[Emergent and reemergent infectious diseases]. / Maladies infectieuses émergentes et réémergentes.

Emergent and reemergent infectious diseases. The notion of emerging and re-emerging infection has been developed recently, even if it rests on an already former concept. The emergence is doubtless delicate to define but can globally be an infectious disease by which the real incidence increases for a population and a geographical zone given to a period of time. Numerous factors condition an emergence, very unknown or not mastered. They report the difficulty or the impossibility to plan in a reliable way a future phenomenon, which would be nevertheless desirable. Yet to assure a legitimate effective coverage, serious preliminary data is essential. The modern companies wish to get organized and to form themselves to fight at best. Diverse ways can be set up.

Maladies infectieuses émergentes et réémergentes. La notion d'infection émergente et réémergente s'est développé récemment, même si elle repose sur un concept déjà ancien. L'émergence est sans doute délicate à définir mais peut globalement être une maladie infectieuse dont l'incidence réelle augmente pour une population et une zone géographique données sur une période de temps. De nombreux facteurs conditionnent une émergence, beaucoup inconnus ou non maîtrisés. Ils rendent compte de la difficulté ou de l'impossibilité de prévoir de façon fiable un futur phénomène, ce qui serait pourtant souhaitable. Or, pour assurer une légitime prise en charge efficace, des données prévisionnelles sérieuses sont essentielles. Les sociétés modernes désirent s'organiser et se structurer pour lutter au mieux. Divers moyens peuvent être mis en place. Des plans correctement définis permettent de les mettre en oeuvre.

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Under diverse pretexts the vaccination sees itself controversial in particular in France, and it in a increasing way. This establishes a real problem of public health. The doubt which settles down in the population becomes source of grave potential risk in the fight against the infectious diseases. Yet more we try to fight this phenomenon more the anti-vaccinal react helped in it by the modern ways of communication. So in a country where the pleasure to dispute the public action is big, why not to react in a provocating way on the same register and to ask the question of a stop to inoculate to show the consequences and so try to make sensitive the citizens to put them in front of their responsibilities towards the whole population as for the vaccinations.

Delayed-onset hemolytic anemia in patients with travel-associated severe malaria treated with artesunate, France, 2011-2013.

Artesunate is the most effective treatment for severe malaria. However, delayed-onset hemolytic anemia has been observed in ≈20% of travelers who receive artesunate, ≈60% of whom require transfusion. This finding could discourage physicians from using artesunate. We prospectively evaluated a cohort of 123 patients in France who had severe imported malaria that was treated with artesunate; our evaluation focused on outcome, adverse events, and postartesunate delayed-onset hemolysis (PADH). Of the 123 patients, 6 (5%) died. Overall, 97 adverse events occurred. Among the 78 patients who received follow-up for >8 days after treatment initiation, 76 (97%) had anemia, and 21 (27%) of the 78 cases were recorded as PADH. The median drop in hemoglobin levels was 1.3 g/dL; 15% of patients with PADH had hemoglobin levels of <7 g/dL, and 1 required transfusion. Despite the high incidence of PADH, the resulting anemia remained mild in 85% of cases. This reassuring result confirms the safety and therapeutic benefit of artesunate.

Vaccine knowledge in students in Paris, France, and surrounding regions.

INTRODUCTION: In France, young adults are legally freed from parental authority at the age of 18 years and are, thus, responsible for their own vaccine record. This young adult population is more frequently exposed to vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors associated with students' knowledge of the interval between two antitetanus boosters and their report of having up-to-date vaccinations. METHODS: In April 2009, a survey was conducted involving a random sample of students between 18 and 25 years of age eating lunch at university dining facilities in Paris and its suburbs (Ile de France). RESULTS: Among the 677 students approached, 583 agreed to participate. Only 207 (36%) of respondents knew the recommended dosing interval between two doses of tetanus vaccine booster (10 years). The majority of students (69%) reported having up-to-date vaccinations. Declaring having up-to-date vaccinations was significantly associated with having a general practitioner (OR 3.03 [95% CI 1.69 to 5.55]). Health care students were significantly more likely to know the decennial interval between two antitetanus boosters (OR 2 [95% CI 1.28 to 3.25]). Most of responding students (n=519 [89%]) believed that vaccines were very useful. CONCLUSIONS: An overall lack of knowledge of vaccines was observed among this student population. Health care providers, such as GPs and university medical practice staff, who interact with these young individuals have an essential role to promote better vaccination coverage in this population.

INTRODUCTION: En France, les jeunes adultes sont légalement libérés de l'autorité parentale à 18 ans et deviennent donc responsables de leur dossier de vaccination. La population de jeunes adultes est davantage exposée aux maladies infectieuses évitables par la vaccination. OBJECTIF: Déterminer les facteurs associés aux connaissances des étudiants sur l'intervalle entre les deux doses de rappel du vaccin contre le tétanos et sur leur déclaration d'avoir une couverture vaccinale. MÉTHODOLOGIE: En avril 2009, un sondage a été mené auprès d'un échantillon aléatoire d'étudiants de 18 à 25 ans qui, le midi, mangent aux cafétérias universitaires de Paris et des banlieues (Île de France). RÉSULTATS: Sur les 677 étudiants abordés, 583 ont accepté de participer. Seulement 207 des répondants (36 %) connaissaient l'intervalle recommandé entre deux doses de rappel du vaccin contre le tétanos (dix ans). La majorité des étudiants (69 %) déclarai avoir une couverture vaccinale à jour. Cette déclaration s'associait de manière significative au fait d'avoir un praticien général (RC 3,03 95 % IC 1,69 à 5,55]). Les étudiants du milieu de la santé étaient considérablement plus enclins à connaître l'intervalle de dix ans entre deux doses de rappel du vaccin antitétanique (RC 2 [95 % IC 1,28 à 3,25]). La plupart des étudiants répondants (n=519 [89 %]) croyaient en l'utilité des vaccins. CONCLUSIONS: Les chercheurs ont constaté une ignorance globale des vaccins au sein de cette population de patients. Les dispensateurs de soins, tels que les praticiens généraux et le personnel médical en milieu universitaire, qui dialoguent avec ces jeunes, ont un rôle essentiel à jouer pour promouvoir une meilleure couverture vaccinale au sein de cette population.

Postartesunate delayed hemolysis is a predictable event related to the lifesaving effect of artemisinins.

Patients with severe malaria treated with artesunate sometimes experience a delayed hemolytic episode. Artesunate (AS) induces pitting, a splenic process whereby dead parasites are expelled from their host erythrocytes. These once-infected erythrocytes then return to the circulation. We analyzed hematologic parameters in 123 travelers treated with AS for severe malaria. Among 60 nontransfused patients observed for more than 8 days, 13 (22%) had delayed hemolysis. The peak concentration of circulating once-infected erythrocytes was measured during the first week in 21 patients and was significantly higher in 9 patients with delayed hemolysis than in 12 with other patterns of anemia (0.30 vs 0.07; P = .0001). The threshold of 180 million once-infected erythrocytes per liter discriminated patients with delayed hemolysis with 89% sensitivity and 83% specificity. Once-infected erythrocyte morphology analyzed by using ImageStream in 4 patients showed an 8.9% reduction in their projected area, an alteration likely contributing to their shorter lifespan. Delayed clearance of infected erythrocytes spared by pitting during AS treatment is an original mechanism of hemolytic anemia. Our findings consolidate a disease framework for posttreatment anemia in malaria in which delayed hemolysis is a new entity. The early concentration of once-infected erythrocytes is a solid candidate marker to predict post-AS delayed hemolysis.

Travel-related leptospirosis: a series of 15 imported cases.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis belongs to the spectrum of travel-related infections. METHODS: We retrospectively studied all the consecutive cases of travel-related leptospirosis seen in our department between January 2008 and September 2011. Patients were included with a clinical picture compatible with the disease within 21 days after return, the presence of a thermoresistant antigen or IgM antibodies, Elisa ≥ 1 /400, and a positive microagglutination test (MAT) ≥ 1/100. RESULTS: Fifteen leptospirosis cases were evaluated. Exposure occurred in Asia (47%), Africa (20%), the Caribbean (20%), and Indian Ocean (13%). Fourteen patients were infected during water-related activities. On admission the most frequent symptoms were fever (100%), headache (80%), and digestive disorders (67%). Relevant laboratory findings included impaired liver function tests (100%), lymphocytopenia (80%), thrombocytopenia (67%), and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) (67%). Our cases were confirmed by MAT that found antibodies against nine different serovars. Seven patients were cured with amoxicillin, four with doxycycline, two with ceftriaxone, one with ceftriaxone, doxycycline, and spiramycin, whereas one recovered spontaneously (retrospective diagnosis). Eight patients were hospitalized. All patients recovered. CONCLUSION: Our cases involved nine different serovars. They were related to travel in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. Bathing or other fresh-water leisure activities (canoeing, kayaking, rafting) are the most likely at-risk exposure. Any traveler with fever and at-risk exposure should be investigated for leptospirosis.

Longitudinal and integrative biomodeling of effector and memory immune compartments after inactivated influenza vaccination.

Most vaccines, including those against influenza, were developed by focusing solely on humoral response for protection. However, vaccination activates different adaptive compartments that might play a role in protection. We took advantage of the pandemic 2009 A(H1N1) influenza vaccination to conduct a longitudinal integrative multiparametric analysis of seven immune parameters in vaccinated subjects. A global analysis underlined the predominance of induction of humoral and CD4 T cell responses, whereas pandemic 2009 A(H1N1)-specific CD8 responses did not improve after vaccination. A principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering of individuals showed a differential upregulation of influenza vaccine-specific immunity including hemagglutination inhibition titers, IgA(+) and IgG(+) Ab-secreting cells, effector CD4 or CD8 T cell frequencies at day 21 among individuals, suggesting a fine-tuning of the immune parameters after vaccination. This is related to individual factors including the magnitude and quality of influenza-specific immune responses before vaccination. We propose a graphical delineation of immune determinants that would be essential for a better understanding of vaccine-induced immunity in vaccination strategies.

[Imported severe falciparum malaria in France in 2000-2011: epidemiological trends and the need for new treatments]. / Le paludisme grave a P. falciparum en France, 2000- 2011: evolution epidémiologique et nécessité d'une nouvelle prise en charge thérapeutique.

In France malaria is monitored by the Centre National de Référence (CNR) du Paludisme (French National Malaria Reference Centre). The annual incidence of imported malaria currently ranges from 4 800 to 3 500 cases and has fallen gradually since 2000. However, the proportion of patients with severe P. falciparum malaria is increasing (2.5% in 2000, 7% in 2011), particularly among French residents from sub-Saharan Africa who neglect preventive measures. Overall mortality remains stable at 0.4%, but survival is improving in severe cases. The survival rate is higher among patients of African origin than among Europeans. Nonetheless, between 10 and 20 patients die of malaria every year in France. Two large controlled trials published in 2005 and 2010 showed that IV artesunate, a new treatment for severe falciparum malaria, is associated with a 22-38% absolute reduction in mortality relative to quinine. Artesunate is not licensed in Europe but has been available in France since May 2011 through a named-patient program controlled by the French Agency for Drug Safety [ANSM]. The first 99 patients treated with artesunate up to September 2012 experienced satisfactory efficacy and tolerability. Delayed, sometimes persistent anemia was observed in 13 patients, a rate similar to that noted in recent reports on imported malaria in Europe. This unexpected adverse effect requires further investigation. IV artesunate is now recommended as the first-line treatment for severe falciparum malaria in France.