[Evaluation of the Unicel DXC 600 (Beckman Coulter) and comparison with Integra 800 (Roche Diagnostics)]. / Evaluation des performances analytiques du système Unicel DXC 600 (Beckman Coulter) et étude de la transférabilité des résultats avec l'Integra 800 (Roche diagnostics).

The Unicel DXC 600 is an automated analytical system from Beckman Coulter for measuring usual biochemistry parameters (electrolytes, substrates and enzymatic activities), therapeutic drugs, drugs of abuse and specific proteins. According to the "Société française de biologie clinique (SFBC)" validation protocol, we tested the following parameters: electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, total CO2), substrates (uric acid, calcium, phosphate, glucose, creatinine, urea, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, bilirubin, iron, triglycerides), enzymes (ALAT, ASAT, amylase, CK, GGT, LDH, lipase, ALP), total proteins and specific proteins (albumin, CRP, haptoglobin). The results confirm the excellent analytical performances regarding imprecision. The comparison study shows differences between values obtained with Unicel DXC 600 and Integra 800 (Roche diagnostics), leading to the use of correcting factors for some parameters.

[Septicaemia due to Lactobacillus jensenii: bacteriological diagnostic orientation]. / Septicémie à Lactobacillus jensenii: orientation diagnostique bactériologique.

Septicaemia concerning Lactobacillus jensenii is exceptional. This bacteria commensal of the normal human flora is known for its low pathogenicity. We report here the observation of a woman, 50 years old, who was admitted in our service for an obstructive acute renal failure and who has presented a septicaemia due to L. jensenii, with a favourable issue by use of antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanic acid). This observation permits to report the clinical and bacteriological characteristics of L. jensenii. The importance of the immunodepressed status (diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure) and use of the endoureteral acts is mentioned.

[Severe imported malaria. The experience of the military hospital of Marrakech]. / Le paludisme grave d'importation à propos de neuf cas: expérience de l'hôpital militaire Avicenne de Marrakech.

Incidence of severe imported malaria increases with the multiplication of humanitarian and military missions in malarial endemic areas. The purpose of this study was to describe the demographic, clinical, therapeutic and outcome aspects of 9 cases which have been hospitalized in the intensive care unit and medecine service of the military hospital of Marrakech, between january 2001 and december 2004. Out of 68 patients admitted with symptomatic malaria during this period, 9 cases were considered as severe. All of them were male soldiers (mean age: 33,3 years), 7 of them have stayed in Democratic Republic of Congo, and 2 in Ivory Coast. Chemoprophylaxis consisted in chloroquine plus proguanil in 5 cases and mefloquine in 4 cases. The mean duration of stay in endemic area was 9,3 months. The clinical presentation was dominated by troubles of consciousness, which justified initial admission in the intensive care unit. The mean duration of hospitalization was 3,3 days in intensive care unit and 5,6 days in the medical department. Thick smear always revealed high parasitemia (5-15%) with Plasmodium falciparum, associated with Plasmodium ovale in two cases. Antimalarial treatment consisted in quinine salts administration. Evolution was favourable without recurrence in 7 cases, but 2 deaths were recorded. Severe imported malaria remains associated with bad outcome and requires early diagnosis and close monitoring of such cases.

[Severe imported malaria: the experience of the Avicenna military hospital of Marrakech]. / Le paludisme grave d'importation à propos de neuf cas : expérience de l'hôpital militaire Avicenne de Marrakech.

Incidence of severe imported malaria increases with the multiplication of humanitarian and military missions in malarial endemic areas. The purpose of this study was to describe the demographic, clinical, therapeutic and outcome aspects of 9 cases which have been hospitalized in the intensive care unit and medecine service of the military hospital of Marrakech, between january 2001 and december 2004. Out of 68 patients admitted with symptomatic malaria during this period, 9 cases were considered as severe. All of them were male soldiers (mean age: 33,3 years), 7 of them have stayed in Democratic Republic of Congo, and 2 in Ivory Coast. Chemoprophylaxis consisted in chloroquine plus proguanil in 5 cases and mefloquine in 4 cases. The mean duration of stay in endemic area was 9,3 months. The clinical presentation was dominated by troubles of consciousness, which justified initial admission in the intensive care unit. The mean duration of hospitalization was 3,3 days in intensive care unit and 5,6 days in the medical department. Thick smear always revealed high parasitemia (5-15%) with Plasmodium falciparum, associated with Plasmodium ovale in two cases. Antimalarial treatment consisted in quinine salts administration. Evolution was favourable without recurrence in 7 cases, but 2 deaths were recorded. Severe imported malaria remains associated with bad outcome and requires early diagnosis and close monitoring of such cases.