[Madura foot: a rare pathology in Morocco (about 15 cases)]. / Le pied de Madura: pathologie rare au Maroc (à propos de 15 cas).

Mycetoma is a rare disease in Morocco. The purpose of this work is to increase the awareness of this infection that is still not diagnosed in our context by Moroccan practitioners, as well as to show the medical treatment limits in Madura foot disease. This is a retrospective study of 15 patients with an average age of 34 years. All patients presented classic lesions: swelling fistulizing of slow evolution, with elective foot localization. In spite of the identification of pathogenic agents, the delay of diagnosis and the osseous infringement imposed amputations for 14 patients. After a 3-year follow-up, all patients with amputation had a good evolution with the help of adapted orthopedic equipment and psychological support. The delay of diagnosis and the advanced lesions of mycetoma in Morocco make the medical treatment ineffective. The recourse to leg amputation with suitable equipment is a simple alternative treatment that improves better social and professional reintegration. Mycetoma is characterized by an obvious delay of diagnosis. The forecast is worsened by the osseous infringement. Sometimes it can be dramatic and may lead to amputation.

Platelet-derived CD154: ultrastructural localization and clinical correlation in organ transplantation.

CD154 is an immunostimulatory ligand for CD40 that markedly influences alloimmunity. Its presence in platelets suggests that its release and subsequent immune effects are driven by trauma and thus could be relevant following organ transplantation. However, the release of platelet derived CD154 and its consequences have not been investigated in a clinical transplant setting. To better characterize the relationship between platelet activation and CD154 release, we investigated CD154 release by platelets obtained from normal individuals, and patients with two genetic defects that influence platelet granule development. Using these unique patient populations and immune-electron microscopy, we confirmed that CD154 was an alpha granule and not a cell surface protein, and thereafter optimized the methods for its in vivo measurement in humans. We then investigated plasma CD154 levels in kidney and liver transplant recipients and found no evidence that CD154 levels fluctuated systemically as a result of kidney or liver transplant procedures. Paradoxically, we found that kidney transplant patients had significantly lower systemic CD154 levels during episodes of rejection. These data suggest that the immune effects of CD154 are likely mediated through local and not systemic mechanisms, and discourage the use of CD154 as a peripheral biomarker in organ transplantation.