ABSTRACT
Background: In order to fight digestive parasitism in Tunisia, a national program of surveillance of non-permanent resident students in Tunisia has been found to detect these parasitosis in this target population
Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitosis among non-permanent resident students in Tunisia, to identify the different parasitic species founded and to show the interest of this screening
Methods:During a period of 23 years [1990-2012], 7386 parasitological examinations of stools has been made among students essentially from or had visited tropical Africa, Maghreb and Middle-East, at the laboratory of Parasitology-Mycology at the Rabta Hospital of Tunis
Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasitism found was 34.45% [i.e. 2545 infested students]. Among the protozoa that have been isolated in the majority of cases [78.75%], amoebae were most frequently found [86.4%] represented mainly by Entamoeba coli and Endolimax nanus in respectively, 25.62 and 23.33% of parasites isolated; while Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, only pathogenic Amoeba was found in 8.05% of the total of parasites isolated. Regarding helminths, found in 21.25% of parasites isolated, Ankylostome was predominant [34.5%] represented by the species of Necator americanus. A single case of Ancylostoma duodenale has been isolated. Among the identified parasite species, 38.7% were known parasitic pathogens for humans
Conclusions: These results note the interest of the control of the non-permanent resident students in Tunisia. The precocious tracking and treatment of affected subjects permits to avoid the introduction and the dissemination of parasites already rare and virulent strains in our country
ABSTRACT
Background: Malaria has been eliminated in Tunisia since 1979, but the country remains, like all other countries harboring the vector, exposed to the potential risk of resurgence
Objectives: Describe the clinical and epidemiological investigation of 4 cases of autochthonous malaria in July 2013 and report the main actions of regional and national response
Methods: Retrospective descriptive survey of the 4 clinical observations as well as the study of the regional report data of basic health care for the region of Tunis in 2013
Results: Febrile table concomitant for 4 Tunisian male patients, aged from 21 to 27 years old ; fortuitous discovery of Plasmodium falciparum when checking thrombocytopenia of patient 1 ; diagnosis in cascade of other cases following the epidemiological investigation and field consultation with clinicians ; 3 simple forms and a neuromalaria of favorable evolution ; negative entomological survey for anopheles ; elimination of imported malaria and blood-borne ; airport malaria highly probable. The response included the establishment of a regional and national monitoring unit, an information program aimed at health professionals concerned and public opinion, the involvement of health and entomology teams for the detection and census of potential larval habitats and the implementation of local mosquito eradication measures
Conclusion: The clinical vigilance and competent biologist's eye is necessary to prevent the resurgence of this disease. The epidemiological surveillance system should be maintained and kept as well as the food safety standards monitoring at the borders
ABSTRACT
Human infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is found world-wide. The differences in prevalence across the countries may be ascribed to variations in hygiene and eating habits. To identify preventable risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnancy through a transversal study achieved in the laboratory of Parasitology Mycology of Rabta including all pregnant women referred to the laboratory between March 2010 and February 2011 to serological testing for toxoplasmosis. The age, the stage of the current pregnancy and exposures to potential risk factors associated with Toxoplasma infection were collected by a questionnaire. An analysis with SPSS and chi-square was used to analyse exposure frequencies for each risk factor variable. A total of 2351 women were included. The median age of the pregnany women was 29.4 years [range, 16 - 48 years]. In all, 47.7% of them were seropositive. Seropositivity for toxoplasmosis was significantly associated with eating undercooked meat [p = 0.002] and eating miswashed vegetables [p = 0.003]. However, the other factors [contact with cats, cleaning the cat litter box, washing the hands after preparation of raw meat, contact with the ground] were found to be independently associated with seropositivity toxoplasmosis. In Tunisia, there is still no prevention program toxoplasmosis well structured. Health education on avoidance of maternal infection is an important aspect of any program for prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis
ABSTRACT
Mucormycosis is a rare and invasive fungal infection, but frequently fatal when it occurs. It commonly affects patients with diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study is to assess the clinical presentation, radiological findings, management and prognosis of mucormycosis. This retrospective study was conducted in the department of infectious diseases of Rabta hospital between January 1988 and December 2004 and included patients hospitalized for mucormycosis confirmed by mycological and/or histological findings. The study is about four diabetic patients with mucormycosis [3 men and a woman]. Three of them had diabetic ketoacidosis at the time of diagnosis. The infection was sinusal in 2 cases and rhinocerebral in the other two cases. Treatment consisted in systemic amphotericin B combined with surgical debridement in 3 cases. A fatal outcome was noted in 2 cases. Mucormycosis remains a severe infectious disease in diabetic patients. Early diagnosis and treatment is mandatory for a successful management of this infection
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Mucormycosis/diagnostic imaging , Mucormycosis/therapy , Disease Management , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Diabetes Mellitus , Amphotericin B , Rhizopus , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Diabetic KetoacidosisABSTRACT
Toxocariasis or visceral larva migrans is a parasitosis due to the migration in the human organism of animal ascarid larvae. Its importance is under estimated and the reported Tunisian cases are rare. We report nine cases of toxocariasis, noted between January of 2000 to march of 2002, in the laboratory of parasitology mycology in la Rabta hospital. They were six children and three adults. The clinical forms are varied: ophthalmologic form [5 cases], general syndrome [1 case], oedema [1 case] and hypereosinophilia [2 cases], and confirmed serologically by the presence of anti toxocara canis antibody using ELISA test. Visceral larva migrans should be kept in mind to avoid severe forms such as ophthalmologic forms