[Hematologic features in imported malaria. Value for the diagnosis of forms with low parasitemia]. / Aspects hématologiques du paludisme d'importation. Intérêt diagnostique dans les formes pauci-parasitaires.

Blood cell counts were performed on blood samples from 37 patients with imported malaria using three different blood analyzers (Coulter STKR, Coulter VCS and Technicon H1). Results were controlled by direct microscopic examination. Anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, or abnormalities of the leukocyte differential count were found in 32, 24, 30 and 92% of patients, respectively. The automatic analyzers gave alert messages for 70 to 75% of specimens, including specimens from ten patients with low parasitemias. These abnormalities should prompt careful analysis of blood smears when drug-resistance is suspected.

[Focus of borreliosis in Gisenyi (Rwanda)]. / Etude du foyer de borreliose de Gisenyi (Rwanda).

As a result of the increase of relapsing fever cases in a rural area of West-Rwanda, a study of ticks collected in the houses has been performed. Ornithodoros moubata specimens were found in large amount. In patients, fever is the most frequent symptom. Serological tests performed in the surrounding area of patients with Borrelia in the blood are often positive, this confirming the ancient existence of the disease among inhabitants.

Detection with a monoclonal antibody of a polysaccharide antigen, excreted in the urine, in the schistosomiasis intercalatum focus of Edea (Cameroon).

The detection in the urine specimens of a sample of the inhabitants of Edea of a polysaccharide antigen characteristic for the genus Schistosoma, with monoclonal antibody by means of the inhibition of a passive haemagglutination test, shows that this technique is very sensitive for measuring prevalence of schistosomiasis due to S. intercalatum. In Edea, looking for eggs in stool specimens gives a low prevalence rate of the disease because of the low parasitic load. The prevalence by age, according to the voiding of eggs, is evoluting parallel to the excretion of the antigen.

[In vivo amodiaquine sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum in the town of Cotonou and in the vicinity (Bénin)]. / Sensibilité in vivo du Plasmodium falciparum à l'amodiaquine dans la ville de Cotonou et ses environs (Bénin).

In the coastal area of Benin, where chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains occur, 152 children in the Guezo military camp (Cotonou) and 448 children in a fishermen village (Ekpe), on the southern bank of lake Nokoue, are examined. The falciparum malaria infected children (29 and 135 respectively) have received 35 mg/kg body weight of amodiaquine (Flavoquine) divided in three consecutive daily doses. Only one child among the 69 treated having a parasitemia higher than 1,000/mm3 failed to be cured. The amodiaquine tolerance is excellent for, respectively, 64% and 72% of the children. Minor side-effects are rapidly regressive. The frequency of conjonctival hyperhemia as an amodiaquine side-effect is nevertheless relatively high (14.7%) in the children regularly treated with this drug, e.g. those of the military camp, while it is rare (0.8%) in others, e.g. in the fishermen village children where amodiaquine is unusual as an antimalarial medicine.

[Halofantrine in the treatment of malaria. Clinical trial in a semi-rural zone of Cameroon]. / L'halofantrine dans le traitement du paludisme. Essai clinique en zone semi-rurale au Cameroun.

Twelve children, 2 to 15 years of age, with falciparum malaria (parasitaemia 4,500 to 170,000/mm3) have taken 24 mg/kg body weight of halofantrine hydrochloride (Halfan) per os in three divided doses given within 12 hours. The symptomatology improved after 24 to 48 hours, with no more fever 5 to 90 hours after treatment and with a decrease of splenomegaly in 80% of the cases. The parasitic clearance was obtained after 24 to 60 hours. The haematocrit started raising again in 58% of the cases. Halofantrine hydrochloride is an efficient antimalarial drug in semi-immune patients. It is well tolerated and well accepted, thus representing an alternative for the cure of chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria.

[In vivo sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to amodiaquine in the town of Edea (Cameroon)]. / Sensibilité in vivo de Plasmodium falciparum à l'amodiaquine dans laville d'Edéa (Cameroun).

In the town of Edea, where falciparum malaria is hyperendemic, an in vivo study of amodiaquine sensitivity of the local strain of the parasite is performed in school children 6 to 12 years of age: 184 children with parasites in their blood and no chloroquine in their urine are given amodiaquine orally. In 96 children having taken 35 mg per kg body weight of amodiaquine base, none is any longer harboring parasites in his blood as soon as the second day following the end of the 3 days treatment (15 mg/kg body weight the first day, 12 mg/kg the second day and 8 mg/kg the third day). The 73 children having taken 27 mg/kg body weight of amodiaquine base are cleared of their parasites at the rate of 93% on the seventh day of the experiment. The 15 children having only taken 15 mg/kg body weight of amodiaquine base are cleared of their parasites at the rate of 54%. At the utilized doses, amodiaquine is generally well tolerated. Conjunctival hyperhaemia has only been observed as a secondary effect in 9 children among the 184 children treated but this side symptom disappeared soon after the end of the treatment. Aminotransferases blood levels are not modified in the course of the amodiaquine treatment.