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Biomedical subjects

P Hartemann

Publications and source records attributed to P Hartemann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Use of genotypic selection to detect P53 codon 273 CGT>CTT transversion: application to an occupationally exposed population.

CGT>CTT transversion in codon 273 of the P53 tumor-suppressor gene is one of the major mutations detected in human tumors. Within an epidemiological framework, we investigated the use of a genotypic selection method to measure this point mutation. The allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) that was developed was able to detect 10 mutant copies of the gene among a total of 5 x 10(5) wild-type copies. We used this assay to detect CGT>CTT transversions in buccal cell DNA of production workers (n=76) from a viscose factory exposed to carbon disulfide (amongst other pollutants) and in the DNA of non-exposed office workers (n=67). The mutation appeared more frequently in the exposed than in the non-exposed worker who were smokers. The results of the study indicate that occupational exposure results in a significant increase in P53 CGT>CTT transversions and more especially identified occupational exposure in combination with smoking as a significant risk factor for the mutation. We conclude that AS-PCR of the P53 273rd codon transversions is a suitable technique for studying the effects of occupational exposure.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed2006

[Intra-amoebal development of Legionella pneumophila and the potential role of amoebae in the transmission of Legionnaires' disease].

Legionnaires' disease is one of the major infectious risks related to hospital water systems. It is commonly accepted, that the disease is transmitted to man mostly by inhalation of water aerosols contaminated by Legionella pneumophila. The ability of L. pneumophila to multiply intracellularly within some amoebae better explains the ecology, the pathogenicity, and the virulence of this bacterium against human alveolar macrophages. The presence of these amoebae in water systems located where cases of Legionnaire's disease broke out, partly explains the difficulty in eradicating Legionella. Some studies also show that amoebae can play a major role in the transmission of the disease to man. Some other studies point out that inhaled amoebae could be involved in the pathogenesis of Legionnaire's disease. Future strategies to prevent the transmission of Legionella will probably have to include efficient treatments against amoebae.

Acanthamoeba↗
PubMed2005

[Study of 12 epidemical cases of legionnaire's disease occurred in Meurthe-et-Moselle (France) between July and August 2004].

PATIENTS AND METHOD: To describe epidemiological, clinical, biological, radiological data and therapeutic features of legionnaire's disease during an outbreak occurring in Meurthe-et-Moselle between July-August 2004. RESULTS: 12 cases were recorded including 11 men, 6 smokers, 4 alcoholo-nicotinic, 3 diabetics, 3 with hemopathy, 1 with corticotherapy; in one case no risks factors were found; mean age was 68.5 years [minimum=48; maximum=96]. Nine cases had sudden symptoms. Nine cases had a fever up to 40 degrees C, 9 with dyspnoea, 7 with cough, 7 with a relative bradycardia, 3 with diarrhoea, 3 felt faint, 3 with confusion. Radiology: unilateral unilobe localisation in 10 cases. Biological data: cytolysis in 8 cases, CRP >300 mg/l in 8. The diagnosis confirmed with urinary antigen of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 (UrAgLp1) in 12 cases. In 2 cases, UrAgLp1 appeared negative between 3rd and 10th day after the beginning of a treatment although UrAgLp1 was positive before the treatment. In all cases, the first serology realised during first days following occurrence the first symptoms remained negative. Two serology of control in four were positive. One search of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 in sputum was positive in 7. Bitherapy was used in 7 cases with preferential association: fluoroquinolone+rifampicin. Two patients died. Origin of the contamination remains unknown. CONCLUSION: Culture of Legionella is essential, in epidemic context, to compare clinical and environmental Legionella and to locate the origin of contamination.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Prevention and control of health care-associated waterborne infections in health care facilities.

The current article is a review of the public health risks attributable to waterborne pathogens in health care. The consequences of health care-associated infections (HAIs) are discussed. Not only are Legionella spp involved in HAIs, but also Pseudomonas aeruginosa, other gram-negative microorganisms, fungi, and amoeba-associated bacteria. This is particularly noteworthy among immunocompromised patients. New prevention strategies and control measures brought about through advanced planning, facility remodelling and reconstruction, disinfection, and filtration have resulted in a significant reduction of the incidence of waterborne HAIs. The positive consequences of a comprehensive multibarrier approach including prevention and control programs in health care facilities are discussed. Environmental cultures are now integrated within the infection control program of some European countries. In high-risk areas, the application of disposable sterile point-of-use filters for faucets and shower heads appears to be the practice of choice to efficiently control waterborne pathogens and to prevent infections.

Biofilms↗
PubMed2005

Escherichia coli behavior in the presence of organic matter released by algae exposed to water treatment chemicals.

When exposed to oxidation, algae release dissolved organic matter with significant carbohydrate (52%) and biodegradable (55 to 74%) fractions. This study examined whether algal organic matter (AOM) added in drinking water can compromise water biological stability by supporting bacterial survival. Escherichia coli (1.3 x 10(5) cells ml(-1)) was inoculated in sterile dechlorinated tap water supplemented with various qualities of organic substrate, such as the organic matter coming from chlorinated algae, ozonated algae, and acetate (model molecule) to add 0.2 +/- 0.1 mg of biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) liter(-1). Despite equivalent levels of BDOC, E. coli behavior depended on the source of the added organic matter. The addition of AOM from chlorinated algae led to an E. coli growth equivalent to that in nonsupplemented tap water; the addition of AOM from ozonated algae allowed a 4- to 12-fold increase in E. coli proliferation compared to nonsupplemented tap water. Under our experimental conditions, 0.1 mg of algal BDOC was sufficient to support E. coli growth, whereas the 0.7 mg of BDOC liter(-1) initially present in drinking water and an additional 0.2 mg of BDOC acetate liter(-1) were not sufficient. Better maintenance of E. coli cultivability was also observed when AOM was added; cultivability was even increased after addition of AOM from ozonated algae. AOM, likely to be present in treatment plants during algal blooms, and thus potentially in the treated water may compromise water biological stability.

Acetates↗
PubMed2003

Mycobacterium xenopi and drinking water biofilms.

The ability of Mycobacterium xenopi to colonize an experimental drinking water distribution system (a Propella reactor) was investigated. M. xenopi was present in the biofilm within an hour following its introduction. After 9 weeks, it was always present in the outlet water (1 to 10 CFU 100 ml(-1)) and inside the biofilm (10(2) to 10(3) CFU cm(-2)). Biofilms may be considered reservoirs for the survival of M. xenopi.

Biofilms↗
PubMed2001

Hygiene and health - the need for a holistic approach.

The holistic principles of hygiene and public health have contributed substantially to an increase in life expectancy by more than 30 years and in life quality since the beginning of the 20th century. Frank, Pettenkofer, Nightingale, Pasteur, Lister, and Koch have been pioneering protagonists of the holistic approach to hygiene and public health. Socioeconomic development and related factors such as nutrition status and food hygiene, housing conditions, water supply and sewage systems, and education (including motivation for personal hygiene) have obviously been of more importance for life expectancy and life quality than progress in curative medicine, such as availability of microbial diagnosis, vaccination, and antibiotics. Today, new risk factors for infectious diseases arise, even in developed countries. These risk factors arise from emerging pathogens, antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, changing demographic patterns, an increasing amount of ambulatory and home care, socioeconomic and environmental changes, technical environments, worldwide distribution of food, and changing human behavior with a decreased awareness of microbial threats. These new challenges worldwide make a renewal of the holistic approach of hygiene and public health both urgent and necessary. On the basis of historic experience, policies that focus on surveillance and control, diagnosis, and therapy only can be assumed to be both insufficient and inefficient in controlling the new challenges in infectious diseases. Experiences in Germany with a holistic hospital hygiene strategy since 1976 provide encouragement for the promotion of holistic health concepts. Risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication are basic steps of a modern holistic strategy. Hygiene has the potential to act as a moderator of diverging positions of different disciplines within this renewed approach.

Communicable Disease Control↗
PubMed2001

A new analytical tool to assess health risks associated with the virological quality of drinking water (EMIRA study).

This work assessed the risks associated with the virological quality of tapwater using a molecular analytical tool manageable in a field survey. It combined a daily epidemiological follow-up of digestive morbidity among a panel of volunteers and a microbiological surveillance of drinking water. RT-PCR was used for detection of enterovirus, rotavirus and astrovirus. 712 cases of acute digestive conditions occurred in the 544 volunteers. 38% (9/24) raw water and 23% (10/44) tap water samples were positive for at least one virus marker with 9/10 positive tap water samples complying with bacterial criteria. No statistically significant association was found between the presence of viral markers and observed incidence of digestive morbidity. However, when an outbreak occurred, enterovirus and rotavirus RNA was detected in the corresponding stored tap water samples. Sequencing of the amplified fragments showed that the rotavirus detected was of bovine origin. This work demonstrated that enteric virus markers were common in tapwater of the study communities (characterised by a vulnerable raw water) despite absence of bacterial indicators. Tangential ultrafiltration coupled to RT-PCR allowed a simultaneous and fast detection of the study viruses from environmental samples. This process is a promising tool usable for virological water surveillance, in as much the corresponding know-how is transferred to the field professionals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Genotoxic activity of five haloacetonitriles: comparative investigations in the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay and the ames-fluctuation test.

Halogenated acetonitriles (HANs) are known to be water disinfectant by-products. Their mutagenicity and carcinogenicity have been shown in different test systems in vivo and in vitro. They also have clastogenic properties. In this study, the ability of HAN to induce single-strand breaks on the DNA of HeLa S3 cells was investigated using the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay, which could be a good tool with which to evaluate the genotoxicity of chlorinated water. The results were compared to those obtained in the Ames fluctuation test using the Salmonella typhimurium TA 100 strain without activation. With the Ames fluctuation test, a mutagenic effect was observed for chloroacetonitrile (MCAN), dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN), and trichloroacetonitrile (TCAN). No mutagenic effect was found with bromoacetonitrile (MBAN) or dibromoacetonitrile (DBAN). In the SCGE assay, all five HANs induced DNA damage in HeLa S3 cells, increasing the mean tail moment significantly. For each compound, a dose-effect relation was observed. This study shows that the SCGE assay has greater sensitivity for assessing the genotoxicity of HAN than does the Ames-fluctuation test. Brominated acetonitriles were more genotoxic than chlorinated acetonitriles in the SCGE assay, and the genotoxicity increased with the number of halogenated atoms of the compound. This behavior had already been found with other genotoxicity tests.

Acetonitriles↗
PubMed1999

Determination of dietary tin intake in an adult French citizen.

The tin contents in fresh food or in food stored in lacquered or unlacquered cans were determined in order to estimate the daily tin intake in a French citizen. Tin levels were 76.6 +/- 36.5 mg/kg in foods preserved in unlacquered cans, 3.2 +/- 2.3 mg/kg in foods stored in lacquered cans, and 0.03 +/- 0.03 mg/kg in fresh foods. Tin intake is essentially dependent on food stored in tin cans (98%), which only represents 5.6% of the total daily consumption of foods by a French citizen. The estimated tin intake (2.7 mg/day whether 0. 04 mg/kg of body weight) remains widely inferior to the daily tolerable dose in humans (2 mg/kg of body weight).

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Waterborne microbiological risk assessment: a state of the art and perspectives].

Microbiological contamination is the most common threat related to drinking water. In developed countries, the current health system provides a good level of protection. However, some facts point out the need to develop further tools for better management of the waterborne risk. Several outbreaks have occurred in the United-States in the past decade. They were most often caused by tap water contamination associated with parasites and viruses, despite good compliance of the water treatment procedures. The chemical risk assessment methodology set up at the end of the 70's can now be applied for microbiological risks. This approach allowed the US authorities to improve their control on waterborne infection risks. Although limited, surveillance data suggest that to date. France has not encountered such outbreaks. However, the baselines and principles of risk management in that area should be also be optimized and updated. This work underlines the limits of the current risk management system. A literature review on microbiological risk assessment is first presented. Applications of this methodology are then commented, advantages and limits of the microbiological risk assessment approach in France are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Comparison of membrane filtration methods for the recovery of legionellae from naturally contaminated domestic drinking water supplies.

We compared four methods for the cultural recovery of legionellae from naturally contaminated water samples: (A) inoculating 1 and 0.1 ml directly on the selective solid growth medium, (B) filtration through cellulose nitrate membrane filters and inoculating the resuspended residue corresponding to 100 and 10 ml of the original sample on the medium, (C) filtration through polycarbonate filters and inoculating the resuspended residue corresponding to 100 and 10 ml of the original sample, and (D) filtration of 100 and 10 ml through cellulose nitrate filters and incubating the filter directly on the medium. Of the water samples tested in parallel, 103 samples tested positive for legionellae in at least two of these methods. The mean number of CFU/ml recovered by methods A, B, C, and D werte 5.45, 1.85, 1.70, and 2.26, respectively. The differences between the methods proved to be highly significant except for methods B and C (p = 0.112), the results of which correlated closely with each other (r = +0.96). In comparison with method A the recovery rates of methods B, C, and D were found to be 60, 57, and 69%, respectively. We recommend the use of method A for the recovery of legionellae at concentrations of > or = 1 CFU/ml. If legionellae below this concentration are to be detected we recommend method D as the easiest and most sensitive technique.

Collodion↗
PubMed1998

[Control of infection risks related to air and water in the hospital environment].

Control of infectious risks related to air and water in hospital is far from being consensual. Quantitative estimation of the risk in nosocomial infections is not efficiently done; and standardization and norms are missing for the methods to measure and control biocontamination. For air control a preliminary study is necessary to plan efficient ventilation, taking into account the needs of the unit, the description of an adequate installation, and both its regular maintenance and surveillance. For drinking water and pharmaceutical waters, definition and normalization are adequate. Yet, such is not the case for all devices aimed at increasing the microbiological quality of drinking water or at replacing, for economical reasons, the pharmaceutical sterile water. Some technical possibilities do exist but their use needs perfect maintenance, adequate controls, and good knowledge of their limitations of their indications.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMed1998

Daily intake of essential minerals and metallic micropollutants from foods in France.

Daily intakes of essential minerals and metallic micro-pollutants are estimated from foods usually eaten in France. These foods are grouped in nine categories. For essential elements, intake estimates are comparable to the values recommended by the WHO. The cadmium value is lower than the tolerable daily dose. The estimated values are: cobalt 29 micrograms/day, chromium 98 microgram/day, copper 1.5 mg/day, manganese 2.5 mg/day, molybdenum 275 micrograms/day, zinc 14 microgram/day, aluminium 4.2 mg/day, boron 1.6 mg/day, cadmium 27 micrograms/day and nickel 231 microgram/day.

Diet↗
PubMed1998

Determination of mineral contents in different kinds of milk and estimation of dietary intake in infants.

Concentrations of 11 minerals were determined in six kinds of milk (cow's milk-based formulae, breast-milk, soya milk, bottled milk, dried milk and evaporated milk). The contents of copper, magnesium, molybdenum, aluminium, barium and nickel were higher in soya milk than in any other kinds of milk. Except for nickel in soya milk, the dietary intakes of minerals were below or close to the intake recommended by the FAO/WHO.

Animals↗