Introduction: Moulds and mite allergens present in indoor environments are well known for their effects on respiratory health.
Methods: From 2011 to 2015, the Paris Service for Environmental Health (SPSE) conducted investigations in 293 dwellings following medical referral. These audits included fungal analysis of air (in 12% of dwellings), in mattress surface and floor dust (24%), and mite allergen quantifications in mattresses and carpets (18%).
From our recent survey of non-pigmented rapidly growing mycobacteria in the Parisian water system, three groups of isolates (taxons 1-3) corresponding to possible novel species were selected for taxonomic study. The three taxa each formed creamy white, rough colonies, had an optimal growth temperature of 30 °C, hydrolyzed Tween 80, were catalase-positive at 22 °C and expressed arylsulfatase activity. All three were susceptible to amikacin, ciprofloxacin and tigecycline.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNonpigmented and late-pigmenting rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) have been reported to commonly colonize water production and distribution systems. However, there is little information about the nature and distribution of RGM species within the different parts of such complex networks or about their clustering into specific RGM species communities. We conducted a large-scale survey between 2007 and 2009 in the Parisian urban tap water production and distribution system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe describe an outbreak of severe subcutaneous infections due to nontuberculous mycobacteria following mesotherapy. Epidemiological studies and molecular comparisons of Mycobacterium chelonae strains from different patients and the environment suggested that contamination may be associated with inappropriate cleaning of the multiple-injection device with tap water.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the context of poliomyelitis eradication, a reinforced sentinel laboratory network for surveillance of enteroviruses (RSE) was implemented in France in January 2000, and the purpose of this report is to describe the results of the five first years of surveillance. From 2000 to 2004, the RSE laboratory network performed detailed surveillance of the circulating enteroviruses. No wild-type poliovirus was isolated from humans during the 5 years of surveillance, although two imported vaccine polioviruses were detected.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF