Chikungunya outbreak in Reunion: epidemiology and surveillance, 2005 to early January 2006.
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Adolescent↗
Biomedical subjects
V Pierre
Publications and source records attributed to V Pierre.
Two consecutive nationwide outbreaks of Listeriosis in France, October 1999-February 2000.
In France, listeriosis surveillance is based on mandatory notification of all culture-confirmed cases, with systematic typing of isolates and routine collection of the patient's food history. From October 1999 to March 2000, two outbreaks of listeriosis were detected through this enhanced surveillance system. In outbreak 1, analysis of the food histories of cases suggested brand X "rillettes," a pâté-like meat product, as the vehicle of infection, and the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes was subsequently isolated from the incriminated rillettes. In outbreak 2, a case-control study showed that consumption of jellied pork tongue was strongly associated with infection with the outbreak strain (odds ratio = 75.5, 95% confidence interval: 4.7, 1,216.0). However, trace-back results did not permit incrimination of any particular manufacturer of jellied pork tongue, and the outbreak strain was not isolated from the incriminated food or from any production sites. Consumption of jellied pork tongue was discouraged on epidemiologic evidence alone. The consecutive occurrence of these two outbreaks confirms the epidemic potential of listeriosis, even in a context of decreasing incidence, and underlines the importance of timely case-reporting and systematic typing of human L. monocytogenes strains to allow early detection and separate investigation of different clusters.
Animals↗
[Prevention of Listeria infections].
Listeriosis is a rare but very serious foodborne disease. The non-contamination of food products is the best prevention of listeriosis. In spite of notable efforts to improve the microbiologic quality of food products through surveillance and control of food contaminations, the prevention has still to be based upon the information of consumers. This information can take different forms. When a food product is found to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, if the withdrawal of this product does not occur as early as to prevent its commercialisation, a consumers alert is necessary to avoid any subsequent human case and to allow a rapid medical care of exposed persons in case of occurrence of symptoms of the disease. A specific information from health professionals to persons with risk factors of contracting listeriosis is a point of debate. Immunocompromised persons, for instance do not represent an easily defined group. On the other hand, pregnant women that are specially at risk of developing listeriosis, with potentially life threatening consequences for their foetus, represent a well identified population. They are medically monitored, and, because they feel concerned, most of them accept, during their pregnancy, to follow some simple rules that, sometimes, change their habits. At present, information is given to pregnant women by different ways: documents, leaflets, posters. The health authorities have decided to reinforce this information. They are also working on a special advisory meeting, specially targeted at foodborne diseases (including listeriosis), that could take place, for pregnant women, during the first months of their pregnancy.
Disease Notification↗
Identification of mosquito-borne flavivirus sequences using universal primers and reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction.
A reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) protocol for the rapid detection and identification of flaviviruses was developed using a set of universal oligonucleotide primers. These primers correspond to sequences in the 3' non-coding region and in the NS5 gene which are highly conserved among the mosquito-borne flaviviruses. The sequences of the resulting amplified products were analysed for dengue 1, dengue 2, dengue 3, dengue 4, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile, yellow fever and Zika viruses, and compared with the published sequences of other flaviviruses. The 291-297 nucleotides corresponding to the C-terminus of NS5 gene showed 56 to 76% similarity, whereas the 3' non-coding region (190 to 421 nucleotides) showed only 20 to 36% similarity. Genetic classification of the Zika virus supported its traditional serological grouping. Recombinant plasmids containing the flavivirus sequences were used in a nucleic acid hybridization test to identify the RT/PCR products derived from viral RNA extracted from experimentally infected mosquitoes. The plasmids were dotted on a strip of nitrocellulose membrane and incubated with the RT/PCR product labelled with digoxigenin during the PCR step. This is a valuable method for the rapid and specific identification of mosquito-borne flaviviruses in biological specimens and for subsequent sequence analysis.
Animals↗