BACKGROUND: Foster families may represent an alternative model for dependent older adults in many countries where nursing homes are insufficiently developed. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of malnutrition and its determinants in older adults living in foster families in Guadeloupe (French West Indies).
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was gathered from the KASAF (Karukera Study of Ageing in Foster families) study (n = 107, 41M/66F, Mdn 81.8 years). Nutritional status was assessed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF). Clinical characteristics and scores on geriatric scales (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Center for Epidemiologic Studies- Depression (CESD) and Questionnaire Quality of Life Alzheimer\'s Disease (QoL-AD)) were extracted. Bivariate analysis and logistic models adjusted for age and gender were performed to test the association of nutritional status with socio-demographic variables and geriatric scales.
RESULTS: Thirty (28.0%) older adults were malnourished (MNA-SF score ≤7). In bivariate analysis, malnutrition was associated with an increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (46.7% versus 19.5%, p = 0.004), the presence of hemiplegia (30.0% versus 6.5%, p = 0.003), a poorer cognitive status (MMSE score 4.7 ± 7.1versus 9.7 ± 10.7; p = 0.031), higher risk of depression (CESD score 27.3 ± 23.0 versus 13.5 ± 14.4; p = 0.035) and dependency (ADL score 1.9 ± 1.9 versus 2.3 ± 2.1; p<0.001). Malnutrition was also associated with lower caregivers\'rating of QoL (QoL-AD score 21.8 ± 6.4 versus 26.0 ± 5.7; p = 0.001) but not by older adult\'s rating (24.1 ± 11.2 versus 28.3 ± 7.7; p = 0.156). Similar associations were observed in logistic models adjusted for age and gender.
CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition was common among foster families for older adults. Special attention towards the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in older adults from cardiovascular diseases, cognitive impairment, dependency and depression is necessary in this model of dependency support.

Free-living amoebae (FLA) such as Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia mandrillaris, Naegleria fowleri and Sappinia pedata are naturally widespread in freshwater, causing rare but fatal and debilitating infections in humans. Although recent studies have shown an increase in infection rates, there is a paucity of epidemiological studies regarding the presence of these emerging pathogens in water. Herein, we studied the diversity and relative abundance of thermophilic FLA in different recreational baths in a tropical climate for 5 years. From 2018 to 2022, a total of 96 water samples were collected from 7 recreational baths (natural, tiled, regularly cleaned or not, and with temperatures ranging from 27 to 40 °C). DNA was extracted from FLA cultivated at 37 °C to detect thermophilic culturable FLA. Metabarcoding studies were conducted through FLA 18S rRNA gene amplicons sequencing; amplicon sequence variants (ASV) were extracted from each sample and taxonomy assigned against PR2 database using dada2 and phyloseq tools. We also searched for Naegleria sp. and N. fowleri using PCR targeting ITS and NFITS genes (respectively) and we quantified them using an optimized most probable number (MPN) method for FLA. Our results showed that differences in FLA diversity and abundance were observed amongst the 7 baths, but without a clear seasonal distribution. Naegleria, Vermamoeba and Stenamoeba were the most represented genera, while the genera Acanthamoeba and Vahlkampfia were mainly found in 2 baths. The MPN values for Naegleria sp. (NT/l) increased between 2018 and 2022, but the MPN values for N. fowleri (NF/l) seemed to decrease. Globally, our results showed that since we cannot establish a seasonal distribution of FLA, the regular presence of FLA (namely Naegleria and Acanthamoeba) in recreational waters can pose a potential threat in terms of neuroinfections as well as Acanthamoeba keratitis. It is thus imperious to perform the regular control of these baths as a preventive health measure.

Mangroves develop under environmental conditions and anthropogenic pressures whose impact on benthic meiofauna remains poorly understood. It is unclear how meiofauna communities are structured according to local sedimentary conditions. This study was designed to characterize the community structure of meiofauna and nematodes (dominant taxa) and the associated environmental forcings in intertidal mangrove sediments from Mayotte (Indo-West-Pacific), Martinique and Guadeloupe (Caribbean). Sediment cores were sampled at the end of the dry season at low tide on adult mangrove stands with similar immersion time. In each sediment layer, we analyzed redox potential, pH, porewater salinity, grain size, organic matter, metals, organic contaminants, prokaryotes and meiofauna. Our results show that sediments far from cities and agricultural fields trapped site-specific contaminants due to local water transport processes. Some metals, PAHs or pesticides exceeded toxicity thresholds in most of the studied stations, thus being harmful to benthic fauna. The sedimentary environment acts as a filter selecting specific meiofauna communities at station scale only in the Caribbean. In Mayotte, horizontal homogeneity contrasts with vertical heterogeneity of the sedimentary environment and the meiofauna. Nematode genera showed particular distribution patterns horizontally and vertically, suggesting the presence of sediment patches suitable for a restricted pool of genera on each island. Results in the Caribbean are consistent with nested diversity patterns due to environmental filtering. Conversely, horizontal homogeneity at Mayotte would reflect greater dispersal between stations or more spatially homogeneous anthropogenic pressures. The nematode genera present at depth may not be the most specialized, but the most versatile, capable of thriving in different conditions. Terschellingia and Daptonema showed contrasted responses to environmental forcing, likely due to their versatility, while Desmodora showed uniform responses between study areas, except when toxicity thresholds were exceeded. Our results emphasize that a given genus of nematode may respond differently to sedimentary conditions depending on sites.

Since 2011, the Caribbean coasts have unprecedented stranding of a pelagic brown macroalgae Sargassum inducing damages for coastal ecosystems and economy. This study evaluated the temporal fluctuations of metallic trace elements (MTE) in Sargassum freshly arrived on the Caribbean coast. From May 2020 to September 2021, 12 floating samples of three morphotypes (S. fluitans III and S. natans I and VIII) were regularly collected in the Petit Cul-de-Sac Marin (Guadeloupe, French West Indies). Measured concentrations of 28 metal(loid)s trace elements reveal i) an absence of seasonal patterns in MTE concentrations except for metals Fe and Al during 2020 summer ii) a regular and high As content during the entire survey iii) a similar trend of contamination for each morphotype. The constant and high amount of As implies that stranding management policy and valorization processes of Sargassum must consider As contamination and that this vigilance must be constantly along the year.

BACKGROUND: The cardiotoxicity of prenatal exposure to mercury has been suggested in populations having regular contaminated seafood intake, though replications in the literature are inconsistent.
METHODS: The Timoun Mother-Child Cohort Study was set up in Guadeloupe, an island in the Caribbean Sea where seafood consumption is regular. At seven years of age, 592 children underwent a medical examination, including cardiac function assessment. Blood pressure (BP) was taken using an automated blood pressure monitor, heart rate variability (HRV, 9 parameters) and electrocardiogram (ECG) characteristics (QT, T-wave parameters) were measured using Holter cardiac monitoring during the examination. Total mercury concentrations were measured in cord blood at birth (median = 6.6 μg/L, N = 399) and in the children\'s blood at age 7 (median = 1.7 μg/L, N = 310). Adjusted linear and non-linear modelling was used to study the association of each cardiac parameter with prenatal and childhood exposures. Sensitivity analyses included co-exposures to lead and cadmium, adjustment for maternal seafood consumption, selenium and polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFAs), and for sporting activity.
RESULTS: Higher prenatal mercury was associated with higher systolic BP at 7 years of age (βlog2 = 1.02; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.10, 1.19). In boys, intermediate prenatal exposure was associated with reduced overall HRV and parasympathetic activity, and longer QT was observed with increasing prenatal mercury (βlog2 = 4.02; CI = 0.48, 7.56). In girls, HRV tended to increase linearly with prenatal exposure, and no association was observed with QT-wave related parameters. Mercury exposure at 7 years was associated with decreased BP in girls (βlog2 = -1.13; CI = -2.22, -0.004 for diastolic BP). In boys, the low/high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio increased for intermediate levels of exposure.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests sex-specific and non-monotonic modifications in some cardiac health parameters following prenatal exposure to mercury in pre-pubertal children from an insular fish-consuming population.

In total, 109 fish species (24,996 individuals) were sampled around Guadeloupe and Martinique Islands from October 2021 to September 2022 to estimate the morphometric relationships between total length and weight (Length Weight Relationship: LWR) of each fish species according to potential spatial, temporal and sex differences. Of these species, this is the first time that the LWR was estimated in the Atlantic Ocean for 16 species. There is a significant relationship between length and weight for all tested species. For 83 tested species, the sex effect on the LWR showed significant sexual dimorphism for 24 species. Additionally, a link between the temporal effect and the reproduction period was tested for 68 species, of which 35 presented significant differences relative to the annual quarter of sampling. Finally, the geographical effect (i.e., the difference between samples from around Guadeloupe Island and those from Martinique Island) was significant for 60 species. This island effect was significant for 25 species.

The search for potent antimicrobial compounds is critical in the face of growing antibiotic resistance. This study explores Acalypha arvensis Poepp. (A. arvensis), a Caribbean plant traditionally used for disease treatment. The dried plant powder was subjected to successive extractions using different solvents: hexane (F1), dichloromethane (F2), methanol (F3), a 50:50 mixture of methanol and water (F4), and water (F5). Additionally, a parallel extraction was conducted using a 50:50 mixture of methanol and chloroform (F6). All the fractions were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity, and the F6 fraction was characterized using untargeted metabolomics using SPME-GC×GC-TOFMS. The extracts of A. arvensis F3, F4, and F5 showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (5 mg/mL), MRSA BA22038 (5 mg/mL), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 (10 mg/mL), and fraction F6 showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 (2 mg/mL), Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 (20 mg/mL), Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 (10 mg/mL), Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 (10 mg/mL), Staphylococcus aureus 024 (2 mg/mL), and Staphylococcus aureus 003 (2 mg/mL). Metabolomic analysis of F6 revealed 2861 peaks with 58 identified compounds through SPME and 3654 peaks with 29 identified compounds through derivatization. The compounds included methyl ester fatty acids, ethyl ester fatty acids, terpenes, ketones, sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids. This study represents the first exploration of A. arvensis metabolomics and its antimicrobial potential, providing valuable insights for plant classification, phytochemical research, and drug discovery.

Dengue fever has been a public health problem in the Caribbean region since 1981, when it first reappeared in Cuba. In 1989, it was reported in Martinique and Guadeloupe (two French islands 200 km apart); since then, DENV has caused several epidemics locally. In 2019-2021, DENV-1, DENV-2, and DENV-3 were detected. Serotype distribution was differentiated, with DENV-2 and DENV-3 predominating in Guadeloupe and Martinique, respectively. Complete genome sequencing was carried out on 32 specimens, and phylogenic analysis identified the circulation of genotype V for DENV-1, cosmopolitan genotype for DENV-2, and genotype III for DENV-3. However, two distinct circulating groups were identified for DENV-1 and DENV-3, suggesting independent introductions. Overall, despite the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated travel restrictions, these results confirm the active circulation of DENV and specific epidemiological features on each of the two islands. Such differences may be linked to the founder effect of the various introduction events, and to local factors such as the population immunity and the transmission capacity of the vectors. Further genomic and epidemiological characterization of DENV strains remains essential to understand how dengue spreads in each specific geographical context and to prevent future epidemics.

The term \'endemic parkinsonism\' refers to diseases that manifest with a dominant parkinsonian syndrome, which can be typical or atypical, and are present only in a particular geographically defined location or population. Ten phenotypes of endemic parkinsonism are currently known: three in the Western Pacific region; two in the Asian-Oceanic region; one in the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique; and four in Europe. Some of these disease entities seem to be disappearing over time and therefore are probably triggered by unique environmental factors. By contrast, other types persist because they are exclusively genetically determined. Given the geographical clustering and potential overlap in biological and clinical features of these exceptionally interesting diseases, this Review provides a historical reference text and offers current perspectives on each of the 10 phenotypes of endemic parkinsonism. Knowledge obtained from the study of these disease entities supports the hypothesis that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases, not only in endemic parkinsonism but also in general. At the same time, this understanding suggests useful directions for further research in this area.

BACKGROUND: Angiostrongylus cantonensis (rat lungworm) is the main pathogen responsible for eosinophilic meningitis in humans. One of its intermediate snail hosts, Achatina fulica, was already present in many countries around the world before it appeared in the West Indies in the late 1980s. In the French territories in the Caribbean and northern South America, the first cases of human neuroangiostrongyliasis were reported in Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana in 2002, 2013 and 2017, respectively. In order to better characterize angiostrongyliasis in Guadeloupe, particularly its geographical origin and route of introduction, we undertook molecular characterization of adult worms of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and its intermediate host Achatina fulica.
METHODS: Genomic DNA of adult Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Achatina fulica was extracted and amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the mitochondrial genes cytochrome B and C for A. cantonensis and 16S ribosomal RNA for A. fulica. The PCR products were sequenced and studied by phylogenetic analysis.
RESULTS: Cytochrome B and cytochrome C molecular markers indicate a monophyletic lineage of A. cantonensis adult worms in Guadeloupe. Two sequences of A. fulica were identified.
CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the recent introduction of both Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Achatina fulica into Guadeloupe. Achatina fulica in Guadeloupe shares a common origin with those in Barbados and New Caledonia, while Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Guadeloupe shares a common origin with those in Brazil, Hawaii and Japan.