Increase in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome during a Chikungunya outbreak, French Polynesia, 2014 to 2015.

During the recent chikungunya fever outbreak in French Polynesia in October 2014 to March 2015, we observed an abnormally high number of patients with neurological deficit. Clinical presentation and complementary exams were suggestive of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) for nine patients. All nine had a recent dengue-like syndrome and tested positive for chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in serology or RT-PCR. GBS incidence was increased four- to nine-fold during this period, suggesting a link to CHIKV infection.

The gout epidemic in French Polynesia: a modelling study of data from the Ma'i u'u epidemiological survey.

BACKGROUND: Gout is the most common cause of inflammatory arthritis worldwide, particularly in Pacific regions. We aimed to establish the prevalence of gout and hyperuricaemia in French Polynesia, their associations with dietary habits, their comorbidities, the prevalence of the HLA-B*58:01 allele, and current management of the disease. METHODS: The Ma'i u'u survey was epidemiological, prospective, cross-sectional, and gout-focused and included a random sample of adults from the general adult population of French Polynesia. It was conducted and data were collected between April 13 and Aug 16, 2021. Participants were randomly selected to represent the general adult population of French Polynesia on the basis of housing data collected during the 2017 territorial census. Each selected household was visited by a research nurse from the Ma'i u'u survey who collected data via guided, 1-h interviews with participants. In each household, the participant was the individual older than 18 years with the closest upcoming birthday. To estimate the frequency of HLA-B*58:01, we estimated HLA-B haplotypes on individuals who had whole-genome sequencing to approximately 5× average coverage (mid-pass sequencing). A subset of individuals who self-reported Polynesian ancestry and not European, Chinese, or other ancestry were used to estimate Polynesian-ancestry specific allele frequencies. Bivariate associations were reported for weighted participants; effect sizes were estimated through the odds ratio (OR) of the association calculated on the basis of a logistic model fitted with weighted observations. FINDINGS: Among the random sample of 2000 households, 896 participants were included, 140 individuals declined, and 964 households could not be contacted. 22 participants could not be weighted due to missing data, so the final weighted analysis included 874 participants (449 [51·4%] were female and 425 [48·6%] were male) representing the 196 630 adults living in French Polynesia. The estimated prevalence of gout was 14·5% (95% CI 9·9-19·2), representing 28 561 French Polynesian adults, that is 25·5% (18·2-32·8) of male individuals and 3·5% (1·0-6·0) of female individuals. The prevalence of hyperuricaemia was estimated at 71·6% (66·7-76·6), representing 128 687 French Polynesian adults. In multivariable analysis, age (OR 1·5, 95% CI 1·2-1·8 per year), male sex (10·3, 1·8-60·7), serum urate (1·6, 1·3-2·0 per 1 mg/dL), uraturia (0·8, 0·8-0·8 per 100 mg/L), type 2 diabetes (2·1, 1·4-3·1), BMI more than 30 kg/m2 (1·1, 1·0-1·2 per unit), and percentage of visceral fat (1·7, 1·1-2·7 per 1% increase) were associated with gout. There were seven heterozygous HLA-B*58:01 carriers in the full cohort of 833 individuals (seven [0·4%] of 1666 total alleles) and two heterozygous carriers in a subset of 696 individuals of Polynesian ancestry (two [0·1%]). INTERPRETATION: French Polynesia has an estimated high prevalence of gout and hyperuricaemia, with gout affecting almost 15% of adults. Territorial measures that focus on increasing access to effective urate-lowering therapies are warranted to control this major public health problem. FUNDING: Variant Bio, the French Polynesian Health Administration, Lille Catholic University Hospitals, French Society of Rheumatology, and Novartis.

Screening for Predictors of Chronic Ciguatera Poisoning: An Exploratory Analysis among Hospitalized Cases from French Polynesia.

Ciguatera poisoning is a globally occurring seafood disease caused by the ingestion of marine products contaminated with dinoflagellate produced neurotoxins. Persistent forms of ciguatera, which prove to be highly debilitating, are poorly studied and represent a significant medical issue. The present study aims to better understand chronic ciguatera manifestations and identify potential predictive factors for their duration. Medical files of 49 patients were analyzed, and the post-hospitalization evolution of the disease assessed through a follow-up questionnaire. A rigorous logistic lasso regression model was applied to select significant predictors from a list of 37 patient characteristics potentially predictive of having chronic symptoms. Missing data were handled by complete case analysis, and a survival analysis was implemented. All models used standardized variables, and multiple comparisons in the survival analyses were handled by Bonferroni correction. Among all studied variables, five significant predictors of having symptoms lasting ≥3 months were identified: age, tobacco consumption, acute bradycardia, laboratory measures of urea, and neutrophils. This exploratory, hypothesis-generating study contributes to the development of ciguatera epidemiology by narrowing the list from 37 possible predictors to a list of five predictors that seem worth further investigation as candidate risk factors in more targeted studies of ciguatera symptom duration.

Erysipelas / Érysipèle

Erysipelas. Erysipelas is a non-necrotizing acute dermohypodermitis of streptococcal origin (group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus) that usually affects adults and tends to reoccur. Risk factors recognized by the 2000 Consensus Conference are lymphedema, the existence of a gateway and obesity. Diagnosis is clinical with a classic presentation in the form of a "big red painful leg, acute, febrile and unilateral". Necrotizing fasciitis is the main differential diagnosis, as initial presentation of both may sometimes be similar, but whose severity requires urgent medical and surgical management. Management of erysipelas can be done on an outpatient basis or require hospitalization when parenteral treatment and/or close monitoring is required. Recommended treatment is antibiotherapy with penicillin or macrolides or related in case of allergy, associated with lesions related to skin infection (edema, bubbles) and risk factors (portal of entry and lymphedema) management.

Érysipèle. L'érysipèle est une dermohypodermite aiguë non nécrosante d'origine streptococcique (streptocoque bêta-hémolytique du groupe A le plus souvent) qui touche généralement les adultes et ayant tendance à récidiver. Les facteurs de risque reconnus par la conférence de consensus de 2000 en sont le lymphoedème, l'existence d'une porte d'entrée et l'obésité. Le diagnostic positif est clinique, avec une présentation classique sous la forme d'une « grosse jambe rouge douloureuse, aiguë, fébrile et unilatérale ¼. Le principal diagnostic différentiel est la fasciite nécrosante dont la présentation initiale peut parfois prêter à confusion, mais dont la gravité impose une prise en charge médicochirurgicale urgente. La prise en charge de l'érysipèle peut se faire en ambulatoire ou nécessiter une hospitalisation lorsqu'un traitement parentéral et/ou une surveillance rapprochée sont nécessaires. Le traitement recommandé est une antibiothérapie par pénicilline ou par macrolides ou apparentés en cas d'allergie, associée à une prise en charge des lésions en lien avec l'infection cutanée (oedème, bulles) et des facteurs de risque (porte d'entrée et lymphoedème).

[Ciguatera fish poisoning]. / La ciguatéra.

Ciguatera, an ichtyosarcotoxism linked to the consumption of usually healthy coral fish is a common poisoning in the Pacific, Caribbean and Indian Ocean where it is endemic. However, increased tourism and commercial transportation of tropical fish for consumption make it an unexceptional intoxication in countries away from its endemic area. Environmental stresses such as climate changes also contribute to the expansion of its geographical area. The non-specific clinical symptomatology is characterized by the occurrence of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, nervous and general signs few hours after eating a ciguatoxic fish. The diagnosis is clinical and relatively easy in endemic areas but much less for physicians who are rarely confronted with, which is a source of prolonged diagnostic delays and a significant increase in spending. Treatment of ciguatera is symptomatic but new treatments, still experimental, give a real hope for the future.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis eosinophilic meningitis: a clinical study of 42 consecutive cases in French Polynesia.

INTRODUCTION: In endemic areas, eosinophilic meningitis is mainly caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis. We describe a series of this poorly-known condition. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study (2000-2012) including all patients diagnosed with eosinophilic meningitis in French Polynesia. RESULTS: Forty-two patients (males: 61.9%, age: 22 (IQR 17-32)) were diagnosed with a serologically proven (n=13) or probable A. cantonensis meningitis, mostly during the dry season (66.6%) and following the consumption of or prolonged contact with an intermediate/paratenic host (64.3%). No differential diagnosis was found in probable cases, in whom serological tests were performed earlier (7.5 days (6.5-10)) compared to positive patients (7.5 (6.5-10) versus 11 (7-30) days, p=0.02). The most commonly reported symptom was headache (92.8%). Fever (7.1%) and biological inflammatory syndrome (14.3%) were rare. Blood eosinophil count was 1200/mm(3) (900-2548). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis disclosed a protein level of 0.9 g/L (0.7-1.1), a CSF/plasma glucose ratio of 0.50 (0.40-0.55), and 500 leucocytes/mm(3) (292-725; eosinophils: 42.0% (29.5-60); lymphocytes: 46.5% (32.5-59.0)). Thirteen cases (31.0%) were severe, with 11 focal neurological deficits. A delayed hospital referral (OR 1.13, p=0.05) was associated with severity. CONCLUSIONS: A. cantonensis meningitis must be evocated in young patients with meningitic syndrome, severe headache, and CSF inflammation with predominance of eosinophils.

Intraosseous pneumatocysts: a case based review.

Intraosseous pneumatocysts are benign gaseous bone lesions, generally asymptomatic and incidentally discovered on X-ray. These characteristics explain why these lesions are unknown to most practitioners and their low representation in medical literature. The description of an incidentally discovered iliac pneumatocyst gives us the opportunity to provide a review of available medical literature on these frequent, but poorly known lesions.

[Neurological manifestations of dengue]. / Manifestations neurologiques de la dengue.

BACKGROUND: An epidemic of type 4 dengue was raging in the Pacific from 2008 to 2010. During this period, several patients were hospitalized at the Hospital Centre of Tahiti for neurological disorders occurring during a dengue fever. These events are not the typical picture, which is represented by a flu-like syndrome and sometimes, in severe cases, a haemorrhagic syndrome or shock. METHOD: We have established a review of the literature reporting the cases of dengue fever associated with neurological disorders with the terms "dengue" and "neurology". Despite the retrospective nature and incomplete data, we attempted to establish the epidemiological characteristics of these events, to give an order of frequency of these symptoms and the pathophysiological mechanisms involved. RESULTS: Among patients with neurological disorders occurring during a dengue fever, disorders of central nervous system are the most common. Among disorders of central nervous system, encephalopathy is by far the most encountered. CONCLUSION: None of observed neurologic disorders presenting with specific manifestation, discussion of dengue as etiology in endemic areas or in return from endemic area is well-founded.

Good's syndrome and IgA monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.

Characterised by the association of a thymoma, hypogammaglobulinaemia, and B-cell and T-cell dysfunction, Good's syndrome (GS) is a rare cause of adult immunodeficiency leading to recurrent infections, and autoimmune manifestations related to the thymoma. We describe a 70-year-old woman in whom the diagnosis of GS was made after 7 years follow-up of a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). After thymectomy, she received monthly intravenous immunoglobulin perfusions in order to maintain a normal plasmatic IgG level. To our knowledge, this is the fifth described case of GS associated with an MGUS. This rare condition should not be misdiagnosed, as the prognosis is determined by infectious and autoimmune complications, which could be prevented.