Changes in brain metabolism associated with remission in unipolar major depression.

OBJECTIVE: Functional brain correlates of remission in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are measured with positron emission tomography (PET) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose. METHOD: Glucose metabolism was measured in patients (n = 41) with moderate to severe MDD during acute depression and in the remitted state defined as a period of asymptomatic condition over 12 weeks. Data analyses used a region-of-interest (ROI) approach and statistical parametric mapping (SPM). RESULTS: There were significant decreases in metabolism upon remission with respect to the baseline scan in left prefrontal, anterior temporal and anterior cingulate cortex and bilateral thalamus (SPM analysis) and bilateral putamen and cerebellum (SPM and ROI analyses). There was a significant asymmetry in prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex metabolism with lower metabolism in the left hemisphere that persisted despite clinical remission. CONCLUSION: These findings support the hypothesis that selective monoamine reuptake inhibition leads to an attenuation of a brain circuit that mediates depressive symptomatology.

Serotypes of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from clinical and environmental sources in Togo (West Africa).

Serological analysis of O and K antigens was performed on 343 strains of Vibro parahaemolyticus isolated from clinical and environmental sources in Togo. Only two strains were not typable by the available O antisera. K untypable strains were found in 4.8% of isolates from gastroenteritis patients, in 11% from healthy carriers, and in 47% and 46% of isolates, respectively, from water and fish samples. Thirteen serotypes identified in Togo are not considered in the Japanese antigenic scheme. The suitability of the Japanese typing scheme for geographic areas outside of Japan is discussed and its extension is suggested.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus gastroenteritis during, the El Tor cholera epidemic in Togo (West Africa).

In the course of the El Tor cholera epidemic in Togo (West Africa), Vibrio parahaemolyticus was identified as the causative agent of a cholera-like gastroenteritis. From September 1971 to March 1973 81 cases were confirmed bacteriologically. Seventy patients developed cholera-like symptoms and at first were wrongly diagnosed as cholera cases; 6 other patients were simultaneoulsy infected with El Tor vibrios and V. parachaemolyticus. There was a markedly higher incidence in males than in females. Only sporadic cases occurred, and outbreaks and secondary cases have not been observed. It is suggested that V. parahaemolyticus might be an important agent of acute gastroenteritis on the coast of West Africa.

Ecology and epidemiology of Vibrio parahaemolyticus on the coast of Togo.

Following the identification of V. parahaemolyticus as an important agent of choleralike gastroenteritis in Togo, studies to establish the natural reservoirs of these bacteria were performed in 1972-73. Whereas V. parahaemolyticus was rarely found in water from the Atlantic ocean, the lagoons along the coast proved to be important reservoirs. The incidence of halophilic vibrios was correlated with the salinity of these waters, which is subjected to seasonal changes with the highest sodium chloride concentration at the end of the dry season. Examination of fish and shellfish samples confirmed these results: V. parahaemolyticus was isolated from only 0.5% of freshly caught fish from the Atlantic ocean but occurred in 47.3% of fish and shellfish samples from the lagoons. A still higher occurrence was encountered in specimens purchased in the markets, with 14.3% of sea fish samples and 67.7% of specimens originating from the lagoons being positive. Since lagoons and lakes with brackish water are typical of all the coastal areas between Nigeria and Ivory Coast it is likely that V. parahaemolyticus is a widespread pathogen on the coast of West Africa.