[Outbreak of influenza pandemic virus A(H1N1) 2009 infections in the Emergency Department, Saint-Pierre, Réunion Island, July-September 2009]. / Caractéristiques des syndromes grippaux pris en charge aux urgences du centre hospitalier régional de Saint-Pierre, île de la Réunion, au cours de l'épidémie à virus pandémique A(H1N1) 2009 (juillet-septembre 2009).

A new H1N1 virus originating from swine recently emerged as the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century. On July 3, 2009, this new influenza A(H1N1) virus (S-OIV) of swine origins was identified in Réunion Island, a French overseas department located in the southern hemisphere. The present study describes the characteristics of the epidemic from July 3 to September 30, 2009. Among the 479 patients included in our study (236 males, 37.3 ± 19.0 years), 255 (53.2%) were reported to have comorbidities or risk factors (RF) for complications. Complications occurred in 160 patients (33.4%). The most common complications were bronchial hyperreactivity (52.7%), pneumonia (32.1%), and decompensation caused by comorbidity (17.9%). 111 patients (23.2%) required hospitalization. Patients aged 65 and over, accounted for 11.9% of all patients, 32.4% of hospitalized patients and 22.5% of complicated S-OIV infections. Regardless of age, comorbidity and/or RF were reported in 80.0% of complicated S-OIV infections and 91.0% of hospitalized patients. Recommendations for surveillance, prevention and policy for persons with RF, particularly respiratory disease, are justified. However, the absence of risk factors did not prevent the occurrence of complications, present in 14.3% of the cases.

Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission indices in a highland village of the Ikopa River Valley near Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Data are reported from a malaria survey carried out in June 1991 in the small village of Ankadimbazinba, near Miantso, about 45 km North-West of Antananarivo (Madagascar). The objective was to evaluate the level of transmission of P. falciparum by entomological, parasitological and serological indices. All indices were found consistent with the description of a focus of hyperendemic transmission dependent on the presence of An. funestus at high density, corresponding to more than 50 females per house collected by hand catch. The positivity rate for the circumsporozoite protein (CS) of P. falciparum in blood-fed or gravid An. funestus was 2.0% (11/562) in the house resting sample. The parasite rate in the village population was 47.9% reaching 68.4% in the 0-14 age group and the gametocyte rate in the total sample was 25.0%. The seroprevalence of P. falciparum antisporozoite antibodies was 40.0% in children under 15 years old, 84.2% in the 15-29 age group and 90.9% in the over 29 age group.