Publications (416)
ARTICLE
Chitotriosidase activity in colostrum from African and Caucasian women
Maria Musumeci, Lucia Malaguarnera, Jacques Simpore, Rita Barone, Michael Whalen, Salvatore Musumeci
hitotriosidase (ChT), a protein produced by activated macrophages, belongs to the chitinases, a group of enzymes able to hydrolyze chitin, a structural component of fungi and nematodes. A codominant inherited deficiency in ChT activity is frequently reported in plasma of Caucasian subjects, whereas in the African population this deficiency is(...)
Chitotriosidase, colostrum, macrophages, femmes africaines, femmes caucasiennes, activité enzymatique, immunité néonatale, génétique
ARTICLE
Elevated levels of plasma homocysteine in postmenopausal women in Burkina Faso
Rosa Chillemi, Jacques Simpore, Silvia Persichilli, Angelo Minucci, Alfonsina D'Agata, Salvatore Musumeci
Background: Low levels of plasma homocysteine have been found in children and adult populations living in Burkina Faso in association with a low prevalence of coronary heart disease.
Methods: Based on this finding, the levels of plasma homocysteine and other thiols (cysteine, cysteinylglycine, glutathione) in postmenopausal women living in(...)
Plasma homocysteine, postmenopausal women, Burkina Faso, thiol levels, aging, cysteine, glutathione, cysteinylglycine
ARTICLE
Nutrition rehabilitation of HIV-infected and HIV-negative undernourished children utilizing spirulina
Simpore J, Zongo F, Kabore F, Dansou D, Bere A, Nikiema JB, Pignatelli S, Biondi DM, Ruberto G, Musumeci S.
The objective of this study was to assess the impact of an alimentary integrator composed of spirulina (Spirulina platensis; SP), produced at the Centre Médical St Camille of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on the nutritional status of undernourished HIV-infected and HIV-negative children. We compared two groups of children: 84 were HIV-infected an(...)
Malnutrition, Rehabilitation, Spirulina (Spirulina platensis), HIV-infected children, HIV-negative children, Burkina Faso
ARTICLE
Identification of metallo-b-lactamase from a clinical isolate at Saint Camillle Hospital Center of Ouagadougou/ Burkina Faso
Boukaré Zeba, Pere Jacques Simporé, Odile G. Nacoulma, Jean-Marie Frère
A metallo-b-lactamase was identified from a clinical sample. The host bacteria was identified to be Chryseobacterium Indologenes. This preliminary characterization of the enzyme is reported here.
b-lactamase, metallo-b-lactamase, Chryseobacterium indologenes, Ouagadougou
ARTICLE
Prevalence of blaSHV genes in clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae at Saint Camille medical Center in Ouagadougou. Isolation of blaSHV11-like gene
Boukaré Zeba, Pere Jacques Simporé, Odile G. Nacoulma, Jean-Marie Frère
Five bacterial strains (4 Klebsiella pneumoniae and 1 Escherichia coli) representative of pathogenic species and resistant to b-lactam antibiotics are investigated to isolate the genes responsible of b-lactamase activity. The use of engineering techniques enables us to show the widespread of blaSHV genes particularly in clinical isolates of K.(...)
b-Lactamases, Klebsiella pneumoniae, blaSHV gene, Saint Camille medical centre, Ouagadougou
ARTICLE
Biologic substances present in human colostrums demonstrate the evolution of this essential nutrient for growth and development: Insulin-like growth factor-I and prolactin
Maria Musumeci, Jacques Simporè, Alfonsina D'Agata, Lucia Malaguarnera, Cinzia Carrozza, Cecelia Zuppi, Salvatore Musumeci
The aim of the present study was to see whether the level of both insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and prolactin (PRL) present in the colostrums of women coming from fairly different environmental conditions showed any significant difference. To this end, the IGF-I and PRL levels of African and Italian women still living in their countries(...)
Nutrition, Santé, Recherche clinique, Afrique, Biologie moléculaire
ARTICLE
HCV and HIV co-infection in pregnant women attending St. Camille Medical Centre in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
J Simpore, D Ilboudo, A Samandoulougou, P Guardo, P Castronovo, Salvatore Musumeci
Five hundred and forty-seven pregnant women with less than 32 weeks of amenorrhoea, attending an antenatal clinic of St. Camille Medical Centre (SCMC) of Ouagadougou were enrolled for a hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV co-infection study. Fifty-eight (10.6%) were HIV positive and 18 (3.3%) were anti-HCV positive. Only seven pregnant women (i.e.(...)
HCV, HIV, Co-infection, Pregnant women, Burkina Faso, Genotype 2a, Mother-to-child transmission
ARTICLE
Hyperhomocysteinemia in acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria: an effect of host-parasite interaction
R Chillemi, B Zappacosta, J Simporè, S Persichilli, M Musumeci, S Musumeci
Background: Plasmodium falciparum utilises the polyamine pathway, essential in proliferation and differentiation, and imposes an oxidative stress on host cell, enhancing the loss of glutathione.
Methods: Standard hematological parameters were determined in 40 black African subjects with acute P. falciparum malaria, 30 aged 5-24 months, 5 ag(...)
Hyperhomocysteinemia, Plasmodium falciparum, malaria, host-parasite interaction, oxidative stress, glutathione, folate cycle, MTHFR C677T polymorphism
ARTICLE
Genes, diet and uric acid nephrolithiasis
Gianfrancesco F., Esposito T., Simpore J. & Musumeci S.
Uric acid represent the final product of purine metabolism: one-third of daily uric acid production is excreted by the gastrointestinal tract and two-thirds by the kidney. A high uric acid excretion with urine, a low urine volume due to dehydration and an acidic urinary pH value have been suggested to be the most important risk factor for uric(...)
uric acid, purine metabolism, uric acid nephrolithiasis (UAN), Ala62Thr variant, Talanin protein, Mediterranean population, sub-Saharan Africa, Burkina Faso, Benin, kidney stones, calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, genetic variant, environmental selection, dehydration, acidic urine pH, malaria, dietary habits
ARTICLE
Helicobacter pylori infection in Burkina Faso: an enigma within an enigma
F Cataldo, J Simporè, P Greco, D Ilboudo, S Musumeci
Background: In Burkina Faso, in contrast with high rates of Helicobacter pylori infection from an early age, the prevalence of H. pylori-associated diseases (ulcer and gastric cancer) is low.
Aims: To look for the prevalence of H. pylori in healthy natives of Burkina Faso, both children and adults.
Methods: We studied the prevalence of H(...)
Helicobacter pylori, infection, seroprevalence, Burkina Faso, children, adults, socio-economic status, hygiene, sheep contact
ARTICLE
A 24-bp duplication in exon 10 of human chitotriosidase gene from the sub-Saharan to the Mediterranean area: role of parasitic diseases and environmental conditio...
L Malaguarnera, J Simpore, D A Prodi, A Angius, A Sassu, I Persico, R Barone & S Musumeci
Human chitotriosidase (Chit) is a member of the chitinase family and it is synthesized by activated macrophages. Recently, a genetic polymorphism was found to be responsible for the common deficiency in Chit activity, frequently encountered in different populations. We analyzed the Chit gene in some ethnic groups from the Mediterranean and Afr(...)
24-bp duplication, Exon 10 Human chitinase gene, Macrophage activation, Genetic mutation, Chit activity deficiency
ARTICLE
Antibiotic resistance in Burkina Faso
G Bonfiglio, J Simporè, S Pignatelli, S Musumeci
Burkina Faso is one of the Subsaharan African nations. No national services for monitoring of antibiotic resistance are available, so the number of reports of resistance patterns among hospital pathogens are inconsistent. In order to evaluate antibiotic resistance, a total of 1998 valuable microrganisms were analysed during 2000 at the Medical(...)
Antibiotic resistance, Burkina Faso, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, surveillance
ARTICLE
Modulation of immune response in Plasmodium falciparum malaria: role of IL-12, IL-18 and TGF-beta
M Musumeci, L Malaguarnera, J Simporè, A Messina, S Musumeci
The interaction between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 12 (IL-12), interleukin 18 (IL-18) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) plays an important role in malaria pathogenesis and outcome, modulating the immunoresponse in Plasmodium falciparum malaria. In our previous studies, we analyzed the plasmatic levels(...)
IL-12, IL-18, TGF-beta, Plasmodium falciparum, malaria, immune response, cytokines, mathematical model
ARTICLE
Plasma levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12), interleukin-18 (IL-18) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) in Plasmodium falciparum malaria
Lucia Malaguarnera, Salvatore Pignatelli, Jacques Simporè, Mariano Malaguarnera, Salvatore Musumeci
The interaction between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 12 (IL-12), interleukin 18 (IL-18) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) may play an important role in malaria pathogenesis and outcome. IL-18 cooperates with IL-12 in the IFN-gamma production by T, B, and NK cells, and synergizes with IL-12 for IFN-gamma(...)
interleukin-12, interleukin-18, TGF-beta, Plasmodium falciparum, malaria, cytokines, immune response, severity
ARTICLE
Epidemiology of bacterial resistance in gastro-intestinal pathogens in a tropical area
Giovanni Bonfiglio, Jacques Simporè, Salvatore Pignatelli, Salvatore Musumeci, Maria Letizia Solinas
During 1999-2000 a total of 4131 faecal specimens were collected and analysed at the medical centre St. Camille at Ouagadougou. Eight hundred and twenty-six (8.0%) grew significant bacteria. Escherichia coli (35%), Salmonella spp. (15%) and Shigella spp. (10%) were most frequently isolated. A large number of E. coli strains were resistant to a(...)
antibiotic resistance, gastro-intestinal pathogens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, aminopenicillins, cotrimoxazole, norfloxacin, surveillance, tropical area