[Microscopy laboratories for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in Madagascar: quality control]. / Réseau des laboratoires de microscopie pour le diagnostic de la tuberculose à Madagascar: contrôle de qualité.

As part of the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP), a quality control of the slides (search of acido-fast-bacilli in the sputa) of the Treatment and Diagnosis Centers (TDC) forming the National Laboratory Network was carried out in 1996. 60 TDC of the 165 TDC (36%) had been controlled according to the system of double reading of the smears. The global concordance of the results in the 60 TDC is satisfactory since it was of 94%. Reliability of smears positive was of 83%. For the negative smears reliability, 14% of the TDC had a low or insufficient level. A good quality of smears was observed in 40% of the centers. The TDC that had both positive and negative reliability at 100% were 23 (38%) of which 13 had good quality of smears. Those were especially found in Antananarivo, Toliara, Fianarantsoa and Mahajanga.

[National Laboratory for Mycobacterias. Evolution, missions and activities from 1991 to 1994]. / Laboratoire National des Mycobactéries. Evolution, missions et activitiés de 1991 à 1994.

The setting up of a new nationwide tuberculosis control programme allowed the creation of a National Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory. This latter originated from the small bacteriology laboratory of the antitubercular dispensary of the Institut d'Hygiène Sociale (IHS) and its activities increased tenfold within three years. Extension of rooms, a more numerous staff and the acquisition of a modern equipment explained those results. However, to carry out the tasks of such a laboratory a rapid modification of structures and a new job distribution facilitated by a cooperation with the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar are necessary.

[Evolution of the Mycobacteria Laboratory of the Pasteur Institute of Madagascar from 1991 to 1994]. / Evolution du Laboratoire des Mycobactéries de l'Institut Pasteur de Madagascar de 1991 à 1994.

In 1991, the Laboratory of Mycobacteria was a small laboratory, part of the Clinical Biology Centre (CBC) of the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar: 656 pathological samples have been analysed for the account of the CBC and the National Control Programme activities. Within 4 years, the number of samples tested increased by more than threefold and the technical ability has evolved in an important way, specially for the identification and the antibiotic sensitivity testing. The scientific equipment have been modernized and the rooms surface increased by fourfold. In 1995, this laboratory was officially designated as the National Reference Laboratory for the culture, the identification and antibiogramme for the account of the National Control programme and for the private clinicians. It also participates to the tuberculosis research programmes of Institut Pasteur de Madagascar. It is associated to the Laboratory of Mycobacteria in the Institut d'Hygiène Sociale of Antananarivo which is the National Reference Laboratory for the bacilloscopy, the teaching and the supervision of the peripheral laboratories.

[Mycobacteria encountered in Djibouti]. / Les mycobactéries rencontrées à Djibouti.

The authors studied 198 strains of mycobacteriae from different sources, but mainly from bronchial secretion and adenoid pus or poundings. Because the preponderance of peripheral adenoid tuberculosis, we might fear a focus of Mycobacterium bovis. But this study gives leave to state positively that Mycobacterium tuberculosis hominis is almost exclusively the responsible and consequent by that there is an human reservoir almost exclusive. On the other hand, study of primary and secondary resistances to anti-bacillary drugs leads to express some concern particularly vis a vis modern treatments utilized as a matter of routine.

[Peripheral lymph node tuberculosis in Djibouti]. / Les tuberculoses ganglionnaires périphériques à Djibouti.

153 well documented records, gathered in one year in a Tuberculosis Center, were studied. Adenoid localization represents on fourth of all tuberculosis, and 95% of all etiologies of peripheral adenopathies. Value of bacteriological tests is studied and compared to the one of histology. The almost sole presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis hominis is an uncommon datum, interesting in the field of epidemiology. The recorded outstanding efficacy of modern anti-tuberculosis drugs is less known, perhaps because of scarcity of recent works on such localizations. Some easy and reliable guidance is proposed within the context of a Communicable Diseases Program.