Cross-sectional survey of trachoma in school age children in the region of Thiès (Senegal)

BACKGROUND: Trachoma is a leading cause of blindness in West Africa. In Senegal previous studies have shown that the endemicity is high. AIMS: To verify the extent of the pathology and to study the epidemiologic characters of this infectious disease in a population of school age children in a rural zone, located in the Thiès region (Senegal). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey in six villages in the region of Thiès was performed in a population of school age children (5 to 15 years old). Sixty variables (individual, family, village, etc.) with morbidity indicators for trachoma cases were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The cross-sectional survey confirmed the extent of the prevalence of trachoma in the childhood population; 208 of the 388 children (mean age, 9.19 years) included had trachoma (53.6%). Significant statistical correlations were found among the occurrence of trachoma and ethnic origins, the village of residence, the father's profession and the daily quantity of water ingested and its origin. Inversely no correlation could be found between the occurrence of trachoma and sex, age (except for florid trachoma), the size of the sibship, whether the mother washes the child, washing their hands before eating, the number of cospouses and the number of children per mother. CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained confirmed the extent of this endemic disease in the region of Thiès, because dispensing antibiotic eye drop has limited efficacy over time. Information should be provided to the population on the extent of the disease and its epidemiologic characteristics and more widespread well drilling, and use of that water should be encouraged.     

Regulation of α1-acid glycoprotein plasma concentration by sex steroids and adrenal-cortical hormones during experimental inflammation in the rat

Treatment of adult intact rats with sex steroids (estradiol-17, ethynylestradiol, dihydrotestosterone) raises the concentration of serum acute-phase ₁,-acid glycoprotein (AGP). Estrogens are more effective than dexamethasone, and experimental inflammation causes an additive effect on AGP synthesis when ethynylestradiol is given simultaneously. Adrenaline is also able to increase the AGP level. Experiments with adrenalectomized and adrenalectomized plus castrated rats result in a 50% reduction in the serum level of AGP as compared with that in normal and hypophysectomized rats. Although ethynylestradiol is the strongest inducer of AGP synthesis in intact animals, it is unable to enhance significantly the AGP level in adrenalectomized rats, contrary to dexamethasone. Adrenalectomized rats are incapable of undergoing a substantial increase in plasma AGP level following experimental inflammation, and ethynylestradiol or adrenaline cannot take the place of dexamethasone in inducing high levels of AGP in these inflamed rats. These results indicate that glucocorticoids play an obligatory role in modulating AGP synthesis either by directly regulating the AGP gene or in modulating AGP synthesis by increasing the stability of AGP mRNA. Finally, it is suggested that glucocorticoids may also act in unmasking receptor binding sites at the AGP gene level for other mediators such as sex steroids and putative inflammatory factors.     

The new French rules for the attribution of renal transplants

The French rules for the attribution of a kidney transplant are regularly evaluated and modified according to scientific progress, evolution of the waiting list and of health policies. Modifications, initiated by the Transplantation Commission of the French-speaking Society of Nephrology, have been introduced in 2004 by the Etablissement fran?ais des Greffes and aim at decreasing the number of patients on the waiting list having difficult access to transplantation because of their immunogenetic characteristics (rare ABO or HLA group, HLA immunization). Four points are concerned: 1/ better definition of hyperimmunisation; 2/ introduction of a program based on "acceptable mismatches" as a new priority for hyperimmunized patients; 3/ suppression of the full-match priority to non-immunized patients; 4/ attribution to immunized patients (anti-HLA antibodies=5-80%) who have difficult access to a transplant, of priorities similar to those followed for hyperimmunized patients. This article presents the new rules for the allocation of a kidney transplant and the rationale for the current modifications.     

Comparative distribution of estrogen receptor alpha and beta immunoreactivities in the forebrain and the midbrain of the female guinea pig

Estrogen plays an important role in regulating gonadotropin secretion and reproductive behavior. The estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) was believed to be the only receptor which mediated the actions of the hormone until the identification of a novel ER called ERbeta. In the present study, the map of ERalpha immunoreactive (IR) neurons was compared with the distribution pattern of ERbeta-IR neurons in the forebrain and midbrain of ovariectomized guinea pigs using immunocytochemistry. The immunoreactivities appeared to be mainly nuclear in their subcellular distribution. Both ERalpha- and ERbeta-like immunoreactivities were highly expressed in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the ventrolateral hypothalamic nucleus but were found to be differentially expressed in discrete subregions of the amygdaloid complex. A large number of intensely labeled ERalpha cells were observed throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the preoptic region, whereas only a few ERbeta-IR neurons were found in the periventricular preoptic nucleus bordering the third ventricle or scattered in the medial preoptic area. In contrast, only ERalpha-immunoreactivity was seen in the septum, and in the magnocellular supraoptic, paraventricular, arcuate, and premammillary nuclei. In the midbrain, neurons containing ERalpha were observed throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the gray matter, whereas ERbeta was only detected within the dorsal raphe nucleus. These observations provide evidence of a distinct neuroanatomical pattern for the two subtypes of the ER which may have different roles in regulating behavior and the neuroendocrine mechanisms of reproduction. Species similarities and differences in the distributions of ERalpha and ERbeta immunoreactivities are discussed.     

Role of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli virulence factors in bacterial interaction with chicken heterophils and macrophages

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) cause extraintestinal disease in avian species via respiratory tract infection. Virulence factors associated with APEC include type 1 and P fimbriae, curli, aerobactin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), K1 capsular antigen, temperature-sensitive hemagglutinin (Tsh), and an uncharacterized pathogen-specific chromosomal region (the 0-min region). The role of these virulence factors in bacterial interaction with phagocytes was investigated by using mutants of three APEC strains, each belonging to one of the most predominant serogroups O1, O2, and O78. Bacterial cell interaction with avian phagocytes was tested with primary cultures of chicken heterophils and macrophages. The presence of type 1 fimbriae and, in contrast, the absence of P fimbriae, K1 capsule, O78 antigen, and the 0-min region promoted bacterial association with chicken heterophils and macrophages. The presence of type 1 and P fimbriae, O78 antigen, and the 0-min region seemed to protect bacteria against the bactericidal effect of phagocytes, especially heterophils. The tested virulence factors seemed to have a limited role in intracellular survival for up to 48 h in macrophages. Generally, opsonized and nonopsonized bacteria were eliminated to the same extent, but in some cases, unopsonized bacteria were eliminated to a greater extent than opsonized bacteria. These results confirm the important role of type 1 fimbriae in promotion of initial phagocytosis, but nevertheless indicate a role for type 1 fimbriae in the protection of bacteria from subsequent killing, at least in heterophils. The results also indicate a role for K1 capsule, O78 antigen, P fimbriae, and the 0-min region in initial avoidance of phagocytosis, but demonstrate an additional role for O78 antigen, P fimbriae, and the 0-min region in subsequent protection against the bactericidal effects of phagocytes after bacterial association has occurred.     

Habit learning dissociation in rats with lesions to the vermis and the interpositus of the cerebellum

After cerebellar tumors resection, patients show motor skill learning impairments but also cognitive deficits. However, their exact origins remain controversial. Using a rat model of cerebellar injury, we assessed the involvement of two structures often damaged during resection (vermis and interpositus nuclei) on habits development. During extended training of an instrumental task, rats develop response routines that are no longer voluntary or goal-directed but habit-based, evidenced by their insensitivity to changes in the value of the reward. Here we showed that, in contrast to sham or vermis lesioned rats, discrete lesions to interpositus nuclei prevented rats from developing habits with overtraining, without motor difficulties, nor alteration of the instrumental task acquisition. Our results suggest that the role of the cerebellum can be extended from motor skill learning to cognitive routines learning. Similar habit impairment could possibly account for some of the long-term outcome difficulties observed in cerebellar-damaged patients.     

Burden of Malaria during Pregnancy at the Time of IPTp/SP Implementation in Gabon

The new recommendations to prevent malaria in pregnant women have recently been implemented in Gabon. There is little information on the pregnancy indicators that are useful for their evaluation. A cross-sectional study for the assessment of the prevalence of peripheral, placental, and cord malaria and anemia among delivering women was performed at the largest public hospital of Gabon. Malaria prevalence was 34.4%, 53.6%, and 18.2% for maternal peripheral, placental, and cord blood respectively, with no difference between primigravidae and multigravidae. Submicroscopic infections were frequent and concerned all the positive cord samples. Maternal peripheral, late placental, and cord infections were all associated with a reduced mean birth weight in primigravidae (P = 0.02). Anemia prevalence was 53%, low birth rate was 13%, and prematurity was 25%. The use of intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (greater than or equal to one dose) combined with bed net was associated with a reduction in infection only in multigravidae and with a reduced risk of maternal anemia.     

Asp Viper (Vipera aspis) envenomation: experience of the Marseille Poison Centre from 1996 to 2008

A retrospective case review study of viper envenomations collected by the Marseille's Poison Centre between 1996 and 2008 was performed. RESULTS: 174 cases were studied (52 grade 1 = G1, 90 G2 and 32 G3). G1 patients received symptomatic treatments (average hospital stay 0.96 day). One hundred and six (106) of the G2/G3 patients were treated with the antivenom Viperfav* (2.1+/-0.9 days in hospital), while 15 of them received symptomatic treatments only (plus one immediate death) (8.1+/-4 days in hospital, 2 of them died). The hospital stay was significantly reduced in the antivenom treated group (p < 0.001), and none of the 106 antivenom treated patients had immediate (anaphylaxis) or delayed (serum sickness) allergic reactions. CONCLUSION: Viperfav* antivenom was safe and effective for treating asp viper venom-induced toxicity.