[Peritoneal tuberculosis: 27 cases in the suburbs of northeastern Paris]. / Tuberculose péritonéale: 27 cas dans la banlieue nord-est de Paris.

SETTING: Peritoneal tuberculosis did not disappear from France during the 1990s. OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics of peritoneal tuberculosis in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris. METHOD: A retrospective study of cases diagnosed with peritoneal tuberculosis between 1990 and 1998 in five suburban hospitals in the north-east region of Paris. RESULTS: Twenty-seven cases of adult peritoneal tuberculosis were diagnosed. There were nine women and 18 men, with a mean age of 37.5 years, 88.9% of whom were foreign born. General and digestive symptoms--abdominal pain and/or ascites--were present in 96.3% of the cases. The mean delay in treatment was 30 days. Peritoneal involvement was isolated in 25.9% of cases, and associated with pulmonary tuberculosis in 40.7% or hepatic tuberculosis in 25.9%. Co-infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) was present 14.8% of cases. Culture of ascites fluid, laparoscopy and/or laparotomy (n = 17), with directed biopsy, aided in the formal diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis in 59.2%. One relapse and one case of multiresistance were observed. The mean duration of treatment was 9 months (range 6-12 months). Three patients received treatment with corticosteroids, and 91.2% of the patients achieved cure without sequelae. CONCLUSION: Peritoneal tuberculosis is not rare in the Paris region. The diagnosis should be suspected in case with ascites and fever, and can be confirmed by laparoscopy with sampling for bacteriology and histology. The methods of treatment need to be standardised.

[Intraductal mucinous tumor of the pancreas: report of a clinical case]. / Tumore intraduttale pancreatico mucinoso: a proposito di un caso clinico.

A 49-year-old diabetic patient with abdominal pain was found at ultrasonography and computed tomography to have a cystic mass in the head of the pancreas with dilatation of the main pancreatic duct. The head of the pancreas and the duodenum were removed surgically. Examination of the operative specimen showed chronic pancreatitis, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, and impacted mucus in the secondary ducts with villous proliferation of the ductal epithelium, thus allowing a diagnosis of intraductal adenomatosis. There was no evidence of malignancy. The resection margin was involved, and consequently the remainder of the pancreas was removed six months after the initial surgical procedure. A review of the literature showed that intraductal adenomatosis tends to spread and carries a high risk of malignant transformation. Surgery is required because of the risk of pancreatic duct obstruction and pancreatic cancer. Intraductal papillary tumour of the pancreas shares many characteristic with other adenomatous proliferation of the gastrointestinal tract (colorectal villous adenoma, bile duct adenomatosis) including the presence of villous structures with increased mucus production, a tendency to spread massively, and a high risk of malignant transformation.

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis in the northeastern suburbs of Paris: 141 cases.

Background: Big cities were particularly affected by tuberculosis in the 1990s. Methods: We studied 141 cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in patients not infected by HIV in the northeastern suburbs of Paris. Results: A total of 84 men and 57 women were included in the study. Their average age at diagnosis was 42.2 years. Some 73.6% of the patients were foreign-born. A total of 182 sites were identified in 141 patients. There was an association with pulmonary tuberculosis in 38 cases. The sites were: lymph node (48.9%), pleural (25.5%), skeletal (22.7%), genitourinary (5.7%), and meninges (5%). Unfavorable social conditions were frequently observed. The average duration of treatment was 10 months. Twenty-four adverse drug effects were noted. Sixty-eight strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were isolated. Five cases of primary resistance to at least one antituberculous drug and only one case of multidrug resistance were observed. Some 95.7% of the 93 patients who were not lost to follow up were cured. Conclusion: Independently of HIV infection, extrapulmonary tuberculosis is still present, particularly in the suburbs of big cities, where social conditions are poor. The significant number of patients lost to follow-up demands that measures be adapted for the therapeutic management of these patients.

Lymph node tuberculosis in the suburbs of Paris: 59 cases in adults not infected by the human immunodeficiency virus.

We report 59 cases of lymph node tuberculosis in adults not infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), observed over a period of 5 years in the North Eastern suburbs of Paris. There were 31 women and 28 men; 84.7% were aged under 44 years; 69.5% were not French, and 78% had exclusive lymph node tuberculosis. A superficial distribution was found in 52 cases and a deep pattern in 17 cases. Cervical and supraclavicular lymphadenopathies were the most common (64.4%). General symptoms were present in 63% of cases. The diagnosis was established by fine needle aspiration in 10 cases and by biopsy in 36 cases. Three cases of primary resistance to anti-tuberculosis therapy were described. Lymph node tuberculosis is still present in the Paris region, independently of HIV infection, probably due to poor social conditions.

Mycobacterium kansasii infection in a Paris suburb: comparison of disease presentation and outcome according to human immunodeficiency virus status. Groupe dEtude Des Mycobactéries de la Seine-Saint-Denis.

SETTING: Department of Seine-Saint-Denis, France. OBJECTIVE: To compare the presentation and outcome of Mycobacterium kansasii infections according to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of all the medical charts of adults meeting the diagnostic criteria of the American Thoracic Society for M. kansasii infection between 1991 and 1995. RESULTS: Between 1991 and 1995, 35 cases (23 HIV-[6%] and 12 HIV+ [34%]) were found, giving an annual incidence of 0.5/100000. The following particularities were common to both groups: 1) frequency and prominence of respiratory and general symptoms, 2) rarity of clinically apparent extra-thoracic involvement, 3) bacteriological confirmation mostly obtained with respiratory tract specimens, 4) favourable bacteriological outcome, and 5) low mortality attributable to the mycobacterial infection. The most striking differences concerned chest radiography: HIV- patients had apical cavitated and nodular lesions, while HIV+ patients exhibited a variety of other patterns, including alveolar infiltrates, miliary lesions and/or thoracic lymphadenopathy. CONCLUSION: Apart from pulmonary radiographic differences, presentation and short-term outcome of M. kansasii infections were similar in HIV+ and HIV-patients.

[Intraductal pancreatic adenomatosis. Apropos of a new case]. / Adénomatose pancréatique intracanalaire, A propos d'une nouvelle observation.

A 49-year-old diabetic patient with abdominal pain was found upon ultrasonography and computed tomography to have a cystic mass in the head of the pancreas with dilation of the main pancreatic duct. The head of the pancreas and duodenum were removed surgically. Examination of the operative specimen showed chronic pancreatitis, dilation of the main pancreatic duct, and impacted mucus in the secondary ducts with villous proliferation of the ductal epithelium, establishing the diagnosis of intraductal adenomatosis. There was no evidence of malignancy. The resection margin was involved, and consequently the remainder of the pancreas was removed six months after the initial surgical procedure. A review of the literature showed that intraductal adenomatosis tends to spread and carries a high risk of malignant transformation. Surgery is required because of the risk of pancreatic duct obstruction and pancreatic cancer. Intraductal adenomatosis of the pancreas shares many characteristics with other adenomatous proliferations of the gastrointestinal tract (colorectal villous adenoma, bile duct adenomatosis), including presence of villous structures with increased mucus production, a tendency to spread massively, and a high risk of malignant transformation.

[Mycobacterium kansasii infection in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection]. / Infection à Mycobacterium kansasii chez des patients infectés par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine.

We report a retrospective study of 12 caucasian men infected with HIV who had developed Mycobacterium kansasii infection (Mk). All patients had a low blood lymphocyte CD4 count (1-130, mean 15/mm3) and ten met the diagnostic criteria for AIDS. The 12 patients had pulmonary symptoms (dyspnea, cough) and fever. On chest X-ray, nodular, interstitial or diffuse parenchymal infiltrates, mediastinal and hilar adenopathies were observed. Two patients had pleural effusion, but none had cavitary lung disease. Mk was isolated by culture of sputum (n = 7), blood (n = 3), bronchial biopsy (n = 2) or bone marrow (n = 1). No patient had clinical extra-pulmonary disease. Survival after diagnosis was in average 7 months. Potential for therapeutic response is reviewed and documented.

[Hepatic candidiasis caused by Candida glabrata]. / Candidose hépatique à Candida glabrata.

The incidence of disseminated candidiasis is increasing. Liver involvement is frequent but rarely diagnosed. The authors report a case of disseminated candidiasis due to Candida glabrata with liver metastases. The presence of hepatic lesions was diagnosed by CT scan and parasitological examination of liver abscess contents obtained by CT-scan-directed puncture-aspiration. The outcome was favorable with amphotericin-B (cumulative dose of 1 g) and flucytosin. Aspects of hepatic involvement in disseminated candidiasis is discussed, together with the role of Candida glabrata in pathology of this type.

[CD8 hyperlymphocytosis syndrome and human immunodeficiency virus infection: 5 cases]. / Syndrome d'hyperlymphocytose CD8 et infection par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine: cinq observations.

A retrospective study on 202 consecutive patients with HIV infection was reviewed. A particular syndrome with blood CD8 lymphocytosis > 1 500/mm3, associated with a diffuse lymphocytic infiltrate histologically proved in the tissue of different organs was present in five patients. Clinical findings were variable, depending on the location of visceral infiltrate by activated, polyclonal lymphocytes of CD8 phenotype: interstitial pneumonia (n = 3), parotid gland enlargement with sicca syndrome (n = 2), pseudo-tumoral splenomegaly (n = 1), peripheral neuropathy (n = 1), superficial generalized lymphadenopathy (n = 5). This syndrome occurred early during HIV infection. All patients had a blood CD4 lymphocyte count > 200/mm3. This disorder is a host immune response, sometimes associated with the presence of some HLA antigens: HLA-DR5 or HLA A1 B8 DR3. Whether this immune response is specific or not, whether outcome of HIV infection depends on hyper CD8 lymphocytosis remains to be proved.

[2 cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Probable responsibility of Anopheles transported by air]. / A propos de deux cas de paludisme à Plasmodium falciparum. Responsabilité probable d'anophèles importés par voie aérienne.

Report of two cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria which seem to be originary from the Pariser area: the first one in a luggage carrier working in an airport; the second one in a subject living in the neighbourhood of this airport. These cases perhaps question the hygiene measures taken on the arrival of planes coming from impalutaded regions.