[Diagnosis of non Poliovirus enteroviruses in Abidjan from 1996 to 2004]. / Diagnostic des entérovirus non Poliovirus à Abidjan de 1996 à 2004.

Non Poliovirus enteroviruses (NPEV) are infectious agents which can determine various infections. They are more and more isolated within the context of the surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and raise a problem of antigenic identification. In Côte d'Ivoire the serotypes of NPEV circulating are unknown. In order to determine the epidemiological and virology characteristics of human (NPEV) stemming from virology investigations from 1996 to 2004, enteroviruses strains isolated from stools and from cerebrospinal fluid have been analysed. The biological products have been tested according to the procedures recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) within the context of the virology surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis and the antigenic identification by seroneutralization and serotyping has been done. Out of 144 isolates obtained from 10187 specimens, 637 were Poliovirus strains and 807 NPEV strains (7.9%). Among them 16.3% have been isolated during carrier studies and 83.7% were associated with cases of AFFP Out of the 807 strains of NPE, 218 strains have been tested by serotyping and the serotype of 77 strains (35.32%) has been determined: Coxsackievirus B (41.6%) and different serotypes of Echovirus (58.4%). The proportion of untypable strains (62.3%) confirms the difficulties to identify NPEV with the conventional available reagents. The molecular diagnosis is becoming necessary in order to establish a list of the serotypes of NPEV circulating and associated with clinical features in the country

Late stage Lyme borreliosis in children.

These cases illustrate that late stage Lyme borreliosis can occur in children without a history of tick bite or ECM; this disorder can manifest itself initially as a seventh cranial nerve palsy, heart block, or arthritis, and the arthritis syndrome can mimic oligoarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis depends upon clinical recognition. In the absence of ECM, tests for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi can provide an invaluable tool in assisting in the diagnosis. Children who live in or visit areas endemic for Lyme borreliosis and who have arthritis, heart block, or neurologic disorders such as facial palsy should be tested for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi if no other cause for the disease syndrome is identified clinically.

Pressure-independent inhibition of sympathetic activity by noradrenaline: role of baroreceptor C fibres.

The effect of i.v. infusion of noradrenaline on activity in the renal sympathetic nerve was studied in rabbits anesthetized with chloralose and urethane. Noradrenaline (3--8 microgram/kg-min) initially increased mean arterial pressure 20--40 mmHg and consequently reduced renal nerve activity. However, studies over a wide range of pressures--obtained by changing the blood volume, revealed that noradrenaline after a few minutes had induced a pressure-independent reduction of sympathetic discharge. The effect disappeared with baroreceptor denervation. An unchanged relationship between arterial pressure and integrated activity in the whole left aortic nerve (which is largely a measure of activity in A fibres) suggested that the sympathetic depression was due to excitation of aortic nerve C fibres. This conclusion was supported by studies of sympathetic responses to selective stimulation of aortic nerve A and C fibres at equal pressures before and during infusion of noradrenaline. Compared to the reflex activity from A fibres, C fibre stimulation was invariably less effective in suppressing renal nerve activity during the infusion. Our studies indicate that noradrenaline may effect a negative feedback control of sympathetic discharge through activation of baroreceptor C fibres.