Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Trichosporon cutaneum.

We report, to our knowledge, the first case of Trichosporon cutaneum endocarditis which developed in a 58-year-old woman 14 months after mitral valve replacement. The patient had not had antibiotic therapy. She was treated with an oral antifungal agent, ketoconazol, and prosthetic valve replacement. The initial outcome was favorable, but she died 5 months later of aortic valve endocarditis. Fungal infection was documented by isolation of the fungus from blood cultures, by anatomical and pathological examination and by the changes in serology.

[Epidemiology of bilharziasis in the Sahel and Sahara regions of Mauritania (sero-immunologic evaluation. 1973)]. / Contribution à l'étude de l'épidémiologie de la bilharziose dans les régions sahéliennes et sahariennes de Mauritanie (évaluation séro-immunologique. Année 1973).

An epidemiological survey was carried out in 1973 in Sahara and Sahel regions of Mauritania, in order to assess the frequency and the geographical distribution of schistosomiasis. The prevalence of the infection, based on an immunological diagnosis, varied between villages, increased as a function or age, and reflected mainly the conditions of living of the inhabitants. Eradication programs were deemed suitable in certain biotopes, especially in Adrar.

[Geographic distribution of malaria in the valley of the Senegal River: school survey (sero-immunologic evaluation, year 1973)]. / Répartition géographique du paludisme dans la vallée du fleuve Sénégal: enquête en milieu scolaire (évaluation séro-immunologique, année 1973).

In 1973, a sero-epidemiological survey was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of malaria along the Senegal river valley. More than 75 % of school children had antimalarial antibodies in their sera. This prevalence was independent of age and sex, and was found to be effectively high particularly in the regions of Gorgol and Guidimaka. These results may be considered exclusively as an indication to raise up, nevertheless, a general planning of malaria protection along the Senegal river.

[Treatment of urinary and intestinal bilharziosis with praziquantel. Apropos of 182 cases]. / Traitement de la bilharziose urinaire et intestinale par praziquantel. A propos de 182 observations.

182 patients representing 188 cases of schistosomiasis (including 152 S. haematobium, 34 S. mansoni, and 2 S. intercalatum cases) were treated with praziquantel using 40 mg/kg in a single intake. Biological check-up did not reveal any abnormality that could have been related to the treatment. Clinical side-effects appeared in 25% cases and were essentially gastrointestinal symptoms, headaches, dizziness. Efficiency was assessed by direct parasitological examinations of the feces or urine that were performed after treatment. It reached 91% for S. haematobium and 95% for S. mansoni schistosomiasis.

Anti-P1, allohemagglutinins associated with Clonorchis sinensis and opisthorchis viverrini infections in patients from Southeast Asia.

An automated assay of anti-P1 allohemagglutinins has been carried out on sera of 61 individuals from Southeast Asia : 28 with clonorchiasis, 18 with opisthorchiasis and 15 control subjects. Anti-P1 activity was detected in 61% of the opisthorchiasis sera, 57% of the clonorchiasis sera and in 26.6% of the control subjects. Their concentration, in the sera, was low in control subjects and exceptionally high in clonorchiasis and opisthorchiasis (up to 13 and 22 times the maximum concentration of the control subjects, respectively). In all cases the anti-P1 antibodies were of IgM class. The results suggested that Clonorchis and Opisthorchis were responsible for immunization of the patients, with P1 alloantigen.

Antigen sharing between Fasciola hepatica and human erythrocytes.

Several lyophilized bovine and ovine liver flukes (Fasciola hepatica) extracts were examined for the presence of blood group like antigens using an automated haemagglutination inhibition procedure. This sensitive method allowed the detection of A, B, H. Lea, Leb, P1, and Pk group specific substances. Their immunogenicity was confirmed in anti-Fasciola hyperimmunized rabbits. Immunofluorescent probes showed that these substances are located on cell membranes of the tegumental syncytium and caeca epithelium cells of the fluke. These data were discussed along with current concepts concerning, the origin, the consequences ant the biological significance of the occurrence of blood group like substances in parasites.

Blood group active substances in Paragonimus westermani.

Lyophilized crude extracts of Paragonimus westermani were investigated for the presence of human blood group active substances, using an automated haemagglutination inhibition technique. This sensitive method allowed the detection of A, B, H, Lewis (a), Lewis (b) and P1 blood group specificities, in the fluke's extracts. No inhibition was observed with C, c, D, E, e, K, Kpa, Kpb, Fya, Fyb, Jka and Jkb blood group antibodies.

[Histoplasmosis: clinical, biological, and therapeutic aspects in ten cases (author's transl)]. / Dix cas d'histoplasmose: aspects cliniques, biologiques et thérapeutiques.

The authors present 10 cases of histoplasmosis, 3 due to H. capsulatum, and 7 to H. duboisii. The presenting signs were stomatological or laryngeal with H. capsulatum, and ganglionic, cutaneous, or skeletal with H. duboisii. Diagnosis was confirmed by the discovery of histoplasms in the lesions: 7 times the examination of a needle biopsy sample was positive; in 8 cases out of 10, culture on Sabouraud's medium was positive; in 3 cases out of 4 the inoculated hamster showed the presence of a histoplasmosis. Histological examination of lesions biopsies demonstrated histoplasms in the 9 cases studied. The intradermal reaction to histogical examination of lesion biopsies demonstrated histoplasms in the 9 cases studied. The intradermal reaction to histoplasmin, positive in only 1 out of 7 cases, and serological tests which showed precipitating antibodies in only 4 cases out of 10, are of very little diagnostic value. All patients were treated with amphotericin B, sometimes associated with clotrimazole (3 cases), miconazole (1 case), and rifampicin (2 cases). Two relapses occurred, one, after too soon an interruption of treatment relapsed two months later, and the other followed 18 months after a total dose of 4,200 mg of amphotericin. Surgical treatment of active subcutaneous ganglionic and bony foci may be necessary, and was employed in three cases, with a favourable result in a case of severe disseminated histoplasmosis.