Publications

successful contracting of prevention services: fighting malnutrition in senegal and madagascar.	there are very few documented large-scale successes in nutrition in africa, and virtually no consideration of contracting for preventive services. this paper describes two successful large-scale community nutrition projects in africa as examples of what can be done in prevention using the contracting approach in rural as well as urban areas. the two case-studies are the secaline project in madagascar, and the community nutrition project in senegal. the article explains what is meant by 'success' ...	1999	10787654
[intestinal schistosomiasis from schistosoma mansoni in madagascar: extent and center of the endemic].	schistosoma mansoni and s. haematobium affect respectively 2 million and 500,000 persons in madagascar. over the past decade, s. mansoni has spread in the central highlands of madagascar, essentially throughout the mid-west and antananarivo plain. to understand this recent change in the epidemiology of s. mansoni, we examined the relationship between its spatial distribution and several host factors, including labour migration, urbanization and water development projects. in the highlands, the d ...	1999	10399598
[anopheles mascarensis (de meillon, 1947): main vector of malaria in the region of fort-dauphin (south-east of madagascar)].	anopheles funestus and anopheles gambiae s.l. have been considered until now the major vectors of malaria everywhere in madagascar. anopheles mascarensis, a mosquito native to madagascar, has been identified in sainte-marie island as a secondary vector only. in 1997, an entomological study was carried out to identify the malaria vectors in the area of fort-dauphin, south-east of madagascar. every month, mosquitoes were collected from landing catches on human volunteers (from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm i ...	1999	10399606
prevalence of mycobacterium bovis in human pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in madagascar.	the prevalence of human tuberculosis (tb) due to mycobacterium bovis was determined in madagascar in 1994-1995. a prevalence of m. bovis of 1.25% was observed among sputum smear-positive patients and 1.3% among extra-pulmonary tb patients. this study was conducted in urban areas and will be extended to rural zones, where the majority of the population lives.	1999	10423227
sri lanka: torture continues.		1999	10437888
malaria vectors in a traditional dry zone village in sri lanka.	malaria transmission by anopheline mosquitoes was studied in a traditional tank-irrigation-based rice-producing village in the malaria-endemic low country dry zone of northcentral sri lanka during the period august 1994-february 1997. adult mosquitoes were collected from human and bovid bait catches, bovid-baited trap huts, indoor catches, and pit traps. mosquito head-thoraces were tested for the presence of plasmodium falciparum and p. vivax, and blood-engorged abdomens for the presence of huma ...	1999	10466971
[epidemiological stratification of malaria in the comoro archipelago].	in the comoros islands, the level of malarial endemicity varies greatly from one island to the other, even though the total area (4 islands) covers less than 2,300 km2 and has a population of some 600,000 people only. the epidemiological stratification is based on the diversity of human and physical characterisation. they both determine the presence and the behaviour as well as the size of the vector's populations. vectorial dynamics can explain varying levels of endemicity given parasitological ...	1999	10472445
multiple host feeding in field populations of anopheles culicifacies and an. subpictus in sri lanka.	a histological technique was used to detect the multiple blood-feeding of female mosquitoes, within the same gonotrophic cycle, in field populations of the malaria vectors anopheles culicifacies and an. subpictus (diptera: culicidae) at a village in the low country of sri lanka, during 1994-96. among 3306 an. culicifacies and 871 an. subpictus engorged females examined, respectively, 34.4% and 30.4% were multiple-fed. in these two species, double meals accounted for 92.7% and 89.5%, and triple m ...	1999	10484158
patterns of alcohol consumption in the seychelles islands (indian ocean).	self-reported drinking habits were examined in a random sample of 1067 persons aged 25-64 years in the seychelles, a country in epidemiological transition where consumption of home-brewed, mostly unregistered beverages has been traditionally high. alcohol consumption was calculated from respondents reporting at least one drink per week ('regular drinkers'). among men, 51.1% were regular drinkers and had average intake of 112.1 ml alcohol a day. among women, 5.9% were regular drinkers and had 49. ...	1999	10528821
human papillomavirus in carcinogenesis of cervical cancer.		1999	10643100
fatty acid composition of white adipose tissue and breast milk of mauritian and french mothers and erythrocyte phospholipids of their full-term breast-fed infants.	the fatty acid compositions of white adipose tissue, colostrum and mature milk triacylglycerols from mauritian (n 13) and french (n 15) women were analysed and compared in order to highlight cultural differences in dietary intakes and their influence on milk fatty acid composition. erythrocyte phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine fatty acid compositions were also investigated in their term infants, breast-fed over a period of 6 weeks. fatty acid composition (g/100 g) of all samples w ...	1999	10655975
[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
[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
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
simple latex agglutination assay for rapid serodiagnosis of human leptospirosis.	a newly developed latex agglutination assay for the detection of genus-specific leptospira antibodies in human sera was evaluated. the assay is performed by mixing, on an agglutination card, serum with equal volumes of stabilized antigen-coated, dyed test and control latex beads and is read within 2 min. the latex agglutination test was evaluated with groups of serum samples from patients with leptospirosis and control patients from hawaii, the seychelles, thailand, and the netherlands. the mean ...	2000	10699040
benchmark concentrations for methylmercury obtained from the seychelles child development study.	methylmercury is a neurotoxin at high exposures, and the developing fetus is particularly susceptible. because exposure to methylmercury is primarily through fish, concern has been expressed that the consumption of fish by pregnant women could adversely affect their fetuses. the reference dose for methylmercury established by the u.s. environmental protection agency was based on a benchmark analysis of data from a poisoning episode in iraq in which mothers consumed seed grain treated with methyl ...	2000	10706533
study of the dog population and the rabies control activities in the mirigama area of sri lanka.	the national health authorities of sri lanka have adopted a combined strategy of rabies vaccination and stray dog removal to control endemic dog rabies. despite the control efforts, an increase of animal and human rabies cases has occurred since 1994. as a consequence, a project to evaluate the national rabies control program has been started and a study focussing on the dog population and rabies control activities in a limited area of mirigama was conducted. information on canine abundance and ...	2000	10708011
current epidemiology of human plague in madagascar.	from 1996 to 1998, 5,965 patients with suspected plague were identified in 38 districts of madagascar (40% of the total population are exposed). using standard bacteriology, 917 of them were confirmed or presumptive (c + p) cases. however, more than 2,000 plague cases could be estimated using f1 antigen assay. two out of the 711 yersinia pestis isolates tested were resistant to chloramphenicol and to ampicillin (both isolates found in the harbour of mahajanga). urban plague (mahajanga harbour an ...	2000	10717537
recovery of a species of brugia, probably b. ceylonensis, from the conjunctiva of a patient in sri lanka.	a species of brugia, probably b. ceylonensis, was recovered from the conjunctiva of a patient in sri lanka for the first time. this infection represents only the second record of brugia in the human conjunctiva, and is clearly zoonotic, acquired from a dog. brugia ceylonensis has a distinct head bulb like that of wuchereria bancrofti and b. malayi. however, the parasite recovered was not w. bancrofti, as specific ifat and dna probes gave negative results, and b. malayi is believed to have been e ...	2000	10723527
seroepidemiology of human plague in the madagascar highlands.	we conducted a seroepidemiological survey of human plague in the general population using random sampling in the area of ambositra, the main focus of plague in the central highlands of madagascar (520 confirmed and presumptive cases notified during the past 10 years). sera were tested using an elisa igg f1 assay. considering the internal validity of the assay and the sampling method, the overall corrected prevalence of f1 antibodies was 0.6% (95% ci: 0.2%-1.8%). being nearly 0 up to the age of 4 ...	2000	10747268
safe motherhood in sri lanka: a 100-year march.	the present safe motherhood status in sri lanka has been achieved by a series of activities for health and social development during the past century. while ancient and traditional religious, as well as cultural concepts provided a sound foundation, it was the policies that focused on human development that resulted in reducing the maternal mortality rate to 2.4 per 10000 live births, and the infant mortality rate to 16.5 per (1000) live births. maternal and child health (mch) services were init ...	2000	10884540
secondary analysis from the seychelles child development study: the child behavior checklist.	human exposure to methylmercury (mehg), a known neurotoxin, is primarily from fish consumption. as part of a large study examining the association between mehg exposure and child development in a population with high fish consumption we examined school-age behavior using the achenbach child behavior checklist (cbcl). the cbcl total t score was a primary endpoint and was reported earlier to show no adverse association with prenatal or postnatal mehg exposure. in this study we analyzed the t score ...	2000	10991778
suicide: a socratic revenge.	2400 years have passed since the occurrence in athens, greece of one of the famous suicides recorded in human history. this autobiographical essay provides a montage on the history of suicide, with snippets from the final hours of socrates, as described by plato. suicide in contemporary japanese culture is also explored briefly, with reference to the deaths of internationally acclaimed movie directors akira kurosawa and juzo itami. the author also questions why no researcher has yet been honoure ...	2000	11006616
quantifying genetic and nongenetic contributions to malarial infection in a sri lankan population.	explaining the causes of variation in the severity of malarial disease remains a major challenge in the treatment and control of malaria. many factors are known to contribute to this variation, including parasite genetics, host genetics, acquired immunity, and exposure levels. however, the relative importance of each of these to the overall burden of malarial disease in human populations has not been assessed. here, we have partitioned variation in the incidence of malarial infection and the cli ...	2000	11035799
say 'no' to shackling prisoners in hospital.		2000	11051710
association between prenatal exposure to methylmercury and cognitive functioning in seychellois children: a reanalysis of the mccarthy scales of children's ability from the main cohort study.	methylmercury (mehg) is a neurotoxicant whose high-dose effects first became known following a number of poisoning outbreaks that occurred worldwide. the primary human exposure is low dosage from fish consumption. studies of fish-eating populations have not found a consistent pattern of association between exposures and outcomes. therefore, examining specific areas of cognitive functioning has been suggested as an important approach to determine whether more subtle effects of mehg exposure are p ...	2000	11068921
ciguatera: recent advances but the risk remains.	ciguatera is an important form of human poisoning caused by the consumption of seafood. the disease is characterised by gastrointestinal, neurological and cardiovascular disturbances. in cases of severe toxicity, paralysis, coma and death may occur. there is no immunity, and the toxins are cumulative. symptoms may persist for months or years, or recur periodically. the epidemiology of ciguatera is complex and of central importance to the management and future use of marine resources. ciguatera i ...	2000	11078162
isoenzymes of human lice: pediculus humanus and p. capitis.	human lice (phthiraptera: pediculidae) from africa, america and europe were electrophoresed for 28 enzymes, with special interest in metabolic factors likely to be involved with insecticide resistance. zymogram profiles of the body louse (pediculus humanus l. from france and u.s.a.) and the head louse (p. capitis degeer from france, madagascar, mali & senegal) were compared. only esterase two enzymes, phosphoglucomutase (pgm) and 3 (est-3), showed electrophoretic variation. in our starch gel ele ...	2000	11129706
selenium and iodine in soil, rice and drinking water in relation to endemic goitre in sri lanka.	endemic goitre has been reported in the climatic wet zone of south-west sri lanka for the past 50 years, but rarely occurs in the northern dry zone. despite government-sponsored iodised salt programmes, endemic goitre is still prevalent. in recent years, it has been suggested that se deficiency may be an important factor in the onset of goitre and other iodine deficiency disorders (idd). prior to the present study, environmental concentrations of se in sri lanka and the possible relationships be ...	2000	11194147
serodiagnosis of human plague by an anti-f1 capsular antigen specific igg/igm elisa and immunoblot.	plague is a re-emerging disease endemic in at least 24 countries. non-endemic countries should be able to confirm plague to prevent outbreaks due to imported cases. we established a combination of a igg/igm screening elisa and a confirmation immunoblot employing f1 capsular antigen (ca) for the serodiagnosis of plague in countries where yersiniosis is present. the elisa and the immunoblot assay showed a specificity of 96.1% and 100% among sera from healthy german blood donors. this group had a s ...	2000	11218210
[drug resistance of plasmodium falciparum in coastal regions of madagascar].	chloroquine is still the drug of choice for first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria in madagascar. however development and spread of chloroquine-resistance could compromise this therapeutic strategy in the future. the purpose of this 1997 study was to compare the efficacy of combined treatment using sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine and single-agent treatment using chloroquine for management of uncomplicated malaria. study data were collected at four sites in coastal areas of madagascar where ...	2000	11258056
[epidemiological aspects of tuberculosis in middle west of madagascar].	we conducted a 5-year (1989-1993) retrospective analysis on a series of patients screened and treated for tuberculosis in order to determine the epidemiological aspects of the disease in mid-western madagascar. pulmonary forms affected 97% of patients, and predominantly men (sex ratio: 1.4); 83% of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were coughing up acido-alcoholo-resitant bacilli. haemoptysis and general deterioration, the most frequently met pathological signs, were observed respectively in ...	2000	11775320
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
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
[the campaign against malaria in central western madagascar: comparison of the efficacy of lambda-cyhalothrin and ddt house spraying. i--entomological study].	for malaria vector control in madagascar, the efficacy of lambda-cyhalothrin 10% wettable powder (icon 10 wp) was compared with ddt 75% wp for house-spraying. this evaluation was conducted from november 1997 to september 1998 in highland villages of vakinankaratra region, at the fringe of the malaria epidemic zone, outside the zone covered by routine ddt house-spraying (opération de pulvérisation intro-domiciliaire de ddt: opid zone). treatments were compared by house-spraying in four areas: 1) ...	2001	11802266
candida africana sp. nov., a new human pathogen or a variant of candida albicans?	atypical candida strains were isolated from patients in madagascar, angola and germany. these isolates were slow growing and were unable to produce chlamydospores. they had atypical carbohydrate assimilation profiles. all strains were unable to assimilate the amino sugars n-acteylglucosamine and glucosamine as well as the disaccharide trehalose and the organic acid dl-lactate. they were germ-tube-positive in serum, but only some of these organisms produced pseudohyphae after a long incubation. a ...	2001	11820255
zoophily of anopheles arabiensis and an. gambiae in madagascar demonstrated by odour-baited entry traps.	in madagascar we used odour-baited entry traps (obets) for host choice tests of wild female anopheline mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) at representative localities on the east and west sides of the island (villages fenoarivo and tsararano, respectively) and at the southern margin of the central plateau (zazafotsy village, 800 m altitude). no insecticide house-spraying operations have been undertaken at these villages. odours from a man and a calf of similar mass, concealed in different tents, we ...	2001	11297101
mutation analysis of a mauritian hereditary breast cancer family reveals the brca2 6503deitt mutation previously found to recur in different ethnic populations.	mauritius, a small island some 855 km off the east coast of madagascar, has a multiethnic population of about 1.2 million with a high population density of about 611 per km(2). the recent industrialization of the island seems to have been accompanied, in less than 10 years, by an increase of at least 30% in breast cancer incidence. we have detected the brca2 6503deltt mutation in two sisters of the same family of indian origin but living in mauritius for at least five generations. this mutation ...	2001	11359068
female genital schistosomiasis: facts and hypotheses.	in this paper we summarise the parasitological, clinical and epidemiological characteristics of female genital schistosomiasis (fgs), a frequent manifestation of the infection with schistosoma haematobium. means to diagnose and treat lesions in the lower and upper genital tract are discussed. based on clinical findings and available pathophysiological as well as immunological data it is conceivable that fgs of the cervix and vagina not only facilitates the infection with agents of sexually trans ...	2001	11412803
[resurgence of the plague in the ikongo district of madagascar in 1998. 1. epidemiological aspects in the human population].	between the 20th october and the 18th november 1998, an outbreak of bubonic plague was declared in a hamlet in the ikongo district of madagascar. we conducted an epidemiological survey because of the re-emergence of the disease in this area (the last cases had been notified in 1965) and because of the low altitude compared to the classical malagasy foci. the outbreak had been preceded by an important rat epizootics during september. a total of 21 cases were registered with an attack rate of 16.7 ...	2001	11475028
the natural history of periodontal disease in man. risk factors for progression of attachment loss in individuals receiving no oral health care.	few investigations have reported on risk factors for periodontal attachment loss over time in subjects with no home or professional dental care. the purpose of this report was to identify potential risk factors for progression of periodontal attachment loss among male sri lankan tea laborers who participated in a 20-year investigation of the natural history of periodontal disease.	2001	11525431
health in the huxleyan tropical island of pala.	huxley's island: a novel (1962) is a parable on "realistic idealism"--set in an imaginary island situated in the indian ocean between sri lanka and sumatra, called pala. the characters in the story include a doctor, a nurse and several patients. the general importance of health as a basic human need is well recognised. vis medicatrix naturae, the natural healing powers of the body, are taken account of, along with psychotherapy and drugs. prevention of illness is emphasised and doctors get paid ...	2001	11570002
population genetic structure and competence as a vector for dengue type 2 virus of aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus from madagascar.	starch gel electrophoresis was used to assess the polymorphism of 7 isoenzymes in single mosquitoes (field-collected f0 or f1 generation) for aedes albopictus (8 strains) from northern madagascar. mosquitoes of the f2 generation (3 strains of aedes aegypti and 10 strains of ae. albopictus) were tested for oral susceptibility to dengue type 2 virus. aedes aegypti was less susceptible to viral infection than ae. albopictus. the genetic differentiation was less high between ae. albopictus populatio ...	2001	11716103
a genome-wide scan for coronary heart disease suggests in indo-mauritians a susceptibility locus on chromosome 16p13 and replicates linkage with the metabolic syndrome on 3q27.	prevalence of coronary heart disease (chd), of type 2 diabetes (t2dm) and of the metabolic syndrome are in mauritius amongst the highest in the world. as t2dm and chd are closely associated and have both a polygenic basis, we conducted a 10 cm genome scan with 403 microsatellite markers in 99 independent families of north-eastern indian origin including 535 individuals. families were ascertained through a proband with chd before 52 years of age and additional sibs with myocardial infarction (mi) ...	2001	11734540
modulation of the multidrug-resistance phenotype by new tropane alkaloid aromatic esters from erythroxylum pervillei.	nine tropane alkaloid aromatic esters (1-9) were isolated from the roots of erythroxylum pervillei by following their potential to reverse multidrug-resistance with vinblastine-resistant oral epidermoid carcinoma (kb-v1) cells. all isolates, including seven new structures (3-9), were evaluated against a panel of human cancer cell lines, and it was found that alkaloids 3 and 5-9 showed the greatest activity with kb-v1 cells assessed in the presence of vinblastine, suggesting that these new compou ...	2001	11754602
human sperm motility stimulating activity of a sulfono glycolipid isolated from sri lankan marine red alga gelidiella acerosa.	to evaluate the sperm motility stimulating activity of a sulfono glycolipid (s-act-1) isolated from gelidiella acerosa, a sri lankan marine red algae.	2001	11250790
[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
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
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
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
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
[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
eupha-7,9(11),24-trien-3beta-ol ("antiquol c") and other triterpenes from euphorbia antiquorum latex and their inhibitory effects on epstein-barr virus activation.	the structures of three triterpene alcohols isolated from the latex of euphorbia antiquorum were established to be eupha-7,9(11),24-trien-3beta-ol (2; antiquol c), 19(10-->9)abeo-8alpha,9beta,10alpha-eupha-5,24-dien-3beta-ol (3; antiquol b), and 24-methyltirucalla-8,24(24(1))-dien-3beta-ol (4; euphorbol) on the basis of spectroscopic methods. compounds 3 and 4 have previously been assigned the erroneous structures of 10alpha-cucurbita-5,24-dien-3alpha-ol and 24-methyleupha-8,24(24(1))-dien-3beta ...	2002	11858748
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
a new triterpene saponin from pittosporum viridiflorum from the madagascar rainforest.	a novel triterpenoid saponin, pittoviridoside (1), which possesses an unusual 2,3,4-trisubstituted glycosidic linkage, has been isolated from pittosporum viridiflorum using the engineered yeast strains 1138, 1140, 1353, and sc-7 for bioactivity-guided fractionation. the structure of this compound was determined to be 3-o-[beta-d-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)]-[alpha-d-arabinopyranosyl(1-->3)],[alpha-l-arabinofuranosyl(1-->4)-beta-d-glucuronopyranosyl-21-angeloyl-22-senecioylolean-12-en-3beta,15alpha,16a ...	2002	11809069
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
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
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
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
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
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
[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
[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
[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 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
[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
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
universal ethical principles in a diverse universe: a commentary on monshi and zieglmayer's case study.	monshi and zieglmayer's case study presents sri lankan participants as having views on the privacy of health information that differ radically from those commonly found in western nations. this article explores 2 questions that their case study raises for the ethical review of research in international settings: first, are allegedly universal ethical principles--of the sort promulgated in the belmont report (national commission for the protection of human subjects of biomedical and behavioral re ...	2004	16625726
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
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