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F Squinazi

Publications and source records attributed to F Squinazi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Schistosoma haematobium among immigrants consulting in municipal free clinics in Paris in 2003].

The "Consultations de Diagnostic et d'Orientation" (CDO) are free medical consultations for precarious populations, proposed by the Health Department of Paris. More than two-thirds of the CDO patients come from Sub-Saharan Africa. Schistosoma haematobium (SH) is one of the most frequent infectious diseases detected within CDO. More than a thousand people have consulted for the first time in CDO in 2003 in one of the municipal free Clinics which proposes this service. Parasitologic test of urine has been performed among 220 patients and found 24 positive results: viable eggs of SH (10.8%). All 24 patients are male, most of them are under 35 years-old and come from the region of the Senegal River that lies in the junction of Mali, Senegal and Mauritania. We want to remind physicians in non-tropical setting to think of SH when they see a patient originating from Africa. To ask him if he presents haematuria and if not, to prescribe a parasitologic test of urine. If all patients from endemic regions had undergone this screening in 2003, we would have detected about 20 more cases of SH. If treated early enough, it could avoid severe uronephrological complications, which are rare but represent a high health care cost (bladder tumor, renal failure).

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by PCR in hospital air samples.

Tuberculosis remains a health problem in many developed countries. After the development of a sedimentation method, a semi-quantitative approach for bioaerosol monitoring of Mycobacterium tuberculosis based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was adapted for direct detection in air. Bovine serum albumin was added to override airborne environmental particle PCR inhibitors. The method gave positive results in hospital rooms where tubercular pneumonia patients were hospitalized during the first days after their diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Pollen content of the Paris air: comparison of the results obtained by two samplers for the year 2003].

During the 2003 season, a second pollen collector has been established in Paris city (Audubon site) to study the representativeness of the initial collector situated on the roof of the Pasteur Institute. The Hygiene Laboratory of Paris followed the pollen counts from the two collectors, during the period going from May to September. Both the samplers are Lanzoni model with a flow rate of 10 l x min(-1). The quantitative results show that no statistical difference exists between the pollen counts obtained from the 2 sites (Mann-Withney test, p > .05). The dominant species are Urticaceae, Poacae and Castenea species for the 2 collectors. Their counts are similar except for Poacae whose results are higher at the Audubon site. The collection period do not take into account the pollen production period of many trees species because of the late installation of the collector on the Audubon site. The results show that the two sites chosen for the study of pollen distribution are comparable. Nevertheless, the comparative study should be maintained on the next year to get more details about the observed differences and to collect the early trees pollen.

Air↗
PubMed2003

[Environmental audits in Ile-de-France].

Mould exposure in indoor environments can cause various health effects: infections, allergies, toxic effects and irritations. We have lead environmental audits (n = 32), at physician's request, in suspected mould allergic patient homes. A deep home visit allows the detection of potential indoor fungal and humidity sources, afterwards, a sample strategy is determinate. Results show that indoor airborne spores concentrations vary from some units (CFU) to more than thousands per m3. In dust samples, the number of spores per gram ranges from hundred to millions. A statistical analysis shows that "mouldy dwellings" are more contaminated than "non mouldy" ones and than outdoor air. Mould species relative presence is specific in each contaminated home, depending on various factors (mouldy support nature, competition between species...).

Air↗
PubMed1993

Health effects of attending a public swimming pool: follow up of a cohort of pupils in Paris.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the health effects of attending a well-kept school swimming pool maintained according to French public health regulations. METHODS: This prospective month long study was carried out on a randomised sample of pupils aged 5 to 18 years who attended a private French school with two swimming pools. The children surveyed, helped by their parents, had to fill in questionnaires about their bathing habits and symptoms during the survey period. Inspections of the pool complex were made and these included physicochemical and bacteriological analyses of the pools' water. PARTICIPATION: The response rates achieved were 70% at primary and middle school levels but only 25% in the high school pupils. Because of this older teenagers were excluded from the final analysis (of 246 children). RESULTS: Compared with non-bathers, bathers experienced fatigue and eye irritation significantly more often (p < 0.001). The eyes were red (38% of bathers) and/or watery (16%) after swimming but this resolved spontaneously within 24 hours. Bathing behaviour (bath duration, head immersion, wearing swimming goggles) did not affect these incidence rates noticeably. There were no differences between bathers and non-bathers with regard to other symptoms, especially otolaryngological ones. This survey does not allow definite conclusions to be made about verrucas because 22% of non-bathers were exempted from swimming because of verrucas that they might have caught previously in a pool. CONCLUSIONS: Except for verrucas, the methodology was adequate and daily self reporting of symptoms was feasible. This college largely recruits pupils from higher social classes and is not therefore representative of schools in Paris.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Evaluation of the screening strategy for lead poisoning in 1-to-3-year-old children monitored in maternal-child welfare centers in Paris].

A procedure for screening for lead poisoning was implemented since 1987 in the maternal and child health centers of 6 Paris "arrondissements". It relies on a screening of the children through environmental and clinical information. Our study aimed at evaluating this procedure and at estimating the prevalence of lead poisoning in the children aged 1 to 3 years old attending free maternal and child health centers in Paris. We did a cross-sectional survey of a sample of 512 children. A questionnaire concerning each child's risk factors was answered by the paediatric nurses of the clinics. Potential lead poisoning cases were detected by capillary determining of free erythrocyte protoporphyrins (FEP). Blood lead level (PbB) was measured in children with FEP > or = 350 micrograms/l. The prevalence rate of lead poisoning was estimated at 1.9% +/- 1.7% for a PbB threshold > or = 250 micrograms/l and at 9.6% +/- 3.5% for a PbB threshold > or = 150 micrograms/l. The detection procedure identified 4 children out of 5 with a PbB > or = 250 micrograms/l and 2 children out of 3 with a PbB > or = 150 micrograms/l.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1987

Pseudoepidemic of aspergillosis after development of pulmonary infiltrates in a group of bone marrow transplant patients.

During February and March 1985, seven patients in the pediatric bone marrow transplant unit (PBMTU) of a 350-bed cancer hospital developed pulmonary infiltrates. Five of the patients had Aspergillus spp. isolated from the respiratory tract, and two of these patients had histologic evidence of aspergillosis. Between 26 February and 22 April, Aspergillus spp. were isolated in a total of 70 cultures from 39 hospitalized patients. Of the 70 cultures, 14 (group 1) were from respiratory specimens of PBMTU patients with pulmonary infiltrates and were submitted to the laboratory intermittently over the 56-day period. However, of the other 56 Aspergillus-positive cultures (group 2), 41 (73%) were submitted on six days during this period (P less than 0.001, chi-square goodness of fit), including 8 blood cultures submitted on one day. When Aspergillus sp. was recovered from group 1 cultures early during this period, the isolates were stored in the culture-processing room. Aspergillus isolates were not handled in a biological safety cabinet, and blood cultures were done by using a system which requires opening of an evacuated bottle to room air. The presence of stored Aspergillus isolates was associated with a markedly elevated concentration of airborne fungi in the culture-processing room. After removal of the stored Aspergillus isolates from the culture-processing room, the concentration of airborne fungi returned to background level and there were no further Aspergillus-positive cultures. These findings suggested that group 2 cultures had been contaminated by stored Aspergillus isolates. No evidence for a common source of infection was found in the PBMTU patients with pulmonary infiltrates.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMed1985

[Haemophilus influenzae infections in infants and macrolides. Importance of the choice of an effective antibiotic and compliance with its administration schedule].

Five cases of meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae type b are reported. In four, the same pathogen was recovered from blood. In every case, meningitis developed despite administration of macrolides for ENT infections (4 cases) or pneumonia (1 case). These five observations are conclusive evidence that macrolides failed to prevent meningeal diffusion of Haemophilus influenzae presumptively responsible for the initial focal infection. In vitro activity of macrolides against Haemophilus influenzae is poor. For the treatment of ENT infections in pediatric patients aged 2 months to 5 years, the age group most susceptible to infection by Haemophilus influenzae, we recommend amoxicillin which is more active and bactericidal. An adequate dosage should be used (50 to 100 mg/kg/24 h) divided into four oral doses given at six hour intervals. This therapeutic attitude may need to be revised if the prevalence of beta-lactamase-producing H. influenzae strains (5 to 10% as of now) were to increase. In this case, use of an amoxicillin-clavulanic acid combination under the same conditions as outlined above may prove satisfactory. Correct administration of judiciously chosen antibiotics in ENT infections in infants and children is the most effective means of preventing meningitis due to H. influenzae.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed1979

[Contribution of the counter-immunoelectrophoresis for the diagnosis of pneumococcal infections (author's transl)].

Using counter-immunoelectrophoresis (CIE), the authors have looked for pneumococcal antigens in biological fluids in 141 pneumococcal infections cases (70 meningitis, 25 empyema, 40 pneumonia, 5 peritonitis, 1 pericarditis). The best results (superior to bacteriological results) were obtained with CSF and pleural fluid. Testing sputum by CIE seems to have a real interest in pneumonia. CIE associated with bacteriology, gives more than 20% increase in aetiological diagnosis in pneumococcal infections and permits to set accurate aetiological diagnosis in less than two hours.

Cerebrospinal Fluid↗