[Imported cases of dengue fever diagnosed in metropolitan France, from January 2001 to December 2006]. / Dengue d'importation diagnostiquée en France métropolitaine, janvier 2001-décembre 2006.

INTRODUCTION: Dengue fever is the main emerging vector-borne disease worldwide. It was estimated that 40% of the world population is at risk. A potential vector (Aedes albopictus) is present in four French departments of the southeast area of metropolitan France. METHOD: The authors tried to document the number of imported cases of dengue diagnosed from 2001 to 2006, inclusive, as well as their main features. RESULTS: Between 12 and 28 cases of imported dengue were diagnosed every month during that period (eight to 18 cases per month except for years 2001-2002 during which an important dengue epidemic was documented in the French West Indies). Nearly 40% of the cases were imported between June and September during which the vector is active in the metropolitan area. CONCLUSION: This data underlines the strong and close link between the endemic zones of the French territory (French West Indies and Guyana) and the risk of imported cases to metropolitan France. The identification of this "importation track" entails strengthening the system for detecting and managing imported dengue cases in metropolitan France when a dengue epidemic is detected in the French West Indies.

First case of yellow fever in French Guiana since 1902.

The first case of yellow fever in French Guiana since 1902 was reported in March 1998. The yellow fever virus genome was detected in postmortem liver biopsies by seminested polymerase chain reaction. Sequence analysis showed that this strain was most closely related to strains from Brazil and Ecuador.

Use of polymerase chain reaction for improved diagnosis of tuberculosis in children.

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of a rapid diagnostic method based on the amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of a fragment of the IS6110 insertion element for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in children. DESIGN: We tested 199 specimens obtained from 68 children referred for evaluation of suspected tuberculosis. RESULTS: In 83.3% of children with active disease and 38.9% with tuberculous infection but no evidence of disease, at least one positive PCR result was observed. No child without tuberculosis had positive PCR results (100% specificity). The sensitivity of the PCR was increased by testing of multiple samples from the same child and use of Chelex particles (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Ivry, France) rather than guanidine isothiocyanate-silica particles for DNA extraction. Bronchoalveolar lavage samples were no more useful than gastric aspirates. CONCLUSIONS: If appropriate laboratory methods are used, DNA amplification is a reliable method for the early diagnosis of tuberculosis in children and appears to be very helpful in clinical pediatric practice when the diagnosis of active tuberculosis is difficult or needs to be rapidly confirmed.

[Serological study of the occurrence of Herpesviridae in French Guyana]. / Etude sérologique de la prévalence des Herpesviridae en Guyane française.

300 samples of serum (in seven age-groups) from the "creole" population of french Guiana were tested for antibodies to the four human herpesviruses (HSV, VZV, CMV and EBV). Results show the higher prevalence of CMV and EBV in early childhood, HSV primary infection appears to take place earlier in life than in temperate and developed countries, but later than in other tropical countries. The pattern of VZV epidemiology in french Guiana is consistent with what is known in tropical countries: varicella is also a disease of adolescents and young adults. CMV appears to be more prevalent in women than in men between 21 and 40.