[Peritoneal tuberculosis--report of 43 cases].

Background: Peritoneal tuberculosis represents 0, 1 to 4% of all forms of tuberculosis.

Aim: The aim of our study is to describe clinical, therapeutic characteristics and the outcome of peritoneal tuberculosis.

Methods: Retrospective study of all cases of peritoneal tuberculosis diagnosed in gastroenterology B department - Rabta Hospital during a 12 years period (1996 to 2007).

[Phlegmonous appendicitis revealed by pyogenic liver abscesses].

Background: Pyogenic liver abscesses are rare and severe. Early diagnosis and treatment lead to a better prognosis. Biliary cause of liver abscesses is the most frequent.

[Case report of isolated Crohn's disease of the stomach presenting as plastica linitis].

Introduction: Crohn's disease of the stomach is rare. There is nearly always concomitant disease in the small bowel or colon. Gastric involvement occurs rarely as an isolated entity.

[Early gastric cancer--two case reports].

Gastric cancer is a serious disease with a high mortality rate. Early diagnosis of the disease improves its prognosis. We report two cases of early gastric cancer and we specify the clinical, endoscopic, histologic and therapeutic aspects of the disease.

[Role of intestinal flora in inflammatory bowel disease and probiotics place in their management].

The pathogenic role of certain microorganism of intestinal flora has been demonstrated in experimental colitis in animals and strongly suspected in inflammatory bowel disease in human, especially in Crohn's disease and pouchitis. Probiotics are living non pathogenic microorganisms that, upon oral ingestion exert benefits on human health by modulating enteric flora or by stimulation of local immune system. The aim of this article is to remind the role of intestinal flora in inflammatory bowel disease, the mechanism of inflammation induced by this flora and to review through the literature, the different clinical studies performed with probiotics in human.

[Abdomino-pelvic actinomycosis. Report of 2 cases].

Actinomycosis is a chronic, granulomatous, suppurative and fistulasing infection related to a gram-positive bacteria (actinomyces israeli). Cervico-facial actinomycosis is the most common localization. The prevalence of abdomino-pelvic actinomycosis is increasing mainly with the increase of the use of intrauterin device.

[Association of celiac disease and Crohn's disease. A case report].

Crohn's disease and celiac disease are two chronic digestive diseases. The pathological mechanisms that lead to them are not known. Their association is rare leading to diagnostic and etiopathogenic problems.

[The overlap syndrome of autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis. Clinical and therapeutic analysis of 5 cases].

Autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis are two different liver diseases. The aim of this study is to relate the clinical, serologic and histologic features of patients presenting the overlap syndrome, and to evaluate their response to therapy. This is a retrospective study concerning patients presenting overlap syndrome diagnosed between january 1998 and December 2001.

[Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in normal or asymptomatic patients].

The propose of this prospective study was to assess the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in asymptomatic subjects in year 2000. Ninety eight patients not suffering from upper gastrointestinal symptoms were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 39 years.

[Primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome: therapeutic features in 5 patients].

Unlabelled: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are two different liver diseases, however diagnosis criteria of these two affections can be found in a same patient. The aim of this study is to relate the clinical, serologic and histologic features of patients presenting the overlap syndrome, AIH-PBC, defined by the presence of at least of two main criteria of each disease and to evaluate their response to therapy.

Patients And Methods: This was a retrospective study concerning patients presenting overlap syndrome diagnosed between January 1998 and December 2001.

[Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors and the digestive tract].

The use of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is tempered by the development of side effects primarily in the gastro-intestinal tract. These effects result mainly from inhibition of the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-1. Two NSAIDs (celecoxib and rofecoxib) COX-2 specific inhibitors had considerably lower ulcerogenic rates and lower serious gastro-intestinal side effects when compared with other NSAIDs used in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

[Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in duodenal ulcer. Data of a prospective study apropos of 78 NSAID-negative patients with duodenal ulcer].

The aim of our study was to evaluate, the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in duodenal ulcer tunisian patients not using non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs. Seventy eight patients having a non complicated duodenal ulcer and not using non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs were enrolled in this prospective study carried out between February 2000 and January 2001. Six gastric biopsies were undertaken in all patients; five for an histologic analysis and one for urease test.