[Epidemiological and clinical profile childhood cancers with pleural and pulmonary lesions in the pediatric oncology unit of Treichville University Hospital (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire)]. / Profil épidémiologique et clinique des cancers pédiatriques avec atteintes pleurales et pulmonaires au service de pédiatrie du CHU de Treichville (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire).

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric cancers are a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. However, they are seldom studied, especially as regards in their extensive forms. METHODOLOGY: An eight-year retrospective and descriptive study was carried out so as to specify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of cancers with pleural and pulmonary involvement in children of 0 to 14years of age in the pediatric oncology unit at the University Hospital of Treichville, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). RESULTS: The frequency of pleural and pulmonary involvement in pediatric cancers was 13.8%. Children's average age was 7.2years, with sex ratio at 2.11. Solid tumors were predominant, with a predominance of Burkitt's lymphoma (39.3%) and nephroblastoma (35.7%). The most affected age groups were 10 to 15years (Burkitt's lymphoma) and 0 to 5years (nephroblastoma). Time to diagnosis ranged from 31 and 60days in 40.4% of cases, and time to treatment was at most 30 days, for the overwhelming majority (97.1%) of the children. Chemotherapy was initiated in 67.9% of patients. Hospital mortality was 73.2%. CONCLUSION: Through this study, the authors established the profile of childhood cancers with pleural and pulmonary involvement. Comparative studies of mortality in pediatric cancers with and without pleural and pulmonary involvement could further underline the importance of early management before dissemination.

[Current situation of primary prophylaxis with isoniazid (INH) in children who are contacts of patients with bacillary pulmonary tuberculosis in Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire)]. / Situation actuelle de la chimioprophylaxie primaire à l'isoniazide (INH) chez les enfants contacts des patients atteints de tuberculose pulmonaire bacillifère à Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

INTRODUCTION: The National tuberculosis program (NTP) in Ivory Coast recommends that children under 5 years living in a family environment with contagious tuberculosis patients, should receive Prophylactic treatment with INH (PTI), whatever the result of the tuberculin skin test (positive or negative) and their BCG status (vaccinated or not), at a dose of 5mg/kg/day for 6 months. We conducted this study to check the implementation of this recommendation in three support services of tuberculosis in Abidjan, the economic capital. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We conducted a multicenter, cross-sectional and descriptive study over 3 years (2011-2013), on consented patients, adolescents and adults aged at least 15 years, with a first episode of infectious pulmonary tuberculosis, in order to look for information on the INH prophylaxis in children under 5 years living under the same roof. We made patients interviews during their visit for bacteriological sputum controls at the second month of TB treatment. RESULTS: Of a total of 412 patients (53% males and 47% females) with a mean age of 34.5 years and with a low level of instruction (66.5%), we noticed 639 children under 5 years living under the same roof with them. Information on the screening of contact children was given to 71% of interviewed patients (291/412). Of the 339 children examined among 639 contacts, 234 (69%) had received only an intradermoreaction (IDR) and PTI was finally administered to 64% of them (217/339). CONCLUSION: High proportion of contact children under 5 not examined is a major concern for the NTP and a missed opportunity to prevent additional cases of tuberculosis among children.

[Multidrug resistant tuberculosis among health personnel in Côte d'Ivoire]. / Tuberculose multirésistante chez le personnel de santé en Côte d'Ivoire.

UNLABELLED: Multidrug resistance tuberculosis (MDR-TB) of health workers raises the question of hospital-borne transmission of infection. OBSERVATIONS: We report 4 cases of MDR-TB confirmed at the health workers over a period of 8 years (January, 2005 to December 2012), in the 2 services of pulmonology from Abidjan to Côte d'Ivoire). It was about young grown-up patients (aged between 28 and 39 years), all HIV negatives, in a no-win situation of antituberculosis treatment (3 patients/4). The most concerned staffs were the male nurses (2/4). Two agents worked in general hospital and the only one in a pulmonology department at the time of the diagnosis. The tuberculosis was of lung seat with bilateral radiographic hurt (3/4) and multiples excavations (4/4). The case index, when it was identified (2/2), was a family case. Among 3 agents who benefited from a second line treatment, 1 died further to an extensive drug resistance and 2 are declared to be cured. The fourth died before the beginning of the treatment. These cases of cure were in touch with a premature care. CONCLUSION: Multidrug resistant tuberculosis at the health workers could have a negative impact on the antituberculosis fight imposing rigorous measures of infection control and better implication of the occupational medicine.

[Ivory Coast physician's knowledge and attitudes about smoking in patients with tuberculosis]. / Connaissances et attitudes des médecins ivoiriens vis-à-vis du tabagisme chez les patients atteints de tuberculose.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking promotes, among other health problems, the development of tuberculosis and the discovery of a case of tuberculosis can therefore be an opportunity for tobacco control interventions. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study evaluating the knowledge of 37 Ivorian physicians (32 men and 5 women with 5 active smokers) on the relationship between smoking and tuberculosis and their attitudes to smoking tuberculous patients between February and August 2012 using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The response rate to the questionnaire was 88.1%. Among them, 70.3% of Ivorian physicians knew that smoking increased the incidence of tuberculosis, 75.7% said that forms of tuberculosis were more severe in smokers and about 27% thought that the cure rate of tuberculosis was lower in smokers. No significant difference was observed according to respondents' smoking status, or gender. Patients' smoking status was always assessed by 64.9% of physicians and by 78.4% in patients with tuberculosis, again not differing by physicians' smoking status or gender. The risks of smoking were always explained to patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis by 43.2% and benefits of stopping smoking ware always described in 35.1%. An intervention for smoking cessation was systematically offered to smokers having tuberculosis by 59.4% of physicians and 8.1% offered medication for smoking cessation. CONCLUSION: These results strongly support the need to reinforce physician behaviors to address smoking in patients with tuberculosis in Ivory Coast.

[Extensively drug resistant tuberculosis in Ivory Coast]. / Tuberculose ultrarésistante en Côte d'Ivoire.

INTRODUCTION: The emergence of tuberculosis with ultraresistant bacilli (TB-UR or XDR-TB) came to increase the threat concerning the progress realized in tuberculosis control. This observation establishes the only case of XDR-TB documented and published since the beginning of pharmacoresistant tuberculosis management in Ivory Coast from 2000 till 2010. This case was diagnosed in 2005 at a HIV-negative 32-year-old woman, initially declared MDR-TB. Looking forward to a treatment of category IV, she was treated by therapeutic truncated protocols recombining antituberculous molecules to which the patient was still sensitive. This treatment (PAS, cycloserin, ciprofoxacin, ethionamid, ethambutol and kanamycin) was introduced after 9 months of waiting and was completely led in ambulatory under the supervision of a member of the family. The diagnosis of XDR-TB concerned new tests of sensibility spread to second line antituberculous drugs in front of the absence of spits negativation at the end of 14 months of a second line treatment marked by frequent stock shortages. The death arose at M19 of treatment by chronic heart pulmonary. CONCLUSION: XDR-TB remains dark prognosis and is almost synonymic of "death sentence" in our countries with limited resources. The application of the international recommendations for tuberculosis management and better accessibility to antituberculous second line drugs would allow to prevent the appearance of such forms of tuberculosis.

[Fixed drug eruption after taking ethambutol]. / Érythème pigmenté fixe secondaire à la prise d'éthambutol.

INTRODUCTION: Fixed drug eruption (FDE) is a specific skin reaction and the only exclusively medicinal dermatosis. Among the drugs usually responsible are the antituberculous antibiotics including rifampicin and, less often, isoniazid and pyrazinamide. FDE after taking ethambutol is rarely described. CASE REPORT: A 32-year old HIV negative patient presented a FDE localized to the internal surface of the lips and the interdigital folds during the 4th month of antituberculous treatment comprising rifampicin, isoniazid and ethambutol. The diagnosis was supported by the characteristic appearances of the lesions of FDE and their early reappearance in the same areas after accidental reintroduction of antituberculous triple therapy including ethambutol. Double-agent therapy with rifamicin and isoniazid was tolerated well. CONCLUSION: Discovery of FDE requires a rigorous search for the responsible medicine. During antituberculous treatment, the practitioner has to bear in mind the potential role of ethambutol, which is possibly potentiated by rifampicin.

[Effects of war on control of tuberculosis in Côte d'Ivoire from 2002 to 2007]. / Effets de la guerre sur le contrôle de la tuberculose en Côte d'Ivoire de 2002 à 2007.

OBJECTIVES: To specify consequences of armed conflict in Côte d'Ivoire from 2002 to 2007 on treatment outcomes of new cases of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB+) and retreatment cases. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes and reprocessing notified to the National Program against Tuberculosis from 2001 to 2008. RESULTS: Totally, 7,4232 cases of TPM+ and 5094 cases of reprocessing had been declared during the war period in Côte d'Ivoire. The global average rate of therapeutic success was 72% with a lower average rate of success in retreatment in Center, Northern et Western (CNO) zone (54%) than in Southern zone (73%). The average rate of lost sight was higher in CNO zone than in the South with respectively 27% and 11%. The average rate of success in retreatment was 60% on the national level with a lower rate in CNO zone (48%) than in the South zone (62%) and the average rate of lost sight in retreatment was higher in CNO zone than in the South zone (28% versus 16%). CONCLUSION: Our results show that there was no early epidemic of tuberculosis during the armed conflict in Côte d'Ivoire which has although severely disrupted activities of tuberculosis management in ex-nongovernmental zone.

[Simvastatin indused chylothorax]. / Chylothorax induit par la simvastatine.

Chylothorax is a rare disorder occurring most often in aftermath of a thoracic surgery or during cancer of mediastinum. We report the clinical history of the world's second case of chylothorax which appeared during treatment with simvastatin.

[Persistent, cavitating, non-tuberculous pneumopathy in a patient with HIV: the role of Candida?]. / Pneumopathie persistante et excavee non tuberculeuse chez un patient infecte par le VIH: rôle de candida?

Fungal agents are not common cause of pneumonia. In favorables conditions mycosis can cause atypical clinical and radiographic figures. Authors report the observation of a 45 years and VIH-positive patient presenting a persistant and excavating pneumonia probably caused by Candida albicans.

Pneumopathie persistante et excavee non tuberculeuse chez un patient infecte par le VIH : role de candida ?

Les mycoses sont une cause peu commune de pneumopathie. Dans certaines circonstances favorables; elles peuvent etre a l'origine de tableaux cliniques et radiologiques trompeurs; pouvant faire errer le diagnostic

[A new focus of human paragonimosis discovered in Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa): the case of the Lauzoua Island]. / Un nouveau foyer de paragonimose humaine découvert en Côte d'Ivoire (Afrique de l'ouest): le cas de l'île de Lauzoua.

Fifteen cases of human paragonimosis were detected in Ivory Coast from 1974 to 1999. Since no further cases have been reported, an epidemiological survey was carried out in local health centers. The purpose of this paper is to described a new focus of paragonimosis discovered on Lauzoua Island. Clinical and parasitological examinations were performed on 17 patients presenting chronic cough, haemoptysis and/or epilepsy. Stools belonging to cats, dogs and pigs as well as river crustaceans were also examined to identify parasite eggs and metacercariae respectively. Paragonimus eggs were found in stools and/or sputum of five patients. Measurements of these eggs after fixation in formalin allowed division into three groups. Stools from cats, dogs and pigs were negative. Small Paragonimus metacercariae (mean: 277 to 323 microm) were found in three Callinectes marginatus crabs (out of 15 caught near the island). No metacercariae were found in local prawns. The presence of these three Paragonimus egg groups as well as of infected crabs near the island will require further study to identify the species and determine the prevalence of each in human infection.

Un nouveau foyer de paragonimose humaine découvert en Côte d'Ivoire (Afrique de l'Ouest): le cas de l'île de Lauzoua

Quinze cas de paragonimose humaine ont été détectés en Côte d'Ivoire de 1974 à 1999. Comme aucun autre cas n'a été trouvé depuis cette dernière date, une étude épidémiologique a été réalisée dans les centres locaux de santé. La présente note rapporte un nouveau foyer de paragonimose dans l'île de Lauzoua. Des examens cliniques et parasitologiques ont été effectués chez 17 patients souffrant de toux chronique, d'hémoptysie ou d'épilepsie. Des fèces de chats, de chiens et de porcs de même que des crustacés de rivière ont été également examinés pour y trouver les oeufs du parasite ou des métacercaires respectivement.Des oeufs de Paragonimus ont été trouvés dans les selles ou les expectorations de cinq patients. Les dimensions des oeufs (fixés dans du formol)permettent de caractériser trois groupes. L'examen des fèces provenant des chats, des chiens et des porcs s'est révélé négatif.Desmétacercaires de Paragonimus,de petite taille (de 277 à 323 µm en moyenne), ont été trouvées dans trois crabes (sur les 15 Callinectes marginatus capturés autour de l'île) tandis que l'examen des crevettes locales était négatif. La présence de trois types d'oeufs pour Paragonimus et celle des crabes parasités autour de l'île nécessitent d'autres études pour déterminer les espèces de ces parasites et la prévalence de l'infestation humaine pour chaque espèce

First findings on the seroepidemiology of human paragonimosis at the anti-tuberculosis centre of Divo, Repubuc of Ivory Coast (West Africa).

An epidemiological study was carried out in 2004-2005 at the anti-tuberculosis centre of Divo (Ivory Coast) to collect sera from patients who consulted for tuberculosis suspicion and to estimate the seroprevalence of human paragonimosis in the context of a systematic screening. No Paragonimus egg was found in the stools and/or sputa of the 167 persons investigated. In contrast, 41 sera were ascertained with antibodies against Paragonimus africanus using ELISA testing. As the optical density (OD) values related to seropositive findings were found under 0.6 (the minimal OD to detect an active paragonimosis), the above antibody titres might originate from patients in chronic or in convalescent stages, or might result of cross reactions with trematodes. Concomitantly, dissection of local crabs (Callinectes marginatus) demonstrated the presence of Paragonimus metacercariae in six out of 34 examined. The parasite burdens in crabs ranged from two to 35 cysts with a mean diameter of 302 microm. In Ivory Coast, the locality of Divo must be considered an at-risk zone in reason of the presence of anti-Paragonimus antibodies in several human sera and the presence of infected crabs at the local market.

[Persistence of a paragonimosis focus in the department of Lakota, Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa)]. / Persistance d'un foyer de paragonimose dans le département de Lakota, Côte d'Ivoire (Afrique de l'Ouest).

A field survey was carried out from March to August 2006 in three villages around the town of Lakota (Côte d'Ivoire) to verify the presence of paragonimosis in local people, wild vertebrates, and crabs. Out of the 92 patients who were recruited because of their chronic cough, haemoptysis and/or epilepsy, 3 had Paragonimus eggs in their stools and/or sputa. Examination of stools belonging to 24 wild mammals and a reptile revealed the presence of eggs in three civets (Viverra civetta) and a mongoose (Crossarchus obscurus). Six local crabs (out of the 30 Liberonautes latidactylus dissected) harboured Paragonimus metacercariae having low diameters (299 to 315 pm). The presence of several paragonimid species (at least 2) in the district of Lakota was hypothesized. However, the existence of quantitative variations in metacercarial diameters for the same species of Paragonimus cannot be excluded.

[Tuberculous pleural effusion and HIV infection at the pulmonary disease clinic in Abidjan, Ivory Coast]. / Pleurésies tuberculeuses et infection à VIH en milieu pneumologique à Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Clinical, radiographic, biological, histological and pathological data from thirty HIV-infected patients with tuberculous pleural effusion were prospectively collected at the pulmonary disease clinic at the University teaching hospital of Treichville in Abidjan from April to December 1999. Patients mean age was 35 years, ranging from 16 to 79. The white cell count in the serous effusion pleural fluid was high with predominant lymphocytes. Microscopy examination of the aspirate did not show AFB. The Tuberculin Skin Test remained negative for 16 patients (53%). Multiple pleural biopsies showed typical tuberculous follicles in 19 patients (63%) and a non-typical inflammatory reactions in eleven patients (37%).

[Aetiologies of pleural effusions in HIV-infected patients in Abidjan, Côte-d'Ivoire]. / Etiologies des pleurésies chez les patients infectés par le VIH a Abidjan, Côte-d'Ivoire.

From December 1995 to March 1996 a cross sectional study was carried out in the pulmonary Medicine Unit of Treichville in Abidjan. In order to specify the main aetiologies of pleural effusion, an investigation was conducted among 35 adult patients (19 men and 16 women) suffering from pleuritis. Overall, the mean age was 32.2 years (range: 19-53 years). All the patients underwent a standard chest x-ray a skin test with 10 units of tuberculin, a whole blood cells count with CD4 T cells count and HIV test. The following analysis were performed on the pleural fluid for all patients: cytological, bacteriological and mycobacteriological examination. Some patients underwent as well a pleural biopsy performed by Abram's needle. Pleural fluid was clear in 24 cases (69%). Empyema was found in 8 cases (23%) and hemorrhagic fluid in 3 cases (9%). Tuberculosis was the dominant aetiology of pleuritis noted in 29 patients (83%), followed by far by non-tuberculous bacterial infections in 6 patients (17%). Tuberculosis associated with common bacterial infections was noted in 3 cases.

[Relapse of pulmonary tuberculosis in the context of tuberculosis-HIV co-infection in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire). Short note]. / Rechute de la tuberculose pulmonaire bacillifère dans le contexte de la co-infection tuberculose-VIH à Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

A cohort study was carried out from October 2001 to March 2002, in order to analyze the main characteristics of 53 adults patients (38 HIV-positive and 15 HIV-negative), who had a relapse of pulmonary tuberculosis. The observance in the first period of the treatment of tuberculosis was regular in 79% of tuberculous patients infected by the HIV (30/38) and in 87% of tuberculous patients who where HIV-negative (13/15) (p = 0.7). The relapse occurred before one year after recovery in 74% among the HIV-positive (28/38) and in 33% among the HIV-negative patients (5/15) (p = 0.00). Most of the HIV-positive patients (74%) had CD4 counts under 200/mm3 and 80% of the HIV-negative patients had more than 500 CD4 counts/mm3 (p = 0.00). After two months of retreatment following the relapse diagnosis, the rate of improvement in patients was about 16% in HIV infected (6/38) and about 67% in HIV-negative patients (10/15) (p = 0.00).

[Antitubercular drug treatment failure and HIV infection in Abidjan (Ivory Coast)]. / Echec du traitement antituberculeux et infection due au VIH à Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

A retrospective study from 1989 to 1993 was carried out on eighty patients out of 106 cases of tuberculosis treatment failure; representing 2.2% of persons with active pulmonary tuberculosis followed at the tuberculosis screening center of Abidjan. The rate of HIV seropositivity was 43.7%. At the beginning of the therapy, 80% of HIV-positive and 89% of HIV-negative had diffuse pulmonary lesions (no significant difference: P > 0.05. At the end of second month therapy, 49% of co-infected and 51% of HIV-negative patients showed bacteriological negative sputum. The treatment administered after reporting failure, led to 63% of recovery among the HIV-positive (22/35) and 62% among the HIV-negative (28/45). On the other hand, the rate of patients out of touch was high in both populations; respectively 29% of HIV infected and 31% of HIV-negative spreading the risk of contamination of neighbourhood by probably resistant bacilli.

[Bronchial endoscopy for the diagnosis of tuberculous mediastinal adenopathies]. / L'endoscopie bronchique dans le diagnostic des adénopathies médiastinales tuberculeuses.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the yield of bronchial endoscopy for the diagnosis of tuberculous mediastinal adenopathies. We analyzed the results in 200 procedures in patients with tuberculous mediastinal adenopathies. Mediastinal tuberculous adenopathies were found in 6% of the patients with tuberculosis diagnosed during the same period. Mean age of the patients was 30.5 years, and the sex ratio was 1.5. Bronchial endoscopy improved the diagnostic yield of the bronchial aspiration fluid (22% versus 11% without endoscopy). This method allowed positive diagnosis of tuberculosis in 164 patients (82%) by visualizing specific lesions such as compressions, granulations, and gangliobronchial fistulae. Histological confirmation was obtained in 72 (79%) patients among 91 biopsy specimens. Bronchial endoscopy remains a crucial exploration for the diagnosis of mediastinal tuberculous adenopathy, even in HIV-infected patients, because in our series, among 101 treated patients, 99 were HIV positive (98%).

[Simultaneous resistance to rifampicin and isoniazid in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis]. / Résistance simultanée à la rifampicine et à l'isoniazide chez des malades atteints de tuberculose pulmonaire.

Percentages of primary and acquired resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs provide an epidemiological indicator useful for assessing national anti-tuberculosis programs. Rifampicin and isoniazide are widely used in countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis. In tropical Africa, these drugs are the mainstay treatment for tuberculosis, used both in the initial and long-term regimens. Simultaneous resistance to these two antibiotics would seriously jeopardize therapeutic efficacy. We studied simultaneous rifampicin and isoniazide resistance in patients hospitalized for tuberculosis in the respiratory disease unit of the Treichville University hospital in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated in 8 patients. All the strains isolated were resistant to streptomycin. History taking revealed that resistance was observed at the initial prescription in 6 cases. A notion of contagion was present in 4 cases. Six patients were HIV-positive. Surveillance of resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs is helpful in detecting early changes which could compromise the efficacy of the therapeutic scheme.