Sargassum seaweed health menace in the Caribbean: clinical characteristics of a population exposed to hydrogen sulfide during the 2018 massive stranding.

BACKGROUND: Since 2011, there have been ongoing massive unexplained increases of sargassum seaweed strandings along the coastlines of Caribbean countries. The objective of our study was to describe the clinical characteristics of patients exposed to noxious emissions of decomposing sargassum seaweed. METHODS: This observational study included patients from January 2018 to December 2018 for complaints attributed to decomposing sargassum seaweed. History and geographical characteristics of sargassum seaweed strandings as well as detection of ambient air hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels were documented during the inclusion period. FINDINGS: A total of 154 patients were included. Mean exposure period was 3 months. Neurological (80%), digestive (77%) and respiratory (69%) disorders were the most frequent reasons for medical visit. Temporal distribution of medical visits was related to history of strandings. Geographical origins of patients were consistent with the most impacted areas of strandings as well as the most elevated ambient air H2S levels. INTERPRETATION: The toxicological syndrome induced by sargassum seaweed exposure is close to the toxidrome associated with acute H2S exposure in the range of 0-10 ppm. Our study suggests that patients living in massive stranding areas may be exposed to H2S > 5 ppm for 50 days per year.

Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Severe Acute Adult Poisoning Cases in Martinique: Implicated Toxic Exposures and Their Outcomes.

The epidemiology of severe acute poisonings in the French overseas departments of the Americas remains poorly reported. The main objective of this study was to determine the epidemiology and characteristics of severe acutely poisoned adult patients. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2010 in severely poisoned patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) of the University Hospital of Martinique, and the general public hospitals of Lamentin and Trinité. RESULTS: During the study period, 291 patients were admitted for severe poisoning, giving an incidence rate of 7.7 severe cases/100,000 inhabitants. The mean age was 46 ± 19 years and 166 (57%) were male. Psychiatric disorders were recorded in 143 (49.8%) patients. Simplified Acute Psychological Score (SAPS II) at admission was 39 ± 23 points and Poisoning Severity Score (PSS) was 2.7 ± 0.8 points. Death was recorded in 30 (10.3%) patients and hospital length of stay was 6 ± 7 days. The mode of intoxication was intentional self-poisoning in 87% of cases and drug overdose was recorded in 13% of cases. The toxic agent involved was a therapeutic drug in 58% and a chemical product in 52% of cases. The predominant clinical manifestations were respiratory failure (59%), hemodynamic failure (27%), neurologic failure (45%), gastrointestinal manifestations (27%), and renal failure (11%). Polypnea, shock, ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia, and gastro-intestinal disorders were the main symptoms associated with death. The main biological abnormalities associated with death in our patients were metabolic acidosis, hypokalemia, hyperlactatemia, hypocalcemia, renal injury, rhabdomyolysis, increased aspartate aminotransferases, and thrombocytopenia. Extracorporal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was used in three patients and specific antidotes were used in 21% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Acute poisonings remain a major public health problem in Martinique with different epidemiological characteristics to those in mainland France, with a high incidence of poisoning by rural and household toxins.

Infectious Complications Following Snakebite by Bothrops lanceolatus in Martinique: A Case Series.

Infections secondary to snakebite occur in a number of patients and are potentially life-threatening. Bothrops lanceolatus bites in Martinique average 30 cases per year and may result in severe thrombotic and infectious complications. We aimed to investigate the infectious complications related to B. lanceolatus bite. A retrospective single-center observational study over 7 years (2011-2018) was carried out, including all patients admitted to the hospital because of B. lanceolatus bite. One hundred seventy snake-bitten patients (121 males and 49 females) were included. Thirty-nine patients (23%) presented grade 3 or 4 envenoming. Twenty patients (12%) developed wound infections. The isolated bacteria were Aeromonas hydrophila (3 cases), Morganella morganii (two cases), group A Streptococcus, and group B Streptococcus (one case each). Patients were treated empirically with third-generation cephalosporin (or amoxicillin-clavulanate), aminoglycoside, and metronidazole combinations. Outcome was favorable in all patients. The main factor significantly associated with the occurrence of infection following snakebite was the severity of envenoming (P < 0.05). Our findings clearly point toward the frequent onset of infectious complications in B. lanceolatus-bitten patients presenting with grade 3 and 4 envenoming. Thus, based on the bacteria identified in the wounds, we suggest that empiric antibiotic therapy including third-generation cephalosporin should be administered to those patients on hospital admission.

Misdiagnosis of Chikungunya Virus Infection: Comparison of Old and Younger Adults.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the frequency of diagnostic errors in older adults presenting to the emergency department (ED) with symptoms suggestive of Chikungunya virus infection (CVI) and to compare the rates of misdiagnosis of older and younger adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study performed in the University Hospitals of Martinique from retrospective cases. SETTING: Emergency department. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 65 and older who attended the ED and underwent reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for CVI between January and December 2014 (n=333, mean age 80±8) were considered eligible and were compared with a randomly selected sample of younger adults (< 65) (n=143, mean age 45±13). MEASUREMENTS: Misdiagnosis rates. RESULTS: The rate of misdiagnosis of CVI in the ED was 30.6% in individuals aged 65 and older and 6.3% in those younger than 65 (p<.001). The overdiagnosis rate was 9.0% in individuals aged 65 and older and 3.5% in those younger than 65 (p=.04). The underdiagnosis rate was significantly higher (p<.001) in individuals aged 65 and older (21.6%) than in those younger than 65 (2.8%). CONCLUSION: Misdiagnosis of CVI during an epidemic is statistically more frequent in older than younger adults because clinical presentation is often atypical in older adults. Specific diagnostic tools for older adults and better awareness of ED physicians of different presentations in different age groups could help to reduce the rate of misdiagnosis of CVI in the ED.

Preclinical evaluation of the neutralizing ability of a monospecific antivenom for the treatment of envenomings by Bothrops lanceolatus in Martinique.

Bothrops lanceolatus is an endemic viperid species in the Lesser Caribbean island of Martinique. Envenomings by this species are characterized by local and systemic effects, among which the development of thrombosis in various organs is the most severe complication. An experimental toxicological characterization of this venom was performed using in vivo mouse tests and various in vitro assays. The venom induced lethal, local and systemic hemorrhagic, edema-forming, myotoxic, thrombocytopenic, proteinase and phospholipase A2 activities. The preclinical efficacy of a batch of monospecific Bothrofav® antivenom currently in use in Martinique was assessed. The antivenom was highly effective in the neutralization of all activities tested, in agreement with its described clinical efficacy. This batch of antivenom showed a higher preclinical efficacy as compared to a previous batch used in the past.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome Associated With Zika Virus Infection in Martinique in 2016: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been reported to be associated with Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in case reports and retrospective studies, mostly on the basis of serological tests, with the problematic cross-reacting antibodies of the Flavivirus genus. Some GBS cases do not exhibit a high level of diagnostic certainty. This prospective study aimed to describe the clinical profiles and the frequency of GBS associated with ZIKV during the ZIKV outbreak in Martinique in 2016. METHODS: We recorded prospective data from GBS meeting levels 1 or 2 of diagnostic certainty for the Brighton Collaboration, with proof of recent ZIKV infection and negative screening for etiologies of GBS. RESULTS: Of the sample of 34 patients with suspected GBS during the outbreak, 30 had a proven presence of GBS, and 23 had a recent ZIKV infection. The estimated GBS incidence rate ratio (2016 vs 2006-2015) was 4.52 (95% confidence interval, 2.80-7.64; P = .0001). Recent ZIKV infection was confirmed by urine reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis in 17 cases and by serology in 6 cases. Patients, 65% of whom were male, had a median age of 61 years (interquartile range, 56-71 years) and experienced severe GBS. Electrophysiological tests were consistent with the primary demyelinating form of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: ZIKV infection is usually benign, when symptomatic, but in countries at risk of ZIKV epidemics, adequate intensive care bed capacity is required for management of severe GBS cases. Arbovirus RNA detection by RT-PCR should be part of the management of GBS cases.

Zika virus detection in cerebrospinal fluid from two patients with encephalopathy, Martinique, February 2016.

We report two cases of encephalopathy (one with seizures, one with electroencephalogram changes) in patients with Zika virus infection. The cases occurred on Martinique in February 2016, during the Zika virus outbreak. Awareness of the various neurological complications of Zika virus infection is needed for patients living in areas affected by Zika virus infections or for travellers to these areas.

Zika virus detection in urine from patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome on Martinique, January 2016.

We report two cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome who had concomitant Zika virus viruria. This viruria persisted for longer than 15 days after symptom onset. The cases occurred on Martinique in January 2016, at the beginning of the Zika virus outbreak. Awareness of this possible neurological complication of ZikV infection is needed.

Predictors of severe manifestations in a cohort of adult dengue patients.

BACKGROUND: Key symptoms observed during the febrile phase of dengue may identify patients who are likely to progress to severe disease. OBJECTIVES: To test this hypothesis, we examined the relationships between symptoms reported by patients at presentation and the development of severe outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of data recorded prospectively in 560 adult dengue patients admitted to an emergency department. A logistic regression analysis was used to quantify the association between symptoms reported at presentation and outcome. RESULTS: Plasma leakage was observed in 95 patients (17%), severe thrombocytopenia (platelet counts <20 x 10(9)/L) in 93 patients (16.6%) and acute hepatitis in 42 patients (7.5%). Severe thrombocytopenia developed in 57% of patients with plasma leakage and 40.5% of patients with hepatitis. Patients who developed a plasma leakage syndrome were older, mainly male, and reported more often an abdominal pain and a cough. Diarrhea and taking paracetamol >60 mg/kg/day before admission were associated with the development of acute hepatitis. Seven patients died. The mortality rate was 6/95 (6.3%) in patients who developed plasma leakage, 3/42 (7.1%) in patients who developed hepatitis, 5/93 (5.4%) in patients with severe thrombocytopenia, and 3/12 (25%) in the patients who demonstrated together all these severe manifestations. CONCLUSION: Plasma leakage, severe thrombocytopenia and acute hepatitis identified subgroups of adult dengue patients with increased mortality rates. Key symptoms reported by the patients at presentation such as abdominal pain, cough or diarrhea were significantly associated with the development of severe manifestations and should be considered as warning signs.

Prospective observational study of low thresholds for platelet transfusion in adult dengue patients.

BACKGROUND: The practice of platelet (PLT) transfusions has been adopted into the standard clinical practice in many dengue-endemic countries. Because many patients were found to have received unnecessary PLT transfusions, the development of guidelines for the management of dengue patients with thrombocytopenia has become a necessity. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An emergency department-based prospective observational study was conducted in Martinique during a dengue outbreak in adult patients presenting with an acute febrile illness. Patients with severe bleeding and/or who underwent invasive intensive care procedures or emergency surgery were given PLT transfusion to achieve PLT counts of more than 50 x 10(9)/L. PLT transfusion was also considered for patients with PLT counts of less than 5 x 10(9)/L and for those with associated risk factors and PLT counts of less than 20 x 10(9)/L. RESULTS: A total of 350 patients were admitted with confirmed dengue infections. Most of them had secondary serotype-2 infections. PLT counts of less than 50 x 10(9)/L were recorded in 165 patients (47.1%). PLT transfusion was administered to 9 patients with thrombocytopenia. The indications included severe bleeding (5 cases), invasive procedures (3 cases), emergency surgery (1 case), and/or associated risk factors (2 cases). The median time duration from the onset of fever to PLT transfusion was 6 days (range, 4-10 days). The median amount of PLTs transfused was 3.66 x 10(11) (range, 2.8 x 10(11)-13.2 x 10(11)). The median PLT yield was +12.4% (range, -3.9% to +67.1%). Three patients died. All other patients recovered during the second week after the onset of fever. CONCLUSION: A restrictive strategy for PLT transfusion based on clinical features and low PLT count thresholds proved to be feasible and safe for adult dengue patients.