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Biomedical subjects

J M Chennebault

Publications and source records attributed to J M Chennebault.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Acute cytomegalovirus infection and venous thrombosis: role of antiphospholipid antibodies.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-induced thrombosis has been reported in immunocompromised patients, such as transplant recipients and patients with AIDS. Recent cases also describe thrombotic phenomena in immunocompetent patients with CMV infection. Various mechanisms may explain the role of CMV in thrombosis: this virus can damage endothelial cells, activate coagulation factors, and induce production of antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies. We present a case report of a previously healthy white woman with a pulmonary embolism associated with CMV infection and the presence of aPL antibodies, and we discuss the role of the aPL antibodies associated with CMV infection in the pathogenesis of thrombosis.

Aged↗

Nine cases of foodborne botulism type B in France and literature review.

Presented here is an outbreak of nine cases of type B botulism that occurred in France in 2000 followed by a review of the relevant literature. The outbreak resulted from the consumption of home-canned asparagus and required the intubation of six patients. Despite complications, all patients recovered completely. Specific antitoxin treatment was not administered because it is no longer manufactured in France. The literature review covers the epidemiologic data reported from Europe and the USA to date and an assessment of the treatment options for botulism. The usefulness of establishing a European network to provide access to botulism antitoxins is discussed. Although their efficacy is not unanimously accepted, they remain the only specific treatment now known.

Adult↗

[Cat scratch disease. Clinical study of 26 patients. Role and importance of PCR].

PURPOSE: Cat scratch disease is a mild pathology but diagnosis often remain difficult. METHODS: A retrospective study has been conducted by the department of infectious diseases at the University hospital in Angers. Between January 1994 and October 1998, 26 observations were recorded providing the presence of three criteria out of four among the following: contact with a cat, clinical presentation and its favorable course, absence of any other cause noticed, and the presence of either a positive serology or a positive PCR, or the examination of a suggestive pathology. RESULTS: Fourteen men and 12 women were concerned. From a clinical point of view, the inoculation lesion was observed six times, all patients showed at least one adenopathy during their illness, 12 patients showed only an adenopathy without clinical signs. A surgical biopsy was carried out on nine patients and a diagnosis established. Bartonella henselae serology was done in all patients. Six presented a significant rate of IgG antibodies as early as the first dosage. A seroconversion was observed in four cases belatedly 1 to 2 months after the beginning of the symptomatology. The method's sensitivity was approximately 38%. A PCR search was accomplished in the pus obtained from a ganglionic puncture on 12 patients. It was positive seven times, which corresponds to a sensitivity of about 58%. In associating these two diagnostic criteria a sensitivity rate of nearly 92% was reached, the diagnosis not having been confirmed only in one case. The outcome proved to be favorable in all cases, with or without an antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION: The association of serology and PCR in the pus permits a certain diagnosis in the majority of the cases and avoids the more aggressive biopsy.

Adolescent↗

Peripheral neuropathy during stavudine-didanosine antiretroviral therapy.

Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is among the most frequent side effects described with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). We investigated the incidence, evolution and predictive factors of PN during stavudine (d4T)-didanosine (ddI) combination therapy in 65 HIV infected patients, previously treated with zidovudine and/or zalcitabine (ddC) for at least 3 months. A subset of 16 patients was referred for systematic electromyographic examination at weeks 0 and 24: six among the 16 exhibited nerve conduction abnormalities at day 0, probably related to previous ddC treatment in four of those and to HIV infection in the other two, with worsening of abnormalities in one patient at week 24. In total, seven of the 59 assessable patients (11.8%) exhibited grade 2-3 neuropathy, with a median time of occurrence of 17 weeks. Distal, symmetrical paraesthesias of the extremities were the first symptoms in all the patients; none had motor symptoms. In all the patients, PN resolved rapidly after stopping d4T. There were no statistically different parameters between the seven cases and the other 52 patients according to CD4 T cells, HIV RNA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stage C or d4T daily dose. In our study, the d4T-ddI combination did not seem to increase the incidence of PN; risk factors for PN could not be identified, probably in part because of the low number of patients with PN.

Adult↗

Severe lactic acidosis induced by nucleoside analogues in an HIV-infected man.

Nucleoside analogues can induce myopathy or hepatitis by means of mitochondrial dysfunction. We report the case of a 31-year-old man infected with HIV who had a severe lactic acidosis without muscle or liver symptoms. He improved after hemodialysis and withdrawal of antiviral drugs. Muscle and liver evaluation allowed us to ascribe lactic acidosis to a mitochondriopathy induced by zidovudine and didanosine.

Acidosis, Lactic↗

Efficacy and safety of stavudine and didanosine combination therapy in antiretroviral-experienced patients.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy, tolerance, and safety of combination antiretroviral therapy with didanosine and stavudine in HIV-infected patients with CD4+ cell counts > 100 x 10(6)/l and HIV plasma RNA > 10(4) copies/ml previously treated with other antiretroviral agents for at least 3 months. DESIGN: In this open, multicentre, non-randomized, Phase II pilot study, adult patients were administered didanosine (200 mg twice daily) plus stavudine (40 mg twice daily) for 6 months. Patients for whom the first regimen had led to undetectable HIV RNA levels were offered a second 6-month course of treatment; those who had achieved insufficient immunological and virological gains in the first 6 months were given a new combination. METHODS: Primary evaluation of efficacy was based on viral load measured by branched DNA second-generation testing (lower limit of detection, 500 copies/ml) and CD4+ cell counts; secondary evaluations included AIDS-defining events and clinical side-effects. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients with median prior antiretroviral therapy of 24 months (65 with zidovudine, 29 with zalcitabine) were included in the study. At baseline, median CD4+ cell count was 198 x 10(6)/l and median plasma HIV RNA was 80000 copies/ml (4.9 log10 copies/ml). In this heavily pretreated population, an increase in the mean CD4+ cell count was observed (+70 x 10(6)/l at 24 weeks). In addition, rapid and prolonged antiviral activity was seen, with a mean maximal decrease of 1.1 log10 copies/ml at week 4, a mean decrease of 0.89 log10 copies/ml at week 24, and a plasma RNA viraemia < 500 copies/ml achieved in 14% of patients at week 24. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with stavudine and didanosine is safe and leads to a sustained antiviral effect, even in patients with prolonged prior antiretroviral exposure and low CD4+ cell counts.

Adult↗

[Extrapulmonary tuberculosis in the central western region. Retrospective study of 217 cases (Gericco 1991-1993)].

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the epidemiological, clinical and diagnostic characteristics of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in western France observed from 1991 to 1993 in different patients populations (HIV+ infected patients, immunosuppressed non-HIV infected patients, non-immunosuppressed patients) and according to various localizations (lymph nodes, bone and joints, genital organs, nervous system and meninges, miliary disease). METHODS: This retrospective study included 217 cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed from 1991 to 1993 in western France by GERICCO (Groupe d'Epidémiologie et de Recherche en Infectiologie Clinique du Centre-Ouest). Demographic, clinical, biological, microbiological and radiographic characteristics as well as clinical course on specific therapy were assessed. RESULTS: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis generally occurred most often in immunosuppressed patients but 34% of cases were observed in people without any underlying disease or risk factors. Delay to diagnosis was especially long in the non-immunosuppressed patients (mean = 96 days) but shorter in the HIV-infected patients (mean = 59 days). It was shorter in case of nervous system involvement (mean = 52 days) or military disease (mean = 80 days) than in bone and joints (mean = 120 days) and lymph nodes (mean = 102 days). Microbiologically proven tuberculosis represented only 75% of cases despite numerous investigations. Overall prognosis was good except in nervous system and meninges localizations. Failures were mainly due to death in immunosuppressed patients. CONCLUSION: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis remains frequent even in patients lacking risk factors. In 50% of cases, confirmation of diagnosis takes more than one month. In case of doubt, clinicians should not wait for laboratory results before implementing empirical specific therapy.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

[Multifocal tuberculosis. Apropos of 49 cases in the midwest region. GERICCO (Group for Epidemiology and Research in Clinical Infections of the Central West of France), 1991-1993].

Diffuse or multifocal tuberculosis (TB) accounts for 9% to 10% of cases of extrapulmonary TB and carries a poor prognosis with a mortality rate of 16% to 25%. Forty-nine cases of multifocal TB defined as involvement of two extrapulmonary sites with or without pulmonary TB were reviewed. Mean patient age (+/- SD) was 50 +/- 18 years. Twenty-three per cent of patients were immigrants. A history of TB and contact with a TB patient were found in 23% and 18% of cases, respectively. Of the 52% of immunocompromised patients, 38% were HIV-positive. The skin tuberculin test was positive in 67% of cases. Mean time from symptom onset to admission was 80 +/- 77 days (median, 58 days). The 49 patients had a total of 128 TB foci. Six patients had positive blood cultures. The tubercle bacillus was recovered from the extrapulmonary sites in 88% of cases. Mean treatment duration was nine months. Recovery from the TB was achieved in 64% of cases. The overall mortality rate was 47%, and 33% of patients died as the direct result of TB. Most deaths occurred in immunocompromised patients. A high index of suspicion for multifocal TB should be maintained in immunocompromised patients, even those who test negative for the HIV.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Human cytomegalovirus DNA kinetics using a novel HCMV DNA quantitative assay in white blood cells of immunocompromised patients under Ganciclovir therapy.

The clearance of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) was evaluated in infected patients under Ganciclovir (GCV) treatment, using a novel HCMV DNA quantitation assay (HCMV DNA hybrid capture system, Murex Diagnostics). Peripheral white blood cells (WBC) from whole blood specimens of seven AIDS patients, three kidney and two allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients suffering from HCMV disease, were assessed by this method. HCMV DNA 50 and 90% mean clearances were observed at 2.11 +/- 1.97 and 6.22 +/- 4.31 days, respectively, after initial GCV treatment. The viral DNA kinetics were correlated with positive and negative pp65 antigenaemia and viral blood culture. Two-fold higher clearances and initial DNA levels were observed in the AIDS group compared to the transplant group. Neither clinical nor virological relapses were observed under GCV treatment. HCMV DNA quantitation in WBC appears well adapted for a therapeutic follow up of patients with HCMV disease.

Antigens, Viral↗

[Pustular candidiasis in heroin addicts].

INTRODUCTION: Pustular candidiasis in heroin addicts is a rare entity in dermatology. We report a case. CASE REPORT: A 29-year-old female heroin addict developed a painful pustular growth on the scalp. There was no fever. Multiple follicular pustulae measuring 2 to 3 mm were associated with hyperesthesia of the scalp and painful cervical nodes. Biopsy showed acute ostiofolliculitis with a few blastospores and mycelial filaments. Candida albicans was isolated from the pustulae and the buccal cavity. Candida serology was positive (indirect immunofluorescence 1/100, coelectrosyneresis: 4 archs). Search for other localizations and HIV serology were negative. The last injection of brown heroin had been taken 15 days earlier; lemon had been added. Treatment with flucanazole (400 mg/d) led to improvement within 48 hours. DISCUSSION: Sudden development of pustulae or nodules in pilous zones in a heroin addict should suggest the diagnosis. Outcome depends on early treatment after diagnosis and search for other localizations. Our case presented two particular aspects: ostiofollicular localization of the pustulae and a long delay (15 days) between the (presumably) last injection and the development of the lesion. Folliculitis develops almost exclusively in addicts who use brown heroin. Contamination by Candida albicans results from the lemon used to improve solubility at injection.

Adult↗

[Echocardiographic abnormalities in the stage IV of HIV infection].

Fifty patients in stage IV of HIV infection (including 41 AIDS patients) were prospectively studied by echocardiography. Thirteen of them showed abnormalities: 4 had pericardial effusion, 1 endocarditis, 7 myocardial disorders and 1 primary pulmonary arterial hypertension. Pericardial effusion, also present in patients who had pleuropulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma, was not specific. Myocardial disorders concerned the diastolic function in 1 case, the segmental kinetics in 2 cases and the whole systolic function in 4 cases (3 had congestive myocardiopathy and 1 had transient systole alteration without left ventricular dilatation). The mechanism of global left ventricular disorders was multifactorial, and several hypotheses were discussed: infectious myocarditis, adrenergic or nutritional deficiency myocarditis, cardiotoxicity of antiviral drugs, common pathology with HIV encephalopathy. The prognosis of congestive myocardiopathy was poor in AIDS patients and undetermined in stage IV non-AIDS patients. Echocardiography is capable of detecting these lesions, and its use may contribute to a better care of these patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

[Pyomyositis. Apropos of 5 cases].

Four patients meeting the "classical" criteria for spontaneous pyomyositis are reported. No local cause was found. Risk factors included diabetes mellitus (2 patients), hemopathy (one patient), and alcohol abuse (one patient). Causative organisms (Staphylococcus aureus in 3 cases and Salmonella sp in one case) were recovered from blood cultures, an unusual occurrence. CT scan studies ensured the diagnosis in every case. An additional case of pyomyositis due to Staphylococcus aureus illustrates the difficulties in the definition of disease. This patient, whose muscle lesions were remarkably well visualized by MRI with injection of gadolinium, developed infection of the sacro-iliac joint adjacent to the muscular focus of infection. This patient may have had either "primary" pyomyositis with spread to the adjacent joint or "secondary" pyomyositis caused by the joint infection which was recognized only later. Advances in medical imaging techniques suggest that the nosology of pyomyositis should be broadened using this terminology. This would underscore the unique characteristics of "classical", "primary" pyomyositis and emphasize imaging, diagnostic and therapeutic facets of the disease which are shared by both entities.

Adult↗