[Ocular manifestations of emerging arboviruses: Dengue fever, Chikungunya, Zika virus, West Nile virus, and yellow fever (French translation of the article)]. / Manifestations oculaires des arboviroses émergentes : dengue, chikungunya, infection à virus Zika, fièvre du Nil occidental et fièvre jaune.

Arboviruses are viral diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and tics bites. They are a major cause of morbidity and sometimes mortality. Their expansion is constant and due in part to climate change and globalization. Mostly found in tropical regions, arboviruses are sometimes the source of epidemics in Europe. Recently, the Chikungunya virus and the Zika virus were responsible for very large epidemics impacting populations that had never been in contact with those viruses. There are currently no effective antiviral treatments or vaccines. Ocular manifestations due to those infections are thus more frequent and increasingly better described. They are sometimes, as with Zika, complicated by a congenital ocular syndrome. The goal of this review is to describe the ophthalmological manifestations of Dengue fever, Chikungunya virus, Zika virus, West Nile virus, and yellow fever.

Ocular manifestations of emerging arboviruses: Dengue fever, Chikungunya, Zika virus, West Nile virus, and yellow fever.

Arboviruses are viral diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and tick bites. They are a major cause of morbidity and sometimes mortality. Their expansion is constant and due in part to climate change and globalization. Mostly found in tropical regions, arboviruses are sometimes the source of epidemics in Europe. Recently, the Chikungunya virus and the Zika virus were responsible for very large epidemics impacting populations that had never been in contact with those viruses. There are currently no effective antiviral treatments or vaccines. Ocular manifestations due to those infections are thus more frequent and increasingly better described. They are sometimes, as with Zika, complicated by a congenital ocular syndrome. The goal of this review is to describe the ophthalmological manifestations of Dengue fever, Chikungunya virus, Zika virus, West Nile virus, and yellow fever.

Seasonal monitoring of blue mussel (Mytilus spp.) populations in a harbor area: A focus on responses to environmental factors and chronic contamination.

Coastal waters corresponding to macrotidal systems are among the most variable marine biotopes. Sessile animals as bivalve mollusks may however be found forming intertidal beds at high densities, as allowed by full adaptation to local conditions. A better knowledge of adaptive responses to environmental factors is required to foresee possible adverse effects of global change. At the sub-cellular level, transcriptional responses are among the earliest signals of environmental disturbances and they can reveal subtle and meaningful changes in organism exposed to stress. Three blue mussel (Mytilus spp.) populations inhabiting the Bay of Brest (France) in sites exposed to different levels of chronic pollution, from low to moderate, were surveyed upon a seasonal schedule, with special attention to the reproductive cycle. Major seawater parameters were monitored over a full-year in the framework of the S!RANO project, based on an automatic high frequency acquisition system installed aboard a ship of opportunity. The health status of mussels has been assessed by measuring a condition index and gametogenesis has been followed by histology. Selected biological responses to environmental stress were detected using a multimarker approach including expression of genes involved in chemical stress response and energetic metabolism, and cellular immune parameters. Environmental parameters showed deep seasonal variations which differed among sites. Most biological responses followed a seasonal pattern. Late winter and spring corresponded to an active reproduction period in the Bay of Brest. Earlier spawning was observed in harbor areas compared to the oceanic site and an altered physiological state was assumed in commercial harbor mussels during the reproductive period, suggesting that their health is compromised at this time of year. However, no signs of severe chemical stress were detected in both harbor mussel populations, which could reflect adaptive responses to adverse environmental conditions.

A selection of reference genes and early-warning mRNA biomarkers for environmental monitoring using Mytilus spp. as sentinel species.

mRNA biomarkers are promising tools for environmental health assessment and reference genes are needed to perform relevant qPCR analyses in tissue samples of sentinel species. In the present study, potential reference genes and mRNA biomarkers were tested in the gills and digestive glands of native and caged mussels (Mytilus spp.) exposed to harbor pollution. Results highlighted the difficulty to find stable reference genes in wild, non-model species and suggested the use of normalization indices instead of single genes as they exhibit a higher stability. Several target genes were found differentially expressed between mussel groups, especially in gills where cyp32, π-gst and CuZn-sod mRNA levels could be biomarker candidates. Multivariate analyses confirmed the ability of mRNA levels to highlight site-effects and suggested the use of several combined markers instead of individual ones. These findings support the use of qPCR technology and mRNA levels as early-warning biomarkers in marine monitoring programs.

Development of an innovative and "green" stir bar sorptive extraction-thermal desorption-gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine biota.

There is a growing awareness of the need to reduce the negative impact of chemical analyses on the environment and to develop new eco-friendly and sustainable analytical methods without compromising performance. In this study, we developed a "green" analytical method enabling the accurate and simultaneous routine analysis of 21 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in reduced quantities (100mg and 1g wet weight (WW)) of marine biota samples (fish muscle, mussel and oyster tissues) using alkaline digestion combined with stir bar sorptive extraction-thermal desorption-gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SBSE-GC-MS/MS). The innovative method provides good selectivity and specificity for most compounds. In 1gWW samples, limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 1 to 10µg/kgWW in fish muscle and from 0.5 to 10µg/kgWW in mussel tissue. The method enables most analytes to be quantified below the restrictive limits established by the European Commission (2 and 10µg/kgWW in fish muscle and bivalve mollusc, respectively). Higher LOQs were obtained in 100mgWW samples ranging from 1 to 50µg/kgWW. Recovery and linearity were assessed for all analytes. The results were satisfactory for most compounds with recoveries ranging from 94% to 117% in 1gWW mussel samples at spike concentration of 10ng/gWW with standard deviation not exceeding 12%. However, results confirmed that the SBSE efficiency is affected by the complexity of biological matrices, especially for high molecular weight compounds in lipid-rich mussel tissue. Because of the matrix effects, matrix-matched calibrations were carried out. Validation was performed using the standard reference material 1974c with recovery ranging from 71% to 119% except for naphthalene, anthracene and benzo(e)pyrene that were therefore not validated. Overall, the developed method meets analytical validation criteria for most compounds. Thanks to the combination of alkaline digestion and SBSE, which greatly simplifies sample treatment and limits solvent use to ethanol, the developed method followed most green analytical chemistry principles.

[Retrobulbar optic neuropathy and non-Hodgkin lymphoma]. / Neuropathie optique rétrobulbaire et lymphome malin non hodgkinien.

INTRODUCTION: Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) constitute a group of heterogeneous diseases that can arise in lymphatic nodal or extranodal sites. Ocular lymphomas account for 1% of all NHLs. Tumor of the orbit, which can lead to compression of the optic nerve, is the most frequent presentation of the disease. Primary infiltration of the optic nerve and its sheath remains exceptional. OBSERVATION: We report the case of a 51-year-old female patient treated for a NHL. While she was considered to be in remission after four courses of chemotherapy, she presented a right visual loss with hand motion acuity. Her examination revealed a right afferent pupillary defect. Brain MRI emphasized an infiltration of her right optic nerve with no other orbit abnormality. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed lymphomatous meningitis. She was then considered to have lymphomatous optic neuropathy (LON). Despite initial improvement of the visual acuity with treatment, the patient died of bone marrow aplasia 6 weeks later. CONCLUSION: LON can be suspected in a painful and sudden visual loss in a context of neoplasia. The diagnosis is confirmed by MRI and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. LON may occur as the sole ocular manifestation of disease recurrence in a patient with systemic NHL, otherwise thought to be in clinical remission.

[Infectious keratitis and cosmetic lenses: a five-case retrospective study]. / Kératites infectieuses et lentilles cosmétiques : étude rétrospective de cinq cas.

PURPOSE: To determine the characteristics of infectious keratitis related to plano cosmetic lenses. METHODS: Retrospective case study of a series of infectious keratitis among plano cosmetic lenses wearers. The main parameters were demographic data, medical history, risk factors for infectious complications and keratitis severity criteria, microbiological results, clinical course, and final visual acuity. RESULTS: Five patients were included, all females, ranging from 15 to 50 years of age. Four were emmetropic. One patient had undergone refractive photokeratectomy a few months before. All had risk factors for infectious complications. The fundamental causes of infections were diverse: bacterial abscesses, keratomycosis, and amoebic keratitis. All presented severity criteria. In two cases, the keratitis led to severe consequences with legal blindness requiring penetrating keratoplasty in one case. DISCUSSION: Infectious keratitis in plano cosmetic lenses wearers is not rare and may have dramatic consequences. Sales are specifically regulated and the lenses are considered cosmetic products, not medical devices. The sales regulations for plano cosmetic lenses should be updated, as several countries have already done after encountering many serious incidents.

[Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: clinical and angiographic features]. / Vasculopathie polypoïdale choroïdienne idiopathique: aspects cliniques et angiographiques.

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the clinical and angiographic characteristics of idiopathic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (IPCV) and its natural course. METHODS: Descriptive, prospective, consecutive case series of patients with presumed IPCV seen at Fort-de-France Hospital Center (French West Indies) between January and June 2006. All participants underwent complete eye examination and fluorescein and indocyanine green (ICG) angiography. The nature and location of the lesions were assessed in all eyes. Inclusion criteria were demonstration of characteristic lesions of IPCV on ICG angiography. RESULTS: Diagnosis of IPCV was made in 26 eyes of 14 patients, ten women and four men, all of Afro-Caribbean origin. The mean age was 77.4 years (range 60-92 years). Drusen were present in 13 eyes (50%), age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in one eye, and branch retinal vein occlusion in one eye. Twelve patients (85.7%) had bilateral involvement. Twelve eyes (46.2%) had visual acuity (VA) (Snellen) worse than 20/200, six eyes (23.1%) had VA between 20/200 and 20/100, and eight eyes (30.8%) had VA better than 20/100. On ICG angiography, lesions were predominantly located in the peripapillary area but also in the midperiphery, the macular and interpapillomacular areas, and the far periphery. CONCLUSION: Peripheral locations of IPCV and associations with drusen or AMD are not rare. The prognosis of the disease is poor in its natural course. Its etiology is unknown but genetic factors are probably involved. It is the main differential diagnosis for exudative AMD in black patients.

[Conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma. Four cases reported in the French West Indies]. / Carcinome épidermoïde conjonctival. A propos de quatre cas aux Antilles.

We report four cases referred to the Ophthalmologic Department of the University Hospital Center of Fort de France for the therapeutic management of a conjunctival malignant tumor. All cases reported involved conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma. All tumors were unilateral, one was localized, another was recurrent, one occurred in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and the last one was seen at the late stage of massive locoregional invasion. Three patients had surgery completed by corneolimbic cryotherapy. The last case was exentered. All of them consulted regularly. These four cases were collected over 5 years in approximately 15,000 patients examined per year in the University Hospital Center of Fort de France. Conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma is rare, even in Martinique, a tropical area. Careful attention to risk factors such as the sun exposure is recommended, as is the histologic diagnosis with any conjunctival tumour, since it changes quickly. The treatment must be adapted to the extension of the disease and to the patient's general health. The high rate of recurrence requires long-term follow-up in corneal and conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia.

[Outcomes of 110 consecutive 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless pars plana vitrectomies]. / Vitrectomie transconjonctivale 25 Gauge: à propos de 110 yeux opérés.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the 25-gauge transconjunctival vitrectomy system for a variety of vitreoretinal surgery indications at short-term follow-up. METHODS: Retrospective study of consecutive interventional cases that underwent surgery performed by one surgeon using the Alcon 25-Gauge vitrectomy system, in Bordeaux University Hospital, from September 2004 to May 2006. Indications were epiretinal macular membrane (72 eyes), macular hole (24 eyes), and other diseases (14 eyes). RESULTS: One hundred and ten eyes of 105 consecutive patients underwent surgery. None required conversion to 20-gauge vitrectomy or wound suture. One iatrogenic retinal break occurred intraoperatively. Two transient wound leaks, seven cases of hypotonia, one of chronic endophthalmitis, one of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, one of retinal break, two recurrent intravitreal hemorrhages, and six cases of hypertonia were noted postoperatively. Three eyes required additional surgery. Mean overall visual acuity improved from 0.691 +/- 0.465 logMAR preoperatively to 0.476 +/- 0.492 logMAR at 1 month (p<0.0001). Visual acuity improvement was statistically significant for eyes with macular epiretinal membrane (p<0.0001) and macular hole (p=0.0158). The macular hole closure rate was 87.5%. Mean operative time was 25.91+/-10.94 min. Mean follow-up was 13.32+/-18.1 weeks. Thirteen eyes developed cataracts during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Vitrectomy with the 25-Gauge system appears to be relatively safe and particularly appropriate for macular surgery.

Effects of oil and bioremediation on mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) growth in mudflats.

Mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) were exposed to crude oil during a field experiment to evaluate two bioremediation strategies (nutrient addition and nutrient addition with tilling). The mussels were placed in 4 mesocosms: Control, Oil, Oil + Nutrients, and Oil + Nutrients + Tilled. Tilling appeared to be clearly detrimental to mussel growth. Additionally, this field experiment demonstrated that at temperatures below 5 degrees C, growth was reduced to rates undetectable by the laser diffraction method. The data on mussel shell length show that this technique does offer very sensitive and useful comparative measurements of physiological function. Measurement of shell growth has the advantage over other techniques in that it is non-invasive and non-destructive and thus may be used continuously without disturbing critical physiological and biochemical functions; however, bivalve physiology is strongly linked to environmental conditions, so it is important to include such measures (i.e. seawater temperature and turbidity) in the design of the biomonitoring program. Elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels reflected bioaccumulation in mussels from all the oiled mesocosms. This correlated with reduction in growth rate. Maximum reduction in growth was observed in mussels from the tilled mesocosm which contained the lowest phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene concentrations. The tilling caused an increase in suspended solids which inhibited filter feeding activity, and resulted in suppressed growth and slower intake of PAH-laden sediment.