Coxiella burnetii infection among subjects infected with HIV type 1 in the Central African Republic.

Sixty-six sera from HIV-1-seropositive adult African subjects and 49 sera from HIV-seronegative age and sex matched healthy African controls living in Bangui, Central African Republic, were screened for Coxiella burnetii antibody by an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. 16.7% of HIV-infected patients and 16.3% of the HIV-negative controls had positive IgG titres, with no significant difference between the two groups. Two of the seven HIV-infected patients seropositive for Coxiella burnetii for whom clinical data was available had a medical history compatible with symptomatic Q fever. These findings indicate that there is a high degree of exposure to Coxiella burnetii infection in Bangui. In individuals co-infected with HIV and Coxiella burnetii, cellular immunosuppression could favour symptomatic Q fever. Physicians should be aware of the possibility of symptomatic Coxiella burnetii infection among HIV-infected people, particularly in endemic regions for both infections such as in sub-saharan Africa.

[Ophthalmologic manifestations of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in central Africa]. / Manifestations ophtalmologiques du syndrome d'immunodépression acquise (SIDA) en Afrique centrale.

In central Africa, the authors have performed an ophthalmological examination of 77 adult patients (18-55 years) with AIDS: 33.7% had ocular abnormalities. Frequent manifestations included cotton-wool patches and retinal hemorrhages, while lacrymal hyposecretion, palpebral and conjunctival kaposi sarcoma, ocular palsy, ptosis, herpes zoster, papillar oedema, cytomegalovirus retinitis and periphlebitis were less frequent. The authors underline the necessity to perform an ocular examination for each patient with AIDS.

Low prevalence of neuro-psychiatric clinical manifestations in central African patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

In order to evaluate the frequency of neurological and psychiatric disorders in central African patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), 93 inpatients at the National Hospital Centre of Bangui were selected according to the World Health Organization (Bangui) clinical definition of AIDS and were confirmed to be serologically positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1 (92/93) or HIV 2 (1/93) by Western blot. Neurological (11/15) and psychiatric (4/15) abnormalities were clinically detected in 16% (15/93) of African patients with AIDS. In this series, the prevalence of neuro-psychiatric disorders appeared to be lower than in Europe and North America.

[Neurologic and psychiatric manifestations of AIDS in Central African Republic]. / Manifestations neurologiques et psychiatriques du SIDA en République centrafricaine.

To describe and evaluate the frequency of neurological and psychiatric manifestations in African patients with AIDS, 93 in patients at the National Hospital Center, Bangui, were chosen according to the WHO clinical definition of AIDS and were confirmed to be HIV-1 positive (92/93) or HIV-2 positive (1/93) by Western blot. Patients were given both neurologic and psychiatric examinations. Cortico-spinal fluid (CSF) analysis was performed in case of neuro-psychiatric signs. 11 patients presented neurologic symptoms: 5 had focal processes associated in 2 cases with deep coma, 4 had cryptococcal meningitidis, 1 demonstrated peripheral facial paralysis, and there was one case of abnormal movement, choréo-athétotic type. 4 patients presented frank psychiatric symptoms (3 dementia syndromes, one of whom was HIV-2 positive, and 1 case of hallucinatory psychosis). CSF analysis was only helpful in the etiologic diagnosis of cryptococcal infection. The mortality rate in these 15 patients was 60% during the 2-month study. In this series, neurologic and/or psychiatric symptoms were detected in 16 (15/93)% of African patients with AIDS.

[Tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection in the Central African Republic]. / Tuberculose et infection par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine en République Centrafricaine.

In order to determine the proportion of tuberculosis (TB) patients in Bangui (Central African Republic) infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), we collected prospectively serum samples from all new TB patients seen at the University Hospital in Bangui during a three-month period (nov. 87-Jan. 88). 220 serum samples were tested for antibodies to HIV, by an Elisa assay and confirmed by Western-Blot. The general HIV seropositivity rate among TB patients was 27.7% (31.2% in adults (N = 183), and 10.8% in children (N = 37)). Within the adult population, there was non association between HIV infection and sex or previous history of TB. Seropositivity was more common in patients with extrapulmonary TB, especially lymphadenitis, and in patients with mediastinal adenopathy, or extensive pulmonary involvement without cavitation. Seropositivity was also strongly associated with negative tuberculin skin tests, chronic diarrhoea, generalized lymphadenopathy, and thrush. It is concluded that HIV infection is responsible for the increasing incidence of tuberculosis in Central African Republic, and that investigations for TB should be carried out in every symptomatic African patient infected with HIV.

[Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and determination of its subtypes in the Central African Republic]. / Fréquence de l'antigène HBs et détermination de ses sous-types en République centrafricaine.

To contribute to the epidemiology of hepatitis B, the authors report the results of a survey made in Bangui. This survey was performed on patients hospitalized in the department of medicine of the University Hospital. Some of the patients had a clinically typical hepatitis. HBsAg prevalence was 15.4%. The subtypes detected were: ay (8%), ayw2 (4%), ayw4 (88%). Those data are compared with other data obtained through medical publications in Central Africa.