Etablissement d'une présence endémique de la Bilharziose en Corse

International audienc

Central retinal vein occlusion in a sickle cell trait carrier after a cycling race.: SCT and ophthalmologic complications

International audienceA 26-yr-old man with sickle cell trait (SCT) suddenly lost visual acuity in the left eye after a cycling race in hot tropical environment. The cause was massive central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) with hemorrhaging that rapidly worsened to neovascular glaucoma. Although medically treated, the eye is now marked by total retinal detachment. Cardiovascular function assessment shows no electrocardiographic abnormalities, no anomaly in the supra-aortic tree, and no evidence of structural heart disease. Although normal coagulation markers values (i.e., activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, fibrinogen concentration, antithrombin III, factor V, proteins C and S) were observed 2.5 months after the clinical event, a transesophageal echocardiogram performed few hours after the incident revealed the presence of four thrombi in the left atrium suggesting a postexercise hypercoagulable state at that time. Hemorheological measurements at distance of the events demonstrated high red blood cell rigidity at baseline. Therefore, marked blood rheological impairment and activation of the coagulation pathway in response to the heavy and prolonged cycling race could have promoted CRVO in this cyclist carrying SCT. These data suggest that SCT could be considered as a risk factor for significant ocular complications when severe exercise is performed and support the idea that SCT is a contributing factor in blood rheology and vascular dysfunctions

Schistosomiasis Haematobium, Corsica, France

International audienceIn Europe, urinary schistosomiasis has previously been detected only in Portugal, where this focus disappeared during the 1950s . However, freshwater snails of the species Bulinus contortus, B. truncatus, and Planorbarius metidjensis, which are recognized intermediate hosts for Schistosoma haematobium trematodes, have been found in Portugal , Spain , and Corsica . This finding suggested that autochthonous schistosomiasis could re-emerge in southern Europe if these mollusks become infected. We report a probable focus for transmission of schistosomiasis haematobium in Corsica, France