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Biomedical subjects

F Klotz

Publications and source records attributed to F Klotz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Plasmodium vivax: therapy update].

IMPACT OF PLASMODIUM VIVAX WORLDWIDE: Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread malanal agent in the world. Unlike Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax can cause early or late recurrence and is not fatal (benign tertian malaria). EMERGENCE OF RESISTANT STRAINS: P. vivax strains resistant to chloroquine, then primaquine, have emerged over the last decade, creating the need for a new therapeutic strategy. TREATMENT OF PRIMARY DISEASE: Generally, chloroquine is the first intention treatment, excepting patients who also have P. falciparum infection or a strain with suspected resistance to chloroquine. Mefloquine, quinine and halofantrine are also logical alternatives. TREATMENT OF RECURRENT DISEASE: A schizonticidal agent should be given followed by a hypnozoitocidal agent, primaquine. Primaquine dosage should now be raised or adjusted to the patient's weight. THERAPEUTIC PERSPECTIVES: Tafenoquine, delayed-release amino-8-quinoleine, is a potential alternative for primaquine for the treatment of recurrences. Studies are also in progress to evaluate the role of primaquine as a prophylaxic agent.

Animals↗

[Hepatitis C virus and chronic hepatopathies in Dakar: case-control study].

In Black Africa, the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the onset of chronic hepatic disease is unclear. This is particularly true in Senegal where the prevalence of HCV is moderate. To gain insight into this question, a case-control study including 73 patients and 73 controls was carried out at Principal Hospital in Dakar in 1995. The patients included in this study presented chronic hepatitis in 2 cases cirrhosis in 25 and hepatocellular carcinoma in 46. Patients and controls underwent serologic testing for HCV (ELISA screening test followed by 3rd generation ELISA test in case of positive results and confirmation by immunoblot) with determination of HCV serotype using the immunoenzymatic method. Testing also included research for infection by hepatitis B virus and for anti-delta antibodies. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in two patients (3 p. 100) and serology was suspicious in two others. Serotype 2 was detected in one of these patients. No positive results were recorded in controls. Fifty-four patients (74 p. 100) and 15 controls (21 p. 100) presented the HBs antigen including 13 patients (24 p. 100) and I control (7 p. 100) with anti-delta antibodies. This study shows that HCV currently plays a minor role in the onset of hepatic disease in hospitalized patients in Senegal. It also confirms the predominant role of hepatitis B and complicating effect of the delta hepatitis virus. These findings are compared with reported data for Black African countries. The impact of HCV appears to be lower in Senegal than in central Africa.

Adult↗

[Epidemiological and therapeutic aspects of plasmodial infection from Plasmodium vivax].

A major challenge for successful treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria is prevention of recurrence due to activation of dormant intrahepatic parasitic forms called hypnozoits. As a result of strain variability, recurrences are unpredictable and can occur months or even years after initial infection. Prevention requires elimination of both erythrocytic and hepatic parasite forms by combined use of chloroquine and primaquine. Primaquine is the only commercially available drug against hypnozoits. Several factors must be taken into account in planning treatment regimens. One factor is drug resistance of vivax strains, which as observed for Plasmodium falciparum strains is variable between geographical areas. Another factor is potential co-infection by Plasmodium vivax and falciparum, which is increasingly common. For optimal efficacy, treatment regimens must be adjusted with regard to dosage of primaquine and association with halofantrine, mefloquine or other new antimalarial agents. No regimen completely rules out the risk of recurrence.

Antimalarials↗

Risk factors for negative sputum acid-fast bacilli smears in pulmonary tuberculosis: results from Dakar, Senegal, a city with low HIV seroprevalence.

SETTING: Two teaching hospitals in Dakar, Senegal, a West African country with a low prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patients with HIV-associated pulmonary tuberculosis have fewer acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in their sputum as assessed by routine microscopy, and to correlate the findings with systematically obtained clinical, radiographic and laboratory variables. DESIGN: Prospective study from November 1995 to October 1996 of 450 consecutive patients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. RESULTS: Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 380 patients (84.4%) by positive bacteriology, in 61 (13.6%) by a favorable response to anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, and in nine (2.0%) by the presence of a miliary radiographic pattern. Forty (8.9%) patients were HIV-seropositive. AFB-negative smears were found in 14/40 (35.0%) of the HIV-seropositive patients with pulmonary tuberculosis compared with 71/410 (17.3%) of the seronegative patients (risk ratio [RR] = 2.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-3.24, P = 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that AFB smear negativity was associated with absence of cavitation (P = 0.002), lack of cough (P = 0.005), the presence of HIV seropositivity (P = 0.02), a CD4+ cell count above 200/mm3 (P = 0.02), and age over 40 years (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with HIV-seronegative patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, seropositive patients in Dakar, Senegal, are more likely to have negative sputum-AFB smears. This phenomenon has now been observed in seven of eight sub-Saharan African countries with varying HIV seroprevalence from which reports are available.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

[Fatal fulminating hepatitis due to Herpes simplex virus type 2 in a young immunocompetent female].

Fulminant herpes simplex viral hepatitis is uncommon in immunocompetent subjects. A 24-year-old woman presenting hepatomegaly with fever was hospitalized after returning from a trip to southern Africa. The patient was neither pregnant nor immunocompromised. Because of recent tropical travel, differential diagnosis included alphabetic hepatotropic virus infection, yellow fever, African hemorrhagic fever, and arbovirus infection. After ruling out other common viral etiologies, a definitive diagnosis of herpes simplex viral infection was made on the basis of clinical and laboratory findings showing high fever, leukopenia, and thrombopenia; of histological examination of the native liver after transplantation showing non-inflammatory confluent focal hemorrhagic necrosis; and on serologic tests demonstrating seroconversion for herpes simplex virus type 2. Outcome after transplantation was rapidly fatal but the death was not directly related to infection. The most likely etiology of fulminant hepatitis in a young woman returning from travel in a tropical area is hepatitis virus B or hepatitis virus E in cases involving pregnancy. However herpes simplex virus should be included in differential diagnosis even in immunocompetent subjects.

Adult↗

[Adults with sickle cell anemia in Senegal. Clinical study of 40 homozygote subjects].

While the well-documented life expectancy of patients with homozygous sickle cell anemia (SS) is 40 years in industrialized countries, this question remains unanswered in black Africa. The purpose of this prospective study was to establish the clinical phenotype for Senegal. A severity score based on 12 clinical, laboratory, radiological, and prognostic findings was calculated and correlated with age and hemoglobin F level. A total of 40 SS homozygotes over 15 years of age (mean age: 25 years) were hospitalized between January 1996 and January 1998 at the Principal Hospital in Dakar. The most common events requiring hospitalization were vasoocclusive phenomena (n = 26) but the incidence of these complications declined significantly with age (p < 0.05). The mean hemoglobin level was 4.4 mmol/l and the mean hemoglobin F level was 6.2 p. 100. The incidence of visceral involvement was low (lithiasic vesicules in 17 cases, necrosis of the head of the femur in 7, and abnormal cardiac ultrasound findings in 10). Only one patient died during the study. No correlation was found between severity score and either age or hemoglobin F level. These findings confirm that the phenotype is less severe in Senegal. However they also show that organ damage is common by the time that patients reach adulthood and thus underline the need for prevention and education to improve survival of SS homozygotes in Senegal.

Adolescent↗

[Massive poisoning by African bee stings].

BACKGROUND: Bee stings can cause severe toxic effects when envenomation is massive. CASE REPORT: While touring in Casamance (Southern Senegal) a white male was severely stung by a swarm of African bees. The massive envenomation caused rhabdomyolysis, hemolysis and acute renal failure. Pathology examination of kidney and bladder specimens showed vasculitis affecting both arteries and veins. The patient was treated with several hemodialysis sessions and renal function returned to normal three months after the incident. DISCUSSION: Bees in Africa, known as "killer bees", are particularly aggressive. They have recently been imported from tropical zones in America where a large number of deaths have been reported. Most cases of massive envenomation have shown acute tubular necrosis or renal involvement with myoglobinuria or hemoglobinuria. The renal pathology observed in our case is not usually described.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

[Cardiac manifestations of polymyositis. Apropos of 2 Senegalese cases].

INTRODUCTION: Polymyositis cardiac involvement varies between 37% and 70%. EXEGENESIS: The authors report two cases of polymyositis with myocardial involvement observed in Senegal; the first case is a cardiac failure revealing an acute polymyositis occurring in a 44-year-old woman; the second case is a 34-year-old woman who had polymyositis with tachycardia and dyspnea: in the two cases echocardiography showed a left ventricular concentric hypertrophy with preserved systolic function and altered diastolic function; clinical and echocardiographic resolution were obtained by corticosteroid medication. CONCLUSION: Myocardial localization is the most common polymyositis cardiac involvement; clinical symptomatology is rare (3.3% to 6%). sometimes revealing polymyositis; electrocardiographic abnormalities are found in 18% to 81% cases and echographic abnormality in 42% cases; cardiac involvement is of bad prognosis.

Acute Disease↗

[Pulmonary manifestations associated with malaria].

Pulmonary manifestations are frequently observed in children, pregnant women and travellers with malaria. The pathophysiology of these pulmonary manifestations is poorly understood but would appear to be secondary to an interaction between the parasitized red cells and the pulmonary capillary endothelium. Bronchitis and pneumonia do not directly compromise outcome but, left unrecognized, the delay in diagnosis and treatment may be fatal. Acute respiratory distress in children is the first cause of overmortality, coming before neurological involvement. The acute respiratory distress caused by severe malaria has no specific characteristics. Iatrogenic complications and pulmonary superinfections must be differentiated. The prevention of pulmonary manifestations associated with malaria can easily be accomplished by limiting water intake and carefully monitoring urinary output and weight. Treatment is the same as for acute flare-ups in combination with symptomatic respiratory treatment when required.

Adult↗

[Pleuropulmonary manifestations of amebiasis].

Amibiasis is the third leading cause of death due to parasitic infections in the world. Amibiasis is endemic in the warm regions of the world with deficient hygiene and socio-economic situations. Entamoeba histolytica is the causal agent of invasive amibiasis, unlike Entamoeba dispar which is not a pathogen for humans. Amibian colitis and amibian abscess of the liver are the most frequent intestinal and extra-intestinal manifestations. Pleuropulmonary complications almost always occur in patients with a liver abscess, the intrathoracic contamination via transphrenic dissemination predominating. Respiratory signs are inaugural in 80% of the cases. Pleuropulmonary ambiasis designates the localization of the amibian infestation, but the clinical expression may vary: pneumonia, lung abscess, pleurisy, hepatobronchial fistulization and more infrequently pulmonary embolism. The preferential localization is the right hemithorax related to abscess in the right lobe of the liver. Left lobe abscesses lead to left-sided pleuropulmonary complications with the risk of rupture into the pericardium. Chocolate-colored pus from a pleural or abscess puncture or vomitus strongly suggests the diagnosis, which is confirmed by highly-positive serology. Metronidazole is the treatment of choice, providing cure without sequellae. In Africa, mortality and morbidity due to ambiasis are high. In Abidjan, 92% of cured patients have sequella, and mortality reaches 15%, the consequence of late diagnosis.

Amebiasis↗

[Pulmonary manifestations of schistosomiasis].

Bilharziosis or schistosomiasis is the third leading endemic parasitic disease in the world, following malaria and ambiasis. More than 300 million individuals are infested. Schistomosomes are blood flukes which live in the perivisceral veins. Clinical signs result from ova migrations. Transmitted by urine and feces, the parasite cycle requires intermediary host, usually fresh water snails. Bilharsiosis is endemic in tropical zones where it is a major public health problem closely correlated with the socio-economic conditions. Liver, intestinal or urinary complications, depending on the species, lead to underestimated morbidity and mortality. Pulmonary lesions are attributed to 3 species: S. haematobium, S. mansoni and S. japonicum. Although the lung is mandatory step in the parasite cycle, pulmonary manifestations are limited. They can be acute or chronic depending on the phase of the cycle, but are the most frequent extradigestive localization for S. mansoni. Morbidity due to chronic manifestations is particularly severe and should be prevented whenever possible.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

[Pulmonic plague].

One hundred years after Yersin discovered Yersinia pestis during the plague epidemic in Hong Kong in 1894, human plague still has not been eliminated. The epidemic in 1994 in India, a country where no cases had been observed since 1996, raised great concern. Plague is an epizootic bacterial infection caused by a Gram negative coccobacillus, Y. pestis, transmitted by the bite of infected fleas. Bubonic plague is the most common form. Other clinical presentations include asymptomatic plague, abortive plague, pharyngeal plague, septicemic plague, meningeal plague, and primary or secondary pneumonic plague which is observed in 5 to 20% of cases. Plague is a highly communicable disease between humans despite antibiotic therapy which has reduced mortality by 80%. The prognosis depends on early diagnosis. Streptomycin and cyclines are the gold standard treatment.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

[Adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma due to HTLV 1. Two cases of the acute form at the Principal Hospital of Dakar].

HTLV1 virus is a retrovirus that has been endemic in Africa. It is the responsible for tropical spastic paraparesis and adult's T Cell leukemia-lymphoma. Few cases of adult T-Cell leukemia-lymphoma have been described in Africa, contrary to Japan and Caribbean. Were are reporting two cases of acute adult T-Cell leukemia-lymphoma which characterised by blood lymphoma signs, tumoral nodes and extranods lesions, hypercalcemia and positive retroviral serology of HTLV1 virus. The prognosis of these acute forms was bad after a six month survey approximately. The treatment is disappointing. Investigations of this affection must be carried out in every patient who presents lymphoma manifestations all the more because they are associated with hypercalcemia.

Acute Disease↗