University of Antananarivo

About: University of Antananarivo is a education organization based out in Antananarivo, Madagascar. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Lemur. The organization has 1561 authors who have published 1703 publications receiving 30922 citations. The organization is also known as: Tananarive University & Antananarivo University.

Forest Bats of Madagascar: Results of Acoustic Surveys

Abstract: Spectral and temporal features of echolocation calls produced by 15 insectivorous bat species in three families from Madagascar are described. In addition we provide a library of bat vocalizations that can be used for acoustic inventories involving heterodyne and time-expansion bat detectors. Time-expanded recordings of calls from 153 bats from 15 species were analyzed using five commonly used temporal and frequency variables measured from spectrographs. Echolocation calls for six species (Scotophilus tandrefana, S. marovaza, Emballonura tiavato, Neoromicia spp., N. malagasyensis and Triaenops auritus) are described for the first time. A discriminant function analysis revealed that a function based on the five measured variables provided a correct overall classification of 82.2%. Three groups of echolocation calls based upon the temporal and frequency characteristics of calls are recognized. The Constant Frequency group consists of hipposiderids and Emballonura spp., the Frequency Modulated/Quasi-Constant Frequency group is dominated by vespertilionids, and one species, Myotis goudoti, is in the Frequency Modulated group. Further we describe the utility of using acoustic sampling in inventory and monitoring studies, and in investigations of habitat use.

Current geographical ranges of Malagasy dung beetles are not delimited by large rivers

Abstract: Aim We investigated whether the largest river (Mangoro) on the east coast of Madagascar acts as a barrier to dispersal in dung beetles by comparing species composition and genetic differentiation of the most common species on the two banks of the river. Moreover, by analysing the current geographical ranges of all wet forest dung beetle species, possible long-term effects of the largest rivers on the distribution of species were assessed. Location Madagascar. Methods Dung beetles were sampled with baited pitfall traps at a downstream and an upstream locality on the two banks of the Mangoro River. The most common species, Nanos binotatus (Canthonini), was sequenced for cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI; 804 bp) to characterize within-population diversity and between-population genetic differentiation. For the analysis of species geographical range boundaries in relation to the position of the largest rivers on the east coast, a database including all the records for 158 wet forest species was used. The congruence of species range boundaries with the positions of the rivers was tested with a randomization test. Results All common species were found on both sides of the Mangoro River. In Nanos binotatus, haplotype and nucleotide diversities ranged from 0.25 to 0.85 and 0.001 to 0.01, respectively. Population differentiation was high and significant in all comparisons (P < 0.01; average FST = 0.61). The differentiation was not significantly higher across than along the river, as would be expected by the riverine barrier hypothesis. There was no indication that the range boundaries of wet forest dung beetle species would generally coincide with the largest rivers in eastern Madagascar. Main conclusions The results provide little support for the riverine barrier hypothesis as an explanation for the current range boundaries of dung beetles in eastern Madagascar. However, extensive deforestation of the coastal regions in eastern Madagascar may have caused a great shrinkage of the ranges of many forest-dwelling species. Thus the present-day distributions may not reflect accurately the patterns of the past geographical ranges of the species.

A Qualitative Study Investigating Experiences, Perceptions, and Healthcare System Performance in Relation to the Surveillance of Typhoid Fever in Madagascar

Abstract: The burden of typhoid fever (TF) in sub-Saharan Africa is largely unknown but is increasingly thought to be high, given that water and sanitary conditions remain unimproved in many countries. To address this gap in information, the Typhoid Fever Surveillance in Africa Program (TSAP) founded a surveillance system for TF in 10 African countries. This study was a component of the TSAP surveillance project in Madagascar. The study entailed a qualitative assessment of patients' experiences and perceptions of services for febrile symptoms at the studies' rural and urban sentinel public health clinics. The study examined influences on the use of these facilities, alternative sources of care, and providers' descriptions of medical consultations and challenges in providing services. Data were collected through semistructured and open-ended individual interviews and a focus group with patients, caregivers, and medical personnel. Thirty-three patients and 12 healthcare providers participated in the data collection across the 2 healthcare facilities. The quality of services, cost, and travel distance were key factors that enabled access to and use of these clinics. Divergent healthcare-seeking patterns were related to variability in the care utilized, socioeconomic status, and potential distance from the facilities These factors influenced delivery of care, patient access, and the health facilities' capacity to identify cases of febrile illness such as TF. This approach provided an in-depth investigation and understanding of healthcare-seeking behavior at the study facilities, and factors that facilitated or acted as barriers to their use. Our findings demonstrate the relevance of these public health clinics as sites for the surveillance of TF in their role as central healthcare sources for families and communities within these rural and urban areas of Madagascar.

A serious game to parameterize Bayesian networks: Validation in a case study in northeastern Madagascar

Abstract: The management of multi-use landscapes is challenging, but essential when aiming at preserving the potential for ecosystem service provision. Land-use decisions lay at the center of this challenge. While land-use decision models may help to transparently grasp land-use decisions, the parameterization of such models is difficult as human decision-making is often not rational. We show here how we used a serious game to parameterize a Bayesian network-based land-use decision model. To elicit validation, game outputs are transformed to conditional probabilities and compared to conditional probabilities parameterized via a questionnaire and workshop exercises. The analysis of four types of validity shows encouraging results for criterion, respondent-related and practice-related validation. However, content validation (sensitivity analysis) was disappointing initially. We discuss how the success in validation quality may be related to the design of the game and conclude that the transfer from a game to Bayesian networks could improve the parameterization quality.

Evaluation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in Malagasy pig and poultry non-industrial farmers.

Abstract: Introduction: The laboratory of Training and Research in Medical Biology of Madagascar conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the rate of S. aureus nasal carriage of pig and poultry Malagasy farmers. Methodology: Pig and poultry farmers from capital town of Madagascar were selected for nasal swabs collection with information on potential risk factors for S. aureus colonization, including animal exposure. Results: Nasal swabs from 180 farmers (M/F sex ratio: 0.74), enabled isolation after culture and biochemical identification, 69 (38.33%) S. aureus strains among which 45 (25%) were methicillin-resistant (MRSA). Risk factors analysis revealed that farming duration, number of animals, direct contact with poultry, and frequent contact with manure increased risk of S. aureus and MRSA nasal carriage. Likewise, farm practices that imply close contact with pigs such as food distribution and pigsty washing increased risk of S. aureus and MRSA nasal carriage among pig farmers. Among MRSA isolates, resistance rate to other antibiotics was similar to that of MRSA isolates from the non-farmer Malagasy population. However, gentamycin resistance was noticeably higher (32.5% versus 4.44%). Conclusions: This study shows a high rate of S. aureus and MRSA nasal carriage with high rate of multidrug resistance among healthy people frequently in contact with animals. A strategic policy against the spread of multidrug-resistant strains is desirable in farms and veterinary areas.