This study was undertaken to estimate the antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella isolated from raw chicken. From November 2003 to April 2004 a total of 120 chicken carcasses were collected from 36 randomly selected sale points (supermarkets, traditional market, poultry slaughter house, flocks) in the urban and periurban zones of Dakar, Sénégal, and examined for the presence of Salmonella. Salmonella was isolated from 75 (62.5%) of the examined samples. Out of the 90 Salmonella isolates obtained, twenty one serotypes were identified, from which the most prevalent were S. Kentuchy 30%, S. Muenster (13.3%), S. Brancaster (8.8%), S. Enteritidis and S. Hadar (6.6%). All Salmonella isolates were tested for their susceptibility to 16 selected antimicrobial agents by the agar diffusion method. Seventy one (78.9%) isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobials. Out of 71 resistant Salmonella isolates, 33 (46.5%) showed multiple resistance to five or more different antimicrobials. Resistance to ampicillin, trimethoprim, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole, tetracyclin and sulphonamides was the most frequent. We found 36 different patterns of multiresistant strains. The high level of antibiotic resistance of foodborne Salmonella isolates in the present study is an indication of indiscriminate and continuous use of subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics in animals. Furthermore, the results showed the possible significance of chicken meat as a source of multiple antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella for human infections and suggest the need for detailed epidemiological study.

RESUME Les aflatoxines sont des toxines produites principalement par les moisissures du genre Aspergillus (Aspergillus flavus et Aspergillus parasiticus).Les molécules les plus abondantes de la famille des aflatoxines sont l'AFB1, l'AFB2, l'AFG1 et l'AFG2. C'est dans les pays africains, d'Asie du Sud et d'Amérique du Sud, où le climat est chaud et humide, que la contamination des céréales par l'aflatoxine est plus fréquente. Dans la plus part des pays africains, près de la moitié de la production céréalière a une teneur en aflatoxine supérieure aux standards internationaux. L'estimation de la quantité d'aflatoxine dans le maïs en 2016 a donné des intervalles de [1,06-852,2ppm] au Sénégal, de [8,0-1081ppm] en Tanzanie, avec un taux d'échantillons dépassant la limite maximale qui varie entre 2-85% de 622 échantillons. Au niveau africain la contamination des céréales par cette toxine a des conséquences économiques, alimentaires et surtout sanitaires. Pour lutter contre la présence de l'aflatoxine dans des céréales en Afrique des méthodes chimiques, physiques et biologiques sont employées, bien qu'elles soient limitées. © 2016 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Mot clés : Aflatoxine, Contamination, Céréale, Lutte, Prévalence, Afrique. African crops contamination by aflatoxin: review of existing methods of control ABSTRACTAflatoxins are toxins produced mainly by Aspergillus (Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus). The most abundant molecules of aflatoxins family are AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2. It is in African countries, South Asia and South America, where the climate is hot and humid, that contamination of crops with aflatoxin is more common. In most African countries, nearly half of crops production has higher aflatoxin content compared to international standards. The estimate of the quantity of aflatoxin in crops on the year 2016 E. DIEME et al. / Int. J. Biol. Chem. Sci. 10(5): 2285-2299, 2016 2286 has yielded intervals [1. 06-852.2ppb] in Senegal, [8.0-1081ppb] in Tanzania, with a sample rate exceeding the maximum limit that varies between 2-85% of 622 samples. The level of grain aflatoxin contamination in Africa has economic and food consequences; and especially impact the human health. To fight against the contamination of Africa crops by aflatoxin, physical, chemical and biological methods are employed with obvious limits.

The detection of pathogenic Vibrio in seafood from Senegal has generated five food alerts in the European Union. To investigate the presence and abundance Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood and coastal and estuarine waters, 123 seafood samples and 52 water samples were collected during 2007-2009 from two large seafood markets in Dakar, and from different oceanic and estuarine areas of the country. V. parahaemolyticus was detected in 30.1% of seafood samples, whereas presence of V. cholerae was only found in 1.6%. In water samples, V. parahaemolyticus and V. cholerae were detected in 28.8% and 5.7% of the samples, respectively. Abundance of V. parahaemolyticus in seafood from the fishing areas ranged from <0.3 to 7.5 most probable number (MPN) per gram. In samples from markets, densities of V. parahaemolyticus showed higher values ranging from 0.61 to >110 MPN/g. Densities of V. cholerae in the two positive seafood samples reached values of 0.36 and 0.61 MPN/g, repectively. V. parahaemolyticus strains were found to possess tlh, but not tdh and trh by polymerase chain reaction, and all the strains of V. cholerae were non-O1 or non-O139. These results suggest that the prevalence of high salinities in coastal and estuarine environments of Senegal limits the occurrence of V. parahaemolyticus and V. cholerae, despite warmer temperatures prevailing in seawater environments throughout the year. Furthermore, temperature abuse driven by a deficient cold chain over the distribution and retail sales may represent a major risk due to the postharvest multiplication of these Vibrio pathogens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the biopreservative potential of Lactobacillus plantarum Lp6SH (Lp6SH), Lactobacillus rhamnosus Yoba (LrYoba) and their cell‐free supernatants (CFS) on whole captured tropical pink shrimps (Penaeus duorarum notialis) during storage at 4°C for 8 days. Shrimps were inoculated with strains Lp6SH, LrYoba, their supernatants, sodium metabisulfite (2%) and stored at 4 ° C for 8 days. Sensory evaluation, physicochemical, and microbiological analyses were performed daily. Lp6SH, CFS of Lp6SH, and CFS of LrYoba were able to prolong the sensory shelf life up to 8 days. The total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) concentration was lower than the acceptable value at the end of the storage period. All the treatments reduced the number of total aerobic bacteria and fungi, and maintained the coliforms count for 2 days. Strain Lp6SH reduced the number of Staphylococci for 4 days. Based on the threshold values, the microbiological shelf life of shrimps was between 2 and 6 days at 4°C. L. plantarum Lp6SH and the CFS of L. rhamnosus Yoba could be used as natural preservatives to replace the use of sodium bisulfate in prolonging the microbiological and sensory shelf life of captured whole shrimps. Practical applications Microbial spoilage of raw fresh shrimps and black spots formation constitute substantial economic losses as well as serious public health problem. Due to the harmful effects of chemical preservatives, attention is paid nowadays to the search for fresh shrimp preservation methods that could obviate the use of chemicals and prevent blackspot formation. In this respect, the results of this study supported that Lactobacillus plantarum Lp6SH strain and the cell‐free supernatant of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Yoba are suitable biopreservatives that could be used to increase the safety, prevent melanosis, and extend the sensory shelf life of captured whole shrimps stored under refrigeration. After studies for their application at large scale, the fishermen and food industries can use the bacterial suspension and the cell‐free supernatant as spray or immersion solutions for the treatment of shrimps (or other seafood) prior to freezing.

Cryptococcal infection is common in immunocompromised patients. Its occurrence in immuno-competent patients is rare. We report here 3 cases of neuromeningeal cryptococcosis in patients without any immunosuppressive documented factors. They were respectively 25, 36 and 50 years old presenting clinical signs of chronic meningo-encephalitis. The HIV test was negative for all of them and the CD4 counts were normal. One patient died on the seventh day of the treatment with amphotericin B; the second was discharged on parents' request, while the third patient improved with intravenous fluconazole. This study suggests that when facing a sub-acute or chronic meningitis, an investigation for cryptococcal infection is recommended as before AIDS epidemic.