Presumptive diagnosis of leptospirosis before seroconversion: a review of 338 cases in Wallis and Futuna 2008 to 2015.

Leptospirosis is a common condition in Wallis and Futuna, and the definitive diagnosis needs to be established urgently at the first patient consultation, which is usually one to two days after the onset of clinical signs. As a diagnostic aid, a composite index was established based on data from 338 patients seen by the Wallis and Futuna admissions services between 2008 and 2015. The data taken into account include: age and sex of the patient, their home island, the consultation period and the results of leukocytes, platelets, CRP, creatinine and GGT tests combined with 2 major clinical signs, headache and conjunctival suffusion.

An Unprecedented High Incidence of Leptospirosis in Futuna, South Pacific, 2004 - 2014, Evidenced by Retrospective Analysis of Surveillance Data.

Futuna is a small Polynesian island in the South Pacific with a population of 3,612 in 2013. The first human leptospirosis case was confirmed in 1997. Active surveillance started in 2004.

Compound heterozygous PKHD1 variants cause a wide spectrum of ductal plate malformations.

Ductal plate malformations (DPM) present with a wide phenotypic spectrum comprising Von Meyenburg complexes (VMC), Caroli disease (CD), Caroli syndrome (CS), and autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). Variants in PKHD1 are responsible for ARPKD and CS with a high inter- and intra-familial phenotypic variability. Rare familial cases of CD had been reported and exceptional cases of CD are associated with PKHD1 variants.

[Evaluation of the Kato-Katz technique for monitoring Schistosoma mansoni infestation in endemic areas].

The Kato-Katz technique has become the gold standard for all studies on intestinal schistosomiasis. Though repeatability and reproducibility can be disappointing and the sensitivity is low, it remains easy, inexpensive, and fast and as such, is perfectly suited for epidemiological surveys or to monitor the effectiveness of mass treatment. For optimal interpretation of the Kato-Katz results in a recent study of three endemic villages in the Senegal River basin, a study of the measurement uncertainties of this analysis was conducted according to Cofrac and ISO 15189 guidelines.

Epidemiologic pattern of meningococcal meningitis in northern Cameroon in 2007-2010: contribution of PCR-enhanced surveillance.

Objectives: Monitoring acute bacterial meningitis in northern Cameroon.

Methods: Health professionals collected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from patients presenting with clinical symptoms of meningitis. Specimens were tested using gram stain, latex agglutination test, and culture.

Positive effect of the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination in the expanded program on immunization in Cameroon.

The microbiological surveillance of acute bacterial meningitis in the three northern provinces of Cameroon, namely North, Far North and Adamaoua shows the disappearance of Hib from cerebrospinal fluid specimens examined in the laboratory of the Centre Pasteur, in Garoua, using culture and/or soluble antigen testing, since the Hib immunization introduction on 1 February 2009.

Serogroup W135 meningococcal meningitis, Northern Cameroon, 2007-2008.

We analyzed results of recent microbiologic surveillance of meningitis in northern Cameroon. During the 2007 and 2008 meningitis seasons, all 57 identified meningococcal isolates were serogroup W135. This situation might indicate that the area is experiencing a period between epidemic waves due to 2 different clones of serogroup A meningococci.