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Biomedical subjects

M Merlin

Publications and source records attributed to M Merlin.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Diarrheal morbidity and mortality in children in the Central African Republic.

Diarrheal morbidity and mortality in children less than 5 years old were studied in Bangui, Central African Republic, by a cluster survey. We found a high prevalence of diarrheal disease with an estimated annual incidence of 7 episodes of diarrhea per child per year. The estimated annual mortality rate for children less than 5 years old was 28.6 per 1,000 and 85.8 per 1,000 for infants; 51.6% of deaths were reported to be associated with diarrhea. During the survey, stool specimens were collected from 133 children with current diarrhea and 117 control children to study the etiologic agents of diarrheal disease in the community. An enteric pathogen was identified in 58% of diarrheal children's stools and 48% of stools of well children. A statistically significant association between diarrhea and rotavirus was found, with it being isolated from 8 of 33 (24%) of stools of infants with diarrhea compared to 0 of 25 (0%) of control infants. Isolation rates for Campylobacter jejuni, Entamoeba histolytica, pathogenic Escherichia coli, and other bacterial enteropathogens did not differ significantly between children with diarrhea and control children.

Central African Republic↗
PubMed1986

[Evaluation of immunological and entomotological indices of yellow fever in Pointe-Noire, People's Republic of Congo].

The authors report the results of a serological sample survey managed to evaluate the prevalence of two types of yellow fever antibodies, connected with an entomological survey, in the town of Pointe-Noire in the People's Republic of Congo. According to the high rate of non protected people, the high level of entomological indices and the characteristics of local environment, this densely populated town may be considered as an area exposed to a potential hazard of a yellow fever outbreak. A vaccinal strategy ought to be planned according to this situation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Evaluation of the clinical, parasitological and immunological indices of malaria in the Bonny's Bay area of Central Africa].

The authors report the results of 4 sample surveys carried out in Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon in the Bonny's Bay area, to evaluate the main malarial indexes. In rural and semi-rural areas one notice a high rate of fever attacks and splenomegaly. Parasitaemia is more important in rural areas than in urban areas and is decreasing where the therapeutic pressure is strong and long-lasting. Immunological indexes are high everywhere.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Carriage of HBs antigen and infection by delta agent in Cameroon].

Serum samples taken from 370 healthy individuals (aged 15-44) constituting a randomized sample representative of the adult population of the town of Nkongsamba, Cameroon, were tested for Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBs); positive samples were then tested for Hepatitis B virus [e] antigen (HBe) and anti-Delta antibody. The mean carrier rate of HBs was 8.4% +/- 2.8%; within HBs carriers, 29% exhibited HBe and 6.5% anti-Delta antibody.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Prevalence of markers of viral hepatitis B in northern Cameroon].

The authors report the results of a sample survey made in January 1985 in a Northern Cameroon Division following the observation of a very high mortality rate by serious jaundice in 1983 and 1984. Within a representative population sample of 395 persons of more than 4 years old, they observed that: 100 were HBs antigen carriers (detected by ELISA), 25.3% +/- 5.5%, 19 were HBe antigen carriers (RIA), 4.8% +/- 2.4%, and 202 were HBs antigen or HBs antibody carriers: 51.1% +/- 6.5%, There was only one carrier of delta antigen. There is no difference in HBs antigen bearing according to sex or age, but HBe antigen appears to be more frequent among young people.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Studies of the numerical distribution of microfilariae in foci of lymphatic filariasis (author's transl)].

The frequency distribution of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae counts in capillary blood, at a community level, is shown to differ significantly from the log-normal distribution, commonly used (and recommended by WHO). A much better fit is obtained with a truncated negative-binomial distribution, the k exponent of which is estimated to 0.3. This value does not seem to be affected by the endemic level, by microfilaricide mass-treatments or by the blood sample volume. This result has immediate practical interests: 1) it facilitates a posteriori comparisons between surveys in which different volumes of blood were examined; 2) at a given density it allows calculation the change in sensitivity (detection rate) as a function of a change in the volume of blood examined, thus allowing better a priori planning of surveys. The paper provides the formulae required to calculate k, or, given k, to calculate the expected numbers in the various density classes. It also provides nomograms (fig. 4a & b) giving estimates of the true mean M and of the detection rate TD, given any one of the three following observations, made on observed positives: the median Dmf. 50, the mean m, or the percentage Pl having only 1 mf. The effect of changing the volume of blood on the rate of detection can then be read easily from the nomogram. These results, likely to apply to other important parasitic diseases, should instigate more elaborated statistical research in this direction.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antibody prevalence against haemorrhagic fever viruses in randomized representative Central African populations.

Between 1985 and 1987, 5,070 randomly selected persons living in 6 central African countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon) were checked for serological evidence of haemorrhagic fever. Rural and urban areas were studied, including ecoclimatic zones ranging from dry savana to tropical rain forest. Virus-reactive antibodies were found with all antigens tested, and the global prevalence of positive sera was distributed as follows: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, 0.22%; Rift Valley fever virus, 0.18%; Ebola virus, 12.40%; Marburg virus, 0.39%; Lassa virus, 0.06%; and Hantaan virus, 6.15%. A significant variation in antibody prevalence was observed within the study regions. Association between the viruses was not observed.

Africa, Central↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Activity of levamisole (Solaskil) in lymphatic filariasis caused by Wucheria bancrofti (variety pacifica].

A 6 mg./kg. daily dose of levamisole was given during three days to ten carriers of microfilarias Wuchereria bancrofti in Tahiti. No action against adult worms was noticed. The immediate microfilaricid action was at least equivalent to the action of DEC. However the decrease of microfilaremia was not so long with levamisole than with DEC given to a lower dose. Lastly the amount of reactions after a treatment by levamisole is notable.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation of 25 years of antileprosy chemotherapy in French Polynesia. Influence of age on the onset of the disease].

In French Polynesia the cases of leprosy are individually severe, like in Asia, but the endemy always stood under a relatively low level. A strong campaign of chemiotherapy has been conducted for 25 years. Unfortunatly the actions of systematic detection of new cases are not sufficient and the sanitary education is almost non existent. The territory is actualy reached by deep demographic and social upsettings and chemiotherapy used alone is not enough efficient to obtain a definitive decrease of the endemy or even to avoid, for a long time, a new increase. However a significant decrease of the age of advent of the decrease must be credited to the action of chemiotherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Impact of a profound change in the structure of a society on the evolution of an endemic disease: leprosy in French Polynesia].

In French Polynesia the cases of leprosy are individually severe but the endemy itself always stood in low limits. The intensive use of modern treatments since 1950 have been making the eredication reasonably possible in the future. However the brutal demographic increase, the deep upsetting of the society and the important migrations made propitious conditions in the urbanized area for the advent of a new centre of infection. The result seems to be an increase of leprosy in the territory.

Emigration and Immigration↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Health databases to assess the incidence of lymphoid malignancies in Italian population].

We tested the usefulness of the National Health Service Databases for investigating the incidence of lymphoid malignancies in an Italian community. We analyzed hospital discharge data, drug prescription, pathologic records and death certificates to identify the new cases of Hodgkin's disease, non Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and acute and chronic lymphocytic leukemia diagnosed in the municipal population of Reggio Emilia, northern Italy, 1991 through 1996. The completeness of Hospital discharge data was very high, and several incident cases could be identified only through this source. Completeness of the pathologic registry was satisfactory for Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and this source independently yielded a few incident cases of lymphoid neoplasms. Analysis of death certificates and drug prescriptions appears to be of limited value in the epidemiology of lymphoproliferative diseases.

Databases as Topic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Effects of a unique dose of mebendazole on microfilaremia in 50 carriers of microfilaria of Wuchereria bancrofti, pacifica variety].

Treatment by Mebendazol were given to 50 patients divided in 3 groups, the first on having s single dose of 200 mg., the second one a single dose of 300 mg. and the last one a single dose of 400 mg. There was practically no unpleasant side effect. We noticed a delayed but notable effect on microfilaremia sensibly lower than diethylcarbamazine action in similar conditions. It would be interesting to try heavier doses or iterative doses.

Benzimidazoles↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Biochemical and pharmacological check-up in emergency orientation].

Biochemical and pharmacological tests usually prescribed in casualty department were reviewed taking into account their physiological significance and predictive value : ions, total proteins, carbohydrate and nitrogenous metabolites, enzymes, tissue markers, pharmacological drugs. Few blood components were kept with the first intention, ideally with a turn around time below one hour: sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, total proteins, pCO2 and pO2, creatinine, glucose, ketone compounds, calcium, bilirubin, transaminases, lipase, C-reactive protein, myoglobin, troponin, chorionic gonadotropin hormone. Those tests do not have to be systematically performed but prescribed only after the evaluation of pre-test probabilities by the clinician.

Biomarkers↗