Bulletin de la Societe de pathologie exotique et de ses filiales最新文献

Three serological tests: the Card Agglutination Test (Testryp CATT), the Indirect Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT) and the Cellognost Indirect Haemagglutination technique (CIHA) were used to analyse the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 41 patients infected with Trypanosoma gambiense and 30 uninfected persons. The authors reported the following data: --IFAT and especially CIHA were more efficient than CATT to demonstrate the presence of specific antibodies in the CSF; --the intensity of the cell and protein alterations paralleled the IFAT fluorescence intensity and the CIHA dilution titers; --this study indicated that the immunological analysis applied to CSF may prove to be a useful procedure to diagnosis the early onset of the attack on the nervous system and the evolution of the disease measured by the intensity of the reactions.

About the two first cases of rhinoentomophthoromycosis (Conidiobolus coronatus) observed in Congo, the spectacular efficiency of ketoconazole must be pointed out: the second patient who has been treated from the beginning, recovered in two months. This evolution is to be compared with the therapeutic difficulties which had occurred before this antimycotic drug was used, as illustrated by the first patient who had to be hospitalized for almost one year and half and to suffer twice from an upper lip necrosis. However, that patient regained a decent facies due to a treatment with ketoconazole which had been postponed for a long time, and added to an hepatitis, and to plastic surgery.

This epidemiological survey includes the study of human and animal leptospirosis in New Caledonia from clinical cases as well as a systematic serological study about exposed human and animal populations. The results show that this disease is endemic on the whole territory with a few important focuses in agricultural area, especially on the Western coast. Leptospira icterohemorrhagiae is the main serotype and is responsible for serious human leptospirosis. The male farmers constitute the most exposed population, especially from March to May, end of the host season. In order to reduce the importance of this disease, it is desirable that the farmers are vaccinated and mass media campaigns are necessary to improve the prevention.

The research of the flagellar antigen H:z66 of Salmonella typhi was performed in 1,000 strains from the West Indies, Central America and South America. A method based on the immobilization of motile strains in soft agar with immune serum anti-H: d was used to detect strains carrying this flagellar antigen. No strains had antigen H:z66 irrespective to their biovar, phage-type, colicinogeny, drug susceptibility and geographical origin. Future investigations are needed for a better knowledge of the worldwide distribution of Salmonella typhi strains carrying antigen H:z66.

Longitudinal Survey on Malaria is conducted in the Foothills (Ouadi Rissian) in an area between 450 m et 750 m elevation south-west of Taez in Yemen Arab Republic (Y.A.R.) Malaria is mesoendemic and transmission is perennial. P. falciparum is the only parasite species identified and A. arabiensis the main vector collected. Control measures are discussed.

The bioecological parameters which are of special importance in the epidemiology of Dengue, Yellow Fever, and other arboviruses are discussed. Three levels are retained: the nature of Aedes aegypti-man contacts, the susceptibility of the mosquito to the pathogen and multiplication of the latter, and the transmission. The trophic preferences, the density variations, the daily survival rate, the egg diapause, and man influences are the main vector-dependent ecological factors. Temperature and genetical nature of viral and mosquito strains are particularly important in susceptibility and multiplication studies. Efficacy of the oral transmission is also temperature-dependent and mainly genetically determined. The true natural role of transovarial transmission is not yet well understood. Thus, the breaking up and/or prevention of epidemics would be possible only with a thorough knowledge of the relation between the above biological factors and the epidemiological situation. A list is provided of the naturally or experimentally Aedes aegypti transmitted arboviruses (103), protozoans (5) and filaria (20).

The seroprevalence of syphilis was studied in an urban and a semi-rural community in Gabon by a cluster sampling technique. The crude prevalence rate of treponemal infection in the semi-rural population was estimated to be 13.3 +/- 5.0% and in the urban population 19.4 +/- 4.6%. The age-adjusted prevalence rate was significantly higher in the urban than in the semi-rural population. In both areas, it was significantly higher in men than in women. No significant difference was observed according to age. These high rates indicate the need for a control program for sexually transmitted diseases.

In this first article, the authors present a fast method of determining the bactericide and bacteriostatic power of the germs, based on the disparition of the succino-dehydrogenase activity of a bacterium, objectified by a neotetrazolium chloride reaction. This reaction allows a colorimetric qualitative and quantitative determination of the activity of a preparation and the duration of its contact with the bacteria. This method allows a study in electronic microscopy which will be published in a second article.

A sero-epidemiological study of Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses in a urban population of Cameroon. The authors report the results of a sero-epidemiological survey undertaken in a urban population of Cameroon and concerning Congo, Rift (RVF), Lassa, Ebola, Marburg and Yellow Fever Viruses. On 375 human sera tested, 1.06% show antibodies against RVF virus and 1.87% are positive for anti-Ebola antibodies thus yielding evidence that these two viruses are present in this area of Cameroon. 33.75% have antibodies against Yellow Fever Virus as determined with an Hemagglutination-inhibition test. This quite high percentage, in spite of the weak specificity of the method for this virus, could raise the problem of the opportunity of a vaccination campaign. No antibody to Marburg, Lassa or Congo viruses is detected.