Prognostic factors of Atractylis gummifera L. poisoning, Morocco

In Morocco, acute Atmctylis gummifera L. poisoning represents the leading cause of death by plant poisoning especially for children. All cases received in the Moroccan poison control centre from January 1981 to December 2009 [n = 467] were included in a retrospective study of the characteristics and risk factors of A gummifera L. poisoning The most vulnerable age group was children [63,4% of cases]. Most cases were due to accidental exposure [75.5%], but some were from therapeutic use [18.1%] or attempted abortion [7.4%]. Patients presented with moderate poison seventy signs [grade 2] in 22.3% of cases or severe signs [grade 3] in 21.0%. The mortality rate was 39.2%. The majority of deaths [81.1%] occurred in children aged < 15 years following accidental exposure. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that risk factors for mortality were coma [OR = 20.5]; hepatitis [OR = 52.7] and rural residence [OR - 7.26], while gastric decontamination was a protector factor [OR - 0.26]

Burden of smoking in Moroccan rural areas

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of current smoking among rural Moroccans. The population study included 3438 individuals aged 15 years and above from both sexes. The crude prevalence of current smoking [currently smoked and had smoked > 100 cigarettes in lifetime] was 16.9% in the adolescent and adult rural population: 31.0% among men and 1.1% among women. The majority of smokers [74.4% of men and 68.8% of women] began smoking before age 20 years. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age, sex, marital status, occupation and region of residence were the strongest determinants of current smoking. These results showed a high prevalence of smoking among males in the rural population of Morocco

[Epidemiology of animal bites related risk in Fez in Morocco]

Our strudy was carried out has for main objective to estimate the extent of the problem of the animal bites involving a potential risk of rabies in Fès city to describe the epidemiologic profile of people bitten by animals. Our study was carried out during one year period [2004] at the Municipal Office of Hygiene of Fez by using the data of a monitoring register. A descriptive statistical has been conducted. The study related to 868 bite cases. The median age of the bitten cases was 21 years; [range 1 to 90 years]. 72% were male. September was the month when the frequency of the bites was most important [n=94], the winter months seem to correspond to a period of lower risk. Most animal bites were from dogs [85.4%] and in 95% of cases the bite was single. These bites generally occured on the lower limbs [498 cases, 64%], followed by upper limbs [197 cases, 25%]. The part of the body affected differed according to victim age: 8,5% of victims under 14 years of age had been bitten on the head, compared to 2% of victims aged more than 30 years. On the other hand, 72,4% of victims aged more than 30 years had been bitten at the lower limbs, compared to 56% of victims under 14 years of age [p<0,00001]. In our series the median time between the bite and the beginning of prevention is one day. The anti-tetanus serum was received by 327 patients [37.7%] while only 93 cases [10.7%] received an antirabic serotherapy. This study allowed estimating the frequency of animal bites exposing to the risk of rabies in Fez. The results encourage us to develop and implement measurements to prevent animal bites and rabies