High proportion of post-migration HIV acquisition in migrant men who have sex with men receiving HIV care in the Paris region, and associations with social disadvantage and sexual behaviours: results of the ANRS-MIE GANYMEDE study, France, 2021 to 2022.

BackgroundSome migrant men who have sex with men (MSM) acquire HIV in France.AimsWe investigated, in migrant MSM receiving HIV care in France, the (i) rate of post-migration-HIV acquisition in France, (ii) delay between arrival and HIV acquisition and (iii) factors affecting HIV acquisition within 1 year after migration.MethodsThis cross-sectional study focused on ≥ 18-year-old MSM born outside France, receiving HIV care in the Paris region. Information on migration history, socioeconomic condition, sexual activity, and health was collected in May 2021-June 2022 through self-administered questionnaires and medical records. Post-migration-HIV-acquisition rate and delay between arrival in France and HIV acquisition were estimated from biographical data and CD4+ T-cell counts. Predictors of HIV acquisition within 1 year after migration were determined using logistic regression.ResultsOverall post-migration HIV-acquisition rate was 61.7% (715/1,159; 95%CI: 61.2-62.2), ranging from 40.5% (95%CI: 39.6-41.6) to 85.4% (95%CI: 83.9-86.0) in participants from Latin America and North Africa. Among post-migration-HIV acquisitions, those within 1 year after migration represented 13.1% overall (95%CI: 11.6-14.6), being highest in participants from sub-Saharan Africa (25%; 95%CI: 21.5-28.3). Participants ≥ 15-years old at migration, with post-migration-acquired HIV, had a 7.5-year median interval from arrival in France to HIV acquisition (interquartile range (IQR): 3.50-14.75). Older age at arrival, region of origin (sub-Saharan Africa and Asia), degree of social disadvantage and numbers of sexual partners were independently associated with acquiring HIV within 1 year in France.ConclusionOur findings may guide HIV prevention policies for most vulnerable migrants to Europe.

Identification of distinct subgroups of Sjögren's disease by cluster analysis based on clinical and biological manifestations: data from the cross-sectional Paris-Saclay and the prospective ASSESS cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Sjögren's disease is a heterogenous autoimmune disease with a wide range of symptoms-including dryness, fatigue, and pain-in addition to systemic manifestations and an increased risk of lymphoma. We aimed to identify distinct subgroups of the disease, using cluster analysis based on subjective symptoms and clinical and biological manifestations, and to compare the prognoses of patients in these subgroups. METHODS: This study included patients with Sjögren's disease from two independent cohorts in France: the cross-sectional Paris-Saclay cohort and the prospective Assessment of Systemic Signs and Evolution of Sjögren's Syndrome (ASSESS) cohort. We first used an unsupervised multiple correspondence analysis to identify clusters within the Paris-Saclay cohort using 26 variables comprising patient-reported symptoms and clinical and biological manifestations. Next, we validated these clusters using patients from the ASSESS cohort. Changes in disease activity (measured by the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology [EULAR] Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index [ESSDAI]), patient-acceptable symptom state (measured by the EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index [ESSPRI]), and lymphoma incidence during follow-up were compared between clusters. Finally, we compared our clusters with the symptom-based subgroups previously described by Tarn and colleagues. FINDINGS: 534 patients from the Paris-Saclay cohort (502 [94%] women, 32 [6%] men, median age 54 years [IQR 43-64]), recruited between 1999 and 2022, and 395 patients from the ASSESS cohort (370 [94%] women, 25 [6%] men, median age 53 years [43-63]), recruited between 2006 and 2009, were included in this study. In both cohorts, hierarchical cluster analysis revealed three distinct subgroups of patients: those with B-cell active disease and low symptom burden (BALS), those with high systemic disease activity (HSA), and those with low systemic disease activity and high symptom burden (LSAHS). During follow-up in the ASSESS cohort, disease activity and symptom states worsened for patients in the BALS cluster (67 [36%] of 186 patients with ESSPRI score <5 at month 60 vs 92 [49%] of 186 at inclusion; p<0·0001). Lymphomas occurred in patients in the BALS cluster (five [3%] of 186 patients; diagnosed a median of 70 months [IQR 42-104] after inclusion) and the HSA cluster (six [4%] of 158 patients; diagnosed 23 months [13-83] after inclusion). All patients from the Paris-Saclay cohort with a history of lymphoma were in the BALS and HSA clusters. This unsupervised clustering classification based on symptoms and clinical and biological manifestations did not correlate with a previous classification based on symptoms only. INTERPRETATION: On the basis of symptoms and clinical and biological manifestations, we identified three distinct subgroups of patients with Sjögren's disease with different prognoses. Our results suggest that these subgroups represent different heterogeneous pathophysiological disease mechanisms, stages of disease, or both. These findings could be of interest when stratifying patients in future therapeutic trials. FUNDING: Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, French Ministry of Health, French Society of Rheumatology, Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking, Medical Research Council UK, and Foundation for Research in Rheumatology.

Spatio-temporal variation of noise pollution in South Paris during and outside the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Noise pollution is one of the major environmental problems of contemporary societies. In urban areas, road transport is the main source impacting the spatio-temporal variation of air quality. This work aims to analyse the spatio-temporal variability of the noise level in the 13th arrondissement during peak hours, focusing on the comparison of noise levels between the COVID-19 lockdown and non-lockdown days. This paper provides data that could be used to evaluate noise mitigation options. Mobile surveys, using EXTECH 4017764 sensors, were used to cover 272 points. In this work, the mobile measurements use the median of instant noise levels measured every 5 s over a 5-min period during the peak period. This study confirms that road traffic appears to be the determining factor in noise pollution. The noise levels calculated in 2020 show a strong spatio-temporal variability explained by the proximity of the emission sources, but also that the noise level decreases by 6-10 dB (A) during the lockdowns. Indeed, near the main roads, 57-63 dB (A) are recorded during the lockdowns, compared to 67-72 dB (A) outside the lockdowns. Mainly the number of vehicles contribute to a large part of the noise level, to which the noise of construction sites can occasionally be added as in the south-eastern part of the study area.

Intensified screening for SARS-CoV-2 in 18 emergency departments in the Paris metropolitan area, France (DEPIST-COVID): A cluster-randomized, two-period, crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic infections account for a substantial portion of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmissions. The value of intensified screening strategies, especially in emergency departments (EDs), in reaching asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic patients and helping to improve detection and reduce transmission has not been documented. The objective of this study was to evaluate in EDs whether an intensified SARS-CoV-2 screening strategy combining nurse-driven screening for asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic patients with routine practice (intervention) could contribute to higher detection of SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to routine practice alone, including screening for symptomatic or hospitalized patients (control). METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a cluster-randomized, two-period, crossover trial from February 2021 to May 2021 in 18 EDs in the Paris metropolitan area, France. All adults visiting the EDs were eligible. At the start of the first period, 18 EDs were randomized to the intervention or control strategy by balanced block randomization with stratification, with the alternative condition being applied in the second period. During the control period, routine screening for SARS-CoV-2 included screening for symptomatic or hospitalized patients. During the intervention period, in addition to routine screening practice, a questionnaire about risk exposure and symptoms and a SARS-CoV-2 screening test were offered by nurses to all remaining asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic patients. The primary outcome was the proportion of newly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2-positive patients among all adults visiting the 18 EDs. Primary analysis was by intention-to-treat. The primary outcome was analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model (Poisson distribution) with the center and center by period as random effects and the strategy (intervention versus control) and period (modeled as a weekly categorical variable) as fixed effects with additional adjustment for community incidence. During the intervention and control periods, 69,248 patients and 69,104 patients, respectively, were included for a total of 138,352 patients. Patients had a median age of 45.0 years [31.0, 63.0], and women represented 45.7% of the patients. During the intervention period, 6,332 asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic patients completed the questionnaire; 4,283 were screened for SARS-CoV-2 by nurses, leading to 224 new SARS-CoV-2 diagnoses. A total of 1,859 patients versus 2,084 patients were newly diagnosed during the intervention and control periods, respectively (adjusted analysis: 26.7/1,000 versus 26.2/1,000, adjusted relative risk: 1.02 (95% confidence interval (CI) [0.94, 1.11]; p = 0.634)). The main limitation of this study is that it was conducted in a rapidly evolving epidemiological context. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that intensified screening for SARS-CoV-2 in EDs was unlikely to identify a higher proportion of newly diagnosed patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04756609.

A cluster of autochthonous dengue transmission in the Paris region - detection, epidemiology and control measures, France, October 2023.

A cluster of three confirmed autochthonous dengue cases was detected in October 2023 in the Val-de-Marne department neighbouring Paris, France. This marks the northernmost transmission of dengue in Europe reported to date. The epidemiological and microbiological investigations and the vector control measures are described. This event confirms the need for early case detection and response to contain dengue in Europe, especially given the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, when millions of visitors will visit the Greater Paris area.

[The Paris RACE registry]. / Le registre RACE Paris.

The Register of Cardiac Accidents of Endurance Races in Paris (RACE Paris), an observational prospective cohort study collected sudden deaths and life-threatening accidents from five major Parisian endurance races over 10 years.

Autochthonous Dengue Outbreak, Paris Region, France, September-October 2023.

We describe clinical and laboratory findings of 3 autochthonous cases of dengue in the Paris Region, France, during September-October 2023. Increasing trends in cases, global warming, and growth of international travel mean that such infections likely will increase during warm seasons in France, requiring stronger arbovirus surveillance networks.

In-hospital mortality of older patients with COVID-19 throughout the epidemic waves in the great Paris area: a multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Mortality is high in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Previous studies observed lower mortality during the Omicron wave, yet no data is available on older patients. The objective was to compare in-hospital mortality between the Omicron and previous waves in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19. METHODS: This retrospective observational multicenter cohort study used the Greater Paris University Hospitals Group's data warehouse (38 hospitals). Patients aged ≥ 75 years with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalized from March 2020 to January 2022 were included. The study period was divided into five waves. The fifth wave (January 1st to 31st 2022) was considered as the Omicron wave as it was the predominant variant (≥ 50%), and was compared with waves 1 (March-July 2020), 2 (August-December 2020), 3 (January-June 2021) and 4 (July-December 2021). Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcome was occurrence of ICU admission or in-hospital death. Multivariate logistic regression was performed, with a sensitivity analysis according to variant type. RESULTS: Of the 195,084 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 19,909 patients aged ≥ 75 years were included (median age 85 [IQR 79-90] years, 53% women). Overall in-hospital mortality was 4,337 (22%), reaching 345 (17%) during wave 5. Waves 1 and 3 were significantly associated with increased in-hospital mortality in comparison with wave 5 (adjusted Odds Ratios aOR 1.42 [95%CI 1.21-1.66] and 1.56 [95%CI 1.33-1.83] respectively). Waves 1 to 3 were associated with an increased risk of occurrence of ICU admission or in-hospital death in comparison with wave 5: aOR 1.29 [95% CI 1.12 to 1.49] for wave 1, aOR 1.25 [95% CI 1.08 to 1.45] for wave 2 and aOR 1.56 [95% CI 1.36 to 1.79] for wave 3. Sensitivity analysis found that Omicron variant was associated with decreased mortality, in comparison with previous variants. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality was lower during the 5th Omicron wave in the older population, but remained high, implying that this variant could be considered as "milder" but not "mild". This persistently high mortality during the 5th Omicron wave highlights the importance of including older patients in clinical trials to confirm the benefit/risk balance of COVID-19 treatments in this fragile population.

Specificities of pediatric ocular emergencies before and during the COVID-19 era: A retrospective comparative study in an eye-related emergency department in Paris.

INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological data on the use of eye-related emergency services by children are limited. The objective of this study was to determine how COVID-19 affected the epidemiological trends of pediatric ocular emergencies. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of children under the age of 18 years who visited our eye-related emergency department between March 17 and June 7, 2020 and between March 18 and June 9, 2019. This was a descriptive and comparative analysis of the two study periods based on the demographic characteristics of patients and the diagnosis reported by the ophthalmologist in the digital medical charts. One of the investigators performed a second reading of the files to homogenize the diagnosis classification based on the most frequently found items. RESULTS: In total, 754 children were seen in our eye-related emergency department during the 2020 study period versus 1399 in 2019, representing a 46% decrease. In 2019, the four main diagnoses were traumatic injury (30%), allergic conjunctivitis (15%), infectious conjunctivitis (12%), and chalazion/blepharitis (12%). In the 2020 study period there was a significant decrease in the proportion of patients presenting with traumatic injuries (p < 0.001), infectious conjunctivitis (p = 0.03), and chalazion/blepharitis (p < 0.001). Consultations for chalazion/blepharitis were the most affected by the pandemic, followed by traumatic injuries (-72% and -64%, respectively). The proportion of patients who required surgery after trauma was higher in 2020 than in 2019 (p < 0.01), but the absolute number of severe trauma cases remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by a decrease in the overall use of a pediatric eye-related emergency services in Paris. Visits due to benign causes and ocular trauma also decreased, but visits for more severe pathologies were not affected. Longer-term epidemiological studies may confirm or refute a change in eye emergency department use habits.

Low knowledge of antiretroviral treatments for the prevention of HIV among precarious immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa living in the greater Paris area: Results from the Makasi project.

INTRODUCTION: In France, combination prevention tools, particularly antiretroviral treatment for HIV prevention has been available for several years. We described the knowledge of these antiretroviral treatments among immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa, who are particularly affected by HIV, and the factors associated with this knowledge. METHODS: The data come from the Makasi study, which was conducted between 2019 and 2020 among precarious immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa recruited through a community-based outreach approach in the greater Paris area (n = 601). We described levels of knowledge of HIV treatment effectiveness (HTE), treatment as prevention (TasP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), by sex with chi2 test. We investigated factors associated with their knowledge with logistic regressions adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, living conditions and sexual behaviors (p≤0.2). RESULTS: Respondents were mostly men (76%), from West Africa (61%), in precarious situation: 69% were unemployed, 74% were undocumented and 46% had no health coverage. Among this population, knowledge of HIV preventive treatments was heterogeneous. While HTE was well known (84%); TasP was known by only half of the respondents (46%), and PEP and PrEP were hardly known: 6% and 5%, respectively. Multivariate regressions models showed that these antiretroviral treatments for the prevention of HIV was better known by people with a higher level of education (PEP: aOR = 3.33 [1.09-10.20], p = 0.03; HTE: aOR = 4.33 [1.87-10.04], p<0.001), those who had a social network in France (TasP: aOR = 1.90, [1.33-2.73], p<0.001), those who had access to the health system and those who were exposed to sexual risks (TasP: aOR = 3.17, [1.03-9.69], p = 0.04; PrEP: aOR = 2.60 [0.72-9.34], p = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for specific communication on antiretroviral treatment for HIV prevention that targets sub-Saharan immigrants, particularly those who have no access to the health-care system and those who are less educated.

Genomic diversity of mpox virus in Paris area (France) during the 2022 outbreak.

In May 2022, several countries reported mpox cases from patients without history of traveling to endemic areas. France was one of the most affected European countries by this outbreak. In this study, the clinical characteristics of mpox cases in France were described, and the genetic diversity of the virus was studied. Patients diagnosed with mpox infection (quantitative polymerase chain reaction ct < 28) between May 21, and July 4, 2022 and between 16th August and 10th September 2022 were included to this study. Twelve amplicons corresponding to the most polymorphic regions of the mpox genome and covering ~30 000 nucleotides were generated and sequenced using the S5 XL Ion Torrent technology to evaluate the genetic diversity of mpox sequences. One hundred and forty-eight patients were diagnosed with mpox-infection. 95% were men, 5% transgender (M-to-F), 50% were taking human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pre-exposure prophylaxis, and 25% were HIV seropositive. One hundred and sixty-two samples (some patients had two samples) were sequenced and compared to GenBank sequences. Overall, low genetic diversity of mpox sequences was found compared with pre-epidemic Western-African sequences, with 32 distinct mutational patterns. This study provides a first glance at the mutational landscape of early mpox 2022 circulating strains in Paris (France).

Incidence of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Paris area (France) and in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: The aetiology of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) remains partially unknown. Viral infections have been associated with INS onset. Since we observed fewer first onset INS cases during the Covid-19 pandemic, we hypothesised that lower INS incidence was the result of lockdown measures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of childhood INS before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in two independent European INS cohorts. METHODS: Children with new INS in the Netherlands (2018-2021) and Paris area (2018-2021) were included. We estimated incidences using census data for each region. Incidences were compared using two proportion Z-tests. RESULTS: A total of 128 and 324 cases of first onset INS were reported in the Netherlands and Paris area, respectively, corresponding to an annual incidence of 1.21 and 2.58 per 100,000 children/year. Boys and young children (< 7 years) were more frequently affected. Incidence before and during the pandemic did not differ. When schools were closed, incidence was lower in both regions: 0.53 vs. 1.31 (p = 0.017) in the Netherlands and 0.94 vs. 2.63 (p = 0.049) in the Paris area. During peaks of hospital admissions for Covid-19, no cases were reported in the Netherlands or Paris area. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of INS before and during the Covid-19 pandemic was not different, but when schools were closed during lockdown, incidence was significantly lower. Interestingly, incidences of other respiratory viral infections were also reduced as was air pollution. Together, these results argue for a link between INS onset and viral infections and/or environmental factors. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Impact of Deprivation on the Incidence and Severity of Tuberculosis in Children: A Retrospective Study from 2007 to 2020 in a Tertiary Care Center in Paris, France.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between deprivation and the incidence and clinical severity of tuberculosis (TB) in children. STUDY DESIGN: Children ≤18 years old who were admitted for TB between 2007 and 2020 at a tertiary hospital were included in this retrospective study. Deprivation was assessed using the French Deprivation Index. TB severity was assessed using the Wiseman classification. Multivariate analyses were carried out. RESULTS: In total, 222 patients were included. The median age was 10.8 years (IQR 4.5-14.4). TB was considered severe in 126 patients (56.8%), with 50% of the patients included in the 2 most deprived groups. The most-deprived children had a TB incidence that was 58 times greater than that of the least-deprived children (95% CI 28.49-119.40). There was no significant association between deprivation and severity in the multivariable analysis after adjusting for age and circumstances of diagnosis. Deprivation was associated with an increased length of stay in the most-deprived groups (OR 3.79, 95% CI 1.55-10.23). There was a trend toward a greater proportion of symptomatic children in the most-deprived group. CONCLUSIONS: TB incidence and hospital length of stay increased with deprivation levels but not with the severity of TB.

Pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum experience in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 in Paris: a qualitative phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns triggered social discontent on an unprecedented scale. Descriptive phenomenological studies showed that pregnant women were under intense stress during the COVID-19 outbreak, even though they remained uninfected. The purpose of this study was to report on the experiences of pregnant women affected by mild COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. METHODS: In this non- interventional qualitative study, we analyzed pregnant women's experiences using an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach. We conducted semi-structured interviews with women who had had a mild COVID-19 during their pregnancy, and gave birth or planned to give birth in the maternity units of Sorbonne University in Paris, France. RESULTS: Participants reported that at the time they had COVID-19, they were not afraid of being seriously ill, but of transmitting COVID-19 to their close relatives. Their main concern was being pregnant and becoming a parent in a world where the pandemic deeply altered social environment. This included uncertainty about the future and an acute feeling of isolation related to lockdown. The idea that their partner might not be allowed to attend childbirth was almost unanimously felt as intolerable. In contrast, women had positive feelings regarding the fact that lockdown resulted in a de facto paternity leave leading to a certain degree of equality in the couple regarding baby care and household chores. Unexpectedly, the pandemic social distancing measures helped participants escaping from behavioral constraints, including the unspoken rule that they should welcome greetings from friends and family, despite being exhausted by the recent birth. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that avoiding separation from their partner is a key to benevolent medical care for pregnant women in times of health crises. The unexpected benefits women reported in a world of lockdown cast a new light on their expectation regarding parenthood today.