Importation and Circulation of Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Serotype 2, Senegal, 2020–2021

Environmental surveillance for poliovirus is increasingly used in poliovirus eradication efforts as a supplement to acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance. Environmental surveillance was officially established in 2017 in Senegal, where no poliovirus had been detected since 2010. We tested sewage samples from 2 sites in Dakar monthly for polioviruses. We identified a vaccine-derived poliovirus serotype 2 on January 19, 2021, from a sample collected on December 24, 2020; by December 31, 2021, we had detected 70 vaccine-derived poliovirus serotype 2 isolates circulating in 7 of 14 regions in Senegal. Sources included 18 AFP cases, 20 direct contacts, 17 contacts in the community, and 15 sewage samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the circulation of 2 clusters and provided evidence on the virus introduction from Guinea. Because novel oral polio vaccine serotype 2 was used for response activities throughout Senegal, we recommend expanding environmental surveillance into other regions.     

Acute retrobulbar optic neuritis with anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease complicated with microscopic polyangiitis: A case report

Rationale:Anti-myelin oligodendrocyte protein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a new disease entity with various clinical phenotypes. MOGAD often present with recurrent optic neuritis (ON), and it can also develop as a compartment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Moreover, multiple autoantibodies such as an anti-myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA) had been reported in the serum of patients with NMOSD.Patient concerns:We report an 86-year-old woman with a 2-year history of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). The patient had a rapid loss of vision in her left eye. No abnormal findings were observed on her left fundus, and she tested negative for MPO-ANCA upon admission. However, anti-MOG antibodies were observed in the patient''s serum and cerebrospinal fluid.Diagnosis:A diagnosis of MOGAD complicated with MPA was made.Interventions:The patient received twice steroid pulse therapy and oral azathioprine as maintenance therapy.Outcomes:Her vision rapidly recovered, and no subsequent relapse was observed during the 8-month observation period.Conclusion:To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of MOGAD complicated with MPA, and steroid pulse therapy and azathioprine therapy were effective for ON caused by MOGAD.     

Efficacy of sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Republic of Congo

Congo is facing frequent failures of treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria with chloroquine (CQ), which is still recommended and used as a first-line drug. In Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville, the two largest cities that contain approximately 60% of the population of Congo, we compared the efficacy of CQ versus sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) for treatment of uncomplicated malaria in children 6-59 months old (mean = 33 months) using the standard World Health Organization (WHO) 14-day in vivo test in two phases between 1999 and 2002. Patients enrolled were randomly assigned to receive SP (25 mg/kg of sulfadoxine and 1.25 mg/kg of pyrimethamine) or CQ (25 mg/kg). In the first phase of the study, 46 patients were assigned to the CQ (n = 23) or SP (n = 23) groups in Pointe-Noire and 52 children were assigned to the CQ (n = 26) or to SP (n = 26) groups in Brazzaville. Results were interpreted according to the WHO lot quality assurance sampling method, and treatment failure rates for SP versus CQ were < 25% versus > 25% in both cities. In the second phase of the study, we accurately determined the actual proportion of treatment failures for SP in Brazzaville. Thus, in 75 of the 80 children enrolled and followed-up until day 14, no clinical or parasitologic failure was recorded and no serious adverse reaction was observed. Since the CQ treatment failure rate exceeds the unacceptable upper limit, SP seems well to be an appropriate alternative for the first-line treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria, at least in the settings of the present study.     

HLA-B52-positive vasculo-Behçet disease: usefulness of magnetic resonance angiography, ultrasound study, and computed tomographic angiography for the early evaluation of multiarterial lesions

We report a case of HLA-B52-positive Behçet disease accompanied by multiarterial lesions. A 24-year-old woman was suffering from sporadic high fever and recurrent oral and genital ulcers, and laboratory data revealed severe inflammation. A diagnosis of Behçet disease was made. Magnetic resonance angiography, ultrasound study, and computed tomographic angiography demonstrated multiarterial lesions that had caused no symptoms. These noninvasive examinations were extremely useful in evaluating asymptomatic early vascular lesions.     

Ulcerative colitis occurring in the course of rheumatoid arthritis: a case successfully treated with mesalamine enema

We report a case of ulcerative colitis (UC) that occurred during the course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A 29-year-old woman with a 25-year history of RA was hospitalized for high fever, abdominal pain and hematochezia. Colonoscopy revealed erosive and reddish mucosa from the distal transverse colon to rectum. Histology revealed cryptitis (mainly caused by neutrophils), mild crypt abscess and goblet cell depletion. She was diagnosed with left-sided UC and treated with mesalamine enema. The abdominal symptoms and colonoscopic findings were greatly ameliorated. We conclude that the mesalamine enema was effective in this case of UC occurring during the course of RA.     

Primary biliary cirrhosis complicated by polymyositis and pulmonary hypertension

A 68-year-old woman was admitted to a hospital with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in August 2006. Perfusion scintigraphy of the lung was normal and showed no interstitial change. Liver dysfunction was noted and antinuclear antibodies (x1,280) were positive. In November 2006, muscle pain and weakness gradually developed in the brachial muscle and a quadriceps. She was referred and admitted to our hospital for elevated CPK and liver dysfunction in March 2007. She was diagnosed with polymyositis (PM) on the basis of the histological findings of muscle biopsy and treated with prednisolone. In addition, because anti-centromere antibodies and anti-mitochondrial M2 antibodies were positive with high titers, she was also diagnosed with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Although PBC is often associated with other autoimmune diseases, there have been no reports of PBC complicated by PM and PH.