A Prospective cohort study of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in tunisia: Clinical and Immunological features and immune correlates of protection.

Background: This study aimed to define immunological markers of exposure to L. major parasites and identify correlates of protection against infection.

Methods: We analyzed a cohort of 790 individuals at risk of developing ZCL living in endemic areas with varying L.

Leishmania major infection among Psammomys obesus and Meriones shawi: reservoirs of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sidi Bouzid(central Tunisia).

A study was undertaken between November 2008 and March 2010, in the focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis of Central Tunisia, to evaluate the role of Psammomys obesus (n=472) and Meriones shawi (n=167) as reservoir hosts for Leishmania major infection. Prevalence of L. major infection was 7% versus 5% for culture (p=not signifiant [NS]), 19% versus 16% for direct examination of smears (p=NS), and 20% versus 33% (p=NS) for Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test among P.

First report of natural infection of least weasel (Mustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1776) with Leishmania major in Tunisia.

Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania major (L. major), is endemic in Tunisia. Several rodents have been identified as reservoir hosts of parasites.

Characterization of the antibody response to the saliva of Phlebotomus papatasi in people living in endemic areas of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Important data obtained in mice raise the possibility that immunization against the saliva of sand flies could protect from leishmaniasis. Sand fly saliva stimulates the production of specific antibodies in individuals living in endemic areas of parasite transmission. To characterize the humoral immune response against the saliva of Phlebotomus papatasi in humans, we carried out a prospective study on 200 children living in areas of Leishmania major transmission.

[Chronic aortic regurgitation with left ventricular dysfonction].

We studied fifty one patients (40 men and 11 women) under going valve replacement from 1990 to 2002 for aortic regurgitation and had left ventricular dysfunction. 45% patients were in class III or IV of New York Heart Association (NYHA). All patients were investigated by echocardiography (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] < 50%) - Peroperative mortality was 5.

[Cardio-pericardial hydatid cyst. Report of 19 cases].

From May 1991 to July 2003, 19 patients (9 men and 10 women), of 30 years average age were operated in our department service for surgical cure of cardio-pericardial hydatid cysts. The TEE constitutes the examination of choice in the cardio-pericardial diagnosis of hydatid cyst. The surgery under CPB is the technique of choice, we practiced used 15 times.