[Viral Hepatitis B: clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary features within the Hepatogastroenterology Department at the Aristide Le Dantec Hospital: about 728 cases]. / Hépatite virale B: aspects cliniques, paracliniques et évolutifs dans le service d'Hépato Gastroentérologie de l'Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec: à propos de 728 cas.

Viral Hepatitis B is a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa accounting for approximately 65 million of chronic carriers and 56.000 deaths per year. Our study aims to investigate the epidemiological paraclinical, therapeutic and evolutionary features of viral hepatitis B in patients followed up in our Department and to describe their serological profiles. We conducted a retrospective, longitudinal study in the Hepatogastroenterology Department at the Aristide Le Dantec Hospital in Dakar from 2010 to 2014. We included all HBsAg positive patients followed up on an ambulatory basis or hospitalized. We collected data from 728 medical records of patients infected with Hepatitis B virus: 7 cases of acute hepatitis, 442 cases of chronic infections, 161 cases of cirrhosis and 118 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. The average age of patients was 33 years [14 - 83 years] with a sex ratio of 2.2. The circumstances in which it was diagnosed included systematic screening (26.2%), right hypochondrium pain (23%) and donation of blood (18.6%). Fifty nine were Hepatitis B virus mono-infected and had chronic active hepatitis. Inactive carriers were 118. Serological status was undetermined in 252 patients due to clinical examination inadequacy related to economic constraints. Antiviral Hepatitis B treatment wasn't performed in 58 patients. Patients' virologic and biochemical response after 120 weeks of treatment with Tenofovir was 85% and 100% respectively. Hepatitis B virus is a major cause of liver disease in Senegal.

[An unusual cause of jaundice]. / Une cause inhabituelle d'ictère.

Hepatic impairment is common during hyperthyroidism. It is most often asymptomatic. Hyperthyroidism revealed by jaundice has been rarely described in the literature. We here report the case of a 52-year old patient in Dakar (Senegal) presenting with jaundice associated with pruritus. Laboratory tests showed elevated alanine aminotransferases (1.1 N), aspartate aminotransferase(1.5 N), alkaline phosphatases (3 N), gamma glutamyl transferases (1.3 N) and bilirubinemia (22 N). Abdominal ultrasound was normal. A toxic or drug-related cause, bile duct obstruction, viral or autoimmune hepatitis as well as primary biliary cholangitis were excluded. The dosage of thyroid hormones showed elevated free T4, 24 ng/dL (9-20 ng/dL) and undetectable plasma TSH less than 0.01µUI/mL (0,35-4,94 IU/mL). TSH receptor antibodies were positive 7.04 IU/L (n < 1.75 IU/L). Thyroid ultrasound objectified diffuse homogeneous hypervascular goiter. The diagnosis of hepatic impairment secondary to Graves-Basedow disease without cardiac dysfunction was retained. Clinical outcome and laboratory test results were favorable under carbimazole. Jaundice can be an indicator of hyperthyroidism. An investivation of clinical signs and laboratory parameters for hyperthyroidism is essential in patients with unexplained jaundice.

Major reduction in anti-malarial drug consumption in Senegal after nation-wide introduction of malaria rapid diagnostic tests.

BACKGROUND: While WHO recently recommended universal parasitological confirmation of suspected malaria prior to treatment, debate has continued as to whether wide-scale use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) can achieve this goal. Adherence of health service personnel to RDT results has been poor in some settings, with little impact on anti-malarial drug consumption. The Senegal national malaria control programme introduced universal parasite-based diagnosis using malaria RDTs from late 2007 in all public health facilities. This paper assesses the impact of this programme on anti-malarial drug consumption and disease reporting. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Nationally-collated programme data from 2007 to 2009 including malaria diagnostic outcomes, prescription of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and consumption of RDTs in public health facilities, were reviewed and compared. Against a marked seasonal variation in all-cause out-patient visits, non-malarial fever and confirmed malaria, parasite-based diagnosis increased nationally from 3.9% of reported malaria-like febrile illness to 86.0% over a 3 year period. The prescription of ACT dropped throughout this period from 72.9% of malaria-like febrile illness to 31.5%, reaching close equivalence to confirmed malaria (29.9% of 584,873 suspect fever cases). An estimated 516,576 courses of inappropriate ACT prescription were averted. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate high adherence of anti-malarial prescribing practice to RDT results after an initial run-in period. The large reduction in ACT consumption enabled by the move from symptom-based to parasite-based diagnosis demonstrates that effective roll-out and use of malaria RDTs is achievable on a national scale through well planned and structured implementation. While more detailed information on management of parasite-negative cases is required at point of care level to assess overall cost-benefits to the health sector, considerable cost-savings were achieved in ACT procurement. Programmes need to be allowed flexibility in management of these funds to address increases in other programmatic costs that may accrue from improved diagnosis of febrile disease.