A brief review on features of falciparum malaria during pregnancy.

Malaria in pregnancy is a serious public health problem in tropical areas. Frequently, the placenta is infected by accumulation of infected erythrocytes in the intervillous space. Falciparum malaria acts during pregnancy by a range of mechanisms, and chronic or repeated infection and co-infections have insidious effects.

Imported malaria in pregnant women: A retrospective pooled analysis.

Background: Data on imported malaria in pregnant women are scarce.

Method: A retrospective, descriptive study of pooled data on imported malaria in pregnancy was done using data from 1991 to 2014 from 8 different collaborators in Europe, the United States and Japan. National malaria reference centres as well as specialists on this topic were asked to search their archives for cases of imported malaria in pregnancy.

Does the use of alcohol-based hand gel sanitizer reduce travellers' diarrhea and gastrointestinal upset?: A preliminary survey.

Introduction: Use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer is recommended by the CDC to reduce the risk for travellers' diarrhoea, but its effectiveness has not been assessed.

Materials And Methods: We investigated the potential protective effect of hand sanitizer use on the occurrence of diarrhoea and/or vomiting in 200 international travellers, who were returning home, at an international airport. We also conducted a knowledge, aptitude and practice survey about hand gel use among international travellers consulting for pre-travel advice at a specialized clinic.

Family compliance with counseling for children traveling to the tropics.

Background: The number of people, both adults and children, traveling abroad, is on the rise. Some seek counseling at travel medicine centers before departure.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted among children <16 years visiting a travel medicine center in Marseille, France, from February 2010 to February 2011.

Field evaluation of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are affordable, alternative diagnostic tools. The present study aimed to evaluate RDTs available in Cameroon and compare their characteristics to follow the parasitological response of patients for 28 days. Malaria diagnosis was assessed in 179 febrile patients using conventional microscopy as the reference method.

Demographics, health and travel characteristics of international travellers at a pre-travel clinic in Marseille, France.

With the aim to identify at-risk individuals among a cohort of international travellers, 3442 individuals who sought advice at Marseille travel health centre in 2009 were prospectively included. Demographics, travel characteristics, chronic medical conditions, vaccinations and antimalarial chemoprophylaxis were documented. Chronic medical conditions were reported by 11% of individuals, including hypertension (39%), asthma (20%), thyroid disease (15%) and depression (13%).

Rational case management of malaria with a rapid diagnostic test, Paracheck Pf®, in antenatal health care in Bangui, Central African Republic.

Background: Both treatment and prevention strategies are recommended by the World Health Organization for the control of malaria during pregnancy in tropical areas. The aim of this study was to assess use of a rapid diagnostic test for prompt management of malaria in pregnancy in Bangui, Central African Republic.

Methods: A cohort of 76 pregnant women was screened systematically for malaria with ParacheckPf® at each antenatal visit.

Pattern of the Antimalarials Prescription during Pregnancy in Bangui, Central African Republic.

Introduction. The aim of this study was to identify the antimalarials prescribed during the pregnancy and to document their timing. Method.

Relatively low prevalence of peripheral and placental Plasmodium infection at delivery in bangui, central african republic.

Introduction. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of malaria among women giving birth in Bangui. Association between sociodemographic characteristics of those women and malaria, as well as prevention compliance (use of intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTsp) and insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs)), was analyzed.

[Pandemic influenza A (H1N1 virus) on Futuna Island in the Pacific, from August to September 2009].

Objective: The aim of this study is to report the observation of the pandemic of influenza A (H1N1 virus) from August to September 2009 on the island of Futuna, in a context of isolated island that may mimic an environment closed.

Method: We conducted a prospective observational study of influenza-like illness, from the first confirmed case of influenza A on the island until the end of the epidemic wave.

Results: From August 15 to September 20, 2009, 1536 cases of influenza syndrome were identified.

Genetic structure of Plasmodium falciparum and elimination of malaria, Comoros archipelago.

The efficacy of malaria control and elimination on islands may depend on the intensity of new parasite inflow. On the Comoros archipelago, where falciparum malaria remains a major public health problem because of spread of drug resistance and insufficient malaria control, recent interventions for malaria elimination were planned on Moheli, 1 of 4 islands in the Comoros archipelago. To assess the relevance of such a local strategy, we performed a population genetics analysis by using multilocus microsatellite and resistance genotyping of Plasmodium falciparum sampled from each island of the archipelago.

Common health hazards in French pilgrims during the Hajj of 2007: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The majority of published studies on Hajj-related diseases were based on hospitalized patient cohorts.

Methods: A total of 545 Hajj pilgrims from Marseille were enrolled in a prospective epidemiological study to evaluate the incidence of common health hazards. They were administered a questionnaire before traveling addressing demographic factors and health status indicators and a post-travel questionnaire about travel-associated diseases.

Rabies exposure in international travelers: do we miss the target?

Background: Little data exist about the spatial distribution of the risk for travelers of being injured by a potentially rabid animal.

Methods: Over the last 14 years, animal-associated injuries in 424 international travelers presenting to a travel medicine clinic in Marseille, southern France, were investigated.

Results: The majority of cases were reported from North Africa (41.

Use of a histidine-rich protein 2-based rapid diagnostic test for malaria by health personnel during routine consultation of febrile outpatients in a peripheral health facility in Yaounde, Cameroon.

The role of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) in the case management of Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections has not been determined in Africa. Our study was conducted during November 2007-January 2008 to assess test accuracy of an RDT in the management of febrile outpatients in a peripheral urban health facility in Cameroon. We found the overall sensitivity to be 71.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of French travelers from Marseille regarding rabies risk and prevention.

Objective: To assess the awareness of the mode of rabies transmission, travel-associated rabies risk, and adequate preventive measures among French travelers.

Methods: Three hundred travelers were administered a detailed questionnaire prior to pretravel advice, addressing their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) with respect to animal-related injuries and rabies risk. Two hundred and nine were administered a post-travel questionnaire by telephone, addressing the occurrence of contacts with animals during travel.

Multinormal in vitro distribution model suitable for the distribution of Plasmodium falciparum chemosusceptibility to doxycycline.

The distribution and range of 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)s) of doxycycline were determined for 747 isolates obtained between 1997 and 2006 from patients living in Senegal, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon and patients hospitalized in France for imported malaria. The statistical analysis was designed to answer the specific question of whether Plasmodium falciparum has different phenotypes of susceptibility to doxycycline. A triple normal distribution was fitted to the data using a Bayesian mixture modeling approach.

Rabies postexposure prophylaxis, Marseille, France, 1994-2005.

The administration of human rabies postexposure prophylaxis near Marseille (southern France) has changed since the eradication of terrestrial mammal rabies in 2001. Most injuries were associated with indigenous dogs; rabies vaccine was overprescribed. We suggest that the World Health Organization guidelines be adapted for countries free of terrestrial mammal rabies.

Rabies postexposure prophylaxis in returned injured travelers from France, Australia, and New Zealand: a retrospective study.

Background: There is little published information available describing rabies pre- and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) in tourists returning to their home country and seeking care for animal-associated injuries, especially those associated with a rabies risk.

Method: We analyzed 261 travelers seeking care on returning to their home country following an animal-related injury acquired abroad. Information on individual cases of rabies (PEP) including preexposure status, type of contact with a potentially rabid animal, type of animal, and the nature of rabies PEP was collected by retrospectively analyzing records from May 1997 to May 2005.

Mefloquine versus 3-day oral quinine-clindamycin in uncomplicated imported falciparum malaria.

In this open randomized trial comparing 3-day oral quinine-clindamycin versus standard mefloquine regimen for uncomplicated imported falciparum malaria, mefloquine treatment was associated with a higher risk of discontinuation of the treatment (RR=1.8, 95% CI [1.1-2.

Antimalarial drug susceptibility and point mutations associated with drug resistance in 248 Plasmodium falciparum isolates imported from Comoros to Marseille, France in 2004 2006.

A total of 248 Plasmodium falciparum isolates were sampled in travelers with malaria who came to Marseille, France from Comoros to investigate in vitro activities of antimalarial drugs and molecular markers of drug resistance. Of the 248 isolates, 126 were maintained in culture. Of these, 53% were resistant to chloroquine, and 3% had reduced susceptibility to quinine, mefloquine, and atovaquone; 1% had reduced susceptibility to halofantrine and dihydroartemisinin; 7% had reduced susceptibility to monodesethylamodiaquine; 37% had reduced susceptibility to cycloguanil; and none had reduced susceptibility to lumefantrine.

Influence of oxygen on asexual blood cycle and susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine: requirement of a standardized in vitro assay.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of gas mixtures on in vitro Plasmodium falciparum growth and 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for chloroquine.

Methods: The study was performed between February 2004 and December 2005. 136 Plasmodium falciparum isolates were used to evaluate gas mixtures effect on IC50 for chloroquine by isotopic microtest.

Pilgrims from Marseille, France, to Mecca: demographics and vaccination status.

A cohort of 461 Hajj pilgrims to Mecca departing from Marseille was surveyed. Most of travelers originated from North Africa and one third were geriatric patients. An overall low rate of vaccination was observed.