Ochratoxin A levels in human serum and foods from nephropathy patients in Tunisia: where are you now?

Ochratoxin A is a natural mycotoxin with nephrotoxic properties that can contaminate food products. It has been detected in high amount in human serum collected from nephropathy patients, especially those categorized as having a chronic interstitial nephropathy of unknown etiology. In the present study, ochratoxin A levels were measured in commonly consumed food items and in serum samples from nephropathy and healthy subjects in Tunisia. To assess ochratoxin A, a high performance liquid chromatography method was optimized. The ochratoxin A assay showed very different scales of ochratoxin A serum and food contamination from 0.12 to 1.5 ng/mL and 0.11 to 6.1 ng/g respectively, and in healthy subjects and 0.11 to 33.8 ng/g for food and 0.12 to 3.8 ng/mL for serum in nephropathy patients suffering from chronic interstitial nephropathy of unknown etiology. The disease seems related to ochratoxin A serum levels and food contaminations, since the healthy group was significantly different from the nephropathy group (P<0.001) for both food and serum ochratoxin A contamination. Those results combined with data published already, emphasize the likely endemic aspect of ochratoxin A-related nephropathy occurring in Tunisia.

Serum levels of ochratoxin A in healthy subjects and in nephropathic patients in Tunisia.

Ochratoxin A is a fungal toxin produced by Aspergillus and Penicillinium. These Fungi oftenly contaminate plant-derived products, and can generate deleterious toxic effects in man. In this study, ochratoxin A was determined in human serum samples collected in Tunisia, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and fluorescence detection. The samples were collected from healthy subjects (n = 105) as well as from patients with various kidney disorders. Five different kinds of kidney disorders were represented: transplanted subjects (27), patients with Chronic Interstitial Nephropathy (22) of known etiology, Chronic Vascular Nephropathy (26), Chronic Glomerular Nephropathy (26) or Chronic Interstitial Nephropathy (30) of unknown etiology. Mean concentrations of ochratoxin A in the healthy group was 0.49+/-0.79 ng/mL. The highest mean concentration of ochratoxin A was found in group of Chronic Interstitial Nephropathy of unknown etiology 1.25+/-1.22 ng/mL. Significant differences were also observed according to the geographic origin of healthy subjects and nephropthic patients within Tunisia.

[Acute repetitive giratory seizures as a manifestation of nonketotic hyperglycemia]. / Crises giratoires répétitives révélatrices d'une hyperglycémie non cétosique.

This 71 years old women without any history of epilepsy had diabetes mellitus. She was admitted for repetitive giratory seizures in relation with non-ketotic hyperglycaemia. The EEG showed right centro-parietal paroxysmal slow activity. Symptomatology disappeared within 48 hours after insulin therapy. One month later, she presented with a left hemiplegia in relation with a right sylvian infraction. The role of focal transitory ischaemia in connection with hyperglycaemia is discussed.

Study of cardiovascular disease risk factors among urban schoolchildren in Sousse, Tunisia.

To assess the risk to Tunisian children of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), we undertook an epidemiological survey of 1569 urban schoolchildren from Sousse. Prevalence rates for the following CVD risk factors were determined: hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and other lipid disorders, obesity and tobacco consumption. Hypertension and hypertriglyceridaemia showed no statistically significant difference by sex. Hypercholesterolaemia, high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and obesity were all significantly higher for girls than boys. Smoking was significantly higher among boys. The relatively low CVD risk factor profile of Tunisian schoolchildren should be encouraged in adulthood and a school heart health programme should be established.

[Epidemiology of hydatidosis in the Tunisian Sahel and central Tunisia]. / Epidémiologie de l'hydatidose dans le Sahel et le centre tunisiens.

Hydatidosis is very common in the Sahel and Central Tunisia. The 1984 annual surgical incidence rate of hydatid disease is 21.89 per one hundred thousand. Prevalence rates vary from 0.36 to 1.3%. Animal infestation is also common.

[Cost of hydatidosis surgery at the Sousse University Hospital (Tunisia)]. / Coût de l'hydatidose chirurgicale à l'Hôpital universitaire de Sousse (Tunisie).

Hydatidosis is a very common disease in Tunisia, with a great economical importance for the health care system. In 1983, for Sousse Hospital, the total cost for hydatidosis was 125,000 US $. More than half of these costs were for "hospital days". A more rational in the services administration would make decrease these costs, but the best is a special attention to primary prevention.