Analysis of anti-Plasmodium IgG profiles among Fulani nomadic pastoralists in northern Senegal to assess malaria exposure.

BACKGROUND: Northern Senegal is a zone of very low malaria transmission, with an annual incidence of < 5/1000 inhabitants. This area, where the Senegal National Malaria Control Programme has initiated elimination activities, hosts Fulani, nomadic, pastoralists that spend the dry season in the south where malaria incidence is higher (150-450/1000 inhabitants) and return to the north with the first rains. Previous research demonstrated parasite prevalence of < 1% in this Fulani population upon return from the south, similar to that documented in the north in cross-sectional surveys. METHODS: A modified snowball sampling survey of nomadic pastoralists was conducted in five districts in northern Senegal during September and October 2014. Demographic information and dried blood spots were collected. Multiplex bead-based assays were used to assess antibody responses to merozoite surface protein (MSP-119) antigen of the four primary Plasmodium species, as well as circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and liver stage antigen (LSA-1) of Plasmodium falciparum. RESULTS: In the five study districts, 1472 individuals were enrolled, with a median age of 22 years (range 1 to 80 years). Thirty-two percent of subjects were under 14 years and 57% were male. The overall seroprevalence of P. falciparum MSP-119, CSP and LSA-1 antibodies were 45, 12 and 5%, respectively. Plasmodium falciparum MSP-119 antibody responses increased significantly with age in all study areas, and were significantly higher among males. The highest seroprevalence to P. falciparum antigens was observed in the Kanel district (63%) and the lowest observed in Podor (28%). Low seroprevalence was observed for non-falciparum species in all the study sites: 0.4, 0.7 and 1.8%, respectively, for Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium malariae MSP-1. Antibody responses to P. vivax were observed in all study sites except Kanel. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of P. falciparum MSP-119 antibodies and increases by study participant age provided data for low levels of exposure among this transient nomadic population. In addition, antibody responses to P. falciparum short half-life markers (CSP and LSA-1) and non-falciparum species were low. Further investigations are needed to understand the exposure of the Fulani population to P. vivax.

[Intra-anesthetic arterial hypotension in elderly patients during emergency surgery: what are the risk factors?] / Hypotension artérielle per-anesthésique du sujet âgé lors d'une chirurgie urgente: quels facteurs de risque?

Emergency anesthesia in elderly patients aged 65 years and older is complex. The occurrence of intraoperative incidents and arterial hypotension is conditioned by patients' initial health status and by the quality of intraoperative management. This study aimed to determine the incidence of intra-anesthetic arterial hypotension in elderly patients during emergency surgery and to assess the involvement of certain factors in its occurrence: age, sex, patient's history, ASA class, anesthetic technique. We conducted a retrospective descriptive and analytical study in the Emergency Surgery Department at the Aristide Le Dantec University Hospital from 1 March 2014 to 28 February 2015. We collected data from 210 patients out of 224 elderly patients aged 65 years and older undergoing emergency anesthesias (10.93%). Data of 101 men and 109 women were included in the analysis, of whom 64.3% had at least one defect. Patients' preoperative status was assessed using American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification: 71% of patients were ASA class 1 and 2 and 29% were ASA class 3 and 4. Locoregional anesthesia was the most practiced anesthetic technique (56.7%). 28 patients (13.33%) had intra-anesthetic arterial hypotension, of whom 16 under general anesthesia and 12 under locoregional anesthesia. It was more frequent in patients with high ASA class and a little less frequent in patients with PAH and underlying heart disease. Arterial hypotension in elderly patients during emergency surgery exposes the subject to the risk of not negligible intraoperative hypotension, especially in patients with high ASA class. Prevention is based on adequate preoperative assessment and anesthetic management.

[Perioperative management of emergency abdominal surgery in adult patients at the Aristide Le Dantec University Hospital]. / Prise en charge péri opératoire des urgences chirurgicales abdominales chez l'adulte au CHU Aristide Le Dantec.

Perioperative management of emergency abdominal surgery remains a major concern for anesthesiologists due to hemodynamic and/or metabolic disorders often present preoperatively as well as to potential postoperative complications. This study aims to evaluate the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic factors of abdominal emergencies. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study involving patients over 16 years old undergoing emergency abdominal surgery at the Aristide Le Dantec University Hospital over a period of six months. The parameters studied were the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic factors of emergency abdominal surgery. We collected 161 cases, nearly 20% of the activity in the department. The average age was 41 years [16, 80 years]. The sex ratio was 2.9. The mean consultation time was 4.6 days. Peritonitis was the most frequent pathologies (25.5%). The average heart rate in patients was 92 bpm (beats/ min) and 97 bpm in patients who underwent preoperative hemodynamic preparation. The average Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) was 96.6 mmHg and 86.1 mmHg in prepared patients. 49.1% of patients were ASA class 1, 39.9% were ASA2, 8.7% ASA3, 2.5% ASA4 and 0.6% ASA5. Antibiotic prophylaxis was used in 46.30% of patients and 53.41% of them underwent antibiotic therapy. 95.6% of patients underwent general anesthesia and 4.4% underwent spinal anesthesia. The frequency of perioperative incidents was 11.08%. Morbidity was 4.3% and mortality was 4.96%. The management of emergency abdominal surgery requires a multidisciplinary approach that involves anesthetists, surgeons and biologists to further reduce morbidity and mortality rate which remains significant even today.

[Early form of Wilkie's syndrome: a rare complication of scoliosis surgery, about a case and review of the literature]. / Forme précoce du syndrome de Wilkie: complication rare de la chirurgie pour scoliose à propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome is a rare complication occurring after surgical treatment for scoliosis. Surgical correction of the scoliotic spine produces vertical traction on the mesenteric artery and the narrowing of the aortomesenteric angle, hence the compression of the third part of the duodenum causing the syndrome. We here report the case of a young girl with an early form of superior mesenteric artery syndrome secondary to surgical correction of idiopathic scoliosis. The patient underwent posterior spinal fusion for idiopathic scoliosis. On the third postoperative day she experienced uncontrollable vomiting associated with no evacuation of faeces and no passing of flatus. Urgent abdominal CT scan was performed which allowed the diagnosis of superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Treatment consisted in the rest of the digestive tract associated with early parenteral nutrition and correction of fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Lacking evidence of clinical improvement, surgical indication was posed. The evolution was favourable with an uneventful postoperative recovery and the resumption of adequate food intake on the fourth postoperative day. The patient was discharged on the seventh postoperative day. Contributing factors are young age, long-limbed morphotype with BMI below 18. CT scan shows an important gastric dilatation associated with complete halt of the third part of the duodenum. The treatment is multidisciplinary, medical (first-line treatment) and surgical (if medical treatment do not help). A better knowledge of the predictors of medical treatment failure would reduce the length of hospital stay.