Factors Associated with Geophagy and Knowledge About Its Harmful Effects Among Native Sub-Saharan African, Caribbean and French Guiana HIV Patients Living in Northern France.

Geophagy, or the ingestion of earth or clay, is widespread among women of Sub-Saharan African, Caribbean or French Guiana origin. Little is known about this practice among HIV patients native of these countries and who are followed-up in France. The aims of this study were to determine (i) the prevalence and factors associated with geophagy among HIV patients native of these countries, (ii) patients' knowledge about the harmful effects of geophagy, and (iii) the association of geophagy with iron deficiency, or a history of anemia or constipation. Among the 119 included patients, current geophagy and previous geophagy were present in 11/119 (9%) and 47/119 (40%) patients, respectively. Female gender was the only factor associated with consumption (OR 5.37; 95% CI 2.07-15.92 p = 0.001). Awareness about the risk of iron-deficient anemia was low (24%). Preventive education should be integrated into the care of HIV adults from countries in which geophagy is a culture and widely accepted practice.

High prevalence of measles seronegativity in adults with HIV infection born in the era of measles vaccination in Northern France.

We investigated measles humoral immunity levels in a cohort of HIV-infected adult patients in France and attempted to identify risk factors for antimeasles antibodies seronegativity. Being born after 1983 [odds ratio (OR) 4.40; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.26-14.09; P = 0.0013] and a nadir CD4⁺ cell count below 100 cells/µl (OR 4.79; 95% CI 1.61-14.82; P = 0.0048) were the two factors independently associated with measles seronegativity. Systematic measles antibody screening should be performed in HIV-infected individuals born in the era of measles vaccination (after 1983 in France).

High seroprevalence of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in French human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected outpatients.

Using commercially available herpes simplex virus (HSV) type-specific serological diagnostic tests, HSV type 2 (HSV-2) antibody prevalence was assessed in two parallel prospective studies including 534 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected outpatients living in two areas of northern France. In the first cohort of 434 subjects, 223 (51%) individuals demonstrated a positive HSV-2 serological status while 66 (66%) of 100 subjects in the second cohort were seropositive for HSV-2 (51 versus 66%; P = 0.08). Among the 223 HSV-2-seropositive subjects identified in the first study cohort, only 22 (10%) had suffered from recurrent anogenital lesions during the past 12 months while 154 (69%) had no clinical history of herpesvirus infection. Our findings demonstrate high proportions of subclinical and undiagnosed HSV-2 infection in HIV-1-infected individuals and suggest that HSV type-specific serological testing in the French HIV-1-infected subpopulation could be an efficient strategy to diagnose clinically asymptomatic HSV-2 infections.

[Diagnostic value of clinical signs in giant cell arteritis: analysis of 415 temporal artery biopsy findings]. / Valeur diagnostique des signes de la maladie de Horton.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has proposed a list of criteria for diagnosis of giant cell arteritis in order to guide clinical research by differentiating it from other vasculitis. The aim of this retrospective investigation, based on the findings of 415 temporal artery biopsies was to assess the diagnostic value of these criteria in the daily clinical setting. METHODS: The demographic, clinical and biological characteristics of patients with positive (confirmed cases of giant cell arteritis) or negative (controls) histopathological temporal artery biopsy findings were analyzed using downward step-by-step logistic regression analysis. This analysis enabled investigators to list signs with inherent diagnostic value. Based their odds-ratio, these factors were used to determine a clinical score for giant cell arteritis. RESULTS: A score of over 7 - out of a maximum score of 32 - enables the diagnosis for giant cell arteritis with the best possible compromise between a sensitivity of 75.7% and a specificity of 72.2%. ACR criteria had a sensitivity of 97.5% and a specificity of 78.9% when used in our patient group. CONCLUSION: Our study results are original in that the control group was composed of patients in whom the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis had been suggested but refuted by the absence of histopathological findings on the temporal artery biopsy. This pragmatic attitude in selecting the control group may explain the difference observed with the ACR criteria in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Further research is needed to develop a diagnostic method for giant cell arteritis without resorting to temporal artery biopsy.

Osteonecrosis in six HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To report 6 cases of osteonecrosis in HIV-infected patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and compare the observed risk factors with those of published cases. CASE SUMMARIES: Osteonecrosis was diagnosed between 1999 and 2002 in 6 of 417 HIV-infected patients in our department of infectious diseases. At the time of diagnosis, mean patient age was 42 years, and 5 patients had developed AIDS. Mean CD4+ lymphocyte count was 563.5 cells/mm(3) and viral load was undetectable (<50 copies/mL) in 5 patients. The patients' mean body mass index was 22.5 kg/m(2). Four had lipodystrophy. All were receiving HAART, including a protease inhibitor in 4 patients; the remaining 2 patients had a history of protease inhibitor treatment. Median time from the first antiretroviral therapy to osteonecrosis diagnosis was 46.5 months. Established risk factors were the use of corticosteroids in 2 patients and dyslipidemia in all patients. All of the patients developed pain and functional impotence of the hip or ankle joints. Osteonecrosis of the hip was bilateral in 4 cases. Three patients required surgical intervention, all of whom had favorable outcomes. DISCUSSION: HIV-infected patients are at a higher risk for the development of osteonecrosis and are more likely to be exposed to predisposing factors to its development. The HAART implication as a predisposing factor remains controversial. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis of osteonecrosis in HIV-infected individuals may be multifactorial; the reasonable approach for clinicians consists of treating concomitant predisposing conditions that might further cause osteonecrosis.