clove and Communicable-Diseases--Emerging

Rickettsioses are among emerging infectious diseases around the world. In Madagascar, little information is available regarding Rickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) diversity and their potential impacts on public health. In fact, molecular screening of ectoparasites of mammals reported the presence of three species, Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia typhi, and Rickettsia felis. The present study aims to investigate the diversity of Rickettsia in small mammals and associated ectoparasites (fleas and ticks) using a molecular approach. In September and December 2016, fieldworks were undertaken in two districts of Madagascar to capture small mammals using standard traps (Tomahawk and Sherman traps) and collect associated ectoparasites. In total, 12 taxa of ectoparasites (5 flea and 7 tick species) were collected from 89 individuals of four species of terrestrial small mammals. Rickettsia spp. were molecularly identified in one specimen of Rattus rattus (Rodentia: Muridae), one specimen of Pulex irritans (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) as well as four specimens of Ixodes cf. colasbelcouri (Ixodida: Ixodidae). This study showed the presence of three phylogenetically distinct taxa of Rickettsia in small mammals and their ectoparasites. The current study broadens our knowledge on the diversity of Rickettsia in the Central Highlands of Madagascar and highlights for the first time the presence of Ri. felis in R. rattus and in tick, I. cf. colasbelcouri in Madagascar. Additional studies are needed to have exhaustive information on Rickettsia in small mammals and their ectoparasites, to determine their pathogenicity as well as their potential effects on public health in order to update the national policy for the control of emerging infectious diseases in Madagascar.

Topics: Animals; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Ixodes; Madagascar; Mammals; Muridae; Rats; Rickettsia; Rodent Diseases; Siphonaptera

Diphtheria is re-emerging in Europe. A total of 36 cases were reported in Europe in 2015 versus 53 cases between 2000 and 2009.. We report two cases of Corynebacterium diphtheriae infection in a French hospital in 2016: a cutaneous infection with negative toxin testing in a French traveller, and a respiratory diphtheria carriage with positive toxin testing in an Afghan refugee diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. The vaccination history of the Afghan patient could not be retrieved.

Topics: Adult; Afghanistan; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Diphtheria; Emigrants and Immigrants; France; Humans; Madagascar; Male; Refugees; Skin Ulcer; Travel-Related Illness; Young Adult

Topics: Africa, Central; Algeria; Asia; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Disease Outbreaks; Epidemics; Humans; Iran; Madagascar; Plague; United States

Biodiversity hotspots and associated endemism are ideal systems for the study of parasite diversity within host communities. Here, we investigated the ecological and evolutionary forces acting on the diversification of an emerging bacterial pathogen, Leptospira spp., in communities of endemic Malagasy small mammals. We determined the infection rate with pathogenic Leptospira in 20 species of sympatric rodents (subfamily Nesomyinae) and tenrecids (family Tenrecidae) at two eastern humid forest localities. A multilocus genotyping analysis allowed the characterization of bacterial diversity within small mammals and gave insights into their genetic relationships with Leptospira infecting endemic Malagasy bats (family Miniopteridae and Vespertilionidae). We report for the first time the presence of pathogenic Leptospira in Malagasy endemic small mammals, with an overall prevalence of 13%. In addition, these hosts harbour species of Leptospira (L. kirschneri, L. borgpetersenii and L. borgpetersenii group B) which are different from those reported in introduced rats (L. interrogans) on Madagascar. The diversification of Leptospira on Madagascar can be traced millions of years into evolutionary history, resulting in the divergence of endemic lineages and strong host specificity. These observations are discussed in relation to the relative roles of endemic vs. introduced mammal species in the evolution and epidemiology of Leptospira on Madagascar, specifically how biodiversity and biogeographical processes can shape community ecology of an emerging pathogen and lead to its diversification within native animal communities.

Topics: Animals; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Biodiversity; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; DNA, Bacterial; Eulipotyphla; Evolution, Molecular; Genetic Variation; Genotype; Leptospira; Madagascar; Molecular Sequence Data; Multilocus Sequence Typing; Phylogeny; Rodentia; Selection, Genetic

Data collected by the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network for 1,415 ill travelers returning from Indian Ocean islands during 1997-2010 were analyzed. Malaria (from Comoros and Madagascar), acute nonparasitic diarrhea, and parasitoses were the most frequently diagnosed infectious diseases. An increase in arboviral diseases reflected the 2005 outbreak of chikungunya fever.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Alphavirus Infections; Chikungunya Fever; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Comoros; Dengue; Female; Foodborne Diseases; Humans; Incidence; Madagascar; Malaria, Falciparum; Male; Middle Aged; Schistosomiasis; Sentinel Surveillance; Travel; Young Adult

Topics: Animals; Anura; Chytridiomycota; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Conservation of Natural Resources; Dermatomycoses; Disease Outbreaks; Environmental Monitoring; Federal Government; Geography; Government Programs; Madagascar; Pets; Sampling Studies

A major Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) epidemic affected the South-Western Indian Ocean islands in 2005. This major outbreak raised concerns about the possibility of the emergence of CHIKV infections in Europe as an autochthonous CHIKV outbreak occurred in the Ravenna region of Italy during the summer of 2007 and was linked to a viraemic index case originating in Kerala, India. This report highlights the need for surveillance in countries where such emerging infections could be introduced by returning travellers.

Topics: Alphavirus Infections; Arthritis, Infectious; Chikungunya virus; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease Outbreaks; Humans; Madagascar; Male; Travel; Young Adult

The W-Beijing strain of tuberculosis has been identified in many molecular epidemiological studies as being particularly prevalent. This identification has been made possible through the development of a number of genotyping technologies including spoligotyping. Highly prevalent genotypes associated with outbreaks, such as the W-Beijing strain, are implicitly regarded as fast spreading. Here we present a quantitative method to identify "emerging" strains, those that are spreading faster than the background rate inferred from spoligotype data. The approach uses information about the mutation process specific to spoligotypes, combined with a model of both transmission and mutation. The core principle is that if two comparable strains have the same number of isolates, then the strain with fewer inferred mutation events must have spread faster if the mutation process is common. Applying this method to four different data sets, we find not only the W-Beijing strain, but also a number of other strains, to be emerging in this sense. Importantly, the strains that are identified as emerging are not simply those with the largest number of cases. The use of this method should facilitate the targeting of individual genotypes in intervention programs.

Topics: Animals; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Cattle; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; DNA, Intergenic; Genotype; Goats; Humans; Madagascar; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; Spain; Taiwan; Texas; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Madagascar was cholera free until March 1999. The first case was reported in Mahajanga, a north west coast harbor. Ten months later and despite a massive use of tetracycline as prophylactic drug, cholera had reached every region of the island. All suspected cholera samples were analysed at the Pasteur Institute of Madagascar where susceptibility to tetracycline was systematically performed. On February 2000, a multidrug resistant strain of V. cholerae was isolated. We studied this strain by performing Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and by plasmidic and conjugative assay. As the original strain, this multiresistant V. cholerae showed a resistance to cotrimoxazole, to streptomycin and chloramphenicol but, in addition to, appeared strongly resistant to ampicillin and tetracycline. This strain harboured a 26 kb self-transmissible plasmid. Conjugation tests showed the possibility of plasmidic segregates or acquisition of two different plasmids. The weak transfer rate could explain why we have isolated only one multiresistant strain. The emergence of a such multiresistant strain should encourage the medical authorities to reinforce the epidemic survey in every medical Malagasy district and to carry out new antimicrobial surveys to describe the mechanisms of the spread of these resistances.

Topics: Cholera; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Conjugation, Genetic; Disease Outbreaks; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Humans; Madagascar; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Population Surveillance; R Factors; Serotyping; Vibrio cholerae

Plague was introduced to Madagascar in 1898, and it has been characterized by a predominant distribution to the central highlands in the following decades. An increase of plague cases has been observed in the past 20 years, in particular in the capital, Antananarivo, and in the coastal town, Mahajanga, after long periods of silence in 28 and 63 years, respectively. A total of 2,982 confirmed or presumptive cases were reviewed in order to describe the changes in the epidemiological pattern of the disease from 1980 through 1999. The mean annual number of plague cases has increased from 33 during the 1980-1984 period to 298 during the 1995-1999 period. A similar trend of distribution has been observed from the first period to the second by an increase of endemic districts above 800 m altitude from 17 to 37. However, the lethality rate has in the same 20 years observation period decreased from 41.6% to 20.7%, probably due to re-enforcing measures as part of the national control program.

Topics: Altitude; Cause of Death; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Disease Outbreaks; Endemic Diseases; Humans; Incidence; Madagascar; Plague; Population Surveillance

African Swine Fever (ASF) was diagnosed for the first time in Madagascar in 1998. ASF has apparently been introduced from the African continent to the southern part of the island with a subsequent spread to other regions except for areas in the north and in the west. The epidemic has had severe economic consequences for the home market of pork meat production. This article reviews the course of the epidemic with particular emphasis on the vectors involved in the transmission of the virus, such as the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata porcinus. Presence of this vector and of the bushpig, Potamochoerus larvatus, as a potential wild reservoir, are some of the major obstacles in control of ASF in Madagascar. A veterinary disease surveillance system has to be urgently warranted.

Topics: African Swine Fever; Animals; Communicable Diseases, Emerging; Disease Outbreaks; Disease Reservoirs; Insect Vectors; Madagascar; Meat-Packing Industry; Needs Assessment; Population Surveillance; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Swine; Ticks