Helicobacter pylori infection in children in Madagascar: risk factors for acquisition.

Aim: The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence, risk factors for acquisition and the clinical characteristics of H. pylori infection in Malagasy children.

Methods: A 2 year prospective study was conducted among 434 children from a rural (group A) and an urban area (group B).

An 800 kb deletion at 17q23.2 including the MED13 (THRAP1) gene, revealed by aCGH in a patient with a SMC 17p.

We report on clinical and cytogenetic studies in a 7-year-old child with moderate intellectual disability, short stature, mild dysmorphism, and hearing loss. R-chromosome banding showed a de novo autosomal marker originating from the 17p chromosome segment in all cells analyzed. Array comparative genome hybridization (aCGH) was used to determine the gene content and proximal and distal breakpoints of the small supernumerary marker chromosome (SMC).

[Comparison of prescriptions by pediatricians and general practitioners: a population-based study in Franche-Comté from the database of Regional Health Insurance Fund].

Objectives: To compare the medical management of children by private pediatricians or by general practitioners.

Population And Methods: A retrospective cohort study analyzed information from the automated database of the Regional Health Insurance Fund for salaried workers in Franche-Comté from January 2001 through December 2002 and compared the mean rates of prescriptions in the populations seen only by general practitioners or mainly by pediatricians.

Results: Analysis concerned 1 535 208 visits (office and home).

Antibody persistence against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in 5-6-year-old children after primary vaccination and first booster with a pentavalent combined acellular pertussis vaccine: immunogenicity and tolerance of a tetravalent combined acellular pertussis vaccine given as a second booster.

Unlabelled: The main objective of this study was to assess in 5-6-year-old French children (n=234) the persistence of antibodies induced by a primary series vaccination (at 2-4 months of age) and a first booster (at 12-16 months of age) with a pentavalent two-component acellular pertussis combined vaccine (DTacP-IPV-Hib; Pentavac). The second objective was to evaluate in these 5-6-year-old French children the safety and the immunogenicity of a tetravalent acellular pertussis combined vaccine (DTacP-IPV; Tetravac) given as second booster.

Results: Seroprotective antibody levels against diphtheria, tetanus, types 1-3 poliomyelitis and PRP were maintained 4-5 years after primary-vaccination and first booster with Pentavac.

Persistence of antibodies at 5-6 years of age for children who had received a primary series vaccination with a pentavalent whole-cell pertussis vaccine and a first booster with a pentavalent acellular pertussis vaccine: immunogenicity and tolerance of second booster with a tetravalent acellular vaccine at 5-6 years of age.

Unlabelled: The main objective of this study was to assess in 5-6-year-old French children (n=162) the persistence of antibodies induced by a primary series vaccination (at 2-4 months of age) with a pentavalent whole-cell pertussis combined vaccine (DTwcP-IPV-Hib; Pentacoq) and a first booster (at 12-16 months of age) with a pentavalent two-component acellular pertussis combined vaccine (DTacP-IPV-Hib; Pentavac). The second objective was to evaluate in these 5-6-year-old French children the safety and the immunogenicity of a tetravalent pertussis combined vaccine (DTacP-IPV, Tetravac) given as a second booster.

Results: before the 2nd booster, more than 90% of children had antibody titers above the defined threshold for polyribosyl ribitol phosphate (PRP), tetanus, diphtheria and poliomyelitis; antibody titers were very low for pertussis.

A liquid hexavalent combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae type B and hepatitis B: review of immunogenicity and safety.

To reduce the number of injections needed to comply with paediatric vaccination requirements, a liquid, hexavalent vaccine (DTaP-IPV-PRP-T-HBs; Hexavac; Aventis Pasteur MSD) has been developed for primary and booster vaccination of infants and toddlers. In extensive clinical studies, Hexavac has been shown to be highly immunogenic. Seroconversion or seroprotective titres of antibodies against all antigens were achieved in the majority of infants following a primary series of three doses administered at 1-2-month intervals from 2 months of age.

[Risk factors for early bronchiolitis at asthma during childhood: case-control study of asthmatics aged 4 to 12 years].

Unlabelled: The group of general paediatrics of the French Paediatrics Society conducted a case-control study in order to verify the link between the occurrence of an acute bronchiolitis early during the first year of life, more specifically during the first trimester, and asthma during later childhood.

Methods: Parents of 4-to-12-year-old children answered a questionnaire during a general paediatrics visit. Exposition was attested by a diagnosis of bronchiolitis mentioned on the personal health record of the child.

[Evaluation of the quality of life of infants and very young children: validation of a questionnaire. Multicenter European study].

Unlabelled: In the last few years, evaluating quality of life in children has become possible using specific instruments; nevertheless, there is still an unsolved issue concerning the earliest ages, when the child is not able to give his/her own opinion. QUALIN, a new instrument designed to assess an infant's quality of life (between the ages of three months and three years) was developed from the study of spontaneous criteria used by parents or caregivers (paediatricians or nurses) when they think about the quality of life of a baby (preliminary survey including 800 open-ended questionnaires).

Patients And Methods: One thousand four hundred and twelve children under the age of three were included in this validation study.

Five vs. ten days of antibiotic therapy for acute otitis media in young children.

Background: Many publications in recent years have argued in favor of shortened therapy for acute otitis media. However, doubt persists regarding children younger than 2 years, and some authors therefore restrict short course therapy to children older than 2 years.

Methods: In a prospective, comparative, double blind, randomized, multicenter trial we compared cefpodoxime-proxetil, 8 mg/kg/day in two divided doses for 10 days, with an identical 5-day regimen followed by a 5-day placebo period.

Membranous nephropathy and orbital malignant tumor.

A 7-year-old girl with membranous nephropathy is reported who suffered 16 months later from an orbital rhabdomyosarcoma. Proteinuria disappeared at the time of the remission of the tumor. Membranous nephropathy as paraneoplastic syndrome is exceptional in children, since only two other cases associated with a solid tumor have been reported in the literature.

Safety and immunogenicity of Haemophilus influenzae type b-tetanus toxoid conjugate, presented in a dual-chamber syringe with diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis and inactivated poliomyelitis combination vaccine.

The safety and immunogenicity of combining two established vaccines, polyribosyl ribitol phosphate conjugated to tetanus toxoid (PRP-T) (ActHIB, Pasteur Mérieux Connaught, Lyon, France) and diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (DTP-IPV) (Tetracoq, Pasteur Mérieux Connaught, Lyon, France) were evaluated using a new dual-chamber syringe delivery system. Results were compared with those obtained when the two combination vaccines were either administered separately (two sites) or reconstituted manually and injected at a single site. A total of 487 2-month-old infants were enrolled in this study by 61 paediatricians in France.

[Infant quality of life: criteria of parents and professionals. Development of an evaluation instrument].

A survey was performed using open-ended questionnaires to be completed by parents or care-givers dealing with very young children (less than 3 years old) in order to study their opinions concerning the child's quality of life. About 800 questionnaires were analyzed with a content-analysis method. Nine categories and about 40 elementary criteria were distinguished.

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial of 5 versus 10 days of antibiotic therapy for acute otitis media in young children.

Background: All but 2 of the 15 published trials have failed to show a difference in efficacy between short (3 to 5 days) and standard (7 to 10 days) antibiotic regimens for acute otitis media (AOM). These studies involved relatively few patients under 2 years of age, who are at a higher risk for treatment failure.

Methods: In a prospective, comparative, double-blind, randomized, multicenter trial, we compared amoxicillin/clavulanate in 3 divided doses for 10 days with an identical 5-day regimen, followed by a 5-day placebo period.

[Urinary tract infection in ambulatory pediatrics].

A survey by questionnaire on urinary tract infection (UTI) in children was conducted over a 1-year period among paediatrician practitioners (April 1997-March 1998). The aim was to provide epidemiological data and to describe the current therapeutic attitude on UTI in children in paediatrician practice. The preliminary results will be presented during the meeting on UTI in children.

Change in nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae resulting from antibiotic therapy for acute otitis media in children.

Background: Acute otitis media is the leading reason for antibiotic prescriptions in childhood. The increase in antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae is generally attributed to the extensive use of antibiotics and the selective pressure on the bacterial strains of the nasopharyngeal flora.

Objective: To evaluate the change in nasopharyngeal carriage of S.

Six-day amoxicillin vs. ten-day penicillin V therapy for group A streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of amoxicillin (50 mg/kg/day divided twice daily) for 6 days and penicillin V (45 mg/kg/day divided into three doses/day) for 10 days in children with group A streptococcal (GAS) tonsillopharyngitis.

Methods: In a prospective, comparative, open, randomized, multicenter trial, children were scheduled to return for visits 4 days (main end point) and 1 month after the completion of treatment for clinical and bacteriologic assessment. Total DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to compare pre- and posttreatment GAS isolates.

[Acquired peripheral facial palsy in children. Current data illustrated by 66 recent personal cases].

The authors observed 66 cases of peripheral facial palsy (PFP) in children during a 5-year period (1986-1990). Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis) occurred in 26 children (39.3%), 1 month to 14.