'Brown sugar' heroin intoxication and improvement of surrogate immunologic markers in HIV infection.

OBJECTIVE: To report on the unexpected improvement in major biological surrogate markers (CD4 T-cell count, HIV RNA viral load, and apoptosis level) during the periods of 'brown sugar' heroin intoxication (BSI) in 12 HIV-1-infected intravenous drug users, independently of their antiretroviral therapy, compared to the period of 'brown sugar' heroin withdrawal (BSW). METHODS: The patients were followed prospectively for a total of 417 months over 4 years. Twenty-four episodes of BSI and 24 periods of BSW were analyzed.

[Emergency consultations of foreign tourists in Paris in the month of August. 5 years of prospective surveillance (1992-1996)].

For five consecutive years, five major Parisian institutions in charge of emergencies have participated in a prospective collection of medical data for foreign patients visiting Paris in August; 4093 subjects have been studied. Gastroenteritis represented the main cause in calling on emergency medical care (14.5 to 21.

Malaria chemoprophylaxis of 3,446 French travelers departing from Paris to eight tropical countries.

Background: Each year more and more French travelers are visiting areas where malaria is endemic. The aim of this study was to assess prophylactic regimens used by French travelers and to determine whether they meet current published recommendations.

Methods: This 12 month transversal study (May 1, 1995 to April 31, 1996) was conducted in embarkment lounges of Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport to eight "tropical" destinations.

A rare case of cotrimoxazole-induced eosinophilic aseptic meningitis in an HIV-infected patient.

A case of cotrimoxazole-induced meningoencephalitis in an HIV-infected patient without signs of AIDS is reported. The patient developed an apparently generalized seizure, of cotrimoxazole, 1 month after first taking a dose of this drug and a febrile coma after a second dose 3 weeks later. Lumbar puncture revealed eosinophilic aseptic meningitis.

Health hazards in international tourists visiting Paris in August: a five-year retrospective epidemiologic survey.

Background: Travel-related illnesses have been studied in visitors to developing countries, but no studies have examined the incidence of health problems in visitors to developed countries.

Methods: 4, 093 foreign tourists visiting Paris in August and attending to emergency medical care for acute health problems were included in an epidemiological survey conducted over 5 consecutive years. The objective was to determine what types of acute health problems occur in a foreign tourist population and to estimate the incidence of the main health hazards.

Stability of essential drugs in the field: results of a study conducted over a two-year period in Burkina Faso.

To evaluate the stability of essential drugs stored in realistic tropical conditions, we have carried out a two-year prospective study in western Burkina Faso. Twenty-seven essential drugs were stored in a rural site and a urban one where temperature and hygrometry were recorded daily. Samples of each drug were taken for further analysis to the World Health Organization Collaborative Center for the Study of Stability of Drugs in Nantes, France every three months.

Tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection in west Burkina Faso: clinical presentation and clinical evolution.

Objective: To study the relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and tuberculosis (TB) in a West African country.

Design: A cohort study in TB patients at the TB centre of Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Results: HIV seroprevalence rose from 12.

Clinical and molecular study of Corynebacterium diphtheriae systemic infections in France. Coryne Study Group.

Diphtheria is a disease with a long history that almost completely disappeared from developed countries. In addition, until 1987, systemic infections involving Corynebacterium diphtheriae were rare. However, in 1990, an epidemic occurred in Russia.

Lack of predictive value for progression of dissociated circulating P24 antigen in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected black patients.

In human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV)-1-infected Black people, the circulating p24 antigen is hidden frequently in immune complexes, because of high titers of serum anti-p24 antibodies. In order to evaluate the prognostic values for progression of free and dissociated serum p24 antigen in Black people, sera from 45 HIV-1-infected Black patients, all at non-AIDS stages, were evaluated prospectively for p24 antigen by several assays; circulating free p24 antigen was measured by immunocapture ELISA only (method 1) and with ELAST amplification (method 2), and dissociated p24 antigen determined after glycine-HCl pretreatment of serum, by immunocapture ELISA only (method 3) and with ELAST amplification (method 4). Serum CD4 and CD8 cell counts, beta 2-microglobulin, and total IgA were determined also at least twice a year.

Epidemiology of Lyme disease in France: Lyme borreliosis in the region of Berry sud: a six year retrospective.

The purpose of this epidemiologic retrospective is to recognize the endemic nature of Lyme borreliosis in 'Berry', region of France. Fifty-nine cases have been reported here during the past six years (1988-1994). An erythema migrans (EM), or a late manifestation concurrent with positive ELISA-test represents the main inclusion criterion (case definition used by the CDC).

Immunogenicity and safety of a new inactivated hepatitis A vaccine: a clinical trial with comparison of administration route.

A bicentre, controlled, randomized, open trial was carried out in order to compare the immunogenicity and the reactogenicity of PASTEUR MERIEUX Sérums et Vaccins inactivated Hepatitis A Vaccine on adults, when used with different routes of administration [intramuscular (i.m.), subcutaneous (s.

[Endoscopic diagnosis of a biliodigestive fistula of tuberculous origin revealing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome].

We report the case of a 32-year-old Malian man with abdominal tuberculosis revealing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A gastroscopy was made for epigastric pain and showed caseum in a digestive fistula with acid fast bacilli. Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was confirmed by sputum culture.

Choice of traditional or modern treatment in west Burkina Faso.

A recent survey shows that patients turn to modern medicine more than traditional medicine for most of their needs except rheumatic and neurological complaints. However, the preferences stated are influenced on the one hand by the much lower cost of traditional services, and on the other by official disapproval of animistic practices.

Haemophilus type B conjugate vaccine: postimmunization kinetics of IgM and IgG antibody responses in ten vaccinated children.

A new Haemophilus type b conjugate vaccine coupling capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae b to tetanus toxoid is available in France and other countries. We have studied the kinetics of the immune response in ten children aged 17 to 50 months during the 4 weeks after immunization with one dose of Haemophilus type b conjugate vaccine. Eight serum samples were collected from each child at day 0 (D0), D2, D4, D7, D10, D14, D21 and D28.

[Pneumococcal vaccination. Assessment and prospects].

Licensed in 1977, the pneumococcal vaccine is sparsely used in France. By contrast most recent epidemiological studies demonstrated that this vaccine is capable to significantly lower the incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia in groups in which this infection is frequently life-threatening. The efficacity of such immunisation is high unless subject are immunocompromised.

Risk factors for preterm delivery in Burkina Faso (west Africa).

The environmental and socioeconomic risk factors for preterm delivery were assessed in a West African urban population (Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso). The study population were 102 cases of preterm delivery matched with 102 controls obtained from 4124 sequential deliveries which occurred between May and October 1989 in the three maternity centres in the city. The univariate analysis identified the risk factors as age (< 20 years), primiparity, marital status (single), low frequency of antenatal visits, death of a previous child and level of education of the mother.