san.2011.0262 Auteur(s) : Dominique Labie dominique.labie@inserm.fr Institut Cochin Inserm 2016 Paris Tires a part : D. Labie Mise en evidence et epidemiologie C’est en 1910 qu’un medecin de Chicago, le Dr James B. Herrick, a mis en evidence pour la premiere fois un signe phenotypique specifique de la drepanocytose [1]. Chez un etudiant antillais souffrant d’une anemie hemolytique chronique il constatait l’existence d’erythrocytes rigides et deformes, dont certains en faucille, [...]
The "Consultations de Diagnostic et d'Orientation" (CDO), created in 1998 by the Paris Health Department, are medical consultations for vulnerable populations, which are held in municipal clinics, free of charge. More than two-thirds of CDO patients come from Africa. Our study was designed to assess and analyze whether these clinics offered consulting migrants screening for intestinal parasitic and Schistosoma haematobium infections.Material and methodsThis retrospective study included all immigrants attending CDO for the first time at four Parisian municipal free clinics during 2003. Univariate and multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, and geographic origin were conducted. An interview with one of the CDO physicians provided qualitative data to round out the quantitative data from the record analysis.ResultsThe study included 503 migrants eligible for screening for intestinal parasitic infections because they come from regions where these infections are endemic; among them 481 were also eligible for urine screening for Schistosoma haematobium (SH). The sociodemographic characteristics for the entire sample (not significantly different from the 481-person subgroup) were: sex ratio (M/W): 4:1; more than 50% were 35 years old or younger; and more than 50% had no health insurance coverage. Overall, around 80% came from sub-Saharan Africa, around 16% from North Africa or the Middle East, and 4.5% from Asia or South America. Screening for intestinal or urinary parasitic infections was not offered to 3 out of 5 migrants from endemic areas. Screening for intestinal parasites was offered less often to migrants from regions other than sub-Saharan Africa, to those older than 35 years of age, and to those without abdominal symptoms. Schistosoma haematobium urine screening was proposed less often to those from North Africa or the Middle East, to those older than 35 years of age, and to those without either abdominal or genitourinary symptoms. Microscopic examination of urine for Schistosoma haematobium was performed for 171 patients; 22 positive results were reported, with viable SH eggs (13%). Microscopic examination of stool for ova and parasites was performed for 161 patients; 32 had positive results (20%). These included 14 cases of Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (our laboratory cannot distinguish the 2 strains).DiscussionThe failure to offer screening affects sub-Saharan Africans less than other migrants, perhaps because of a particular visibility due to their mass (they are the most prominent subgroup of migrants) or their higher frequency of abdominal/genitourinary symptoms. Nevertheless, more than 50% of them were not asked to undergo parasite screening, although they are the group with the highest rate of intestinal/urinary parasitosis. The most common and dangerous parasite found was Schistosoma haematobium; we do not know the pathogenicity of the Entamoeba found. Reasons for the frequent failure to suggest these screenings may include that physicians consider parasitosis as diseases of secondary importance, or have forgotten its symptoms, epidemiology, cycles, means of diagnosis, or treatment. Patients accepted the screening well when it was offered. Reasons during the course of consultation might have included insufficient time for pre-test counselling, some difficulties in communicating with the patient in French, or an overriding request or complaint from the patient. We propose the following strategy for parasite screening in CDO: standard "stool ova and parasite exams" proposed to any migrant in France for less than 5 years except sub-Saharan Africans, who should receive presumptive anti-parasite treatment instead; microscopic examination of urine for Schistosoma haematobium for sub-Saharan Africans from endemic regions. This detection can avoid - if treatment is early enough - severe uronephrological complications, which are rare but costly from a health care perspective (bladder tumor, renal failure). Physicians in non-tropical settings must remember to consider parasite infections when they see patients from endemic regions.
This operational research conducted among TB patients co-infected with HIV in North Kivu had three objectives: (i) to clarify the local perception of a certain type of pain (michi in the local language) in patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART); (ii) to identify the attitudes of health care personnel regarding the management of ART side effects; and (iii) to explore ways to improve the quality of life of patients on ART and provide them with pain relief. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted with patients on ART and their medical care providers in district health centers of North-Kivu and at patients' homes. A semantic analysis of the term michi revealed a nosologic folk entity based on a naturalistic view of the body; the term michi is used to name: (i) the "roots" of plants or trees; (ii) channels (veins, arteries, but also nerves and tendons) in the body through which fluids (blood, water) and energy are conveyed; (iii) different types of acute pain, possibly located along these channels. The description (location, duration, and intensity) of the functional signs and the context of their occurrence (while taking Stavudine) confirmed the medical diagnosis of acute sensory neuropathies. Although a classic ART side effect, neuropathies are underdiagnosed by health workers who find it difficult to recognize signs of treatment toxicity in apparently trivial symptoms. Different reasons account for this: (i) healthcare staff have little time to spend with TB/HIV patients and thus provide inadequate management of functional symptoms; (ii) insufficient attention is paid to patients' acute pain, which is often perceived as "normal"; (iii) insufficient knowledge of ART side effects due to staff turnover higher than the frequency of training that programmes. The study was conducted as part of the DR Congo national programmes for TB and AIDS and led to the formulation of recommendations about improving, especially through training, the assessment of functional symptoms as expressed in the main cultural areas of the country, including increased awareness of their vernacular expressions. This study also stressed the need for early diagnosis and management of iatrogenic neuropathy. The integration of leprosy and TB programmes in DR Congo in principle offers a suitable framework to develop synergies for the management of peripheral neuropathy. Finally, providing increased attention to patients (empathy, listening and counselling) requires time and calls for a careful analysis of the care providers' workload, to facilitate the smooth integration of HIV care into general health services.
In Burkina Faso, as in most developing countries, the operational level of the health system is made up of Health Districts (HDs), the activities of which are typically coordinated by the District Team (DT). Assessing the the core functions of DTs, as described by WHO, shows two important weaknesses. Firstly, instructions from "above" are often implemented rather passively: DTs tend not to display much leadership. Secondly, the current organisation, based on input financing and centralised planning, does not sufficiently promote either the vision or research functions of DTs. In this article, we report our experience in the Orodora HD in Burkina Faso, where the DT's leadership and vision proved to be essential ingredients for effective health action in the district. Our description of six interventions implemented between 2004 and 2008 shows how DT leadership and vision have improved outputs at the HD level. Until 2004, the district applied static health planning. The health system was insufficiently financed and performed poorly. Faced with this situation, the DT decided to set up several priority interventions based on health care access criteria and patient concerns, while respecting and contextualizing national norms and objectives. Six interventions were then implemented. The first was ensure that quality blood (meeting transfusion security norms) was available at the District Hospital (DH), by picking blood up from the regional blood transfusion center weekly. This speeded up care at the DH, reduced the number of cases referred to the regional hospital for transfusion, and reduced neonatal and maternal mortality. The second intervention sought to improve the skills of health workers in managing emergency cases and to improve relationships with the referral hospital through the reintroduction of counter-referral procedures. This led to a decrease in unnecessary referrals and also reduced the mortality rates of serious cases. The third intervention, by implementing a decentralized approach to tuberculosis detection, succeeded in improving access to care and enabled us to quantify the rate of tuberculosis-HIV co-infection in the HD. The fourth intervention improved financial access to emergency obstetric care by providing essential drugs and consumables for emergency obstetric surgery free of charge. The fifth intervention boosted the motivation of health workers by an annual 'competition of excellence', organised for workers and teams in the HD. Finally, our sixth intervention was the introduction of a "culture" of evaluation and transparency, by means of a local health journal, used to interact with stakeholders both at the local level and in the health sector more broadly. We also present our experiences regularly during national health science symposia. Although the DT operates with limited resources, it has over time managed to improve care and services in the HD, through its dynamic management and strategic planning. It has reduced inpatient mortality and improved access to care, particularly for vulnerable groups, in line with the Primary Health Care and Bamako Initiative principles. This case study would have benefited from a stronger methodology. However, it shows that in a context of limited resources it is still possible to strengthen the local health system by improving management practices. To progress towards universal health coverage, all core functions of a DT are worth implementing, including leadership and vision. National and international health strategies should thus include a plan to provide for and train local health system managers who can provide both leadership and strategic vision.
OBJECTIVES:To study the maturation of breast milk by the course of immunoglobulins A, G and M during the first three weeks of breast feeding.MATERIAL AND METHODS:This longitudinal and prospective survey took place from August to October, 2007, in Libreville, the capital of Gabon. The population comprised women with no significant medical history who had given birth in the obstetrics department of Center Hospital of Libreville. Women who delivered at home, had stillbirths, or infants positive for HIV hepatitis B virus were excluded. Three samples were taken, on D1 for colostrum, D7 for the transitional milk and D21 for mature milk. Immunoglobulins were determined by nephelometry, with the Turbox Plus(®) system from Diagnostica Orion. Variables were compared with Spearman's non-parametric test. The survey of the kinetic has been made from the test of Friedman's test was used to assess the kinetics. Significance was set at p<0.05.RESULTS:This survey included 60 mother-child pairs. The mean IgA concentration on D1 was 13.4 ± 5.9 g/L. This concentration fell very quickly by the end of the first week, to 2.3 ± 2.0 g/L on D8, and then stabilized through D21. This rapid drop explains the need for early breast feeding after birth. On the other hand, IgG and IgM concentrations varied less and about one-sixth as high as the IgA. This finding confirms that they were minor components of breast milk.CONCLUSION:This work shows the importance of the early immune protection provided by the mother to her child during the first week of life.
Measurement of effect sizes is a practice that is increasingly encouraged, indeed required, by journals of psychological and social behaviour, in addition to the standard tests of statistical significance. This paper is a methodological note presenting the conceptual interest of the effect size, its main indicators and their interpretation.
san.2011.0264 Auteur(s) : Alexis Elira Dokekias dokekias@yahoo.fr Service d’hematologie CHU de Brazzaville Congo Tires a part : A. Elira Dokekias Le myelome multiple est une hemoproliferation lymphoide chronique B frequente au sein de la population noire aux Etats-Unis d’Amerique comparativement a la population blanche. En Afrique subsaharienne, cette pathologie semble tres frequente, mais a cause d’etudes incompletes, la frequence exacte de cette hemopathie maligne est peu [...]
OBJECTIVE:To review the pathologic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of the cranioencephalic complications of bacterial sinusitis.MATERIAL AND METHODS:This retrospective study included children who underwent diagnostic imaging at the Omar Bongo Ondimba military hospital between January 2006 and December 2010 and treatment of cranioencephalic complications of sinusitis.RESULTS:During the study period, 58 children were hospitalized with sinusitis, and eight (13.8%) had cranioencephalic complications for an annual incidence of 1.6% and a sex ratio of 5 boys to 3 girls. Their mean age was 13 years. Symptoms developed over a mean duration of 14 days (range: 3-45 days). The clinical picture was dominated by febrile headaches and neurologic signs. Palpation of the sinus pressure points was painful in all cases. Disorders of consciousness were found in five cases, with a mean Glasgow score of 9 (range: 7-13). Seven children had multifocal sinusitis and one frontal sinusitis. Five children had a subdural empyema, two associated with thrombophlebitis of the sagittal sinus, one with a brain abscess with thrombophlebitis of the sagittal sinus, and another with meningitis and thrombophlebitis of the sagittal sinus. Two children had osteomyelitis of the frontal sinus table, including a frontal lobe abscess for one. Another had multiple cerebral abscesses. Five children had sinus and neurosurgical drainage, two sinus drainage only, and one neurosurgical drainage only. Microbiology was positive for microbes in four cases: Streptococcus eqinus (one case), Staphylococcus aureus (one case), both S. pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae (one case), and Aerococcus viridans (one case). Outcome was favourable in seven cases, including four without sequelae. Two children had recurrences, and one died.CONCLUSION:Diagnosis of the cranioencephalic complications of sinusitis rely on medical imagery. Early multidisciplinary therapeutic management is essential.
UNLABELLED:In 1998, the isolation of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin (MRSA) from a sample taken from a post-caesarean surgical site infection (SSI) led the obstetrics department to call upon the hospital hygiene team for assistance. A retrospective investigation of incidence in the files of 24 women with caesarean deliveries showed a SSI rate of 24%. These abnormally high figures led to an audit of hygiene practices during these deliveries.OBJECTIVES:To reduce the incidence of post-caesarean SSIs at Dreux Hospital Centre.MATERIALS AND METHODS:From 1999 through 2005, SSIs have been monitored according to the methods of the western France Coordinating Centre for Nosocomial Infections and the guidelines of ANAES in France and the U.S. CDC. The data were analysed by Epi Info 6, retrospectively.RESULTS:Files of 1972 caesareans performed over a 6-year period were analysed. The SSI rate was 24% in 1999; it fell to 7.4% in 2000 and stabilized from 2003 through 2005 in the neighbourhood of 2.6%. More than 70% of our patients are re-examined within 2 weeks of delivery.CONCLUSION:Close cooperation between the Obstetrics and Hospital Hygiene departments led to a dramatic reduction in SSI rates, to 2.6% (similar to the national rate), and its maintenance over a 3-year period. Implementation of the caesarean hygiene protocol has continued since 2006.
The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological and microbiological characteristics and outcome of children with septicemia at the Charles de Gaulle University Pediatric Hospital of Ouagadougou to help improve probabilistic antibiotic therapy in this type of infection. This retrospective descriptive study covered all the children from 0 to 15 years old seen over a period of 7 years in any hospital department with suspected bacteriemia and for whom the bacteriology laboratory performed a blood culture. During the study period, the laboratory received 842 requests for blood cultures and found 154 (18.3%) of them to be positive. Files for 81 of the 154 patients could be found and examined. The distribution according to age showed septicemia was most frequent among those aged 6-15 years (61.7% of the cases). Microbial identification showed the dominant species to be Salmonella enterica (serovars paratyphi and typhi) (58%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (12.3%). The salmonella isolates had a high rate of resistance to amoxicillin, chloramphenicol and cotrimoxazole. Staphylococci were always sensitive to the antibiotics with which they were tested, although to a lesser extent for penicillin G. All patients routinely received antibiotic treatment, and 81.5% (n=66) were cured (5 children died and 10 left the hospital against medical advice). This study shows that the bacterial epidemiology of septicemia in our setting is dominated by salmonella. Trends in bacterial resistance to antibiotics showed that common antibiotics such as amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole are no longer acceptable as probabilist therapy here. They should be replaced in this type of infection by injectable third generation cephalosporin alone or combined with aminoglycosides.
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of cannabis users, their consumption patterns, and effects. METHODS Our cross-sectional, descriptive study included 205 subjects (191 men, 14 women, mean age = 25.9 ± 7.9 years). The consumption of psychotropic drugs and/or cannabis was confirmed by toxicological analysis. RESULTS In our study population, 61% were cannabis users. Consumption was significantly higher in males (94.4%) than in females. Consumers were young adults, aged 25.8 ± 8.8 years, single (81.6%), had primary school educations (62.4%), were employed (72%) and lived in urban areas (77.6%); 28.8% had a personal history of psychiatric disorders. The mean age of first cannabis use was 20 years. Cannabis use was frequently associated with consumption of alcohol and tobacco (72%). Forty percent of consumers used cannabis daily. Most of those who had used drugs had done so with friends. In most cases, cannabis was regarded as a means of escape from problems (29.3%), relaxation (20.2%), experimentation (18.2%) and a source of pleasure (16.7%). CONCLUSION These data suggest the importance of primary prevention of early use and rapid treatment of young users.
INTRODUCTION:The international community is increasing concerned about obesity, which it has become one of the most common noninfectious pandemics worldwide and affects a growing number of children. MATERIAL AND METHODS:We conducted an analytic cross-sectional study from May 25 to June 16, 2010, among a sample of 435 randomly selected students in secondary schools in the city of Ouagadougou to identify the factors contributing to obesity and overweight. RESULTS:The main factors significantly associated with obesity and overweight were family history of obesity (OR = 7.4), higher socioeconomic level (OR = 3.8), snacking on candy (OR = 5, 3), pastry (OR = 3.5), and chocolate (OR = 12.6), frequent consumption of sweets (OR = 2.2), lack of physical activity (OR = 4.4), and conflictual family relationships (OR = 3.9). CONCLUSION:Dealing with these factors in prevention activities should help to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity and their morbid consequences later on.
OBJECTIVETo determine the causes of neonatal deaths and their contributing factors.MATERIAL AND METHODSWe used the "three-delay model" to conduct an audit of the neonatal deaths that occurred between January 2006 and December 2010 at the Charles de Gaulle University Pediatric Hospital, in Ouagadougou.RESULTSThe neonatal mortality rate was 12.3%. The main direct causes were infections (70%), cerebral distress (10%), respiratory distress (7%), congenital malformations (5.5%), prematurity (4.5%) and hemorrhagic syndromes (3%). All three delays were found: in decision making in 64.4% of cases, in access to health services in 77%, and in receiving appropriate care in 66.9%; they multiplied the risk of death by a factor of 4, 3 and 5, respectively.CONCLUSIONTo reduce deaths of newborn babies, it is necessary to overcome the three delays that contribute to it, pending the improvement of socioeconomic conditions of populations. This combat requires optimizing the implementation of the subsidies for obstetric and neonatal emergency care and strengthening the involvement of all stakeholders, specifically, policy makers, the community and health professionals.
Auteur(s) : Dominique Labie Institut Cochin, Inserm 2016, Paris Mise en evidence et epidemiologie C'est en 1910 qu'un medecin de Chicago, le Dr James B. Herrick, a mis en evidence pour la premiere fois un signe phenotypique specifique de la drepanocytose [1]. Chez un etudiant antillais souffrant d'une anemie hemolytique chronique il constatait l'existence d'erythrocytes rigides et deformes, dont certains en faucille, d'ou le nom de « sickle cell ». Quarante ans plus [...]
In 1995, 2005 and 2011, cross-sectional studies of 611 parturients at the Centre Hospitalier de Libreville in Gabon assessed the prevalence of maternal malaria and anaemia; two indicators of poor pregnancy outcomes. The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection in maternal peripheral blood decreased from 25% in 2005 to 6% in 2011. Parasite density was significantly lower in 2005 (31 p/μL) than in 1995 (1,240 p/μL) or 2011 (35,055 p/μL). Anaemia prevalence was high (>50%) in 1995 and in 2005, but fell by more than 50% (24%) in 2011. After implementation of new malaria prevention strategies during pregnancy, the prevalence of both maternal peripheral P. falciparum infection and anaemia fell. Studies are necessary to assess the efficacy of these strategies and to seek other causes of anaemia.
