[Filarian elephantiasis in French Polynesia (Wuchereria bancrofti var. pacifica). II. Biological aspects]. / Eléphantiasis filariens en Polynésie francaise (Wuchereria bancrofti, var. pacifica). 2. Aspects biologiques.

Realized in French Polynesia among 274 patients with elephantiasis, this survey studied the microfilaremia, the eosinophily, the immunoglobulin titers and the antifilarian antibodies (done by passive hemagglutination) for Wuchereria bancrofti var. pacifica. Patients with elephantiasis seldom have circulating microfilariae in their blood. Hypereosinophily is frequent but rarely high. It is similar to the one patients with microfilaremia. There is a trend towards neutropenia during lymphangitic crisis that occur on an elephantiasis limb. The IgE titer is clearly increased, the IgG one is lesser elevated. The mean values are identical to those encoutered among microfilariae asymptomatic cariers. On the other hand the serodiagnosis is more frequently positive among elephantiasic patients.

[Evaluation of 25 years of antileprosy chemotherapy in French Polynesia. Influence of age on the onset of the disease]. / Bilan de 25 ans de chimiothérapie anti-lépreuse en Polynésie Française. Influence sur l'âge d'apparition de la maladie.

In French Polynesia the cases of leprosy are individually severe, like in Asia, but the endemy always stood under a relatively low level. A strong campaign of chemiotherapy has been conducted for 25 years. Unfortunatly the actions of systematic detection of new cases are not sufficient and the sanitary education is almost non existent. The territory is actualy reached by deep demographic and social upsettings and chemiotherapy used alone is not enough efficient to obtain a definitive decrease of the endemy or even to avoid, for a long time, a new increase. However a significant decrease of the age of advent of the decrease must be credited to the action of chemiotherapy.

[Eosinophilia and lymphatic filariasis in French Polynesia]. / Eosinophilie et filariose lymphatique en Polynésie Française.

An important hypereosinophilia is usually regarded as an interesting argument of presumption in lymphatic filariasis. This present report concerns 278 Polynesians people infected with Wuchereria bancrofti pacifica. Six kinds of patients were analysed: carriers of microfilarias, patients with elephantiasis, with lymphangitis attacks, new infections, carriers of microfilariasis recently treated with Diethylcarbamazine and, at least, 100 fellows without filariasis. The results which were observed differ, in some aspects, from the usually admitted ideas.

[Evolution of filarial hemagglutinating antibodies 1 year after a single dose of diethylcarbamazine]. / Evolution, en matière de filariose, des anticorps hémagglutinants un an après une dose unique de diéthylcarbamazine

The authors compare the serological results obtained before and after a single dose with diethylcarbamazine (6 mg./kg.) in a homogeneous and strongly infected with Wuchereria bancrofti var, pacifica population. They point out a statistically significant decrease of the hemagglutining antibody titres of filarian patients.

[Significance of passive hemagglutination and its prospectives in lymphatic filariasis]. / Intérêt de l'hémagglutination passive et perspectives en matière de filariose lymphatique

The authors analyze the data concerning 219 sera, that they have tested in passive hemagglutination, with as antigen a Dirofilaria immitis proteic extract, in French Polynesia. Besides its light sensitivity, this method does appear very interesting. It points out: --First, that there is a gaussian distribution of the results found at various dilutions, both by "filarian" and "non filarian" people. Therefore, this distribution is a feasible and practical parameter for evaluation of the Filariasis transmission in different populations. --On the other hand, that there is an inverse correlation between the presence of microfilaria in the blood and the level of immunological response for lymphatic Filariasis.

[Activity of levamisole (Solaskil) in lymphatic filariasis caused by Wucheria bancrofti (variety pacifica]. / Activité du Levamisole (Solaskil) dans la filariose lymphatique à Wuchereria bancrofti (variété pacifica)

A 6 mg./kg. daily dose of levamisole was given during three days to ten carriers of microfilarias Wuchereria bancrofti in Tahiti. No action against adult worms was noticed. The immediate microfilaricid action was at least equivalent to the action of DEC. However the decrease of microfilaremia was not so long with levamisole than with DEC given to a lower dose. Lastly the amount of reactions after a treatment by levamisole is notable.

[Comparative immunological study of protein extracts of poisonous and non-poisonous fishes (author's transl)]. / Etude immunologique comparée d'extraits protéiques de poissons vénéneux et non vénéneux

Suggesting an immunologic participation in the pathogeny of the ciguateric syndroms, the authors have prepared a proteic antigen from the flesh of poisonous and edible fish of the same species. They have shown that there is a total common antigenicity between toxic and non toxic extracts. They suggest a new immunologic approach, in the matter of intoxication by ciguateric fish.

[The absence of Sindbis virus from French Polynesia]. / A propos de l'absence du virus Sindbis en Polynésie française

The authors report, in French Polynesia that Sindbis antigen is a good control for rubella serodiagnosis. Data are presented on Hemagglutination Inhibition from 2,032 sera, showing no evidence of any Sindbis antigen circulation.