Aquariophil's disease is a skin infection caused by Mycobacterium marinum whose diagnosis is only infrequently made. The particular circumstances of contamination should lead to the performance of investigations capable of establishing the diagnosis. Antimicrobial therapy is effective in most cases. With reference to two observations, we describe the clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic characteristics of these infections.

The efficacy of intravenous ofloxacin therapy (200 mg 12-hourly) followed, when appropriate, by oral administration of the same dose was evaluated in an open multicentre trial involving 185 patients in 31 French hospitals. Dosage adjustment was made for patients in renal failure. Infection was hospital-acquired in 35 cases, 53 patients required admission to an intensive care unit. The infections comprised septicaemia (n = 56), pneumonia (n = 18), bronchitis (n = 10), urinary tract (n = 78), female pelvis (n = 8), bone and joint (n = 5), skin and soft tissues (n = 10). The causative pathogens were: Staphylococcus spp. (n = 23), Streptococcus spp. (n = 11), Escherichia coli (n = 85), Haemophilus influenzae (n = 9), Klebsiella, Enterobacter or Serratia spp. (n = 21), Salmonella spp. (n = 22), Chlamydia spp. (n = 3), Legionella spp. (n = 1), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (n = 1) and miscellaneous Gram-negative bacilli (n = 17). All were ofloxacin-susceptible. Mean duration of therapy was 8.06 ( +/- 2.6) days for the i.v. and 14.8 ( +/- 14.39) days for the oral preparation. Clinical cure was achieved in 173 patients (93.5%). It is concluded that iv ofloxacin is an effective treatment for a range of infections due to susceptible organisms.

From January 1978 to December 1988, 54 males and 59 females were treated for varicella, zoster and disseminated zoster by varicella-zoster immunoglobulin (group I) or acyclovir (group II). 67 patients had immune deficiency disease. Treatment was successful for 92/100 patients in group I and for 100/100 patients in group II. Thrombophlebitis and renal failure were observed in group II and regressed when acyclovir was stopped. Varicella-zoster immunoglobulin and acyclovir are two effective therapeutics in the treatment of varicella and zoster in adults including immunocompromised patients. The use of acyclovir could not reduce the duration of hospitalization.

Right heart endocarditis in patients with permanent cardiac pacing catheters is uncommon but not an exceptionally rare complication. Two dimensional echocardiography provides diagnostic and prognostic information. The authors report two cases which illustrate the fact that many workers recommend explanation of the pacing catheter and that tricuspidectomy with or without valve replacement may sometimes be necessary.

Cardiac hydatid cyst is a rare condition. The diagnosis is difficult and is based on a series of findings amongst which hydatid serology and cardiac imaging play important parts. The values and limitations of echocardiography, coronary angiography and CT scanning are well known. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging is a recent technique which theoretically should provide valuable diagnostic information. The authors report a case in which this technology, though confirming the presence of a polycystic intrapericardial mass, did not show the true extension of the disease.

55 patients présentant une infection des voies respiratoires inférieures nécessitant une hospitalisation en réanimation ont été étudiés pour évaluer l'efficacité de la ceftriaxone. 41 patients présentant une pneumonie et 14 une bronchopneumonie. Une ventilation assistée était nécessaire chez 42 patients. L'infection était nosocomiale dans 45 cas. La ceftriaxone était utilisée en monothérapie dans 44 cas. La guérison clinique était observée dans 35 cas sans que l'on observe de différence significative entre le groupe monothérapie et le groupe sous bithérapie. Cependant, l'émergence de souches multirésistantes est significativement plus fréquente dans le groupe monothérapie. En conclusion, la ceftriaxone peut être utilisée dans les infections respiratoires de réanimation, mais l'association avec une autre molécule prévient l'émergence de souches multi-résistantes.

To asses the efficacy and the safety of ofloxacin as therapy of pneumonia caused by intracellular pathogens, 35 patients were studied (26 male, 9 female, mean age: 52.5 +/- 16.6 years). Causative pathogens were Chlamydia psittaci (n = 13), Legionella pneumophila (n = 10), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (n = 7) and Coxiella burnetii (n = 5). Ofloxacin was administered orally in 32 cases (200 mg b.i.d. in 80% of cases) and by I.V. route in 3 cases. All patients were cured without any side effects. In conclusion, ofloxacin appears, in our study, as an efficient therapy for these pneumonias. It could be considered as a valuable alternative to other antimicrobial agents with intra-cellular activity.

The effectiveness and safety of intravenous ofloxacin were studied in an open, multicentre trial conducted in 31 French hospitals. Among the 273 patients who entered the trial, 62 had septicaemia, 81 an urinary tract infection, 46 a lower respiratory infection and 11 an osteoarticular infection. Admission to an intensive care unit had been necessary for 114 patients. The infection was nosocomial in 76 cases. After treatment with intravenous ofloxacin administered alone (n = 199) or combined with another antibiotic (n = 74), 231 patients (84.6 per cent) were cured. The drug was well tolerated both clinically and biologically.