[Prevalence of nosocomial infections in a university hospital (Dakar, Senegal)]. / Résultats de l'enquête de prévalence des infections nosocomiales au CHNU de Fann (Dakar, Sénégal).

UNLABELLED: Nosocomial infections constitute today a great public health problem that is still ignored or poorly mastered in our health institutions. METHOD: A prevalence study initiated by the CLIN (committee for the prevention of nosocomial infections) was recently conducted at the Fann teaching hospital. A questionnaire was prepared and submitted to all patients that were hospitalized on the day of the study; the questionnaire allowed gathering a lot of information on exposure factors and clinical and microbiological arguments in favor of nosocomial infections. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-five patients (59.9% of all available beds) participated in the study. Nosocomial infections were found mostly among people between 20 and 44 years of age and predominantly in women. Fifty-eight percent of those cases were found in the neurology unit. The infections were mostly urinary (40%) and pulmonary (25%). The germs responsible were multiresistant bacteria: Enterobacter cloacae secreting broad-spectrum betalactamase, methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The infected patients were usually under antibiotic treatment (80%) with various protocols, mainly monotherapy. The antibiotics used were betalactams, fluoroquinolones, and nitroimidazoles.

[Hepato-protective effect of a plant from the Senegalese pharmacopoeia: Tinospora bakis (Menispermaceae)using and in vitro model]. / Etude de l'effet hepato-protecteur d'une plante de la pharmacopée sénégalaise: Tinospora bakis (Menispermaceae) à partir d'un modèle in vitro.

The aim of this study is to appreciate hepatoprotective properties of lyophilized aqueous extract of Tinospora bakis roots. We used hepatocytes isolated from rats and intoxicated by CCl4. Before and after intoxication cells were treated with different concentrations of Tinospora bakis extract. (1 mg to 4 mg/ml). Protection of cells was evaluated by the decrease of intracellular enzymes release (LDH and ASAT). The impact of time on the cytoprotection was also studied. From each rat we isolated 185.4 millions +/- 71.5 hepatocytes. The percent of ASAT and LDH release was significatively decreased when we compared treated and no treated hepatocytes suggesting cells protection. This cytoprotection is dose independent but is more effective for long course treatment. These results show the direct protection of isolated hepatocytes by Tinospora bakis extract.