Hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) was found in 9.2% of 1,186 pregnant women from Gabon, of whom 10.1% had the HBe antigen and 89.9% had anti-HBe antibodies. Antibodies to the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) were found in 15.6% of the HBsAg-positive women. The HBV strains were of the A3 and E genotypes. The HDV strains belonged to HDV clades 1 and 8. These results provide clear evidence that HDV clade 8 is indigenous to Africa.Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis delta virus (HDV) are highly endemic in Africa. The prevalence of serological markers indicating exposure to HBV in sub-Saharan Africa is very high, up to 90% (3), although the prevalence of HBV carriers varies substantially between regions, from less than 7% to 35% (13).The molecular characterization of HBV has revealed eight genomic groups, designated genotypes A to H (6, 12). Two major HBV genotypes, genotypes A and E, are predominant in central, south, and west Africa (13). Genotype A has been divided into two subgenotypes, subgenotypes A1 and A2 (8,20); recently, a new subgenotype, subgenotype A3, was described and characterized in Cameroon and Gabon (9, 11).

The combination of the anti-viral agents, zidovudine (AZT) and interferon-␣ (IFN), is a potent treatment of HTLV-I-associated adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). In this study we investigate the possible mechanism of action of this combination by examining several cellular parameters including cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. The ATL-derived T cell lines HuT-102 and MT-2 served as models. HTLV-I negative T cell lines (CEM and Jurkat) were used as controls. No significant modification of cell growth was observed except at suprapharmacological doses of AZT and IFN. Moreover, these effects were less pronounced in HTLV-I-infected cell lines compared to control cell lines. AZT and IFN treatment did not induce any significant modification of the expression of bcl-2 and p53. Interestingly no in vitro cytotoxic effect of AZT/IFN combination was observed on fresh leukemic cells derived from an acute ATL patient at diagnosis despite achievement of in vivo complete remission using the same therapy. These results suggest that the therapeutic effect of AZT and IFN is not through a direct cytotoxic effect of these drugs on the leukemic cells. Leukemia (2000) 14, 716-721.

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Although some tumor KS lesions were monoclonal expansions of HHV-8-infected spindle cells, most advanced lesions were oligoclonal proliferations. Furthermore, individual KS disseminated tumor skin lesions were found to represent distinct expansions of HHV-8-infected spindle cells. Thus, our results suggest that KS lesions, especially in patients with advanced skin tumors, are reactive proliferations rather than true malignancies with metastatic dissemination.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is highly endemic in areas of central Africa; mother-to-child transmission and sexual transmission are considered to be the predominant routes. To determine the prevalence and subtypes of HTLV-1/2 in pregnant women in Gabon, we conducted an epidemiological survey in the five main cities of the country. In 907 samples, the HTLV-1 seroprevalence was 2.1%, which is lower than that previously reported. Only one case of HTLV-2 infection was found. The HTLV-1 seroprevalence increased with age and differed between regions (P < 0.05), with the highest prevalence (5%) in the southeastern region. A wide range of HTLV-1 proviral loads was observed among the infected women. The level of the proviral load was correlated with a high HTLV-1 antibody titer (P < 0.02). Sequencing of HTLV-1 env and long terminal repeat fragments showed that all but one strain belonged to the central African subtype B; the outlier was of cosmopolitan subtype A. The new strains of subtype B exhibited wide genetic diversity, but there was no evidence of clustering of specific genomes within geographical regions of the country. Some strains were closely related to simian T-cell leukemia virus type 1 strains of great apes, suggesting that in these areas some HTLV-1 strains could arise from relatively recent interspecies transmission. The sole HTLV-2 strain belonged to subtype B. In this study we showed that the prevalence of HTLV-1 in the southeast is one of the highest in the world for pregnant women.

We present the clinical and virological features of the first reported African cases of HTLV-1-associated ID. When compared with data from the Caribbean, infectious features seemed particularly prominent. ID appears to be overlooked in sub-Saharan Africa, where it might be easily confused with common pyoderma. Breast feeding appears to be the origin of HTLV-1 contamination of the children.

H, et al. Differential altered stability and transcriptional activity of DNp63 mutants in distinct ectodermal dysplasias. J Cell Sci 2011;124:2200e7. Brunner HG, Hamel BC, Van Bokhoven H. The p63 gene in EEC and other syndromes. J Med Genet 2002;39:377e81. Clements SE, Techanukul T, Lai-Cheong JE, Mee JB, South AP, Pourreyron C, et al. Mutations in AEC syndrome skin reveal a role for p63 in basement membrane adhesion, skin barrier integrity and hair follicle biology. Br J Dermatol 2012;167:134e44.

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