations throughout the island, and bones, teeth, or eggshells of most of the extinct megafaunal taxa, including the giant lemurs, hippopotami, and ratites. additional measurements come from uranium-series dates on speleothems and thermoluminescence dating of pottery. changes documented include late pleistocene climatic events and, in ...	2004	15288523
sexuality and women's rights in armed conflict in sri lanka.	the discourse of human rights in armed conflict situations is well adapted to respond to violence and violation, invoking internationally agreed principles of civil and political rights. however, in areas where the subject or domain of rights discourse is contested or controversial, human rights advocates appear less prepared to promote and defend such rights. sexuality is one such domain. this paper explores the complex sexual choices women in sri lanka have had to negotiate, particularly widow ...	2004	15242213
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
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
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
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
[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
[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
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
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
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
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
[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
[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
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
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
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
further observations on ear lobe attachment.		1965	14277139
on the second case of human infection with dirofilaria (nochtiella) repens from ceylon.		1964	14250815
hemoglobins, haptoglobins, and transferrins in the peoples of madagascar.		1964	14243703
common nutritional disorders of childhood in the tropics.		1964	14153773
a record of dinobdella ferox (blanchard) (hirudidae, hirudinea) taken from the nasal cavity of man.		1964	14147660
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
[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
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
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
infectious diseases. up close and personal with sars.		2003	12738826
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
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 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
[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
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
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
influenza under close surveillance.		2002	12631981
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
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
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
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
[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
[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
outbreak of influenza, madagascar, july-august 2002.		2002	12476644
[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
[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
[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
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
infectious disease surveillance update.		2002	12383607
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
[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
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
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
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
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
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
[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