Short Communication: Genetic Variation in Human IL10 Proximal Promoter and Susceptibility to HIV-1 Infection in Mali, West Africa.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Dabitao D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7864090 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:An ethnopharmacological survey was carried out to collect information about the use of six medicinal plants in the regions around Siby and Dioila, Mali. The plants investigated were Biopyhtum petersianum, Cola cordifolia, Combretum molle, Opilia celtidifolia, Parkia biglobosa and Ximenia americana. More than 60 medical indications were reported for the use of these plants in traditional medicine. The most frequently reported ailments were malaria (25.6%), different types of pain (14.0%) and dermatitis (7.4%). The main forms for preparation were decoction (58.1%) and powdered plant material (28.4%). The most frequent used plant parts were leaves (37.7%) and stem bark (18.6%). The healers' consensus for the main indications is fairly high for the four plants B. petersianum, C. cordifolia, C. molle and O. celtidifolia, and this supports the traditional use of these plants. However for P. biglobosa and X. americana the healers' consensus is less consistent and it is more difficult to draw conclusions about the most important traditional use of these two plants.
| S-EPMC2633328 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Mosquito-borne diseases cause major human diseases in almost every part of the world. In West Africa, and notably in Mali, vector control measures help reduce the impact of mosquito-borne diseases, although malaria remains a threat to both morbidity and mortality. The most recent overview article on mosquitoes in Mali was published in 1961, with a total of 88 species. Our present review focuses on mosquitoes of medical importance among which the Anopheles vectors of Plasmodium and filaria, as well as the Culex and Aedes vectors of arboviruses. It aims to provide a concise update of the literature on Culicidae, covering the ecological areas in which the species are found but also the transmitted pathogens and recent innovative tools for vector surveys. This review highlights the recent introduction of invasive mosquito species, including Aedes albopictus and Culex neavei. The comprehensive list of mosquito species currently recorded includes 106 species (28 species of the Anophelinae and 78 species of the Culicinae). There are probable gaps in our knowledge concerning mosquitoes of the subfamily Culicinae and northern half of Mali because most studies have been carried out on the genus Anopheles and have taken place in the southern part of the country. It is hoped that this review may be useful to decision makers responsible for vector control strategies and to researchers for future surveys on mosquitoes, particularly the vectors of emerging arboviruses.
| S-EPMC6090629 | biostudies-literature
Project description:AbstractCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a tick-borne disease caused by the arbovirus Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV, family Bunyaviridae, genus Nairovirus). CCHFV can cause a severe hemorrhagic fever with high-case fatality rates in humans. CCHFV has a wide geographic range and has been described in around 30 countries in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Africa including Mali and neighboring countries. To date, little is known about the prevalence rates of CCHFV in Mali. Here, using banked bovine serum samples from across the country, we describe the results of a seroepidemiological study for CCHFV aimed at identifying regions of circulation in Mali. In total, 1,074 serum samples were tested by a modified in-house CCHFV-IgG-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with confirmatory testing by commercial ELISA and immunofluorescence assay. Overall, 66% of samples tested were positive for CCHFV-specific IgG antibodies. Regional seroprevalence rates ranged from 15% to 95% and seemed to correlate with cattle density. Our results demonstrate that CCHFV prevalence is high in many regions in Mali and suggest that CCHFV surveillance should be established.
| S-EPMC5462568 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Anopheles funestus is a principal vector of malaria across much of tropical Africa and is considered one of the most efficient of its kind, yet studies of this species have lagged behind those of its broadly sympatric congener, An. gambiae. In aid of future genomic sequencing of An. funestus, we explored the whole body transcriptome, derived from mixed stage progeny of wild-caught females from Mali, West Africa. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Here we report the functional annotation and comparative genomics of 2,005 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from An. funestus, which were assembled with a previous EST set from adult female salivary glands from the same mosquito. The assembled ESTs provided for a nonredundant catalog of 1,035 transcripts excluding mitochondrial sequences. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:Comparison of the An. funestus and An. gambiae transcriptomes using computational and macroarray approaches revealed a high degree of sequence identity despite an estimated 20-80 MY divergence time between lineages. A phylogenetically broader comparative genomic analysis indicated that the most rapidly evolving proteins--those involved in immunity, hematophagy, formation of extracellular structures, and hypothetical conserved proteins--are those that probably play important roles in how mosquitoes adapt to their nutritional and external environments, and therefore could be of greatest interest in disease control.
| S-EPMC2775680 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The primary pathway of metabolism of dietary alcohol is via its oxidation in liver by alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH). Differences in the ADH enzyme activity or levels of enzyme present could affect the risk for alcoholism. Regulatory variations have been shown to affect the promoter activity and thereby affect the risk for alcoholism. In this study the functional effects of the two SNPs (rs1159918 and rs1229982) in the proximal promoter region of ADH1B that were associated with alcoholism were explored. We examined the effects of five naturally occurring haplotypes on the promoter activity. We observed that a C to A change at rs1229982 increased promoter activity 1.4-fold.
| S-EPMC3075324 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Abstract Multiple HIV-1 subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) are known to cocirculate in Africa. In West Africa, the high prevalence of CRF02_AG, and cocirculation of subtype A, CRF01_AE, CRF06_cpx, and other complex intersubtype recombinants has been well documented. Mali, situated in the heart of West Africa, is likely to be affected by the spread of recombinant subtypes. However, the dynamics of the spread of HIV-1 recombinant subtypes as well as nonrecombinant HIV-1 group M subtypes in this area have not been systematically assessed. Herein, we undertook genetic analyses on full-length env sequences derived from HIV-1-infected individuals living in the capital city of Mali, Bamako. Of 23 samples we examined, 16 were classified as CRF02_AG and three had a subsubtype A3. Among the remaining HIV-1 strains, CRF06_cpx and CRF09_cpx were each found in two patients. Comparison of phylogenies for six matched pol and full-length env sequences revealed that two strains had discordant subtype/CRF designations between the pol and env regions: one had A3(pol)CRF02_AG(env) and the other had CRF02_AG(pol)A3(env). Taken together, our study demonstrated the high prevalence of CRF02_AG and complexity of circulating HIV-1 strains in Mali. It also provided evidence of ongoing virus evolution of CRF02_AG, as illustrated by the emergence of more complex CRF02_AG/A3 intersubtype recombinants in this area.
| S-EPMC2981380 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE:Patient-centred attitudes have been shown to decline during medical training in high-income countries, yet little is known about attitudes among West African medical students. We sought to measure student attitudes towards patient-centredness and examine validity of the 18-item Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS) in this context. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING:430 medical students in years 1, 3, 5 and 6 of a 6-year medical training programme in Bamako, Mali. DESIGN:We conducted a cross-sectional survey, compared the proportion of students who agreed with each PPOS item by gender and academic year, and calculated composite PPOS scores. To examine psychometrics of the PPOS and its two subscales ('sharing' and 'caring'), we calculated internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and performed confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses (CFA and EFA). RESULTS:In seven of the nine 'sharing' items, the majority of students held attitudes favouring a provider-dominant style. For five of the nine 'caring' items, the majority of student responded consistently with patient-centred attitudes, while in the other four, responses indicated a disease-centred orientation. In eight items, a greater proportion of fifth/sixth year students held patient-centred attitudes as compared with first year students; there were few gender differences. Average PPOS scores indicated students were moderately patient-centred, with more favourable attitudes towards the 'caring' aspect than 'sharing'. Internal consistency of the PPOS was inadequate for the full scale (?=0.58) and subscales ('sharing' ?=0.37; 'caring' ?=0.48). CFA did not support the original PPOS factors and EFA did not identify an improved structure. CONCLUSIONS:West African medical students training in Bamako are moderately patient-centred and do not show the same declines in patient-centred attitudes in higher academic years as seen in other settings. Medical students may benefit from training in shared power skills and in attending to patient lifestyle factors. Locally validated tools are needed to guide West African medical schools in fostering patient-centredness among students.
| S-EPMC5786142 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSchistosomiasis is classically described as a rural disease that occurs in areas with poor sanitary conditions. However, over recent decades, there has been an expansion of schistosomiasis foci towards urban areas faced with a rapid and disordered urbanization. In Bamako, Mali, the impact of environmental change on vector-borne diseases such as schistosomiasis is not well known. This study sought to identify the presence of schistosomiasis transmission hotspots in Bamako. Using this perspective, we aimed to describe the risk factors of the endemization and maintenance of schistosomiasis.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was carried out in the six municipalities (communes) in Bamako. Environmental information was obtained from earth observation satellites in order to maximize ecological contrasts. Twenty-nine blocks of 200 m x 200 m were identified. We selected a school inside or nearest to each block for urine and stool samples examination. The study cohort was school children aged between eight and 15 years. The Kato-Katz technique and filtration were used for Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium ova research in stools and urine, respectively. The schools and snail breeding sites were georeferenced. Four malacological surveys were conducted between October 2011 and February 2012. Bivariate analysis was used to identify independent predictors of being infected with schistosomiasis.ResultsThe prevalence rate of S. haematobium was 14.7% (n?=?1,761) and that of S. mansoni 1.5% (n?=?1,491). Overall, the urinary form was endemic in 76.6% of schools. The infection significantly varied between the municipalities (p?<?0.001). It was also more prevalent on the left side of the Niger River than the right side (17.4% vs. 9.5% respectively; p?<?0.001). The vicinity to snail breeding sites (OR?=?3.677; 95% IC [2.765-4.889]; p?<?10 (-3) ) and parents' occupations (OR?=?7.647; 95% IC [2.406-24.305]; p?<?0.001) were the most important risk factors associated with S. haematobium infection exposure. Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Bulinus truncatus, and B. globosus were the intermediate hosts captured. The schistosome natural infection rates (SNIRs), which were low or nil in October and November, rose to 2.8% in January and 8.3% in February for B. pfeifferi and B. truncatus, respectively.ConclusionOur findings show that there is a high transmission risk for schistosomiasis in Bamako. Appropriate integrated control measures need to be introduced to control the transmission of this disease in the study area.
| S-EPMC4429506 | biostudies-literature
Project description:An ethnopharmacological survey was carried out to collect information on the use of seven medicinal plants in rural areas in the nearby regions of Bamako, Mali. The plants were Opilia celtidifolia, Anthocleista djalonensis, Erythrina senegalensis, Heliotropium indicum, Trichilia emetica, Piliostigma thonningii and Cochlospermum tinctorium. About 50 medical indications were reported for the use of these plants in traditional medicine. The most frequent ailments reported were malaria, abdominal pain and dermatitis. The highest number of usages was reported for the treatment of malaria (22%). The majority of the remedies were prepared from freshly collected plant material from the wild and from a single species only. They were mainly taken orally, but some applications were prepared with a mixture of plants or ingredients such as honey, sugar, salt, ginger and pepper. Decoction of the leaves was the main form of preparation (65%) and leaf powder was mostly used for the preparation of infusions (13%). The part of the plants most frequently used was the leaves. There was a high degree of informant consensus for the species and their medicinal indications between the healers interviewed. The results of this study showed that people are still dependent on medicinal plants in these rural areas of Mali.
| S-EPMC1277087 | biostudies-other
Project description:Membrane transporters play crucial roles in the cellular uptake and efflux of an array of small molecules including nutrients, environmental toxins, and many clinically used drugs. We hypothesized that common genetic variation in the proximal promoter regions of transporter genes contribute to observed variation in drug response. A total of 579 polymorphisms were identified in the proximal promoters (-250 to +50 bp) and flanking 5' sequence of 107 transporters in the ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) and Solute Carrier (SLC) superfamilies in 272 DNA samples from ethnically diverse populations. Many transporter promoters contained multiple common polymorphisms. Using a sliding window analysis, we observed that, on average, nucleotide diversity (pi) was lowest at approximately 300 bp upstream of the transcription start site, suggesting that this region may harbor important functional elements. The proximal promoters of transporters that were highly expressed in the liver had greater nucleotide diversity than those that were highly expressed in the kidney consistent with greater negative selective pressure on the promoters of kidney transporters. Twenty-one promoters were evaluated for activity using reporter assays. Greater nucleotide diversity was observed in promoters with strong activity compared to promoters with weak activity, suggesting that weak promoters are under more negative selective pressure than promoters with high activity. Collectively, these results suggest that the proximal promoter region of membrane transporters is rich in variation and that variants in these regions may play a role in interindividual variation in drug disposition and response.
| S-EPMC2735003 | biostudies-literature