Aspects épidémiologiques et bactériologiques des shigelloses à Sfax,Tunisie (1994–1995)

Objective – In Tunisia, little data is available on shigellosis and this study was carried out by the laboratory of Microbiology, in the Sfax teaching hospital, to identify the epidemiological and bacteriological pattern of shigellosis in the Sfax region (south of Tunisia).Method – Between January 1994 and December 1995, all the stool cultures were assessed.Results – One hundred strains of Shigellae were isolated (1.5% of coprocultures). Shigella flexneri accounted for 80% of the strains. No Shigella dysenteria type 1 was isolated. Resistance rates were high for antibiotics such as: amoxicillin (45.5%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (31%), streptomycin (66.5%), tetracycline (61.8%), and chloramphenicol (44.4%). Low resistance rates were reported for trimethroprim/sulfamethoxazole (10%), cephalosporins and quinolones (⩽ 1%).     

Généralités sur arbovirus et arboviroses

Arbovirus diseases are mainly tropical affections caused by a heterogenic group of viruses with common epidemiological properties. About 130 known arboviruses belonging to about 12 different virus families are of human or veterinarian medical importance. Many others are not pathogenic but can be interesting models for fundamental virological studies. Arboviruses survive in nature by biological transmission between vertebrate hosts and hematophage arthropoda. Arboviruses reproduce on these without change to their life or fecundity. They are transmitted through bite or sting of infected arthropoda to receptive vertebrates inducing an early and transitional viremia. A more or less complex cycle usually follows: virus, arthropoda vector, vector, vertebrate host. According to the vector’s ecology, each arbovirus is present in a specific area and is always likely to invade a non-endemic zone. The arthropoda in question are ticks, mosquitoes, phlebotomes, or Culicoides (Ceratopogonidae). Vertebrates either spread or amplify the viremia or they are accidental hosts or epidemiological dead-ends. Three types of clinical presentations are described: febrile polyalgia (“dengue-like” syndromes); hemorrhagic fever (frequently severe evolution); meningo-encephalitis (frequently severe evolution ending by death or recovery with severe neurological sequels). Various arboviruses are responsible for the same clinical presentations; but a same virus can induce several types of syndromes which stress the importance of laboratory diagnosis, based on the virus identification and specific serological tests. Prophylaxis relies on vaccination: yellow fever, tick borne encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis and fighting against vectors. New vaccines are being studied but not on the market yet.     

Teneur en iode et qualité microbiologique des sels alimentaires commercialisés au Bénin

Objective

To evaluate the iodine content and microbiological contamination of salts sold at Dantokpa, the Benin's largest market, in order to assess quality throughout the distribution chain.

Aspects épidémiologiques et cliniques de la leishmaniose viscérale de l'adulte en Tunisie

Objective – The epidemiological variations of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Tunisia are studied along with the clinical specificity of the disease in adults.Patients and methods – Six cases of parasitologically confirmed adult VL are described.Results – All patients tested negative for HIV. Clinical manifestations were not always evocative. In fact, two patients were apyretic and splenomegaly was absent in three. Biological disorders were more frequently noted, especially increase of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anemia, and hyper γ globulinemia.Conclusion – The epidemiological profile of VL in Tunisia is slowly becoming identical to the North Mediterranean model characterized by a high proportion of adult cases. This may be due to the multiplication of immunodepressing factors and the decrease of specific immunization following the less frequent human-parasite contact during childhood.