Research Unit of Emerging infectious and Tropical diseases

Experience

Research Unit of Emerging infectious and Tropical diseases in Dakar with a linked unit based in Marseille, France. The Unit has a laboratory for molecular analysis, a Ward ISO 9001 for good laboratory practice in hygienic quality and platforms epidemiological surveillance of rural populations

The unit undertakes epidemiological research on tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) borreliosis in West, North and Central Africa and rickettsioses transmitted by ticks (argasid and ixodids ticks) and/or head lice.

The centre studies geographical distribution of TBRF in West, North and Central Africa, and globally research the presence of Tropical Emergent and Infectious Diseases transmitted by ticks in Africa (TBRF and Rickettsioses) and/or head lice.

Under the coordination of laboratory Manager, jobs which were assigned to me consist to prepare, organize, to carry out missions in scientific matter abroad (72 on the whole) and to write investigations reports in the framework of TBRF program and Emergent Diseases. It is in particular:

To prepare, organize and carry out scientific expeditions abroad,
To evaluate climatic impact change on geographical distribution of TBRF borreliosis in North and West Africa,
To study geographical distribution of TBRF Ornithodoros tick vectors and to research their agents in Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, Togo, Chad, Cameroun, in Guinea Bissao, Guinea, Ivory Coast, The Gambia and in Liberia, and so that the systems Ornithodoros sonrai /Borrelia crocidurae or Ornithodoros erraticus /Borrelia hispanica in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Spain,
&#61623 To research pathogenic rickettsioses in ecto-parasites hard ticks (ixodids) of cattle in Senegal, Niger, Liberia, Guinea and Ethiopia and/or on head lice from Senegal
To write technical investigations reports,
Financial management of missions carried out

Research interests

Linked with site in Marseille, France

Disease areas

• Helminths
• Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
• Other

Other information

Research Objectives and Perspectives:
1- Establish a grogramme epidemiological surveillance of borreliosis in West Africa
2- Transferred preventive control borreliosis implemented in rural area and being tested in the main foci of transmission of the disease in West Africa


Past research projects include:
Research and identification of Ornithodoros argasid tick vectors of tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) borreliosis in Africa
Pathogenic research of rickettsioses transmitted by hard ticks (ixodides), Ornithodoros argasid ticks and/or head lice
Typing of individuals ticks, blood samples of feverish patients and extraction of their DNA
Borrelia research by nested PCR amplification with flagellin gene
PCR Amplification with the gene of inter-genique spacer 16S-23S to research by sequencing genetic variability of Borrelia
PCR Amplification with the gene 16S of rDNA from body and/or legs ticks in order to determine by sequencing phylogenetic membership of individuals argasid ticks
Captures and identification of small wild rodents and insectivores or peri-domestic reservoirs of TBRF due to Borrelia crocidurae
Borrelia research by thick blood films
Borrelia isolation by blood intra-peritoneal inoculation or suspect tissues (brain, liver, spleen, ticks) into white mouse
Identification of medical, veterinary fauna in Entomology and Acarology
Framing students (French, Swiss and Moroccan), (i) on Borrelia diagnostic by thick blood film, inoculation of suspect tissue (blood, brain, liver, spleen, ticks), (ii) and isolation by inoculation into white mouse, or (iii) on technical sampling, also tick vectors identification of TBRF in North and West Africa, (iv) and the one of small wild rodents and insectivores in the framework of north-south scientific exchanges and south-south