Multicenter case-control study protocol of pneumonia etiology in children: Global Approach to Biological Research, Infectious diseases and Epidemics in Low-income countries (GABRIEL network).

BACKGROUND: Data on the etiologies of pneumonia among children are inadequate, especially in developing countries. The principal objective is to undertake a multicenter incident case-control study of <5-year-old children hospitalized with pneumonia in developing and emerging countries, aiming to identify the causative agents involved in pneumonia while assessing individual and microbial factors associated with the risk of severe pneumonia. METHODS/DESIGN: A multicenter case-control study, based on the GABRIEL network, is ongoing. Ten study sites are located in 9 countries over 3 continents: Brazil, Cambodia, China, Haiti, India, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, and Paraguay. At least 1,000 incident cases and 1,000 controls will be enrolled and matched for age and date. Cases are hospitalized children <5 years with radiologically confirmed pneumonia, and the controls are children without any features suggestive of pneumonia. Respiratory specimens are collected from all enrolled subjects to identify 19 viruses and 5 bacteria. Whole blood from pneumonia cases is being tested for 3 major bacteria. S. pneumoniae-positive specimens are serotyped. Urine samples from cases only are tested for detection of antimicrobial activity. The association between procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and pathogens is being evaluated. A discovery platform will enable pathogen identification in undiagnosed samples. DISCUSSION: This multicenter study will provide descriptive results for better understanding of pathogens responsible for pneumonia among children in developing countries. The identification of determinants related to microorganisms associated with pneumonia and its severity should facilitate treatment and prevention.

[Seroprevalence of cysticercosis and associated risk factors in a group of patients examined at the Regional Referral Hospital in Antsirabe]. / Séroprévalence de la cysticercose et facteurs de risque associés chez un groupe de patients vus au Centre Hospitalier Régional de Référence d'Antsirabe, Madagascar.

INTRODUCTION: In Madagascar, cysticercosis, a disease caused by Taenia Solium's larval form, is a public health problem. In 2003, the seroprevalence of cysticercosis ranged between 7% and 21% with a higher rate in the central regions of the island. However, epidemiological data on human cysticercosis have been limited over the last dozen years. The objective of our study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of cysticercosis Western blot as well as its associated risk factors in patients from the region of Vakinankaratra with clinical suspicion. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study at the Regional Referral Hospital in Antsirabe over a period of 6 months. All the patients included in the study answered a clinic questionnaire collecting their socio-demographic and cultural features as well as their dietary habits and their clinical symptoms. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of cysticercosis in the study population was 14.8% (35/237). These rates did not differ significantly according to sex, age, pork consumption or meat preparation (p > 0.05). However, a significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed among patients with subcutaneous nodules or positive for cysticercosis. CONCLUSION: In our study, the high index of exposure to Taenia solium justifies the strengthening of control and prevention measures already set up in our country.

Viral and atypical bacterial etiology of acute respiratory infections in children under 5 years old living in a rural tropical area of Madagascar.

BACKGROUND: In Madagascar, very little is known about the etiology and prevalence of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in a rural tropical area. Recent data are needed to determine the viral and atypical bacterial etiologies in children with defined clinical manifestations of ARIs. METHODS: During one year, we conducted a prospective study on ARIs in children between 2 to 59 months in the community hospital of Ampasimanjeva, located in the south-east of Madagascar. Respiratory samples were analyzed by multiplex real-time RT-PCR, including 18 viruses and 2 atypical bacteria. The various episodes of ARI were grouped into four clinical manifestations with well-documented diagnosis: "Community Acquired Pneumonia"(CAP, group I), "Other acute lower respiratory infections (Other ALRIs, group II)", "Upper respiratory tract infections with cough (URTIs with cough, group III)"and "Upper respiratory tract infections without cough (URTIs without cough, group IV)". RESULTS: 295 children were included in the study between February 2010 and February 2011. Viruses and/or atypical bacteria respiratory pathogens were detected in 74.6% of samples, the rate of co-infection was 27.3%. Human rhinovirus (HRV; 20.5%), metapneumovirus (HMPV A/B, 13.8%), coronaviruses (HCoV, 12.5%), parainfluenza virus (HPIV, 11.8%) and respiratory syncytial virus A and B (RSV A/B, 11.8%) were the most detected. HRV was predominantly single detected (23.8%) in all the clinical groups while HMPV A/B (23.9%) was mainly related to CAP (group I), HPIV (17.3%) to the "Other ALRIs" (group II), RSV A/B (19.5%) predominated in the group "URTIs with cough" (group III) and Adenovirus (HAdV, 17.8%) was mainly detected in the "without cough" (group IV). INTERPRETATION: This study describes for the first time the etiology of respiratory infections in febrile children under 5 years in a malaria rural area of Madagascar and highlights the role of respiratory viruses in a well clinically defined population of ARIs.