scholarly journals Analysis of Mycobacterium africanum in the last 17 years in Aragon identifies a specific location of IS6110 in Lineage 6

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Comín ◽  
◽  
María Luisa Monforte ◽  
Sofía Samper ◽  
Isabel Otal

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to increase our knowledge about Mycobacterium africanum and report the incidence and characteristics of tuberculosis (TB) due to their lineages in Aragon, Spain, over the period 2003–2019. The study includes all the cases in our region, where all the M. tuberculosis complex isolates are systematically characterised. We detected 31 cases of M. africanum among 2598 cases of TB in the period studied. TB caused by M. africanum is rare (1.19%) in our population, and it affects mainly men of economically productive age coming from West African countries. Among the isolates, Lineage (L) 6 was more frequent than L5. The genotyping of these strains identified five clusters and 13 strains with a unique pattern. The isolates’ characterisation identified a copy of IS6110 within the moaX gene, which turned out to be specific for L6. It will allow the differentiation of this lineage from the rest of MTBC with a simple PCR reaction. It remains to be established whether this polymorphism may limit M. africanum transmission. Furthermore, a mutation in the mutT2 promoter was found as specific for L6 strains, which could be related to the high variability found for L6 compared to L5.

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
U. A. Hurtado ◽  
J. S. Solano ◽  
A. Rodriguez ◽  
J. Robledo ◽  
F. Rouzaud

Mycobacterium africanumis a member of theMycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex. Most commonly found in West African countries, it has scarcely been described in South America. Here, we report the first genome sequence of a ColombianM. africanumclinical isolate. It is composed of 4,493,502 bp, with 4,069 genes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vegard Eldholm ◽  
Janne O. Rønning ◽  
Anne Torunn Mengshoel ◽  
Trude Arnesen

Abstract Background The aim of the current study was to improve our understanding of the origins and transmission of Mycobacterium africanum (MAF) in Norway. Methods Whole-genome sequences (WGS) were generated for all (n = 29) available clinical isolates received at the Norwegian National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria (NRL) and identified as MAF in Norway, in the period 2010–2020. Phylogenetic analyses were performed. Results The analyses indicated several imports of MAF lineage 6 from both East and West African countries, whereas MAF lineage 5 was restricted to patients with West African connections. We also find evidence for transmission of MAF in Norway. Finally, our analyses revealed that a group of isolates from patients originating in South Asia, identified as MAF by means of a commercial line-probe assay, in fact belonged to Mycobacterium orygis. Conclusions Most MAF cases in Norway are the result of import, but transmission is occurring within Norway.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
vegard and eldholm ◽  
Janne Oseberg rønning ◽  
Anne Torunn Mengshoel ◽  
Trude Arnesen

Abstract Background : The aim of the current study was to improve our understanding of the origins and transmission of Mycobacterium africanum (MAF) in Norway.Methods : Whole-genome sequences (WGS) were generated for all (n=29) available clinical isolates identified as in Norway in the period 2010 – 2020. Phylogenetic analyses were performed.Results : The analyses indicated multiple imports of MAF lineage 6 from both East and West African countries, whereas MAF lineage 5 was restricted to patients with West African connections. We also find evidence for transmission of MAF in Norway. Finally, our analyses revealed that a group of isolates from patients originating in South Asia, identified as MAF by means of a commercial line-probe assay, in fact belonged to Mycobacterium orygis.Conclusions : Most MAF cases in Norway are the result of import, but transmission is occurring in immigrant communities.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A34.2-A34
Author(s):  
Alieu K Faburay ◽  
Francis S Mendy ◽  
Sarjo A Gibba ◽  
Modou Lamin ◽  
Basil Sambou ◽  
...  

BackgroundWith the endemic Mycobacterium africanum (Maf), West African laboratories use glycerol and pyruvate in separate LJ cultures (LJG and LJP) for isolation of MTBC. The aim of this work is to evaluate if combining both glycerol and pyruvate in a single LJ medium (LJGP) will lead to comparable growth characteristics and time to detection in comparison to LJG, LJP and MGIT 960.MethodTotal of 118 smear-positive sputum samples were processed using 4% NaOH-NALC decontamination method. The decontaminated samples were inoculated parallel on LJG, LGP, MGIT 960 and LJGP. Positive cultures were confirmed using Ziehl-Neelsen staining method. MTBC identification was done using the Capilia TBNeo kit and spoligotyping used for speciation.ResultsThe recovery rate for LJG, LJP, LJPG and MGIT was found to be 73.7% (87/118), 82.2% (96/118), 83.9% (99/118) and 93.2% (110/118) respectively. No significant agreement was observed between the LJPG and MGIT 960 with Kappa values of −0.105 (p-value=0.199). However, there was significant agreement between LJGP and LJG and LJP with Kappa value of 0736 (p-value<0.001) and 0.756 (p-value<0.001), respectively. There were 70 Euro-American, 34 Maf, 9 East-Asian, 2’Indo-Oceanic, 2 East-African-Indian and 1 M. Bovis. LJGP have better Maf recovery rate, 85.3% (29/34) in comparison to MGIT 960, 79.4% (27/34), LJP, 76.5% (26/34) and LJG, 61.8% (21/34). Seven of the 8 MGIT negatives that were LJPG positive were M. africanum and 1 M. bovis.ConclusionLJPG has a better detection rate and time to positivity compared to LJG and LJP and was shown to have a better Maf recovery than other LJ methods and MGIT 960. It is evident that LJGP is a promising culture tool for Maf-endemic West African countries that will not only increase MTBC recovery rate in combination with MGIT, but also leads to better detection of Maf.


Author(s):  
Jeffrey Herbst

This chapter examines the politics of the currency in West Africa from the beginning of the twentieth century. A public series of debates over the nature of the currency occurred in West Africa during both the colonial and independence periods. Since 1983, West African countries have been pioneers in Africa in developing new strategies to combat overvaluation of the currency and reduce the control of government over the currency supply. The chapter charts the evolution of West African currencies as boundaries and explores their relationship to state consolidation. It shows that leaders in African capitals managed to make the units they ruled increasingly distinct from the international and regional economies, but the greater salience of the currency did not end up promoting state consolidation. Rather, winning the ability to determine the value of the currency led to a series of disastrous decisions that severely weakened the states themselves.


2018 ◽  
pp. 75-88
Author(s):  
Lyubov Sadovskaya

The article presents a new view on the problems of political stability in West African countries. For the first time was carried out a comparative analysis of the sustainability of the political systems of the two Francophone fastest growing countries in West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal. The author analyzes the factors negatively influencing political stability social order, and those that reduce conflict potencial in these States. Internal and external threats to the political systems of Senegal and Сôte d’Ivoire are examined. The response of both countries to internal and external challenges is shown. The study proves that while external threats indanger Senegal’s political stability, such as the penetration of religious extremism, the crisis in Casamance, maritime piracy, drug traffic, for Côte d’Ivoire, on the contrary, main risks are internal: electoral, socio-political crises, the split of elites, arms smuggling, banditry. The study demonstrates that the level of social governance in Senegal is higher than in other West African countries, including Сôte d’Ivoire, due to the dualism of the political system: the coexistence of Western-style political institutions with local faiths (tariqas), as well as policy pursued by President M. Sall. aimed at achieving mutual compromise that ensure the peaceful settlement of conflicts and contradictions. The author concludes that a new approach to the development of a security strategy is required.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A A Gobir ◽  
C L Ejembi ◽  
A A Aliyu ◽  
M B Garba ◽  
C J C Igboanusi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Lassa fever disease (LFD) is a viral haemorrhagic fever that is endemic in some West african countries where an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 cases and 5000 deaths occur yearly. The World Health Organization described it as a global health threat. At community level, its prevention relies on promoting good “community hygiene”. This study was conducted to assess practice of community hygiene measures against LFD and its associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional, community based descriptive study conducted during a LFD epidemic in a a rural community of Nigeria. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 556 adult respondents, selected using systematic random sampling technique. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Results A majority of the respondents were females (52.9%). Educational attainment was significantly associated with safe food storage at the multivariate level (aOR= 1.31, 95% CI: 1.10-1.54,P= 0.002) while having a good knowledge of LFD was a significant predictor of maintaining good housing standards (aOR= 3.73, 95% CI: 1.09-12.80,P=0.036). Conclusions Predictors of practice of community hygiene against LFD include education and having an excellent knowledge of LFD. To improve community hygiene practices in the community, there is need for a comprehensive LFD behavior change communication intervention. Key messages Cubing the global threat of LFD depends on its effective prevention in endemic West African communities. This study shows that such preventive measures are poor and there is need for more response to address the problem.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 350
Author(s):  
Odunayo Olarewaju ◽  
Thabiso Msomi

This study analyses the long- and short-term dynamics of the determinants of insurance penetration for the period 1999Q1 to 2019Q4 in 15 West African countries. The panel auto regressive distributed lag model was used on the quarterly data gathered. A cointegrating and short-run momentous connection was discovered between insurance penetration along with the independent variables, which were education, productivity, dependency, inflation and income. The error correction term’s significance and negative sign demonstrate that all variables are heading towards long-run equilibrium at a moderate speed of 56.4%. This further affirms that education, productivity, dependency, inflation and income determine insurance penetration in West Africa in the long run. In addition, the short-run causality revealed that all the pairs of regressors could jointly cause insurance penetration. The findings of this study recommend that the economy-wide policies by the government and the regulators of insurance markets in these economies should be informed by these significant factors. The restructuring of the education sector to ensure finance-related modules cut across every faculty in the higher education sector is also recommended. Furthermore, Bancassurance is also recommended to boost the easy penetration of the insurance sector using the relationship with the banking sector as a pathway.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 279-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaughn W. M. Watson ◽  
Michelle G. Knight-Manuel

Given polarizing popular-media narratives of immigrant youth from West African countries, we construct an interdisciplinary framework engaging a Sankofan approach to analyze education research literature on social processes of navigating identities and engaging civically across immigrant youth’s heritage practices and Indigenous knowledges. In examining social processes, we disrupt three areas of inequalities affecting educational experiences of immigrant youth: (a) homogenizing notions of a monolithic West Africa and immigrant youth’s West African countries, (b) deficit understandings of identities and the heterogeneity of Black immigrant youth from West African countries living in the United States, and (c) singular views of youth’s civic engagement. We provide implications for researchers, policymakers, and educators to better meet youth’s teaching and learning needs.


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