Giant pleomorphic adenoma of the submaxillary gland: case report

We report an exceptional case of giant cell tumor of the submaxillary gland in a 76-year-old woman. The tumor progressed slowly over a period of 40 years. Submaxillectomy removed a 3-kg mass before fixation. The postoperative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged fifteen days later. Pathology examination revealed a pleomorphous adenoma developed within the salivary gland.     

Aspects of genital tuberculosis in women

Thirteen cases of genital tuberculosis are reported to make emphasis onto the difficulties of diagnosis, management and prognosis of the disease. The average age of the patients is 31 years. Most of them were under 30. The circumstances of diagnosis were variable. The diagnosis was essentially made thanks to histology. The evolution was favorable under antibiotics. But clinical sequels as amenorrhea and infertility are frequent.     

Escherichia coli meningitis during bacteremia in the Ibrahima-Diop-Mar infectious diseases clinic, Dakar Fann National Hospital Center (Senegal)

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe epidemiological, clinical, and bacteriological aspects of Escherichia coli bacteremia and meningitis in the Ibrahima-Diop-Mar infectious diseases clinic, Dakar Fann National Hospital Center (Senegal). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was collected from the bacteriology laboratory and hospitalization files. RESULTS: 57 cases of E. coli bacteremia were reported. Among them, 10 were associated with meningitis. AIDS was diagnosed in 74% of the cases. The global lethality rate was 47% but this rate was higher in cases of associated meningitis (80 vs 37%) and in AIDS patients (50 vs 27%). Ceftriaxone, aztreonam, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin were active on more than 95% of strains but cotrimoxazole was active on only 49% of the strains. Resistance to cotrimoxazole was higher among E. coli strains isolated from AIDS patients (62 vs 13%). CONCLUSION: The low susceptibility to cotrimoxazole might increase the incidence of E. coli infections among patients with AIDS. It is therefore important to find an alternative to cotrimoxazole chemoprophylaxis.     

Post-circumcision tetanus in Dakar, Senegal

This study aimed at describing the epidemiology, clinical features and prognosis of post-circumcision tetanus at the infectious diseases clinic in Fann Hospital in Dakar. Data were collected retrospectively for analysis from patients' files recorded from January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2006. 54 cases were included, accounting for 4% of all tetanus cases admitted to the clinic during the study period (54 cases/1291). The patients' average age was 9 +/- 3.7 years old (range = 1-17 years) and 52% of them were schoolboys. In most cases (76%), tetanus symptoms occurred beyond 7 days after circumcision. The average delay from onset of the disease to admission was 2.3 days (range = 0-6 days). The circumcision took place at home in 39% of cases, in health center in 35% of cases and in unspecified area in 26% of cases. The majority of patients (85%) had never received tetanus vaccine and, in 72% of the cases, the circumciser was designated as a male nurse. Generalized tetanus was observed in all cases, most of which was a mild form of the disease (63%). During hospitalisation, thirteen patients (24%) had complications among which diaphragmatic and intercostal muscle spasms (3 cases), bacteraemia (5 cases), respiratory infection (4 cases), urinary tract infection (4 cases), and fracture of the vertebrae (1 case). The case fatality rate was 7.4% (4 deaths). Vaccination together with health education of the population as well as a better sensitization of the practitioners are necessary to eradicate tetanus after circumcision.     

Environmental lead exposure and its relationship to traffic density among Senegalese children: a cross-sectional study

Leaded-gasoline is probably the primary source of lead (Pb) exposure in Dakar (Senegal). The present cross-sectional study was undertaken to investigate the levels of Pb in Senegalese children and to present helpful data on the relationship between Pb levels and changes in biological markers of heme biosynthesis and oxidative stress. A total of 330 children, living since birth either in rural or urban areas (ie, Khombole (n = 162) and Dakar (n = 168), respectively) were included. During this cross-sectional study, the mean blood (B)-Pb level in all children was 7.32 +/- 5.33 microg/dL, and was influenced by the area of residence and gender. In rural children, 27 subjects (16.7%), 18 boys (19.6%) and nine girls (12.9%), had a B-Pb level > 10 microg Pb/dL, whereas 99 urban children (58.9%), respectively, 66 boys (71.8%) and 33 girls (43.4%), had alarmingly high B-Pb levels. Accordingly, urine delta-aminolevulinic acid levels were higher in children living in the urban area than in the rural areas (P < 0.001), and closely correlated with the B-Pb levels (P < 0.01). Moreover, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, selenium (Se) level, glutathione reductase (GR) activity, and glutathione status were significantly influenced by area of residence and/or by gender. GPx activity and Se level were not only negatively correlated with B-Pb levels, but also positively correlated together (P < 0.01). Taken together, the present results allow us to conclude that urban children have higher B-Pb levels than rural children, and that of these children, boys have higher B-Pb levels than girls, leading thereby to alterations of heme biosynthesis and pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance. We also suggest that exposure to Pb and the Pb-induced adverse effects merits attention and that the development of preventive actions are of increasing importance in Senegal.     

Treatment of status epilepticus in a developing country]

Status epilepticus (SE) is a condition requiring emergency care, which is often poorly managed in developing countries due to the lack of personnel, drugs, and insufficient technical and medical means. This study aims at determining the epidemiologic and etiologic characteristics and the difficulty in treating SE under the existing medical practice conditions in a developing country such as Senegal. A retrospective study was therefore carried out based on SE medical files at the University Hospital of Dakar over the period January 1988 to December 1998, and included several hospital departments, i.e., paediatrics, infectious diseases and neurology. Over an 11-year period 697 cases were recorded; of these, 48.2% of patients were under 5 years of age. The seizures were generalized in 58.2% of cases, partial in 21.2%, partial secondarily generalized, or with an association of both clinical presentations in 20.6% of cases. The etiology was as follows: mainly infectious (67%), followed by resistant and/or unbalanced epilepsy (9.9%), epilepsy of vascular origin (8%), and various other causes. The overall mortality rate was 24.8%. A long period between the onset of clinical symptoms and hospital treatment was noted, with an average time lapse of 16.6 h before treatment. The drugs utilized were diazepam and phenobarbitol, administered by injection. The overall outcome could be improved by better management, i.e., better prevention and an efficient treatment of infectious diseases, a reduction in the time before treatment, and improved means of intensive care.