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Biomedical subjects

M Martz

Publications and source records attributed to M Martz.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Parasitemia in Plasmodium falciparum malarial attacks in children].

In order to evaluate the predictive value of parasitaemia, this parameter was measured on admission in 69 Gabonese children aged from 3 to 13 years hospitalized for Plasmodium falciparum malarial attacks. Fourteen of these children had cerebral malaria, 5 had isolated convulsions and 50 had uncomplicated attacks. The parasitaemia values measured were compared with those found in asymptomatic children of the same age range carrying trophozoites. There were no significant differences in mean parasitaemia count between the 3 types of malarial attack, and only the asymptomatic carriers had significantly lower counts. However, the wide scattering of individual values within each group indicated that simple measurement of parasitaemia is not discriminative enough to predict the course of malarial attacks in children living in endemic regions. In particular, malarial attacks with very low or very high parasitaemia value are possible, but similar values are found in asymptomatic carriers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Malaria and hemoglobin S: interactions in African children].

Among 300 cases of Plasmodium falciparum malaria attacks explored in Gabon, the proportion of homozygous (SS) or heterozygous (AS) sickle-cell patients was 6.2 percent in 206 ordinary attacks and 3.2 percent in 94 cerebral malaria attacks, and 23.2 percent in the general population. On the other hand, asymptomatic carriage, as detected in 98 children by thin blood films in school screening, was as frequent in the SS or AS infantile population as in the general population. These data show that haemoglobin S protects effectively, although not entirely, against severe attacks of P. falciparum malaria. The incidence of anaemia and vaso-obstructive crisis in malaria-infested sickle-cell patients suggests that subclinical carriage of haematozoa may worsen the course of sickle-cell disease, and this must be taken into account when planning treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Efficacy, safety and acceptability of halofantrine in the treatment of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria in African children (Gabon).

Halofantrine chlorhydrate 2 per cent suspension was given to 50 children (mean age 6.2 years in a dose of 8 mg/kg three times a day as a single day treatment. The children were born and lived in Gabon, where malaria transmission is continuous. They all had acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The children were kept in hospital for 5 days, and regularly followed over a 15-day period. The 50 children were cured and efficacy was evaluated as good in 44 cases, and excellent in six cases, as judged by improvement in their clinical signs and parasitaemia. Two criterias were considered in the evaluation of efficacy: clearance of parasitaemia (mean day 4), fever clearance (mean hour 24). There were two cases of persistences of parasites at day 15 with a very low parasitaemia rate. Tolerance to halofantrine was good from a clinical and biological point of view. Acceptability was excellent in all cases. Halofantrine 2 per cent suspension is a good alternative in the treatment of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children, especially with the present situation of multidrug-resistant strains in Central Africa.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

[Seroepidemiological study of toxoplasmosis in Libreville, Gabon].

A sero-epidemiological survey of toxoplasmosis has been carried out in 1178 subjects residing in urban and suburban areas of Libreville, Gabon. Two techniques were used: Pastorex toxo of the Institut Pasteur and ISAGA of bioMérieux. The acquisition of antibodies occurs at an early age, from the age of six months on. After the age of 15 years, the age of procreation, the prevalence is 68%. Between the ages of 15 and 19 years, 19% have IgM. The risk for toxoplasmosis acquired during pregnancy is not to be neglected. It decreases between the ages of 20 and 30 years. The most probable source of contamination is the reservoir from the soil. No difference between the sexes was observed.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Toxoplasmosis in Gabon. Results of a seroepidemiological investigation].

A toxoplasmosis sero-epidemiological inquiry was effected with 2,324 sera collected from Libreville, Lébamba, Makokou, Lastourville and Woleu-Ntem. All the sera were first screened through Pastorex toxo (Diagnostics Pasteur). Those with more 8 IU/ml and 267 sera with less 8 IU/ml were then assayed by ISAGA (bioMerieux) for IgM. The results of ISAGA must be interpreted with carefulness for natural agglutinins are frequent in this population. The acquisition of immunity is precoce and more of 60% have a serology positive from ten years old. There was no difference between sex.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Role of cryptosporidiosis in infants in Gabon. Results of two prospective studies].

Two epidemiological surveys of cryptosporidiosis in urban and suburban areas of Libreville, Gabon, Equatorial Africa, were conducted in children. On 450 fecal samples on the first study, Cryptosporidium sp. has been seen about 3.11%. For the second survey, on 296 children, aged between 0 and 2 years, with acute diarrhoea, the rate of infestation was 24%. The maxima was observed for infants aged between 6-18 months, in case of malnutrition and during wet seasons.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

Hendersonula toruloidea as an agent of mycotic foot infection in Gabon.

Pathogenic fungi were isolated from 149 of 210 Gabonese patients with clinical signs of tinea pedis. Hendersonula toruloidea was isolated from 51 patients (34.2%), either alone (in 25%) or in association with a dermatophyte species or Candida albicans. Clinical signs of H. toruloidea infection closely resembled those of dermatophyte infection except that hyperkeratinization of the soles was most often associated with infection by H. toruloidea. H. toruloidea mycelium could be readily distinguished from dermatophyte mycelium on direct examination of skin scrapings. All the H. toruloidea isolates closely resembled the Type 1 isolates described by Moore, both microscopically and macroscopically. The importance of establishing a mycological diagnosis of this infection and the therapeutic implications of infection with H. toruloidea are discussed. This fungus was isolated from 34% of our patients from Gabon with clinical tinea pedis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Malaria in Gabon. Bioclinical survey of non immune Europeans during short stay and prophylactic attitude].

A group of 300 young European adults visiting Gabon for relatively short periods was surveyed monthly for malaria from a parasitological, clinical, immunological, hematological point of view. The regular increase of fevers due to malaria from 1984 to 1988 and the multiplication of cases of amino-4-quinoline resistance in the plasmodial parasites call for new prophylactic considerations for this group residing in this heavily malaria infested area.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Development of chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in Gabon between 1984 and 1987-88 (in vivo evaluation in a school environment)].

Unknown in 1980, suspected in 1983 and scarcely present in 1984-85, Plasmodium falciparum resistance to chloroquine as studied in vivo in schoolchildren in Gabon, has strongly developed in 4 years time. In 1987-88, administration of 25 mg/kg of chloroquine leaves one strain out of four with a parasitic load greater than 10/1.000 red blood cells examined by thick drop technique. The present, unfortunately provisional attitude tends to maintain chloroquine at efficient doses for as long as the resistant strains are ethically and practically controllable. The dispersion without strict control of new and for the time being very efficient drugs might rapidly give rise to a polychemoresistance which would leave us without defence.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Malaria in Gabon. Transplacental passage and dynamics of development of fluorescent antimalarial antibodies with age].

In permanent malaria transmission area (Gabon), fluorescent malarial antibodies have been studied among a population of mothers new borns and children from 1 to 15 years old. A lack of transplacental transfer of antibodies among african pairs "cord-mother" is noticed and in negative correlation with total mother IgG level. The antibodies rapidly increase from 1-2 years old still 9. Chimioprophylaxis does'nt modified for a long time the development of the FAT malarial antibodies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

[Malaria in Gabon. 2. Evaluation of the qualitative and quantitative prevalence of parasites in the total school and preschool population of the country].

The distribution of carriers of hematozoa in the pre-school and school age group in Gabon has been established with the help of systematic enquiry. The plasmodial indexes vary between 11 and 32% in the savanna zones of the south-east, they rise to 64.9% in the forest regions of the north of the country, and in the urban zones (Libreville, Franceville, Lambarene) 6 to 18% of the school children are gametocyte carriers. In Libreville, amongst the febrile children seen in pediatric consultation, the prevalence reached 30%. Boys and girls are equally affected. The most important prevalence is observed in the group of children from 5 to 10 years of age. P. falciparum is found in 96.4% of the cases, P. malariae in 5.3% and P. ovale in 2.4%. The study of the parasitic load revealed that 56% of the positive subjects had less than 10,000 asexual forms/mm3, 44% more than 10,000 hematozoa/mm3. These results are similar to those of the neighbouring countries of equatorial Africa.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1980

Electroencephalographic analysis: a methodology for evaluating psychotherapeutic process.

The relationship between individual differences in listening style and clinical sensitivity was studied. Listening style is conceptualized as extending from a critical, analytic, focused attitude to a holistic, intuitive, free-floating attitude. We studied the listening styles of psychiatric residents while they listened to a tape recording, a 17-minute fragment of a psychotherapy that had been rated by a panel of experts as containing 22 cues reflecting the patient's concern with termination of treatment. The ability of clinicians to identify these cues is our experimental measure of clinical sensitivity. Our measures of listening style include eyeblink rate, memory for high-imagery words, and electroencephalogram recorded from electrodes over the right and left temporal areas, all measured while psychiatric residents listened to the tape. Results suggested that an abundance of alpha indicates a readiness on the part of the listener to process clinically relevant information. In addition, a listening style with engagement of the right hemisphere predicted clinical sensitivity. These findings suggest ways to study how the skilled clinician "tunes" himself empathically to his patient.

Alpha Rhythm↗
PubMed1977

Volvulus of the cecum following transplant donor nephrectomy.

Volvulus of the cecum, a rare postoperative complication, occurred on the first postoperative day following left nephroureterectomy in a volunteer kidney donor. Postoperative cecal volvulus can occur after practically any operation, may present insidiously like adynamic ileus, but may progress rapidly to gangrene of the involved intestine. Etiologic factors, diagnosis, and treatment are reviewed briefly.

Adult↗