[Contribution of Leishmania identification using polymerase chain reaction--restriction fragment length polymerase for epidemiological studies of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Tunisia].

Aim: Three forms of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are endemic in Tunisia. The identification of the causative species is useful to complete epidemiological data and to manage the cases. The aim of this study is to assess PCR-RFLP technique in the identification of Leishmania species responsible of CL in Tunisia and to compare the results of this technique to those of isoenzyme analysis.

[Imported malaria in Tunisia: consequences on the risk of resurgence of the disease].

Although malaria has been eradicated in Tunisia since 1979, the disease is still a health issue due to the persistence of mosquitoes and coexistence with a potential parasite reservoir in the form of imported cases. From 1999 to 2006, 98 cases of imported malaria were diagnosed at the Pasteur Institute in Tunis where nearly 30% of national cases are recorded. Tunisians accounted for 24.

[Cultures on NNN medium for the diagnosis of leishmaniasis].

Cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis (VL, CL) represent the most frequent vector-borne diseases in Tunisia. Their biological confirmation is necessary before the administration of restricting, expensive and toxic specific treatments. Retrospective evaluation of the contribution of Leishmania cultures on NNN medium in leishmaniasis diagnosis have been done using the data of 375 cultures concerning 214 CL cases and 125 VL cases consecutively recruited in Pasteur Institute of Tunisia between 1995 and 2007.

[Value of screening for intestinal and urinary parasites in non-resident permanent students in Tunisia].

In order to fight digestive and urinary parasitoses, a national program of surveillance has been founded. The screening of these parasitoses among the non permanent resident students in Tunisia (ENRPTS) is one of the main actions of this program. Among 2560 ENRPTS tested in the laboratory of Parasitologie of Institut Pasteur of Tunis, between 1998 and 2002, 674 were infected by parasites, which represents a global prévalence of 26.

[Onychomycosis in Tunis area: epidemiological and mycological data].

Background: Onychomycosis is by far the most frequent cause of nail disease. We describe epidemiological and mycological features observed in the Tunis area in Tunisia.

Material And Methods: Data were collected from 292 nail samples performed in 255 patients with suspected onychomycosis.