PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

N Ben Jaballah

Publications and source records attributed to N Ben Jaballah.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

[Epidemiology of nosocomial bacterial infections in a neonatal and pediatric Tunisian intensive care unit].

OBJECTIVE: The authors had for aim to describe the epidemiology of nosocomial bacterial infections in the neonatal and pediatric intensive care unit of the Tunis children's hospital. DESIGN: A prospective surveillance study was made from January 2004 to December 2004. All patients remaining in the intensive care unit for more than 48 h were included. CDC criteria were applied for the diagnosis of nosocomial infections. RESULTS: 340 patients including 249 (73%) neonates were included. 22 patients presented with 22 nosocomial bacterial infections. The incidence and the density incidence rates of nosocomial bacterial infections were 6.5% and 7.8 per 1,000 patient-days, respectively. Two types of infection were found: bloodstream infections (68.2%) and pneumonias (22.7%). Bloodstream infections had an incidence and a density incidence rate of 4.4% and 15.3 per 1,000 catheter-days, respectively. Pneumonia had an incidence and a density incidence rate of 2% and 4.4 per 1,000 mechanical ventilation-days, respectively. The most frequently isolated pathogens were Gram-negative bacteria (68%) with Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates accounting for 22.7%. The most common isolate in bloodstream infections was K. Pneumoniae (26.7%), which was multiple drug-resistant in 85% of the cases, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (20%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common isolate in pneumonia (28.6%). Associated factors of nosocomial infection were invasive devices and colonization with multiple drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: The major type of nosocomial bacterial infections in our unit was bloodstream infection and the majority of infections resulted from Gram-negative bacteria. Factors associated with nosocomial bacterial infections were identified in our unit.

Adolescent↗

[Clinical, therapeutic and developmental aspects of acute bronchiolitis in Tunisia].

Fourteen infants with severe acute bronchiolitis were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Tunis. This pathology represents 36% of severe bronchopulmonary infections admitted to this ICU. Their age ranged between 2 and 48 weeks (mean: 15 weeks). Eight infants had hypotrophy. Two infants had congenital heart disease and one infant had tracheo-bronchomalacia. Viruses were found in 6/11 patients. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was identified in five patients and an adenovirus in one patient. Five patients had respiratory arrest at ICU admission. Ten infants had evidence of atelectasis on chest X-ray films. Thirteen patients required mechanical ventilation. One infant had inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion resulting in convulsions. One infant had supraventricular tachycardia. Both had RSV infection. One patient who had congenital heart disease and RSV infection died. In the other 12 patients receiving mechanical ventilation, the mean duration of ventilation was 9 days (range: 2-30 days). The second patient who had congenital heart disease and RSV infection had severe respiratory sequelae at discharge.

Bronchiolitis, Viral↗

[Hepatic hydatidosis and portal hypertension in children. Is it the Budd-Chiari syndrome?].

A case of portal hypertension in a five-year-old with multiple hydatid cysts in the liver is reported. Compression of the portal vein was the likely mechanism. Abdominal ultrasonography disclosed four hydatid cysts of which the largest was located in segments VII and VIII and caused compression of the supra-hepatic veins and inferior vena cava. Doppler ultrasonography showed continuous venous flow without triphasic modulation in the middle suprahepatic vein and inferior vena cava. Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated compression of the inferior vena cava and failed to visualize the suprahepatic veins. Upon surgery, evidence of hepatic venous statis was found. The child died 24 hours post-surgery. Budd-Chiari syndrome should be looked for routinely in patients with hydatid disease of the liver.

Budd-Chiari Syndrome↗

[Deficiencies of physiological coagulation inhibitors in children with venous thromboses of the lower limbs. Prospective study of 6 cases].

Six patients aged 3 to 14 years with lower limb vein thrombosis were included in a prospective study of deficiencies in physiological coagulation inhibitors. The laboratory evaluation included standard hemostasis tests, tests for circulating anticoagulants, immunological and functional assays of protein C, protein S, and antithrombin III, and a study of fibrinolysis. A qualitative protein S deficiency with decreased fibrinolysis and protein C deficiency were found. The family study detected asymptomatic heterozygotes in both families investigated. No antithrombin III deficiency or circulating anticoagulants were found.

Adolescent↗

[Pneumoblastoma].

Pneumoblastoma is a rare malignant pulmonary tumor. A new case is reported in a 2 years 5 month-old girl. Because the lack of locoregional extension an isolated surgical excision was performed. However, 6 months later, a local relapse occurred, with inframediastinal extension and cerebral metastases. On the occasion of this case, the authors review the problems set by the histogenesis of this tumor, its therapeutic indications, poorly codified due to its rarity and, overall, its often unfavourable outcome.

Brain Neoplasms↗

[Typhoid fever in children in Tunisian rural areas. Epidemiologic and clinical study].

Based on 140 cases of typhoid fever observed in the pediatrics service of the Menzel Bourguiba hospital (Tunisia), the authors demonstrate that such an endemic disease still exists in rural areas, with a peak during autumn-winter season. They underline the importance of the contamination due to water. The disease strikes all groups of age. Infants represent 15% of the patients. On its clinical and biological aspect, the disease is significantly different in child or infant. Blood cultures are positive in 2/3 of the cases, while fecal cultures are positive only in 1/3 of the cases. Despite some complications occurring in 1/6 of the cases, evolution is generally favourable. However, infant septicemia is severe, causing death in 1/3 of the cases.

Adolescent↗