Epidemiologic surveillance and prevention of brucellosis in ruminants: the example of the north African region and the Near East]

The author reviews the general principles and different strategies recommended for the epidemiological surveillance and control of brucellosis in cattle and small ruminants, with particular reference to the region of North Africa and the Near East. Three strategic options are proposed, the choice of which depends on the real prevalence of the disease, the socio-economic context, the state of advancement of the animal health surveillance system and the policy set by the competent authorities. In heavily infected countries, gradual changeover is recommended from strategy A (systematic vaccination) to strategy B (selective vaccination), and eventually to strategy C (control measures), concurrent with the establishment of an adequate veterinary infrastructure, in particular for epidemiological surveillance and the control of animal movements. The author stresses the relevance for the majority of countries in the region in question of implementing the guidelines drawn up by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization and the Office International des Epizooties to control brucellosis in the Middle East.     

Liposarcome rétropéritonéal géant. À propos d’un cas

The authors report a case of giant retroperitoneal liposarcoma revealed by an abdominal mass and non specific digestive symptomatology. They discuss, through a review of the literature, the different clinical, radiological, anatomopathological, therapeutic and evolutive aspects of abdominal liposarcoma.     

Neuroimaging findings in eclamptic patients still symptomatic after 24 hours: a descriptive study about 19 cases

OBJECTIVE: To describe the neuroimaging findings in eclamptic patients still symptomatic after 24 hours. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All parturients consecutively admitted over a 12-month period for eclampsia and presenting with neurological disorders (coma, focal neurological abnormalities, and eye sight disturbance) underwent cerebral CT-scan and/or MRI. RESULTS: Nineteen women were studied, and all had abnormal neuroradiological findings. The CT-scan was normal in three cases. Cerebral oedema was the predominant lesion (14 cases). It was localized in the parietal or occipital area (12 cases), paraventricular area (1 case), or was diffuse (1 case). Diffusion weighted MRI was performed in four cases and showed cytotoxic cerebral oedema in one case. There were three cases of cerebral venous thrombosis and two cases of intracerebral haemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Various neuroradiological lesions can be observed in eclamptic patients. A localized cerebral oedema is the most frequent. Diffusion weighted MRI should be systematically done when neurological disorders persist.     

Ocular relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

A bilateral leukemic hypopyon can be inaugural in the child's leukemia or reveal a relapse. A five years old child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia presented after 30 months of treatment a bilateral hypopyon. Anterior chamber paracentesis with cytological survey revealed leukemic cells and confirmed the ocular relapse. The treatment included the association of topical corticosteroids, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This child died unfortunately 16 months later following a medullar relapse. We remind the different clinical aspects of leukemic invasion of the anterior segment and the therapeutic methods for this relapse.     

ATP8A2-related disorders as recessive cerebellar ataxia

Journal of Neurology - ATP8A2-related disorders are autosomal recessive conditions that associate encephalopathy with or without hypotonia, psychomotor delay, abnormal movements, chorea, tremor,...     

PPAR alpha activator fenofibrate inhibits myocardial inflammation and fibrosis in angiotensin II-infused rats

BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)alpha is highly expressed in the heart. PPAR alpha may play a role in cardiac hypertrophy, but effects on cardiac function, inflammation, and fibrosis are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that the PPAR alpha activator fenofibrate prevents myocardial inflammation and fibrosis in angiotensin (Ang) II-infused rats. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sprague Dawley rats received Ang II (120 ng/kg/min subcutaneously), fenofibrate (100 mg/kg/d p.o.), or Ang II + fenofibrate. After 7 d, systolic blood pressure (mmHg) was elevated (P < 0.01) in Ang II-infused rats (173 +/- 4) vs. controls (115 +/- 2) and reduced by fenofibrate (137 +/- 5). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that Ang II upregulated cardiac nuclear factor kappa B activity by 50%. Ang II significantly increased cardiac expression of vascular-cell adhesion molecule-1, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1. Increases in expression of these inflammatory mediators were normalized by fenofibrate. Ang II-induced expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1, collagen deposition, and macrophage infiltration were partially prevented by fenofibrate. CONCLUSIONS: The PPAR alpha activator fenofibrate prevented development of hypertension, and improved myocardial inflammation and collagen deposition in Ang II-infused rats. The hypolipidemic drug fenofibrate may be useful in prevention and treatment of myocardial disease associated with hypertension and hyperlipidemia.     

Comparison of the efficacy of Brucella abortus strain RB51 and Brucella melitensis Rev. 1 live vaccines against experimental infection with Brucella melitensis in pregnant ewes.

To test the efficacy of rough Brucella strain vaccines in sheep, a vaccine recently developed in cattle (Brucella abortus strain RB51) was assessed in comparison with the conventional Rev. 1 vaccine. Forty-five ewes from twelve to fourteen months of age, from brucellosis-free flocks, were allotted to three groups of fifteen ewes each. Group one was vaccinated by the conjunctival route with 1.73 x 10(8) colony forming units (CFU) of Rev. 1 vaccine. Group two was vaccinated subcutaneously with 11 x 10(9) CFU of RB51 vaccine and group three was considered as a control. All sheep were challenged at two to three months of gestation with 5 x 10(7) CFU of virulent B. melitensis H38. Vaccination with RB51 vaccine did not result in the production of any antibodies against the O-side chain of lipopolysaccharide, as measured by conventional serological tests (Rose Bengal plate test and complement fixation test). Protection of sheep against abortion and excretion of virulent Brucella strain in vaginal fluid, aborted foetuses and/or non viable lambs at parturition and abortion was significantly lower than that afforded by Rev. 1 vaccine. The difference compared to the control group was not significant. Data from this study suggest that the RB51 vaccine used for cattle vaccination does not provide effective protection of sheep against abortion induced by B. melitensis.     

Home confinement during the COVID-19: day-to-day associations of sleep quality with rumination,psychotic-like experiences,and somatic symptoms

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, populations from many countries have been confined at home for extended periods of time in stressful environmental and media conditions. Cross-sectional studies already evidence deleterious psychological consequences, with poor sleep as a risk factor for impaired mental health. However, limitations of cross-sectional assessments are response bias tendencies and the inability to track daily fluctuations in specific subjective experiences in extended confinement conditions. In a prospective study conducted across three European countries, we queried participants (N = 166) twice a day through an online interface about their sleep quality and their negative psychological experiences for two consecutive weeks. The focus was set on between- and within-person associations of subjective sleep quality with daytime experiences, such as rumination, psychotic-like experiences, and somatic complaints about the typical symptoms of the coronavirus. The results show that daily reports of country-specific COVID-19 deaths predicted increased negative mood, psychotic-like experiences, and somatic complaints during the same day and decreased subjective sleep quality the following night. Disrupted sleep was globally associated with negative psychological outcomes during the study period, and a relatively poorer night of sleep predicted increased rumination, psychotic-like experiences, and somatic complaints the following day. This temporal association was not paralleled by daytime mental complaints predicting relatively poorer sleep quality on the following night. Our findings show that night-to-night changes in sleep quality predict how individuals cope the next day with daily challenges induced by home confinement.     

Une plaie inhabituelle et isolée du canal cholédoque sur traumatisme abdominal fermé. Place de l’endoscopie interventionnelle

Isolated injury of extra hepatic bile duct after blunt abdominal trauma is rare and diagnosis is often difficult and delayed. Surgery was the usual mode of treatment but the advanced endoscopy and interventional radiology have made profits that have changed the therapeutic. The authors report an unusual case of isolated wound bile duct after abdominal contusion. The mechanism of injury, the diagnostic difficulties and current treatment methods will be discussed.