Biomedical subjects

A Armengaud

Publications and source records attributed to A Armengaud.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Outbreak of typhoid fever on the French Riviera.

A case-control study was conducted to establish the source of a community outbreak of typhoid fever in Utelle, France, a village located in the Alpes-Maritimes district of the French Riviera. Thirteen confirmed cases of typhoid fever and 41 confirmed community controls were included in the study. Cases and controls did not differ regarding ingestion of water. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified consumption of pork meats during a village festival as the only statistically significant risk factor for typhoid fever after adjusting for age and sex (odds ratio, 76.0; 95% confidence interval, 3.5-1660). Assessment of food-handling procedures at the inn where the food had been prepared showed that the refrigeration and cooking facilities were inadequate to maintain a proper sanitary environment during the preparation of a meal for 350 people. Although the exact cause of the epidemic could not be confirmed, food contaminated by a chronic typhi carrier is the most plausible hypothesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

The prevalence of reported asthma is independent of exposure in house dust mite-sensitized children.

In areas with low house dust mite (HDM) allergen exposure, both mite sensitization and asthma prevalence are low. In most other areas, HDM allergen exposure is higher than the threshold for sensitization. In this setting, is HDM allergen exposure a factor which is causally related to the development of asthma in HDM-sensitive individuals? To answer this question, the cumulative prevalence of asthma was evaluated in a group of 157 schoolchildren, aged 10 and 11 yrs, who were allergic to HDM allergen, and compared it with HDM allergen exposure and atopic status, using univariate and multivariate analysis. HDM allergen levels were measured in mattress dust using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Of mattress dust samples, 94% had an HDM allergen level >2 microg x g dust(-1). Atopy was evaluated by means of skin prick tests using five common allergens. Among the predictive variables studied by means of univariate analysis, only the number of positive skin tests and male sex correlated with asthma prevalence, but not HDM allergen exposure. Logistic regression analysis also demonstrated that the number of positive skin tests correlated with asthma prevalence (odds ratio (OR)=1.38, p=0.05), whereas the OR for HDM allergen exposure was 1.0. This survey suggests that, in a geographical area with high HDM allergen exposure, asthma prevalence is not linked with HDM allergen levels.

Allergens↗

PubMed1999

Gaseous air pollution and atopy.

BACKGROUND: Photochemical air pollutants are commonly thought to be implicated in the gradual increase in the prevalence of atopy. However, no epidemiological data are available. METHODS: To clarify this issue, we performed a cross-sectional epidemiological survey in 2604 primary school children, 10 and 11 years old, living in seven communities among which some have the highest photochemical exposure in France. The mean levels of the main gaseous air pollutants (SO2, NO2 and O3) were measured during a 2-month period in 1993. The protocol included a standardized questionnaire, skin prick tests to common aeroallergens and in the atopic children, collection of a sample of mattress dust to measure group 1 mite allergens. Atopy was only defined on the basis of the skin prick tests. RESULTS: Percentage of positive skin tests and the number of positive skin tests were similar in the different communities looked at. The distribution of dust samples with a group 1 allergen level greater than 2 microg/g dust, was also similar. Logistic regression analysis including potential confounding factors, as well as the mean level of air pollutants, did not demonstrate any association between atopy and mean SO2, NO2 and O3 levels. CONCLUSION: The increase in photochemical air pollutants is unlikely to be a major determinant for the recent increase in the prevalence of atopy.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed1999

[Knowledge, opinions and attitudes of physicians regarding air pollution in the Bouches-du-Rhône].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate knowledge, opinions and attitudes of physicians towards prevention of health consequences from air pollution, especially photo-chemical pollution. METHODS: A questionnaire was prepared by a multidisciplinary group from published literature on Health impact of air pollution and from local context. It was administered on line among a random sample of physicians practising in the County of the Bouches du Rhône (Marseille, South-eastern France). The sample consisted in pediatricians (1/2), general practitioners (GP; 1/14) and pneumologists. RESULTS: The answer rate was 79% (112/169 GP, 94/107 pediatricians, 82/91 pneumologists). Among the 288 physicians who answered the questionnaire, 44% declared they felt very concerned by air pollution, especially pediatricians. While 87% were knowledgeable about SO2 regulations, only 59% (48% among pediatricians) were knowledgeable about ozone regulations. While about all physicians knew the health effects of air pollution episodes on respiratory tract, only half knew that mortality rates can increase significantly during such episodes. Forty percent of physicians had never heard about air pollution episodes that occurred in their city, while air quality control networks had identified them. At last, only 15% of physicians had already given recommendations to patients during episodes of ozone pollution (above 180 micrograms/m3). CONCLUSION: That study shows the need for improving knowledge and attitudes of physicians about air pollution, especially photo-chemical air pollution. As physicians are concerned about the Health impact of air pollution, and patients are demanding about this issue, training and information programmes should be implemented rapidly. However, experimental interventions aimed at reducing the acute effects of air pollution episodes should be evaluated to show their efficiency, and to convince physicians with scientific arguments.

Air Pollution↗

PubMed1997

Urban outbreak of Q fever, Briancon, France, March to June 1996.

Q fever is an ubiquitous zoonosis caused by the rickettsial organism Coxiella burnetii. Both sporadic cases and epidemics occur in areas where sheep and goats are bred. The main route of transmission is by inhalation of aerosols from the environment (soil

Journal Article↗

PubMed1984

Diffusion of enoxacin into the cerebrospinal fluid in dogs with healthy meninges and with experimental meningitis.

After a 1 h intravenous injection of 12.5 and 25 mg/kg enoxacin in dogs with healthy meninges, the concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid observed between 90 and 240 min averaged 2.6 (1.8-3.3) mg/l and 6.5 (4.7-8.4) mg/l respectively. In dogs with meningitis, a dosage of 12.5 mg/kg yielded a mean concentration of 4.9 (3.1-6.4) mg/l. The concentrations obtained in dogs with healthy meninges greatly exceeded the MICs for meningococci and Haemophilus influenzae. In the infected dogs, the concentrations obtained exceeded the MICs of the most common causative agents of meningitis. In the dogs with healthy meninges the ratio CSF/plasma AUCs was 47% after 25 mg/kg and 33% after 12.5 mg/kg. In the infected dogs, the ratio was 67.3% after 12.5 mg/kg.

Animals↗

PubMed1968

[Not Available].

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Demography↗