Viruses, mainly rotaviruses are aetiological agents in more than 80% of the cases of acute diarrhoea in children. In order to determine the epidemiological characteristics and genotypes of human rotaviruses involved in gastroenteritis in diarrheic children aged from 0 to 5 years old in Abidjan, 642 specimens of stools were collected between 1997 and 2000 in the urban health centres and University Teaching Hospitals in Abidjan. The antigenic detection of rotaviruses carried out by ELISA test was followed by the antigenic (VP6 sub-groups) and molecular characterization: polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and genetic typing. The general prevalence of Rotavirus diarrhoea was 27.9%. Among the children who were found positive, those whose age ranged from 0 to 11 months old accounted for 45.8% against 41.3% and 12.9% for those whose age ranged from 1 to 2 and 3 to 5 years old respectively proving thus the precocity of rotavirus infection. From an electrophoretypical and antigenic point of view 74.5% of 141 extracts of RNA had a "long" profile and belonged to the VP6 II sub-group against 24.8% of "short" profile belonging to sub-group I. The electrophoretypes with short profile were identified in majority in infants whose age ranged from 0 to 2 years old. Out of the P genotypes identified, the P [8] genotype (59.6%) was predominant followed by the P [6] genotype (26.2%), P [4] (2.8%) and one mosaic genotype P[6,8] which represented 11.4%. These results will need to be completed by the determination of VP7 genotypes in order to provide interesting information on rotaviruses before the introduction of anti-Rotavirus vaccines in the country.

Influenza (flu) is a seasonal viral disease that may have a favorable outcome or be associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate during epidemics. In view of the lack of epidemiological and virological data about flu in Côte d'Ivoire, a surveillance network was set up in Abidjan to monitor the spread of flu and characterize isolated viruses. Over the 24-month period from January 2003 to December 2004, nasal secretions were collected in patients presenting with flu syndrome at various heath care centers in Abidjan. Laboratory identification of viruses was performed by the ELISA technique using anti-A and anti-B monoclonal antibodies (immunocapture) and by isolation on MDCK cells. A fraction of the original samples and isolates was sent for confirmation to the Pasteur Institute in Paris, France and to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Amongst the 211 samples analyzed, 30 (12.8%) proved positive for flu virus. Twenty-two isolates were positive for influenza virus A including 21 for A (H3N2) type and one for A (H1N1) type. The remaining 8 isolates were positive for influenza virus B. Most of these strains were isolated from patients in two age ranges, i.e. 0 to 5 years (34%) and 15 to 59 years (47%). More than 60% of the strains were isolated in June and October but the study duration was too short to define a flu season. Further surveillance data will allow better determination of flu season and definition of clinical and biological characteristics as a prerequisite for a preventive immunization program.

Lassa fever is an African viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) known to be endemic in a number of West African countries including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Despite having common borders with Liberia and Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire has never reported any cases of Lassa fever. In March 2000, as part of a research project on VHF--mainly yellow fever, Lassa fever and Ebola fever--in Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire, an exploratory survey was conducted to assess knowledge about VHF and immunological status against Lassa virus among forest workers in the Duekoue and Guiglo regions. One hundred and sixty-three male forest workers were interviewed using a questionnaire designed to assess risk factors for VHF exposure and personal medical history over the last 12 months. Detection of IgG antibodies against Lassa virus was performed by immunofluorescence assay with Lassa virus antigens from the Josiah and Las/AV strains. The overall prevalence of IgG antibodies was 26% (42/161). Among the Lassa IgG positive subjects, 38.5% were loggers including 20% that were positive at a serum dilution of 1/40 and 46.7% were national park workers or forest rangers including 69% that were positive at a dilution of 1/40 and more. Forty-one percent of subjects had heard of VHF including 14% who attributed it to animals and 2% who attributed it to plants. Contact with rodents was frequent and more than 50% of subjects had either eaten or skinned rodents. Although the prevalence of anti-Lassa IgG antibodies seemed high in the study population, no conclusion can be about level of exposure to Lassa virus.

The responsibility of the uteropelvic junction (UPJ) syndrome or abnormalities for renal affections and also for high obstructive uropathy is well-known. But, controversies still remain about the anatomic approach of this clinical feature. Our purpose is to elucidate the developmental anatomy of UPJ and eventually to set the steps of the anatomic approach of the UPJ abnormalities. This study also leads to a better understanding of the mechanism of the intrinsic ureteropelvic junction obstructions. A total number of 122 post-mortem specimens with ages ranging from 1 day to 30 months in both sexes underwent formalin treatment for histological investigation. We performed both transverse and longitudinal sections. Hematein-eosin-safran and Masson's trichrome staining were used. Histological examination revealed that myoarchitecture of UPJ set increasingly up. Circular muscle fibers were first to put in. They had an initial arrangement as a ring in neonates and infants. We conclude that circular layer appears first and sooner than others. On the other hand, coincidence in time between ages of our specimens and ages of patients sufferning from UPJ syndrome leads to further investigations to determine the implication of ring-shaped circular layer in intrinsic ureteropelvic junction obstruction.

Wild Poliovirus spreading in rural environment in Adzopé, Côte d'Ivoire In order to determine the level of wild Poliovirus spreading among rural children in an endemic poliomyelitis country 469 stools samples, from children aged between three weeks and twelve years old were processed according to WHO procedures for transportation, conservation, isolation and identification of Poliovirus. Intratypic differenciation was performed by an antigenic method using monoclonal antibodies and a genomic RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism). 50 Poliovirus strains (10.7%) were isolated and analyzed: 15 vaccine-like Poliovirus type 1 (30%), 30 vaccine-like Poliovirus type 2 (60%), 4 vaccine-like Poliovirus type 3 (8%) and one wild Poliovirus type 3 (2%). As expected, in the major cases the duration of post-vaccinal viral excretion did not exceed two months. However, in 14% of cases, it varied between 3 and 9 months after the third OPV dose. This long excretion could be due to an inefficient local intestinal immunity or no local immunity at all, in spite of the three OPV doses. These results argue in favor of an increase of the number of OPV doses in such endemic zones. Moreover, OPV strains are well-known to revert to pathogenicity in vaccinees, therefore, the long term excretion of pathogenic OPV derived strains by a certain amount of vaccinees needs to be considered quite seriously.

In order to assess the level of polio virus with natural recombinant genome and wild polio virus circulating in the environment of healthy children aged 0 to 5 years in Abidjan, 130 polio viruses made up of 26 polio type 1, 55 type 2 and 49 type 3 were identified by neutralisation test with monoclonal antibodies and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) targeting the VP1 and 3D1 gene. Four wild non Sabin-like (NSL) strains (3.1%): one type 2 and three type 3 were identified in non vaccinated children. One hundred and six (81.5%) isolates were Sabin-like, 20 (15.4%) were recombinant with the following polio virus profiles: 2 Sabin-like type 1/type 2, 3 Sabin-like type 3/type 1, 11 Sabin-like type 3/type 2 and one polio virus type 3 NSL/Sabin-like type 3. Intertypic vaccine/vaccine or vaccine/wild strain recombinant polio virus circulating among healthy children rate was high and suggested the need for a molecular surveillance of vaccine strains. Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) strains are well-known to revert to pathogenicity in vaccines. Therefore, the long term excretion of pathogenic OPV derived strains by some vaccinees needs to be considered quite seriously. It therefore suggested that all polio virus isolated from acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) be analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing of the viral genome. Key words: polio virus, recombinant virus, healthy children, Cote d'Ivoire. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.3(5) 2004: 289-293

Les anomalies de la jonction pyélo-urétérale (JPU) sont de plus en plus incriminées dans les affections rénales en général et les uropathies obstructives en particulier. Cependant, la base anatomique du mécanisme étiopathogénique de ces uropathies obstructives hautes demeure un sujet de controverse. La présente étude, prospective et microanatomique a pour préoccupation le développement de la myoarchitecture de la JPU et se propose d’apporter un substratum anatomique au mécanisme étiopathogénique de l’obstruction de la JPU dans les uropathies hautes chez les nouveau-nés et les enfants.

A study in vivo of Plasmodium falciparum sensitivity to chloroquine was carried out from April 1997 to February 2000 at Yamoussoukro, Kossou and Bouaké in the central region of Côte d'Ivoire. This study was included in the national Plasmodium falciparum-sensitivity program. One hundred and sixteen subjects consulting for suspected malaria were included according to the WHO's standard of 14 days. Chloroquine was administered on a dosage of 25 mg/kg, spread over three days. Among 108 subjects who finished the treatment, 26.9% (29/108) had therapeutic failure to chloroquine (23 precocious therapeutic failure and 6 late therapeutic failure). Chloroquine was more efficacious in Yamoussoukro (87.5% of clinical appropriate response) and Bouaké (82.5%) than in Kossou (61.7%). Parasitic reduction on subjects with therapeutic failure was higher than 85%. The risk of therapeutic failure is not linked to age of patient. Before a revaluation of this situation, chloroquine should always be recommended as a first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria for the local populations.

From March to December 2001, an outbreak of yellow fever was observed in Cote d'Ivoire. Sentinel surveillance for hemorrhagic fever allowed detection of the first case in the Duekoue health district in the heavily wooded western part of the country. A weekly reporting system was established. For each suspected case recorded and reported to the Epidemiological Surveillance Department at the National Institute of Public Hygiene, a sample was collected and sent for confirmation at the Pasteur Institute of the Cote d'Ivoire. The outbreak progressed from West to East reaching Abidjan, the economic capital of the country located in the southeast. The epidemic emergency plan consisted of setting up a crisis committee to implement epidemiological, entomological and virological surveillance, mass vaccination campaigns in areas around confirmed cases, and vector control. A total of 280 cases were reported including 32 confirmed cases and 6 deaths. Eleven out of 62 districts were affected with most cases occurring in cities with more than 10000 inhabitants. Over 3.7 million persons were vaccinated for an overall coverage of 92.2% in the areas where campaigns were carried out. As a result of this outbreak, surveillance for potentially epidemic diseases has been reinforced and surveillance of viral transmission is now being considered. A vaccination program for adults has also been established.

A study in vivo of Plasmodium falciparum sensitivity to chloroquine was carried out from April 1997 to February 2000 at Yamoussoukro, Kossou and Bouake in the central region of Cote d'Ivoire. This study was included in the national Plasmodium falciparum-sensitivity program. One hundred and sixteen subjects consulting for suspected malaria were included according to the WHO 's standard of 14 days. Chloroquine was administered on a dosage of 25 mg/kg, spread over three days, Among 108 subjects who finished the treatment, 26,9%, (29/108) had therapeutic failure to chloroquine (23 precocious therapeutic failure and 6 late therapeutic failure). Chloroquine was more efficacious in Yamoussaukro (87.5% of clinical appropriate response) and Bouake (82.5%) than in Kossou (61.7%). Parasitic reduction on subjects with therapeutic failure was higher than 85%. The risk of therapeutic failure is not linked to age of patient. Before a revaluation of this situation, chloroquine should always be recommanded as a first-line treatment for uncomplicated, malaria for the local populations.

Cote d'Ivoire is an endemic country for yellow fever but no case was officially notified in recent years. In July 1999, however one fatal case was reported, A German citizen was infected in the national park of Comoe, in the north eastern area of the country, In order to evaluate the extent of amaril virus circulation and the risk for local people, a virological entomological and epidemiological investigation logical investigation was carried out by the ministry of health, the OCCGE, the Cote d'Ivoire Pasteur Institute (IPCI) and the World Health Organisation in the area where the fatal case had been staying. 18 suspected and 24 confirmed mosquito catchers were identified by interview and a blood specimen was collected from each of them. In addition, 159 batches of mosquitoes from which 94 batches of potential vectors were collected; among the suspected cases, 22% were immunised against yellow fever Serological and virological analyses were made at IPCI and the Paris Pasteur Institute by ELISA technique and isolation on cells cultures and newborn mice. All the suspicious sera and 87,5% of the catchers were positive for IgG anti-amaril virus. One catchers serum was positive for IgM anti-amaril virus. 11 suspected sera were positive for IgG anti-dengue virus with 1 positive for IgM. 1 strain of amaril virus and 3 strains of Zika virus were isolated from mosquitoes at IPCI and confirmed by CRORA in Dakar These results indicated that there is a yellow fever and dengue virus are prevalent among the human and vector populations in the study area. Preventive measures must be adopted to protect human beings at risk for amaril infection.

Côte d'Ivoire is an endemic country for yellow fever, but no case was officially notified in recent years. In July 1999, however, one fatal case was reported. A German citizen was infected in the national park of Comoe, in the north eastern area of the country. In order to evaluate the extent of amaril virus circulation and the risk for local people, a virological, entomological and epidemiological investigation was carried out by the ministry of health, the OCCGE, the Côte d'Ivoire Pasteur Institute (IPCI) and the World Health Organisation in the area where the fatal case had been staying. 18 suspected and 24 confirmed mosquito catchers were identified by interview and a blood specimen was collected from each of them. In addition, 159 batches of mosquitoes from which 94 batches of potential vectors were collected; among the suspected cases, 22% were immunised against yellow fever. Serological and virological analyses were made at IPCI and the Paris Pasteur Institute by ELISA technique and isolation on cells cultures and newborn mice. All the suspicious sera and 87.5% of the catchers were positive for IgG anti-amaril virus. One catcher's serum was positive for IgM anti-amaril virus. 11 suspected sera were positive for IgG anti-dengue virus with 1 positive for IgM. 1 strain of amaril virus and 3 strains of Zika virus were isolated from mosquitoes at IPCI and confirmed by CRORA in Dakar. These results indicated that there is a yellow fever and dengue virus are prevalent among the human and vector populations in the study area. Preventive measures must be adopted to protect human beings at risk for amaril infection.

La strategie mise en oeuvre pour aboutir a la disparition de la poliomyelite et du poliovirus consiste en premier lieu a eliminer la maladie due au virus sauvage par la mise en place de campagnes massives de vaccination utilisant le vaccin attenue oral (VPO). Dans ce cadre-la, les laboratoires de surveillance pour la poliomyelite ont la tâche d'etudier tous les cas de paralysie flasque aigue (PFA), de mettre en evidence la circulation des souches sauvages et de delimiter les reservoirs regionaux. La circulation et la derive genetique et phenotypique des souches vaccinales sont egalement des sujets d'etude. La diffusion des souches vaccinales dans l'entourage immediat des enfants en cours de vaccination a ete evaluee. Les echanges genetiques entre souches vaccinales et sauvages dans les populations etudiees ont ete egalement consideres. Chez les enfants ayant recu 3 ou 4 doses de VPO, les resultats indiquent un taux d'excreteurs asymptomatiques de poliovirus sauvage et vaccinal de 0,4 % et 2,4 % respectivement. Dans les deux types d'etude, la presence de souches vaccinales variantes et recombinantes a ete detectee.

Strategies aiming to eradicate the poliovirus and poliomyelitis seek primarily to eliminate wild strains associated with the disease, by means of world wide vaccination campaigns using the oral attenuated vaccine (OPV). OPV contains attenuated viral strains which retain their replicating capacity in the digestive tract and thus induce the development of an antiviral local intestinal immunity and limit the circulation of the virus. In such a context, poliomyelitis surveillance laboratories should study above all cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), highlighting the circulation of wild strains, identifying regional reservoirs and guiding vaccination strategies. Alongside circulation, there appear to be important genetic and phenotypic shifts in vaccinating strains, since the OPV is capable of preserving a reservoir of pathogenic stains and thereby impairing vaccination efficacy and the eradication of the virus. Furthermore, non-polio enteroviruses should be considered as a source of emerging pathogenic strains. These questions are being studied by the Pasteur Institute with the objective of determining the effects of OPV campaigns on the circulation of the poliovirus. We have studied the poliovirus vaccine and the circulation of wild strains in urban and peripheral urban areas in African countries known to be endemic for poliomyelitis (Central African Republic Madagascar Cote d'Ivoire). The study population consisted of children who had already been vaccinated and new-borns in the course of vaccination. We also evaluated the diffusion of the vaccine strains in their immediate environment. Genetic interchanges were taken into account For children who received the 3-4 OPV doses, asymptomatic virus excretion was insignificant (0.4 - 2,4%). The rate of virus excretion in the surrounding environment of children in the course of being vaccinated was relatively low (1.76 - 5.3%). our study also detected variant and recombinant strains.

Strategies aiming to eradicate the poliovirus and poliomyelitis seek primarily to eliminate wild strains associated with the disease, by means of world wide vaccination campaigns using the oral attenuated vaccine (OPV). OPV contains attenuated viral strains which retain their replicating capacity in the digestive tract and thus induce the development of an antiviral local intestinal immunity and limit the circulation of the virus. In such a context, poliomyelitis surveillance laboratories should study above all cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), highlighting the circulation of wild strains, identifying regional reservoirs and guiding vaccination strategies. Alongside circulation, there appear to be important genetic and phenotypic shifts in vaccinating strains, since the OPV is capable of preserving a reservoir of pathogenic stains and thereby impairing vaccination efficacy and the eradication of the virus. Furthermore, non-polio enteroviruses should be considered as a source of emerging pathogenic strains. These questions are being studied by the Pasteur Institute with the objective of determining the effects of OPV campaigns on the circulation of the poliovirus. We have studied the poliovirus vaccine and the circulation of wild strains in urban and peripheral urban areas in African countries known to be endemic for poliomyelitis (Central African Republic, Madagascar, Côte d'Ivoire). The study population consisted of children who had already been vaccinated and new-borns in the course of vaccination. We also evaluated the diffusion of the vaccine strains in their immediate environment. Genetic interchanges were taken into account. For children who received the 3-4 OPV doses, asymptomatic virus excretion was insignificant (0.4-2.4%). The rate of virus excretion in the surrounding environment of children in the course of being vaccinated was relatively low (1.76-5.3%). Our study also detected variant and recombinant strains.

Squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) of the cervix are associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, but multiple risk factors must be considered in this context. The authors performed a cross‐sectional study to assess the prevalence of and the factors associated with SILs and invasive cervical carcinoma (ICC).

L’objectif de cette etude est de connaitre la progression de la seroprevalence dans les differentes regions du pays au cours de deux periodes : 1986-1989 et 1994-1996. Nous avons par ailleurs cherche a comprendre les causes de la large diffusion du VIH dans les regions les plus reculees du pays. Nos resultats ont montre une augmentation de la prevalence generale de 4,33 % en 1986-1989 a 12,53 % en 1994-1996. Elle s’eleve a 10 % au moins dans toutes les zones concernees ou circulent le VIH-1 et le VIH-2. Aucune region du pays n’est epargnee par l’infection. Les regions de l’Est (17,66 %) et de l’Ouest (18 %) sont significativement plus contaminees que la zone d’Abidjan (10,33 %) (p = 0,007 et 0,009 respectivement). Les femmes enceintes âgees de 20 a 29 ans sont les plus infectees. La presence du VIH dans les regions les plus reculees de la Cote d’Ivoire pourrait s’expliquer par l’existence d’un flux migratoire important de personnes qui, en general, se deplacent sans leur partenaire habituel et ont des rapports sexuels non proteges. Le VIH-1 s’etend plus rapidement que le VIH-2, demontrant ainsi qu’il est la premiere cause de l’epidemie a VIH/sida. Le VIH-2 est plus frequent dans la tranche d’âge 20-29 ans et dans les regions du Sud, du Sud-Ouest et de l’Ouest.

In order to determine the antipoliomyelitis seroprevalence of children in Abidjan, we checked the presence of antipoliovirus antibodies in 48 children received in the South Abobo's vaccination center for vaccination against measles. According to the vaccination schedule and rules applied in Côte d'Ivoire: 12.5% of the children have received less than three doses or oral polio vaccine (OPV), 87.5% have received the three doses. Antibody titration results indicated that 78.6, 93 and 76.2% of the children have been immunized against Poliovirus type I, type II and type III, respectively; 71.4% of the children showed antibodies against the three poliovirus serotypes and 4.8% had no antipoliovirus antibodies at all. The children which showed an antibodies titer less than 1/8 were considered unprotected: the proportion of unprotected was 21.4, 7 and 23.8% against Poliovirus type I, type II and type III, respectively. Although these results showed that the level of protection against poliomyelitis in Abidjan is acceptable (> 75%), the efforts for vaccination program in Côte d'Ivoire need to be improved in order to eradicate poliomyelitis.

Dans le but de rechercher la prevalence de l'infection a Chlamydia trachomatis dans les oligoasthenospermies a Abidjan, 58 patients africains, de sexe masculin, sans symptomes uretraux et presentant une oligoasthenospermie ont ete analyses. L'âge moyen des patients etait de 34,8 ans et 55,17 % avaient un antecedent de M.S.T. (uretrite d'etioIogie non determinee). La presence de Chlamydia trachomatis a ete recherchee par la coloration de Giemsa et la technique Elisa. A l'examen direct (coloration de Gram), 79,3 % des patients presentaient des signes d'uretrite (polynucleaires neutrophiles superieurs a 5 par champ X 1000). Parmi ceux-ci, 45,65 % avaient des cellules a inclusion et 19 % etaient positifs pour l'antigene chlamydia en Elisa. La severite de l'oligoasthenospermie, semble liee a l'infection a C. trachomatis et la place de Neisseria gonorrhoeae n'est pas negligeable (26 %)