Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C Chastel.
Six strains of Spiroplasma sp. were isolated from Aedes mosquitoes collected in France, in the northern part of the Alps. As these isolates came from anthropophilic species of mosquitoes, the possible epidemiological and pathological importance of such observations is briefly discussed. No virus was isolated from these same mosquitoes.
Six patients with previous history of herpetic keratitis were seen during the 48 first hours after the out set of a conjunctivitis. Herpes simplex virus type 1 was isolated in all cases. Treated immediately with trifluorothymidine, they healed quickly without developing any corneal lesions. These data suggest the use of early antiviral treatment in patients with recurrent herpetic keratitis, even preventive therapy in at risk patients in well known predisposing conditions.
The authors give 4 observations, made in Rennes (France), of 3 cases contracted in France and 1 in Canada, cases they think to be related, for 3 at least, to the infectious entity described by American authors under the name of Lyme disease. If 1 of these cases was limited to an erythema chronicum migrans, the 3 others showed a beginning evolution towards a classical Lyme disease. In 2 of these 3 last cases, the infection was perhaps cut short by a quickly applied therapy by antibiotics. They discuss the different hypotheses about the negative Borrelia serologic reactions in 3 of the 4 cases. A possible arboviral aetiology is evocked. In only one of the 4 cases, a tick-bite can be asserted, the role in the the transmission of this kind of arthropods being strictly excluded in 2 of the 3 other cases (transmission likely by a mosquito and by a biting fly (tabanid?)). The authors put the question of the possibility of transmission, for erythema chronicum migrans and Lyme disease, by arthropods other than ticks.
Sera from 215 seabirds (mainly gulls) and 74 landbirds (mainly starlings) from Brittany were studied by hemagglutination inhibition and complement fixation tests for antibody against 9 arboviruses among them 8 were previously isolated from ticks associated with seabirds. Among seabirds, 145 or 65% were found positive for flaviviruses and nairoviruses of the Hughes serogroup. Unexpected frequency of HI positive reactions for Tyuleniy virus indicate the possible circulation of this virus among seabirds colonies of Brittany in addition to the recently isolated Meaban flavivirus. Among landbirds, only one positive HI reaction for Tyuleniy virus was detected in a house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and it seems that landbirds may not play an important role in the dissemination of these arboviruses to man and to domestic animals.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
During the spring of 1981, two strains of an identical virus were isolated in Mayenne, France, from Ixodes ricinus L. and Ixodes ventalloi Gil Collado, parasiting a wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.). Virological and serological results indicated that these strains belong to the Colorado tick fever serogroup and are indistinguishable from Eyach virus, a tick-borne virus previously described from West Germany. Study of dsRNA PAGE profiles confirmed these conclusions. The morphology and morphogenesis of French isolates were studied in infected suckling mouse brains showing some peculiar features previously described for Colorado tick fever virus. The importance of the isolation of Eyach virus in France is discussed.
Viruses have been demonstrated or suspected as the causative agents of various types of uveitis. Some arboviruses can be responsible for ocular manifestations. In Brittany, both serosurveys and virus isolations were positive for arboviruses. These results led us to look for the possible role of arboviruses in the aetiology of uveitis. For this, we performed a serosurvey on 131 patients with uveitis of unknown aetiology. Patients were examined in the Ophthalmologic Department of the Brest University Hospital from May 1979 to May 1983. Serum samples were studied: by haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests against thirteen antigens; by complement fixation (CF) tests against six antigens. The HI and CF tests were performed using micromethods. HI tests revealed antibodies against one or more flaviviruses antigens in thirteen patients: nine monospecific reactions against Yellow Fever virus (as a consequence of a vaccination) and four reactions against several flaviviruses. The four positive reactions are easily explainable by previous trips in countries where several arboviruses are endemic. By CF test we found antibodies at a low titer in two patients: the first one had antibodies against the Zaliv Terpeniya virus and the second against the Avalon virus. Signification of these results is discussed. Our study shows that in Brittany uveitis of unknown aetiology do not seem to be due to arboviruses, at least those tested in this survey or antigenically related.
The combination therapy of corticosteroids and antiviral agent is often necessary in the treatment of different forms of ocular herpes. The association of superficial ulceration with severe stromal inflammation indicates the possible use of ths therapy. An experimental study was performed in rabbits to evaluate if Trifluorothymidine (TFT) used in combination with topical corticosteroids can heal herpetic superficial ulcerations. Biomicroscopic and histopathologic lesions were compared with those of herpetic control eyes, TFT treated eyes and corticosteroid treated eyes. TFT plus corticosteroid treated lesions showed a clinically favourable evolution comparable to that of TFT treated rabbits without corticosteroid. However anatomopathologic examination revealed stromal alterations with herpetic capsids in keratocytes.
By means of transmission electron microscopy, it was possible to visualize typical viral particles of Soldado virus (Bunyaviridae, Nairovirus ) in the tissues of a naturally infected Ornithodoros ( Alectorobius ) maritimus tick.
We treated 45 patients with virologically verified dendritic keratitis with a combination of interferon and acyclovir 3% or with placebo and acyclovir 3% in a double-masked study. One drop of human leukocyte interferon (30 X 10(6) IU/ml) or albumin-placebo was administered daily. Acyclovir ointment was applied five times daily. The mean healing time of the corneal ulcers in 24 patients treated with interferon and acyclovir was 3.9 days and the mean healing time in 21 patients treated with placebo and acyclovir was seven days. The difference was significant (P less than .001).
Post-traumatic chronic subdural haematoma infected by Salmonella sandiego is reported in a 55-year-old alcoholic man. Treatment involved a four-weeks' course of chloramphenicol and also subdural drainage. The patient ultimately recovered. Only four such cases have been reported in the literature. The mode of infection of the subdural haematoma is presumed to have been haematogenous in the absence of an otorhinological focus, meningitis or previous neurosurgery.
Antigenic analysis of 9 strains of the Soldado virus, originating from seven different countries of Central and Northern America, Africa, Northern Europe and of the Pacific area was carried out by means of complement fixation (CF) and immunodiffusion (ID) tests. Three strains isolated from Ornithodoros (A.) capensis, including the reference Trinidad strain, were found to be related within the same relatively heterogeneous sub-group C, being characteristic for the New World. Five other strains isolated from Ornithodoros (A.) maritimus were classified to form an another, much more homogeneous subgroup M, characteristic for the Old World (related to the Ireland strain). The South Africa strain, isolated form Ornithodoros (A.), probably capensis, could not be classified in either of the above two subgroups. Thus, the Soldado virus in fact represents a complex of more or less closely related strains, but not a single virus.
An inquiry organized by the Belgian Society of Surgery brought data on the mortality and morbidity of surgery on patients of 80 years and older for benign prostatic hypertrophy in a total number of 1,140 operations. Consensus exist to see this surgery as planned surgery. The mortality was 73 (6.3%) without statistical difference between endoscopic and open surgery. The morbidity of 824 patients was 165. This last figure relates to the big series in the literature. The mortality is in direct relation to the age of the patients. Evaluation of cardio-pulmonary risk (70.8% of the mortality), operation on indication at earlier diagnosis and prospective studies on the risk of operation in this population group are indicated.
The authors investigated the high hydrostatic and gas (nitrogen and helium) pressure effects on the morphology, missing encysting process and mortality rate of Acanthamoeba culbertsoni trophozoïtes. These studies have been performed by the means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It has been possible to show that the modulus of dissolving of both gas in water and oil is insufficient to explain the very important volumetric changes. Thereafter it appears that there is clathrate compounds formation.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
80 strains were isolated from patients with herpetic ocular infection during the period May 1979 to May 1981: 17 patients with herpetic blepharitis, 40 patients with superficial keratitis and 23 with deep stromal keratitis or kerato-uveitis. Among 63 patients treated with antiviral agents, clinical resistance to the drug was observed in 17 cases. The strains were typed as HSV 1.1, 1.2 or 2.2 by seroneutralization and thermosensitivity in cellular cultures. No relationship between the viral types and the patient age, previous history of corticosteroid therapy and the response of ocular lesions to antiviral treatment were detected. It appeared that there was a relationship between the viral type and the clinical type of infection: 70% of herpetic blepharitis and 83% of superficial keratitis were due to HSV 1.1 while 71% of stromal keratitis were due to HSV 1.2. No HSV 2.2 was isolated. These results seem to support the hypothesis that genetic differences between herpetic virus strains may determine their virulence.