Surveillance épidémiologique de la coqueluche dans les armées françaises en 2007

Objectives

Pertussis surveillance in the French general population was stopped in 1986. Pertussis was added to the list of illnesses surveyed by the military epidemiological surveillance network ecause of outbreaks having occurred among French servicepersons and in military high schools. This study had for aim to report the results of the first year of surveillance.

Design

Pertussis declaration criteria were those recommended in 2006 by the French council for public hygiene. The data concerning active military servicepersons was collected by physicians of all military medical units. An anonymous declaration form was used for data collection.

Results

In 2007, 66 cases of pertussis were reported in the military forces, 10 of which were excluded after a negative biological test. The classification of the 56 included cases was: 46% biologically confirmed cases, 20% clinically confirmed cases, 14% suspected cases, and 6% epidemiologically confirmed cases. The incidence density rate was 16.3 cases for 100,000 servicepersons-years. Age under 20 was associated with a 4.6 fold higher risk to develop pertussis.

Conclusions

The high incidence rate observed in individuals under 20 years of age could reflect a shift of pertussis reservoir to young adults, as observed in industrialized countries after generalization of vaccination programs. However, several years of surveillance will be needed to confirm this hypothesis. Meanwhile, the military epidemiological network could constitute an important surveillance marker of pertussis among adults in France.     

Connaissance et application des recommandations vaccinales concernant la coqueluche par la médecine du travail des établissements de santé de Paris

Objective

A questionnaire was used on 44 public and private hospital physicians in Paris to evaluate their knowledge of and adherence to Vaccination Guidelines, three years after their introduction.

Results

Eighty per cent of the physicians answered and 92.5% were aware of the vaccination guidelines but only 2 out of 4 respected the targeted vaccination in young adults even when the vaccine was available. A policy of pertussis vaccination was applied only in 12 institutions, but even in these, the rate of vaccinated healthcare workers remained low or was not documented.

Conclusion

Pertussis is a potential risk to newborns not or partially vaccinated in France. Even if the vaccine is available, adherence to pertussis vaccination guidelines must be improved. Efforts should be made to better publicize and apply pertussis vaccination guidelines.     

Statut vaccinal des médecins généralistes dans le département de la Loire,France

Objectives

We surveyed the vaccination status of family physicians (FP) in the Loire district (France) in 2010.

Subjects and methods

A self-administered questionnaire was proposed to a panel of 460 FP; 288 (64%) answered.

Results

The vaccination coverage for Diphtheria-Tetanus-Polio in the previous 10 years, BCG, pertussis, seasonal influenza, A/H1N1 2009 influenza, and hepatitis B was 81, 74, 59, 73, 65, and 87% respectively. Sixty-four percent of FP reported they were vaccinated against measles and 49% against chicken pox; 76% were aware of vaccination recommendations for healthcare professionals but 41% wanted more information on the subject. The younger physicians were better vaccinated for Diphtheria-Tetanus-Polio, measles, hepatitis B, and influenza according to a multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

The vaccinations of FP (knowledge, practice) must be improved, especially by yearly updates, continuous medical education, and medical follow-up of healthcare professionals.     

Acute encephalitis associated to a respiratory infection due to Chlamydophila pneumoniae

Objective

Chlamydophila pneumoniae is a common agent of respiratory infections. Severe acute neurological infections are very infrequently linked to this bacterium. We report such a case and give a rapid overview of published cases of acute encephalitis occurring after a respiratory infection due to C. pneumoniae.

Patient and methods

A 12-year-old child without any prior medical history was hospitalized for encephalitis associated to respiratory symptoms.

Results

C. pneumoniae DNA was identified by multiplex PCR assay in respiratory secretions and C. pneumoniae IgM and IgG antibodies were assessed in the serum. This bacterium was not detected in CSF, nor was any other pathogen. A macrolide treatment was prescribed for two weeks. The outcome was good without any sequels.

Conclusions

This observation correlates to the few similar cases reported in the medical literature. C. pneumoniae must be suggested in the etiological diagnosis of acute encephalitis, notably in a context of respiratory infection, when no more common cause can be identified.     

Clinical effectiveness of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in men: California Men's Health Study

Objective

To examine the effectiveness of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) among approximately 40,000 community-dwelling men aged 45 years and older in the California Men's Health Study (CMHS) cohort.

Methods

All participants completed an extensive questionnaire at baseline (2002–2003) and were followed for the occurrence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) or all-cause pneumonia hospitalization through the end of 2009. Immunization status and incident IPD and pneumonia cases were ascertained through electronic medical records. The associations between vaccination and IPD or pneumonia hospitalization were assessed using time-dependent Cox proportional models to account for sociodemographics, time-updated vaccination status, and comorbidities.

Results

The median follow-up period of the 39,222 participants was 7.3 years. Among them, 11,902 (30.3%) had received at least one PPV vaccine at baseline and 7653 (19.5%) received their first PPV vaccine during the follow-up. There were 17 pneumococcal bacteremia cases, 647 hospitalized pneumonia cases, and no pneumococcal meningitis cases. The results suggested a reduced risk of pneumococcal bacteremia among men vaccinated at age ≥65 (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.06–1.91; p = 0.22). PPV vaccination did not show a protective effect against all-cause pneumonia hospitalization (adjusted HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.02–1.37, p = 0.03) among men vaccinated before 65 years old, but a moderate protective effect was suggested among men without chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases who were vaccinated after 65 years old (adjusted HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.67–1.06, p = 0.15).

Conclusions

The findings in this large cohort of men in Southern California suggested a benefit of PPV for protection against pneumococcal bacteremia among men vaccinated at age 65 years and older. PPV might not provide adequate protection against all-cause pneumonia hospitalization among men.     

Cent quinze cas de paludisme d’importation à Plasmodium falciparum admis en service d’urgence au CHU de Bordeaux

Objectives

The authors had for objective to evaluate the management of a Plasmodium falciparum malaria in a Bordeaux teaching hospital EU.

Methods

One hundred and fifteen patients with falciparum malaria admitted between January 2004 and October 2006 were retrospectively studied and those with ambulatory treatment were questioned by phone.

Results

Fifty per cent of patients had consulted a community physician prior to admission, and a parasitic test was made for 50 % of these. In seven (27 %) cases the test was wrong. Twenty-seven (87 %) of ambulatory patients were contacted by phone. Eleven (41 %) of these said they were not aware of the potential disease severity. Patients initially treated in ambulatory care and later hospitalized because of their evolution have either insisted to go back home or have been sent home because there was not enough room in the hospital. Hospitalization for at least 24 hours had been indicated for 83 patients (72 %). Twelve patients (10 %) have presented with symptoms of severe malaria. Atovaquone–proguanil was the main therapeutic regimen for inpatients and outpatients (n = 93, 81 %). Twelve (10 %) patients did not undergo follow-up parasitological assessment, 10 ambulatory patients (32 %) and two hospitalized patients (2 %).

Conclusion

An efficient hospital-community network and recent protocols are the best tools to rapidly refer patients to an adapted structure with available trained staff and referent specialist.     

Étude de la résistance des souches d’Escherichia coli isolées dans les urines aux fluoroquinolones et aux céphalosporines de troisième génération

Objectives

This study had for objective to assess the frequency of resistance to fluoroquinolones and to third generation cephalosporin in E. coli isolated from urines of consulting and hospitalized patients and to detect the rate of multiresistant E. coli strains.

Design

A retrospective survey was made over 3 years (1^st January 2005 to 31^st December 2007). Eight hundred and nineteen patients presented with UTI confirmed in the Rabat Cheikh Zayd Teaching Hospital.

Results

E. coli was the etiologic agent in 57% of reported UTI. The frequency of E. coli resistance to fluoroquinolones was 27% with a higher rate among hospitalized patients. We found that ten E. coli strains were producing extended-spectrum β-lactamase and resistant to aminosides and fluoroquinolones.

Conclusions

The resistance of E. coli to fluoroquinolones is becoming worrying among consulting and hospitalized patients. Ten strains multiresistant to fluoroquinolones and third generation cephalosporins, probably because of plasmids, were isolated. This increasingly frequent resistance mechanism should lead to a more careful use of first line fluoroquinolones for UTI.     

Immune responses in the airways by nasal vaccination with systemic boosting against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in chronic lung disease

Rationale

Pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic lung diseases. Systemic vaccination in patients with cystic fibrosis has been only successful in part. Mucosal vaccination could lead to enhanced airway immunogenicity. Pathogen specific secretory IgA antibodies could prevent bacterial invasion into the lung mucosa.

Objectives

A phase 1–2 mucosal vaccination trial with an intranasal P. aeruginosa vaccine was performed.

Methods

12 patients with chronic lung diseases (8 COPD, 2 cystic fibrosis, 1 bronchiectasis, 1 histiocytosis X) were vaccinated three times intranasally followed by a systemic booster vaccination with a recombinant hybrid protein encompassing the main protective epitopes of two outer membrane proteins of P. aeruginosa. Mucosal and systemic antibody responses were measured after boosting and after a half-year follow-up compared to a representative control cohort.

Measurements

Specific IgG and IgA antibodies in the patient's sera, saliva and sputum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and IgG subclass distributions were defined with monoclonal mouse antibodies.

Results

Both forms of vaccination were well tolerated. Significant elevated IgA and IgG antibodies could be measured in sputum, saliva and in the sera of 11/12 patients.

Conclusions

Mucosal vaccination followed by systemic boost with an outer membrane protein vaccine against P. aeruginosa leads to airway immunogenicity against the pathogen. Further clinical trials should elucidate the protective efficacy of this vaccination method.     

Déterminants de couverture vaccinale antitétanique chez l’adulte en France et de connaissance du statut vaccinal

Background

Every year, 15 to 20 tetanus cases are reported in France. The latest national figures showed that only 62 % of adults were up-to-date for this vaccination. We tried to determine the factors associated with vaccination coverage and with knowledge of vaccination status.

Methods

We analyzed data from the “Santé et Protection sociale” survey (2002). We analyzed the association between factors and tetanus vaccination coverage. We then explored the association between these factors and knowledge of vaccination status.

Results

Two demographic variables were only associated with vaccination coverage (higher coverage in male individuals and in individuals living in some regions of the country). Two socioeconomic variables were only associated with knowledge of vaccination status (higher knowledge in people from high income families and in managers/private professionals and in office workers). Coverage and status awareness both decreased with lower education level, in residents of large urban centers and in individuals without private medical insurance, and these two indicators were both associated to age but in an opposite direction.

Conclusion

Factors influencing vaccination coverage are rather demographic, whereas socioeconomic factors seem to influence more the knowledge of vaccination status. This distinction should help to target public health actions and adapt information for the least covered and the least informed groups.     

Analyse de l’exposition préalable aux anti-inflammatoires et aux antibiotiques d’une cohorte de 34 patients hospitalisés au CHU de Nantes pour phlegmon périamygdalien

Objective

The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of patients hospitalized for a peritonsillar abscess over a 1-year period and to evaluate the proportion of patients exposed to anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs before hospitalization.

Design

Adult patients hospitalized in the ENT department at the Nantes University Hospital were included in the study during 2006. Data related to prior use of anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs, microbiology and treatment was analyzed.

Results

Thirty-four patients were included in the study, 20 (59%) and 21 (62%) patients had been previously exposed to anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs, respectively. Half of the patients had received antibiotics despite the negativity of the rapid screening test. All diagnoses were made on pus examination after aspiration. Tonsillectomy was performed only in two cases. A total of 21 bacterial isolates (13 anaerobic and 9 aerobic) were identified. Single bacterial isolates were recovered in 8 infections. The most frequent bacteria were Streptococcus, Fusobacterium, and Prevotella.

Conclusions

Many patients were exposed to both anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs, which did not prevent the peritonsillar abscess.     

Malaria attacks due to P. vivax or P. ovale in two French military teaching hospitals (2000 to 2009)

Context

Non-falciparum malaria is less studied than Plasmodium falciparum malaria, both in endemic and non-endemic zones.

Patients and method

A retrospective study was made of the medical files of patients managed for attacks of malaria due to Plasmodium vivax or Plasmodium ovale, between 2000 and 2009, in two French military teaching hospitals.

Results

Seventy-five percent of attacks occurred after a stay in French Guiana, in the Comoros Archipelago, or in the Ivory Coast Republic. The most frequent symptoms two months after coming back were a flu-like syndrome with headaches, and occasional digestive symptoms, without any difference between the first attack and recurrence. One third of patients presented with anemia, 78% with thrombocytopenia, and 12% with liver dysfunction.

Discussion

This study was the most important made in France on imported non-falciparum malaria. Military patients and immigrants accounted for a majority of patients due to the specificity of military hospitals and local recruitment. Clinical and biological features were not specific and did not allow guiding the diagnosis. Diagnostic tools were less sensitive for P. ovale.

Conclusion

Patient management could be optimized by more efficient diagnostic tools, specific guidelines for the diagnostic and therapeutic management, and a dedicated medical training for family practitioners as well as hospitals practice.     

Compliance to recommendations for the management of curative treatment of Plasmodium vivax/ovale infections

Objectives

We assessed the compliance to recommendations for the routine management of Plasmodium vivax/ovale malaria, and analyzed the impact of discrepancies on the quality of care.

Patients and methods

We reviewed the cases of P. ovale and P. vivax malaria treated at the Besançon University Hospital, France (2008–2013).

Results

Chloroquine was prescribed in 44% of the 18 cases (4 due to P. ovale, 14 to P. vivax). Radical cure with primaquine was prescribed after the first bout of malaria for 6 patients. The primaquine dose prescribed was inferior to the recommended one for 4 patients. The mean delay between schizonticide treatment and primaquine cure was 43 days.

Conclusions

The delay before access to primaquine radical cure was the only parameter, likely to alter treatment effectiveness, but also difficult to shorten. Future national guidelines should take into account that not all patients have access to primaquine treatment immediately after schizonticide treatment.     

Comparison of antibody and cell-mediated immune responses of foals and adult horses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Background

Equine neonates have reduced humoral and cell-mediated immune responses compared to adult horses after administration of killed vaccines. As a basis for this study, we hypothesized that newborn foals can mount strong immune responses after vaccination with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG.

Methods

Healthy 4-day-old foals (n = 7), 4-month-old foals (n = 7) and adult horses (n = 6) were vaccinated once with live M. bovis BCG. Age-matched animals (n = 5 per group) were used as unvaccinated controls. Relative vaccine-specific immunoglobulin concentrations and whole blood mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 were measured prior to and 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after vaccination. Eight weeks after vaccination, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses were assessed by measuring the increase in double skin thickness after intradermal injection of purified protein derivative.

Results

Both groups of foals and adult horses responded with a significant increase in vaccine-specific total IgG, IgGa, IgGc, IgG(T), and IgM concentrations. In contrast, only adult horses mounted significant IgGb responses. Vaccine-specific concentrations of total IgG and IgGa were significantly higher in adult horses than in 4-day-old foals whereas IgGc responses were significantly higher in 4-day-old foals than in the other two age groups. Adult horses had significantly higher basal IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA expression than both groups of foals but vaccination with M. bovis BCG did not significantly increase expression of these cytokines, regardless of age group. Immunized horses had significantly higher DTH responses than age-matched unvaccinated controls. DTH responses were significantly greater in both groups of vaccinated foals than in vaccinated adult horses.

Conclusion

Despite a naïve immune system, newborn foals have the ability to mount robust antibody and cell-mediated immune responses to M. bovis BCG.     

Implementation of a Q fever vaccination program for high-risk patients in the Netherlands

Background

Between 2007 and 2011 the Netherlands was faced with an unprecedented Q fever outbreak with more than 4000 people affected. Dairy goats were considered the main source of infection. In addition to taking veterinary measures, the Dutch government offered an unlicensed vaccine against the causative bacterium Coxiella burnetii to patient groups at high-risk of Q fever complications. This article describes the complexity of the vaccination program for Q fever in 2010–2011.

Methods

High-risk patients were selected and referred mainly by their general practitioner to a publicly funded centralized screening and vaccination program. In addition, cardiovascular specialists and the public were informed. Patients were screened for previous infection with C. burnetii by serology and skin-tests. Patients who tested positive were excluded from vaccination.

Results

Of the 2741 referred high-risk patients (1669 male, 1957 from the high-risk area), 955 were excluded because vaccination was considered unnecessary or the distance to the vaccination clinic too far. 388 (22% of those screened) were excluded because of a positive skin-test or serology. 1368 patients (77% of those screened) were vaccinated between January and June 2011. Two-thirds of the vaccinees reported an adverse event. 89 patients (6.6%) reported serious adverse events. In just one patient, with an injection site reaction, a possible causal relationship was considered.

Conclusion

This Q fever vaccination program posed challenges to the Dutch Health Care system. Creating clarity on the roles and responsibilities of those involved precluded timely vaccination. Targeting the high-risk population through GPs was challenging but appeared to be efficient. The vaccination was considered to be safe and compliance of the screened patients was high.     

Opinions et pratiques des médecins généralistes face à la vaccination anti-Papillomavirus

Aims

The purpose of this study was to assess the standpoint of family physicians in the Southern French region Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur concerning human Papillomavirus vaccination and to evaluate the factors associated with a favorable standpoint.

Methodology

A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 1,000 family physicians. The survey focused on their profile, their views on vaccination generally and on HPV vaccination, their knowledge of HPV, their standpoint concerning STD prevention and cervical cancer screening. Multivariable linear regression system was used to study the variations associated with a favorable response to HPV vaccination.

Outcome

Response was 36.6%. The responses were analyzed taking into account gender of the family physicians, location and size of their practice. There was reasonable similarity amongst those questioned. Around 89.6% of family physicians answers were in favor of HPV. The ideal age for vaccination was between 11 and 13 years of age for 34.4% and between 14 and 15 for 53.9%. The family physicians most in favor of vaccination were those involved in screening for STDs, those who did not think that the vaccine would have a negative effect on the image of sexuality and on screening for cervical cancer, and those who were confident about the vaccine safety.

Conclusion

The study identified the negative elements concerning HPV in order to optimize information strategies among family physicians.     

Cost of hospitalizing children with invasive pneumococcal pneumonia

Background

Although invasive pneumococcal pneumonia remains responsible for a significant number of child hospitalizations, specific data on hospital resource utilization and related costs are limited.

Objectives

To assess the cost of hospitalizing children with invasive pneumococcal pneumonia and identify the cost determinants of the disease.

Patients and methods

Economic evaluation based on an observational study of all children <18 years of age with culture-proved invasive pneumococcal pneumonia admitted to a referral hospital in Barcelona (Spain) during the period January 2001–December 2011. Analysis included demographic, microbiological, epidemiological and clinical variables.

Results

A total of 135 children were included in the study (median age 3.3 years). PCV13 serotypes were detected in 132 (97.8%) cases. Median hospital cost was €4533 (€4078–5435, 95% CI). Median length of stay was 11.0 days (10.6–13.0 days, 95% CI). Variables significantly associated with increased cost in the multivariate analysis were complicated pneumonia (≥2 and 1 complication) versus non-complicated pneumonia (€4919 and €2822 vs. €1399), performance of surgery versus no surgery (€4849 vs. €1435), intensive care versus no intensive care (€6488 vs. €3862) and identification of non-PCV7 serotypes versus PCV7 serotypes (€4656 vs. €1470).

Conclusion

Invasive pneumococcal pneumonia in children makes substantial demands on hospital health care and financial resources that could be mitigated with universal PCV13 childhood immunization programmes and early management of complications.     

Effects of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate 1 vaccine on the severity of adult 2 bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia

Purpose

The introduction of a 7-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine (PCV7) in children largely affected the prevalence of adult pneumococcal pneumonia. In this study we investigated whether the clinical severity of adult bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia has also altered following the introduction of pediatric PCV7 vaccination.

Methods

Adults hospitalized with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia between 2001 and June 2011 at two Dutch hospitals were included retrospectively. Clinical data on patient characteristics, comorbidities and severity of disease were obtained and pneumococcal serotypes were determined.

Results

Among 343 patients investigated, those infected with PCV7 serotypes had a higher PSI score (p = 0.0072) and mortality rate (p = 0.0083) compared with the remainder of the cohort. Since the introduction of PCV7 the proportion of pneumococcal pneumonias caused by serotypes 1 and 7F (p-values 0.037 and 0.025) increased, as well as the rate of pleural effusion and empyema (p-values 0.011 and 0.049). Whilst de proportion of adults infected with PCV7 serotypes decreased after the introduction of PCV7 (p = 0.015), PSI scores in these patients remained higher (p = 0.030), although mortality rates between PCV7 and non PCV7 types equalized. After the introduction of PCV7 a marked shortening in hospital stay was observed only among patients infected with non PCV7 serotypes (p = 0.019).

Conclusions

The introduction of pediatric PCV7 vaccination was accompanied by subtle changes in clinical severity of adult bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia. Expansion of serotypes covered by pneumococcal vaccination may again influence the clinical presentation of disease.     

Streptococcus pneumoniae invasive infections in Burkina Faso, 2007 to 2011

Objective

We had for aim to determine the epidemiology of meningeal and lung invasive infections due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in Burkina Faso.

Material and methods

We screened for S. pneumoniae with the usual bacteriology techniques and with real time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) in 7917 samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and pleural fluid (PF) collected in the Ouagadougou Yalgado Ouedraogo Teaching Hospital, from 2007 to 2011.

Results

S. pneumoniae was identified in 476 (6%) samples including 455 (5.7%) in CSF and 21 (0.3%) in PF. Sixty-seven percent of invasive infections occurred in patients 15 years of age or less, without any significant sex ratio difference. The infections occurred most frequently between January and August, with the first and most important peak between January and May (dry season) and the second peak between June and August (at the beginning of rain season). The introduction of rt-PCR proved the under diagnosing of invasive infections by usual bacteriological methods (latex agglutination assay and culture).

Conclusion

Invasive pneumococcal infections occur mainly in patients 15 years of age or less, without any difference in sex ratio and with peaks in the dry season. Vaccinal schedules should include all age ranges in Burkina Faso.