[Update on microbiological quality assurance meat and meat products in Morocco]. / Mise au point sur l'assurance de la qualité microbiologique des viandes et des produits à base de viande au Maroc.

BACKGROUND: Food safety has become an absolute necessity in all countries. As a result, Morocco has taken several measures and actions to develop food safety and food-borne disease control. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to highlight the level of improvement in the quality assurance of meat and meat products in Morocco. METHOD: It is based on a non-exhaustive review of the regulatory texts governing food safety in the country, as well as a statistical study on establishments of meat and meat products adopting a self-checking system and approved by the National Office of Sanitary Safety of Food. RESULTS: Morocco has introduced several laws and regulations requiring sanitary control of food products. Also, the number of establishments of meat and meat products adopting a system of self-control and approved by the National Office of Sanitary Safety of Food has improved significantly. It has increased from 58 in 2007 to 273 in 2016. CONCLUSION: The adoption of self-monitoring systems allows better access to international markets, improved quality of food products and a considerable reduction in microbial contamination.

Hepatitis A virus in the Middle East and North Africa region: a new challenge.

During the past three decades, a gradual shift in the age of infection with hepatitis A virus (HAV) from early childhood to adulthood has been observed. There is a general lack of updated data on HAV burden of disease, incidence and age-specific seroprevalence in countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The aim of this article is to review the published data on anti-HAV seroprevalence, an important tool to monitor infections rates, in countries of the MENA region and associated risk factors including water and socioeconomic data when available. Data on anti-HAV seroprevalence were found for 12 of 25 MENA countries. We show that MENA countries, similar to other areas in the world, have a clear shift in HAV incidence with a decline among young age groups and an increase among adults and older individuals. This would likely be associated with increased morbidity and increased risks of outbreaks among younger age groups. Consequently, the continuous surveillance of hepatitis A cases and the inclusion of hepatitis A vaccine in the expanded immunization programmes are needed in countries of the MENA.

[Standardized ambulatory insulin therapy of initial moderate ketoacidosis in type 1 diabetes. A pilot project]. / Insulinothérapie standardisée ambulatoire de l'acidocétose modérée inaugurale du diabéte de type 1. Etude pilote.

Most textbooks advise that newly diagnosed insulin dependent mellitus be admitted to the hospital for starting carefully insulin treatment. We report a pilot study for starting an outpatient insulin using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. In 40 newly IDDM (glycaemia over 16.5 mM/l, CO2 over 15 mM/l), intensive therapy was done by CSII = basal rate 1 unit/hour, bolus 5 units per meal. After a long explanatory talk (4 hours) with the physician and the nurse on hypo, hyperglycaemia, on blood glucose sensor and pump, 21 patients agreed to start insulin at home and 19 remained in hospital for 2 or 7 days. At days 3, 30 and 365, clinical and biological evaluation was done and at D30 patient education program for 5 days was undergone. Never emergency even was reported in any patient, and no difference appeared between the in and out patient in D1, D3 and D365 normalisation of blood glucose (3 days) or level cetone body (2 days) and total insulin dose. Our results suggest that outpatient is a safe and cost effective IDDM onset therapy.