[Nasal leishmaniasis: a case report]. / Leishmaniose nasale. A propos d'un cas.

OBJECTIVE: To report a nasal leishmaniasis diagnosed by septal perforation biopsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We report a case of septal perforation with crusty rhinosinusitis and nasal vestibulitis in a 54-year-old woman with cirrhosis. RESULTS: Mucocartilaginous biopsy revealed a mucosal leishmaniasis. Biological and radiologic findings were normal. Clinical follow-up with anti-parasitical treatment showed a regression of the patient's muco-cutaneous lesion and regression of her hepatic insufficiency. CONCLUSION: Biopsy of septal perforation is a useful diagnostic tool, advocated for differentiate infectious, neoplasic and inflammatory pathology. Leishmaniasis may be evoked in rhinologic pathology.

Investigation of drug interactions with pinaverium bromide.

A series of studies was carried out at 6 centres to investigate possible drug interaction between the spasmolytic, pinaverium bromide, and cardiac glycosides, anticoagulants and hypoglycaemic agents given to patients as part of the long-term treatment of their condition. The results of clinical and laboratory investigations did not show any evidence of pinaverium bromide interfering with the action or activity of any of the drugs studied.

[A case of post-traumatic Absidia corymbifera fungal endophthalmitis]. / A propos d'un cas d'endophtalmie fongique posttraumatique à Absidia corymbifera.

Exogenous fungal endophthalmitis is a rare postoperative and posttraumatic complication with, often, a dreadful prognosis. We report one case of Absidia corymbifera endophthalmitis after penetrating injury with a retained intraocular vegetable foreign body. We focus on the risk factors for the development of fungal endophthalmitis (vegetable foreign body, corticotherapy) and the importance of ocular fluid samples for stain and appropriate culture. In this case, the treatment associating contaminated tissue extraction and systemic and intravitreal administration of antifungal agents was efficient.

[Aspects of rats schistosomiasis in the non-salted mangrove swamps and the backmangrove area in the island of Grande-Terre (Guadeloupe) (author's transl)]. / Aspects de la Bilharziose murine dans la mangrove douce et l'arrière mangrove de la Grande-Terre en Guadeloupe.

The study of parasitism by Schistosoma mansoni among rats (Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus) has been carried on in Guadeloupe. Over half the rats caught in the non-salted mangrove swamps and the back-mangrove area of the island of Grande-Terre are parasitized. It seems possible diagrammatize the characteristics of these sites, where the cycle of rats schistosomiasis develops.

[Drugs and the cardiovascular system]. / Médicaments et système cardio-vasculaire.

PIP: Cardiac accidents induced by various types of drugs are examined and risk factors are identified in this article. Digitalis preparations are responsible for the largest number of accidents, but their frequency diminishes when prescription rules are respected. Overdoses are often announced by digestive complaints, while more serious problems arise at the stage of intoxication. Theophylline is used as a bronchial muscle relaxant but also has a cardiac effect. All antiarhythmics except bretylate are negative inotropes and can aggravate cardiac insufficiency. Beta-blockers were relatively well tolerated if the contraindications are respected. The main risks are decompensation for a cardiac insufficiency and aggravation of an auriculoventricular block. The risks of antiangina preparations are mostly provoked by their vasodilation action. Neurotropic drugs usually entail minimal alterations in the electrocardiogram but a variety of serious problems may arise with massive ingestion. Cardiotoxicity is rare in anticancer drugs and has mostly been noted in anthracyclinic products. Accidents with local anesthetics are not rare despite their daily use, while general anesthetics vary in their risk levels. A variety of other medications have been found or suspected to entail risks. Myocardial infarction in young, healthy oral contraceptive (OC) users has been observed but the mechanism of action is unclear. The necessity of ruling out risk factors before prescribing combined pills has been underlined. It is difficult to compile a complete list of all drugs having cardiovascular repercussions and the action of some drugs is probably still undiscovered. In most cases the complications are dose-related and predictable. Exceptions to this rule exist, as with OCs.^ieng

[Drug-induced respiratory disorders]. / Accidents respiratoires médicamenteux.

Drugs induced respiratory disorders include bronchospasm, extrinsic alveolitis, and diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. Bronchospasm may be due to the action of pharmacodynamic agents on autonomic control of bronchial tone (beta-blockers, beta-agonists...) or to a hypersensitivity reaction (penicillins, sulfonamides, anti-inflammatory compounds...). Extrinsic alveolitis usually follows administration of anti-infective medication but other drugs may be implicated. Prolonged use of a wide variety of drugs, particularly cytotoxic agents, is necessary to provoke the onset of a diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis.

[Detection of schistosomiasis in rats using micro blood sampling and immunofluorescence during an epidemiologic study]. / Détection à l'aide de microprélèvements sanguins et, par immunofluorescence de la schistosomose du rat, au cours des enquêtes épidémiologiques.

For a study of rat parasitism with Schistosoma mansoni in Guadeloupe, we used a technique of microbloodsampling followed by an immunofluorescence test. This method makes it possible to take the blood of the rats, the latter being then marked and set loose. It informs us of the presence of the parasite, the time of infestation, and the rats' movements relative to waterspots.

Influence of propranolol and acebutolol on isoprenaline-induced changes in heart rate and peripheral blood flow in man.

The authors studied the variations in the effects of isoprenaline hydrochloride on heart rate (beta 1) and on peripheral blood flow of the upper extremity (beta 2), determined by plethysmography, in a group of 5 men with a mean age of 31 +/- 3 years. The trial was conducted on a single-blind cross-over basis, each subject being infused over 30 min with propranolol (30 microgram/kg), acebutolol (150 microgram/kg) or a placebo (isotonic glucose solution) with at least an 8-day interval between each administration. At the end of the infusion they received isoprenaline (0.01 to 0.075 microgram/kg, in logarithmic progression) every 15 min, for 1 hour. The doses of isoprenaline were injected randomly using a latin square design. The peripheral flow, assessed by the curve of the initial part of the plethysmogram for the first 10 sec, increased with the dose of isoprenaline in the placebo series (Tg alpha = 219.9 log d + 583.4; p less than .01), did not increase in the propranolol series and increased with the dose in the acebutolol series (Tg alpha = 221.5 log d + 567.7; p less than .01); the variations in flow with isoprenaline after placebo and after acebutolol, did not differ significantly. The hear rate increased with the dose of isoprenaline in the placebo series (+55%) although tachycardia was inhibited by propranolol and acebutolol. Under the experimental conditions of this trial, propranolol inhibited beta 1 and beta 2 receptors at the same time, whereas acebutolol inhibited only beta 1 receptors.

[Experimental trichinasis (IV), study of the action of cyclophosphamide on the transplantation of 18 days old adults of T. spiralis (author's transl)]. / Trichinose expérimentale. (4e note) Etude de l'action du cyclophosphamide sur la transplantation de Trichinella spiralis adultes âgées de 18 jours

The survival and the transplantation of adult trichinae collected in cyclophosphamide treated and untreated mice were studied. 1) The worms'burden harbored by treated mice on the 18th day after the infestation is from 4 to 5 times higher than in untreated ones. The sex ratio is here around one instead of 1/2 in the control lot of mice. 2) The female worms parasitic in treated mice continue to lay larvae. When these adult are transplanted in the gut of treated mice they seem give a greater number of larvae than if they are put in the gut of normal mice.

Toxoplasma colitis in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

In patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), toxoplasmosis almost exclusively involves the central nervous system (CNS), and extra-CNS organ infection is rare. We report a case of Toxoplasma gondii colitis in a patient with AIDS characterized by the following: 1) onset of diarrhea was simultaneous with disseminated toxoplasmosis; 2) T. gondii was found in colonic biopsies, whereas other infectious causes of diarrhea had been ruled out; 3) diarrhea was cured by anti-Toxoplasma therapy.

[Sero-immunological research by immunofluorescence of rats bilharziosis in Guandeloupe. Epidemiological interest, comparative studies in various biotopes (author's transl)]. / Enquête séro-immunologique par immunofluorescence de la bilharziose murine en Guadeloupe. Intérêt épidémiologique, étrude comparative dans différents biotopes.

A sero-immunological survey by immunofluorescnece has been conducted on 94 rats (R. rattus and R. norvegicus) captured in Guadeloupe, in there different biotopes where the presence of S. mansoni carriers had been reported. These biotopes are those of the "Grand Etang" (Great Pond), the fresh-water mangrove and its back-mangrove area, and the Beaugendre valley. The post-mortem performed on the rats revealed that 92 % of those carrying. S. mansoni eggs of full-grown worms, had a rate of antibodies superior to 40. The rates of antibodies obtained, as well as the percentages of S. mansoni-parasited rats vary according to the biotopes. Two hypotheses can account for these variations: a smaller or greater adaptation of the S. mansoni stock to the rat; a change in the comportment of rats which would thus be more or exposed to reinfestations.

[Experimental schistosomiasis III. Observations on the infestation of Biomphalaria glabrata by a miracidium of Schistosoma mansoni]. / Schistosomose expérimentale III. Observations sur l'infestation de Biomphalaria glabrata par un miracidium de Schistosoma mansoni.

380 B. glabrata infected with 1 miracidium of S. mansoni produced 87 positive snails (22,9%), 38 of which sending out male cercariae and 49 female cercariae. The snails belonged to 3 experimental series kept at 27 degrees and 24 degrees C for 15 weeks under continuous lighting. There was no difference between the proportions of both sexes. The survival of the positive snails was favoured by the male sex. The shedding of female cercariae was greater than shedding of male. During those 15 weeks, the cercarial shedding of both sexes showed large and recurring changes. A certain correlation seems to exist between the sex of cercariae, the abundance and the frequency of cercarial shedding, and the longevity of the parasitized snails. All those factors could take a part in the epidemiology of the schistosomiasis.