Alain Froment

Bio: Alain Froment is an academic researcher. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 8 citations.

From foraging to farming among present-day forest hunter-gatherers: consequences on diet and health

Abstract: SUMMARY Throughout history, forests dwellers have adapted to permanent changes of forest ecosystems that, in essence, are dynamic. Accordingly, they have long served as models of how humans lived when their lifestyles and genetic endowment were complementary. What is now commonly described as the “paleodiet” tends to be put forward as a benchmark for present-day efforts to promote health and prevent nutritional diseases, even in industrialized countries. Although forest ecosystems provide food and medicines to forest dwellers, over the last half-century these ecosystems have undergone unprecedented pressure to make way for economic growth and industrialization, often at the cost of ecological functions that may affect human health, both in short term (i.e. increase in infectious diseases) and long term (incidence of global change). As radical alterations occur such as deforestation, modification of resource availability, and the penetration of cash economies, forest dwellers encounter increasing difficult...

Biodiversity and emerging diseases.

Abstract: First we remind general considerations concerning biodiversity on earth and particularly the loss of genetic biodiversity that seems irreversible whether its origin is directly or indirectly linked to human activities. Urgent and considerable efforts must be made from now on to cataloge, understand, preserve, and enhance the value of biodiversity while ensuring food safety and human and animal health. Ambitious integrated and multifield research programs must be implemented in order to understand the causes and anticipate the consequences of loss of biodiversity. Such losses are a serious threat to sustainable development and to the quality of life of future generations. They have an influence on the natural balance of global biodiversity in particularly in reducing the capability of species to adapt rapidly by genetic mutations to survive in modified ecosystems. Usually, the natural immune systems of mammals (both human and animal), are highly polymorphic and able to adapt rapidly to new situations. We more specifically discuss the fact that if the genetic diversity of the affected populations is low the invading microorganisms, will suddenly expand and create epidemic outbreaks with risks of pandemic. So biodiversity appears to function as an important barrier (buffer), especially against disease-causing organisms, which can function in different ways. Finally, we discuss the importance of preserving biodiversity mainly in the wildlife ecosystems as an integrated and sustainable approach among others in order to prevent and control the emergence or reemergence of diseases in animals and humans (zoonosis). Although plants are also part of this paradigm, they fall outside our field of study.

Combiner analyse spatiale et épidémiologie pour l'aide à la décision dans la lutte contre la tuberculose en Guyane française

Abstract: Le travail de these vise a comprendre les processus et les dynamiques spatiales de la tuberculose en Guyane, en particulier sur l'Ile de Cayenne, et ce par l'identification des facteurs de risque lies a l'emergence et/ou a la persistance de la maladie sur plusieurs annees (1996-2003). La caracterisation des agregats spaciaux de cas de tuberculose est combinee a une analyse phylogeographique des souches de Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolees en Guyane afin de caracteriser les grappes genetiques de cas, et de determiner les circuits de transmission de la maladie. Un systeme d'Information Geographique permet ensuite de cartographier les populations a risque de tuberculose sur l'Ile de Cayenne. Cette carte est produite en couplant la cartographie des cas de tuberculose a un indice de vulnerabilite de la population, base sur l'analyse qualitative de l'environnement urbain. Cette etude revele certains patrons de transmission de la tuberculose sur l'Ile de Cayenne, apportant a la fois des reponses pour les politiques de sante en Guyane et de nouvelles perspectives de recherche.