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Biomedical subjects

A Chabchoub

Publications and source records attributed to A Chabchoub.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Lyme borreliosis situation in North Africa].

Many epidemiological studies were conducted for studying Lyme borreliosis (LB) which represents a new global public health problem. It is now the most common vector-borne disease in Europe and North America. The causative agent Borrelia burgdorferi sl is a bacterial species complex comprising 12 delineated and named species. In North Africa, few studies based on clinical and serological features, have suggested that LB could occur. Indeed, recent studies conducted in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco have showm that Ixodes ricinus is present in cooler and humid area of these regions. These studies also revealed that this species is a vector of B. burgdorferi sl with high prevalence of infection. Using IFI and PCR tests, the mean rate of Borrelia-infection ranged from 50 to 60% in I. ricinus adult collected in Tunisia and Morocco and from 30 to 40% in nymphs; in contrast, the prevalence in larvae is less than 2.5%. Several strains of B. burgdorfer were isolated from adult and nymph I ricinus collected in Tunisia and Morocco. The identification of these strains and DNAs directly extracted from Ixodes was done by PCR-RFLP and sequence analysis. The results showed that B. lusitaniae (genotypes Poti B2 and Poti B3) is the predominant species circulating in I. ricinus in Tunisia and Morocco, B. garinii and B. burgdorferi ss and B lusitaniae were also present but very rare. These results provide the evidence for the existence of B. burgdorferi sl in North Africa; however, the impact of LB in the human population seem to be negligible and the seroprevalence of Borrelia in forest workers (considered as population at high risk) in Tunisia is less than 4%.

Africa, Northern↗

[Diagnosis of holoprosencephalia. Report of 17 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the epidemiologic profile of holoprosencephalia and determine benefits of ultrasound and foetopathologic examination to the diagnostic. METHODS AN MATERIAL: [corrected] Retrospective study about 17 cases of holoprosencephalia observed in CMNT between Janaury 1992 and September 2000. RESULTS: Ultrasound diagnosis was made in 13 cases (75%). Ultrasound criteria were; absence of median structure of the brain and unique ventricule. The prognosis was always bad. Foetopathologic examination revealed 7 cases of lobar holoproencephalia and 10 of semi lobar. Fascial dysmorphia were noted in 82% of cases. CONCLUSION: The foetopathology and genetic counselling looking for fascial, dysmorphia in family's members gives a good evaluation of recurrences.

Adult↗

[Incidence and seroprevalence of canine ehrlichiosis in the Medjez El Bab region (northwestern Tunisia during 1994, 1995 and 1996].

A sero-epidemiological survey, realized in the Medjez El Bab region (North-West of Tunisia), has concerned 180 dogs which status has been determined during the study. The animals were identified, then underwent an annual blood sampling during three successive years, in order to search for antibodies against E. canis and E. chaffeensis by indirect immunofluorescence. The results show that, in all sero-positive dogs, the levels of antibodies against E. canis were higher than those against E. chaffeensis. The sero-prevalence of E. canis was 42.8%, 50% and 48.9%, in 1994, 1995 and 1996, respectively, and was higher than that against E. chaffeensis during the three year studies. The incidence of E. canis infection was 12.6% during the three years whereas E. chaffeensis infection did not exceed 4.7%.

Analysis of Variance↗

[Epizootic equine influenza in Tunisia].

The authors describe an equine influenza epizootic that occurred in Tunisia during February and March 1998 in the regions of Tozeur, Sousse and Tunis. They relate the symptoms, the different stages of diagnosis and the serological results.

Animals↗

[Fetal pathology study of 88 cases of letal spina bifida].

Lethal spina bifida continue to be frequent in Tunisia; we report 88 cases of letal spina bifida: 1.05 per thousand births. This pathology was more frequent with women. The up letal spina bifida situated is predominant with female and the dow spina bifida situated is frequent with male. We have noted an association with anencephalia (46 cases) and hydrocephaly (21 cases). Prevention is based on obstetric health care and hygiene dietetic advices to avoid alimentary deficit.

Adult↗

The Antley-Bixler syndrome. A new case without radiohumeral synostosis.

The author report a new case of the syndrome described by Antley and Bixler. It concerns a female new-born who presents a craniosynostosis with brachycephaly, midface hypoplasia, unilateral choanal atresia, multiple joint contractures and arachnodactyly. There was no bowing of the femora and only the radius and the ulna were bowed. The absence of radiohumeral synostosis reported in all observations of the literature represents the main particularity of this observation.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Further characterization and thrombolytic activity in a rat model of a fibrinogenase from Vipera lebetina venom.

Vipera lebetina fibrinogenase (VlF) was shown to render fibrinogen incoagulable and to solubilize fibrin. The fibrinogenolytic activity of this enzyme was found to be 33 mg fibrinogen/min/mg protein. The study of the specificity of this enzyme revealed that it has no effect on purified factor X, prothrombin and protein C and on the specific chromogenic substrates of their active form. Plasminogen was not activated by VlF but slightly degraded. We have also compared the effect of VlF and plasmin on fibrinogen and shown that these two enzymes have a different sites of cleavage. This enzyme inhibited human platelet aggregation on PRP initiated by ADP and collagen but was without effect on the aggregation of washed rabbit platelets using thrombin as agonist. Administration of VlF in rat did not show any necrosis or hemorrhage in treated rats organ's. We therefore, examined the thrombolytic activity of VlF in a rat model of venous thrombosis. Thrombus was produced in the posterior vena cava by injection of human fibrinogen and thrombin. Injection of 5 mg/Kg body weight showed an evident flow restoration after one hour and measurement of the fibrinogen level a decrease of about 30% after 3 hrs. VlF's action is not dependent on plasminogen activators and may act synergistically with them, thereby providing an intriguing potential clinical application for dissolution of blood clots.

Animals↗

[Seroepidemiological survey of influenza and infectious anemia in Equidae in northeastern Tunisia].

Using the haemagglutination inhibition and immunodiffusion tests, a national serological survey was carried out to detect antibodies to equine influenza (EI) (A/equi/1/Prague 56 and A/equi/2/Miami 63) and equine infectious anaemia (EIA) in horse sera collected in northeastern Tunisia. 533 samples were analysed for EIA antibodies. All were negative. 13.6% of 433 equine sera tested for EI antibodies were positive. These results are discussed and compared with others obtained in Tunisia and bordering countries.

Animals↗

[Wolman disease].

BACKGROUND: Wolman disease is a severe disease associated with hepatosplenomegaly and adrenal calcifications; it is nearly always fatal in the first year of life. CASE REPORT: A boy was born to consanguineous parents. His weight was 3,500 g, height 53 cm. Hepatomegaly was observed at the age of 26 days; he also had vomiting and watery stools with failure to thrive. Diagnosis of Wolman disease was suspected due to family history. Two sisters had died at the age of 3 months without precise diagnosis; both had abdominal distension, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia and inanition; CT scan showed calcifications of adrenal glands in one of them that had been attributed to adrenal hemorrhage. Investigations in our patient showed no adrenal calcification, hepatomegaly without splenomegaly, anemia (Hb: 8 g/100 ml). Liver biopsy showed enlarged and vacuolated parenchymal and Kupffer cells but the marrow did not contain foam cells. Acid lipase deficiency was demonstrated in cultured skin fibroblasts, permitting prenatal diagnosis in a further sib. CONCLUSION: This case of Wolman disease was the first seen in Tunisia; it was inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder; this patient, as two of his sisters, died during the first 6 months of life.

Hepatomegaly↗

[Biological effects of pleural talc in neoplastic pleurisy].

A study was carried out on ten patients who had received talc by thoracoscopy for secondary neoplastic pleural involvement. The study was in two parts. First, a laboratory study on blood specimens was made including the full blood count, sedimentation rate and alpha-2 globulins. Secondly, the pleural liquid was examined over a 24 hour period, measuring the leucocyte count/ml and also the pleural sugar. The studies revealed the occurrence of an early rise (J0) in the level of polynuclear neutrophil (PNN) in the pleural liquid, with a 24 hour peak preceded by a leucocytosis and a moderate polymorphonuclear response without any change in the sedimentation rate. These changes provide evidence for the role of PNN in the genesis of pleural symphysis during talc therapy. There was also an early fall in pleural sugar, and this was in parallel with the diminution of the quantity of pleural fluid drained and would be linked to a rise in the local cellular metabolism and to a disturbance in the exchange across the thickened pleural membrane, as a result of fibrosis.

Alpha-Globulins↗

[An experimental anatomopathological study of pleural talcosis].

The aim of this work was to study the anatomical and pathological reaction and the mechanism of the formation of the pleural symphysis during pleural talcosis. The experiment was performed on fifteen dogs of similar breed, divided into three groups of five subjects each. After thoracoscopy under general anaesthesia, 2 ml of intrapleural physiological saline were injected in group I (controls) and 2 or 4 ml of talc granules in group II and III. A drainage tube was positioned at the end of the examination. One dog in each group was sacrificed on the 1st, 2nd, 7th, 15th, and 30th days post-thoracoscopy. At autopsy a detailed macroscopic study was carried out and some biopsies were taken for histology. In the control group, the inflammatory reaction was very moderate and rapidly disappeared whereas in the groups treated with talc, the talc led to an exudate of several millimeters, the exudate of inflammatory reaction was acute and early (J1) and involved the pleural in particular on the costal surface and was more moderate on the visceral surface and only involved the lung to a thickness of 2 or 3 mm and a few peripheral alveolar spaces. The granulomatous reaction occurred later (from the 3rd day) and was accompanied by the formation of a symphysis by the deposition and coagulation of fibrin which continued from the 7th to the 15th day, and became solid on the 30th day post-thoracoscopy. There was no significant difference between the two groups treated with talc, implying that the reaction was linked to the talc and was independent of the dose used.

Animals↗

[Transient dilatation of intra- and extra-hepatic bile ducts. A case].

A case of transient dilatation of intra and extrahepatic bile ducts in the course of an infectious disease is described in a three-year-old girl. The ultrasonic bile duct abnormalities disappeared after three months. The mechanism involved remains uncertain; the hypothesis of a transient inflammatory obstruction is evoked.

Child, Preschool↗