Enzootic plague foci, Algeria.

In Algeria, PCR sequencing of pla, glpD and rpoB genes found Yersinia pestis in 18/237 (8%) rodents of five species, including Apodemus sylvaticus, previously undescribed as pestiferous; and disclosed three new plague foci. Multiple spacer typing confirmed a new Orientalis variant. Rodent survey should be reinforced in this country hosting reemerging plague.

Two outbreaks of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Africa due to genotype III coxsackievirus A24 variant.

Reported here are two outbreaks of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis that occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Morocco in the summers of 2003 and 2004, respectively, with a large impact on public health. Virus was isolated from the conjunctival swabs of 30 Congolese and 20 Moroccan patients. Enterovirus-specific cytopathic effect was observed in all samples. None of the strains could be typed using a conventional neutralization assay with the Melnick intersecting pools; however, by sequencing the VP1 region, the viruses could be identified as coxsackie A24 variants. Phylogenetic analysis of the 3C protease region revealed that these strains were closely related to each other as well as to genotype III isolates detected in Korea in 2002, thus proving their worldwide spread. This is the first report of an epidemic of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis due to a coxsackievirus A24 variant in Africa since 1987 and the first ever from Morocco.

[Visual prognosis factors in congenital cataract]. / Les facteurs de pronostic visuel dans la cataracte congénitale.

PURPOSE: Study of different factors which can change the visual prognosis in congenital cataract. METHODS: One hundred seventy eyes of 100 children with congenital cataract are operated by extracapsular cataract extraction with limbic incision. Posterior rhexis and anterior vitrectomy were associated in children under 2 years. Implantation was used in 42%, contact lens in 8%. Other cases were corrected by glasses. The prognostic factors studied were: uni- or bilaterality, partial or complete aspect of cataract, age of apparition and management, and association with other malformations. RESULTS: Only 9 eyes out of 30 with unilateral congenital cataracts had visual acuity > or = 2/10; 44.4% of bilateral cataracts had visual acuity > or = 2/10; The best visual acuity was noted in progressive and partial cataract without associated malformations.

[Retinal vasculitis]. / Les vascularites retiniennes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine aetiologies of vasculitis of retina in Morocco. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study on 108 cases of vasculitis of retina admitted in the ophthalmology department, for a 5-year period (1987-1993). Our patients had a complete ophthalmological examination : fluorescine angiography, colour vision, general examination and biological study. RESULTS: Many aetiologies have been found, predominantly Behcet's disease. The neovascularization of retina which complicates the vasculitis was detected in 30 % of our patients. A laser photocoagulation was performed on these cases, sometimes a vitrectomy was necessary when a haemorrhage of vitreous body occurred, complicating the neo-vessels of retina. The therapeutics received by our patients was based on the corticotherapy. An immunosuppression treatment was prescribed in most cases of Behcet's disease and in severe vasculitis. Outcome after treatment has been satisfactory, but many patients relapse very frequently, mainly those with Behcet's disease. CONCLUSION: Causes of vascular retinitis are variable, most of them are due to Behcet's disease.