ABSTRACT
In August 2004, a case of rabies was diagnosed in a puppy that had been illegally imported from Morocco to Bordeaux (France). Because a great number of people and animals were thought to have come into contact with the puppy, extensive tracing measures were implemented, and an international alert was launched to trace and treat the contacts at risk. One hundred and eighty seven people received post-exposure treatment, eight of whom also received serovaccination, and 57 animals known to have been exposed to the puppy were tested. Six months after the death of the rabid animal, none of the people treated showed any signs of rabies, nor was any secondary animal case reported. The management of this crisis highlights the importance of the role of a rapid alert system at European level. Strict application of sanitary control regulations is essential for animals introduced into EU countries, and all necessary information must be made available to EU residents travelling to rabies enzootic areas.
Subject(s)
Commerce/legislation & jurisprudence , Communicable Disease Control , Contact Tracing , Dog Diseases/transmission , Rabies/veterinary , Zoonoses , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Animals , Child , Child, Preschool , Dogs , Female , France , Humans , Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use , Infant , Internationality , Male , Middle Aged , Rabies/prevention & control , VaccinationABSTRACT
In August 2004, a case of rabies was diagnosed in a puppy that had been illegally imported from Morocco to Bordeaux (France). Because a great number of people and animals were thought to have come into contact with the puppy, extensive tracing measures were implemented, and an international alert was launched to trace and treat the contacts at risk. One hundred and eighty seven people received post-exposure treatment, eight of whom also received serovaccination, and 57 animals known to have been exposed to the puppy were tested. Six months after the death of the rabid animal, none of the people treated showed any signs of rabies, nor was any secondary animal case reported. The management of this crisis highlights the importance of the role of a rapid alert system at European level. Strict application of sanitary control regulations is essential for animals introduced into EU countries, and all necessary information must be made available to EU residents travelling to rabies enzootic areas.
ABSTRACT
Myoclonic-astatic epilepsy in early childhood: review of topical knowledge of clinical signs, electroencephalographic characteristics, etiology and therapy. The classification of epilepsy in childhood is discussed continuously. On the basis of some selected cases, the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of myoclonic-astatic epilepsy in early childhood are described. On the one side we describe similarities of this entity and on the contrary side variabilities of the individual cases. New molecular results are described as possible reasons of the individual course of this disease. The topical options regarding therapy are prescribed.
Subject(s)
Electroencephalography , Epilepsies, Myoclonic/diagnosis , Anticonvulsants/administration & dosage , Anticonvulsants/adverse effects , Cerebral Cortex/drug effects , Cerebral Cortex/physiopathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Chromosome Mapping , Drug Therapy, Combination , Electroencephalography/drug effects , Epilepsies, Myoclonic/drug therapy , Epilepsies, Myoclonic/genetics , Epilepsies, Myoclonic/physiopathology , Female , Frontal Lobe/drug effects , Frontal Lobe/physiopathology , Humans , Hydrolases/genetics , Infant , Male , Mutation/genetics , NAV1.1 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel , NAV1.2 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Sodium Channels/geneticsABSTRACT
The synthesis of investigations of three salmonellosis outbreaks which occured in France between 1998 and 2000 confirms the role of the consumption of minced beef and highlights the importance of prevention measures.
Subject(s)
Disease Outbreaks , Meat/microbiology , Salmonella Food Poisoning/epidemiology , Adolescent , Animals , Cattle , Child , Child, Preschool , Community-Acquired Infections/epidemiology , Community-Acquired Infections/microbiology , Confidence Intervals , Cross-Over Studies , Food Handling , France/epidemiology , Hot Temperature , Humans , Infant , Salmonella/classification , Salmonella Food Poisoning/microbiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Total serum homocysteine (tHcy) has been used as an indicator of intracellular vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6, and folate status in adults, but data for neonates and infants are lacking. Vitamin B-12 deficiency may have fatal effects on neurologic development in infants; therefore, early diagnosis is crucial. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to provide a reference range for tHcy in neonates and to explore the relation of tHcy to 1) serum vitamin concentrations, 2) the product of the transsulfuration pathway (cysteine), and 3) nutritional factors. DESIGN: tHcy, cysteine, folate, vitamin B-12, and vitamin B-6 were measured in 123 healthy, breast-fed neonates. The influence of nutrition (formula or human milk) on these variables was investigated in 60 infants. RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD) tHcy concentration was 7.8 +/- 3.1 micromol/L. tHcy showed a linear association with log vitamin B-12 (r = -0.64, P: < 0. 001), red blood cell folate (r = -0.33, P: < 0.001), and cysteine (r = 0.36, P: < 0.001). The strongest linear association was found between tHcy and the ratio of log cysteine to log vitamin B-12 (r = 0.71, P: < 0.0001). We found more neonates with probable tissue deficiencies of vitamin B-12 and folate on the basis of tHcy measurements than was expected from the analysis of serum vitamin concentrations alone (15.4% compared with 9.7%). Breast-fed infants had significantly lower vitamin B-12 concentrations and significantly higher serum tHcy and cysteine concentrations and ratios of log cysteine to log vitamin B-12 than did formula-fed infants (P: < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: tHcy can be used as a functional indicator of vitamin B-12 and folate status in neonates. The ratio of cysteine to vitamin B-12 can be used as an additional index of impaired intracellular Hcy metabolism. tHcy and cysteine concentrations in infants are affected by nutritional factors.
Subject(s)
Amino Acids/metabolism , Folic Acid/blood , Pyridoxine/blood , Sulfur/metabolism , Vitamin B 12/blood , Breast Feeding , Cross-Sectional Studies , Cysteine/blood , Erythrocytes/metabolism , Female , Homocysteine/blood , Humans , Infant Food , Infant, Newborn , MaleABSTRACT
Two outbreaks of trichinellosis in the Tarn et Garonne, département, France were reported by the departmental health autorities on 2 March 1998, to the Réseau National de Santé Publique (RNSP). An epidemiological investigation began on 3 March in order to.
ABSTRACT
Two outbreaks of trichinellosis in the Tarn et Garonne, departement, France were reported by the departmental health autorities on 2 March 1998, to the Reseau National de Sante Publique (RNSP). An epidemiological investigation began on 3 March in order to
Subject(s)
Sleep Apnea Syndromes/diagnosis , Adult , Airway Obstruction/diagnosis , Airway Obstruction/therapy , Child , Endoscopy , Equipment Design , Glossectomy , Humans , Laser Therapy , Light , Otolaryngology/instrumentation , Palate/surgery , Palate, Soft/surgery , Positive-Pressure Respiration , Reproducibility of Results , Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted , Sleep Apnea Syndromes/therapy , Snoring/diagnosis , Snoring/therapy , Tracheotomy , Uvula/surgery , VibrationABSTRACT
Some vasculotensional diseases may be associated, at a certain point of their evolution, with occurrences of sudden deafness or of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. It seems that the efficiency of the treatments of sudden deafness and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is not modified by those associations of pathologies. On the other side, the search for anticochlear antibodies gives a positive result in 45% of the vasculotensional diseases. When the vasculotensional disease is associated with sudden deafness, this percentage increases. On the contrary, it is lower when the vasculotensional disease is associated with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The presence of anticochlear antibodies may lead to a corticotherapy in case of failure of the classical treatments.
Subject(s)
Antibodies/analysis , Cochlea/immunology , Hearing Loss, Sudden/immunology , Vascular Diseases/immunology , Vertigo/immunology , Hearing Loss, Sudden/drug therapy , Humans , Vascular Diseases/physiopathology , Vascular Diseases/therapyABSTRACT
Snoring is considered abnormal even in children. Breathing difficulties can modify the development of the face and provoke upper respiratory dysfunction. Some surgical techniques are presented.
Subject(s)
Pharynx/surgery , Snoring/surgery , Uvula/surgery , Humans , Palate, Soft/surgery , Surgical Procedures, Operative/methodsSubject(s)
Carotid Body Tumor/complications , Tinnitus/etiology , Carotid Body Tumor/surgery , Female , Humans , Middle AgedSubject(s)
Keloid/etiology , Adult , Age Factors , Female , Humans , Keloid/immunology , Keloid/therapy , Male , PregnancySubject(s)
Facial Nerve/surgery , Spasm/surgery , Electromyography , Facial Muscles/surgery , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Spasm/etiologyABSTRACT
A comparative study on the course of bacteremia and the postoperative behavior in 132 patients requiring tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy has been conducted. A control group including 33 patients was compared to three groups of an even number of cases treated with either doxycycline or amoxycyllin, or receiving gamma globulin immunotheraphy. Choice was guided by (1) the occurrence of bacteremia during surgery and the search for the various microbial strains involved, and (2) the confirmation of the advantages of the drug used within the first week of treatment.