Éditeur(s) : UNDP Guyana UNDP Guyana ( Guyana )
Résumé : (Funding) Support for the development of the technical infrastructure and partner training provided by the United States Department of Education TICFIA program.
While the global response to HIV and AIDS has realized several successes in achieving universal access to prevention, care and treatment to date, challenges persist in ensuring equal access to these services for most at risk populations. The epidemiology of HIV reflects a stark disparity in access to prevention and treatment services for neglected most-at risk populations, such as men who have sex with men (MSM). World-wide, MSM often experience higher rates of HIV relative to the total population. The reasons for this dynamic are multi-faceted and include high risk behaviors, and cultural as well as structural barriers. For MSM in developing countries, for example, basic services for prevention and treatment of HIV infection have yet to reach the large majority of men. Homophobia and discrimination limit access of MSM to prevention services and markedly increase vulnerability, as do criminalization of same-sex behavior. Decriminalization of same-sex behavior is a structural intervention for prevention of HIV infection and has recently been embraced by a nonbinding statement from the United Nations (Beyrer C,Clin Infect Dis. 2010 May 15;50 Suppl 3:S108-13) In the Caribbean, all of the above mentioned barriers exist. In fact, recent evidence demonstrates that there is a correlation between the decriminalization of homosexuality and lower rates of HIV (UNAIDS). This correlation is attributed to improved access to services. Therefore, The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has recently launched an initiative to address the current situation regarding men who have sex with men in Guyana where the HIV prevalence in this population is 19.4% in contrast to 1.8% in the total population. This rapid assessment has been commissioned to supplement two previous studies that were conducted in Guyana in informing the design of upcoming activities to support local capacity building to enhance access to services and respect for the human rights protections for MSM. Unfortunately, in Guyana, like much of the Caribbean, MSM tend to be a hard to reach population, perhaps due to elevated levels of stigma and discrimination and difficulty in accessing men who might participate in high risk same sex behaviors yet do not self-identify as an MSM. As a result, there is a relative paucity of data concerning the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of this total population in Guyana. (i.e. those who self –identify and those who do not) The baseline report is organized as follows: the methodology is explained followed by the study limitations, the review (literature and desk). The report then proceeds with describing the reality of work and working with sexual and gender minorities in Guyana, the status quo and entry points. The main findings of the capacity assessment and focus groups are then discussed. Issues relating to the uniformed forces and health services providers are then presented followed by discussions and conclusions.

Droits : All rights reserved by the source institution.

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
INTRODUCTION:The frequency, the clinical characteristics, and the prognosis of dengue is highly variable. Dengue fever is associated with a range of neurological manifestations. The objective of the present study was to determine the incidence of neurological signs and their predictive factors using data from cases of dengue seen and followed in Cayenne Hospital during the Dengue 2 epidemic in 2013.METHODS:In 2013, a longitudinal study using data from all cases of dengue seen in Cayenne hospital was collected. Medical records used a standardized form to collect demographic information, clinical signs and biological results and the date at which they were present. The analysis used Cox proportional modeling to obtain adjusted Hazard ratios.RESULTS:A total of 1574 patients were included 221 of whom developed central nervous system signs. These signs were spontaneously resolutive. There were 9298person days of follow-up and the overall incidence rate for central nervous system signs was 2.37 per 100 person-days. The variables independently associated with central nervous system anomalies were headache, Adjusted Hazard ratio (AHR) = 1.9(95%CI = 1.4-2.6), bleeding AHR = 2 ((95%CI = 1.3-3.1), P = 0.001, abdominal pain AHR = 1.9 ((95%CI = 1.4-2.6), P<0.001, aches AHR = 2.1 ((95%CI = 1.5-2.9), P<0.001, and fatigue AHR = 1.5 ((95%CI = 1.3-1.7), P<0.001.DISCUSSION:Overall, the present study suggests that neurological signs of dengue are not exceptional even in patients without the most severe features of dengue. These manifestations were spontaneously resolutive. Here it was not possible to distinguish between encephalitis or encephalopathy. Further studies would require more in depth exploration of the patients.
ISSN: 1932-6203

inserm-01421218
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-01421218
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-01421218/document
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-01421218/file/2016%2C%20Djossou%20-%20Incidence%20and%20Predictive%20Factors%20of%20Central%20Nervous%20System%20Dysfunction%20in%20Patients%20Consulting.pdf
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0150828.t003

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag
Résumé : International audience
The objective of this study is to assess the association of clinical manifestations of systemic sclerosis (SSc) with the absolute count of circulating blood monocyte subpopulations according to their membrane expression of CD16. Forty-eight consecutive patients fulfilling the 2013 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for SSc were included in this cross-sectional study. CD16+ monocyte absolute count was defined by flow cytometry and confronted to the clinical characteristics of SSc patients. Twenty-three healthy donors (HD) were randomly selected for comparison. SSc patients had an increased number of total circulating blood monocytes compared to HD (p < 0.001). The CD16- subpopulation absolute count was increased in SSc patients compared to HD (p < 0.001) but was similar in limited SSc (lSSc) and diffuse SSc (dSSc). On the contrary, the CD16+ population absolute count was increased in dSSc compared to both HD and lSSc patients (dSSc 0.071 Giga/L (+/- 0.034) vs HD 0.039 Giga/L (+/- 0.030), p < 0.01, and dSSc 0.071 Giga/L (+/- 0.034) vs lSSc 0.048 Giga/L (+/- 0.024), p < 0.05). The CD16+ monocyte subpopulation absolute count was significantly correlated with the severity of skin fibrosis evaluated by the modified Rodnan skin score (p < 0.001). The CD16+ monocyte subpopulation was also associated with pulmonary fibrosis (p < 0.05), with the severity of the restrictive ventilatory defect evaluated by total lung capacity (p < 0.05) and with the pulmonary function impairment reflected by diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxyde measures (p < 0.01). These results suggest that CD16+ monocytes are associated with the main fibrotic manifestations of SSc and their role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis in this autoimmune disorder should therefore be further considered.
ISSN: 0770-3198

hal-01560150
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01560150
DOI : 10.1007/s10067-017-3597-6
PUBMED : 28293753

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Dengue fever is the most important arboviral infection that affects humans, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Here, we provide the first comprehensive overview of the severity of dengue epidemics in French Guiana. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We monitored hospitalized cases between 2008 and 2013. Detailed clinical features and biological parameters were collected on a daily basis from all cases. Among the 1,356 cases, 216 (16%) were classified according to the WHO 2009 classification as dengue without warning signs (WS), 926 (68%) were classified as dengue with WS and 214 (16%) were classified as severe dengue. The severity rates were similar between the three major epidemics that occurred during the study period, whereas the hospitalization rate was highest in 2013. Fluid accumulation, aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) counts>193 IU/L and platelet counts<75,000 cells/mm3 were associated with dengue severity. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings provide a recent epidemiological description of the severity of dengue epidemics in French Guiana. These results highlight the potential impacts and consequences of implementing the WHO 2009 classification on hospital activity. Future studies should include virological and immunological investigations of well-documented serum samples.
ISSN: 1932-6203

hal-01477201
https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01477201
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0172267
PUBMED : 28196111

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : Diagnosing of hazelnut allergy was recently enhanced by value of serum specific IgE versus recombinant fractions, Cor a 1 and Cor a 8. Their positivity could be linked with clinical benignity for Cor a 1 and severity for Cor a 8. The authors report four cases contradicting this aphorism. The oral food challenge to hazelnut induced in these patients a severe clinical response with a severe increase of serum tryptase at the end of the challenge. The level of serum specific IgE to Cor a 8 was negative (or very low). For Cor a 1 the level was very high or low. We discuss the clinical relevance of the aphorism "Cor a 1 = benignity; Cor a 8 = severity", which use should be modulated in clinical practice. Other allergenic fractions could account for these cases. (c) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
ISSN: 1877-0320

hal-01056803
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01056803
DOI : 10.1016/j.reval.2012.10.004

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND:Dengue fever is the most important arboviral infection that affects humans, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Here, we provide the first comprehensive overview of the severity of dengue epidemics in French Guiana.METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:We monitored hospitalized cases between 2008 and 2013. Detailed clinical features and biological parameters were collected on a daily basis from all cases. Among the 1,356 cases, 216 (16%) were classified according to the WHO 2009 classification as dengue without warning signs (WS), 926 (68%) were classified as dengue with WS and 214 (16%) were classified as severe dengue. The severity rates were similar between the three major epidemics that occurred during the study period, whereas the hospitalization rate was highest in 2013. Fluid accumulation, aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) counts>193 IU/L and platelet counts<75,000 cells/mm3 were associated with dengue severity.CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:Our findings provide a recent epidemiological description of the severity of dengue epidemics in French Guiana. These results highlight the potential impacts and consequences of implementing the WHO 2009 classification on hospital activity. Future studies should include virological and immunological investigations of well-documented serum samples
ISSN: 1932-6203

inserm-01481447
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-01481447
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-01481447/document
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-01481447/file/2017%2C%20Flamand%20-%20Epidemiological%20assessment%20of%20the%20severity%20of%20dengue%20epidemics%20in%20French%20Guiana.pdf
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0172267.t003

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
Diagnosis of toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) in patients with AIDS is not straightforward because clinicians rely initially on an empiric diagnosis based on clinical and radiographic improvement to specific anti-Toxoplasma gondii therapy. There is therefore a need for biological tools to improve the diagnosis of TE, especially in tropical areas where this diagnosis is likely to be underestimated. The use of PCR testing in blood samples for the diagnosis of TE has been limited by its poor sensitivity in the studies conducted in Europe. In tropical South America, the results of PCR sensitivity in blood samples were controversial. Considering that T. gondii strains from tropical South America have substantial genetic and pathogenic differences with those from USA and Europe, it is therefore important to re-evaluate the performance of the PCR assay in blood samples for the diagnosis of TE in AIDS patients from this region. Our results showed that the only interest of PCR would be in the most severe forms of TE with altered consciousness because PCR is more likely to be positive. We also provided important genotyping data on T. gondii strains isolated in human cases of toxoplasmosis in the Caribbean and in South America.
ISSN: 1935-2727

hal-01503761
https://hal-unilim.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01503761
https://hal-unilim.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01503761/document
https://hal-unilim.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01503761/file/journal.pntd.0004790.pdf
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004790

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD IOS Press
Résumé : International audience
The hematocrit-to-viscosity ratio (HVR) has been widely used has an estimate of red blood cell (RBC) oxygen transport effectiveness into the microvasculature or as an oxygen delivery index. However, no study investigated the possibility of HVR to truly reflect RBC oxygen transport effectiveness or to be an oxygen delivery index. We measured blood viscosity at high shear rate (225 s-1), hematocrit, HVR, as well as the microvascular oxyhemoglobin saturation (TOI; tissue oxygen index) by spatial resolved near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) at cerebral and muscle levels in three population known to have various degrees of hemorheological abnormalities: healthy subjects (AA), patients with sickle cell SC disease (SC) characterized by moderate anemia and patients with sickle cell anemia (SS) marked by severe anemia. At both the cerebral and muscle level, HVR was positively correlated with TOI (r = 0.28; p = 0.03 and r = 0.38; p = 0.003, at the cerebral and muscle level, respectively). These findings suggest that HVR probably play a key role in blood flow and hemodynamic regulation in the microvasculature, hence modulating the amount of oxygen available for tissues. Nevertheless, the strengths of the associations are weak (R2 < 0.50), suggesting that other determinants modulate microvascular blood flow and oxygenation, such as vascular geometry and vasomotor reserve.
ISSN: 1386-0291

inserm-01081701
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-01081701
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-01081701/document
http://www.hal.inserm.fr/inserm-01081701/file/2013%2C%20Waltz%20-%20Is%20there%20a%20relationship%20between%20the%20hematocrit-to-viscosity%20ratio%20and%20microvascular%20oxygenation%20in%20brain%20and%20muscle.pdf
PUBMED : 23719422

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde
Résumé : International audience
Leishmania are protozoan parasites that show remarkable diversity, as revealed by the various clinical forms of leishmaniasis,which can range from mild skin lesions to severe metastatic cutaneous/mucosal lesions. The exact nature andextent of Leishmania phenotypic diversity in establishing infection is not fully understood. In order to try to understandsome aspects of this diversity, we subcutaneously infected BALB/c mice with first and second generation subclones of aL. amazonensis strain isolated from a patient (BA125) and examined in vivo lesion growth rate and antimony susceptibility.In vivo fast-, medium- and slow-growing subclones were obtained; moreover, fast-growing subclones could generateslow-growing subclones and inversely, revealing the continuous generation of diversity after passage into mice. Noantimony-resistant subclone appeared, probably a rare occurrence. By tagging subclone cells with a L. amazonensisgenomic cosmid library, we found that only a very small number of founding cells could produce lesions. Leishmaniaclones transfected with in vivo selected individual cosmids were also diverse in terms of lesion growth rate, revealing thecosmid-independent intrinsic characteristics of each clone. Our results suggest that only a few of the infecting parasitesare able to grow and produce lesions; later, within the cell mixture of each lesion, there coexist several parasite populationswith different potentialities to grow lesions during the next infection round. This may reflect a sort of programmedheterogeneity of individual parasites, favoring the survival of some individuals in various environmental conditions.
ISSN: 0074-0276

hal-01557855
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01557855
DOI : 10.1590/0074-02760160280

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
Up-to-date estimates of the health outcomes of preterm children are needed for assessing perinatal care, informing parents, making decisions about care, and providing evidence for clinical guidelines. To determine survival and neonatal morbidity of infants born from 22 through 34 completed weeks' gestation in France in 2011 and compare these outcomes with a comparable cohort in 1997. The EPIPAGE-2 study is a national, prospective, population-based cohort study conducted in all maternity and neonatal units in France in 2011. A total of 2205 births (stillbirths and live births) and terminations of pregnancy at 22 through 26 weeks' gestation, 3257 at 27 through 31 weeks, and 1234 at 32 through 34 weeks were studied. Cohort data were collected from January 1 through December 31, 1997, and from March 28 through December 31, 2011. Analyses for 1997 were run for the entire year and then separately for April to December; the rates for survival and morbidities did not differ. Data are therefore presented for the whole year in 1997 and the 8-month and 6-month periods in 2011. Survival to discharge and survival without any of the following adverse outcomes: grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhage, cystic periventricular leukomalacia, severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity (stage 3 or higher), or necrotizing enterocolitis (stages 2-3). A total of 0.7% of infants born before 24 weeks' gestation survived to discharge: 31.2% of those born at 24 weeks, 59.1% at 25 weeks, and 75.3% at 26 weeks. Survival rates were 93.6% at 27 through 31 weeks and 98.9% at 32 through 34 weeks. Infants discharged home without severe neonatal morbidity represented 0% at 23 weeks, 11.6% at 24 weeks, 30.0% at 25 weeks, 47.5% at 26 weeks, 81.3% at 27 through 31 weeks, and 96.8% at 32 through 34 weeks. Compared with 1997, the proportion of infants surviving without severe morbidity in 2011 increased by 14.4% (P < .001) at 25 through 29 weeks and 6% (P < .001) at 30 through 31 weeks but did not change appreciably for those born at less than 25 weeks. The rates of antenatal corticosteroid use, induced preterm deliveries, cesarean deliveries, and surfactant use increased significantly in all gestational-age groups, except at 22 through 23 weeks. The substantial improvement in survival in France for newborns born at 25 through 31 weeks' gestation was accompanied by an important reduction in severe morbidity, but survival remained rare before 25 weeks. Although improvement in survival at extremely low gestational age may be possible, its effect on long-term outcomes requires further studies. The long-term results of the EPIPAGE-2 study will be informative in this regard.
ISSN: 2168-6211

hal-01258705
http://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-01258705
PUBMED : 25621457
DOI : 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.3351

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
A decreased global autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity and increased sympathetic activation in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) seem to worsen the clinical severity and could play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease, notably by triggering vaso-occlusive crises. Because exercise challenges the ANS activity in the general population, we sought to determine whether a short (,15 min) and progressive moderate exercise session conducted until the first ventilatory threshold had an effect on the ANS activity of a group of SCA patients and a group of healthy individuals (CONT group). Temporal and spectral analyses of the nocturnal heart rate variability were performed before and on the 3 nights following the exercise session. Standard deviation of all normal RR intervals (SDNN), total power, low frequencies (LF) and high frequencies powers (HF) were lower but LF/HF was higher in SCA patients than in the CONT group. Moderate exercise did not modify ANS activity in both groups. In addition, no adverse clinical events occurred during the entire protocol. These results imply that this kind of short and moderate exercise is not detrimental for SCA patients.
ISSN: 1932-6203

hal-01136725
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-01136725
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-01136725/document
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-01136725/file/Hedreville%20et%20al.%20-%202014%20-%20Acute%20moderate%20exercise%20does%20not%20further%20alter%20the%20autonomic%20nervous%20system%20activity%20in%20patients%20with%20sick%282%29.pdf
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0095563

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Thrombophilias are common disorders that increase the risk of pregnancy-associated venous thromboembolism and pregnancy loss and can also increase the risk of placenta-mediated pregnancy complications (severe pre-eclampsia, small-for-gestational-age infants, and placental abruption). We postulated that antepartum dalteparin would reduce these complications in pregnant women with thrombophilia. METHODS: In this open-label randomised trial undertaken in 36 tertiary care centres in five countries, we enrolled consenting pregnant women with thrombophilia at increased risk of venous thromboembolism or with previous placenta-mediated pregnancy complications. Eligible participants were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either antepartum prophylactic dose dalteparin (5000 international units once daily up to 20 weeks' gestation, and twice daily thereafter until at least 37 weeks' gestation) or to no antepartum dalteparin (control group). Randomisation was done by a web-based randomisation system, and was stratified by country and gestational age at randomisation day with a permuted block design (block sizes 4 and 8). At randomisation, site pharmacists (or delegates) received a randomisation number and treatment allocation (by fax and/or e-mail) from the central web randomisation system and then dispensed study drug to the local coordinator. Patients and study personnel were not masked to treatment assignment, but the outcome adjudicators were masked. The primary composite outcome was independently adjudicated severe or early-onset pre-eclampsia, small-for-gestational-age infant (birthweight <10th percentile), pregnancy loss, or venous thromboembolism. We did intention-to-treat and on-treatment analyses. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00967382, and with Current Controlled Trials, number ISRCTN87441504. FINDINGS: Between Feb 28, 2000, and Sept 14, 2012, 292 women consented to participate and were randomly assigned to the two groups. Three women were excluded after randomisation because of ineligibility (two in the antepartum dalteparin group and one in the control group), leaving 146 women assigned to antepartum dalteparin and 143 assigned to no antepartum dalteparin. Some patients crossed over to the other group during treatment, and therefore for on-treatment and safety analysis there were 143 patients in the dalteparin group and 141 in the no dalteparin group. Dalteparin did not reduce the incidence of the primary composite outcome in both intention-to-treat analysis (dalteparin 25/146 [17.1%; 95% CI 11.4-24.2%] vs no dalteparin 27/143 [18.9%; 95% CI 12.8-26.3%]; risk difference -1.8% [95% CI -10.6% to 7.1%)) and on-treatment analysis (dalteparin 28/143 [19.6%] vs no dalteparin 24/141 [17.0%]; risk difference +2.6% [95% CI -6.4 to 11.6%]). In safety analysis, the occurrence of major bleeding did not differ between the two groups. However, minor bleeding was more common in the dalteparin group (28/143 [19.6%]) than in the no dalteparin group (13/141 [9.2%]; risk difference 10.4%, 95% CI 2.3-18.4; p=0.01). INTERPRETATION: Antepartum prophylactic dalteparin does not reduce the occurrence of venous thromboembolism, pregnancy loss, or placenta-mediated pregnancy complications in pregnant women with thrombophilia at high risk of these complications and is associated with an increased risk of minor bleeding. FUNDING: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and Pharmacia and UpJohn.
ISSN: 0923-7577

hal-01258557
http://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-01258557
DOI : 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60793-5
PUBMED : 25066248

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde
Résumé : International audience
Leishmania are protozoan parasites that show remarkable diversity, as revealed by the various clinical forms of leishmaniasis, which can range from mild skin lesions to severe metastatic cutaneous/mucosal lesions. The exact nature and extent of Leishmania phenotypic diversity in establishing infection is not fully understood. In order to try to understand some aspects of this diversity, we subcutaneously infected BALB/c mice with first and second generation subclones of a L. amazonensis strain isolated from a patient (BA125) and examined in vivo lesion growth rate and antimony susceptibility. In vivo fast-, medium- and slow-growing subclones were obtained; moreover, fast-growing subclones could generate slow-growing subclones and inversely, revealing the continuous generation of diversity after passage into mice. No antimony-resistant subclone appeared, probably a rare occurrence. By tagging subclone cells with a L. amazonensis genomic cosmid library, we found that only a very small number of founding cells could produce lesions. Leishmania clones transfected with in vivo selected individual cosmids were also diverse in terms of lesion growth rate, revealing the cosmid-independent intrinsic characteristics of each clone. Our results suggest that only a few of the infecting parasites are able to grow and produce lesions; later, within the cell mixture of each lesion, there coexist several parasite populations with different potentialities to grow lesions during the next infection round. This may reflect a sort of programmed heterogeneity of individual parasites, favoring the survival of some individuals in various environmental conditions.
ISSN: 0074-0276

hal-01489008
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01489008

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD WB Saunders
Résumé : International audience
OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that, in Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus (HIV/HCV) co-infected patients who did not respond to peg-interferon and ribavirin, a maintenance therapy with peg-interferon could induce fibrosis regression. METHODS: This was a randomized study with two parallel groups. HIV/HCV co-infected patients received peg-interferon α-2a at 180 μg/week or remained on observation for 96 weeks. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients who experienced a decrease of at least one point in their Metavir fibrosis score between initial and final liver biopsies. Secondary endpoints included plasma fibrosis markers at week 96, occurrence of HCV-related complications, and survival. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients were randomized (peg-interferon: 25; control: 27) including 18 with cirrhosis. The median (interquartile range) age was 44 (40-46) years, and 69% were male. A total of 64% had ALT levels >1.5 normal values, and the CD4 cell count was 391 (296-537) cells/mm(3); 67% of patients had HIV RNA <200 copies/mL at entry. The main endpoint was assessed in 41 patients. Response rates were 3/20 (15%) and 4/21 (19%) in the peg-interferon and control groups, respectively (p = 0.99). There was no significant difference between peg-interferon and control groups on plasma fibrosis markers at the final visit. Severe liver-related complications were observed in 2 and 5 patients in peg-interferon and control groups, respectively. Three deaths were observed, all in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: A maintenance therapy with peg-interferon α-2a over 96 weeks in HIV/HCV co-infected patients, who were non-responders to HCV treatment, did not change liver fibrosis. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00122616.
ISSN: 0163-4453

hal-00875067
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00875067
DOI : 10.1016/j.jinf.2013.05.007
PUBMED : 23800784

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD International Medical Press
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND: Psychiatric disorders are relatively common among HIV-infected patients. However, there are few studies about their potential risk factors. This analysis aimed to measure the incidence of severe psychiatric events (PE) among patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) of the French APROCO-COPILOTE (ANRS CO8) cohort, and to identify the medical and socio-behavioural correlates of their first episode of depression, suicide or suicide attempt (D/S/SA). METHODS: APROCO-COPILOTE is a cohort of patients started on a protease inhibitor regimen between 1997 and 1999, with prospective medical standardized records and self-administered questionnaires collecting socio-demographic and socio-behavioural data. This analysis included all 11-year follow-up visits for 1,095 patients having completed baseline self-administered questionnaires. A proportional hazard Cox model was used to identify the correlates of a first D/S/SA event. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of severe PE remained low: 50 patients experienced 67 events (incidence rate [95% CI] =1.04 [0.82, 1.32] per 100 person-years). Depression (n=16), suicides (n=5) and suicide attempts (n=14) were the most frequently diagnosed PE (0.54 [0.39, 0.76] per 100 person-years) among 25 patients. Multivariate results showed that unemployment, unstable housing, detectable viral load and smoking more than 20 cigarettes/day were independently associated with D/S/SA. CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence of severe PE remained relatively low among the patients of APROCO-COPILOTE cohort, this study's results underline a clinically important problem in HIV-infected patients receiving cART. Furthermore, our findings not only emphasize the importance of comprehensive care, especially for socially vulnerable patients, but may also help future studies designed to assess the effectiveness of interventions in reducing the risk of PE during cART.
ISSN: 1359-6535

hal-00875183
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00875183
DOI : 10.3851/IMP2102
PUBMED : 22544079

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
Twenty-five years after the fight started against Wuchereria bancrofti var. pacifica in French Polynesia and which was based upon mass chimiotherapy by diethylcarbamazine (Banocide), a survey realized in 1975 and 1976 among 274 patients with elephantiasis allows us to give precise details of the local clinical and epidemiological aspects. Since 1950 the number of clinical cases varies along with the parasitological incidence, but with a certain delay which is explained by the late and irreversible elephantiasis characteristics. The overall prevalence is actually low. However the occurrence of new cases, although very rare, is still possible. Among sick patients the lymphangitic crisis frequency whose aspect lead to evoke a bacterial participation, is low. Women are less frequently and less severely involved than men. Localisations are essentially restricted to the lower limbs. Several limbs are involved in approximately 50 0/0 of the cases. The scrotum involvement is rare, the one of the breast is found only once. Among men we can notice a 33 0/0 incidence of associated hydroceles. A past history of chyluria is not rare.
Bull Soc Pathol Exot Filiales

hal-00715421
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-00715421
PUBMED : 385163

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is the most frequent genetic haemoglobinopathy, which exhibits a highly variable clinical course characterized by hyper-coagulable and pro-inflammatory states, as well as endothelial dysfunction. Extracellular microvesicles are released into biological fluids and play a role in modifying the functional phenotype of target cells. We hypothesized that potential differences in plasma-derived extracellular microvesicles (EV) function and cargo from SCA patients may underlie divergent clinical trajectories. Plasma EV from SCA patients with mild, intermediate and severe clinical disease course were isolated, and primary endothelial cell cultures were exposed. Endothelial cell activation, monocyte adhesion, barrier disruption and exosome cargo (microRNA microarrays) were assessed. EV disrupted the endothelial barrier and induced expression of adhesion molecules and monocyte adhesion in a SCA severity-dependent manner compared to healthy children. Microarray approaches identified a restricted signature of exosomal microRNAs that readily distinguished severe from mild SCA, as well as from healthy children. The microRNA candidates were further validated using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction assays, and revealed putative gene targets. Circulating exosomal microRNAs may play important roles in predicting the clinical course of SCA, and in delineation of individually tailored, mechanistically-based clinical treatment approaches of SCA patients in the near future.
ISSN: 0007-1048

hal-01668328
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-01668328
DOI : 10.1111/bjh.14104

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
BACKGROUND:Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is a severe hereditary haemoglobinopathy characterised by haemorheological abnormalities, which play a role in the occurrence of several acute and chronic clinical complications. While βS -haplotypes and alpha-thalassaemia modulate SCA clinical severity, their effects on blood rheology have been incompletely described. The aim of this study was to test the effects of these genetic modifiers on the haemorheological properties and clinical complication of children with SCA.PROCEDURE:Steady-state haemorheological profile, biological parameters, βS -haplotypes, alpha-globin status, vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) and acute chest syndrome frequencies were analysed in 128 children (aged 5 to 18 years) with SCA.RESULTS:Patients with alpha-thalassaemia showed increased red blood cell (RBC) deformability and aggregation compared to those without. Median VOC rate was higher in patients with homozygous alpha-thalassaemia compared to those with a normal alpha genotype. Conversely, the haemorheological profile and clinical complications were not influenced by the βS -haplotypes in our study.CONCLUSION:Our results demonstrate that alpha-thalassaemia is associated with higher risk for VOC events in children with SCA, which may be due in part to its effects on RBC deformability and aggregation.
ISSN: 1545-5009

hal-01668317
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-01668317
DOI : 10.1002/pbc.26455
PUBMED : 28097791

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
IntroductionLeishmania RNA virus type 1 (LRV1) is an endosymbiont of some Leishmania (Vianna) species in South America. Presence of LRV1 in parasites exacerbates disease severity in animal models and humans, related to a disproportioned innate immune response, and is correlated with drug treatment failures in humans. Although the virus was identified decades ago, its genomic diversity has been overlooked until now.Methodology/Principles findingsWe subjected LRV1 strains from 19 L. (V.) guyanensis and one L. (V.) braziliensis isolates obtained from cutaneous leishmaniasis samples identified throughout French Guiana with next-generation sequencing and de novo sequence assembly. We generated and analyzed 24 unique LRV1 sequences over their full-length coding regions. Multiple alignment of these new sequences revealed variability (0.5%±23.5%) across the entire sequence except for highly conserved motifs within the 5' untranslated region. Phylogenetic analyses showed that viral genomes of L. (V.) guyanensis grouped into five distinct clusters. They further showed a species-dependent clustering between viral genomes of L. (V.) guyanensis and L. (V.) braziliensis, confirming a long-term co-evolutionary history. Noteworthy, we identified cases of multiple LRV1 infections in three of the 20 Leishmania isolates.Conclusions/SignificanceHere, we present the first-ever estimate of LRV1 genomic diversity that exists in Leishmania (V.) guyanensis parasites. Genetic characterization and phylogenetic analyses of these viruses has shed light on their evolutionary relationships. To our knowledge, this study is also the first to report cases of multiple LRV1 infections in some parasites. Finally, this work has made it possible to develop molecular tools for adequate identification and genotyping of LRV1 strains for diagnostic purposes. Given the suspected worsening role of LRV1 infection in the pathogenesis of human leishmaniasis, these data have a major impact from a clinical viewpoint and for the management of Leishmania-infected patients.
ISSN: 1935-2727

pasteur-01583523
https://hal-riip.archives-ouvertes.fr/pasteur-01583523
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005764
PUBMED : 28715422

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD IOS Press
Résumé : International audience
The aim of the present study was to test the effects of hydroxyurea (HU) therapy on clinical, hematological and hemorheological parameters in adult patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA). Hematological and hemorheological parameters were measured in 28 SCA patients before HU therapy (i.e., baseline) and at 6, 12 and 24 months of treatment. RBC deformability was determined by ektacytometry at 30 Pa. RBC aggregation properties were investigated by light-backscatter method. Blood viscosity was measured at 225 s-1 by a cone-plate viscometer. The rates of vaso-occlusive crises and acute chest syndrome were lower at 1 and 2 years of HU therapy compared to baseline. The proportion of patients with leg ulcers tended to decrease after 2 years of treatment. Hemoglobin oxygen saturation improved with HU therapy. HU therapy induced a decrease of platelet and white blood cell counts and a rise in fetal hemoglobin level and mean cell volume. While hemoglobin concentrations increased under HU, blood viscosity remained unchanged all along the study. RBC deformability increased over baseline values at 6 months of HU therapy and continued to rise until the end of the follow-up period. In conclusion, the improvement in RBC deformability probably compensates the increase of hemoglobin on blood viscosity and participates to the improvement of the clinical status of patients.
ISSN: 1386-0291

hal-01668327
https://hal.univ-antilles.fr/hal-01668327
DOI : 10.3233/CH-170280