[Lead blood levels in children under 6 years of age in the Mans region]. / Etude de l'imprégnation saturnine d'enfants de moins de 6 ans de la région du Mans.

OBJECTIVES: High lead levels in children can have a deleterious effect on intellectual development. We assessed blood lead levels in children in the Le Mans region. METHODS: Children aged between 6 months and 6 years were included in the study. Inclusion criteria were health status requiring a blood sample and amount of blood available after ordered tests sufficient for lead blood analysis. The study group included 365 children. RESULTS: Mean blood level in the 365 children was 37.2 +/- 20.6 micrograms/l. Six of the children had blood levels greater than 100 mu/l. None of the children had a level over 200 micrograms/l. Location of the home or date of construction of the home were not significantly correlated to blood lead levels, however blood lead levels were higher in children with neurological or behavioral disorders. This observation was made in a limited number of children. CONCLUSION: The risk of excessively high blood lead levels in children under 6 years of age is low in the Le Mans region. There is however a risk when old houses are renovated or in children with neurological or behavior disorders.

[Cercarial dermatitis in Europe: a new public health problem?]. / La dermatite cercarienne en Europe: un problème de santé publique nouveau?

Cercarial dermatitis is a parasitic impasse that has worldwide distribution. The condition manifests itself as a highly pruriginous skin rash and is due to penetration of the dermis by larval stages (furcocercariae) of avian trematodes. Many species may be responsible for this disease. In Europe the genus Trichobilharzia is widely represented, in particular by the species T. ocellata; the definitive host is the duck (Anas platyrhinchos); the intermediate hosts are snails of the genus Lymnea (L. ovata or L. stagnalis). In France, cases of cercarial dermatitis were reported in June and July 1994 to the health authorities of three départements in the Pays de la Loire Region (western France). The epidemiological situation, common to the three maintained ponds that were concerned, is as follows: high level of eutrophication of the sites, colonization of the ponds by L. ovata, and settlement by many duck colonies. The simultaneous occurrence of these three phenomena, combined with long hours of sunshine in the summer, is responsible for most of the foci of cercarial dermatitis recently described in Europe. Control of this condition is difficult, requiring strict maintenance of bodies of water and if necessary the use of molluscicides such as niclosamide. The use of praziquantel in baits for treating the definitive hosts appears to interrupt the natural cycle of the avian Schistosomatidae. In the light of the observations reported here and the analysis of recent publications, cercarial dermatitis may be regarded as an emerging disease. Its public health impact needs to be evaluated at the global level.

[Thoracic actinomycosis. Two aspects of an infection with protean manifestations]. / L'actinomycose thoracique. A propos de 2 aspects d'une infection protéiforme.

The authors report two cases of thoracic actinomycosis with contrasting presentations, just as the diagnosis was obtained by different tests underlying the varied aspects of this disease. Indeed this infectious pathology does infrequently mimic tuberculosis or lung cancer with similar clinical and radiological appearances. The particular characteristic of the bacteriological culture and the quasi specific character of the pale, yellow grains on histology are recalled, as well as the different treatments necessary to ensure a cure in 90% of cases.