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Biomedical subjects

F Denis

Publications and source records attributed to F Denis.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Comparison of 10 enzyme immunoassays for detection of antibody to human immunodeficiency virus type 2 in West African sera.

The efficacies of nine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (EIA) for antibody to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and one EIA for antibody to HIV-2 in detecting antibody to HIV-2 were studied. The competitive EIAs for antibody to HIV-1 were less sensitive than the indirect EIAs. The overall prevalence of positive results was between 28 and 51% with the competitive EIAs and between 70 and 93% with the indirect EIAs. Most of the EIAs were less sensitive in detecting antibody to HIV-2 in sera from people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-like diseases than in sera from symptomless individuals. The results indicate that there is a high degree of cross-reactivity between HIV-1 and HIV-2 by EIA, indicating that serotype specificity must be determined by Western blot (immunoblot) with both sets of viral antigens. The results are relevant for discussing public health strategies, especially the screening of blood donors; competitive EIAs for antibody to HIV-1 are not sensitive enough to be used in areas where HIV-2 is prevalent (West Africa).

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1988

[Tropical African neuromyelopathies: 61 studied cases in the Ivory Coast].

Sixty one cases of tropical myeloneuropathies (TNM) from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, are reported. The mean age of patients was 35 years. The socioeconomic level was often very low and puerperality was a common initiating factor. Several clinical forms are noted: pure pyramidal (16 cases), pure ataxic (11 cases), sensory motor polyneuritis (8 cases), combined sclerosis of the spinal cord (1 case), ataxic polyneuritis (25 cases). In fact the extent of the pathobiological process was more severe as shown by slowings of peripheral motor nerve conduction velocities, prolonged central conduction time determined after cortical and spinal stimulations, and a severe sensory axonal impairment on nerve biopsies. These changes were observed with varying degrees in all clinical forms. As long as the etiological factors of TMN are not known (preventing from the possibility to split this disease in several entities) it is preferable to speak about one global disorder and not isolated various clinical forms (e.g. particulary: tropical spastic paraplegia). HTLV-I retrovirus seems to play a limited role in the etiology of TMN in Ivory Coast (1 positive case).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Pain patterns in adult scoliosis.

Adult patients with scoliosis often have back pain, but that pain may or may not be due to the curvature. A careful history, physical examination, routine radiographic examination, and, on some occasions, specialized radiographs, CT, myelography, discography, and facet joint injection will help the physician or surgeon separate out those pain syndromes owing to the curvature versus those not owing to the curvature. Only after these critical evaluations have been done can a decent decision be made as to the area of the spine to be treated, either surgically or nonsurgically.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[Intraocular penetration of ciprofloxacin after infusion and oral administration].

Thirty five patients (mean age: 70 years) undergoing cataract surgery or vitrectomy were perfused with ciprofloxacin (400 mg IV/for 1 hour) or received either a single, 2, 6 or 8 preoperative orale doses (750 mg each). The samples of serum, aqueous humor or vitreous fluid were taken simultaneously at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9 or 12 hours after the last administration of antibiotic. The antibiotic concentrations were determined by microbiological techniques (using Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633). Aqueous humor levels, after perfusion of 400 mg, were stable during 3 hours (mean: 0.22 mg/l); after a single oral dose of 750 mg were stable during 12 hours (mean: 0.18 mg/l) but were significantly lower than after multiple doses (up to 0.8 mg/l) which suggest accumulation in anterior chamber. In vitreous fluid, levels were elevated from one to six hours after the end of the perfusion (up to 0.4 mg/l). The levels are above the MIC 90 of enterobacteriaceae, and around the MIC 50 of Staphylococcus or Pseudomonas.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1988

Sacral fractures: an important problem. Retrospective analysis of 236 cases.

Sacral fractures, often undiagnosed and untreated, frequently result in neurologic symptoms and deficits to the lower extremities and urinary, rectal, and sexual dysfunctions. These same neurologic problems often remain the major chronic sequelae after the more obvious pelvic trauma lesion has healed. Specific treatments aimed at neurologic problems are available and may allow the patient functional recovery. This is illustrated by anatomic observations on the sacrum in 39 cadavers showing the relationship among sacral nerve roots within their foramina. These observations were valuable for a retrospective study of 236 consecutive patients with sacral fractures in a series of 776 patients with pelvic injuries. A new classification of sacral fractures evolved from this study and provided a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the associated neurologic symptoms. The classification is based on the direction, location, and level of sacral fractures. Three different zones were identified as having characteristic clinical presentations: Zone I, the region of the ala, was occasionally associated with partial damage to the fifth lumbar root. Zone II, the region of the sacral foramina, is frequently associated with sciatica but rarely with bladder dysfunction. Zone III, the region of the central sacral canal, is frequently associated with saddle anesthesia and loss of sphincter function. Routine pelvic roentgenograms were almost useless in identifying the pathologic process in sacral injuries with neurologic symptoms. Ferguson views, tomograms, and particularly computed tomography scans were crucial for understanding these injuries. Cystometrography was most helpful in positively identifying fractures causing neurogenic bladders. Cystometrograms should be ordered routinely in Zone III injuries. Preliminary observations suggest that surgical decompression permitted significantly better neurologic recovery than nonsurgical methods.

Female↗
PubMed1987

Alterations in the human immune response to the hepatitis B vaccine among the elderly.

The specific binding of hepatitis B (HBs) antigen by lymphocytes from old people immunized with hepatitis B vaccine was explored. For that purpose HBs antigen was combined with fluorescent microspheres, and labeled antigen was allowed to react with lymphocytes from HBs vaccine-responsive or unresponsive people. Lymphocytes from 10 responders and 14 nonresponders were tested for their antigen-binding ability. For controls, lymphocytes were incubated with microspheres bearing human albumin. Lymphocytes from 8 out of 10 responders were able to recognize HBs antigen; for the nonresponders the ratio was 9 out of 14. HBs-binding lymphocytes were B cells but not T lymphocytes. B and T cells from responders and nonresponders were combined and cultivated for 8 days in the presence of HBs antigen, and antibody-producing cells were counted. Neither B cells alone nor B cells plus T cells from nonresponders were able to produce antibody. On the other hand B cells from unresponsive old people produced antibodies when they were cultivated in the presence of HBs antigen and T cells from responsive old people. These data suggest that some elderly individuals who do not produce antibody after in vivo immunization by HBs vaccine do have antibody-producing cells. Instead of a gap in their immune repertoire, these people are suffering from immune dysfunction.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 4 and the human immunodeficiency virus in West Africa.

A new human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV-4) was recently described in healthy people from Senegal. This virus has many properties in common with members of the human T-lymphotropic viruses, particularly the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV, the etiologic agent of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), but does not appear to be associated with immunodeficiency-related disorders. In the present study, serum samples were obtained from 4248 individuals from six West African countries, including Senegal, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast. These samples, collected during 1985-1987, were from people categorized as healthy control, sexually active risk, and disease populations. All samples were analyzed for reactivity to HTLV-4 and HIV by radioimmunoprecipitation-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Evidence for HTLV-4 infection was found in five of the six countries. The seroprevalence varied markedly from country to country. Healthy sexually active individuals in the risk category had the highest levels of HTLV-4 infection compared to individuals in the healthy control category and the disease category, the latter including AIDS patients. The seroprevalence of HIV infection in most of these countries was quite low, although tightly associated with the rare cases of AIDS. The biology of HTLV-4 infection thus differs from that of HIV in Central Africa or the United States and Europe. The presence of these viruses and their different pathogenicities in several countries of West Africa indicate the necessity for serologic assays that will distinguish between them. Further studies of their origin and distribution as well as of their biology will be important in advancing our understanding of AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1987

Prevalence of human T-lymphotropic retroviruses type III (HIV) and type IV in Ivory Coast.

Serological investigations in the Ivory Coast indicate that, despite the rarity of overt acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is widely prevalent. So also is human T-lymphotropic virus type IV (HTLV-IV). The highest rates of HIV and HTLV-IV seropositivity were observed in female prostitutes. These findings suggest that, like HIV, HTLV-IV can be transmitted by heterosexual contact, and that the mobility of prostitutes may be an important factor in spread of the retroviruses in Africa. The incidence of HIV-associated AIDS in the Ivory Coast is likely to rise sharply in the next few years.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1987

A STLV-III related human retrovirus, HTLV-IV: analysis of cross-reactivity with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

A category of viruses has been identified which is related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but is more closely related to a group of simian retroviruses (STLV-III). These viruses named HTLV-IV, LAV-II, or SBL-6669, are prevalent in West-Africa. In this study, we analysed the cross-reactivity at the protein level between HTLV-IV and HIV (HTLV-IIIB). The results indicate that most people infected with HTLV-IV have antibodies that react to the major gag protein of HIV p 24. There is also a high degree of immunologic cross-reactivity between the pol gene products of HIV and HTLV-IV. Among these the endonuclease/integrase is more conserved than the reverse transcriptase. In contrast, the envelope glycoproteins that are the most frequently detected antigens by antibodies from exposed individuals are serotype specific. These data make the env gene products the most interesting antigens for serotype specific diagnosis of human retroviruses infections.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1987

Multiplicity of serogroups and adhesins in enteropathogenic and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from acute diarrhea in Senegal.

Escherichia coli strains were isolated from 228 children with diarrhea in Senegal from 1982 to 1984. Among these E. coli involved in cases of diarrhea, we found that 20.3% were enteropathogenic E. coli. Only 3.9% of the strains adhered to the brush borders of human intestinal enterocytes, and they belonged to different serotypes. All these adhesion-positive strains possessed genes encoding for the heat-stable enterotoxin, but their adhesive factors were different regarding serology with anti-colonization factor sera, hemagglutination patterns, electron microscopy structures, or major surface protein subunits.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

[Treatment of peritonitis in kidney failure patients under continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis by pefloxacine. Results and pharmacokinetics].

Pefloxacin was used as monotherapy in 15 cases of peritonitis occurring in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Antibiotic administration was made intravenously on day 1 (800 mg) and from day 2 to day 4 (400 mg/day), then orally during 10 days (400 mg/day). The dosage of 400 mg gave a mean serum concentration peak (11.2 mg/l) and valley (5.4 mg/l) on the second day and a mean dialysate level of 5 mg/l. The last mean serum concentration (J14) were 5.5 mg/l (peak) and 2.5 mg/l (valley) and the mean dialysate level was 2.6 mg/l. Ten of these patients were cured. We explained pefloxacin therapy failure in two cases by resistant strains (S. sanguis and S. bovis), in one case by an acquired resistance during treatment (S. epidermidis), in an other case by catheter contamination; and in the last case, clinical failure occur despite good sensitivity with in vitro-test (Acinetobacter).

Adult↗