Biomedical subjects

B Jaulhac

Publications and source records attributed to B Jaulhac.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

Screening of staphylococci for the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) gene.

Dot blot hybridization was used to screen 820 staphylococci for the presence of the gene coding for TSST-1. The DNA of 33 strains among 70 Staph. aureus strains isolated from suspected toxic shock syndrome (TSS) cases hybridized with the probe. These results agreed perfectly with those obtained with a phenotypic method (immunodiffusion). Among 608 Staph. aureus strains isolated over a period of one month from hospitalized patients, 66 (11%) hybridized with the probe; of these strains, 64 (97%) were found to produce TSST-1 in vitro. None of 145 coagulase-negative staphylococcal strains harboured DNA hybridizing with the probe. The data indicate that this genotypic assay is suitable for epidemiological studies.

Bacterial Toxins↗

PubMed1989

[Lyme disease and Borrelia burgdorferi infections in Europe].

Lyme disease is endemic in Europe. The strains of the causative agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, seem to be antigenically more heterogeneous than the North American isolates. The only documented vector for this bacterium in Europe is ixodes ricinus, but other vectors might be involved as observed in the United States. The tick hosts are not yet well documented in Europe. Human infection occurs principally during summer months. The clinical aspect of the disease has particular features in Europe: at the early stage of the disease, a single and large erythema chronicum migrans is observed on the skin; complications often include meningoradiculonevritis (Bannwarth's syndrome) and later, acrodermatitis chronica atrophians; arthritis is less frequent in Europe than in the USA. The culture of B. burgdorferi from the lesions is difficult. The diagnosis of the disease is performed on the basis of serological tests: immunofluorescence assay where the important thing is to define a cutoff titer; ELISA tests using either whole cells or supernatant of sonicated cells or flagellar antigen; passive haemagglutination for IgG; IgM solid phase haemadsorption; Western blot (immunoblot) seems interesting to perform on a research basis to determine to which protein antigens patients are responding with antibody. Once antibody production begins, it is usually in the form of IgM antibody to flagellin protein (41 kD), with time, both IgM and IgG antibodies to a variety of other antigens appear. Prophylaxis is based on health services and public education because a prompt removal of the tick diminishes risk of infection with B. burgdorferi (4 p. cent of cases after tick bite). The treatment includes aminopenicillins or tetracyclines at the early stage. The second and third stages of borreliosis are treated by high doses aminopenicillins or cetriaxone.

Acrodermatitis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Knowledge and prevention of tick-bite borreliosis: survey of the population in Alsace, an endemic area].

INTRODUCTION: European borreliosis, known to the general public as 'Lyme disease' in analogy with the American form, which it differs from in many points, is endemic in the area of Alsace and is a public health problem. The level of knowledge and prevention of the population with regard to the disease has never been assessed in France. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A survey was conducted in all the national health examination centers in Alsace using a self-applied questionnaire. The data collected concerned the socio-demographical characteristics, knowledge on the disease, history of tick bites, fear the disease creates, frequency of visits to the forest, prevention habits when visiting the forest and the attitude adopted in the case of a tick bite. RESULTS: Out of the 600 persons included, 99 (16.5 p.cent) had been bitten by ticks once or more over the past year. The existence of Lyme's disease was known to 74 p.cent of the consultants, 63 p.cent claimed they were worried by the disease and 43 p.cent knew that the first manifestation is redness spreading over the skin. Twenty-seven percent wore trousers and long sleeves when visiting the forest and 19 p.cent inspected their body carefully on their return. The persons least well informed were also those who did little to protect themselves against tick bites. They often were under 30 years old, lived in urban settings and had few diplomas. Those who had frequent spare time in forest and those who had a history of tick bites were the best informed and protected themselves better. The fear of the disease was associated with better knowledge and more appropriate behaviour. DISCUSSION: This study shows that a large percent of the population in Alsace is exposed to tick bites. Tick bite borreliosis is relatively well known, but protection remains insufficient. Better knowledge of the disease is related to better prevention. Information and teaching campaigns for the general public could specifically target the young people, urban dwellers and those with few diplomas. Specific messages of prevention could be delivered to the most exposed at-risk subjects (i.e. those bitten by ticks or having leisure in forest) at the places of their leisure or medical consultations.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evidence of Rickettsia helvetica infection in humans, eastern France.

A 37-year-old man living in eastern France seroconverted to Rickettsia helvetica in August 1997, 4 weeks after the onset of an unexplained febrile illness. Results of a serosurvey of forest workers from the area where the patient lived showed a 9.2% seroprevalence against R. helvetica. This organism may pose a threat for populations exposed to Ixodes ricinus ticks.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnostic value of serum and synovial procalcitonin in acute arthritis: a prospective study of 42 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic value of serum and synovial procalcitonin (PCT) for bacterial arthritis and to determine the cellular origin of synovial PCT. METHODS: A prospective study enrolled 42 patients with acute arthritis including 11 bacterial arthritis, 18 rheumatoid arthritis and 13 crystal induced arthritis. Diagnostic values of serum and synovial PCT levels were determined by a immunoluminometric assay (Lumitest PCT) and compared to those of classical inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, synovial fluid cellularity and both serum and synovial IL-6 and TNF alpha). Using fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) cultures derived from rheumatoid arthritis (n = 4) and osteo-arthritis (n = 3) synovium, with or without stimulation by lipopolysaccharid or recombinant streptococcal protein 1/II, we attempted to determine whether synovial cells could be a source of PCT. RESULTS: Serum PCT was the best parameter to distinguish patients with acute bacterial arthritis from patients with crystal induced arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. In setting of an acute arthritis serum PCT (> 0.5 ng/mL) achieved 55% sensitivity and 94% specificity for the diagnosis of bacterial arthritis, while CRP (> 50 mg/L) had 100% sensitivity but poor specificity (40%). Serum PCT appeared to be higher in patients with septic arthritis resulting from "systemic infection" than in cases resulting from direct inoculation. Synovial PCT was not useful to discriminate between infectious and non infectious arthritis in clinical practice. PCT could not be detected at significant levels in the conditioned medium from fibroblast-like synoviocyte cultures. CONCLUSION: Serum PCT is a poorly sensitive but specific marker of bacterial arthritis. Use of serum PCT in association with CRP could nevertheless be useful in an emergency situation for the diagnosis of bacterial arthritis.

Acute Disease↗