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Hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) is a significant public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Universal infant vaccination with the hepatitis B (HB) vaccine has been implemented within the South African Expanded Programme of Immunization since April 1995 with concomitant reduction in HBV infection in children. However, the first vaccine dose is only administered at six weeks of age. This delay may lead to a failure to reduce the risk of perinatal HBV transmission to infants born to HIV/HBV co-infected women, in whom HBV infection is often upregulated. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV infection in babies born to HIV-infected mothers in the Western Cape, South Africa. HBV serological markers were tested in all infant serum samples and following HB viral load testing, sequencing and genotyping were also performed. Three of 1000 samples screened tested positive for HBsAg and HBV DNA. An additional infant tested positive for HBV DNA alone. All babies had received the HB vaccine at 6, 10 and 14 weeks. The prevalence of HBV infection was therefore 4/1000 (0.4%; 95% CI, 0.01–0.79%). Three of four infants and all four mothers were followed-up. Two infants were persistently positive for HBsAg with viral loads above 108 International Units per millilitre. All four maternal samples were positive for HBsAg and HBeAg and one was also positive for anti-HBe. Sequencing analysis of two mother–child HBV pairs showed 100% sequence identity. This study demonstrates HBV infection in HIV-exposed infants despite HB vaccination from 6 weeks of age. A more strategic approach is needed to prevent mother to child transmission of HBV, including screening of pregnant women, HBV-targeted antiviral therapy and HB birth dose vaccine.

The concept of Local Economic Development is gaining widespread acceptance in South Africa. There are at present few examples of local communities which have developed and applied concrete strategies and programmes. One major exception is that of the apartheid created 'coloured' town of Atlantis near Cape Town. The removal of state support and associated economic and social problems galvanised the local community into action. With the assistance of outside agencies a Local Economic Development strategy was identified and is currently being implemented. Modest success has been achieved and the basis for sustained local development is being laid. The experience of Atlantis serves to illustrate the potential which South African communities have to initiate a process of locally-driven development.

Tuscany is one of the viticultural regions in Italy most severely affected by esca. The epidemics started in 1986 and at the time it was explained as being caused by the great frost that hit Tuscany and many other parts of Italy the year before. Now, several years later, with a clearer understanding of the disease in the light of more recent research, we re-examined the cause of the epidemics and ask which factors could be more likely explanations, such as chemicals then used to control other grapevine diseases in Italy (active ingredients, dosages, application times) or, contemporary, methods to produce propagation material, changes in cultural practices or the rootstocks that were then used in new vineyards, and so on. We found little evidence that there was a direct correlation between the cold damage suffered in 1985 and the increase in esca disease later. We suggest that contributing factors causing the epidemics include the selective activity of fungicides used in the vineyard, which may have led to a build-up of inoculum of the fungi causing esca, and poor quality planting material arising from large scale propagation, resulting in grapevines more susceptible to weak pathogens such as Phaeomoniella chlamydospora [La Toscana è una delle regioni viticole italiane maggiormente affette dal mal dell´esca. L´epidemia è iniziata nel 1986 e allora si ritenne che fosse stata determinata dal grande freddo che colpì la Toscana e molte altre parti d´italia l´anno precedente. Ora, molti anni dopo, con una conoscenza maggiormente chiara della malattia alla luce della ricerca più recente, abbiamo riesaminato la causa dell´epidemia e ci chiediamo quali fattori potrebbero fornire la spiegazione più probabile, come i composti chimici utilizzati in seguito per controllare altre malattie della vite in Italia (principi attivi, dosaggi, epoche di trattamento) o, contemporaneamente, i metodi per produrre il materiale di propagazione, i cambiamenti delle tecniche colturale o i portinnesti che sono stati usati successivamente nei nuovi vigneti, e così via. Non abbiamo evidenziato l´esistenza di una correlazione diretta fra i danni da freddo del 1985 e il successivo aumento del mal dell´esca. Riteniamo che i fattori che hanno contribuito a causare l´epidemia possano comprendere l´attività selettiva dei fungicidi utilizzati nel vigneto, che potrebbero aver portato allo sviluppo dell´inoculo dei fungi agenti del mal dell´esca, e il materiale di propagazione di cattiva qualità derivante dalla propagazione su larga scala, da cui sono derivate piante più suscettibili a patogeni deboli come Phaeomoniella chlamydospora.]

This paper examines the potential for Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques to contribute to community development and empowerment in a deprived rural community in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. A series of participatory workshops was undertaken in which various new techniques were used to identify people-environment relationships and, in particular, the community perception of the value and problems relating to the river and riparian zone. The workshops led to the community taking positive action to address the problems identified. The study indicates the value and role of participatory research among disempowered communities in rural Africa.

Book review. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.