Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), a tick-borne viral zoonosis, is focally endemic throughout parts of Eurasia, the Middle East and Africa. In sub-saharan West Africa only 2 previous cases, both non-fatal, have been reported. We documented a fatal human case of CCHF in south-western Mauritania during May 1988 by demonstrating CCHF virus-specific class M antibodies and by isolating CCHF virus. Five of 7 other patients simultaneously in hospital with haemorrhagic fever symptoms also exhibited elevated immunoglobulin (Ig) G. Healthy family members and contacts of these patients showed an IgG prevalence of 36%; similarly 29% of their sheep also had antibodies. A serosurvey of 1219 sheep from 14 widely dispersed sites throughout southern Mauritania demonstrated IgG prevalences ranging from 4.9% to 43.6%. IgM was found in many herds. These observations demonstrate that CCHF virus is enzootic in southern Mauritania, and suggest a recent period of intense transmission in parts of the region.

Adolescent↗

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[Prevalence of antibodies against Rift Valley fever virus in sheep and goats in Senegal].

A total of 1,715 randomly selected sheep and goat sera from Senegal were tested for antibodies against Rift Valley fever virus using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that Rift Valley fever is enzootic. The prevalence is highly heterogeneous, depending on the area. Sheep and goats expressed comparable antibody prevalence, suggesting that both are involved equally in the virus cycle.

Animals↗

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Rift Valley fever among domestic animals in the recent West African outbreak.

Severe haemorrhagic disease among the human population of the Senegal River Basin brought the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) outbreak of 1987 to the attention of science. As in previous RVFV outbreaks, local herdsmen reported a high incidence of abortion and disease in their livestock. Serum samples were obtained from domestic animal populations from areas near Rosso, the best studied focus of human infection, as well as other areas distant from known human disease. Among animals from the area of high incidence of human disease, antibody prevalence was as high as 85%, with approximately 80% of the sera positive for both RVFV IgG- and viral-specific IgM antibodies. In contrast, human populations in the same area had lower RVFV antibody prevalences, 40% or less, with 90% also being IgM-positive. Sera from livestock in coastal areas 280 km south of the epidemic area were negative for RVFV antibodies. Thus, the detection of RVFV specific IgG and IgM antibodies provided evidence of recent disease activity without the requirement to establish pre-disease antibody levels in populations or individuals and without viral isolation. Subsequently, detection of modest levels of IgG and IgM in the Ferlo region, 130 km south of the Senegal River flood plain, established that RVFV transmission also occurred in another area of the basin. Similar serological testing of domestic ungulates in The Gambia, 340 km south of Rosso, demonstrated antibody prevalence consistent with a lower level of recent transmission of RVFV, i.e., 24% IgG-positive with 6% of the positive sera also having RVFV-specific IgM.

Animals↗

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[Carcinoembryonic antigen. Evaluation in intestinal lavage fluids and in the tissue of colorectal tumors].

Carcinoembryonic antigen in pre-operative or pre-endoscopic intestinal lavage rinsing fluids was assayed in 21 healthy subjects, 15 presenting polyps and 12 presenting colorectal cancer. Comparison of the results with those of histological and immunohistological studies showed that this assay did not allow detection of intestinal cancer or evaluation of its developmental stage.

Adenocarcinoma↗

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